Welcome to Seven in Seven, where each week in this space, we’ll be taking a look at shows coming to the region over the next seven days. As always, whether your musical tastes are rock and roll, jazz, heavy metal, R&B, singer-songwriter, or indie, there’ll always be something to check out.
Here are seven of the best on the docket for the week of May 16:
Amyl and the Sniffers – May 16 at Franklin Music Hall
One of the hottest bands to come out of Australia, garage punk outfit Amyl and the Sniffers return to town – and North America – for the first time since a triumphant last summer spent slaying crowds from sold-out headlining club and theater gigs to stadium shows as special guests of Foo Fighters, which included a stop at Hersheypark Stadium. Led by frontwoman Amy Taylor, the quartet released their third album, “Cartoon Darkness,” in late October to rave reviews and ended up on many a “Best of 2024” list.
Sunflower Bean – May 16 at Johnny Brenda’s
Known for their blistering live performances, indie rockers Sunflower Bean returned reinvigorated last month with the hardest-fought and most vulnerable album of their career, “Mortal Primetime.” In the three years since their last LP, “Headful of Sugar,” the members of the New York band drifted from one another as they pursued new projects and confronted personal challenges, tragedies, and transformations, but now they have a renewed sense of purpose, inspired by alternative rock, dreamy psychedelia, and arena-sized ambition to create a sound that’s undeniably theirs. The result is a record that celebrates their history while hurtling toward the future.
The Wrecks – May 16 at The Theatre of Living Arts
As one of the best-kept musical secrets out of Los Angeles, The Wrecks instigate an immediate reaction, thanks to an idiosyncratic and infectious DIY approach to alternative pop. Fans not only hang on to the group’s sticky hooks for dear life, but they also sing along to every word at packed headline shows, like this weekend’s gig at The TLA. The foursome helms every facet of their vision, writing, producing, and cooking up a homegrown signature sound, delivering an insanely immersive experience for their diehardaudiences.
Ichiko Aoba – May 17 at The Miller Theater
Japanese singer, songwriter, composer, and multi-instrumentalist Ichiko Aoba marries classical guitar with lofty orchestral sweeps on her newest album, the February-released “Luminescent Creatures.” The LP is musically vast and transporting, exploring themes of connection, nature, and climate change, showing the artist enamored by the boundless beauty and occasional terror of the ocean, and making for a contradiction of gentleness and power with a sense of awe. Fittingly, Aoba’s solo performances are transfixing and arresting, no matter where she performs. It’s not uncommon for the entire room to look on in stunned silence.
Pierce the Veil – May 19 at Highmark Skyline Stage at The Mann
Pierce The Veil has pulled off something truly unique at this stage in their career: they’ve been able to reinvent themselves without abandoning their past. Starting out in 2006 as a scrappy post-hardcore band, these days the San Diego act is practically a household name and, throughout five full-length albums, the trio has transcended musical subgenres to become an innovative rock act who have as much in common with Muse as they do My Chemical Romance. And while some bands seem to get rigid as they age, themembers of Pierce the Veil seem to connect more with one another while passing musical milestones, including selling out Madison Square Garden in New York City and three nights at the Kia Forum in Los Angeles. They aren’t letting up on the road either, with the current tour kicking off this week and slated to span some 60 international shows across North America, Europe, and Latin America.
Empire of the Sun – May 20 at The Fillmore
Helmed by Luke Steele and Nick Littlemore, Empire of the Sun spent part of last year completing a whirlwind series of dates around the globe, including a concert at Los Angeles’ historic Hollywood Bowl, a headline slot at Mexico’s Corona Capital festival and sold-out shows in Brooklyn, Guadalajara, Mexico, and Sydney, Brisbane, and Perth in their native Australia. Touring in support of their latest album, “Ask That God,” they hold firm as a visionary electronic duo who have been one of their country’s most successful musical exports. In addition to their commercial triumphs, the duo has garnered an impressive array of accolades, including eight ARIA Awards, two APRA Awards, and an APRA Billions Award, seeing over 5.5 million albums sold globally and a staggering 7.6 billion streams.
Squid – May 20 at Underground Arts
Released in February, Squid’s new record “Cowards” has earned the quintet some of the most glowing reviews of their career. Consisting of nine stories of evil punched up by the blackest of black comedy, it sees the band simultaneously growing in scope and returning to basics, exploring textures of folk, Krautrock, psychedelia, jazz, and electronics, all of which surprisingly translate in the live show. The UK art rockers have never been afraid to blend or step outside of their comfort zones, having very few of them in the first place in fact, and “Cowards” shows them as anything but.
Soundcheck
• Amyl and the Sniffers – “Big Dreams”
• Sunflower Bean – “Champagne Taste”
• The Wrecks – “Favorite Liar”
• Ichiko Aoba – “Mazamun”
• Pierce the Veil – “King for a Day”
• Empire of the Sun – “Cherry Blossom”
• Squid – “Building 650”
