Cruiser Gets The Spa Treatment.
Text by Nikki Volpicelli. Images by Kate Harrold.
It all started as a joke or, rather, a Facebook chat planning a Cruiser photo shoot at a hair salon under those bulky, helmet-like hairdryer stations that purple-haired 80-year-olds from Staten Island like to sit under.
“I own one,” drummer Jonathan Van Dine indulges, talking about some regular ol’ plug-in blowdryer he’s got at home. “And a pumice stone.”
But guitarist Josa Lazas won’t settle for that.
“No, I mean the like conehead cheese things,” he clarifies.
Frontman and founder of the group Andy States agrees, “Yeah, exactly those helmets.”
“They’re dryers,” Van Dine says.
“I just want the shot to be really ‘Sex and the City’ vibe,” Lazas continues, and all agree.
Images by G.W. Miller III and Luong Huynh.
Yesterday was the first ever 3rd Thursday Live and Local event on the Race Street Pier, a free, monthly local music showcase brought to you by the folks at the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation and a a slew of local music folks (including JUMP).
The idea is to show off local talent and bring people to one of Philly’s greatest new amenities, the beautiful Race Street Pier.
EDITOR’S NOTE: what follows below are Nikki Volpicelli’s only-slightly edited, chronological set of notes she made on Tuesday when Mikal Cronin (above), Shannon and The Clams and Roomrunner played Kung Fu Necktie. Text and images by Nikki Volpicelli.
Seeing this group, Roomrunner, is going to be the closest thing to seeing Nirvana live that I will experience in my lifetime, even though the guys on stage seem too scared to throw or smash the cymbals at the end of their set. But the anxiety is definitely there. The desire, too. Maybe they just lack the monetary backing to kill so much equipment (or they are nice enough not to terrorize the drum set before the night’s other acts had to use it).
The reverb-y ending is long and intense and serves as a fine finale to a set I knew nothing about in the beginning and wanted to know everything about by the end. Read more…
WIN FREE TICKETS! Michael Franti & Spearhead, Frightened Rabbit and Matt Nathanson @ The Electric Factory in The Fall!
The Electric Factory has some pretty cool shows coming up this fall and tickets go on sale this weekend. But we’re giving away tickets now!
Michael Franti & Spearhead will perform on September 21. Tickets go on sale Friday at noon but if you like JUMP on facebook and email us at FreeJumpStuff@gmail.com, we’ll enter you to win a pair of tickets (give us your name and put “Franti” in the subject line). The winners will be announced by 11 am Friday.
Frightened Rabbit will headline on October 27 (tickets go on sale Saturday at noon). Like JUMP on facebook and email us at FreeJumpStuff@gmail.com to enter you to win a pair of tickets (give us your name and put “Rabbit” in the subject line). The winners will be announced by 11 am Saturday.
Matt Nathanson will headline on November 2 with special guest Joshua Radin (tickets go on sale Saturday at noon). Like JUMP on facebook and email us at FreeJumpStuff@gmail.com to enter you to win a pair of tickets (give us your name and put “Matt Nathanson” in the subject line). The winners will be announced by 11 am Saturday.
Anthropic Records: Heavy Metal and Hard Work.
Text and bottom image by Chad Sims. Top image by Alyssa Lorenzon.
There aren’t too many women who run heavy metal record labels but what Anthropic Records owner Shannon Ward lacks in the quantity of artists on her roster, she makes up for in quality. Working with bands, developing them and helping them reach their full potential may be her favorite part of owning her own label but she insists the bands do their share of the work.
“One of my mottos is ‘I am only going to work as hard as you are,’” Ward says. “If you aren’t going to work hard, this isn’t going to go anywhere.”
We’re working with the folks at one of our favorite joints, Underground Arts, and we’ll be giving away a ton of tickets to their shows in the coming weeks.
On Saturday, sci fi-loving, surf punk veterans Man or Astro-Man? will take the stage with Jacuzzi Boys and Philly’s own Dry Feet.
Like us on facebook and email us at FreeJumpStuff@gmail.com to enter to win a pair of tickets (give us your name and put “Astro-Man” in the subject line).
If you want to play it safe and get your own tickets, find details for the show here.
Liberty Bellows: The Squeezebox Renaissance.
Text and images by Chris Malo. Middle image by G.W. Miller III.
Liberty Bellows‘ owner Michael Bulboff grew up in the Northeast and took piano lessons until stumbling across his father’s accordion. Being of Polish descent, it was passed from one generation to the next until it was bestowed onto him. Immediately, he connected with it.
“You think you are picking an instrument but in reality,” Bulboff muses, “the instrument picks you.”
Where To See Shows in Philly!
There’s a lot going on in Philly these days. There’s so much, we figured you might need a map to figure out where all the fun stuff is happening.
On the right side of this page, find links to all the venues on the map.
Feel free to download the map or send it to friends.
Feed The Muse: Kickstarting Philly.
Text and image by Urszula Pruchniewska.
On a sunny Friday afternoon, Milkboy co-owner Jamie Lokoff sits in his Center City bar, sipping a coffee. While music blares and people banter around him, Lokoff perches on a stool and leans forward, his eyes intent. He gets excited when talking about his latest project, Feed The Muse, a crowdsourcing website that helps artists raise funds for projects.
“In the most basic way, it’s for artists to make extra cash,” Lokoff says. “This is not a money-making pursuit for me. This is something that is a good idea.”
The Hot 8 Brass Band travel constantly but Saturday at Johnny Brenda’s was their last show for a few weeks.
“We want to go home,” trumpet player Terrell “Burger” Batiste said halfway through their awesome set. “We been on the road a long time. We want to go home.”
The New Orleans troupe ended this tour with a rousing performance, complete with second line renditions of classic tracks like Marvin Gaye’s “Sexual Healing” and Snoop Dogg’s “Who am I (What’s My Name?).”
JUMP: The Philly Music Project 