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Concert Previews

Bonnie Raitt will play the Academy of Music on Saturday. (MATT MINDLIN)

Posted: June 15, 2012

Bootsy Collins / Black Landlord

Though renowned for his tenure with James Brown's J.B.s and George Clinton's Parliament / Funkadelic, William "Bootsy" Collins is a longtime rhythmic star in his own right. You must consider Collins' flashy stage accoutrements: star-shaped shades and his funky bass guitar. During the heady days of '70s disco, Bootsy unleashed a flurry of glittering funk dance hits such as "Stretchin' Out (In a Rubber Band)" that benefited from the spaced-out sound of P/Funk and glam rock. Bootsy's 2011 concept album, The Funk Capital of the World, is an adventurously brash lesson in all-African-American musics (with the Rev. Al Sharpton and Cornel West). Funk Capital moves from G-funk to black rock as Bootsy, in his rubbery sing-speak, turns everything he touches into a party. Opening is Philly's own Black Landlord. Fronted by ex-Goats MC Maxx, with several local CDs under their wide belts, the brash big-band takes R&B and hip-hop by the horns and turns everything it touches into rude, crude, lewd gold. Definitely get to this party early. - A.D. Amorosi

Bootsy Collins and Black Landlord play at 8 p.m. Friday

at Keswick Theatre, 291 N. Keswick Ave., Glenside. Tickets: $33.50-$49.50. Information: 215-572-7650

or www.keswicktheatre.com.

Bonnie Raitt / Joe Henry & Lisa Hannigan

Bonnie Raitt drafted Joe Henry to produce some tracks for Slipstream, her first new album in seven years and one of her best, and he brought a moody subtlety to a couple of Dylan covers and two songs of his own. On Saturday night, while Raitt is playing Slipstream highlights at the Academy of Music (with the great Mavis Staples opening), Henry will be a few blocks away at the Theater of Living Arts, sharing the stage in a collaborative evening with Irish singer-songwriter Lisa Hannigan. Henry has been a busy guy - last year, among other projects, he produced Hannigan's Passenger and released Reverie, his own excellent album of impressionistic, poetic, and jazzy ballads. Hard to choose which show to recommend more. - Steve Klinge

An Evening with Joe Henry & Lisa Hannigan at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Theater of

Living Arts, 334 South St. Tickets: $27-$32.

Information: 215-922-1011

or www.livenation.com.

Bonnie Raitt and Mavis Staples play at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Academy of Music, Broad

and Locust Streets.

Tickets: $45.50-$75.50. Information: 215-893-1999

or www.kimmelcenter.org.

Tim McGraw / Kenny Chesney

They met more than 20 years ago in a Nashville bar, both pre-fame and both with big dreams of scoring a hit country record. Today, with millions of albums sold between them, country stars Tim McGraw and Kenny Chesney have launched their joint, 22-city "The Brothers of the Sun" tour. And it's a biggie, too, with three complete stage systems: Each singer will play his own set, and the two - who released their dual single, "Feel Like a Rock Star" in advance of the tour - will top off the night by sharing the spotlight together. McGraw, who has had 32 No. 1 singles, is slated to perform many megahits, with some tunes he's writing for his first album on his new label, Big Machine Records. Chesney will mix up old and new, and he will likely be joined by opener Grace Potter for a rendition of their Grammy-nominated 2011 hit, "You and Tequila." (A live version of the song is featured on his Welcome to the Fishbowl CD, out next week.)

- Nicole Pensiero

Tim McGraw and Kenny Chesney, with guests Grace Potter & The Nocturnals and Jake Owen, play at 4:30 p.m. Saturday at Lincoln Financial Field, 1020 Pattison Ave.

Tickets: $33-$255. Information: 800-745-3000

or www.ticketmaster.com.