Alex G and Alvvays at the Dell, Al Green covers Lou Reed, and Eric Church sings ‘Springsteen’ on this week’s Philly playlist
A streaming playlist of new music, plus Philly bands, and bands coming to Philly.
The big Philly show with a top-shelf bill this weekend is Connor Barwin’s annual benefit for his playground-building Make the World Better foundation.
It’s at the Dell Music Center on Saturday with Havertown-raised songwriting savant Alex G and Toronto indie-pop exemplars Alvvays, plus dream-pop singer Tanukichan.
All three of those artists are featured on this weekend’s playlist as are Al Green, Dolly Parton, Prince, Soccer Mommy, Wreckless Eric, Margo Price, Mitski, and Andrew Savage of Parquet Courts — all of whom have new music out.
As does Philly R&B vocalist Fridayy, the Haitian American R&B artist Francis LeBlanc whose self-titled debut on the Def Jam label drops this week on the day for which he is named.
Speaking of Friday, that’s when an all-Philly celebration of the 1999 album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill happens at the World Cafe Live. Hill, who reunited the Fugees in June at the Roots Picnic also announced she’ll be joined by her former band at the Wells Fargo Center on Oct. 23.
The free two-day Waterfront Jazz Festival kicks off at Penn’s Landing, with Philly’s the Baylor Project on opening night, and Jamison Ross and Snacktime on Saturday.
Down the Shore on Friday, Texas soul singer Leon Bridges plays the Hard Rock in Atlantic City. Also Friday, New Orleans bandleader Trombone Shorty, who knows a thing or two about “Hurricane Season,” is at Ocean Resort. Saturday in A.C., hard-core punks Sick of It All and Life of Agony play Anchor Rock Club.
On Saturday, country star Eric Church brings his rocked-out show and his song about a certain New Jersey hero named “Springsteen” to the Freedom Mortgage Pavilion.
And back on the Philly side of the Delaware River, Wu-Tang Clan’s Raekwon is at the Brooklyn Bowl on Saturday, and Philly rapper Toure celebrates the release of his new All I Wanted Was Everything EP at the TLA.
South Philly quartet Red Touch Black promises a “melodic, fuzz, driven, heavy grunge trip” at Johnny Brenda’s on Saturday with Full Bush and the Mary Veils. L.A. guitarist Celisse, whom Joni Mitchell has compared to Jimi Hendrix, is playing a free concert at Wiggins Park on Sunday.
The delightfully surprising cover of the week is Al Green’s spirit-filled version of Lou Reed’s “A Perfect Day.” The singer, songwriter, pastor hasn’t released new original music since the Questlove-produced Lay It Down in 2008. Hopefully more is on the way.
Other cool new covers include Soccer Mommy’s take on Taylor Swift’s “I’m Only Me When I’m With You” and Dolly Parton’s “Let It Be,” with Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr. To maintain the Beatley vibe, there is “Stuck Inside a Cloud,” a George Harrison cover by former Philadelphian, now North Carolina-based singer-guitarist Rosali.
Further new tracks of note include Mitski’s “Star” from her album due in September and Wreckless Eric’s “Badhat Town” from the veteran British punk’s new Leisure Land. And Prince’s “Alice Through the Looking Glass” is from an expanded version of his 1991 album Diamond & Pearls due in October.