Local rock outfit Brighton, MA released an impressive debut full-length record last fall, called “Amateur Lovers,” which rides on the songwriting talent of ex-Scotland Yard Gospel Choir man Matthew Kerstein. A song like “Sunblinded,” from the record, is evidence of immense skill, and Kerstein’s voice—stretched and decimated in a Bob Dylan-meets-Paul-Westerberg kind of way—works surprisingly well with the slightly throwback, down-home rock music. The band’s first release, a five-song EP that predated “Amateur Lovers,” remains the group’s finest output, as Kerstein’s “Bet You Never Thought” just gets better with age. Live, Brighton, MA is topnotch, and the group headlines two nights at Schubas this week, each obviously worth checking out. The band keeps the folksy rock flame burning, which may not be a visual feast on stage but, sonically, runs with the best of them. (Tom Lynch)
January 22-23 at Schubas, 3159 N. Southport, (773)525-2508, at 10pm. $10.
Last Punks Standing: A Preview of Mekons at Hideout Mekons have endured by refusing to adhere to anyone's ideas regarding what is and isn't punk rock (which is in and of itself a defiantly punk attitude).
Still Breathtaking: A Preview of Sting at Ravinia Festival Sting's solo catalog boasts more than a dozen studio albums. He may not rack up the hit singles like he once did, but he remains a compelling writer, musician and performer.
