Jake Xerxes
Jake Xerxes Fussell is playing PhilaMOCA on Jan. 25 to support his forthcoming album, Good and Green Again, out Jan. 21 on Paradise of Bachelors. A curator of traditional folk songs, he is masterful at re-contextualizing ancient vernacular songs and sources of the American South. On Good and Green Again, Fussell ventures beyond his established mastery of song catching and song making into songwriting, navigating fresh sonic and compositional landscapes with more atmospheric and ambitious arrangements. philamoca.org
A Place to Bury Strangers
See Through You is the highly anticipated sixth album from New York City’s A Place To Bury Strangers. Outpacing even their own firmly blazed path of audio annihilation, this album repeatedly delivers the massive walls of chaos and noise that every A Place To Bury Strangers fan craves in spades. See for yourself Feb. 1 at Johnny Brenda’s. johnnybrendas.com
Squirrel Flower
Squirrel Flower’s heart-rending sophomore album Planet (i), following her 2020 debut, I Was Born Swimming, is exactly that. A singular planet, a world entirely of artist Ella Williams’ making. The title came first to her as a joke: it’s her made-up name for the new planet people will inevitably settle and destroy after leaving Earth, as well as the universe imagined within her music. Hear her Feb. 12 at PhilaMOCA. philamoca.org
Gov’t Mule
Gov’t Mule (led by GRAMMY Award-winning vocalist, songwriter, and guitar legend Warren Haynes) will be kicking off their annual New Year’s run in Philadelphia on Dec. 29th at The Met. Gov’t Mule just released their first-ever blues album Heavy Load Blues on Nov. 12 via Fantasy Records. themetphilly.com
The Weather Station
The Weather Station is playing World Cafe Live on Jan. 29 in support of Ignorance, one of 2021’s best albums out now on Fat Possum. The album is the New Yorker’s album of the year, and has appeared on many other year-end lists, including The New York Times, Stereogum, Paste, and more. worldcafelive.com
The Districts
Pennsylvania-based rock band The Districts are set to play three hometown shows in Philadelphia on Dec. 27, 30, and 31. They’ll be supporting Dr. Dog on the 27th at The Fillmore, and will be playing headlining shows on the 30th and 31st at Johnny Brenda’s. These shows come ahead of the release of their fifth full length album, Great American Painting, which will be released on Feb. 4 via Fat Possum Records. Thefillmorephilly.com johnnybrendas.com
