Philly music this week with the Format, Zara Larsson, Smokey Robinson, James McMurtry, CupcakKe, and the return of The Teeth

This week in Philly music features pop stars Zara Larsson and Nate Ruess of the Format, Motown legend Smokey Robinson, Texas songwriting great James McMurtry, jazz from Endea Owens and Irreversible Entanglements, two ambassadors of New Orleans music, and the return of Philly’s the Teeth.

Along with its predecessor the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, ReBirth is the most important band in reviving the vital New Orleans brass band tradition. Forty plus years after its founding, the “Feel Like Funkin’ It Up” band is still going strong. Philly’s Curtis Mayfield and Tower of Power influenced funk-soul brothers Nik Greeley & the Operators open. 8 p.m., Underground Arts, 1200 Callowhill St., undergroundarts.org.

The tough-minded and empathetic songs that James McMurtry writes have only gotten more impressive over the course of his 35-year career. Last year’s The Black Dog & the Wandering Boy finds the Texas tunesmith on top of his game, pointedly funny on “Pinocchio in Vegas” and despairing on “Sons of the Second Son.” The latter takes the measure of an America focused on “building bombs and border walls, as all conscience falls away.” He’s playing solo, with Austin songwriter Betty Soo opening. 8 p.m., Ardmore Music Hall, 23 East Lancaster Ave., ArdmoreMusicHall.com

The Weitzman Museum pulled off one of the cool shows of 2025 with its Glory Glory Allan Sherman tribute in December. Now, the Jewish Museum in Old City has another winner booked. Neta Elkayam is a Moroccan Jewish singer raised in Israel. She and her musical partner and husband Amit Hai Cohen have blended their cultural heritage with New Orleans jazz and blues while teaching at the HBCU Xavier University in New Orleans for the past two years. They’ll be joined by NOLA musicians Peter Varnado, Martin Masakowski, and Chloe White. 7:30 p.m., Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History, 101 S. Independence Mall East. theweitzman.org/events/neta-elkayam/

Philly band the Teeth released two excellent indie rock albums in the mid-00s, Carry the Wood and You’re My Lover Now, before twin brothers Peter and Aaron MoDavis broke up the band in 2008. Then a funny thing happened over a decade later: After the band’s music was taken off Spotify, the MoDavises started hearing from frustrated fans who couldn’t live without their Teeth fix.

That led to the band performing for three Johnny Brenda’s shows in 2024, an opening slot for Dr. Dog at the Mann Center, and the discovery that Task star Mark Ruffalo is one of their biggest fans. Now the band does weekend shows while working on new music. Lindsey Noel opens Friday and John Miller on Saturday. 8 p.m., Johnny Brenda’s, 1201 N. Frankford Ave., johnnybrendas.com

Risque rapper and humorist Elizabeth Eden, who performs as CupcakKe, has built a growing fan base over a six-album career that kicked off in 2016 with the appropriately titled Audacious. It has continued through the stylistically varied The BaKkery, which manages the difficult task of writing a hyper-sexualized song about a bedbug. 8 p.m., Brooklyn Bowl, 1009 Canal St., brooklynbowl.com/philadelphia

Brooklyn songwriter Yaya Bey has skillfully mixed R&B, hip-hop, and a touch of jazz on a series of albums this decade. The prolific artist has a new one due this month called Fidelity, with the single “Egyptian Musk,” a collaboration with reggae artist Nesta. Noon, World Stage, 3025 Walnut Street, xpn.org.

This R&B-pop package tour is co-headlined by vocal group B2K — also known as Boys of the New Millenium — and Bow Wow, the rapper who was Lil’ Bow Wow back in the 1990s when he was a Snoop Dogg discovery. Also on the bill: Waka Flocka, Yung Joc, B5, Crime Mob, Franchise Boyz, Pretty Ricky, and Amerie, creator of the immortal 2005 go-go hit “1 Thing.” 8 p.m., Liacouras Center, 1776 N. Broad St., liacourascenter.com

Detroit bassist, composer and Late Show with Stephen Colbert house band member Endea Owens is coming to town with the Cookout. That’s her band that shares a name with Community Cookout, the nonprofit she founded that serves food and music in underserved neighborhoods in New York. Her latest is Caught Up In This Illusion, her 2025 album with rapper-producer Juicy J. 7:30 p.m., Perelman Theater, 300 S. Broad St., ensembleartsphilly.org.

Five person free jazz collective Irreversible Entanglements pulls into Solar Myth in South Philly for a two-night stand of Ars Nova Workshop shows.

On Friday, the band that features Philadelphia poet and musician Camae Ayewa — also known as Moor Mother — on vocals, will celebrate its new album Future Past Present that includes a collaboration with Helado Negro on “Juntos Ventemos.” The next night, the band will play the music of trumpeter Don Cherry’s 1972 album Organic Music Society, coordinated with the Fabric Workshop’s “The Living Temple” exhibit on Swedish designer and Cherry’s wife Moki Cherry. 8 p.m., Solar Myth, 1131 S. Broad St., solarmythbar.com.

Nate Ruess had his most commercial success with fun., his partnership with Andrew Dost and superstar producer Jack Antonoff. But Ruess got his start teaming with Sam Means in the Format, the band that split up after its album Dog Problems in 2006. Now, the Format is back with the hook-filled album Boycott Heaven, and strong support on this show comes from indie pop veteran Ben Kweller and Adult Mom. It’s an all-ages show with an early start. 6:50 p.m., Franklin Music Hall, 421 N. 7th St., franklinmusichall.com

Three big names in bluegrass — mandolin player Nik Dumas, guitarist Chris Luquette, and bass player Andrew Knapp — team up for a rare show in an intimate space. Phillygrass opens. 8 p.m., Bourbon & Branch, 705 N. 2nd St., phillybluegrass.com.

Philly hard core punk band Pissed Jeans delivers satisfying jolts of rage and dark humor on songs like “Killing All The Wrong People” and “Sixty Two Thousand Dollars In Debt” on its latest album Half Divorced. With Nympho and the Bill Nace / Mike Polizze Duo. 7:30 p.m., Ukie Club, 847 N. Franklin St., 4333collective.com.

One of the all-time great pop and R&B songwriters, still active at age 86. His ‘60s Motown hits with the Miracles are immortal — “Shop Around,” “You Really Got Ahold On Me,” “Ooo Baby Baby” — and the best of his silky ‘80s hits like “Cruisin’” and “Being With You” are equally seductive. 8 p.m., Ovation Hall, 500 Boardwalk, Atlantic City, theoceanac.com

Swedish pop star Zara Larsson is out to party around the clock on Midnight Sun, her new album of perky dance pop. The album got an added boost when Olympic figure skater Alysa Liu skated to “Stateside,” her collaboration with Pink Pantheress, in an exhibition program at the Olympics. 8 p.m., Fillmore Philadelphia, 29 E. Allen St., thefillmorephilly.com