Madonna and 14 other concerts to warm up the Philadelphia winter

Tinashe at the Made in America festival in 2021.

The winter concert schedule in Philly is heating up, with intimate shows in cozy clubs and theaters, plus one pop superstar bringing a career-spanning spectacle to South Philly.

Here’s a chronologically ordered calendar of shows to get music lovers through the dead of winter, with Madonna, plus 14 others.

Madonna (Jan. 25, Wells Fargo Center)

How to stay warm during a frigid Philly winter? Go to a Madonna show. The last time the legendary pop star was in town, playing four shows at the Met Philly on her “Madame X Tour” in 2019, she kept the temperature turned up in the neighborhood of a toasty 80 degrees and had audience members stripping down as the evening progressed. She’ll have a bigger room to heat up this time, as her greatest hits plus deep cuts “Celebration Tour” comes to the South Philly sports arena. wellsfargocenterphilly.com

Marshall Allen performs during the Sun Ra Arkestra: Marshall Allen Birthday Celebration at World Cafe Live. He plays Solar Myth on Jan. 28

Rosanne Cash (Jan. 26, World Cafe Live)

This show by the emotionally acute storytelling songwriter Rosanne Cash is subtitled “Reinventing The Wheel.” That’s because it focuses on The Wheel, the 1993 album that was her first after the breakup of her marriage to Rodney Crowell. It marked the beginning of a creative partnership with her now-husband John Leventhal. worldcafelive.com

Marshall Allen’s Ghost Horizons (Jan. 28, Solar Myth)

The Sun Ra Arkestra bandleader has a big birthday coming up: he’ll be 100 in May. The sax and experimental wind instrument player stays busy: he regularly plays dates at the Solar Myth with rotating collaborators. Other cool Solar Myth shows: Mary Halvorson on Feb. 8 and Nels Cline on Feb. 9-10. solarmythbar.com

Lucius (Jan. 29, Brooklyn Bowl Philadelphia)

The duo of Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig have collaborated with The War on Drugs and toured with Roger Waters, as well as building a following over the course of four studio albums. On this tour, the indie pop band will be celebrating their breakthrough Wildewoman. brooklynbowl.com/philadelphia

Mitski (Feb. 6 and 7, the Met Philly)

On the surface, Mitski sounds becalmed on The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We, the indie rock hero’s sixth album, which roils with tension beneath its assured exterior. She’s gone from playing PhilaMOCA in 2016 to playing two nights a few blocks north on Broad Street at the Met. themetphilly.com

DJ Shadow (Feb. 8, Union Transfer)

It’s been nearly 30 years since DJ Shadow released Endtroducing….. his almost entirely sample-based cinematic funk-soul masterpiece. He’s never equaled it since, but that’s like saying Orson Welles never equaled Citizen Kane. He still sounds creatively restless on last year’s Action Adventure. utphilly.com

Jaime Wyatt (Feb. 8, World Cafe Live)

Country singer Jaime Wyatt’s new Feels Good succeeds in a walking a line between country and old-school R&B, thanks in part to the production by Adrian Quesada of Black Pumas. Also worthy at World Cafe Live: Sarah Jarosz on Feb. 2 and Las Cafeteras on March 9. worldcafelive.com

Tinashe (Feb. 10, Brooklyn Bowl)

Tinashe will makes her first Philadelphia appearance since playing Made in America in 2021. The Fishtown club show is in support of the pop-R&B singer’s 2023 seven song mini-album, which is pronounced “Baby angel.” brooklynbowl.com/philadelphia

Michael Shannon and Jason Narducy & Friends play R.E.M.’s ‘Murmur’ (Feb. 12, Ardmore Music Hall)

Actor Michael Shannon, who played George Jones alongside Jessica Chastain in George & Tammy and just finished an off-Broadway run in Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot, is also a musician. He’s teaming with Bob Mould guitarist Narducy, and the band includes Harleysville native and Philly Boy Roy creator Jon Wurster on drums. ardmoremusichall.com

Stevie Nicks (Feb. 10, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino)

The last time the first woman to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame twice played Philly was last summer on a not perfectly matched double bill with Billy Joel at the Linc. The “Rhiannon” and “Edge of Seventeen” singer will be the sole focus this time, when she plays Hard Rock’s Etess Arena in Atlantic City. Hardrockhotelatlanticcity.com

Cat Power Sings Dylan (Feb. 13, Keswick Theatre)

The singer Chan Marshall — who performs as Cat Power — writes her own songs, but she’s always excelled at singing other people’s songs too, going back to The Covers Record in 2000. Now Marshall has gone full Dylan: Her new album Cat Power Sings Dylan: The 1966 Royal Album Hall Concert is a 15-song set that recreates a historic half-acoustic, half-electric Dylan show. KeswickTheater.com

Pink Sweat$ (Feb. 15, Fillmore Philly)

The romantic R&B and soul singer David Bowden — a.k.a. Pink Sweat$, so named because of his preferred attire — grew up in Philadelphia and South Jersey. The now-Los Angeles-based love man isn’t making it home for his birthday on Valentine’s Day, but he’ll play his biggest Philly show yet when his acoustic tour comes to Fishtown. fillmorephilly.com

Boyz II Men (Feb. 17, the Met Philly)

It’s a Valentine’s Day week North Broad Street tradition. This year, the trio of Shawn Stockman, Nate Morris, and Wanya Morris is celebrating the 30th anniversary of their second album, II, which contained the hits “I’ll Make Love To You” and “On Bended Knee.” And I’m betting they’ll also give their fans a taste of their version of “I Want My Baby Back,” from their recent Chili’s ad. themetphilly.com

Jess Williamson (Feb. 22, World Cafe Live)

Texas-born songwriter Jess Williamson raised her profile by teaming with Katie Crutchfield of Waxahatchee as Plains, whose 2021 album I Walked With You A Ways was an unexpected highlight of 2021. Then last year, she released the solo album Time Ain’t Accidental, a subtly produced breakup album full of memorable songs that linger. worldcafelive.com

Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit (Feb. 23, the Met Philly)

Every Jason Isbell release plays like a songwriting master class. Last year’s Weathervanes is the latest example in the winning streak that began in earnest with 2013′s Southeastern — not coincidentally, the first album recorded after he quit drinking. Don’t be late: Aimee Mann opens. metphilly.com

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