Tonight Strand of Oaks (a.k.a. Tim Showalter) makes a stop home with Pattern Is Movement’s Chris Ward on drums to take the stage at Union Transfer opening for The Tallest Man On Earth (a.k.a. Kristian Matsson). The duo has been on tour with the Swedish singer-songwriter in support Oaks’ latest release Dark Shores, which was produced by John Vanderslice and Ian Pellicci. They also recently had the honor of backing Matsson during a recording session for Moog Sound Lab (pictured above). I hope that you have your tickets already because this evening’s show is sold out. Union Transfer, 1026 Spring Garden St., 8pm, $25, All Ages – H.M. Kauffman

The 2nd Street Festival recently announced its full lineup & schedule. Some notable acts added to the initial lineup include Lushlife, Purples, Kuf Knotz, John Francis, and Secret Mountains. You can check out the rest of the schedule above, and for more info about the fest, go HERE.

A dark undercurrent pulls in Creepoid’s music. As electric guitars whine along the exterior issuing a warning cry, Sean Miller’s menacing vocals lay their groundwork placing the listener in a troubled reality. However, these somewhat dreary circumstances also provide comfort, hitting home, in the earnest plucked straight from the gut approach, which they exude. The guitars thrust forward in a jaded screaming manner as the drums continuously crash. When Miller and Anna Troxell’s vocals combine the resulting force is an eerie calm. Creepoid, who recently re-released their first LP Horse Heaven on No Idea Records that also included their debut EP Yellow Life Giver, shifts the lens digging at the dungeon-like core emerging with songs that much like their guitars deeply resonate with brutal honesty. The Barbary, 951 Frankford Ave, 7:30pm, $12, All Ages – Michael Colavita

At first, Arc in Round’s textured sound may sound muddled as if one is standing in a tunnel as numerous vehicles zip by, and it’s difficult to distinguish the various moving parts. However, the more one focuses on the quartet, a clearer direction and method emerges with the constant thump of the rhythm section which simulates the group’s steady pulse, vocals that speak from a spaced-out dreamy distance, atmospheric synths which add sonic flourishes to the compositions, and a guitar that simply blends into the collective ambiance only to skyrocket in select opportune times as a driving-force pushing the outer limits of musical possibility. The brainchild of gifted producer/engineer Jeff Zeigler released a full-length self-titled LP in June, and will be showcasing their latest glimpse into the future at PhilaMOCA tonight. PhilaMOCA, 512 N. 12th St., 8pm, $7, All Ages – Michael Colavita

The R5 Free Summer Concert Series has not yet treated Morgan’s Pier to an adequate serving of teeth-gnashing noise punk about massages and hair loss, but tonight that will be dealt with in short order when Pissed Jeans takes the stage. They’re continuing to mine their blistering triumph King of Jeans, their last LP, for success even as their imitators gain a foothold, and so far none of the upstarts have been able to match their strengths. The inordinate amount of bilious lyrics about mundane things, as well as vocalist Matt Corvette’s delightful smarminess, provide for a live experience that’s a study in misanthropic charisma. They’re supported by the equally dire NYC-ers A Place To Bury Strangers with their juggernaut shoegaze assault, and the Philly-based Gang, who take their propulsive cocktail of punk rock and electro with a twist of operatic harmonizing. Morgan’s Pier, 221 N. Columbus Blvd., 6pm, Free, 21+ – Alyssa Greenberg

One of the perks of music journalism is that you get to write about some freakin’ sweet events. Tonight, that freaky sweetness is the reemergence of seminal Philly post-punkers Crash Course in Science at AUX (Vox Populi). The band has been around since 1979 (three years before a scientifically-apt woman blinded fellow new waver Thomas Dolby – guess he should’ve listened to these guys, eh? Anyone? Right, moving on…), playing an experimental type of New Wave that blended the genre’s affinity for quirk with performance art. Traditional instruments were eschewed for toy ones, drum sets for drum machines, and “Frankenstein”-style homemade noisemakers were added for good measure. Their first record, Signals from Pier Thirteen, is regarded as one of the major influences to industrial techno, and is a highly-regarded collectible for music fanatics. And they’re playing hometown show tonight. And other post-punk and fuzz-pop Philly acts like Psychic Teens and Hurry are opening as well as out-of-towners Normal Love and The Young Leaves. And it’s all ages. Pretty freakin’ sweet, right? AUX (Vox Populi), 319 N. 11th St. – 3rd Floor, 8pm, $8 – Adam Downer

There is something about the blues and folk music that just resonates with a listener. You’ll certainly get your fill tonight when Toy Soldiers headline the FDR Summer Concert Series joined by Thom McCarthy and its organizers Dani Mari and Reverend TJ McGlinchey. You can hear hints of the Guthries (mostly Woody with some Arlo) in Reverend TJ McGlinchey’s music. Thom McCarthy’s songs offer more upbeat folk with its bursts of trumpets and guitar licks on the recordings. His tunes sound of someone who’s been to or wanting to go many places but is sometimes trapped by logistical limitations like in “Mexico.” Dani Mari plays more minor sounding tunes. There is a secret in her songs that you can speculate about. Toy Soldiers always promises a good time. They’ll bring the ruckus with their raw yet polished tunes. It will be a night of bluesy folk that won’t bum you out (especially for the price of free). FDR Park, 1500 Pattison Ave., 7pm, Free, All Ages – Maura Filoromo

Update: This show has been CANCELLED.

It’s been pretty crazy to discover so many talented bands already emerging out of high school into the local music scene. This was certainly not the case in our day. The Deli Philly’s last Featured Artist(s) Poll Winner was The Districts, whose sound pulled from the history of folk rock creating songs that would make its forefathers proud. Now, we have Edelweiss, another group of high school students inspired by the relatively short history of what we’ve come to know as “indie rock.” Check out our recent interview with Edelweiss HERE, and learn a little more about this all-ages-friendly five-piece.

Just wanted to wish all the artists and attendees who are taking off today or are already on the road to the Caravan Festival in Belgrade Lakes, ME safe travels. For the fourth year in a row, Philly acts such as TJ Kong and the Atomic Bomb, Levee Drivers, Cheers Elephant, The Lawsuits, Juston Stens & The Get Real Gang, Conversation with Enemies, Penrose and more will be taking over Maine with some of their musician friends from other cities for a weekend (July 27, 28 & 29) of music and fun times. You can check out the full list of performers for the festival as well as purchase tickets HERE.