Danielle Alderman: The Open Mic Opportunist.
As part of our partnership with Philly Beer Scene magazine, we’re documenting Philly’s relationships between music and beer. For the most recent issue of Philly Beer Scene, G.W. Miller III hangs out with Danielle Alderman, the musician who champions local talent.
Danielle Alderman used to sell office furniture. It wasn’t a bad job but she spent her days trekking around the tri-state region, hawking desks and cabinets to commercial clients.
In the evenings, she pursued her passion – music. She performed around the region, at open mics and on main stages. She hosted several weekly open mic nights over the years, including one at the Triumph Brewing Company in Old City.
Then, in December 2010, things fell into place for her. The marketing manager job opened up at Triumph, where they present live music seven nights per week. She applied, was accepted and has been there ever since.
“I finally found a job where I can combine what I like to do,” she says. “Music and beer kind of go together.”
Sharon Van Etten @ Union Transfer.
Text and images by Dana Ricci.
Sharon Van Etten recently got some attention in Philadelphia when she played a free at noon show at World Café Live and at Johnny Brenda’s back in February. So it’s no surprise that when she made a stop at the Union Transfer on Thursday, we were happy to have her back.
The Brooklyn-based singer/songwriter and her band had concert-goers in a trance as they played Van Etten’s introspective folk melodies. She won the crowd over with many songs off her 2012 album, Tramp, as well as songs from her earlier albums, including “Peace Signs” off her 2010 album Epic. To the audience’s delight, she announced that this song was recorded in Philadelphia.
But that wasn’t the only track she recorded here. In 2010 Van Etten recorded her single “Love More” at the Fishtown studio of producer and co-founder of Weathervane Music, Brian McTear.
After Pitchfork reviewed the song and Justin Vernon of Bon Iver covered it and sent McTear the YouTube video, Van Etten’s career took off. She played with The Antlers, opening for The National at Radio City Music Hall, released an album in October of that year and toured the world. So it was only appropriate that as her final song during her encore performance, Van Etten sat down at the harmonium and said she was ending it right where it all began before delving into a heartfelt “Love More.”
Throughout her performance, Van Etten’s voice – graceful with just enough rasp – was frequently accompanied in perfect harmony by her backup vocalist and keyboardist, Heather Woods Broderick. The voices combined with the rest of the band produced a pristine sound that left spectators swaying in awe with the music.
Almost as memorable as the music, Van Etten’s personality came out during between-song banter. Quite a contrast from her thoughtful, occasionally dark tunes, Van Etten has quite the sense of humor. She cheered back at the crowd and said things like, “Sometimes it’s fun to scream for no reason!” and “Do these lights make my expressions really exaggerated? Do my eyebrows cast shadows on the walls?…That’s probably ridiculous.”
She opened her eyes a little wider as she crouched down on the floor to take another swig of her beer and then said, “Okay, don’t let me talk any more.”
She jokingly referred to herself as a “professional” when she would do things like misplace her guitar pick. She was real, down to earth and hilarious. After the show I wanted to be her friend.
Van Etten also created this close-knit atmosphere at a large venue by interacting with the crowd as well as acknowledging her family and friends in attendance. She responded to a yell from one of her cousins, she greeted friends and she even announced that her father was at the show. She didn’t get to spend time with him on Father’s Day, so she let him request a song to make up for it. To her surprise, he requested that she play “Tell Me,” which she performed beautifully and without the accompaniment of her band.
Cheering and a surprisingly-synchronized slow clap brought Van Etten back to the stage for an encore – though she joked that she only came out because she didn’t want to pay the stage fee. And as the final notes of “Love More” rang out the entire room seemed to hold still, hanging on to those final moments before Van Etten and her band exited the stage.
The Hives @ The Electric Factory.
Text by Chad Sims. Images by Teresa McCullough.
They took the stage wearing coattails and top hats. In the back of my mind there was apprehension that maybe my friends were right upon mentioning the show. They said things like, “The Hives? Aren’t they that gimmick band from the early aughts that wear matching outfits?”
By the time the first song kicked in, any worry that The Hives are nothing but a gimmick was erased. They rocked with a swagger that could be a lesson for any other rock bands. There was no too cool for school nonsense. No disaffected, oh-too-deep posturing. Just a great rock ‘n’ roll band that wanted to entertain an audience.
The band tore through songs from across their catalog but played a good portion of their newest album, Lex Hives. These songs were noticeably new as the performances were not quite as tight as their older material, but still enjoyable.
Of course they included their better known songs like “Walk Idiot Walk” and “Hate to Say I Told You So” much to the delight of the audience.
The simultaneously brightest and most trying part of the show was lead singer Howlin’ Pelle Almqvist. He is a frontman par excellence during the songs – dancing, marching, jumping off the drums and throwing his microphone about the stage. The between song banter, however, grew tiresome as the night wore on. Perhaps this was most evident when he made the audience sit on the floor before he would allow the show to continue and mocked the audience members who refused.
I missed the first opening band Flesh Lights from Austin, Texas. If the second opener, Fidlar, was any indication of the opening acts’ talent, I didn’t miss much. Fidlar was a fairly sloppy pop punk band from California who had juvenile lyrics that were not clever at all. The sole bright spot of their set was a cover of Fear’s hardcore classic “I Don’t Care About You,” which features a South Street reference.
If you weren’t at this show you missed out. The Hives are lumped in with a slew of bands of varying quality from the turn of the century garage rock revival. This classification is not at all fair. Though their songs are often very reminiscent of the bands they reference (most obviously The Stooges), The Hives’ live performance is top notch.
If Greg Laswell‘s music sounds familiar, you probably watch too much television. His haunting songs have been played on popular programs like Grey’s Anatomy, House, One Tree Hill, True Blood, NCIS and Glee. You can see him at the World Cafe today for the Free at Noon show.
If you can’t get out for the noon show, he’ll also play upstairs at the World Cafe Live tonight.
Grandchildren (above) and Free Energy will play at Morgan’s Pier on Saturday starting around 6:30. Details are here.
Slavic Soul Party – a band with an amazingly apt name – will play at 40th and Walnut at 6 PM as part of the University City District’s 40 Street Summer Series.
Kuf Knotz will host The Boombox Collective Sunday upstairs at the World Cafe Live. It’s the CD release party for My Man Shafe. There are a bunch of acts on the lineup, including Chuck Treece, Attia Taylor, The Rebel Yell and house band LP Stiles. This would be a lineup worth paying for. And it’s free, so you have no excuse not to go.
Brian Medlin (above) and Jack Devine will play Monday upstairs at the North Star Bar in their Victorian Dining room. The intimate venue makes for special performances.
If you have a few bucks to spare, here are a few Philly bands taking the stage in town this weekend …
FRIDAY:
Swift Technique plays The Blockley with Orgone and Close to Good. Details here.
Cheers Elephant plays the TLA with Rubblebucket and Dinosaur Feathers. Details are here.
Turning violet Violet plays Johnny Brenda’s with The Deer Tracks and Nouela. Details are here.
SATURDAY:
Arc in Round, Pet Milk and Tadoma play Johnny Brenda’s. Details are here.
Jill Scott‘s Summer Block Party takes over The Mann Center, with a lot of special guests. Details are here.
RONE celebrates the release of his first album at Milkboy. Details are here.
Intern Bree’s Weekend Picks (and More).
Every Thursday, our JUMP mag intern, Bree Wood, offers her suggestions for fun Philly music stuff for the upcoming weekend (and more).
FRIDAY
Dangerous Ponies with Speedy Ortiz, UGH God and Cusses at The Level Room
Dangerous Ponies (top) is a pop/rock band from Philadelphia. Their 7-piece band gives every song a full and celebratory feeling that forces you to dance and sing along. My dog Maddie and I did a dance on the porch for my neighbors to “When You’re in town.” People were into it.
SATURDAY
Plow United with The Orphans, Iron Chic and Spraynard at the First Unitarian Church
New York punk band Iron Chic (above) may not be the headliner but I give them thumbs up. When they play, the room perks up. Great sing-along’s, and build ups. Whenever I listen to them I feel like I’m in high school. Check Iron Chic and regress with me.
Built To Spill, Caveman and JUNEBUG SPADE at Union Transfer
Built To Spill’s “Ultimate Alternative Wavers” and “There’s nothing wrong with love” may have been released when I was three but their music somehow reached me in my teen years. They are still my summer jam – with the car windows down, cruising along some back road. Built to Spill has a 90’s sound with catchy guitar riffs and the unforgettable voice of singer Doug Martsch that you can’t miss.
Arc In Round with Beige, Pet Milk and Tadoma at Johnny Brenda’s
Arc in Round has a lush, sonic sound. They make me want to dance in the dark. If you haven’t heard of this Philly band, maybe you know them by their prior name, Relay. Get there early and see Pet Milk. I love singer Adriane Dalton’s voice. It’s dreamy.
SUNDAY
The Copyrights with Dear Landlord, The Dopamines, Mean Jeans, House Boat at The Barbary
I love The Dopamines and their video for Public Domain (above). It’s just awesome. If you love punk music, you will love this show.
TUESDAY
Exitmusic with Stagnant Pools and Nothing at Milkboy
Exitmusic is that movie soundtrack for that couple that couldn’t be kept apart, finally coming together against all odds. Every song is beautiful and it opens you up, and you’re just left there feeling vulnerable. You really need to get out to this show.
Publisher’s Note: Appreciate the Positives.
After Jay-Z announced that he would curate the 28 or so acts that will play the Made In America music festival at Eakins Oval in September, I immediately hopped online, looking for the lineup. While searching, however, I stumbled across a Brooklyn-based website and I was incredibly annoyed by the comments I found.
You want to complain that Jigga is coming to Philly rather than holding the two-day event in Brooklyn? That’s fine. Whatever. You want to complain about the cost of tickets or that many of the festival-attendees will stand on asphalt for most of the show? That’s legitimate.
But the bulk of the comments on the website had absolutely nothing to do with the actual event itself. Read more…
Fueling Up Near Festival Pier.
Catching a show at Festival Pier this summer? Sure, they offer basic stuff there like hot dogs and mass-produced beer. But why not check out the plethora of nearby food and booze options? Seri Chao points out a few of our faves near the waterfront. (Top image by Rick Kauffman; others by Seri Chao).
702 North Second Street
Chef and owner David Hentz has created a simple and enticing menu that boasts sandwiches and entrees. “I’m not going to serve anything that I won’t eat myself,” he says. Try the Thanksgiving balls, fried orbs of turkey wrapped in mashed potatoes and stuffing, served with gravy and cranberry sauce.
100 Spring Garden Street
Philadelphia’s premier gentleman’s club has been attracting legions over the years with arguably the most beautiful women to grace the stage. They also serve up delectable entrees, including steaks that are flown in daily from Chicago. Show your ticket stub from Festival Pier and get in free.
149 Brown Street
This is Northern Liberties’ quintessential neighborhood bar. “The first night you come here, you’ll make twenty friends,” says bartender Britney. They’ve got a great selection of drinks and a huge backyard where they project Phillies games onto an adjacent wall. Stop by and enjoy a dollar dog on game nights.
901 N. Delaware Avenue
“Yards offers a truly Philadelphia experience,” says Frank Mclaughlin, manager of the brewery’s tasting room. Indeed, the smooth ales they craft reflect the hard-working morale of this great city. The brewery offers free tours on Saturday and Sunday from 12:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Visit the tasting room and enjoy a bowl of delicious bison chili.
1114 Frankford Avenue
Barcade brings back the thrill and simplistic charm of the arcade with classic video games like Double Dragon, Asteroids Deluxe and Ms. Pac Man, just to name a few. They also feature craft brews and signature sandwiches. During the summer, they’ll serve hot dogs and burgers out in the backyard.
ALSO: Check out the new Rebel Rock Bar & Bites, which we profiled in the summer issue of JUMP.
Building Character By Banging On Drums.
Text by Chesney Davis. Image and video by G.W. Miller III.
Kehinde Ardrey sits in a circle with a drum between his legs and eight children, ranging from elementary to middle school, watching him. Each of them has traditional West African instruments in front of them.
Ardrey leads off, bouncing a few measures on the head of a djembe drum, and soon the room is filled with layers of thumping sounds that force you to move. One boy with a bylaphone leans forward and bobs his head with every bar stroke. A younger boy taps lightly on a junjun, shifting his eyes between his fellow musicians, Ardrey and the drum between his knees.
The dynamic of creative freedom and precision technique is infectious as the sound flows out of the room and into the hallway, causing a woman walking by to start dancing with the rhythm.
This group of young musicians is the Ananse Boys and Girls Club Drum Ensemble, a West African/hip-hop fusion percussion group.
Ardrey, who is also a mentorship coordinator for the Boys and Girls Club, instructs the group twice per week at the Fairmount Boys and Girls Club, located in the John F. Street Community Center on Poplar Street near 11th.
Saturday @ The Jeffrey Palace Block Party.
Our Grace Dickinson spent several hours Saturday at the Jeffrey Palace‘s Block Party in South Kensington. It was a great day with a fun crowd and lots of good-time local music.
Above, The Lawsuits on the Jefferson Street stage, and the crowd (below).
Cups & Chairs: The Neighborhood Elixer.
Text by Kim Maialetti. Image by G.W. Miller III.
Kylie Tsai is quick with a smile and a wave when customers enter her tea café at the corner of 5th and Monroe streets in Queen Village.
Like an old-fashioned apothecary, Tsai dispenses remedies in the form of hot or cold tea for whatever ails you.
Need to relax? Have a little chamomile.
Feel a cold coming on? Try some lemongrass with peppermint and honey.
Had a little too much fun over the weekend? The detox tea will have you re-energized and clearing the cobwebs from your head in no time.
Tsai offers nearly 50 different types of tea at her 2-year-old café, aptly named Cups & Chairs, where locals linger throughout the day and gather for monthly music nights and open mic sessions.
“My vision for a tea shop was that it should be comfortable and relaxing,” says Tsai, explaining that the couches are for families to lounge, the long tables for students to study and the round tables and chairs for people to talk. “It’s really exactly how I wanted it.”
JUMP: The Philly Music Project 