Sigur Rós Brings Avante-garde Rock to Stage AE; Dead & Company Play KeyBank Pavilion (Thurs., 6/15/17)

1) How did a band like Sigur Rós became popular enough to fill a decent-sized venue like Stage AE? The Icelandic group is talented no doubt, but in past decades, an act so avant-garde—one which plays soaring, feedback-drenched post-rock songs with impassioned “lyrics” in a made-up language—would be banished to whatever tiny club would have it. Yet in the span of 23 years and seven albums, Sigur Rós developed an army of loyal fans singing along to their nonsense syllables and hanging on to every part of their frenetic compositions, and they’ve won over the critics too. Maybe their widespread appeal can be attributed to them delivering the one thing few musicians deliver anymore: music that is not a revival of or tribute to a past style—but something entirely new and raw. Their latest album is 2013’s Kveikur. Sigur Rós also appeared on “The Simpsons” in 2013 and on “Game of Thrones” in 2014. Doors open at 7 p.m. 400 North Shore Dr., North Shore. (EC, CM)

2) The Grateful Dead officially disbanded in 1995 after three legendary decades as the jam band of choice for an entire generation. The group played more than 2,300 shows in its career, and dedicated fans were famous for recording every performance, cataloging set lists, and preserving the Dead’s improvisational style. Fans who want to experience a live Grateful Dead show are out of luck today—unless Dead & Company are in town. The seeds of this supergroup began in 2011. John Mayer became a Deadhead after hearing “Althea” on a Pandora station. He befriended Grateful Dead guitarist Bob Weir in 2015. The pair and Dead drummers Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzmann soon formed Dead & Company. Joining them were bassist Oteil Burbridge and keyboardist Jeff Chimenti. Following a successful 2016 summer tour, the band is hitting the road again to play all the fan favorites. The tour includes a stop at KeyBank Pavilion. 7 p.m. 665 Rt. 18, Burgettstown. (EC, CM)

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