1. Kurt Vile and the Violators at Mercury Lounge
As far as indie rock is concerned, the Matador label has a pretty killer track record, having backed Yo La Tengo, Belle and Sebastian, and Cat Power. Will one of the imprint’s latest signings, Kurt Vile—appearing tonight in celebration of a new disc, Childish Prodigy —follow in those illustrious footsteps? Hard to say, but Vile’s shaggily beautiful, post–Neil Young rock definitely holds a lot of promise. Above is a recent live clip to whet your appetite.
2. Sufjan Stevens at Music Hall of Williamsburg
The brilliant pop fantasist with the weird name serenades a sold-out crowd. Read Sophie Harris’s preview here.
3. Evan Parker at the Stone
The experimental sax-legend—previewed in this week’s TONY—continues his marathon stand on the LES. Tonight Parker duets with fellow reed wizard Joe McPhee as well as guzheng player Wu Fei.
4. Cabaret Convention 2009 at Rose Theater
Barbara Carroll, Mary Cleere Haran, Elaine Stritch and other cabaret luminaries fete their venerable genre.
5. John Wesley Harding’s Cabinet of Wonders at (Le) Poisson Rouge
Ironic folkster Harding hosts an eclectic West Village hoedown, featuring appearances by Throwing Muses’ Tanya Donelly, Ice Storm author Rick Moody and many more.
When a well-known musician shows up at a big rock gig, they’re just a face in the crowd, at best fodder for the next day’s gossip column. But when the same thing happens at a jazz club, it creates an electrifying tension—everyone’s wondering, Will they sit it? The latter scenario played out last night at Zebulon, as veteran saxist 