Also playing Wednesday: GEMMA RAY at Hotel Café (see Music feature); HOT HOT HEAT, EULOGIES, LINKS at Bootleg Theater; CASSANDRA WILSON at Catalina Jazz Club; EVERY AVENUE, SING IT LOUD at Glass House; AVENTURA at Honda Center; JOSH RITTER & THE ROYAL CITY BAND, CAROLINA CHOCOLATE DROPS at the Music Box.
Carlene Carter (see Thursday)
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THURSDAY/JUNE/24
ELI "PAPERBOY" REED AT THE ROXY
This buzzy Brooklyn-via-Boston dude is like the East Coast's version of Fitz & the Tantrums: He's a goofily named throwback-soul specialist less concerned with originality than with sparkle. Reed released two albums on his own before Capitol picked him up last year (probably in the hopes of creating a male Amy Winehouse), and you can hear that experience all over Come and Get It!, his self-assured major-label debut, which was produced by Mike Elizondo and hits U.S. stores August 10. Reed's songs aren't always as sharp as you want them to be; Wilson Pickett and Otis Redding, to name two of his heroes, probably would've demanded a few more hooks. But onstage he's unafraid to sweat out his carefully presented coif — totally crucial when it comes to this kind of stuff. (Mikael Wood)
CARLENE CARTER AND FRIENDS, DAVE ALVIN, EXENE CERVENKA, SYD STRAW AT THE ECHO
When Nashville was flooded this past May Day, more than 30 people were killed and many more lost homes, recording studios and musical instruments. Few musicians have ever been very good at taking care of their own health and well-being, but they rally when others are in need. The noble brothers and sisters at MusiCares have set up the MusiCares Nashville Flood Relief Fund to provide medicine, food, clothing and shelter and aid clean-up efforts for victims of The Great Flood of 2010 (there's a song in there somewhere). Tonight's bill is an extraordinary lineup, featuring many of the pickers who were "alt-country" before the phrase existed. Syd Straw weaves the threads of American music into a seamless whole, while L.A.'s Dave Alvin and Exene Cervenka have blended rock & roll energy, folkie roots and a country heart with the Blasters (Dave), X and the Knitters (Exene and Dave) and as solo artists. Carlene Carter is one of the most underrated hillbilly lady singers of all time. Her L.A. appearances are almost as rare as world peace, so here's your chance to catch her live and donate a few bucks to your fellow human beings. See www2.grammy.com/MusiCares/NashvilleFloodRelief. (Michael Simmons)
Also playing Thursday: FAMILY OF THE YEAR at Bootleg Theater; OTTMAR LIEBERT & LUNA NEGRA at Catalina Jazz Club; THE STUDIOFIX, MAD PLANET at Silverlake Lounge; FITZ AND THE TANTRUMS at Spaceland; EVERY AVENUE, SING IT LOUD at Troubadour; FAT FREDDY'S DROP at the Music Box; BLACK TUSK, ZOROASTER, DARK CASTLE at the Viper Room; NEIGHBORHOOD BULLYS, TEXAS BRENNEN LEIGH at Weber's Place; THE PSYCHEDELIC FURS, SHE WANTS REVENGE at Wiltern.
