Natalie Merchant
Electric Factory
421 N. Seventh Street
8:30 p.m., $30/ $32 day of show
(215) 627-1332
Hey, if Michael Stipe liked her, then she's good enough for me. Although the music isn't quite as original as it was when she was with the 10,000 Maniacs, her voice still rises a notch above the rest. Even if it is with lukewarm ballads and less-than-entertaining music videos.
California Guitar Trio
Tin Angel
20 S. Second Street
8:30 p.m., $16
(215) 928-0770
Despite the lack of creativity in the name, the CGT really does know its stuff. It covers a gambit of styles, both in penning its own music and covering classical and jazz tunes. They even perform an entertaining version of "Bohemian Rhapsody." But not one of them was born in California. They didn't even meet in Calif! Hell, two of them are from another country. Why didn't they pick a more unusual state, like Iowa? No one is from Iowa.
The Derailers
North Star Bar
27th and Poplar streets
9 p.m., $10, 21+
(215) 922-LIVE
So me and my pal Garth were spitting tobacco at our horses in Love Park the other day when this motherfucker named Chris Gaines showed up. He was this rock and roll and whatever, but we showed him. We lassoed his ass and made him say howdy. Then we went to see the Derailers and swigged some of that fine philly ale while listening to those crazy city folk playing some country music. Life don't get much better than that.
