Bruce Springsteen is postponed, but here’s all the music you can listen to this weekend
This weekend’s playlist, with Philly bands, and bands playing Philly: from Jon Batiste, Quavo, Hozier, to Shamir, Charli XCX, and more.
Bruce Springsteen is not playing South Philly on Friday, but this weekend’s playlist for your listening pleasure features a band from Philadelphia, which is doing its only area show of the summer in the Boss’ stronghold of Asbury Park, N.J.
That would be The War On Drugs, who headline the Stone Pony Summerstage on Friday with Lucius, Shakey Graves, and Philly-raised guitarist Steve Gunn all on the bill. Road trip!
High profile album releases arriving this weekend include Jon Batiste’s World Music Radio, which features Lana Del Rey and Lil Wayne, Irish folk-soul singer Hozier’s Unreal Unearth, and Migos rapper Quavo’s “Rocket Power.”
Also in rotation are Sufjan Stevens’ “So You Are Tired,” from the singer-songwriter’s Javelin, due in October, Usher’s “Boyfriend,” with a video featuring Keke Palmer that references the recent only online drama between the two and Palmer’s possibly Philadelphian boyfriend Darius Jackson.
Plus new songs from Jamila Woods, Charlie XCX (from the Barbie soundtrack), Ghanaian-Australian rapper Genesis Owusu and Margo Price-produced country veteran Jessi Colter, and an unreleased live Talking Heads track from the 1984 movie Stop Making Sense, which returns to theaters next month.
New music from Philadelphians includes indie pop star Shamir’s ninth album, Homo Anxietam, out on the Kill Rock Stars label. Camae Ayewa, the spoken word artist known as Moor Mother, has a fierce new song called “Our Land Back” with free jazz collective Irreversible Entanglements. Indie duo Another Michael’s new single is “Candle.” PJ Harvey-inspired punk quartet Rid of Me’s self-named song is “Rid Of Me.”
With Springsteen at Citizens Bank Park not happening due to illness — there are plenty of other options this weekend.
The Americana duo of songwriters Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Dave Alvin, are at World Cafe Live on Friday. The Heavy Heavy play Arden Gild Hall in Delaware. Creedence Clearwater Revival legend John Fogerty is at Caesars in Atlantic City. On Saturday, the Ardmore Rock N’ Ride bike race cycles the suburban streets. Eight hours of music go with it, with Brooklyn indie dance band Rubblebucket, Philly rapper Ivy Sole, Nashville songwriter Rayland Baxter and Philly jangle pop experts Travel Lanes.
There’s a pile up of shows on Tuesday. Shakti — the jazz Indian music fusion band originally founded by John McLaughlin, Ramnad Raghaven and Vikku Vanayakram — play the Keswick Theatre. The Hamiltones, the North Carolina gospel and R&B trio who sing with Anthony Hamilton, are at the City Winery.
The Baseball Project are an all-star band of singer Steve Wynn and drummer Linda Pitmon, plus Peter Buck, Mike Mills and Scott McCaughey of R.E.M. Their new album of songs about the National Pastime is Grand Salami Time, and they will swing for the fences at World Cafe Live.