Wye Oak (Photo credit: finelinemusic.com)
Get out of town. No, really.
I’ve got two excellent acts to check out that are within the bounds of the commonwealth and one central PA headliner that is fit to go national, but will be gracing the stage of a local venue. So, dust off your car or stay put. I’m wagering the weather and the tunes will be good either way.
Wye Oak, 5/3, 7 p.m., The Chameleon Club (Lancaster), $12/$14
A Baltimore duo at a Lancaster landmark makes a nice pairing. I first listened to Wye Oak’s LP, “My Neighbor/My Creator,” when released in 2010. The song, “I Hope You Die,” made a great impact, a melodic tune in contrast to its rather brash title; Jenn Wasner (lead vocals, guitar) brings lyrical significance and potent vocal control to this track. While that single track is not entirely exemplary of their body of work (she plays alongside her maybe-boyfriend and drummer, Andy Stack), employing more synth and piano than their more customary heavy guitar and drum work, they are one of Baltimore’s darlings. Atomic Books even had a listening party on April 30for their new album, “Shriek.” See them while they’re still affordable and playing in honest, local spaces like The Chameleon Club.
Dana Fuchs, 5/23, 7 p.m., World Café Live (Philadelphia), $18-$20
As billed by the World Café Live, all Dana Fuchs has to do is sing. After a few listens, Fuchs’ southern rock ‘n’ roll and blues fusion songs are for just that. Her sultry, powerful voice is on display in every track, and it’s no wonder she was cast as Janis Joplin in the hit off-Broadway musical show “Love Janis.” Taking in a show in the three-tiered World Café Live, WXPN’s headquarters, is a full-service treat that concert-goers will appreciate.
Very Americans & Ducky & the Vintage, 5/31, 8 p.m., FedLive, $8 (in advance) $10 (door)
The indie rock band Very Americans is comprised entirely of central PA’ers. Their EP “Stereo Types” on Eulogy Recordings, a subsidiary of Sony, aims to take the local boys into new territory by selling this production internationally. The band’s sound takes cues from its punk background, particularly in the song “Floodgates,” but Garrett Rothman’s vocals bring them back to a more traditional, Brandon Flower-like (The Killers) ring to it. While more comparisons could be made, give their four-track a listen, and, if you enjoy, support these good ole Americans.
Mentionables: Of Montreal, Union Transfer (Philadelphia), 5/12; The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Johnny Brenda’s (Philadelphia), 5/19; Ethan Bortnick, Whitaker Center, 5/31
