Our Weekly Concert Picks: March 26–April 1
What we’re checking out this week
Wednesday, March 26: G-Eazy
Oakland rapper Gerald Gillum might adopt the moniker G-Eazy—but don't think for one sec that that means he's scared of hard work. Quite the opposite in fact. Live, the fresh-faced rapper is all energy and hype, riling crowds with his fly rhymes and formidable stage-diving abilities; behind the scenes, he's as much scholar as he is bad-boy , having begun his career while studying at Loyola University of New Orleans (he's since graduated), and peppering his tunes with references to Hunter S. Thompson and Shakespeare. The name G-Eazy describes his laidback flow and blazed-out party style, which reminds us a little of old-skool Snoop (who he once opened for) or early Drake, back when he "started at the bottom" and was less of a jerk. He's now touring in support of his forthcoming record These Things Happen, due out this spring—check out super suave single "Almost Famous," then get ready to rage.
8:00 at the TLA, 334 South St., $16. Tickets available here.
Thursday, March 27: New Sound Brass
In some ways, Philly's New Sound Brass sound exactly like you'd expect them to—which is to say, they're a traditional, New Orleans-style brass band—but with a Philly twist. Half of its 11 members are active Mummers; the other half hail from the United House of Prayer for All People church and shout-band tradition, a soulful, call-and-response style featuring a chorus of trombones. They first came together about a year ago as the musical component of the Froggy Carr float in the Mummer's parade, then had so much fun they decided to keep on going. Since then, they've become an unexpected hit on the local scene, selling out local gigs and inspiring many sweat-soaked dance moves. They stop by Boot & Saddle this Thursday for what is sure to be a very funky time—and the closest we'll come to 2 Street 'til January.
8:30 at Boot & Saddle, 1131 S. Broad St., $10. Tickets available here.
Friday, March 28: Childish Gambino
Childish Gambino—the rap moniker of Donald Glover, supposedly plucked from a Wu-Tang name generator—is one in a long line of projects for the writer/artist/comedian, whose public media takeover has also included writing credits for Derrick Comedy and 30 Rock, a starring role on Community, and a much-lauded stand-up comedy career. Yet Childish Gambino represents something new for Glover: it might have started off as a joke/nerd rage nadir—but somewhere between Glover's Community fall-out and weird Instagram rant, it seems to have morphed into a real outlet for creativity. His most recent, Because the Internet, is part hip-hop record, past multi-media tour de force—19 tracks (although some are just seconds long), an accompanying video, and a 76-page screenplay—which together tell the story of "The Boy" (hmm, who could that be?) whose high-class upbringing eventually leads to his downfall. If it sounds pretentious, that's cuz it kinda is…but something about Glover's tongue-in-cheek delivery and penchant for puns makes it an equally fun—if not ridiculous—listen. Live, the hipster rapper tends to eschew theatrics in favor of organic performances—which means his show this Friday at the E-Factory should be all Glover, no cover.
8:30 at the Electric Factory, 421 N. 7th St., sold out.
Sunday, March 30: Amanda X
It's been said that Philadelphia has a great punk scene. We tend to agree. One band that's been tearing it up on our radar lately? Philly three-piece Amanda X, a fuzzed-out, female-powered, "twee-punk" collective whose formidable songwriting abilities are trumped only by their killer live chops. Since forming two years ago, the band has gigged and toured relentlessly, playing bills with the likes of Parquet Courts (who invited them to play their SXSW showcase this year) and FIDLAR, in addition to countless local acts. We love these ladies for their effortlessly catchy, lo-fi melodies, vulnerable, searing vocals, and staunchly DIY attitude and ethics. They're currently working on their debut record, due out this summer (stream their previously released EP here)—but will take a break to shred face at KFN this weekend, alongside like-minded punks Soother. Only $5!
8:00 at Kung Fu Necktie, 1250 N. Front St., $5.Tickets available at the door.