Soundadvice

Get Out!

The name conjures up a ranchera image, but Pistolera favors the slinky cumbias of the tropical movement over norteña-style rhythms for its original compositions. Officially an East Coast indie rock band, Pistolera is border trad in its instrumentation — accordion, strings, percussion, bass, with enough fidelity to the roots for the folkies.

—Mary Armstrong

Thu., July 17, 7:30 p.m., $20, Kimmel Center, 300 S. Broad St., 215-790-5847, kimmelcenter.org.

It's still a silly name for a band that forever gets compared to the Shins. But being goofy is how SSLYBY rolls, and tracks like "Glue Girls" and "Boring Fountain" from Pershing rock out ever-so-sweetly and dryly. Listen, the Shins blow anyway, and why shouldn't someone care for poor old Boris?

—A.D. Amorosi

Fri. July 18, 7:30 p.m., $13, World Café Live, 3025 Walnut St., 215-222-1400, worldcafelive.com.

David is a smart, sensitive soul singer, lover man and wise-ass MC who can stand right next to India.Arie during their big duet, "Words," from his debut CD and somehow sound smarter, loving-er and more sensitive. Dag, that's some nice shit. And though he's got that new jack Musiq Soulchild-meets-Talib-Kweli thing down cold, David is even more reminiscent of Bill Withers in the way his trilling vocals and supple flow take to funked-up acoustic instrumentation. Swanky stuff, this.

—A.D. Amorosi

This double-barreled bill pits Fisher Price punks The Death Set (pictured) against avant-garde punks The Mae Shi. In the blue corner sits Baltimore-based TDS, mixing Le Tigre's penchant for dance-punk with the caustic vocals of early Beastie Boys. In the red corner we have TMS who shout, scream and sing in equal measure atop glitchy, agitated stop-start rhythms. Expect audience participation and a split decision.

—Kevin Pearson

Sun., July 20, 6.30 p.m., $10, Barbary, 951 Frankford Ave., 866-468-7619, r5productions.com.

Percussionist Gregg Mervine has been very busy of late leading the West Philadelphia Orchestra, but that hasn't prevented him from exploring a variety of other musical settings. While the music of Charles Mingus may seem to be far removed from his Balkan-flavored regular gig, the legendary jazz bassist's work had a similar sense of controlled chaos, a carnival atmosphere in a folk-classical structure. Mervine will lead his quintet through a set striving for "the Mingus roar, moan and rumble."

—Shaun Brady

Wed., July 30, 10 p.m., $10, Tritone, 1508 South St., 215-545-0475, tritonebar.com.