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 ’n’ roll, jazz, heavy metal, R&B, singer-songwriter or indie, there will always be something to check out.
Here are seven of the best on the docket for the week of Jan. 5:
Tabula Rasa — Friday at 118 North
Tabula Rasa was the brainchild of lead guitarist and writer Erik Berta and bass player Mark Betterly after the two met in a bar outside of Philly and shared their ideas of an original band that could make people dance. There they formed the roots of the band, combining Berta’s rocker voice and complex guitar progressions with Betterly’s solid, funky groove to bring to life a treasure trove of raw lyrical and musical material. Drummer John Morgan joined shortly after, followed by powerhouse vocalist Rebecca Cooper, and the band took flight, performing everything from easy listening love ballads to high energy rock and reggae tunes, managing to strike a chord with everyone in earshot.
Zakk Sabbath — Sunday at Brooklyn Bowl
Zakk Sabbath is Zakk Wylde’s Black Sabbath cover band that he formed in 2014. And the more you think about it, the more the tribute endeavor by the guitarist makes sense. Wylde has been the primary axe slinger for Ozzy Osbourne, Sabbath’s best-known — and best — vocalist, since the ’80s, and one of the main reasons he got the gig was his super fandom of the godfathers of heavy metal. Don’t expect a paint-by-numbers setlist either; Wylde knows the Sabs catalog beyond well, pulling out deep cuts like “Into the Void,” “Hand of Doom” and “Behind the Wall of Sleep.”
Orrin Evans — Wednesday, Jan. 10, at The Lounge at World Café Live
During his kaleidoscopic quarter-century as a professional jazz musician, pianist Orrin Evans has become the model of a fiercely independent artist who pushes the envelope in all directions. Never supported by a major label, he has still ascended to top-of-the-pyramid stature on his instrument, as affirmed by his topping critic polls and Grammy nominations. At this special — and free — “Jazz Jam with Orrin Evans,” he will present some of his favorite artists playing tunes from their most recent albums before calling on instrumentalists and vocalists to sign up and sit in throughout the evening as audience members are welcome to drink, dine and dance to the music.
Motion City Soundtrack — Wednesday, Jan. 10, at Brooklyn Bowl
When Motion City Soundtrack formed in Minneapolis in 1997, there was a sense of fun that threaded through everything that involved the band. That youthful glee, a feeling that everything was exciting and anything was possible, inevitably dampened over the years and the group ended up calling it a day in 2016. It turned out to be a bit premature, as the pop punkers felt the spark again and reunited just three years later. Now a fully functioning unit once again, they are on the road celebrating the 20th anniversary of their debut LP, “I Am the Movie,” by playing it in full, along with a bunch of other songs, in select intimate venues.
Hayley Jane — Wednesday, Jan. 10, at 118 North
Pulling inspiration from a unique variety of styles, including ’60s and ’70s rock and pop, musical theater, folk, blues, soul, psychedelic, funk and bluegrass, Hayley Jane’s performances are layered with raw intensity and linguistic prowess, a product of her emotive presence. Just as varied are the many ways she can captivate an audience, be it a solo acoustic performance, an explosive full band show or one of her theatrical gigs. Wednesday’s show in Wayne is her first of 2024 and sees Jane hitting the road with a brand-new band in tow.
Okan — Thursday, Jan. 11, at MilkBoy Philly
Taking their name from the word for heart/soul in the Afro Cuban religion Santeria, Okan co-leaders, composers and multi- instrumentalists Elizabeth Rodriguez and Magdelys Savigne enthusiastically embrace Cuban genres and musical roles that have historically been dominated by men and create a distinctive and personal world jazz fusion. Hailing from Toronto, the pair fuses Afro-Cuban roots with jazz, electronica and pop, with contributions from stellar artists from the Cuban diaspora and other musical cultures.
Cirque du Soleil Crystal — Jan. 11-24 at Giant Center
Cirque du Soleil never fails to deliver, and with Crystal, it brings out one of the best touring shows in years. Dark, chilly and mesmerizing, it pushes the acrobatic artistry of its cast to a new level as the entire story is played out on ice. The titular character is a misfit with her head in the clouds, a dreamer looking for something more in her life. One day, feeling misunderstood and out of sync with the world, Crystal ventures out on a frozen pond and falls through the ice. In the underwater world of her own imagination, she has a vision — her alter ego — that guides her, showing a distorted version of her life. Musically, the show at moments feels like a synthpop dance party while at others incorporating spirited covers of songs by Sia, U2, Beyoncé and Nina Simone.
Soundcheck
• Tabula Rasa: “Dreamland”
• Black Sabbath: “Into the Void”
• Orrin Evans: “Libra”
• Motion City Soundtrack: “The Future Freaks Me Out”
• Hayley Jane: “What I Know”
• Okan: “Cumba Cumba”
• Nina Simone: “Sinnerman”
