This week in Philly music features an old-school hip-hop extravaganza in Atlantic City, an intriguing Bob Dylan tribute, and two shows each with powerhouse vocalist Neko Case, British post-punk band Shame, and mysterious indie singer Jim E. Brown.
Thursday, Jan. 15
Jim E. Brown
Who is Jim E. Brown? According to his own ad copy, he is a “19 year pop sensation” who is launching “his latest opus, I Urinated on a Butterfly, in the American city of Philadelphia.” His Bandcamp page, however, identifies him as a “Poet and Artist/activist” who “was born in Manchester in Sept. 10, 2001, just one day before the 911.”
If that were true, that would make him 24, not 19. However, sampling the dozens of his releases online with titles like “Sheep in a Jeep,” “The Sky Is Ugly,” and “I’m Weirder Than ‘Weird’ Al” might lead one to believe that Brown is actually a 40-something performance artist from Philadelphia with an abundance of ideas and an affection for electro-pop.
Brown, whose self-mocking wit flourishes on tracks like “I Dreamed That You Liked My Instagram Post,” has two shows in Fishtown this week, with Bugger opening Thursday and My Wife’s an Angel and Null playing Friday. 8 p.m. Johnny Brenda’s, 1201 Frankford Ave., johnnybrendas.com
Bill Kirchen
The singer and guitarist for Commander Cody & his Los Planet Airmen, best known for their 1972 pop hit “Hot Rod Lincoln,” is touring with a full band and a Bob Dylan-at-Newport-themed show. Kirchen may be a bit crustier than A Complete Unknown star Timothée Chalamet, but the ageless guitar whiz has the advantage of having firsthand experience of Dylan’s acoustic and electric iterations at the Newport Folk Festival in 1964 and 1965. In Sellersville, he’ll do one set of Commander Cody material, and another of Dylan songs. 8 p.m., Sellersville Theater, 24 W. Temple Ave., Sellersville, st94.com
Friday, Jan. 16
Shame
Shame is a British post-punk band fronted by (not that) Charlie Sheen. They are touring behind a spirited, spiky fourth album, Cutthroat, which was produced by John Congleton, who has worked with Philly’s Mannequin Pussy and the Districts, among others.
On Friday, the band will perform a WXPN-FM (88.5) Free at Noon show at World Cafe Live, where the radio station’s FAN shows have moved back to since the West Philly venue renewed its lapsed liquor license. And then the South London quintet will play that evening at First Unitarian Church, with Ribbon Skirt opening. Noon, World Cafe Live, 3025 Walnut St., xpn.org and 8 p.m., First Unitarian Church, 2125 Chestnut St., r5productions.com
Neko Case
Torch and power-pop singer Neko Case released a powerful memoir called The Harder I Fight, The More I Love You in 2024, and followed that last year with an introspective and imagistic new album, Neon Grey Midnight Green. Its color-coded title is inspired by the meeting of slate clouds and piney forests on the Pacific Coast skyline.
Case, who has also sometimes sung with the Canadian power-pop band the New Pornographers, played the Met Philly last fall along with buzzy D.C. band Des Demonas, led by Kenyan punk-poet Jacky “Cougar” Abok, as the opening act. They’re back together at the Queen in Wilmington on Friday and at Archer Music Hall in Allentown on Saturday. 8 p.m., the Queen, 500 N. Broad St., Wilmington, thequeenwilmington.com; 7 p.m., Archer Music Hall, 939 Hamilton St., Allentown, archermusichall.com
Peabo Bryson
Veteran soul balladeer Peabo Bryson is on tour marking the 35 years that have passed since his Grammy-winning duet with Celine Dion on the title song to the 1991 Disney movie Beauty and the Beast. Bryson also picked up a Grammy for “A Whole New World,” his duet with Regina Belle from Disney’s Aladdin the next year. 6 and 9:30 p.m. City Winery Philadelphia, 900 Filbert St., citywinery.com/philadelphia
Owen Stewart / J.R. Everhart
Philly bandleader Owen Stewart draws from rugged, 1960s counterculture rock acts like John Fogerty and especially recent Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Joe Cocker. He’s following up the release of his album Done and Dusted by celebrating a new EP, Glider. J.R. Everhart — also known as Jimmy Scantron — is the leader of Philly band Cosmic Guilt and is a former Low Cut Connie guitarist. His new single, “Golden Hour,” is more evidence of his songwriting chops. With Squawk Brothers. 8 p.m., Underground Arts, 1200 Callowhill St., undergroundarts.org
Sunday, Jan. 18
AllStars of Hip-Hop
Public Enemy — arguably the greatest politically-minded rap group of all time — will headline the AllStars of Hip-Hop multiact bill at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City on Saturday.
Chuck D and Flavor Flav — the latter of whom is most visible these days for his Taylor Swift fandom and hype man duties for the U.S. Olympic water polo and bobsled and skeleton teams — will be joined by several other old-school hip-hop and R&B acts.
R&B will be covered by “This Is How We Do It” singer Montel Jordan. Veteran rappers performing include Boogie Down Productions emcee KRS-One and Philly’s original gangsta Schoolly D. Also on the bill is Furious Five — note the absence of “The Message” rappers’ DJ leader Grandmaster Flash — and “Rapper’s Delight” collective Sugarhill Gang. 7 p.m., Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall, 23021 Boardwalk, Atlantic City, boardwalkhall.com
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