Music Shortlist: 7 Shows We Recommend You See This Week

Bleached @ Johnny Brenda’s | Thursday, April 14
I like this band. Led by sisters Jennifer and Jessie Clavin, L.A.’s Bleached make poppy, punky rock ’n’ roll with strong vocals and loud guitars. This song is from the recently released Welcome the Worms.

Alex G. @ Union Transfer | Thursday, April 14
Maybe you’ve seen the name but don’t know the deal with Alex G. He’s a folk/indie-pop singer-songwriter from Havertown/Philly native with a smooth, easy-going voice. But he’s also got a weird streak, as on this track from 2015’s Beach Music, wherein he ends a pretty little ditty with some sped up Alvin & the Chipmunks vocals. It works, somehow.

Open Mike Eagle @ Kung Fu Necktie | Thursday, April 14
Chicago/L.A. “art rapper” Open Mike Eagle has a motormouth style that leaves you wondering when he breathes. This track gives me a Digable Planets vibe, not just because of producer Paul White’s jazzy beat, but because of his stream-of-consciousness, cliché-free rhyming.

Har Mar Superstar @ Milkboy Philly | Friday, April 15
Once a relatively straight-laced and “ignified” indie rocker (with Sean Na Na), Sean Tillman has — for a 15 years and counting — been performing as the soulful, smarmy, over-sexed r&B icon Har Mar Superstar. It’s a joke, but it’s not a joke: This music is groovy and energizing.

Speedy Ortiz @ Fillmore | Saturday, April 16
Dr. Dog just headlined the Fillmore a month ago and now they’re back for another hometown sing-along love fest, this time with Massachusetts band Speedy Ortiz in the opener slot. Led by the Kim Deal-ish Sadie Dupuis, Speedy is a fun, sometimes fiery rock band.

Asaf Avidan @ Boot & Saddle | Saturday, April 16
Israeli singer-songwriter and musician Asaf Avidan is a big deal in Europe, apparently, but we’re just catching on. His voice is bright and supple, powered by some Winehouse-style drama and a bit of Dylan’s cadence. He’s also been compared to Leonard Cohen and Robert Plant.

Beyond the Bars Fundraiser @ World Café Live | Sunday, April 17
Benefitting Beyond the Bars — a nonprofit that funds music education for incarcerated young people — this show offers a lot of bang for you buck. Here’s a sampler: