June 29, 2016
Eleanor Hardwick/for PhillyVoice
Fear of Men pays Johnny Brenda's on Friday
After stints on both Bad Boy Records and Ruff Ryders, The Lox have a special place in hip-hop history. Amongst the trio Jadakiss (and his signature laugh) remains the group’s most recognizable legacy to casual fans. Styles P. would probably come next in order of familiarity, but Sheek Louch — the obvious underdog of the crew — is no slouch. For years, Louch traded punches with two of the best latter-day New York rappers ever without falling behind. His solo career hasn’t been as illustrious as his original partners-in-rhyme, but the Brooklyn emcee continues building on his bar-forward discography. Late last year Louch dropped his sixth solo album in “Silverback Gorilla 2,” a don’t-fix-if-it-ain’t-broken sequel to his most well-known solo work.
Show: 10 p.m. | $20-30 | 18+
Five years after forming in Los Angeles in 2011, the almost-metal Silver Snakes released their third record in February. With “Saboteur,” the persistent four-piece has turned over a new leaf while staying true to their roots. “It’s a record that we had to push ourselves to write,” the lead singer Alex Estrada told AltPress upon release. “We’ve introduced new elements while maintaining our identity.” On the first single, “Red Wolf” (below), you can hear the cautious shift: The guitar is still pounding and the drums are frenetic, but Estrada’s voice and lyricism are more angsty and poignant than usual.
With Night Verses & Rich People | Doors: 7:30 p.m. / Show: 8 p.m. | $10-12 | 21+
Like many bands, Fear of Men found themselves in perilous territory after releasing a solid debut album. After spending several years sharing singles and a catch-up compilation, 2014’s “Loom” confirmed that the English dream pop outfit had the chops to fill out a full tracklist. But there’s an almost-universal danger in a strong introduction that invites the question, “What’s next?” Earlier this month Fear of Men answered the call with a smart follow-up called “Fall Forever.” The trio, helmed by singer/guitarist Jess Weiss, left behind some of the upbeat dreaminess of that first record for more experimental territory on their sophomore offering. In some ways the biggest question now is how they’ll replicate their in-studio musings onstage, a maneuver they’ll have mastered by the time they swing through Philly tomorrow night.
With Puro Instinct & Mercury Girls | Doors: 8 p.m. / Show: 9 p.m. | $12 | 21+
Philly’s own Hurry has pulled off an impressive feat with their third and latest album, the Lame-O Records released “Guided Meditation.” The serene-sounding title hints at the accomplishment of the group’s smartly pared down bit of power pop. In many ways it’s Hurry’s best record to date, a sound they’ve arrived at as much from subtraction as from typically progressive add-ons. It’s delightfully easy to live with and listen to — and a good excuse to take a long lunch break on Friday.
Show: Noon | free | all ages
The innovations of Philly’s 1980s hip-hop scene remain underappreciated. If you’ve ever watched a DJ routine the turntables will almost certainly be arranged in the sideways “battle style” that DJ Cash Money pioneered. He also polished up and invented now-ubiquitous scratch techniques (like the Chirp) in addition to releasing a classic record alongside rapper Marvelous. Schoolly D, on the other hand, has perhaps an even more outsized but still largely forgotten influence on hip-hop as a whole: The guy invented gangsta rap. In the 30 years since, Schoolly has remained a delightfully prolific weirdo character who paints, sculpts and scores music for TV and movies. But Schoolly’s primary identity is still his most obvious: He’s just a rockstar.
With DJ Touch Tone & DJ Flow | Doors: 7:45 p.m. / Show: 8 p.m. | $25 |all ages
Americans never seemed to form a full taste for The English Beat, the quintessential 2 Tone ska band that, along with more famous groups like The Specials, rode their home country’s fascination with reggae and punk rock into new-albeit-nostalgic territory. Back in Britain, the band is still known just as The Beat (the States already had a band by that name), and after more than 30 years of silence, the David Wakeling-led group has promised fans a new album in 2016.
Doors: 6 p.m. / Show: 7 p.m. | $30-32 | all ages
Philly’s July 4 celebrations are legendary even without The Roots crew, but what about the pre-party? Mike Nyce and Rich Medina are Philly institutions of their own and have a Sunday night treat in store for anyone who wants to dance. A Scratch DJ Academy instructor and Mount Laurel native, Nyce has been a classroom teacher for more than a decade. But when you add the DJ to the name his accolades really start piling up. He’s toured with the likes of Biz Markie and Jill Scott and has been a Philly nightclub mainstay for more than 20 years. Rich Medina is a globe-trotting DJ with a spoken word background. And while Philly is his base, hometown shows are few and far between.
Show: 9 p.m. | $10 (at the door) | 21+
