If you don’t know Jack Rose, it might help to know that he had been a part of music here in Philly for well over a decade. A virtuoso on the twelve-string, his curiously Eastern-tinged folk and blues experiments have lit up the Thrill Jockey roster for quite some time now. Sadly, he passed on last year from a heart attack, much too early at the age of 38. But the only thing left to do is celebrate the man and his legacy in any way possible! In the case of the folks over at the Latvian Society, they have a huge show set up, not only as a means of commemorating his life, but also his forthcoming, posthumous album Luck in the Valley. As well as some really heavy-hitters (Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth), there’s the wispy folk stylings of Espers‘ Meg Baird, who will be joined onstage with guitarist Chris Forsythe, Megajam Booze Band, and many, many more. It’s a real event, one you’d be insane to miss. The Latvian Society of Philadelphia, 531 N. 7th Street, 7 pm, $18, 21+ myspace.com/jackrosekensington
Other places to go now that you can…
Johnny Brenda’s (1201 N. Frankford Ave.) FRI Philly Opry w/ Birdie Busch, Scott Pryor, Esposito Bandito and Sneaky Cheese, SAT Ghetto Songbird
Kung Fu Necktie (1250 N. Front St.) FRI Brown Recluse, SAT TJ Kong and the Atomic Bomb
The Fire (412 W. Girard Ave.) FRI Toy Soldiers, The Great Unknown, Orbit To Leslie, The Circadian Rhythms, SAT Slo-Mo, The Hustle, Spinning Leaves, SUN A Tribute to "Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band" w/ Cheers Elephant, Oso, Canadian Invasion, Toy Soldiers and more.
North Star Bar (2639 Poplar St.) FRI Rumpelstiltskin Grinder, SAT Patterns
The Khyber (56 S. 2nd St.) FRI Big Terrible, SAT Welcome to My Face and 722, SUN McRad, The Boils, Necktie
M Room (12 W. Girard Ave.) SAT Biodiesel and Sonic Spank, SUN Liz Fullerton and Johnny Miles
Tritone (1508 South St.) SAT Sgt. Sass, Homophones
2424 Studios (2424 E. York St.) SAT Enchantment Under The Sea Dance w/ Blood Feathers