The Five Best Concerts in South Florida This Week

NGHTMRE brings his Portal Tour, with its fat beats and infectious production, to Revolution Live this Saturday, and Emmet Cohen Trio will be taking the stage at the Broward Center to give South Florida a taste of where jazz is today.

Emmet Cohen Trio

Some would say jazz is an artform that hasn’t had much breakthrough over the past few decades, but nowhere is that belied more than with the Emmet Cohen Trio. A visionary among pianists, Cohen’s nimble touch gives his playing a unique airiness that allows the listener to hear all the little intricacies he presents. If you are going to listen to Emmet Cohen Trio, there is no better way than to hear them live. His 2018 live album Dirty in Detroit, featuring Russell Hall and Kyle Poole, is everything you want out of a great jazz performance. Songs like “Teo” and “You Don’t Know What Love Is” are exemplary tracks that not only show off Cohen’s ivory-tickling, but the musicians’ ability to play so comfortably together is pure magic. You can hear the audience listening as Cohen defies what’s possible with his piano-playing. 7 p.m., Wednesday, December 4 at Broward Center for the Performing Arts, 201 SW Fifth Ave., Fort Lauderdale; 954-462-0222. Tickets $55 via browardcenter.org.

Stay ahead of upcoming shows with New Times' South Florida concert schedule.

Half Alive

Half Alive released its debut full-length album in August. Entitled Now, Not Yet, the indie pop album has an infectious dance element, and music videos have been released for the singles “Breakfast,” “OK OK?,” “Runaway,” “Arrow,” and “Still Feel” — all of them showing off the choreographed dance that so many have come to love from Half Alive. For a pop record, Now, Not Yet is delightfully minimalist in its musical approach. They take light tones and rhythms and do things with them that remind me of the group Jungle, but with a more sparse sound that comes from their indie roots. Half Alive are in town for a rescheduled show from September 21. 7:30 p.m., Friday, December 6 at Culture Room, 3045 N. Federal Hwy., Fort Lauderdale; 954-564-1074; cultureroom.net. Tickets are $22.50 via ticketmaster.com.

Viva Le Vox

Well, I didn’t think I would ever find a band that has stolen the soul of Tom Waits, churned it into a wacky carnival experience and released back on the masses. I’m talking about Viva Le Vox. Their first album, Desperation Alley, released in 2009, creeps into the listener’s mind like a drunken paranoia that sounds like one-half crazy town and one-half end-of-the-world quartet. The track “Cut Me To Pieces” embodies this insanity. So theatrical that one can’t help but think their music isn’t only extremely original but also who they truly are. Their most recent release, The Fall of Skivvy Starzo, is a three-track EP from 2016 and has a manic intensity to it that shows real growth within the band. The punk/hardcore edge of their style seems to have shown its devious head on this record. One thing is for sure, Viva Le Vox is what you go to when you want to hear the band that should be playing a Tim Burton birthday bash every year until the end of time. With Matchstick Johnny. 10 p.m., Friday, December 6 at Dada, 52 N. Swinton Ave., Delray Beach; 561-330-3232; sub-culture.org/dada. Admission is free.

Bianca Jazmine

Bianca Jazmine is a young singer/songwriter with the emotion of rebellion in her lyrics. Her 2019 EP Hear Our Voices, like its title track, is an upbeat pop record that is a call to speak out on the issues this world faces. The very next song on the EP, called “The Key,” brings the tempo down to where sounds are more country-influenced and you can hear it in her voice. A young aspiring artist, Jazmine seems to enjoy a strong pop influence, but manages to not let the meaning of her music escape like so many pop artists do. On “Frequencies,” the track starts with a very soft and beachy sway, until the chorus hits with a jolt of energy. All in all, her EP is 15 minutes of an artist showcasing her wide range of influences. With Hometown Losers, Slaves, Fame on Fire, and Vagrant Son. 8 p.m. Friday, December 6 at Respectable Street, 518 Clematis St., West Palm Beach; 561-832-9999; sub-culture.org/respectable-street. Tickets are $16 via ticketweb.com.

NGHTMRE

NGHTMRE has become one of the most exciting producers/dj’s on the scene in the past few years. The dance singles he has been collaborating on have been exceptional, helping him to make a name for himself worldwide. NGHTMRE has worked with some truly iconic artists since his debut EP Nuclear Bonds, with SLANDER, was released. He signed to Diplo’s electronic music label, Mad Decent, where he is able to expand his reach and the network of artists to collaborate with. And it shows — NGHTMRE in 2019 is flexing his hip hop production chops with tracks like “REDLIGHT,” featuring ASAP Ferg, and his most recent single “Cash Cow,” featuring Gunna. It was his self-titled debut EP from 2016 that made him a Billboard charting artist, and over the past few years, NGHTMRE has shown he can move like a chameleon in and out of musical genres. NGHTMRE’s The Portal Tour is coming to town With SAYMYNAME and EFFIN. 7 p.m. Saturday, December 7 at Revolution Live, 10 SW Third Ave., Fort Lauderdale; 954-449-1025; jointherevolution.net. Tickets start at $34.50 via ticketmaster.com.