Welcome to Seven in Seven, where we look at shows coming to the region over the next week. As always, whether your musical tastes are rock ’n’ roll, jazz, heavy metal, R&B, singer-songwriter or indie, there will always be something to check out. Here are seven of the best on the docket for the week of Aug. 22:
OK Cool — Friday at Silk City
If you’re looking for anthemic summer jams, look no further than Chicago shredders OK Cool’s debut album “Chit Chat.” The follow-up to their acclaimed “fawn” EP, which earned critical praise, is a leveled-up document of the duo of Bridget Stiebris and Haley Blomquist Waller’s dogged DIY spirit and close-knit creative connection. Standout single “Waawooweewaa” packs a punch and finds the band indulging in their most straightforward rock and roll sensibilities, while “Safety Car,” an ode to the people who always have your back, features twinkling synths over OK Cool’s most endearingly pop chorus to date.
d4vd — Friday at The Fillmore
David Burke, known these days as d4vd, emerged as a visionary artist only one year after he began writing and recording heart-piercing tracks alone in his sister’s closet in Houston. He developed his eclectic taste in rap and indie music from internet wormholes and fan-made Fortnite videos on YouTube, which he also started creating as a homeschooled teenager. An avid gamer, he noticed that the songs in his game montages were getting copyright strikes, so his mother suggested he write original music as a solution. Armed with the user-friendly music-making app BandLab, Burke transformed quickly from a novice into a confident singer/songwriter, releasing a number of successful singles, touching everything from indie-alternative to pop to R&B, and scoring a breakout hit in the summer of 2022 with the now RIAA Multi-Platinum certified “Romantic Homicide.”
Jake Minch — Saturday at World Café Live
Born and raised in Connecticut, Jake Minch burst onto the scene in 2023 with the single “Handgun,” racking up 1.3 million views on the song’s initial teaser and earning support from the likes of Noah Kahan, Lizzy McAlpine, Zach Bryan, and many more. Over the last few years, the singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist has garnered a dedicated fanbase through his deeply personal lyrics on love, growing up, and grief, while touring the world over, sharing stages with the likes of The Head and the Heart, Holly Humberstone, and Grace Enger.
Wisp — Saturday at Union Transfer
Earlier this month, Wisp released her debut album, “If Not Winter,” a labor of love for the shoegaze genre, made by one of its biggest fans and burgeoning stars. At its core, the LP is a quest, throughout which the artist picks up magic talismans or holy grails from villages she can now call home. Ethereal — yet extremely close to the heart — it’s a triumph of brave exploration and experimental cartography. Wisp is also living her highest fantasy, sitting at the table with her idols as, by the end of September, she’ll have played on the same stages as both Slowdive and Deftones, two of her biggest inspirations.
Jessie Murph — Saturday at The Met
Turning 21 in less than a month, powerhouse vocalist and songwriter Jessie Murph is owning her moment, building a reputation as one of music’s boldest new voices. Last year’s release of her highly anticipated debut album, “That Ain’t No Man, It’s the Devil,” featured standout collaborations and featured the blockbuster platinum anthem “Wild Ones” with Jelly Roll, which scored Murph two nominations at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards, including Best Pop Collaboration and Best PUSH Artist. Her latest singles, “Blue Strips” and “Gucci Mane,” showcase a genre-blending edge and raw storytelling, continuing the next chapter, which promises to be Murph’s rawest and realest era yet.
Innumerable Forms — Wednesday at Kung Fu Necktie
“Pain Effulgence,” the third LP from Innumerable Forms, sees founding vocalist Justin DeTore and crew deliver their most tectonic-shifting release yet, elevating the trajectory initially brought forth with their 2018 debut “Punishment in Flesh” and 2022’s “Philosophical Collapse” to a new plateau of death/doom metal artistry. Old school, early ’90s Finnish death metal coalescing with early ’90s UK death/doom continues to be the blueprint upon which the group derives their sound, and with the new album, it continues to become that much more towering and imposing.
Chevelle — Wednesday at Wind Creek Event Center
Understated musical powerhouse Chevelle has successfully delivered rock anthems to a global audience for the past 30 years, holding their own as one of the steadfast talents in the genre. Following the multiple decades of writing and recording together, numerous releases, and countless worldwide tours, the outfit — consisting of brothers Pete and Sam Loeffler on guitar/vocals and drums respectively — has confidently sailed through a lifetime of uncharted waters. The award-winning, multi-platinum Chicago outfit’s unwavering dedication has produced more than a dozen No. 1 hits and many more songs reaching the Billboard Top 10. They look to add to those impressive numbers with the release last week of their tenth LP, “Bright as Blasphemy.”
Soundcheck
• OK Cool: “Safety Car”
• d4vd: “Romantic Homicide”
• Jake Minch: “Handgun”
• Wisp: “Black Swan”
• Jessie Murph: “Blue Strips”
• Innumerable Forms: “Blotted Inside”
• Chevelle: “The Red”
