Philly punk band Ex Friends play The Fire tonight.  The gruff and growling outfit is the side project of Plow United bassist Joel Tannenbaum, who put in calls to local musicians JP Flexner, Audrey Crash and Jayme Guokas to fill out the band’s sound.  Ex Friends released their self-titled full-length on Paper + Plastick Records last September; you can stream the fast-paced, raw LP in full here.  Tickets and information for the all-ages show with Nobody Yet, Welter, Fever Charm and The Adults can be found here.  Below, stream “The Legend of the Holy Drinker” from a recent Ex Friends 7″.

XPN welcomes folk legend Arlo Guthrie to the McCarter Theatre.  Tonight’s performance will be a special tribute to Arlo’s late father and American songmaster Woody Guthrie in celebration of the latter’s 100th birthday.  Throughout his own storied and lengthy career Arlo has followed in his father’s footsteps, speaking out against social injustices and singing for a brighter future.  Tickets and information for this afternoon’s show can be found here.  Go here to watch Arlo perform his father’s “This Land is Your Land” with the Boston Pops.

Philadelphia’s Dave Hause will open for Flogging Molly tonight at The Electric Factory.  The former roadie started local punk outfit The Loved Ones in 2004 with Mike Sneeringer (also of Purling Hiss) and Michael Cotterman (formerly of Kid Dynamite) while working on what would become his solo debut Resolutions in 2009.  In 2012 Hause released a series of five EPs, each featuring two new versions of Resolutions tracks alongside covers of labelmates’ songs.  Tickets and information for tonight’s all-ages show can be found here.  Watch the video for “C’mon Kid” below and download an acoustic version from The Key archives here.

XPN welcomes The Stray Birds to World Cafe Live upstairs tonight.  The Lancaster trio craft honest, traditionally-based folk music with tight harmonies, wandering fiddle solos and a knack for writing both emotionally charged and fun, lighthearted lyrics.  For this week’s Key Studio Session, The Stray Birds shared four songs from 2012′s self-titled LP and one from 2010′s Borderline EP; stream and download the session here.  Tickets and information for tonight’s show with Beaucoup Blue can be found here.  Below, watch The Stray Birds perform “Dream in Blue” for Folk Alley.

Sour Mash are one of those rambling, hardworking bands that are difficult to pin down because they never stop moving.  But that’s a good thing for us because it means they’re always playing their fast-paced, smile crackin’ bluegrass somewhere.  Tonight, it’s at City Tap House for a show presented by T.J. Kong.  For more information, visit the Facebook event page here.  Below, watch the local band perform “How Mountain Girls Can Love” and stream the newly posted Sour Mash EP on their Bandcamp here.

Black Prairie will open up the evening at MilkBoy tonight.  The subtly-Baroque bluegrass group came together in 2007 when Decemberists members Chris Funk and Nate Query decided to start an off-shoot project with Jenny Conlee, Annalisa Tornfelt and Jon Neufeld.  2012 saw Black Prairie’s sophomore release A Tear in the Eye is a Wound in the Heart, the follow-up to 2010′s debut Feast of the Hunter’s Moon.  Tickets and information for tonight’s 21+ show with John Wesley Harding can be found here; below, watch a live video of “How Do You Ruin Me.”

New York City’s Blonde Redhead come to Union Transfer tonight.  Comprised of Japanese singer Kazu Makino and Italian twins Simone and Amedeo Pace, Blonde Redhead has had a long and varied career since its inception in 1993.  Not ones to become stagnant in a genre for too long, the trio’s recordings have morphed between early experimental / noise albums and more recent dream pop / shoegaze efforts like 2010′s Penny Sparkle.  Tickets and information for tonight’s all-ages show with Exitmusic can be found here.  Watch the video for “Not Getting There” from Blonde Redhead below.

XPN welcomes David Johansen to World Cafe Live upstairs tonight.  Johansen is best known as the front-man for influential proto-punk ’70s group New York Dolls but started a solo career in 1978, finding success with a cabaret-style live show behind the stage name Buster Poindexter.  A New York Dolls reunion brought Johansen through Philadelphia in 2006 for an appearance at the XPoNential Music Festival after the two surviving original members (Johansen and Sylvain Sylvain) released One Day It Will Please Us to Remember Even This in 2005.  Tickets and information for tonight’s all-ages show can be found here.  Watch Johansen cover Arrow’s “Hot Hot Hot” as Buster Poindexter in the video below.

XPN welcomes Rhett Miller to The Abbey Bar in Harrisburg tonight.  Miller built a strong following as leader of Dallas alt-country band Old 97′s while simultaneously expanding his solo career throughout the 90s and into the new millennium.  Last year Miller released his well-received full-length The Dreamer and brought his crowd-pleasing live show to Camden for the XPoNential Music Festival, closing out the Wiggins Park portion of the event with chamber-rock / Americana songs including “Out of Love.”  Tickets and information for tonight’s 21+ show can be found here.  Below, watch Rhett Miller perform “Singular Girl” live at the festival.

Four-piece progressive rock band Maserati are playing tonight at Kung Fu Necktie in support of their latest album, Maserati VII. This album is the first for the Athens, GA band recorded with new drummer Mike Albanese since the death of former drummer Jerry Fuchs in 2009. The 21+ begins at 8 p.m., more information is available here. Below, listen to the opening track from Maserati VII, “San Angeles.”

Calling all Rootheads! World / acoustic rockers Rusted Root will be playing at The Abbey Bar in Harrisburg tonight. The Pittsburgh natives are working on their seventh studio album, featuring new tracks “Monkey Pants” and “Fortunate Freaks.” The 21+ show begins at 7 p.m., more information is available here. Let the smile that spread across your face while you watch the video for “Send Me On My Way” from 1994′s When I Woke (below).

Hot off the release of their sophomore album, New York’s Freelance Whales swim into Union Transfer tonight.  The pop band that brought us the indie gem “Hannah” on 2010′s Weathervanes charmed fans again with Diluvia and the catchy lead single “Locked Out” earlier this month.  Also performing is San Francisco synth-pop band Geographer.  Tickets are $15; with each online ticket purchase you will also get a download of Diluvia in its entirety.  Go here for more information.  The doors will open at 8:00 p.m. for the all-ages show.  Below, watch a backstage/rehearsal video for “Locked Out.”

Foot-stomping Americana band Spirit Family Reunion come to The Abbey Bar at the Appalachian Brewing Company in Harrisburg tonight.  Formed in New York City, the revivalist sextet has been receiving national praise for its debut LP No Separation, a reference to the band’s communal-style shows where the line between performer and audience member is often blurred.  Tickets for tonight’s 21+ show are $7 here; doors are at 8:00 p.m.  Below, watch the band perform around Bob Boilen’s desk for an episode of NPR’s Tiny Desk Concerts.

XPN welcomes Donavon Frankenreiter to World Cafe Live.  Tickets are $23 here for the all-ages show.  HEad over here for tickets and information.  You can pick up tickets here.  XPN also welcomes Shemekia Copeland to the Arden Gild Hall in Arden, Deleware.  Please note that Rickie Lee Jones‘ show at The Sellersville Theater has been postponed until Monday, November 12th, and the Fountains of Wayne show World Cafe Live at The Queen in Wilmington has been canceled.