Beach Slang has been on quite a roll, which includes recently signing to Polyvinyl Records, and that should continue when the trio stops by Union Transfer this Saturday as part of a sold-out show headlined by Cursive. Beach Slang hits you head on as James Snyder’s emotionally alert vocals deliver honest messages that adhere to listeners. Couple that exposed yet controlled vulnerability with dense explosive bursts of instrumentation that send a clean charge through your ears while retaining just enough wear around the edges to feel real with catchy relatable lyrics capable of transforming songs into anthems, and you have a good understanding of why every ticket is accounted for. Not to mention, Tim Kasher-led emotive punk force, Cursive, headlines this night, digging down and naturally hitting a nerve, while producer/musician John Congleton’s (Paper Chase) creepy pop project The Nighty Nite serves as the opener. Union Transfer, 1026 Spring Garden St., 8pm, $15 (Sold Out), All Ages – Michael Colavita
Other places to hang this weekend…
Johnny Brenda’s (1201 N. Frankford Ave.) SAT Laser Background, Myrrias, Drone Ranger, SUN No Good Sister, The Band Of Rivals, The Hello Strangers, Todd Fausnacht
The Boot & Saddle (1131 S. Broad St.) FRI Levee Drivers, Can You Canoe, SAT Oldermost
Kung Fu Necktie (1250 N. Front St.) FRI Stinking Lizaveta, Next To None, SAT Polar Ice Cap, Cave People, The Danger O’s, SUN Humanshapes, Ape!, Faking
Underground Arts (1200 Callowhill St.) FRI Barakka, SAT Splintered Sunlight
Bourbon and Branch (705 N. 2nd St.) FRI Square Peg Round Hole, New Sweden, SAT Wiggz, Internal Rhyme, SUN Andrew Meoray, Willow Talk, Telequanta, iNFiNiEN
The Trocadero (1003 Arch St.) FRI (Balcony) The Royal Noise, The Phix, SUN (Balcony) Ace Porter
TLA (334 South St.) SAT Chill Moody, Beano, DJ Ricochet, Ol’souls, SUN August Burns Red
World Café Live (3025 Walnut St.) FRI (Upstairs) HmfO, SAT (Upstairs) Christine Havrilla, SUN (Upstairs) Sean Hoots and Tom Bendel, Eric Slick
The Fire (412 W. Girard Ave.) FRI Los Festingos, Risen Resilient, Alright Junior, SAT Ill Fated Natives (CD Release), Elegant Animals, Matt Ford
MilkBoy Philly (1100 Chestnut St.) SAT Frankie Vado (Album Release), Redd Panda, Joie Kathos, Niambi Mi Chele
Ortlieb’s Lounge (847 N. 3rd St.) FRI Left & Right, Telepathic
North Star Bar (2639 Poplar St.) FRI Bibi and the Bull, Soul Box, Petite Sketches, SAT qqq, 10 Million, Little Strike
Tin Angel (20 S. 2nd St) FRI Snagwing
Fergie’s (1214 Sansom St.) FRI Hired Guns Blues Band, SAT Sparkle Pony, SUN Rusty Cadillac
The Legendary Dobbs (304 South St.) FRI Deprived, Scars of Bourbon, MaddaM Ink/The Butter Guns, Man Illuminated, Tracy Chamberlin, SAT Action Man, Threatpoint, Gutter Royal/Vito Galati, SUN (1pm) Old Scratch, Third Period French, Giana Lynn, Beautiful Madness, Strange Heat
Connie’s Ric Rac (1132 S. 9th St) FRI Dr. Beardface & The Spacemen, Rockers Galore, 46 Reasons
Voltage Lounge (421 N. 7th St.) SAT Last Minute Hero, Jsiadi Noon
The Grape Room (105 Grape St) FRI Sweet Alkaline, SAT The Burgeoning, Memphis Hat, Skyline Industry
Ardmore Music Hall FRI Cocktail Party Phenomenon, SAT The A’s
The Rotunda (4014 Walnut St.) FRI The Red Masque, Green Cathedral
Everybody Hits (539 W.Girard Ave.) The Weaks, Purples, Queen Jesus, Roses
1fiftyone Gallery (151 N. 3rd St.) FRI – SUN A Very Glam Rock Purim
The First Banana (2152 E. Dauphin St.) SAT Helena Espvall (Solo) & with members of Bardo Pond
Cha-Cha’razzi (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) SAT Heavy Medical, Sore Saints, Disinterest
Lil Reege (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) SAT RFA, Autregis, Liz De Lise, Tribute
Baker Bowl (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) SAT Second Marriage, Sip & Spillon, Just Cause
Kat Frat (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) SUN Constraint, The Drip
The Pharmacy (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) FRI Anti-Suburbians, Dive In the Box, Community Service, Wayward Ones, SAT Locust St. Riot, Husky Bundles, Jason McCue, SUN In Place
Second Empire (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) SAT Anxiety Hammer, Latex, Blank Spell
Wolf Cycles (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) SAT Todd Killings, Thin Lips
Milhouse (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) SAT Brown Rainbow, Blankbook, Seoul Delhi