Thursday, August 20, 2015

This week's hot concerts


Amanda X
Friday  10 p.m., Snug Harbor, 1228 Gordon St., $5, www.snugrock.com     
Longing for female-fronted `90s indie rock with delicate, but not wimpy harmonies and angular guitar heft?  This Philly trio rocks like Debbie Harry fronting Dinosaur Jr. as a girl group. It’s latest 7-inch, “Hundreds and Thousands,” is out on Charlotte’s Self Aware Records. PA’s Spirit of the Beehive, and the label’s founders in Late Bloomer and Faye also play.

20 Years of Divakar and 90 Minutes
Saturday  8 p.m., Chop Shop, 399 E. 35th St., Free, www.chopshopnoda.com  
Members of Charlotte’s beloved `90s alt-country hopefuls Lu Fjord (aka Lou Ford), and well established locals ISH, Grown Up Avenger Stuff, the Waves, the Sammies, Tattermask, Radio Lola, Bums Lie, and Funky Geezer team up to honor 20 years of WEND 106.5 deejay Divakar and his Sunday night local music showcase “90 Minutes.” 


Henry River Honey
Saturday  9 p.m., Double Door, 1218 Charlottetown Ave., $8, www.doubledoorinn.com     
Charlotte singer-songwriters and multi-instrumentalists Shealee Cousino and Tracy Horton trade off on vocals and fill out their acoustic sound with violin, mandolin, harmonica, foot percussion, and other textured instruments in this soulful folk duo who celebrates the release of its new EP - think a young Indigo Girls with a broader pallet.


Leisure Cruise
Wednesday  7 p.m., Tremont, 400 W. Tremont Ave., $10-$15, www.tremontmusichall.com  
This futuristic mix of club-ready space jams intended as the soundtrack to a interplanetary ride to the next human frontier combines `80s style longing synth pop with great hooks and sing-along choruses that imagine what Siouxsie Sioux and Prince might sound like singing for Phantogram and Fitz & the Tantrums as produced by Kraftwerk and Devo.


Melanie Martinez
Wednesday  7:30 p.m., Amos, 1423 S. Tryon St., $15-$18, www.amossouthend.com     
On her impressive debut full-length, “Cry Baby,” “The Voice” grad (Team Adam, Season 3) builds on the  colorful world of youthful dramedy she created in videos and 2014’s “Dollhouse” EP by putting an adult spin on childlike imagery. It’s a sign pop music is getting smarter when there’s deeper meanings behind girly fairytales.


Tamia
Thursday  8 p.m., The Fillmore, 1000 NC Music Factory Blvd., $33.58, www.livenation.com    
On her sixth album, “Love Life,” the R&B singer and longtime wife of NBA player Grant Hill muses on monogamy, pleasing and teasing her partner, building trust and intimacy while showcasing subtle production and tempered vocals - especially for this powerhouse singer - that fit with the mature material.

God Save the Queen City Kick-off
Thursday  8 p.m., Evening Muse, 3227 N.Davidson St., $14-$20, www.eveningmuse.com     
This annual indie music festival, eases into its expanded fifth year with Ravenna Colt (My Morning Jacket co-founder Johnny Quaid, who left MMJ in 2004), Mississippi’s Water Liars and Amigo and Justin Fedor before moving GSTQC to the Chop Shop Friday and Music Factory Saturday.

Jon Stickley Trio
Thursday  9 p.m., Double Door, 1218 Charlottetown Ave., $7, www.doubledoorinn.com      
The idea of mixing elements of bluegrass, gypsy jazz and hip-hop may seem as foreign as combining peanut butter and chocolate once did. There are many more flavors on the adventurous Asheville trio’s upcoming album “Lost at Last” (October). It boasts innovation with former Town Mountain, Atmosphere, and Futureman members.