XPN Live Fridays

Back in 2000, James Maddock — then the lead singer of the band Wood — looked like he was on the verge of worldwide fame. The group's debut album, Songs From Stamford Hill, was showcased on popular TV dramas such as Dawson's Creek. Now, at the end of the decade, Maddock is back as a solo artist. Hear the singer-songwriter perform live in concert from WXPN in Philadelphia.

Since forming in San Francisco in 1994, Train has had an undeniable impact on contemporary music, selling millions and touring with acts such as Barenaked Ladies and Counting Crows. Along the way, the group has released five studio albums and won a Grammy for its ubiquitous pop hit "Drops of Jupiter." Hear Train perform live in concert from WXPN in Philadelphia.

After leading the frenetically inventive band Soul Coughing throughout the '90s, Doughty embarked on a solo career. Though doing so meant making a huge shift from eclectic big-band alt-rock to sparse acoustic sets, he found remarkable success during a long cross-country tour. Hear Doughty perform live in concert from WXPN and World Cafe Live in Philadelphia.

Wielding many instruments and a remarkable whistling ability, Bird has developed an offbeat marriage of classical and pop music over the course of his decade-long career. The musical polymath has never been one to limit his sound, incorporating traditional folk, swing, zydeco, rock, electronica and indie-pop into his work. Hear Bird perform live in concert from WXPN in Philadelphia.

Though it often gets pegged as an alt-country band of one stripe or another, Lucero prides itself on fusing together a broad enough assortment of influences to sound like nothing else. Naturally, though, influences like Bruce Springsteen inevitably shine through. Hear Lucero perform live in concert from WXPN in Philadelphia.

With their passionate and eclectic mix of rock, country and Tex-Mex music, Los Lonely Boys' members seem equally influenced by the classic pop of The Beatles and the Latin guitar-rock of Santana. Hear Los Lonely Boys perform live in concert from WXPN in Philadelphia, along with a performance by Gordon Gano of Violent Femmes.

A performer who's always managed to dodge easy trends, Will Hoge plays sharp, smart, passionate rock 'n' roll that seems to exist out of time. The Nashville singer-songwriter invests his songs, as heard on his new album The Man Who Killed Love, with a working-class feel and universal appeal. Hear Hoge perform live in concert from WXPN and World Cafe Live in Philadelphia, along with another down-to-earth rocker, Langhorne Slim.

McKeown's vibrant mix of pop, swing, rock, folk and electronic music makes it difficult, if not foolish, to pigeonhole her within a single musical genre. In a recording career that began while she was still in college, the young singer has already released seven full-length studio albums, a pair of EPs and a studio disc. Hear McKeown perform live in concert from WXPN and World Cafe Live in Philadelphia.

Classically trained hip-hop and pop veteran John Forte blends sleek rhythms and catchy hooks, in the process turning some difficult life experiences into introspective, ultimately uplifting music. Hear Forte perform live in concert from WXPN in Philadelphia.

Lap-steel guitar and hip-hop beats don't often mix, but Philadelphia's Mike "Slo-Mo" Brenner defies convention, bringing them together seamlessly. With songs that straddle the lines separating hip-hop, Americana, folk and pop, his songs are rooted in catchy hooks and breezy grooves. Hear Slo-Mo and rapper Mic Wrecka perform live in concert from WXPN and World Cafe Live in Philadelphia.

Born in Norway and based in Brooklyn, singer-songwriter Sondre Lerche grew up idolizing The Beach Boys and a-ha, and ultimately found a way to infuse his sound with the sweet and adventurous pop of each. Hear him perform live in concert from WXPN and World Cafe Live in Philadelphia.

Though he once led the emo-rock band Miracle of 86, Kevin Devine has made far more of a name for himself as a solo artist, with albums that bring to mind the gentle grace of Elliott Smith. Hear Devine perform live in concert from WXPN in Philadelphia.

The members of Philadelphia's Hoots and Hellmouth are experts at creating what they call "new music for old souls." They've crafted a distinct brand of what they call "bleeding soul," taking their cues from mountain musicians like Doc Watson, as well as the dynamic gospel sound of the Rev. Gary Davis. Hear the band perform live in concert from WXPN in Philadelphia.

For roughly two decades, Tori Amos has been one of the most unpredictable and distinctive artists in popular music. Her haunting piano playing and stirring vocals have earned her an intensely devoted following, and she continues to make inventive and surprising music. Hear Amos perform five songs live in concert from WXPN in Philadelphia on Aug. 15, along with five more songs by up-and-coming opening act Passion Pit.

Widely regarded as one of the best active guitarists in the world, Bonamassa has been playing electrifying blues music for more than two decades. With his latest release, The Ballad of John Henry, the 32-year-old combines incendiary guitar work with his most reflective lyrics to date. Hear Bonamassa perform live in concert from WXPN in Philadelphia.

Two wildly different approaches to roots music are on display here, as outlaw-country singer-songwriter Justin Townes Earle opens for the 10-piece L.A. band Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, live in concert from WXPN and World Cafe Live in Philadelphia.

Smith received her highest-profile endorsement when she covered Dolly Parton's iconic song "Jolene" for Just Because I'm a Woman, a Parton tribute album. The country icon began publicly singing Smith's praises, and the young singer's career took off from there. Hear Mindy Smith perform live in concert from WXPN and World Cafe Live in Philadelphia.

A New York band that plays smart, jazz-tinged, sometimes-topical indie-pop music, Elizabeth and the Catapult fuses sweet chamber-pop melodies with the charismatic vocals of Elizabeth Ziman. Hear the group perform live in concert from WXPN in Philadelphia.

A Philadelphia-based band with a misleading name, Illinois mixes many styles into its eclectic, Southern-style blues-rock. Made up of childhood friends, the group makes the most of its natural chemistry. Hear Illinois perform live in concert from WXPN in Philadelphia.

Yet another band catapulting into the public eye via a catchy iPod jingle, Chairlift is new to the pop scene, but it's quickly building a substantial reputation. Hear Chairlift perform live in concert from WXPN and World Cafe Live in Philadelphia.

Singer, songwriter and pianist Diane Birch sounds like a seasoned veteran, due in no small part to her extensive world travels as a child. But she's only just released her first album, Bible Belt, which skillfully blends soul, rock, jazz and pop. Hear Birch perform live in concert from WXPN in Philadelphia.

An up-and-coming folk-rock singer-songwriter who crafts brooding, timeless, sophisticated pop songs, Perkins has earned lofty comparisons to the likes of Leonard Cohen and Bob Dylan. Hear Perkins perform live in concert from WXPN in Philadelphia.

One of America's longest-running and most influential indie-rock bands, Meat Puppets formed in 1980 and soon began releasing a string of albums which fuse acid-tinged country and straight-ahead rock, with a dose of punk spirit thrown in for good measure. Hear Meat Puppets perform live in concert from WXPN and World Cafe Live in Philadelphia.

Long admired for its rollicking jazz-funk grooves and sweaty solos, Soulive originated in late-'90s New England — first as a jam-band rhythm section and then as an unlikely hip-hop act. But in recent years, Soulive has settled smartly into more traditional organ-driven jazz. Hear the group perform live in concert from WXPN in Philadelphia.