May 04, 2016
The child of accomplished musicians, Elle Varner has been making her own music since she was a teenager. She released her debut, “Refill,” in 2012, at the age of 23, and since then she’s mined her breathy vocals and spare songwriting to soulfully poppy effect. Fans are still waiting for her official follow-up, a planned RCA-channeled sophomore album tentatively called “4 Letter Word.” For now, Varner is splitting time between the road and the studio. She arrives at World Cafe Live tonight.
Show 8 p.m. (Doors 7:30 p.m.); $30-$40 (all ages)
At 20 years old, Chief Keef has led an already seasoned and wildly mercurial rap career. Over the last couple years, as his career has flitted between peril and breakout, Keef’s influence on hip-hop has calcified. You can hear the Chicago rapper in radio-friendly artists like Fetty Wap and Travi$ Scott, or more recently, the North Philly upstart Lil Uzi Vert. But Keef is still doing his own thing, making puzzling career and musical decisions like a persistent endeavor to perform a series of concerts as a hologram and a recent one-off collaboration with CeeLo Green. On Friday, you can catch Keef in the flesh (no hologram) at the TLA for an all-ages show.
Show 8 p.m. (Doors 7 p.m.), $25 (all ages)
Two years after the release of their debut album, Philly indie-pop band Hurry returns with "Guided Meditation.” The record is a change of pace for Hurry: The songs have noticeably smoother pop edges than the grittier debut. This Friday the trio celebrates the album with a release show at Everybody Hits. The band is joined by openers Chris Farren, Telepathic, and Cave People.
Show 8:30 p.m. (Doors 8 p.m.); $5 (all ages)
Despite having only one EP under its belt, Queen of Jeans has fast become a local fixture. The quartet makes music that flits between 1960s pop, garage rock and upbeat punk. Every Friday this month Queen of Jeans is holding down the stage at Bourbon & Branch alongside a visiting band. The residency kicks off this week with a headline performance from pop outfit Suburban Living and opening sets by The Soft Spots and Julia Rainer.
Show 9 p.m. (Doors 8 p.m.); $7-10
Dave P. has been throwing ambitious, futuristic parties under the Making Time tagline for 16 years. The perpetual dot-connector behind the decks is celebrating the milestone with a pair of Sweet 16 shows that will bring in Virginia dream-pop outfit Wild Nothing this week and Brooklyn rockers DIIV later in the month. Wild Nothing’s show on Saturday features familiar residents including Dave P. himself alongside Sammy Slice (as UNITED), Mike Z. & Dave Pak, Rocktits!, Broadzilla, and Greg D. Like most Making Time events, this one’s running into the early hours of the morning and features cheap drink specials through the night.
Show 9 p.m.-4 a.m.; $10-15
Sheer Mag makes boisterous music both in sound and politics. Their grungy but approachable punk rock that jibes perfectly with lead singer Christina Halladay’s soulful voice. The band, five members deep and media-shy, has just released its third short offering in the form of “III,” their standout collection to date. On Saturday, the group brings their songs to PhilaMOCA alongside Bad Canoes and Dark Thoughts.
Show 8:30 p.m. (Doors 8 p.m.); $10-12 (all ages)
Justin Bieber’s maturity-injected career renaissance is complete, and he’s got a successful stadium tour to prove it. Last fall Bieber released his fourth album, “Purpose,” and the music lived up to the marketing campaign, ushering the 22-year-old Canadian star out of his obnoxious teen celebrity in the process. On Saturday, Bieber’s “Purpose World Tour” makes a stop at the Wells Fargo Center. Fans can expect the new smash hits — “Sorry,” “Where Are U Now,” “What Do You Mean?” — to anchor the show, but he’ll no doubt bring along his “Baby”-faced anthems as well.
Show 7:30 p.m.; $46.50-$122 (all ages)
Hard to believe, but "Mistadobalina" dropped in 1991 — meaning Del The Funky Homosapien has been rapping for about a quarter century. While the California emcee might not have the Hollywood flair of his older cousin, Ice Cube, Del is a uniquely singular artist — militant and weird, intellectual and ridiculous all at once. Alongside the prolific hip-hop collective Hieroglyphics he helped found in the early ’90s, Del remains one of the most quietly traveled touring hip-hop artists around and he’ll draw a crowd at Union Transfer this Sunday.
Show 8:30 p.m. (Doors 7:30 p.m.); $16 (all ages)
