The Key

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 17

Before the term “indie rock” entered the cultural lexicon—and subsequently came to include so many different types of music that it had to be broken down into countless sub-genres—it actually served as an adequate descriptor for a very specific sound. In the early ’90s, you wouldn’t have had to string together a series of seemingly random words (like, say, “lo-fi/post-garage slacker-rock”) to describe a band like Pavement. No, “indie rock” would do just fine. Today—more than 10 years after rising tensions within the band led to its slow, painful death in 1999—the war of one-upmanship between music critics for the crown of “most ridiculous niche-genre name ever created” has taken its toll on the catchall term. But, if the music heard when a reunited Pavement takes the stage at The Mann Center later tonight isn’t honest-to-goodness “indie rock,” we don’t know what is. (And, if you haven’t already read Maggie Serota’s interview with Bob Nastanovich for Philadelphia Weekly, you should.) Pavement performs with Kurt Vile And The Violators at 7:30 p.m. at The Mann Center; tickets to the all-ages show are $37.50.

Also playing: WXPN favorites Hezekiah Jones and Birdie Busch perform with The Welcome Wagon and Andrew Rose Gregory at 8:30 p.m. at Johnny Brenda’s (21+, $10); L.A.-based post-rock duo El Ten Eleven performs with Dosh and Baths at 7:30 p.m. at Kung Fu Necktie (21+, $12).

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 18

You might not know Kid Congo Powers‘ name, but chances are you’ve heard him play guitar without even realizing. As his bio points out, “Powers has played guitar for some of the most beloved and influential bands of the past 30 years, including The Gun Club, The Cramps, Nick (may his name be forever blessed) Cave And The Bad Seeds, and Angels Of Light.” Surely you’ve heard of some of those bands, right? Kid Congo Powers performs with local lo-fi psyche-pop act Creepoid at 7:30 p.m. at Kung Fu Necktie; tickets to the 21+ show are are $10.

Also playing: Sea Wolf‘s Alex Brown Church performs a solo set of acoustic indie folk with Sera Cahoone and Patrick Park at 9 p.m. at North Star Bar (21+, $12)

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 19

Can’t get enough of female-fronted country/rock quartet Those Darlins? You’re in luck: the band performs not one but two shows with The Strange Boys and Gentleman Jesse And His Men at Kung Fu Necktie—an all-ages, 3:30 p.m. matinee and a 21+, 8 p.m. evening show; tickets to each show are $10.