A Great Music Week

Wow. Have you seen the concert calendar for this week? Some seriously good music with some very cool indie artists coming through Central PA. Wish I could make the rounds and hit all these shows.

Thursday, 11/6

Norma Jean, Haste the Day, & The Showdown at the Chameleon in Lancaster. 

This is my chance to appease the harder side of my musical sensibilities. The real focus for me here is Haste the Day, who is sadly not the headliner.

Friday, 11/7

XPN Welcomes Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band to Messiah College. Messiah College's Student Activities Board continues to book some great national indie acts. Previous concerts have featured The National, The Decembrists, Wilco, Ingrid Michaelson, and...yes...Bob Dylan. And since my daughter attends there, it gives me one more reason to visit. This particular show also features Ben Kweller as an opening act.

Saturday, 11/8

XPN Welcomes Kathleen Edwards & John Doe to the Capitol Theatre in York. 

I blogged earlier this week about the great job the folks at Cap Live Music are doing, and this is just one more example. This promises to be a great show that will put York on the concert map.

The Shackeltons, Kheris, and The Sketties at Gullifty's Underground in Camp Hill. Three great local bands at this nice little club that is starting to attract some cooler shows. The Shackeltons are one of my favorite finds from the past year, and they hail from Chambersburg. Kheris and the Sketties are both from Lancaster, and if it weren't for prior committments I would definitely be at this show. I've never seen the Sketties live, but both Kheris and The Shackeltons put on great shows. You won't regret heading out to this one!

William Fitzsimmons & Slow Runner at the Chameleon in Lancaster. 

Pennsylvania native Fitzsimmons is really making a name for himself with music that had been compared to Iron & Wine, Elliot Smith, and Sufjan Stevens. This tour is being sponsored by the fine folks at Paste Magazine.

Sunday, November 9

XPN Welcomes The Felice Brothers to the Chameleon in Lancaster. 

These guys were the XPN Artists to Watch back in September and their rootsy folk/country/rock blend has won them plenty of fans, including Conor Oberst who signed them to his label, Team Love Records. This is a pretty big deal for a band of this stature to make its way through Central PA.

Monday, November 10

XPN Welcomes Arlo Guthrie to Whitaker Center in Harrisburg. 

Folk-music legend Arlo Guthrie returns for his annual visit to Whitaker and, as always, he is bound to delight his fans with both classics and newer songs. I have no clue whether he'll do a version of "Alice's Restaurant," but it is November and the song is a Thanksgiving tradition...so who knows?

And if that isn't enough to get you through the weekend, as we head further into next week we have:

11/12 - The Avett Brothers at Whitaker Center

11/13 - Denison Witmer at the Chameleon

Enjoy your week, and may it be filled with music. GOOD music.