The gothic quartet Sweetheart Parade are coming to Johnny Brenda’s tonight to share their Americana gloom with anyone thick skinned enough to listen. Tumbleweeds not included. They create subdued grievances and eerie folk tunes reminiscent of fellow balladeers Murder By Death. Sweetheart Parade’s latest release is 2008’s Sings Like A Priest, though a new release for Sweetheart Joshua Britton’s Psalmships is slated for a March release. Alongside Sweetheart Parade will be fellow rambling rockers Levee Drivers whose frontman August Lutz, guitarist Jason Schultz and bassist/banjo player for the day Kyle Perella will be nice and warmed up after their performance at The Deli’s Lunchtime Escape. These dudes have garnered the lofty comparison to Johnny Cash, and I think they sound like Ryan Adams if he would start rocking out and stop writing shitty books. The bill also includes the Cat Power-esque quartet Papertrees, and Kettle Pot Black who are releasing a new CD. Now, go rock away those winter blues you little whippersnappers! Johnny Brenda’s, 1201 N. Frankford Ave., 9pm, $10, 21+ myspace.com/sweetheartparade
Now that the weather didn’t live up to the hype – here are some places that you can swing by this weekend…
Johnny Brenda’s (1201 N. Frankford Ave.) SAT Arc in Round and Busses
Kung Fu Necktie (1250 N. Front St.) SAT Grandchildren and National Rifle
The Fire (412 W. Girard Ave.) FRI Problem Solving and Officer Roseland, SAT Joshua Park
North Star Bar (2639 Poplar St.) SAT High Kick, SUN Mirador
The Khyber (56 S. 2nd St.) SAT The Silence Kit
M Room (12 W. Girard Ave.) FRI New Motels, North Lawrence Midnight Singers, Lux Perpetua
Tritone (1508 South St.) FRI Starving the Tsunami and Sounds from Atlantis, SAT Sugartown w/The Sky Drops and Kitten Disaster
World Café Live (3025 Walnut St.) SUN Andrew Lipke
Blockley Pourhouse (3801 Chestnut St.) FRI The Elevator Parade, SAT All Crazy
Millcreek Tavern (4200 Chester Ave.) FRI Vilebred and Enter the Rooms
Mar Bar (200 S. 40th St.) FRI Tigersapien, SAT Toy Soldiers
El Bar (1356 N. Front St.) SAT The Handsome Petes and The Noid
The Trocadero (1003 Arch St.) SUN Tsunami Rising
The Ox (2nd and Oxford St.) SAT The G