An immediate, determined sense of soulful urgency drips from Sheer Mag. Shrouded in sticky grooves united with decisively climbing guitar licks, the band seizes the opportunity, gathering the collective energy within the room and harnessing it into an exhibition, showcasing the duality, when vulnerability transforms into power. Fresh off the announcement of their forthcoming debut full-length Need to Feel Your Love, which will be available on July 16 via Static Shock Records, the former Deli Philly Artist(s) of Year bring their rippin’ and roarin’ chew ‘em up and spit ‘em out rock ‘n’ roll to First Unitarian Church this Saturday. The melodic, fuzz-speckled, bass-thumping garage-punk of Marge help to fortify this billing, which also includes Vancouver’s Weed.
Meanwhile, over at PhilaMOCA on the same evening, the bright, bubbling, psych-venturing pop of six-piece collective Circadian Rhythms gently stacks instrumental layers, melding refreshingly with its slightly off-kilter arrangements. The band will be celebrating its new record, A Peculiar Kind of Afternoon, supported by the sunny instrumentals of R.R. Perkins and the casually cloudy exploits of Mavis the Dog. – Michael Colavita
More places to enjoy this weekend…
Johnny Brenda’s (1201 N. Frankford Ave.) FRI The Lawsuits, The Vernes, SAT DJ Emynd, Bo Bliz
Boot & Saddle (1131 S. Broad St.) FRI Fully Glazed, SAT The Dead Anthem Choir
Kung Fu Necktie (1250 N. Front St.) FRI Secret Nudist Friends, Spelling Reform/Dev79, Sideswipe/DJ Deejay, SAT Seeing Snakes, The Missile Toads/Mighty Mike Saga, Elijvh Vrms/The Engineer, Teknacolor Ninja, SUN Gibbous Moon, Disoriental, The Mojo Machine/Lawn Talk, Julia Rainer
PhilaMOCA (531 N. 12th St.) SAT Circadian Rhythms (Album Release), R.R. Perkins, Mavis The Dog, John Morrison
Underground Arts (1200 Callowhill St.) SAT DJ Kirsh
Union Transfer (1026 Spring Garden St,) FRI The Brood
The Trocadero (1003 Arch St.) FRI Nizzy Strawz, SAT Somethin’ Divine, Mauled By A Bear, Class!c/Steal Your Peach
World Café Live (3025 Walnut St.) FRI (Upstairs) Three Fourteen, Local Smokes, SAT (Upstairs) Philly Gumbo, Badd Kitti, SUN (Upstairs) Minas
The Fire (412 W. Girard Ave.) FRI Tigers + Thieves/Mason, SAT The Founders/Split Divo, SUN Godchild, Ronn Tetra, Mahatma X
MilkBoy Philly (1100 Chestnut St.) FRI Hambone Relay, Las Palabras, The Barrel Fires, SAT Big Nothing, Goddamnit
The Barbary (951 Frankford Ave.) SUN Sea Offs, Seagulls, Shelf Life
Ortlieb’s Lounge (847 N. 3rd St) FRI Jacopo & The Late Saints, SAT Old Arrows (Record Release), Life Uniform, Inspector Moon, Crossed Keys
Silk City (435 Spring Garden St.) FRI Lee Mayjahs?, DJ Everyday, SAT DJ Deejay, SUN Francisco Collazo
Fergie’s (1214 Sansom St.) SAT Dave Steel Blues Band
Connie’s Ric Rac (1132 S. 9th St.) FRI Bern the Bastard, Carefree Constant, Medusa’s Disco, Adventure Lost, Dead:Stop, SAT Polar Bear Lars, Oh Pears
The Grape Room (105 Grape St) FRI Bamboo Tommy, Cracker Rogers Gang, SAT White Limo, Rock The Nation
Bourbon & Branch (705 N. 2nd St.) FRI Gene Wildest, Kodiak Park, Ronald Reagan? The Actor?, SAT Aaron Parnell Brown, Imani Roach, Allison Polans
Ardmore Music Hall (23 E. Lancaster Ave.) FRI 25th Anniversary Celebration of The Black Crowes Southern Harmony & Musical Companion: Taller, Nik Greeley, Pawnshop Roses, Dan Reed, Ali Wadsworth, SAT Tommy Conwell & The Young Rumblers, Ben Arnold
Morgan’s Pier (221 N. Columbus Blvd.) FRI DJ Beat Street
First Unitarian Church (2125 Chestnut St.) SAT Sheer Mag, Marge
Everybody Hits (529 W. Girard Ave.) SAT Yankee Bluff, YCIB, Cherry
LAVA Space (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) FRI King Azaz, Sarah M, Sour Spirit
Baird Mansion Atrium (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) FRI Loose Tooth, Blue Smiley