Music: 7 Shows to See in the Next 7 Days
Sondre Lerche plays Fillmore Philly on Friday. BYO 3D glasses. (Paradigm Agency)
Pile @ First Unitarian Church | Wednesday, April 12
Beloved Boston punks Pile return with A Hairshirt of Purpose, the latest testament to frontman Rick Maguire’s sonic restlessness. “Worms” feels like some lost Temple of the Dog track but dreamier. “Hissing for Peace” is more of a messy, righteous rocker. “Rope’s Length” starts clangy and builds to a roar. And so on. Also on the bill: +Hirs+, Gnarwahl and Palberta.
Sallie Ford @ Johnny Brenda’s | Thursday, April 13
With rockabilly/retro grooves, sharp guitars and those powerhouse vocals, Portland rocker Sallie Ford returns with a new record, Soul Sick. Get there in time for another dynamite singer, Austin’s Molly Burch.
Sondre Lerche @ Fillmore Philly | Friday, April 14
The Norwegian singer/songwriter specializes in humane pop. It’s earnest, but undeniably groovy. If he started doing George Michael covers you’d be like, yeah, that makes a lot of sense.
Lil Peep @ Fillmore Philly | Sunday, April 16
With his neck tats, dumb hats, slimy emo asides and dick rhymes, scuzzball rapper Lil Peep was basically built to piss off the PTA. It’s hard not to be cynical about a dude who brags about his sexual and pharmaceutical prowess then whinges about feeling empty. Longterm goals: get parodied by the Lonely Island, retire filthy rich at 32, read Knausgard forever.
Todrick Hall @ Fillmore Philly | Monday, April 17
The YouTube/MTV star comes to town with an encore of his Straight Outta Oz tour. Hall does it all: soul, r&b, rap, drag, acting, dancing, Broadway, and a lot more. He’s gunning for that EGOT.
Surfer Blood @ Johnny Brenda’s | Tuesday, April 18
Not sure what I expected from this beleaguered (but still beloved?) Florida band given what they’ve been through (Google it, I’m not gonna dredge all that up in a blurb), but the airy optimism of the song “Matter of Time” is certainly a surprise. “Given the circumstances, Snowdonia is a surprisingly light album,” Pitchfork said about the new record, and I’m inclined to agree. Surfer hugs.
Tinariwen @ Union Transfer | Tuesday, April 18
The longstanding Tuareg rock band from the Sahara Desert in Mali returns with a new record, Elwan, featuring guest spots by Kurt Vile and Alain Johannes, among others. As expected, it’s full of deep, guitar-driven grooves.
