December 8, 2012 | 10:51 AM | By

Tonight’s Concert Picks: Japandroids at Union Transfer, Maxi Priest at The Keswick Theatre, The Best of Joey Sweeney at Johnny Brenda’s, Work Drugs with Shark Tape at Ortlieb’s, XPN Welcomes Ra Ra Riot at The Chameleon Club

FILED UNDER: Artists, Concert Previews, Events, Scene, Arctic Splash, DIIV, DJ Young Mariah Carey, Ellis Island, Japandroids, Johnny Brenda's, Maxi Priest, Ortlieb's, Ra Ra Riot, Shark Tape, The Barnabys, The Chameleon Club, The Keswick Theatre, The Trouble With Sweeney, Ton-Taun, Union Transfer, Work Drugs

Vancouver, BC duo Japandroids shook the walls at their midsummer Johnny Brenda’s show and tonight they’ll shake the walls of Union Transfer.  Japandroids are touring in support of an album many consider to be one of the year’s best (here, here and here).  The punk rockers released Celebration Rock earlier this year and were subsequently named Band of the Year by Spin, with their song “The House That Heaven Built” being named Song of the Summer by Paste.  Tickets and information for tonight’s show with DIIV can be found here.  Below, watch the video for “The House That Heaven Built.”

Reggae great Maxi Priest comes to The Keswick Theatre tonight.  The British singer released Maximum Collection this past summer, a collection of songs from the ’80s and ’90s.  Finding immediate success with his debut album You’re Safe in 1985, Priest went on to become the only UK reggae singer to top the U.S. charts thanks to his 1990 hit “Close to You.”  Tickets and information for tonight’s show can be found here.  Below, watch the video for “Close to You.”

Help celebrate Joey Sweeney‘s 40th birthday at Johnny Brenda’s tonight.  ”Joey Sweeney You’re Life is Calling: The Best of Joey Sweeney, 1992-2012 Performed Live” is the all-inclusive headline for tonight’s bash.  Featuring a reunited The Trouble With Sweeney and The Barnabys, as well as Sweeney’s current hard-rocking outfit Arctic Splash, tonight’s is just as much about nineties Philly rock as is it as about the man himself.  Tickets and information for the 21+ show can be found here.  Below, watch a live BITBY video of Arctic Splash performing “Denim Tuxedo.”

Smooth-vibing Work Drugs continue their record release shenanigans with a Christmas party at Ortlieb’s Lounge tonight.  The Philly tropi-synth band released a retrospective record called Delta this month, featuring hand-picked favorites by Tom Crystal and Ben Louisiana and pressed on sweet yellow vinyl.  Tonight’s show is sure to be a unique one at the 100-capacity Ortlieb’s with the band promising new tunes and Christmas songs.  Opening slots will be filled by Shark Tape (who rocked XPN’s Free at Noon last week), Ellis Island and DJ Young Mariah Carey.  Tickets and information for the 21+ show can be found here.  Below, watch the video for “The Art of Progress” and stream Delta via The Hype Machine here.

XPN Welcomes Ra Ra Riot to The Chameleon Club in Lancaster tonight.  The indie rock band is prepping for the release of their third full-length, Beta Love, which will be out on January 22nd.  With a slightly different line-up (cellist Alexandra Lawn left the band earlier this year), Ra Ra Riot are also trying out a new sound, trading in the baroque pop of earlier hits like “Dying is Fine” and “Boy” for a more synth-pop style on Beta Love.  Tickets and information for tonight’s all-ages show with Ton-Taun can be found here.  Below, stream the title track from Beta Love.