Brandy and More @ The Global Fusion Festival.
Text by Sofiya Ballin and Niesha Miller. Images by Peter Ford.
Hundreds of people crowded around the Great Plaza at Penn’s Landing Saturday for the 6th annual Global Fusion Festival, dedicated to bringing forth multicultural vendors and activities for children.
The festivities included performances by local Philly artist Cody Kahmar (above) and headliners such as Brandy (right), Kendrick Lamar, Elle Varner, and Kenny Lattimore. Anticipation was in the air along with the smell of fried foods and the bustle to purchase clothing and hand-crafted cultural jewelry from local artisans.
The free concert was fairly calm and mellow after Cody Kahmar ended his set with “Hear My Call.” Luke James wooed the ladies with his hit single “I Want You,” bringing one young lady on stage and giving her with a rose.
“It’s definitely important for me to maintain a certain amount of class,” James said afterward. “I don’t want to be too raunchy on stage.”
Later, people rushed to the stage after the announcement of Kendrick Lamar’s performance. The appreciation for the Black Hippy movement that he spearheads was evident in the number of hands and heads bobbing to his music.
“Black Hippy,” Lamar said. “That’s what it represents. Being yourself, going after what you want to do and not being a follower.”
The crowd stayed for Elle Varner (right). Before she hit the stage the crowd started lip-syncing to “EV” from her Conversational Lush mixtape. “This is the liveliest crowd I’ve ever performed for,” she gushed after performing the song.
There was a shift in demographic after the onstage Soul Train dance line and when Kenny Lattimore graced the stage. Middle-aged women screamed and cheered while a few young ladies swooned over the older man they were too young to know.
“I don’t know who he is but he’s fine!” yelled an onlooker.
Lattimore’s coming back with a new album Back 2 Cool, on September 18th.
“R&B is being re-discovered right now and this new album should be a game changer,” he says. “I minister to the hearts of women and the minds of men.”
The moment everyone was waiting for was about to arrive. The crowd got relatively thicker and you could see people leaning over the VIP box. After cheers and chants, Brandy skipped onto the stage going right into “Full Moon,” keeping up with her back-up dancers. She took a moment to tell the audience how much their love meant to her, and she ended her set with her new single “Put It Down” featuring Chris Brown and “The Boy Is Mine” featuring Monica. This performance will prep fans for the release of her new album Two Eleven due October 12,2012. Read more…
Want free tickets to see Theory of a Deadman at the TLA on Wednesday? Email us at JUMPphilly@gmail.com to win a pair of tickets.
The Charm City Devils and Brothers From Another will also perform.
Every week, JUMP intern Maddy Court scours the blogosphere for musical rumblings and other fun stuff. Enjoy!
This past weekend was definitely a bar-raiser for Philly. Intern Bree stole my thunder (get it … because it was rainy?) and already posted about the Making Time Hyper-Rager with Twin Shadow, Pantogram and Sleigh Bells on Friday. But I want the record to show that I, Unpaid Intern Maddy, was also there. I almost lost my shoes and shorts in the mosh pit that erupted during Sleigh Bell’s set. It was cra-ay-zee. Srsly.
On Saturday, Chromatics opened for Hot Chip at the Electric Factory. That’s one of those dream line-ups that sounds too good to be true but we have proof – our Teresa McCullough was at the show.
Rhapsody’s Global Fusion Festival hosted a free concert at Penn’s Landing with Kendrick Lamar, Brandy, Elle Varner (below) and Kenny Lattimore. In case you missed out on the party, Tumblr user CourtNation posted a bevy of photos and videos.
Fang Island, a Brooklyn band whose upcoming album Major just scored a thumbs-up from Vice’s infamously snarky music review, played a free show at Morgan’s Pier Saturday afternoon and a $6 show at Goldilock’s Gallery at night.
Then at Johnny Brenda’s, The Detroit Cobras from, um, Detroit played a show with The Midnight Beat and The Improbables. Speaking of music in Fishtown, the LOLadelphia blog addressed the harrowing presence of Joni Mitchell song lyric graffiti. What’s next? Mumford and Sons lyrics in Kensington?
That’s my re-hash of the weekend. To get you through the long work week ahead, here’s a behind the scenes look at the making of Santigold’s “The Keepers” music video.
Hot Chip @ The Electric Factory.
Brit electro-popsters Hot Chip had the Electric Factory hopping on Saturday. Check out the great pics by Teresa McCullough.
Phantasm: Making It In Philly.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Phantasm drummer Jay Yachetta reached out to us a few weeks back and we started talking about how the band arrived in Philly. Yachetta wrote the tale below. Phantasm will perform on Saturday at the TLA. See here for show details. Photo by Niles Weiss.
In 2007, as a band, Phantasm moved to Philadelphia from a small town in upstate New York near Buffalo, called Jamestown. We (Aaron White, Steven Rosplock and myself) chose Philly to be the hub of our operation because all of our past Philly experiences through touring had been very positive. It seemed like a place a band could grow an audience. Not to mention, it’s geographically a wonderful spot to be for a traveling band – New York, Baltimore, Harrisburg and DC are all now a stone’s throw away.
When we decided to move from Jamestown, we thought we had reached our peak there. We were drawing crowds of more than 200 people in a small town but the numbers were not growing. We believed that we needed to gain more exposure for ourselves by opening for bigger acts. These acts were not coming to Jamestown. We decided to position ourselves in a place where we could find audience members who would appreciate our musical niche. We also wanted to create a home base where we have opportunities to gain much more exposure.
It wasn’t immediate but it started to work.
Let It Bump Music Festival @ Wall Street International.
Saturday evening in West Philly, an all-star crew of young hip-hoppers threw a giant outdoor party, celebrating their talents and the movement brewing in the city.
Led by Chill Moody (above, left, with Aime), Mic Stew and DJ Damage, the Let It Bump music festival was nearly seven hours of fun at Wall Street International, a multi-building complex with an outdoor stage where a junkyard once operated on 52nd Street – not far from where Chill grew up.
Among those who performed were Selina Carrera, Fese (right), Get Up, Kuf Knotz, Antwan Davis, Teff, Suzann Christine and many more.
The crowd was also full of Philly talent, including producer Wes Manchild, Beano and The Astronauts crew.
Chill said he wants the festival – which coincides with Mic Stew’s birthday – to be an annual event. Based upon the reactions of the hundreds of people in attendance, they want the fest to return quickly as well.
The Making Time Hyper-Rager with Sleigh Bells, Phantogram and Twin Shadow @ Festival Pier.
Text by Bree Wood. Images by Teresa McCullough.
Rain or shine, the Making Time Hyper-Rager persisted onward. My forecast for blistering heat could not have been more off but the event was great despite the elements. At times, the wind blew and the rain fell sideways on the red-lit stage at Festival Pier.
The elements may have stopped the fair-weather fans but the people who love Sleigh Bells (above and right), Phantogram and/or Twin Shadow danced all night long.
When I walked onto the pier, I was surprised that I wasn’t surrounded by mobs of people. The weather hindered the attendance at the event but I actually really loved the small turnout. It seemed as if it were a private party and the bands came to play for us. Groups of friends sang and danced. I don’t know if it was the beer or what but people looked so comfortable and free. It was one of those nights that the person next to you ends up being your new best friend.
Sleigh Bells opened strong and hard with their song “Demons.” The stage filled with smoke and the lights went off like fireworks. Sleigh Bells has so much energy when they are on stage. People were getting so amped up, they weren’t sure if they wanted to punch something or dance. Every song was more fierce than the previous one.
My favorite of the night was Phantogram. The Delaware River rippled with the enchanting whispers of Sarah Barthel’s voice. The music fit so well with the elements and atmosphere of the night that I got chills and it wasn’t from the cold weather. Every song hit my chest as the ground vibrated with Phantogram’s electronic sound. It was awesome. Not one person was still in the crowd. People couldn’t get enough.
Laser Background EP Release Party @ Kung Fu Necktie.
Congrats to Andy Molholt and his bandmates in Laser Background, the new psych-pop band that released their first EP and celebrated with a show at Kung Fu Necktie last night.
The album was pressed onto 7-inch vinyl, which they had on hand, as well as onto cassette, which was still in London or somewhere.
While primarily a solo project, Molholt, formerly of The Armchairs, is joined on stage by Bennett Daniels, Mark Schaffer and Sam Tremble. The Kung Fu Necktie performance was only the second time they’ve performed together live. The show launched a mini-four day tour that takes the quartet to Vermont, Boston and Brooklyn. They’ll next play Philly on August 17 at Johnny Brenda’s with Ape School.
Their show last night also featured great, lively sets from Circadian Rhythms and Arrah & The Ferns.
Every Thursday, our JUMP mag intern, Bree Wood, offers her suggestions for fun Philly music stuff for the upcoming weekend (and more). This weekend, you’ll find Bree dancing her ass off somewhere in Philly …
FRIDAY
I love Sleigh Bells and Phantogram. The groups are both duos from New York, both fronted by strong female vocalists, and both women have great chemistry with their male counterparts. Sleigh Bells (above) has a hard electronic sound, while Phantogram (below) has a rock/pop electronic sound. I think of the two in my head as if Sleigh Bells is yelling at you to do something, and Phantogram is telling you something. If you like to party and dance, come hang with me Friday! It will be disgustingly hot out, so stay hydrated!
SATURDAY
Once again a free show. I feel like a broken record when I post about Morgan’s Pier and R5 but so far they have been putting up great bands. I always have a good time. What more could you ask for – food, drinks, and music on the river. If you don’t die from the heat, you can’t go wrong. Fang Island is a band from Providence, RI now based out of Brooklyn, NY. They are an indie rock band and the best way to describe them is fun and intricate.
Look out for their new album Major. It comes out July 24th.
Chill Moody, Mic Stew, DJ Damage, Selina Carrera and more at the Let it Bump Music Festival
So many Philly (and JUMP faves) will perform at this event in West Philly – Chill Moody, Mic Stew, Gogo Morrow, Kuf Knotz, Selina Carrera and more. It’s a $10 show outside and the weather is supposed to be perfect. Go support Philly.
Hot Chip at the Electric Factory
These Brits have been packing dance floors for more than a decade. This should be pretty insane.
MONDAY
Iceage, Dirty Beaches and Law at Johnny Brenda’s
I’m really excited for this lineup. All the bands playing have an interesting story and their music mirrors their lifestyle. Iceage is a group of teens from Copenhagen who have created thier own sound, bringing together post-punk, punk, Goth and a little bit of hardcore for good measure. Being so young – they just graduated from high school – they are a must see. Dirty Beaches is a single man band with a story to tell. He’s a traveler and his music brings his journeys together, enjoy the musical experience of a man on the move.
Want to see Hot Chip for free with a friend Saturday night at the Electric Factory? We’ll also give you a pair of limited edition silk screen show posters.
All we want to know is this: if Philadelphia had an anthem, what is the funniest thing that must be included in the lyrics? For instance: Tatsykakes, pooping cabbies, Wawa, Arctic Splash, Allen Iverson’s rant about practice, etc?
Leave your ideas on our facebook page. We’ll pick the funniest answer Thursday afternoon. Feel free to like any entry as a way of persuading the judging.
JUMP: The Philly Music Project 