16 concerts to see this week, including Sharon Van Etten, Brandi Carlile, Philly Folk Fest and more

It’s hard to believe, but concerts have been “back-back” for just over a year (if we use Japanese Breakfast’s legendary five-night stand at Union Transfer as as a benchmark)…and this week is one of the most jam-packed with big names we’ve seen, culminating in our beloved Brandi Carlile headlining The Mann Center on Saturday, and so much between now and then. Here are 16 concerts to see in the next seven days, all around Philly; for tickets and more information, head to the WXPN Concert Calendar!

Sunday 8/14: Terrance Simien & The Zydeco Experience at Long’s Park Amphitheater

Louisiana zydeco music comes to Central PA for an evening of American roots traditions. Bring the whole family to see Simien crush the accordion. // 7:30 p.m., pay what you can, AA

Sunday 8/14: GPS and Decouplr at Pentridge Station

Two Philly artists provide two solid reasons for venturing up Baltimore Avenue to West Philly’s Pentridge Station beer garden; a set from electronic two-piece Decouplr, who makes spirited bops in the vein of Sylvan Esso, and a project release party from the person they’re opening for: Gabe Preston, aka GPS, the saxophonist and woodwind player for Stella Ruze, You Do You, and Mobbluz, who is celebrating the release of their solo project To The Stratosphere. // 2 p.m., $10, 21+

Monday 8/15: Lee Bains + The Glory Fires at Ukie Club

Hailing from Alabama, these southern rockers join up with 4333 Collective for a show at Ukie club. Openers Loamlands brings together this night of Americana punk fun. It is a Monday night show, and you think you should never miss a Sunday show, this is proof you should never miss a Monday show.// 7:30 p.m., $17, AA

Tuesday 8/16: Charley Crockett at Brooklyn Bowl Philly

WXPN welcomes country musician Charley Crockett to Philadelphia with a show at Brooklyn Bowl on August 16, ahead of the release of his newest album The Man From Waco which comes out September 9. Crockett was in the mix at NON-COMM this spring, where they rocked a set of traditional country with plenty of flare; seeing them stretch out on a headlining set should be even more fun. // 7:00 p.m., $25 – $28, 21+

Wednesday 8/17: Snail Mail at The Stone Pony

After reschedules and surgeries, Snail Mail’s Valentine tour is back on the road and their Jersey show hits The Stony Pony Summer Stage this Wednesday with openers Momma and HotlineTNT. Snail Mail’s garage indie rock sound has evolved into a much more mature and expanded aesthetic, as we heard on last year’s Valentine album. // 7:00 p.m., $25, AA

Thursday 8/18: Philadelphia Folk Festival at Old Pool Farm

The 60th edition of the long-running Philadelphia Folk Festival — and the first in-person edition since 2019 — launches Thursday night and runs through Sunday at Upper Salford’s Old Pool Farm. The delightfully engaging Glaswegian trio Talisk opens with a campers-only concert on Thursday, and the weekend features appearances by genre leaders (The Punch Brothers, Dust Bowl Revival) and Philly favorites (Emily Drinker, Sug Daniels), but if we had to pick one day to go, it would be Saturday, with the one-two punch of rootsy hip-hop with Arrested Development and Michael Franti & Spearhead. // times vary, $70 per day, $254 per weekend, AA

Thursday 8/18: David Gray at The Met Philly

Singer-songwriter David Gray’s fourth studio album White Ladder was an extremely slow burn — independently released in the UK in 1998, its singles didn’t make their global impact until 2000 and 2001, after a re-release on tour-mate Dave Matthews’ label ATO — so its only fitting that the anniversary tour celebrating it is equally stretched out. It touches down at The Met Philly this week somewhere between the album’s 23rd and 24th anniversaries, but any reason to watch Gray perform it in full is a reason to get to Broad and Poplar. // 8 p.m., $40, AA

Thursday 8/18: Santana at Freedom Mortgage Pavilion

We just shouted out the tour’s stop in Hershey the other week, but with another performance closer to our home base in Philly, we can’t resist giving another plug to the great Carlos Santana. He’s a living legend, and in his World Cafe interview with Kallao, sounds positively pumped about his latest collection of collaborations — including Chris Stapleton, Steve Winwood, his children Stella and Salvador, and, of course, Rob Thomas. Besides, how many Woodstock alumnuses are still on the road? // 7 p.m., $39 – $65, AA

Friday 8/19: BLK ODYSSEY at PhilaMOCA

BLK Odyssey is best described as a genre bending artist who combines soul and rock into something special. He will be making a stop in Philly during his Blk Revolution Tour with Eimaral Sol. Friday is the date and PhilaMOCA is the place.// 8:00 p.m., $15, AA

Friday 8/19: Sharon Van Etten and Angel Olsen at The Mann Center

This supergroup tour of three of the best confessional songwriters touring today will attract fans in the thousands to The Mann’s Skyline Stage. Van Etten, Baker, and Olsen are all celebrating releases in 2022, all of which are worth some dedicated alone time. // 5:30 p.m., $55, AA

Friday 8/19: Christone “Kingfish” Ingram at Penn’s Peak

Kingfish just gave an outstanding sold-out performance at Ardmore Music Hall for last week’s Free At Noon. Maybe you missed your chance to get a ticket, or you live too far outside the Philly area – either way, the blues-rooted guitarist’s gig at Penn’s Peak in Jim Thorpe is for you. // 8 p.m., $57, AA

Saturday 8/20: Mo Lowda and The Humble at Ardmore Rock and Ride

Mo Lowda and The Humble are giving a hometown performance this Saturday for Ardmore’s Rock and Ride, a main line bike race and fundraiser for Narberth Ambulance. They have a newly-released single for “Lily Pads” and “Snowbird” that builds on their atmospheric rock style. The event starts at 1 p.m., and Mo Lowda headlines a multi-band bill, but arrive early and stay all day for local favorites Great Time and Arthur Thomas & the Funkitorium. // 1 p.m., Free, AA

Saturday 8/20: The War and Treaty at XL Live

Southern soul husband-and-wife duo The War and Treaty are not to be missed at XL this weekend. Later this year, the group is up for “Best of the Year” at the Americana Music awards, a ceremony for which they’re pulling double duty as hosts. // 8:30 p.m., $22, 21+

Saturday 8/20: Brandi Carlile at The Mann Center

It’s finally time to experience In These Silent Days in person. For her seventh studio album, singer songwriter Brandi Carlile got deep and vulnerable, delivering Joni worship and fervent torch songs with equal aplomb. Her much anticipated Mann Canter show features an opening set from Allison Russell, an absolute star of NON-COMM 2022. // 6:30 p.m., $35, AA