Restorations will be making a stop home this evening at Johnny Brenda’s. The group’s music has the openness and grand scale suitable for the arena, but maintains its approachable indie roots. Songs open up into uplifting, heroic musical climaxes that are begging to be emphasized by elaborate light shows or columns of sparks, but still share similarities with basement bands like Cap’n Jazz through their use of arpeggiated melodies and expressively dissonant chords. Jon Loudon’s coarse though sonorous smoker voice sounds somewhere between Psychedelic Furs’ Richard Butler and Rancid’s Tim Armstrong, while incorporating the vocal inflections of (forgive me) Bono. Joining Restoration will be tourmates Creepoid, who bring a more dismal approach to the stage with darker textures and a detached, despondent expression. They take the bleakness and grayness from bummergaze bands like Slowdive and pair them with the ferocity and guttural growl of grunge in a similar way to contemporary bands True Widow or Cloakroom. The Dirty Nil will kick off the night with peak energy levels and their nitrous-fueled garage-punk. Imagine Nation Of Ulysses with more yelling and more fuzz. Johnny Brenda’s, 1201 N. Frankford Ave., 8pm, $15 (Sold Out), 21+ – Bryce Woodcock
Other places to rock this weekend…
Boot & Saddle (1131 S. Broad St.) FRI Beth Israel, Blowdryer, SAT Johnny Showcase & The Mystic Ticket
Kung Fu Necktie (1250 N. Front St.) FRI Starkweather, Hex Inverter/The Rowdies, Fastride/Trieves, SAT The Mellowells, Someone In A Tree, The Soft Spots, SUN The Mad Splatter Lovegutter/Wild Jim Banfill and His Rolling Rocks, Likers
Underground Arts (1200 Callowhill St.) SAT Cultureal, Jeff Thomas’ All-Volunteer Army, The Paper Shakers
Bourbon & Branch (705 N. 2nd St.) FRI My Son Bison, Hello Shark, Dear Friend, SUN Mr. Smith & the Administration, American Dinosaur, The Parameters, Paper Comets
Electric Factory (421 N. 7th St.) SAT Wax Future
World Café Live (3025 Walnut St.) FRI (Upstairs) Ensemble39, Kinan Abou-afach, SAT (Upstairs) Not My Dogg, SUN (Downstairs) Jonathan Williams
The Fire (412 W. Girard Ave.) FRI Surgeon, Coastal Plain, SAT DJ Carl Crossfade, Troi Lauren, Rhythm HB, Traverse, The Jerzadelphians
MilkBoy Philly (1100 Chestnut St.) FRI The GTVs, SAT The Binary Sea
Ortlieb’s Lounge (847 N. 3rd St.) FRI CaveWomen, SAT Gene Wildest, The Late Greats, Ridge Summit, Glitter
Silk City (435 Spring Garden St.) FRI DJ Lil’ Dave, SAT DJ Deejay, SUN DJ Royale, Francisco Collazo
Fergie’s (1214 Sansom St.) SAT Dave Steel Blues Band, SUN Rusty Cadillac
Connie’s Ric Rac (1132 S. 9th St.) FRI Seoul Delhi, You Do You, SAT Giada J, Sunshine Superman, The Late Saints
Voltage Lounge (421 N. 7th St.) FRI Outer Heaven, Die Choking, Wolves Attack, SUN Civil Youth, Final Showcase, The Librarians, Home Again/Narcos, Track Jumpas, Jay Spoken
Frankie Bradley’s (1320 Chancellor St.) FRI DJ Royale, SAT Spank Rock (DJ Set), Grave Goods
The Grape Room (105 Grape St.) FRI Dylan McGuire Band, Minerva, Sangra Luna, SAT Kinda Alright, SUN Andrew Jude
Ardmore Music Hall (23 E. Lancaster Ave.) FRI Afterimage: A Tribute to Rush, SUN Old Soul Revival
Goldy’s (723 Chestnut St., #3) FRI Mumblr, Straw Hats, Tangiers, Walking Distance
Millcreek Tavern (4200 Chester Ave.) SUN Cadaveric Spasm
The Pharmacy (1300/02 S. 18th St.) FRI Three Man Cannon, Augusta Koch
Wolf Cycles (4311 Lancaster Ave.) Nightfall, Dronez, Alement
Girard Hall (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) FRI ialive, Darko The Super, Cornelius The Third
LAVA (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) FRI Flyherder, Straight 4 Pay, Alexoteric, Bitchcraft, (DJs ) Yung Nila, Baby A, Counterfeit
The Aquarium (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) SAT Cosette Gobat, Minor Setbacks
Pilam (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) SAT Human BBQ XXXVIII: Grubby Little Hands, Blue Smiley, Haldol, Moor Mother Goddess, King Azaz, Bone Bats, Cold Foamers, +HIRS+, Brandon Can’t Dance, Japanese Breakfast