Soundadvice

Relåche; Sugar Town; Rodrigo y Gabriela; Beats & Rhymes; Blues Control; Drake; Smokie Norful

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Published: Mar 20, 2007

classical

Elliott Sharp is a happily unclassifiable musician. He played, and loved, Chopin and Liszt as a child pianist, and today can find inspiration in broken car alarms. He is also a self-proclaimed "science geek," and his new work for Relåche, Evolute, is a heady mix of evolutionary science, calculus and, yes, music. This is a vintage Relåche challenge; you will either be fascinated or repulsed by this concert. Fence-sitters need not apply.

—Peter Burwasser

Fri., March 23, 8 p.m., $20, Trinity Center, 2212 Spruce St., 215-569-9700, www.relache.org.

rock/pop

If you haven't heard Beretta 76 by now, dear reader, you're not hopeless. But I do feel like we haven't been seeing eye to eye recently. Let's reconnect at the next Sugar Town ladyfest, which is this Friday. Camille Escovedo and Co. will lay down some catchy, vampy garage rock and we'll both agree that they're great, this is great, rock 'n' roll is great.

—Patrick Rapa

Fri., March 23, 9 p.m., $6, with Beretta 76, Bells Bells Bells, Richard B. Grande, Elizabeth Fiend and DJs Lizbot & M.J. Fine (CP music columnist), Tritone, 1508 South St., www.herjazz.org/sara.

folk/metal

One wears a collared shirt, the other a frilly blouse. Seated, they play acoustic guitars with no effects pedals. Rodrigo Sanchez and Gabriela Quintero hardly fit the metalhead profile, but damn can they reinterpret Metallica's instrumental epic "Orion" as an intricate fusion of gypsy, folk and flamenco. The original material on their self-titled 2006 record, which adheres more closely to those styles, is even better. Screw appearances. Be amazed.

—John Vettese

Thu., March 22, 7:30 p.m., $25, with Krystle Warren, The Electric Factory, 421 N. Seventh St., 215-627-1332, www.electricfactory.com.

UPDATE: This show has been postponed until April 18 due to immigration issues.

hip-hop

Taking a night off from his Grape Street residency, Sat-One will join fellow Skratch Makanik DJ Kwestion to showcase their production skills at the fourth installment of Beats & Rhymes. The lineup also includes Sake and A.K., who have a combined resume creating sounds for Vinnie Paz, Royce the 5'9" and Outerspace. Get there early — the last one sold out at 11.

—Deesha Dyer

Sat., March 24, 9 p.m., $10, 21+, with host Mighty Flipside, Esq., DJ Skipmode, The Khyber, 56 S. Second St., 215-238-5888, www.215hiphop.com.

rock

Last summer, I totally dissed Queens-based Blues Control on my blog 'cause they played for too long at NYC's East River Music Project series and exhibited "Kitaro-like tendencies." I'd been anticipating gorgeously sinister boogie rock (not unlike Royal Trux or the Dead C), like all my cooler, hipper friends frequently gushed about. Blues Control returned the, um, favor with "Tenku You," chopping and screwing Kitaro's corniest record into icy bliss. On their debut full-length, Puff (Woodsist), the band finally makes good on that boogie rock promise, resulting in one of the most satisfying finds of the year.

—Maria Tessa Sciarrino

Tue., March 27, 8 p.m., $5, with Meg Baird, Big Jar Books, 55 N. Second St., 215-574-1650, www.balancingman.org.

hip-hop/jazz/classical

What started at Temple University during a series of music classes is now a five-piece band, Drake, that fuses hip-hop, classical and jazz to create a sound that highlights instrumentation. In honor of their new EP, Drake will enlist local bands Grimace Foundation and Philly Slick to celebrate. In case you need an extra incentive: The fierce Monica McIntyre is Drake's cellist.

—Deesha Dyer

Fri., March 23, 9 p.m., $10, 21+, North Star Bar, 2639 Poplar St., 215-787-0488.

soul/christian

Christian music is seriously on the come-up. Pastor turned singer Smokie Norful hit gold with the 2002 hit "I Need You Now," which is still one of the most recognizable contemporary Christian songs out there. He stops by Philly with his urban inspirational tour starring KiKi Sheppard and Vanessa Bell Armstrong. Go ahead and get your praise on.

—Deesha Dyer

Fri., March 23, 8 p.m., $22.50-$25.00, Sharon Baptist Church, 3955 Conshohocken Ave., 215-473-3000

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