Soundadvice

Get Out!

Some 30 years after helping to pioneer the hip-hop culture, Herc continues to take over tables around the world, spinning classics from his extensive record collection, as well as modern gems that keep the party people moving on the dance floor. Since he makes a Philly appearance only every few years, expect the club to be packed to the max.

—Deesha Dyer

Sat., April 21, 9 p.m., $10-$15, with DJ Kool Herc, Mike Nyce, Fluid, 613 S. Fourth St., 215-629-0565.

Too often, world music drawn from many disparate traditions sounds like one radio signal bleeding over another. Guy Mendilow, having actually lived and studied in most of the places he now folds into his compositions, is a shining exception. His treatment of "Hine Ma Tov" moves from ancient Sephardic Middle East to modern Brazil and back, with a strong American New Acoustic Music central section. Mendilow uses Tuvan throat singing as an instrumental line on the "Simple Gifts" to great effect.

—Mary Armstrong

Sun., April 22, 8 p.m., $12, World Café Live, 3025 Walnut St., 215-222-1400, www.worldcafelive.com.

Some singers would kill for a 4/20 show, but folksinger Lucy Kaplansky missed her mark by more than a month. She was just a day early with the 3/13 release of Over the Hills, a reflection on the death of her father, mathematician Irving Kaplansky. Maybe she'll do his "A Song About Pi" as an added tribute.

—M.J. Fine

Fri., April 20, 7:30 p.m., $21-$26 with Smoosh, World Café Live, 3025 Walnut St., 215-222-1400, www.worldcafelive.com.

Despite investing over 10 years into hip-hop and selling out nationwide concerts, Philly homeboys Jedi Mind Tricks remain the group that most love to hate. Thankfully, Stoupe's production and the turntable skills of DJ Kwestion balance out Vinnie Paz's aggressive rhyme style. And openers Sean Price and Reef the Lost Cauze are good enough reasons for your ass to get there on time.

—Deesha Dyer

Sat., April 21, 7 p.m., $15.50, with Jedi Mind Tricks, Reef the Lost Cauze, Sean Price, Trocadero, 1003 Arch St., 215-922-LIVE, www.thetroc.com.

New Jersey's Fountains of Wayne — led by the irrepressible Adam Schlesinger and right-hand man Chris Collingwood — are back with a new 14-song set, Traffic And Weather, which, in true FOW tradition, is a solid collection of witty musical narratives about hapless protagonists and lovelorn social outcasts. Onstage, Schlesinger and crew provide a full throttle guitar-fest, totally rocking out on their decade's worth of sing-along favorites.

—Nicole Pensiero

Wed., April 25, 7 p.m., $14, with Robbers on High Street, Trocadero, 1003 Arch St., 7 p.m., all ages, $ 215-922-LIVE, www.thetroc.com.

Case you didn't know, 1946's the year Bill Monroe recorded the first bluegrass records, unleashing a new sound in country music. David Peterson and his band make the pure stuff, banjo-fiddle-mandolin leads with guitar and acoustic bass. He's a songwriter as well as an interpreter of the classics. If you don't already know the canon, you won't be able to pick out his new ones from the chestnuts.

—Mary Armstrong

Sat., April 21, 8 p.m., $15, Barnstormers Theater, Ward and Tome streets, Ridley Park, 610-461-9969, www.barnstormerstheater.com.