Overkill Scout Bar, September 16
As the screamin' front man for New Jersey thrash-metal legends Overkill since Day 1 of the group's formation, Bobby "Blitz" Ellsworth has seen, experienced and learned a lot in three and a half decades. So what is the one piece of advice that his 2014 self might offer the 1980 Blitz? "Give up the fucking cigarettes, man," he laughs heartily. "Throw them away!"
Ellsworth's voice is in fine condition, and he can certainly hit those super-high notes, on the band's newest effort, White Devil Armory (eOne Records). While not a concept album per se, its 11 tracks are essentially short stories featuring a character, "the Armorist" who embarks on a journey of war, cage-fighting, medical emergencies, devils, politics and religion -- all set to brutal double bass drums, deep bass notes and shredding guitar solos. Rocks Off will have a full interview with Ellsworth Tuesday morning. BOB RUGGIERO
Chris Robinson Brotherhood Fitzgerald's, September 17
Take "brotherhood" with a grain of salt here; Chris Robinson's Black Crowes co-founder and actual brother Rich Robinson is nowhere in sight here. Instead, his five-piece Brotherhood aims for a third-eye-friendly "New Cosmic California" sound that still allows for plenty of CCR-style choogle. The Brotherhood got off to a fast start by releasing two albums in 2012 alone, Big Moon Ritual and The Magic Door, and returned to shelves this spring with Phosphorescent Harvest, which Robinson told Relix magazine is their way of "greasing the wheels of the great cosmic engine." They may be hippies (big time), but you can't call 'em slackers. CHRIS GRAY
Paul Ramirez Band Continental Club, September 17
Versatile Houston blues-rockers the Paul Ramirez Band's sets are mellow enough for a late-night lounge vibe, only pocked with heavier, Cream-like moments of pure jam and sometimes a cover of Pink Floyd's "Another Brick In the Wall, Part 2" that heads straight to the planetarium. Now working on a followup to 2012 debut Sex With a Dragon, on which the Santana-esque "Gypsy Woman" was a highlight, the group balances a keyboard-heavy Latin-jazz groove with Ramirez's probing guitar solos, some of which can get pretty far out there. CHRIS GRAY
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