Welcome to Seven in Seven, where we look at shows coming to the region over the next week. As always, whether your musical tastes are rock and roll, jazz, heavy metal, R&B, singer-songwriter or indie, there’ll always be something to check out.
Here are seven of the best on the docket for the week of Sept. 15:
The Black Dahlia Murder – Friday at Reverb
Following their wildly successful Verminous Remnant Spring headlining tour, The Black Dahlia Murder is on the road for a final bout of shows before returning to the studio to complete their next studio album. The group’s most recent full-length, “Verminous,” was released in 2020 via Metal Blade Records and didn’t compromise a scrap of heaviness, with the record standing among the band’s most dynamic, rousing and emotional releases to date. Catch them on this short run while they’re hotter than ever.
MMRBQ 2023 – Saturday at Freedom Mortgage Pavilion
Does summer end with Labor Day seekend or the MMRBQ? Fans of WMMR will obviously agree with the latter and it’s hard to argue the point as their annual lineups in Camden tend to keep the party going for at least another couple weeks. This year’s edition features Billy Idol and Shinedown at the top of the bill. Idol recently saw the release of an expanded edition of his 1982 self-titled debut. As the reigning elder statesman of punk rock, the still spiked hair sporting, leather jacket wearing and stomach baring – at 67 years old no less – his concerts always live up to the legend. Hard rock hitmakers Shinedown are winding down their lengthy Revolutions Live Tour, which began back in the spring. Elsewhere on the stacked bill are Dirty Honey, Larkin Poe, Finger Eleven, Ayron Jones, Tigercub and Vixen77. Arrive early, leave late, hold onto the summer.
ZZ Top and Lynyrd Skynyrd – Sunday at Freedom Mortgage Pavilion
“Catch them quick before there’s no one left” doesn’t apply to Lynyrd Skynyrd anymore with the death of founding guitarist Gary Rossington earlier this year. There are now zero original members left in the band and, depending on what side of the fence you’re on, that’s a disrespectful abomination or a tribute to the music. Either way, the radio worn classics like “Free Bird,” “Gimme Three Steps” and “Sweet Home Alabama” are going to get played Sunday across the river in Camden. ZZ Top is still going strong with two-thirds of their original lineup intact, and their special brand of swamp boogie is perfect for a mid-September night on the water.
Brian Jonestown Massacre – Sunday at Union Transfer
Besides having one of the greatest names in indie rock, Brian Jonestown Massacre, led by resident genius Anton Newcombe, has been one of the most prolific and underrated acts of the last three decades plus. Their latest, “The Future Is Your Past,” is album No. 20 and per usual a decent slab of psych-rock brilliance. It’s gotten rave reviews across the board, a rarity for a band that’s been at it this long, especially given the trials and tribulations they’ve gone through – see the award-winning 2004 documentary “Dig!” for more. Live, the BJM is unpredictable, arresting and endlessly unique, so expect nothing less at this kick-off to the tour.
Tash Sultana – Tuesday at Harrisburg University at The Forum
Having broken through into the Australian music scene more than a decade ago, the gender-fluid multi-instrumentalist, producer, singer-songwriter, engineer and entrepreneur Tash Sultana has been nothing less than a musical force. Tash began playing the guitar at the age of three after being gifted the instrument from their late grandfather. As the years went on, they developed their own unique style of playing involving percussive and finger tapping style guitar coinciding with a vocal range stretching five octaves. Tash and their team also designed a custom loop station which took over two years to build to meet the needs of the intricate and one-of-a-kind performance style, which will be on full display next Tuesday in Harrisburg.
Cold Cave – Wednesday at Union Transfer
Since their inception 14 years ago, Cold Cave have released a number of singles, LPs, EPs and compilations, all leading to them becoming synonymous with the modern-day resurgence of darkwave and synthpop. Most recently, the band reissued their landmark releases “Cremations,” “Love Comes Close,” “Cherish the Light Years,” “Full Cold Moon” and “Fate in Seven Lessons” on 180gram vinyl via Heartworm Press. The collections encompass the outfit’s past while catapulting them into the future, further cementing them as torchbearers for modern post-punk.
Death Cab for Cutie and The Postal Service – Thursday, Sept. 21, at The Mann
Once the shows were announced last December, there wasn’t a more talked about and anticipated indie rock show for 2023. Now, it’s finally here, as indie rock titans The Postal Service and Death Cab for Cutie bring their landmark 20th anniversary co-headlining tour to town, one which will see both iconic groups performing their seminal 2003 albums in full – the former’s “Give Up” and DCFC’s breakthrough fourth studio LP “Transatlanticism” – two stone cold classics released within a mere eight months of one another that year. Benjamin Gibbard, the co-founder and frontman of both bands, will pull double duty, making an already unique night one for the ages. “I know for a fact I will never have a year again like 2003,” Gibbard said in a statement. “The Postal Service record came out, ‘Transatlanticism’ came out. These two records will be on my tombstone, and I’m totally fine with that. I’ve never had a more creatively inspired year.”
Soundcheck
• The Black Dahlia Murder – “Verminous”
• Billy Idol – “Eyes Without a Face”
• Shinedown – “Cut the Cord”
• ZZ Top – “Rough Boy”
• Lynyrd Skynyrd – “That Smell”
• The Brian Jonestown Massacre – “The Future Is Your Past”
• Tash Sultana – “James Dean”
• Cold Cave – “Youth and Lust”
• Death Cab for Cutie – “The Sound of Settling”
• The Postal Service – “Such Great Heights”
