Meg Baird will kick off the Philadelphian-fueled event at the First Unitarian Church tonight. New material can be expected from the Espers founder whose last solo release, Dear Companion dates to 2007. Baird performs folk tunes buttressed by the strong influence of 1960s female folk musicians. Powerfully sullen vocals reminiscent of Joni Mitchell are met by a 90s alternative murkiness, as if Tori Amos was tinkering on an antique piano while Joan Baez plucked at tiny guitar strings. It won’t stay calm for long though because Pissed Jeans is guaranteed to turn it up with their blown out noise-punk courtesy of their latest LP King Of Jeans. Digging up 80s hardcore roots of The Exploited, Gwar, and Jesus Lizard, Pissed Jeans spits out raw, inaudible, screaming, grunting vocals to violent, head-banging punk riffs – the kind that’ll make you want to put your fists through walls. Leveling out the volume will be headliner Kurt Vile & the Violators who will continue to plug his latest collection of updated Americana from Smoke Ring For My Halo. Vile’s evocative rock ‘n’ roll, a mashup of classic, neo-blues, and indie rock, takes the killer strings out of country and roughs it up with some city sludge and melancholy, making for a Springsteen-meets-the-Shins hipster hoedown experience. It will be a talented and eclectic evening of locals only. First Unitarian Church, 2125 Chestnut St., 8 pm, $12, All Ages (Kurt Vile & the Violators Photo by Amanda Gowland) – Jules Friedland
