This weekend, 2/1-2/3:

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FRIDAY 2/1:

General Events:

• Showings at Theatre N: Knife Fight and Oscar Nominated Short Films. http://www.theatern.org/Films

Concerts:

• Editor's pick: NY-based Freelance Whales and Hundred Waters at the Queen Theatre. $16
• Seldom Scene at the Baby Grand. "Vintage bluegrass quintet with intricate vocal harmonies".  $37
• Americana/Alt-country band Yarn at the Kennett Flash.  No advertised opener. 8pm, $12-$15. More info.
• 4 band bill at Mojo Main, headlined by A Victim of Good Times, who call their influences Pixies, Weezer, Pavement, Nirvana, Modest Mouse, Pinback, The Misfits.  No info available on the other 3 bands. 9pm, $6.

~In Philly and non-nearby PA and NJ~

• Concert at World Cafe Live to benefit Sandy relief efforts: Highway 41, an Allman Brothers tribute. Ticket link.  All ages, $19
• Buke & Gase with Ahleuchatistas and Norwegian Arms (with Dr. Dog's drummer), at Johnny Brenda's. $12
• A Sound Garden tribute band and a Rage Against the Machine tribute band at the North Star Bar in the Art Museum neighborhood.  $12. More info here.
• Grace Potter & the Nocturnals at House of Blues, Atlantic City. $30-$45
• The Fractals and Transistor Rodeo at Steel City Coffeehouse in Phoenixville, outside of Philly. $14

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SATURDAY 2/2:

General Events:

• Showings at Theatre N: Knife Fight and Oscar Nominated Short Films. http://www.theatern.org/Films
• Jazz jam session at The Nomad Bar at 9th & Orange. Every Saturday, 4-7:30pm, FREE.

Concerts:

• Editor's pick: At Arden's Gild Hall -  School of Seven Bells (electronic and modern in a Metric way, but the guitar work reminds me of "Streets Have No Name" era U2 and the none-too-unattractive lead singer's voice has an earnest 80s/90s quality to it.  Dolores O'Riordon, maybe) and Nightlands (in my opinion the more unique of the two bands - see the video below - though both are worth seeing). $20, but if you buy them through the Funsavers entertainment discount website, you might be able to get them for $10, plus $3 fee.  Doors at 7, show at 8.
• Oh Boy! - a Buddy Holly tribute, at WCL at the Queen. The show occurs on the 54th anniversary of the night Holly, Richie Havens, and the Big Bopper died in a small plane crash. $25. Ticket and info link.
• Good local show at Mojo Main: Butterscotch Grim, Soraia, Old Baltimore Speedway (members of Modern Exile), and The Future Unwritten. 9pm, $6
• British singer-songwriter Lloyd Cole at the Kennett Flash.  The opener is West Chester native Ben Smith, of the acclaimed PA bands Wise and Foolish Builders and Missing Palmer West.  8pm, $20-$23.

~In Philly and non-nearby PA~

• Reel Big Fish at the TLA, $22.
• Great White Caps at the Mauch Chunk Opera House in central PA. $15
• Folk: Lili Anel and John Byrne at the Burlap and Bean coffee shop. $15
• For jazz heads: The Monterey Jazz Festival 55th Anniversary tour is at the Merriam Theatre, featuring Christian McBride (I realized recently that he's a Philly native), Dee Dee Bridgewater, Benny Green, Lewis Nash and Chris Potter. $28-$60
• The Kopecky Family Band show at Milkboy Philly is SOLD OUT.

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SUNDAY 2/3:

General Events:

• Free Superbowl ("Har-bowl") viewing at Theatre N.  Ravens vs. the Niners. There will also be an unlimited buffet available for $20.  Doors open at 6, kick-off is at 6:30.  This raises the question: Is it too late for me to get out of my extended family member's stiff and predictable party?
• Other showings at Theatre N: Knife Fight and Oscar Nominated Short Films. http://www.theatern.org/Films

Concerts:

• Dong Johnson (I'm usually against word-play band names, but I hear they're a fun band to watch) at Kung Fu Necktie. $8

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Upcoming: Jeff Mangum is at the DuPont Theatre Tues but it's SOLD OUT. Rufus Wainwright is at the McCarter Theatre Wed. Cheers Elephant and Honeychurch play JB's Wed. RJD2 is at the Chameleon Club in central PA Fri. Frontier Ruckus is at JB's Fri. Spokey Speaky and Splashing Pearls at the Queen Fri. Free Energy and Bleeding Rainbow at Gild Hall Sat. Can You Canoe and Juston Stens at the Queen Sat. Ape School at JB's Sat.

Nightlands, "So Far So Long", one of several strong tracks on Dave Hartley's just-released sophomore album on Secretly Canadian. 

Weekday events, 1/29-1/31:

I'm bringing the work week listings back this week because there are several big name concerts happening on Wednesday and Thursday. 

 

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Tuesday 1/29:

• Opening week of The Producers at the New Candlelight Dinner Theatre in Arden.  It runs through mid-March. $33-$56. http://nctstage.org/home.html
• Purity Ring and Young Magic at Union Transfer.  $17.
• Frances Quinlan, frontwoman of the band Hop Along, at PhilaMOCA.  Following her set will be a screening of a 1950s Federico Fellini film (the organizers are being coy about which film it is, but hints suggest it's La Strada).   PhilaMOCA stands for Mausoleum of Contemporary Art and is basically a small DIY warehouse that used to be a headstone showroom, in the loft district in north Center City. Go to Prohibition Taproom across the street beforehand - great beer selection - although PhilaMOCA usually sells cheap cans of PBR. $5, 7:30pm

~Ongoing~

• Remix Disco[tech] at Mojo Main.  Rotating cast of local and regional DJs.  9pm, free.
• Urban Bike Project (Wilmington) is open from 6:30-9pm for the public to repair their bikes or purchase refurbished bikes. 19th & Market, enter on Race St. side of building.

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Wednesday 1/30:

• Cat Power at the Electric Factory, $30.
• Sixpence None the Richer and Kevin Killen at the Kennett Flash (now say that 3x fast). $23 
• Matt Duke with Sean Hoots (the red-head in Hoots & Hellmouth) and Luray at the Tin Angel. $6

~Ongoing~

• Wax Wednesdays at 1984, at 4th & Greenhill. The focus is on vintage music. Bring your own vinyl to play and get $1 off drinks all night. 8pm-1am.
• 4W5 Blues Jam at the Queen. 7pm, free.

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Thursday 1/31:

• 10,000 Maniacs at the Sellersville Theatre. $40-$55
• Flogging Molly at the Electric Factory. $34.
• Tommy Conwell and Jeffrey Gaines at the Blockley.  $18
• Something called "Giants of Genesis" at Mojo Main.  No other info, no idea what this is, but it could be cool?  9pm, $5.
• The Lumineers show at the Tower is SOLD-OUT.

~Ongoing~

• Urban Bike Project (Wilmington) is open from 6:30-9pm for the public to repair their bikes or purchase refurbished bikes. 19th & Market, enter on Race St. side of building.
• 80's karaoke at 1984 (2511 W. 4th St). 9pm, free.
• Karaoke at Mojo Main. 9pm, free.

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Upcoming: Freelance Whales at the Queen Fri. Yarn at K.Flash Fri. Buke & Gase at JB's Fri. Grace Potter in A.C. Fri. School of Seven Bells and Nightlands at Gild Hall Sat. Reel Big Fish at the TLA Sat. Kopecky Family Band at Milkboy Phl Sat. Jeff Mangum at the DuPont Theatre Tues. but it's sold-out.

This weekend, 1/25-1/27:

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FRIDAY 1/25:

General Events:

• CLAY DATE at the Delaware Art Museum! "Participants will experiment with clay and complete a functional piece of pottery in a relaxed and social atmosphere. Clay Date fills up quickly; be sure to register in advance at delart.org. No experience necessary. Supplies, beer, wine, and light snacks provided."  7-9pm, $30-$35. Call 302.571.9590 or visit delart.org to register.
• Showings at Theatre N: Let Fury Have the Hour and The Big Picture. http://www.theatern.org/Films
• Showing of Mike Birbiglia's film Sleepwalk With Me (if you missed it at Theatre N last year) at the Kennett Flash. Doors at 7, show at 7:30, $5.  Light snacks available, BYOB.

Concerts:

• Riley Road, Phoenixville-based winners of WCL Philly's Beta Hi Fi Festival, and The Districts, Lititz-based winners of WCL at the Queen's first Beta Hi-Fi Festival, at the Queen Theatre, upstairs.  8pm, $10
• Show at Mojo Main for fans of bands like Taking Back Sunday and Coheed and Cambria.  It's not my scene, so I'll just post the facts:  Terrible Things, featuring Fred Mascherino of Taking Back Sunday, Breaking Pangaea, and The Color Fred (apparently its last line-up also included the drummer from Coheed and Cambria, but he has since rejoined that band.  He was replaced by the drummer from The Color Fred).  Opening are MNDS, I Am Lightning, and Our Wrecked Machine.  9pm, $7.
• Wave Radio at Logan House. $5-ish
• Rubix Kube - a NY 80's tribute band, downstairs at the Queen. $19-$21.
• There's a PA-based hardcore band calling themselves The Teeth at Mojo 13 - but it's not the nationally-known Philly band on the Park The Van label that broke up a few years ago.  Can you do that?  Can I form a new band and call it, say, The Elk-Tones? 

~In Philly~

• Ross Bellenoit Band and Auctioneer at Puck Live in Doylestown. $10.
• The Smiths tribute band "The Smites", with Dead Flowers, at Underground Arts, on Callowhill in the loft district just north of Center City but south of Temple's 'hood. $8
• Local singer / voice teacher IVA at WCL Philly with Tripod Trio. $10-$15
• Tommy Conwell and Jeffrey Gaines at The Blockley, near U. Penn. $15-$18
• Bryan Adams at the Merriam Theatre. $52+ (I don't know, I have young Canadian acquaintances who swear he's still relevant).

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SATURDAY: 1/26

General Events:

• Australian comedian / magician James Galea at the Baby Grand. $35.
• Showings at Theatre N: Let Fury Have the Hour and The Big Picture.  http://www.theatern.org/Films
• Monthly installment of the all-ages bluegrass / old-time acoustic jam at the Delaware Music School, just north of Wilmington on Washington Street.  3pm, free.  More info.
• Jazz jam session at The Nomad Bar at 9th & Orange. Every Saturday, 4-7:30pm, FREE.

Concerts:

• John Grecia Band, Wave Radio, and Drew Neilands at the Kennett Flash. $15
• "Favorite on the folk circuit" singer Tracy Grammer at the Queen Theatre.  8pm, $18.
• 4 band bill at Mojo Main.  This show is worthwhile at least for the 2nd band, alt-Americana Thumpbox, veterans of several good Newark bands of years past.   The full bill is: Hurt, Brain Candle, Thumpbox, and Scareho.  $7, show starts at 8.  In their bio - that thing potential fans read to determine whether it's worth it to get to the club early enough to see the first band's set - opening band Scareho advises the show goer that: 

"If you're not offended, you're probably drunk and not paying attention.  If you are offended, you're probably a hipster and should not be taken seriously".  Gotcha.

~In Philly~

• FREE festival - Winterjam 2013 at the Piazza at Schmidt's in Northern Liberties: Tegan and Sara, Matt & Kim DJ set, Walk the Moon, Twenty | One | Pilots, and June Divided. Noon-5pm, free.  http://www.radio1045.com/pages/events/winterjam2013/
• Nightlands, solo project of Dave Hartley from War On Drugs, has its CD release show at Kung Fu Necktie. The interchangeable backing band includes members of Dr. Dog, Buried Beds, and Ladies Auxilliary.  Nightlands will also be opening for School of Seven Bells at the Arden Gild Hall in N. Wilmington on February 2nd. Doors at 7:30, $10. See new video below.
• DE favorites Bullbuckers, with Steppin Razor, at Milkboy Philly. $8
• Hot Water Music at the Electric Factory. $20
• One More Time, a Daft Punk tribute, at the TLA. $15

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SUNDAY 1/27:

General Events:

• Silver Screen Sunday at the Delaware Art Museum, with a showing of Kenneth Branaugh's Hamlet, 1996.  Intro and discussion by a representative of the Delaware Shakespeare Festival.  Free, 1pm.
• Talk by Pulitzer-Prize-Winning photographer John Kaplan at Cokesbury Village in Hockessin, for a meeting of the Delaware Photographic Society.  Public is welcome. 1pm, free. More info.
• Showings at Theatre N: Let Fury Have the Hour and The Big Picture. http://www.theatern.org/Films

Concerts:

• Flamenco guitarist Jesse Cook at the Grand Opera House. 7pm, $37. Ticket link.
• Citizen Cope at the Queen. 8pm, $41-$54 (*whistles*). 
• Ladysmith Black Mambazo (who've played Wilmington a few times) at Musikfest Cafe in Bethlehem. $35+.

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Upcoming:
Sixpence None the Richer at the Kennett Flash on Wed. Cat Power at EF Wed. Matt Duke & Sean Hoots (of "Spark staffer favorite" Hoots & Hellmouth) at the Tin Angel Wed. The Lumineers at the Tower Thurs. 10,000 Maniacs in Sellersville Thurs. Flogging Molly at the EF Thurs. Freelance Whales at the Queen next Fri. Buke & Gase at JB's next Fri. Nightlands & School of Seven Bells at Gild Hall next Sat. Reel Big Fish at the TLA next Sat. John Waters at the Grand 2/9. Matisyahu at the Grand 2/20. 

This weekend, 1/18-1/20:

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FRIDAY:

General Events:

• Showings at Theatre N: Struck By Lightning and How to Survive a Plague. http://www.theatern.org/Films

Concerts:

• Lori Citro, Little Invisibles, and Prima Donna at the Queen theatre.  I believe this is a cancer benefit.  $10
• Sweet Leda, Noelle Picara, and more, also at the Queen.  $11

~In Philly~

• Aaron Neville plays a free noon concert at World Cafe Live Philly. 
• The (3rd?) annual Philly Opry at Johnny Brenda's with Birdie Busch and her new cd, string band Joy Kills Sorrow, and Jason Loughlin, a slide guitar wiz from Brooklyn.  $12-$15
• G. Love & Special Sauce at the TLA, $25. 

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SATURDAY:

General Events:

• Showings at Theatre N: How to Survive a Plague and Struck By Lightning. http://www.theatern.org/Films
• Jazz jam session at The Nomad Bar at 9th & Orange. Every Saturday, 4-7:30pm, FREE.

Concerts:

• Local line-up at Arden Gild Hall, and a cheap way to see a show at this very charming, former-dairy-barn historic venue: Spokey Speaky, Mallory Square, and Villains Like You.  $10
• Blood, Sweat & Tears at the Grand Opera House. $32-$40
• Vinyl Shockley (cd release show, I think) and Find Vienna at the Queen. $10

~In Philly~

• Soundgarden is sold-out at the Tower Theatre. 

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SUNDAY:

General Events:

• We Three Kings: A Tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr. at the Grand Opera House. 3:30pm, free.  Includes choirs, poets, speeches by civil rights leaders.
• Showings at Theatre N: Struck By Lightning, with Q&A with Chris Colfer, and How To Survive a Plague. http://www.theatern.org/Films

Concerts:

• Diplo at the Borgata, A.C., $30

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Upcoming: (to be filled in later)

Yeah, I didn't put any weekend listings out for this weekend.  I've just had a lot going on, between a heater breaking, a relative's 95th birthday party, searching for a new place to live, putting up new curtains and then sending them back (that house with the bed sheets on the front windows?  That's mine), and your garden variety winter blues.  But I did look at what's going on this weekend, and there really was barely anything, just like last weekend. 

Next weekend I'll have something.  And I bet there will actually be decent events to report on.  So - till next time.

This weekend, 1/4-1/6:

Happy New Year!   The listings are pretty thin - it's just a slow weekend here on the mid-Atlantic coast.  Even the other blogs that I shamelessly pilfer for ideas are showing scant events.  Good weekend to catch up on winter blockbusters at Movies 10 or the Brandywine theater, maybe, or to start using those restaurant gift cards you got at Christmas time.

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FRIDAY 1/4:

General Events:

• Showings at Theatre N: The Central Park Five, and In Another Country. http://www.theatern.org/Films

Concerts:

• Boatrocker (note to Mojo Main: I know I sometimes complain that you don't give any info on the bands that play on your stage.  But at the opposite end, just because a band submits a bio that's 11 pages long and says basically nothing doesn't mean you have to actually publish it), Curser, and Keep For Yourself at Mojo Main. 9pm, $6.  Boatrocker's bio, if you want to see what I mean: http://www.mojomain.com/event/203245-boatrocker-curser-keep-for-newark/
• Garland Jeffreys at the Queen Theatre, downstairs. $27.
• DJ/ electronic music show at the Queen: Jack Deezl ("This 21 year old producer/multi-instrumentalist/DJ from Philadelphia spends most of his time recording live instruments only to mash and mangle them with electronic sounds"), Architekt and DJ EA at the Queen Theatre. $7.
• Jon Herrington at the Kennett Flash (touring member of Steely Dan, but not a part of Steely Dan during their peak writing years.  Which is not a statement against him, as I'm sure he's a fine artist in his own right, but it's worth noting).  $18-$20.

~In Philly~

• Really nothing that I would recommend as being worth the drive.   I think glee-club-super-group The Silver Ages are playing their yearly holiday show, but that show is sold out. 

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SATURDAY 1/5:

General Events:

• Showings at Theatre N: The Central Park Five, and In Another Country. http://www.theatern.org/Films
• Jazz jam session at The Nomad Bar at 9th & Orange. Every Saturday, 4-7:30pm, FREE.

Concerts:

• Travel Songs (ex-Diego Paulo) and New Sweden at Mojo Main. 9pm, $5 or $6.
• Led Zeppelin tribute, "ZOSO", at The Note in West Chester. $12-$14.

~In Philly~

• Sun Airway and Cruiser at Johnny Brenda's. $12.

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SUNDAY 1/6:

General Events:

• Showings at Theatre N: Struck By Lightning with live Q&A with Chris Colfer (the site doesn't say who he or she is), The Central Park Five, and In Another Country. http://www.theatern.org/Films

Vinyl Shockley is doing an album release show at the Queen next Saturday, and Blood Sweat and Tears plays the Grand Saturday.