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 Feb. 2:
Sarah Jarosz — Friday at World Café Live
Texas-raised Americana singer-songwriter Sarah Jarosz released her debut album at the age of 18 and was immediately nominated for her first Grammy. To date, she has released six studio albums and has netted four Grammy wins on the heels of 10 nominations. Her latest album, “Polaroid Lovers,” finds her reflecting on past loves, childhood dreams, the places she lived and all the versions of herself that she’s been. Although listeners will hear a sonic shift forward, the album’s subject matter is a photo album of the past. As an artist, Jarosz has never sounded more assured, with the record filled with the kind of confidence that comes from hard-won life experiences and the conviction of someone who truly knows herself.
Kevin Burt — Sunday at Sellersville Theater 1894
While we’re just one month into the new year, one of the most compelling records of 2024 is already on shelves in bluesman Kevin Burt’s “Thank You, Brother Bill: A Tribute to Bill Withers.” For some three decades, the Midwest-born singer, guitarist and harmonica player has been dispelling the myth that true blues has no roots in Iowa. His soul-inspired presentation is unique, with the iconic Withers one of the artists to which he’s long been compared. Along with his band, Big Medicine, Burt delves into the hits like “Ain’t No Sunshine” and “Lean on Me” as well as deep cuts like “Let Us Love.” He takes his admiration and love for the music of a soul legend and puts forth a tribute which is true to the impact the songs have had on his own life.
Plain White T’s — Tuesday at Union Transfer
Since emerging in 1997, Chicago quartet Plain White T’s have consistently delivered unforgettable pop rock anthems that tend to take up real estate in listener’s brains for months at a time. They have amassed over 2.7 billion total global streams, earned two Grammy nominations and collected several Platinum-plus and Gold certifications throughout a deep catalog. The band’s signature single, “Hey There Delilah,” went quadruple platinum, topped the Billboard Hot 100, and earned the pair of aforementioned Grammy nods 2008. Late last year the group released a self-titled ninth album, which was immediately dogged with the “return to form” cliché, one that ended up being true in this case.
Kahil El’Zabar’s Ethnic Heritage Ensemble — Wednesday, Feb. 7, at Solar Myth
The Ethnic Heritage Ensemble was founded by El’Zabar in 1974 originally as a jazz quintet but was soon paired down to its classic form — a trio, featuring El’Zabar on multi-percussion and voice, plus two horns. Next Wednesday’s show at Solar Myth, the South Philly coffee shop by morning that turns into a bar and performance space at night, is in conjunction with the legendary group’s 50th anniversary. Along with the celebration will be a new record from EHE titled “Open Me, A Higher Consciousness of Sound and Spirit,” which is set for release in early March. Expect the gig to be a preview of the upcoming material, an exploration of the past catalog and unique interpretations of compositions by the likes of Miles Davis.
Best Ex — Thursday, Feb. 8, at MilkBoy
Living in the shadow of NYC in northern New Jersey, Mariel Loveland got her start battling it out in the rough and tumble suburban scene with her nostalgia-tinged punk outfit Candy Hearts in 2010. Within two short years, she went from playing basements across the East Coast to sharing the stage with pop punk heavyweights like Man Overboard, New Found Glory and Weezer. After a final stint on the Vans Warped Tour in 2015, she adopted the moniker Best Ex, trading energetic guitars for fuzzed-out synths, dreamy acoustics and a melodic sweet tooth that rivaled Carly Rae Jepson’s or Sky Ferreira’s. Hew new record, “With a Smile,” features beautiful, tongue-in-cheek bedroom-pop gems that speak about the pressures society dictates how a woman should “be,” though Loveland isn’t afraid to pull punches in her responses.
The Thing — Thursday, Feb. 8, at Johnny Brenda’s
Four-piece New York City psych-garage outfit The Thing originated in high school when its members bonded over a shared love for rock ’n’ roll. Over the years, they honed their craft, self-recording and writing songs influenced by ’60s pioneers like The Kinks, Grand Funk Railroad and artists who filled up the legendary Nuggets compilation. As they progressed in skill and knowledge, the group started to envision a career inspired by the likes of Brian Jonestown Massacre, King Gizzard and The Black Keys. Eventually, The Thing started playing shows and generating a buzz around New York City in the winter of 2022, then touring up and down the East Coast. Word of their energetic live performances quickly spread, leading to this run of shows, which is their largest headlining tour to date.
DJ Shadow — Thursday, Feb. 8, at Union Transfer
DJ Shadow has been releasing music for over three decades, with his landmark 1996 debut “Endtroducing…..” still one of the finest albums of the ’90s. All this time later, he continues to influence new generations of artists, evident in the tremendous heights he hit on 2016’s LP, “The Mountain Will Fall,” which included “Nobody Speak” with Run the Jewels. His latest effort, last fall’s “Action Adventure,” features 14 mostly instrumental tracks that represent Shadow’s continued evolution. It’s a thrilling new addition to an influential body of work defined by a restless ear, always searching to rescue some forgotten gem from the dustbin of music history or a fresh blast of sound from the cutting edge.
Soundcheck
• Sarah Jarosz: “Jealous Moon”
• Kevin Burt: “Ain’t No Sunshine”
• Plain White T’s: “Would You Even”
• Kahil El’Zabar’s Ethnic Heritage Ensemble: “Return of the Lost Tribe”
• Best Ex: “Die for You”
• The Thing: “Midnight”
• DJ Shadow: “Nobody Speak”
Source: Berkshire mont