January 30th, 2009
This Weekend In Shows
Tonight:
Jessica Lea Mayfield
Fri., Jan. 30, 8pm. $10. With Annuals + What Laura Says. Johnny Brenda’s, 1201 Frankford Ave. 215.739.9684. www.johnnybrendas.com
I hope 19-year-old Jessica Lea Mayfield is snapping plenty of “before” photographs of herself right about now so she can either a) look back and falsely glorify a more innocent time before smashing success or b) cry over missing the sparkly moment where she had everything going for her. ’Cause Mayfield’s got the idiot’s guide to modern-music-industry success for a singer-songwriter chick happening: a debut album that polishes dear-diary lyrics with cool-kid cred (thanks to fellow Ohioan the Black Keys’ Midas man Dan Auerbach), a KEXP song of the day, 8.2 inches of love on Pitchfork, stiff pull quotes from more successful friends like Dr. Dog and the Avetts and a jam-packed touring schedule. Not destined to be anonymous girl with guitar in Ohio, not yet a woman, catch JLM in full bloom. (Tara Murtha)Sonny Landreth
Fri., Jan. 30, 8:30pm. With Patrick Sweany. $29.50. Sellersville Theatre, 24 W. Temple Ave., Sellersville. 215.257.5808. www.st94.com
Music isn’t tied to seasons like sports. It can still surprise you years later; both the past and present is always being rewritten and recontextualized. So while Clapton may call Landreth “the most underestimated musician on the planet, and also probably one of the most advanced,” the grounds for this qualitative comparison is pretty shaky, particularly coming from someone more than 40 years removed from god-hood. What one can say is that Landreth’s supple slide glides from country and Cajun to Delta-born rock squawk, from liquid shimmies to 16th-note punctuation as he frets chords behind the slide and a reedy croon. Don’t miss young rustic blues opener Patrick Sweany. (Chris Parker)
Also, mega-hyped Swedish pop songbird Lykke Li pays a visit to the sanctuary at First Unitarian Church. Looks like 50 more tickets have just been made available, but you’d better jump on ‘em fast because this show will definitely sell out. The show starts at 8:30pm and tix are $20. And as we alerted you yesterday, the rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar opens a five-show weekend stand at the Academy of Music tonight — this production stars Ted Neeley, who rocked it as Jesus in the 1973 film version.
Saturday:
The Friggs
Sat., Jan. 31, 10pm. $7. With DJ Julia Factorial. Tritone, 1508 South St. 215.545.0475. www.tritonebar.com
Post-riot grrrl monthly meetup Sugar Town is celebrating its eighth anniversary (and the impending pre-wedding downtime of organizer Sara Sherr) with reunited lady rockers the Friggs, who got together this past summer after almost 10 years apart to promote the release of their singles collection. Turns out the Friggs liked playing together as much as we liked listening, so they’re doing it again, this time with a smattering of local musicians paying tribute to Sugar Town playlist staples Mecca Norma, L7 and of course Bikini Kill, who started this whole revolution-girl-style-now thing. (Caralyn Green)
Amebix
Sat., Jan. 31, 9:30pm. $15. With Kylesa, Mischief Brew, Behind Enemy Lines, Parasytic + Lost Cause. Trocadero, 1003 Arch St. 866.468.7619. www.r5productions.com
As heavy music enjoys its umpteenth revival, this has proven to be the most evolved phase to date. This is due in no small part to the challenging, intelligent and massive Amebix. Spawned from a love for Motorhead, Crass and Killing Joke, Amebix formed in England in 1978 around an pseudo-political anarchistic squatter ethos. Their influence over similarly epic-minded bands (think Neurosis) can’t be overemphasized. Marrying thoughtful, inward-looking lyrics with music both delicate and gigantic, Amebix predates the current postmetal explosion by decades. Best of all, in the intervening years, their bassist and vocalist, the Baron, has become a swordsmith! (John Cramer)BC Camplight
Sat., Jan. 31, 9pm. $10. With the Bye Byes + Surefire Broadcast. 941 Theater, 941 N. Front St. 267.687.1667. www.villagegreenproductions.net
Mention piano pop rock, and Ben Folds comparisons are inevitable. While Folds and BC Camplight’s Brian Christinzio might share an instrument and first initial, BC Camplight can hold its own flame. Christinzio creates a sparkling combination of twee pop and ’60s psych with whiffs of the Beach Boys, Silver Apples and New Pornographers. His songs feature emotional peaks and valleys, soaring choirs and tension-filled harmonies. Meanwhile, Christinzio’s stunning treble, which often borders on falsetto, is a natural accompaniment to the pounding keys and rollicking harmonicas that punctuate the crystalline, jangly tunes. (Katherine Silkaitis)Also tonight is the all-female Metallica tribute band Misstallica — graduates of the Paul Green School of Rock who recently changed their name from the much-better monikers Clitallica and Metallicunt, but I guess we understand — over at Johnny Brenda’s. Their chops are solid, they channel the spirit of Kill ‘Em All-era Metallica even when playing the newer stuff, and their drummer is hotter (and I think taller) than Lars Ulrich! Show starts at 9pm — get there on time because they’re opening a four-band bill — and tix are $10.
Sunday:
Brooklyn glam-rock quartet Semi-Precious Weapons, led by outrageous, gender-bending frontman Justin Tranter, hits the Khyber tonight. Rolling Stone, which loves these guys, says “Tranter is like Adam Ant, T.Rex’s Marc Bolan and Ziggy Stardust wrapped into one, singing lead on AC/DC’s Back In Black. On the band’s debut album We Love You, which features ‘Magnetic Baby’ and ‘Her Hair Is On Fire,’ Tranter’s life’s-a-party lyrics and cocky swagger takes center stage over riffs ripped from the Knack’s ‘My Sharona.’” Sure, you/we’ve seen it all before, but it’s typically pretty entertaining when done right. 8pm/$10.
