Rock, Pop, Etc Search – Early Warnings (Music)
Laura Stevenson, Field Mouse, Warren Franklin & the Founding Fathers
Sat., May 18, 9 p.m.Rock, Pop, Etc
773-281-4444Turbonegro, Mount Carmel
Sun., May 19, 8 p.m.Rock, Pop, Etc
After the 2009 departure of dangerously charismatic front man Hank Von Helvete, 20-year-old Norwegian “death punk” institution Turbonegro would’ve been justified in ditching their denim and calling it a day. Instead the band went on hiatus while seeking a new vocalist and eventually picked Tony Sylvester, a burly Englishman who cut his teeth singing for hardcore bands such as Dukes of Nothing and served as president of the London chapter of the Turbojugend—the band’s rabid fan club, whose seemingly omnipresent denim-clad legions undoubtedly contributed to Turbonegro’s choice to soldier on. Last year’s Sexual Harassment (Scandinavian Leather) proves that decision sound. Coated in Kiss-style glam and sometimes just as flat-out ridiculous as that band (“Shake Your Shit Machine”), the album benefits from Sylvester’s gruff, throaty vocals—a departure from Von Helvete’s relatively sassy singing—and the hard-ass rock ’n’ roll licks that guitarist Euroboy can lay down at will. Though Turbonegro are experts at anthemic party rock (“Mister Sister”), an evil punk ’n’ roll track such as “Dude Without a Face”—which is so over-the-top it’d make Alice Cooper blush—deepens the band’s weirdo mystique. Over the years their collective image has evolved into some kind of cross between a sailor, a 50s street tough, and Ziggy Stardust. —Kevin Warwick Mount Carmel opens.
$25
Relient K, Hellogoodbye, William Beckett, Mike Mains & the Branches
Sun., May 19, 5:45 p.m.Rock, Pop, Etc
Marina & the Diamonds, Charli XCX
Mon., May 20, 7:30 p.m.Rock, Pop, Etc
There’s an ongoing symbiosis between two peculiar populations of (mostly) young and female Tumblr users: those who post fashion-inspiration pics from Harajuku alongside glitchy animated GIF art and vintage photos of Aaliyah and Britney, and those who belong to the burgeoning pack of musicians hoping to emulate those singers’ pop success while maintaining at least a hint of art-damaged weirdness. British singer Charli XCX is one of the latter crew’s most notable personalities. Her recent contribution to Icona Pop’s surprise hit “I Love It” helped earn her some stateside popularity (though not as much as she’s enjoyed at home for a while now), and she’s just followed it up with the brand-new True Romance (Iamsound), which combines edgy production and the unmistakable influence of a past generation of torchy UK pop singers such as Sinead O’Connor and T’Pau’s Carol Decker. —Miles Raymer Marina & the Diamonds headline.
Bullet for My Valentine, Halestorm, Young Guns, Stars in Stereo
Tue., May 21, 5:30 p.m.Rock, Pop, Etc
