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Philly music this week with XPoNential v. Making Time, Jeff Lynne’s ELO, Post Malone, and MilkBoy’s 30th anniversary

Fall is arriving, but outdoor music fests still rule this weekend.

Sama Abdulhadi at Making Time Infinity at Fort Mifflin in 2023. David Pianka's electronic music plus festival is in its fourth year at the venue near the Philadelphia International Airport from Friday through Sunday.
Sama Abdulhadi at Making Time Infinity at Fort Mifflin in 2023. David Pianka's electronic music plus festival is in its fourth year at the venue near the Philadelphia International Airport from Friday through Sunday.Read moreMo Smith

This week in Philly music is about action-packed music festivals on both sides of the Delaware River, big-rock shows in South Philly and Fairmount Park, a high-quality hip-hop collab in Fishtown, and a big-selling pop rapper-gone-country’s road trip away in Hershey.

The fest on the Jersey side of the river is the XPoNential Music Festival, the annual gathering presented by WXPN-FM (88.5) that’s happening on two stages in Camden’s Wiggins Park.

The fest kicks off Friday night and runs all Saturday and Sunday. Saturday highlights include Philly country rock crooners Florry, whipsmart songwriter Lizzie No, Phosphorescent (the stage name of ace Nashville songwriter Matthew Houck), and the great Roseanne Cash in the headline slot. Due to illness, Greensky Bluegrass, who were scheduled for Saturday, have cancelled and been replaced by Shakey Graves.

Sunday standouts are the Heavy Heavy, the British fivesome fronted by Georgie Fuller and William Turner, who advertise themselves as “making the music that the Sixties forgot.” Then there is teenage guitar sensation Grace Bowers and Bully, the top-flight rock-and-roll band fronted by Alicia Bognanno. And more bluegrass with Trampled by Turtles. More info and a complete schedule is at xpnfest.org.

Meantime, on the Pennsylvania side of the border, it’s time for Making Time ∞, impresario David Pianka’s mostly electronic fest that is staged at the Revolutionary War-era Fort Mifflin, near Philadelphia International Airport. There will be over 100 acts playing on five stages — or zones, in Making Time parlance — including King Britt and Avalon Emerson on Saturday and Ski Mask, Bicep, and Rich Medina on Sunday. Also, for the dance music-loving foodies: Vendors at the fest include Irwin’s, Tabachoy, Cantina La Martina, and Dan’s Kitchen. More info and a schedule at makingtimeisrad.com.

And that’s not it for festivals this weekend. MilkBoy, the recording studio, music venue, and cafe, that has had outposts in Center City and on the Main Line, is throwing a free 30th anniversary block party on Saturday at Fourth and South Streets from noon to 8 p.m. Acts include Chill Moody, Sug Daniels, Pep Rally (featuring Milky cofounder Tommy Joyner), Humanitarian, Khalil Amaru, and Carla Gamble. Both Amaru and Gamble are also playing XPoNential this weekend.

Common and Pete Rock bring the “Auditorium Tour” to the Fillmore on Friday. It’s the old-school hip-hop event of the season. And Kings of Leon is at the Mann that same night. If you want to have input on what songs the Followill family performs, give them a call at 855-KNG-LEON. They’re taking requests. And down the Shore, New Jersey indie rock stalwarts the Feelies is playing the Anchor Rock Club in Atlantic City.

Jeff Lynne’s ELO is in town for two nights at the Wells Fargo Center on Friday and Saturday. The hit-packed shows Lynne — a former Traveling Wilbury and Tom Petty producer — put on when he revived the ELO brand in 2018 got rave reviews, and these dates on the “Over and Out Tour” are likely the last chance to see him.

Rapper-turned-country duet partner Post Malone, whose new album, F-1 Trillion, features Dolly Parton, Morgan Waller, Sierra Ferrell, and Tim McGraw, is a divisive figure. Is he a crossover genius? Or an opportunist, looking to rope in a country audience? You decide when he plays HersheyPark Stadium in so far his only Philly-area appearance.

There’s lots going on early next week. Sigur Rós, the Icelandic band whose gossamer music casts a transfixing spell, is at the Met on Monday.

Ringo Starr — he’s always a Beatle — plays the Mann Center on Tuesday with his All-Starr Band. Also Tuesday, Ibibio Sound Machine, the terrific Afro-funk band based in London whose latest difficult-to-resist dance record is Pull the Rope — plays World Cafe Live.

And speaking of dance parties, British kinetic music-maker Charli XCX extends Brat summer past its calendar expiration date on Wednesday, when she and Troye Sivan present: Sweat at the Wells Fargo Center.