North Carolina six-piece American Aquarium revives its raw roots rock with a new level of honesty in the lyrics. After years of barely scraping by with the devotion of a niche audience, frontman BJ Barham and his frequently rotating backup were ready to throw in the towel before a sudden burst of success kept the fire burning. The new release, Wolves, is the group’s ode to survival made notable by the addition of roadhouse-ready twang in addition to the standard alt-rock tunes.
Friday 5/8. Free, 5:30pm. nTelos Wireless Pavilion, 700 E. Main St., Downtown Mall. 245-4910.