No one pairs vintage soul and Americana with the fiery heart of punk rock better than Delta Spirit. Singer Matt Vasquez writes songs from the perspective of an observant traveler whos seen his share of back alley drama, sketchy characters and fellow road-worn travelers. Delta Spirits working class soul won’t ever make them hit parade material, but that’s just part of the band’s humble charm. Musically, they swing and sway through warm folk and reverb-tinged rave-ups, but Vasquez’s buttery voice is the stuff that goosebumps are made of; when he leans back and lets out a ragged howl, it’s painfully raw and yet beautiful enough to make the world stop moving for just a split second. With Ezra Furman and the Harpoons, The Romany Rye. GREGORY FRANKLIN
Fri., June 11, 8 p.m., 2010