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 Oct. 4:
Osees — Friday at Union Transfer
Psych-punk psychic warrior, ear worm-farmer and possessor of many stamped passport pages John Dwyer does not let up. His group Osees — aka Thee Oh Sees, OCS, The Oh Sees, etc. — have evolved from hushed druggy folk to groovy demonic pop chants to science fictional krautrock expanse and beyond. Last year, the band traveled the world at length, with headlining performances across the United Kingdom, Ireland, The Netherlands, Australia and North America, including festival stops at Belgium’s Pukkelpop Calgary’s Sled Island and the Substance Festival in Los Angeles. This year, they’ve been doing much of the same, but with a tighter focus on North America, including Friday’s show at Union Transfer, all in support of 2023’s “Intercepted Message” LP, which received widespread acclaim from fans and critics alike.
The California Honeydrops — Sunday at Brooklyn Bowl
Formed in the subway systems of Oakland, retro-soul outfit The California Honeydrops are an electrifying group that defies convention at every turn. They’ve become a mainstay at festivals including Australia’s Byron Bay Bluesfest, Outside Lands and Monterey Jazz in their home region and have toured with the likes of B.B. King, Dr. John, Bonnie Raitt, Buddy Guy and Allen Toussaint. Led by the enigmatic and energetic frontman, Lech Wierzynski, they navigate through a vast repertoire of original songs and timeless classics every night. But what truly sets them apart is their unwavering commitment to the art of improvisation, a skill so finely honed that they have completely abandoned the use of setlists, making it so no two shows are ever the same.
French Cassettes — Monday at Johnny Brenda’s
Fresh from a hometown performance at this year’s Outside Lands festival, Bay Area indie trio French Cassettes have just embarked on a fall tour of the States. Guitarist/singer Lorenzo Scott Huerta, guitarist Mackenzie Bunch and drummer Rob Mills released their third album, “Benzene,” earlier this summer, and the group is feeling both comfortable and confident allowing them to take more risks with their songwriting and performances. Intricate guitar work, smooth and lilting melodies and a Nashville-tight rhythm section takes listeners down an indie power pop highway, with Johnny Brenda’s one of the stops along the way.
Wage War — Tuesday at The Fillmore
Traveling with a constant forward trajectory at lightspeed, Wage War not only pushes their own sound forward but also propel heavy music into new territories. The Florida quintet has always tempered a pummeling metallic onslaught with unshakable melodies, resulting in a near-decade grind that brought them to this point, that is, a headline tour where the goal is to bring the songs to life onstage. Another objective with album number five, “Stigma,” was to ensure a unified effort creatively via the songs having their own identity. Just a few listens to tracks like “Tombstones,” “Magnetic,” and “Blur” show that all those boxes have been ticked.
Warren Haynes — Wednesday at The Fillmore
Warren Haynes and his band are supporting the release of “Million Voices Whisper” with a 16-date fall headlining tour that kicked off in mid-September. The Grammy-winning Haynes is a cornerstone of the American music landscape, lauded as one of the most formidable guitarists and vocalists of the modern era, along with being a prolific songwriter and producer. He manages to effortlessly cross-pollinate genres and unfurls solos with unbridled passion in his distinctive, signature style. Throughout his career as part of three of the greatest live groups in rock history — The Allman Brothers Band, Gov’t Mule, and the Dead — and as an acclaimed solo artist, he has become one of music’s most treasured storytellers. Perhaps most incredibly, this is Haynes first solo album in almost a decade and only the fourth solo album in his esteemed career catalog, making for this tour to be unique on its own.
Kate Nash — next Thursday 10 at World Café Live
Since first appearing in 2007 with her explosive debut “Made of Bricks,” the career of Kate Nash has been marked by her fearless, unapologetic approach to storytelling. The multi-platinum-selling artist and actress continues to push boundaries across creative platforms, from her acclaimed role in Netflix’s mega-hit series “GLOW,” to her award-winning documentary, “Kate Nash: Underestimate the Girl.” Last year, she starred in the musical “Only Gold,” which she co-created with “Hamilton” choreographer Andy Blankenbuehler. The London-born songstress is kicking off her North American tour at World Café Live in support of “9 Sad Symphonies,” a new LP that moves away from her more ragey recent output and instead finds inspiration in old Hollywood and vintage musicals.
Yard Act — next Thursday at Union Transfer
Leeds, UK-based Yard Act continues their exciting trajectory on their new album, “Where’s My Utopia?” which sees them go headfirst into a more sunshine-addled world of leftfield pop, with the mirror-ball shining back on vocalist James Smith’s own self-reflection and personal life experiences. After making their mark on the West Coast earlier this summer, and playing festivals all over the UK and Europe, the band has returned to hit another round of cities, including Philly.
Soundcheck
• Osees: “Intercepted Message”
• The California Honeydrops: “Live Learn”
• French Cassettes: “Megabus”
• Wage War: “Tombstones”
• Warren Haynes: “Day of Reckoning”
• Kate Nash: “My Bile”
• Yard Act: “We Make Hits”
