Big Weekend for Music in Philly Area to Feature Black Keys, David Lee Roth, Katy Perry

The Philadelphia area music scene is full of dynamic events during the weekend of Aug. 8-10.

Lisa Lisa — born Lisa Velez — will take to the stage minus her original band Cult Jam on a 40th anniversary tour that plays the Mann today, Friday, Aug. 8. In addition to commemorating four decades of hits like “I Wonder If I Take You Home” and “All Cried Out,” she'll be joined by eight other performers, including Exposé, Color Me Badd, the Jets, Montell Jordan, Sugar Hill Gang, Tag Team, J.J. Fad, and Candyman.

Also on Friday, the Row House Rock Concert Series will deliver “An Evening with Ramblin' Deano!" with Dean Schlabowske. The songwriter will team up with Jon Langford in the Waco Brothers.

A big weekend for music in Atlantic City will begin on Friday with former Van Halen singer David Lee Roth at Hard Rock Live at Etess Arena on Friday. Low Cut Connie will perform this evening at the smaller Sound Waves on the same casino property.

On Saturday, audiences will get their choice of catching the Avett Brothers, who recently floored Broadway with their Swept Away musical, at the Etess Arena. The Black Keys will perform at the Borgata Event Center. For an after-party option, guests can hit up Gordo spins at HQ2 at Ocean Resort.

Meanwhile, over the weekend, the Ardmore Rock N' Ride will bring 10 acts on two stages amid bicyclists pedaling through a Lancaster Avenue-Suburban Square loop. Bands to appear include the Record Company, Nicole Atkins, Suzanne Sheer, and Nik Greeley & the Operators. 

Katy Perry will travel with “The Lifetimes Tour” to South Philly on Saturday, Aug. 9. The former American Idol host and space traveler is touring behind her highly reviewed 143 album. The early performances from her tour portray Perry as a "half-human, half-machine battling an AI archvillain," according to the Philadelphia Inquirer's Dan DeLuca.