Meshing a traditional country-blues feel, anchored on an accessible storytelling foundation, there’s a spectrum of gut-wrenching, emotional outpouring and simultaneous threads of tenderness in the music of the Levee Drivers. Those familiarly worn, vital vocals of August John Lutz II roar in a rabble-rousing fashion, as each spirited song is on the verge of tearing the listener to piece. Surrounded by an incendiary, dusk-light, dusty-road stomp, the band is hardwired to a heart-aching but optimistic duality, stinging with sincerity, as evidenced by their latest album Motel City Honey. Tonight, as part of the Big Damn Holiday Brawl at Ortlieb’s, they’ll be joined by the soul-grasping, country rock of Ali Wadsworth, the melodic, energy-infused garage rock of Scantron, and silky-serenading, retrofitted country-folk of Dirty Dollhouse. Get rowdy this holiday weekend! – Michael Colavita

More places to wet your whistle at this Christmas weekend…

Ortlieb’s Lounge (847 N. 3^rd St.) FRI Levee Drivers, Ali Wadsworth, Scantron, Dirty Dollhouse, SAT Thunderbird, Gibbous Moon

Boot & Saddle (1131 S. Broad St.) FRI Southwork, Circadian Rhythms, Miss Cantaloupe

Kung Fu Necktie (1250 N. Front St.) FRI Frost Giant, Corpse Hoarder, Wolves Attack /It’s a King Thing, Joy Riding, The Classic Brown/DJSC/Trieves: Jesse Tyler, Sean Hearn, SAT Slingshot Dakota/Solomonic Sound System

PhilaMOCA (531 N. 12^th St.) FRI Voltheque, Cheap Dinosaurs

Underground Arts (1200 Callowhill St.) SAT Mars Parker, Harvey Cash, KilConfirmed, Juso O, Sodacanman, Corey Lee, Re.ye

World Café Live (3025 Walnut St.) FRI (Upstairs) Annabelle Kempf, The Soundcheck, The Disapproved, Julia Kenyon, The Brandywine Fiddlers/(Downstairs) Steal Your Peach, The Whiskeyhickon Boys, SAT GTS Presents: 3^rd Annual Rockmare Before Christmas

MilkBoy Philly (1100 Chestnut St.) FRI Tweed, Agent Zero

Bourbon & Branch (705 N. 2^nd St.) FRI Behind The Grandstand, La Capitaña/Reed Streets, SAT Kingfisher, Tucker Hill Band, Sitting In Cars

Silk City (435 Spring Garden St.) FRI Ed Christof, SAT DJ Deejay

Fergie’s (1214 Sansom St.) SAT Jersey Corn Pickers, SUN Rusty Cadillac

Connie’s Ric Rac (1132 S. 9^th St.) FRI The Plibmen. Mr. Unloved, KMX Band

Frankie Bradley’s (1320 Chancellor St.) FRI DJ Chris Urban, SAT Brian Toll

Voltage Lounge (421 N. 7^th St.) FRI FV

The Grape Room (105 Grape St.) FRI Something Divine, Slow Voice, Judah Kim & The Assassination, Kevin Cox Band, SAT Apple Juice Jones

Ardmore Music Hall (23 E. Lancaster Ave.) FRI Kings & Comrades, SAT Electron, Eat Your Beats

The long, long wait is over; Levee Drivers' new full-length album, Motel City Honey, has arrived. Steeped in guttural, rabble-rousing, country-blues, the collection of songs taps into a swaying sensitivity. Whether it’s a road-worn yearning or an uptempo rumbler of love lost, the visceral magnetism draws one in. Traveling home in the twilight, the tunes continuously matriculate ahead, but lament in an emotive sense of the past. Levee Drivers is set to celebrate its release this evening at Johnny Brenda’s, supported by local pals The Lawsuits and and Virginia's The Dawn Drapes. (Photo by Bob Sweeney)

Summer may be starting to fade; however, before it’s officially in the rearview mirror, head over to The Fire for an all-day outdoor music festival celebrating the venue's Grand Re-Opening. Beginning at noon, the free event, sponsored by PBR as well as local brewing stalwarts Philadelphia Brewing Co., will be chock full of entertaining scenarios, including food and craft vendors, which one can indulge in whilst consuming the litany of performers. Among those slated for the task are the invigorating, bluesy, boozy Americana of Levee Drivers, the sun-kissed melodies of Archawah, the sleek and surging sound of New England’s Potty Mouth and the bare-and-booming, never-ending get down of Mumblr, so set up shop, catch some rays, and stay awhile. The Fire, 412 W. Girard Ave., 12pm-8:30pm, Free, All Ages - Michael Colavita

What began through a Craigslist meet-up between Jonathan Stewart and Josh Marsh has resulted in the creation and celebration of their recently released debut album, Is Anything Real. Tonight, Rosu Lup will be anchoring a Philly-forward show at Johnny Brenda’s after the band took the new album on the road, performing the atmospheric indie-folk tracks from the group's latest effort. The tone of their music shifts from soaring Tom Petty stadium-style rock to blooming, wandering folk with lush arrangements that recall The Acorn and Lord Huron. Jonathan Stewart has a gentle, pleasing voice that, at times, sounds more than just a little like Adam Granduciel from The War On Drugs; not that being reminiscent of one of Philly’s biggest musical exports is a bad thing. Longtime Deli favorites, Levee Drivers, led by the grinding and gritty voiced August John Lutz II, will be warming up the crowd this evening. Rounding out the show is Hemming, the acoustic project of singer-songwriter Candice Martello, who we know from the rollicking and too short-lived project Omar, with drummer/manager Nick Fanelli. Johnny Brenda’s, 1201 Frankford Ave., 8pm, $10, 21+ - Adam G.