THE SHOWDOWN: We have the legends-of-reggae-subgenres-and-derivatives beat covered

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THE SHOWDOWN: We have the legends-of-reggae-subgenres-and-derivatives beat covered

POSTED: Monday, August 16, 2010, 9:22 PM

Filed Under: Music

Monday: Ska music has a long, multicultural history from '50s Jamaican popular music to No Doubt's filtered-through-The OC version of the genre. In the middle of this trajectory, lies the U.K.'s storied 2 Tone label. Founded in the late '70s by The Specials' keyboardist Jerry Demmers, 2 Tone fostered a scene of multi-racial bands combining ska rhythms, punk energy and mod style for something quite revolutionary at the time. 2 Tone vets, The English Beat (known simply as The Beat across the pond), are still going strong, and they're bringing their checkered goodness to Philly tonight. Bring your skanking shoes. w/ Bad Manners, 8 p.m., $28-$40, World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St., 215-222-1400. Tuesday: The Delta Mirror makes some wonderfully spacious shoe-gaze tunes tempered by downtempo electronic beats and moody keys. It's ideal headphone music, for sure, but presumably just as dreamy when performed live. w/ The Ropes & Soars, 8 p.m., $10, Kung Fu Necktie, 1250 N. Front St., 215-291-4919. Wednesday: If you're still partied out from Sunday's Making Time Pool Party by midweek (even if it was a little wet) — well, dear reader, it's time to rally. There'll be another dance party a-ragin', courtesy of Canadian glitch-pop masterminds Crystal Castles, whose sound shifts from synth dreamscape to 8-bit aural assault. The show's openers — including Mad Decent's Rusko and Dave P of Making Time —shouldn't disappoint either. In other words, prepare to break a sweat. w/ Rusko, Sinden, Destructo, & Dave P, 8 p.m., $25-28, 421 N. 7th St., 1-215-627-1332 Thursday: It feels pretty safe to say that World Cafe Live has the legends-of-reggae-subgenres-and-derivatives beat covered this summer. First they had dancehall king Barryington Levy, and now they've got ska revivalists The English Beat and legendary dub producer and reggae musician Lee "Scratch" Perry performing in the same week. Check out the ever-inventive rhythms of Perry —who's produced everyone from the Wailers to the Clash and is still putting out his own new work — for a little Reggae, Etc. 101. w/ Lionize, Ruder1 & Rob Paine, 8 p.m., $25-38, World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St., 215-222-1400. Friday: It's a good month for raspy-yet-sweet male vocals. One pair of husky-piped fellows is releasing new albums — David Gray and Ray LaMontagne, respectively — and stopping through the Philly area to support them. In particular, it'll be a delight to hear Mr. Montagne continue his path toward a lighter, but still soulful sound — now co-billed with his rootsy backing band, the Pariah Dogs. Here's to hoping he breaks out his ode to Meg White (hear it above!). 7:30 p.m., $35-65, Susquehanna Bank Center, 1 Harbor Blvd., Camden, N.J., 856-365-1300. Saturday: Kick it old school tonight with the Funky Fresh Flashback Tour Vol. 2. It's sure to be a blast from the hip-hop past with duos EPMD and Nice and Smooth, as well as solo rapper-turned-producer, KwamÃ¨. w/ EPMD, KwamÃ© & Nice and Smooth, 9 p.m., $35-50, Trocadero, 1003 Arch St., 215-922-6888 Sunday: While you might remember her for the once-omnipresent, slightly controversial hit single "One of Us," Joan Osborne has been quietly plugging away as singer-songwriter well beyond her '90s one-hit-wonder-dom. w/ Carsie Blanton, 7:30 p.m., $33, Sellersville Theater, 24 W. Temple Ave., Sellersville, Pa., 215-257-5808

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Featuring everything from event roundups to concert reviews and sex talk, City Paper's Critical Mass is a space for off-the-wall coverage of Philly's A&E scene.

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