Admittedly, there is not much of a theme for this month’s musical selections. However, while July may be lacking cohesion, it is not short on talent. With so many excellent performers rolling into Harrisburg this month, there are plenty of reasons to take advantage of the warm summer evenings.
MAN FOREVER & SŌ PERCUSSION w/ CUDDLE MAGIC, 7/9, 7:30 P.M., SECOND CITY CHURCH, $10: John Colpitts (aka Kid Millions) founded the experimental percussion project Man Forever in 2010 in order to explore the art of percussive composition. The results have been nothing less than breathtaking. While percussion is an essential element of the majority of musical compositions, it often cannot stand on its own. Despite these odds, Man Forever creates musical soundscapes that are both passionate and mesmerizing. He will be joined by America’s premier percussive ensemble, Sō Percussion, to perform Man Forever’s latest release, “Ryonen,” with opening support from the superb Brooklyn band, Cuddle Magic.
AMERICAN OPERA, 7/19, 7 P.M., LITTLE AMPS UPTOWN, $5 Suggested Donation: American Opera’s music can best be described as handmade. A passionate and growling voice is coupled with glockenspiels and melodicas to create an intriguing juxtaposition that evokes images of marathon songwriting and do-it-yourself recording sessions taking place in a starving artist’s living room or loft. But this is not an example of style over substance. In the end, American Opera is about songwriting in the truest sense of the word. Built on a backbone of traditional folk, these are songs about living a life that is often difficult and at times painful.
MATTHEW SWEET ROCK SHOW, 7/20, 8 P.M., ABBEY BAR, $18/$22: Matthew Sweet is not young. His career began in the mid-80s, and, considering the short shelf life of most rockers, that feels like ages ago. But Sweet continues to churn out the solid rock and roll that has sustained his longevity. Still present is that jangly, hazy guitar so characteristic of the Athens, Ga., scene that produced both Sweet and R.E.M. However, Sweet’s latest work also demonstrates a confidence that can only come with age. Never content to trot out the same numbers that brought him fame decades ago, he continues to let his music evolve. Sweet’s performance at the Abbey Bar is sure to satisfy both longtime fans and newcomers alike.
Mentionables: The Bacon Brothers, Whitaker Center, 7/10; The Greatest Funeral Ever, HMAC Stage on Herr, 7/12; Dick Dale, Abbey Bar, 7/25; The Baseball Project/The Split Squad/The Minus 5, HMAC Stage on Herr, 7/26
