Welcome to Seven in Seven, where we look at shows coming to the region over the next week. As always, whether your musical tastes are rock ’n’ roll, jazz, heavy metal, R&B, singer-songwriter or indie, there will always be something to check out.
Here are seven of the best on the docket for the week of Jan. 19:
Stephen Pearcy — Friday at The Keswick Theatre
There are a bunch of ’80s rock artists who keep trying to be something they’re not, always complaining about being lumped into the hair metal genre. Then there’s Stephen Pearcy. The singer gets out there every night and celebrates his history as the frontman of Ratt and embraces the decade where he flourished most. On his current tour, dubbed “Back in the Cellar,” he’s celebrating the 40th anniversary of Ratt’s triple-platinum debut, “Out of the Cellar,” by playing it in full. The LP is stacked with ’80s classics like “Round and Round,” “Back for More” and “Wanted Man,” and Pearcy will be up there performing it with a mile wide smile on his face.
The Salt Collective — Friday at 118 North
Salt is a Paris-based collaborative music project led by French guitarist and songwriter Stéphane Schück around a core group formed in the ’80s. In 2022, a new collective of artists joined in to create an exuberant record full of joy titled “Life.” Using the original demos and song sketches created by Salt in France, 12 new tracks were created in an American studio. Featuring contributors like Matthew Caws of Nada Surf, Juliana Hatfield, Matthew Sweet, Peter Holsapple from the dB’s and Richard Lloyd of Television, the deep pedigree allows for a variety of live members. This short tour, only five dates, will feature original Salt members Schück and Fred Quentin, Caws, Mitch Easter of Let’s Active, Chris Stamey and Gene Holder from the dB’s, Lynn Blakey of Tres Chicas and Rob Ladd from The Connells.
The Charlatans UK + Ride — Friday at Union Transfer
Back in 1993, two of the UK’s most enduring and best-loved bands, The Charlatans UK and Ride, co-headlined Daytripper — two now-legendary concert events held in the British seaside towns of Brighton and Blackpool. Friday’s show at Union Transfer will once again see the two bands performing classic albums in full with The Charlatans revisiting their landmark sophomore LP from 1992, “Between 10th and 11th,” and Ride doing 1990’s debut shoegaze masterpiece, “Nowhere,” along with a selection of greatest hits, fan favorites and more.
Reverie Road — Friday at The Lounge at World Café Live
Firmly grounded in their collective Irish roots, Reverie Road embraces humor with musical insight and natural music abilities and talent as original compositions are woven into the set with traditional songs, ancient airs, continental waltzes and upbeat reels and jigs. Comprised of two classically trained fiddlers who share a common history as award-winning Irish dancers, along with two instrumentalists who have sought to redefine traditional accompaniment and rhythm sections, it all amounts to a compelling concert experience aimed to lift audiences’ hearts and have them on their feet.
The Smithereens — Friday at World Café Live
Formed in New Jersey in 1980, The Smithereens remain one of America’s musical treasures. The band’s timeless power-pop sound, full of catchy melodies, meaningful lyrics and walls of layered guitar, bass and drums, still resonates today. Wearing proudly on their sleeves influences like The Beatles, The Kinks and The Who as they developed their own original style and sound, they delivered something both fresh and familiar. Following the unfortunate 2017 passing of frontman Pat DiNizio, the band’s vocalist for the World Café Live show will be Robin Wilson, who is enjoying his time touring with the band while having established his own noteworthy career as the singer for Gin Blossoms with hits like “Until I Fall Away” and “Allison Road.”
Royal Thunder — Sunday at MilkBoy
Second chances in music — much like in life — are rare. The industry’s gated ecosystem is almost designed to prevent even first chances, so getting a do-over hardly ever happens. Perhaps no one in recent memory appreciates that more than the members of Royal Thunder. After losing a key member and eventually collapsing almost entirely under the weight of excess, the beloved Georgia heavy rocking trio reunited and returned with their first album in six years in 2023, the aptly titled “Rebuilding the Mountain.” The show at MilkBoy promises to be a barnburner as it’s the second-to-last show of a very short, five-date tour to kick off the new year.
Kevin Drew — Sunday at Underground Arts
Following the release of his most vulnerable, minimal solo album to date, last year’s “Aging,” Broken Social Scene’s co-founder and front man Kevin Drew is coming to town for an intimate show as part of his first solo tour in nine years. Expect songs from both his solo efforts and a handful of Broken Social songs. And be sure to show up early for two-time Polaris Prize nominee Zoon, who will be performing a stripped-down set featuring cuts from their newest LP and more, a shoegaze-filled discography.
Soundcheck
• Ratt: “Back for More”
• The Charlatans UK: “Weirdo”
• Ride: “Vapour Trail”
• Reverie Road: “The Gap of Dreams”
• The Smithereens: “A Girl Like You”
• The Salt Collective: “Asylum”
• Royal Thunder” “The Knife”
• Kevin Drew: “Fixing the Again”
• Zoon: “A Language Disappears”
Source: Berkshire mont
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