Soundadvice

Get Out!

While most recurring parties can't last 10 months, or even 10 weeks, DJ Skipmode and Mighty Flipside (aka Electric City) are celebrating 10 years of Hip-Hop Lives. What started as a house party in 1998 has become an established monthly outlet for artists and fans looking for true freestyles, turntable skills and fresh talent.

—Deesha Dyer

Fri., June 6, 10 p.m., $10, with Outerspace, DJ Cru Cut and Robothouse, M Room, 15 W. Girard Ave., 215-739-5577, electriccitywebsite.com.

Sidecar Photo

Alan Sparhawk and Matt Livingston take time from the morose sparseness of their other band (Low) to play something blisteringly loud, psychedelically dirgy and dirtily dubbed-out. So no, there's not a whit of gospel to be found on The Retribution Gospel Choir (Caldo Verde), even if Sparhawk seems to be speaking in tongues of fire.

—A.D. Amorosi

Mon., June 9, 8 p.m., $8, North Star, 2639 Poplar St., northstarbar.com.

Nora Lezano

With each album — 2000's Muddlin Gear, 2005's Multiply, 2008's Jim (Warp Records) — this quixotic Brit singer moves further from coming across like Laurie Anderson riding a soul train. But that doesn't mean Lidell isn't still a weirdo when it comes to live gigs, or that he won't wrap himself in 3M tape before he sets to squeal.

—A.D. Amorosi

Wed., June 11, 10:30 p.m., $23-$25, World Café Live, 3025 Walnut St. worldcafelive.com.

Their atmospheric self-titled debut was the tense ignition. The hard dance on 2005's Before the Dawn Heals Us was the throttling blastoff. Now at a middle ground with a sedate, relaxed pulse, Saturdays = Youth (Mute) is the point where the fuel has been jettisoned and Captain Anthony Gonzalez is hovering, methodically enumerating his surroundings. Ladies and gentlemen, M83 is floating in space.

—John Vettese

Fri., June 6, 8 p.m., $12, with A Sunny Day in Glasgow, First Unitarian Church, 2125 Chestnut St., r5productions.com.

In 1998, D-Block (Jadakiss, Sheek Louch and Styles P) told us the key to life was money, power and respect. After pursuing solo careers, the trio will reunite on stage next week to perform some old-school L.O.X. material and maybe sneak in some of their individual hits. Fans are also hyped to see rated rookie MC Tyga.

—Deesha Dyer

Tue., June 10, 9 p.m., $24-$26, with Tyga, Trocadero, 1003 Arch St., 215-922-LIVE, thetroc.com.

Playing Bach on the piano never went away, but the purist stigma that favors harpsichord has less sway these days. It certainly helps to make a case for the piano, an instrument Bach did not write for, if the musician in question has the flair and taste to make the modern keyboard sound appropriate. The Romanian-born pianist Gabriela Imreh has as good a shot at this as anybody, and will play the Bach Concerto No. 1 in D minor this Sunday. The rest of the concert includes music by Tchaikovsky and Philly composer Vittorio Giannini.

—Peter Burwasser

Sun., June 8, 2 p.m., $20, First Presbyterian Church, 201 S. 21st St., 866-403-6844, philadelphiavirtuosi.com.