7 buzzworthy concerts coming to Charlotte in the next week | Jan. 31-Feb. 6
Black Flag
8 p.m. Friday. Amos’ Southend, 1423 S. Tryon St. $30-$35.
One of the preeminent hardcore and post-hardcore punk bands of all time is currently on the second leg of its first tour in five years, led by guitarist and founding member Greg Ginn. Although the band is notorious for its legal fights with former members, the current ones still produce electric live shows while churning out fan favorites like “TV Party,” “Gimme Gimme Gimme” and “Rise Above.”
Indigo de Souza
10 p.m. Friday. Snug Harbor, 1228 Gordon St. $10.
The indie-pop songwriter has drawn comparisons to contemporaries (from the crooning Angel Olsen to Waxahatchee’s Katie Crutchfield) with her open-heart confessional lyrics and wry sense of humor. Although her clear vocals are what make each track resplendent, the Asheville native’s overall sound has transformed from acoustic solo works to high-spirited, fuzzy garage rock — especially in live settings, with a full band punctuating de Souza’s melodies. De Souza’s multi-talented drummer MJ Lenderman opens.
Donna the Buffalo
8 p.m. Saturday. Neighborhood Theatre, 311 E. 36th St. $22-$27.
The roots band — one of the founders and hosts of the annual Finger Lakes GrassRoots Festival of Music and Dance in New York, as well as North Carolina’s Shakori Hills Grassroots Festival — blends its fiddle-driven roots music with elements of funk, Cajun, Zydeco, and rock and roll. Donna the Buffalo’s last album (2018’s “Dance in the Street”) was produced by engineer Rob Fraboni, who is responsible for the soundtrack to Martin Scorsese’s landmark concert movie, “The Last Waltz.”
Charlotte Symphony Orchestra
7 p.m. Tuesday. Snug Harbor, 1228 Gordon St. $15.
Following the overwhelming success of the first “Off the Rails” concert a few months ago, four talented musicians from the city orchestra will once again journey across the railroad tracks to bring their sophisticated strings to the Plaza Midwood venue. The performance, curated by principal violist Ben Geller, will feature creative string arrangements of popular works by mainstream artists, as well as avant-garde pieces by the likes of contemporary composers Caroline Shaw and Jessie Montgomery.
AJJ and Tacocat
8 p.m. Tuesday. Amos’ Southend, 1423 S. Tryon St. $22-$25.
Folk-punk pioneers AJJ (formerly known as Andrew Jackson Jihad, they changed their moniker out of respect for Muslims and disdain for Andrew Jackson) are currently touring in support of new album “Good Luck Everybody,” released Jan. 17. The band is known for its humor, often giving an air of absurdity to otherwise-weighty themes. Sub Pop’s Tacocat is a vivacious indie-pop-punk outfit from Seattle led by Emily Nokes, who sings infectious anthems about brazen feminism, imposter syndrome and friendship.
Raphael Saadiq
8 p.m. Wednesday. The Fillmore, 820 Hamilton St. $32.50.
The neo-soul/R&B powerhouse got his start as a member of Tony! Toni! Toné! and has had an illustrious solo career as both a musician and producer (Whitney Houston, En Vogue, John Legend). He headlined last year’s Hopscotch Music Festival in Raleigh with N.C. hip-hop group Little Brother and released his fifth studio album, “Jimmy Lee,” which this tour supports. Opening the show is Chicago soul-stirrer Jamila Woods, who last year released debut album “HEAVN” to wide acclaim.
Electric Guest
8 p.m. Wednesday. Visulite Theatre, 1615 Elizabeth Ave. $16-$21.
The California indietronica-pop duo — comprised of Asa Taccone and Matthew Compton — released its third album (“KIN”) last year, which offers up breezy vocals and honeyed synths that create a retro, carefree sound with just a hint of quirk. Taccone co-wrote the Grammy-winning 2017 hit “Feel It Still” by Portugal, the Man and contributed a song to Carly Rae Jepsen’s 2019 album “Dedicated.” Opener Soleima is a Danish multi-instrumentalist who crafts dreamy Scandinavian electro-pop and pulsing R&B rhythms.
