Pearl Jam, Diana Ross, and 12 other concerts in the Philly area
Our music critic's picks for the biggest and coolest shows over the next week.
The best concerts over the next week include industry legends Tom Jones and Ringo Starr, as well veterans of blues and grunge, plus pop folk and Afrobeat.
The blues singer’s 11th album, this year’s Done Come Too Far, continues her emphasis on social justice and racial inequity as on 2018′s Uncivil War. She plays two Philly shows Friday, starting with a Free at Noon at the World Cafe Live, followed by a gig at City Winery Philadelphia that night. Free, 12 p.m., 9/9, World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St., xpn.org and $25-$25, 8 p.m., City Winery Philadelphia, 990 Filbert St., citywinery.com/phildelphia
The legendary lead singer of The Supremes comes to the Jersey Shore on Friday, with a headlining show at the Ovation Hall at Ocean Resort. The 78-year-old star is touring behind Thank You, the 2021 album that was her first of new material in 22 years. She also has a new single, “Turn Up the Sunshine” with Australian psych-rock band Tame Impala.
$214-$714, 9 p.m., 9/9, Ovation Hall, Ocean Resort, 500 Boardwalk, Atlantic City, ticketmaster.com
The blues singer’s 11th album, this year’s Done Come Too Far, continues her emphasis on social justice and racial inequity as on 2018′s Uncivil War. She plays two Philly shows Friday, starting with a Free at Noon at the World Cafe Live, followed by a gig at City Winery Philadelphia that night. Free, 12 p.m., 9/9, World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St., xpn.org and $25-$25, 8 p.m., City Winery Philadelphia, 990 Filbert St., citywinery.com/philadelphia
The 25-year-old blues guitarist from South Carolina raised in the Pentecostal Church has a new album produced by Dan Auerbach called Young Blood that connects back to early 1970s rock bands like James Gang.
$23-$89, 7 p.m., 9/9, The Met Philadelphia, 858 N. Broad St., themetphilly.com.
This ensemble of road tested musicians includes Jeff “Skunk’ Baxter, who played with the Doobie Brothers and Steely Dan (and works as a missile defense consultant for the U.S. government) as well as Leroy “LRS” Romans of the Wailers, James Brown vet Robert “Mousey” Thompson.
$69.99-$89.99, 6 p.m., 9/9, Valley Forge Casino Resort, 1160 1st Ave., King of Prussia, vfcasino.com.
Welsh singer Tom Jones remains a robust vocalist at age 81, as demonstrated by the 2021 Ethan Johns-produced album Surrounded By Time, which includes covers of songs written by Bernice Johnson Reagon, Terry Callier, Tony Joe White and Bob Dylan, and Malvina Reynolds. The star of The Voice UK plays Atlantic City Friday.
$161-$502, 8 p.m., Sept. 9, The Event Center at the Borgata Hotel & Casino, Atlantic City, borgata.mgm.resorts.com
The Los Angeles-based pop-folk band made up of Conestoga High grads Sam Cooper and Matt Quinn that’s named after a pseudo-mountain in Valley Forge National Historical Park have been growing steadily in popularity since their self-titled album and breakout single “Astrovan” in 2018. They’re on tour behind the new Orange Blood. Sept. 10, $45-50, 8 p.m., Skyline Stage at the Mann Center, 5201 Parkside Ave., manncenter.org.
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Philly restaurateur Avram Hornik’s new Center City music venue that’s accessible from the concourse at Suburban Station has a grand opening Saturday night with the PTPAB, a star studded aggregation of Philly musicians, including members of Dr. Dog, The War On Drugs and Strand of Oaks. It’s an early show, as the venue turns into a late night dance club on weekends. $15, 8 p.m., Sept. 10 , 1635 Market St., Lower Level, phillyindie.com.
Cousart is the former frontman of The RFA, the terrific Philly rock and roll band who broke up before their well titled album Late To The Party came out in 2020. He’s playing the Levante Brewing Company Taproom in West Chester. Free, 6 p.m., Sept. 10 , 208 Carter Drive., West Chester, levantebrewing.com
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Singing as a solo artist and member of New Pornographers, Neko Case has a fashioned a 25-year career. She’s released a retrospective album called Wild Creatures that collects 22 older songs and one new one, “Oh, Shadowless.” Sean Rowe opens. $41, 8 p;.m., Sept. 10 , Union Transfer, 1026 Spring Garden St., utphilly.com
There will be a Beatle on North Broad St. on Sunday. Ringo Starr’s Philadelphia stop on his 2022 tour was scheduled for June but postponed due to COVID-19. The 82-year-old drummer who sang lead on 11 songs with the Fab Four and had 1970s hits with “Photograph” and “It Don’t Come Easy” will be getting help from friends including Steve Lukather, Colin Hay, Hamish Stuart and Edgar Winter. $120-$199, 8 p.m., Sept. 11 , The Met Philly, 858 N. Broad St., the metphilly.com
The charismatic and songwriter who has been making nice with Philadelphia audiences ever since he declared “entertainment is stupid” and stomped off the stage at the Xponential Festival in 2016 released a sweeping, cinematic singer-songwriter album called Chloe and The Next 20th Century. He’s touring with a string and horn section.
$32-$99, 8 p.m., Sept. 13 The Met Philadelphia, 858 N. Broad St., themetphilly.com.
The Eddie Vedder-led grunge survivors have a long history in Philadelphia, dating back to a 1991 show at J.C. Dobbs on South Street and their last show at the Spectrum in 2009. On Wednesday, the band will be across the river in Camden supporting Gigaton, which came out in March 2020.
$76.50-$1611.60, 8 p.m., Sept. 14 , Freedom Mortgage Pavilion, 1 Harbour Blvd, Camden, livenation.com
Country fiddle player and singer Amanda Shires eighth album Take It Like A Man is her most impressive yet. Last year, the co-founder of the country quartet The Highwomen also put out a Christmas album, as well as “The Problem,” a duet with her husband Jason Isbell, about a couple having a frank discussion about abortion.
$25-$42, 8 p.m., Sept. 14, the Music Hall at World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St., worldcafelive.com.
The youngest son of Nigerian Afrobeat legend Fela Kuti tours with a band made up mostly of musicians who played with his father. In 2018, the singer and saxophonist collaborated with producer and pianist Robert Glasper on Black Times, a pointedly political album that broadens his already impressive musical range.
$28-$40, 8 p.m., Sept. 14, City Winery Philadelphia, 990 Filbert St., city-winery.com/philadelphia.