We’ve got some oddly alluring stuff for you today.
Sunny Ali and The Kid, formerly of POPO, dropped their first video (above) a few months back and damn, it’s catchy as all hell.
Young Summers was previously known as Adobayondei. Yeah, the new name is way better – as in, you can actually pronounce it. They dropped a new video (below) last week.
Bedroom Problems (above) dropped a few new songs last week. Their next show is at Cha Cha ‘Razzi on April 20.
On Saturday evening at Johnny Brenda’s, Carlton Lewis III, leader of the world famous, pioneering gospel group The Dixie Hummingbirds (above), will perform as part of the celebration of David April’s 20 years of DJing on WRDV radio.
Lewis will perform the best of Sam Cooke, Otis Redding and Ray Charles, among other hits. See show details here.
Check out our story about David April and his radio show here.
The Used @ FYE.
Text and image by Brittney Bowers.
In celebration of their latest album Vulnerable, The Used came to Center City’s FYE Thursday for an in-store show and signing. More than 200 fans of all ages crowded into the first level of the music store to witness members Bert McCracken and Quinn Allman perform an acoustic set.
They opened with “The Taste of Ink” followed by a short song written on the spot about being in Philadelphia for the day. The remaining two songs were “All That I’ve Got” and “On My Own.”
The in-store session acted as great preview for when the band comes back to Philly on May 15th for their headlining show at the TLA.
Of Monsters and Men @ The TLA.
Text by Ashley Hall. Images by Brandee Nichols.
The six-piece Icelandic crew Of Monsters and Men played back to back sold-out shows this week at the TLA and damn, they were good.
Their album My Head is an Animal just dropped in the U.S. this week, and the crowd was already singing, and swaying along.
Once various solo projects, the band that formed in 2009 couldn’t possibly play a more cohesive set. Songs included hits off their new album, the EP Into the Woods and a cover of The Cure’s “Close to me.”
“I must say, I like the people here way more than the cheesesteak,” guitarist and vocalist Ragnar Þórhallsson told the crowd.
Their single “Little Talks” grabbed a ton of attention when Philly’s own Radio 104.5 started throwing it into the mix. So naturally when the band struck the chords for the hit mid-set, the ground started to shake.
Of the 32 shows they have and will play in North America, 22 were sold out. The group will finish out their tour of North American April 12th.
Singer and Songwriter Lovísa Elísabet Sigrúnardóttir, better known as Lay Low, who’s also from Iceland, opened for the group.
If you missed them, don’t fret. The guys and gals will return July 28th for Radio 104.5 Summer Block Party. And guess what? It’s free. 
Check out this cool version of the City Rain tune in a video created by our friends at Bands in the Backyard.
City Rain will perform at the North Star Bar on April 12.
Liberty Fest, World Domination and Phonographic Arts.
Text and images by Brandee Nichols.
“World domination.”
This is how Sean Stone boldly describes the future of Phonographic Arts, an all-Philly production company. Joined by Pat Troxell and Clifton Shumaker, also Philly-area natives, the three discuss the ups, downs, and in-betweens of putting together shows in the City of Brotherly Love.
The fourth and newest addition to Phonographic Arts, Brad Raub, sleeps upstairs in his and Shumaker’s South Philly home.
The “core four,” as Troxell puts it, work together seamlessly to organize all of their shows, including the upcoming three day three day Liberty Fest, which begins Friday.
The origins of Phonographic Arts can be traced back to Texas in 2008. It started as a small label when Shumaker released the LP Inferno by Balaclavus, a post-punk band from Houston. He then got the opportunity to start booking shows at Little Bar in Bella Vista.
After the perils of trying to balance a full time job at Beautiful World Syndicate and a personal life (in addition to booking shows at Little Bar) became a little too taxing, Shumaker reached out to Troxell about coming on board. The group’s union was not surprising, as they had all worked together running the 423 Tillery, a warehouse venue in Austin.
Despite having all grown up in the Philly area, they managed to all be in Austin at the same time. Troxell and Shumaker were already working together at the Tillery, when Stone – 
who originally intended to visit for only a month but ended up staying for two years – joined them.
“It was like a really long month for me,” Stone says while laughing.
Fast forward to now, when they’re basically doing the same thing in Philly.
Guitar Wolf @ Johnny Brenda’s (on Polaroid).
Bropar‘s Matt Emmerich hung out at Johnny Brenda’s on Monday with Guitar Wolf, the Japanese punk/ garage rock trio known for their elaborate and high energy live shows.
Of Montreal: Hypnotic @ Union Transfer.
Text by Marissa Jane. Images by Grace Dickinson.
Of Montreal hypnotized a packed Union Transfer Monday night with a long set of tracks from their repertoire of 11 full-length albums.
But the trippy projections, dancers writhing in blankets, clouds of balloons released into the audience and eccentric animal costumes mostly represented the psychedelic-glam sounds of their album released this past February, Paralytic Stalks.
Their futuristic stage dress didn’t fool fans for long. The Beatles-influenced band even cranked out a song in celebration of Marvin Gaye’s birthday.
The clashing of electronic and vaudeville styles brought out an audience of young and old, probably because the band has been performing since the mid-90’s.
Of Montreal falls under the umbrella of the Elephant 6 collective, a movement out of Athens, GA that spawned numerous musical projects, namely Neutral Milk Hotel and Apples in Stereo. Of Montreal made their name synonymous with their eclectic style.
Frontman Kevin Barnes has also done numerous collaborations, recently producing a Solange Knowles album.
Lightninging: Communal Trading for Better Music.
Text by Chesney Davis. Images by Seth Klinger.
Philadelphia-based rock band Lightninging has steadily grown a dedicated following in the roughly three years that the five-member outfit has been together. David Pope, Mark Cruttenden, Greg O’Neill, Greg Foran and Matthew Williams are a mix of hometown, college buddies and bandmates from other bands. The group makes fun, guitar-heavy pop music.
With true DIY beginnings, Lightninging began performing when the five members threw performance parties in the dodgy house they shared together in Fishtown. On their self-built stage, they performed for their friends, a not-so-modest 150 people at times.
Soon after, Lightninging began racking up performances in venues like North Star Bar, Kung Fu Necktie and Club Egypt. In February, they released a record, Like A Kid Would Say.
As their 6-track album shows, you can never expect the same thing from the rock and roll quintet whose members all sing lead at times, lending their own style and sound to every track. They switch instruments as much as they do singers, all in an effort to prevent producing the same stale sound.
On Like a Kid Would Say, this mode of “communal trading” as the band calls it, result in a collection of boisterous, yet emotional songs, impressive harmonies and wicked trashing like any fine Philly band should.
Their next show is at Milkboy on April 19 with Fang Island. See here for details.
Download Lightnging’s Like a Kid Would Say for free here:
Feliz Cumpleanos: El Malito @ Milkboy. Palabra.
Images by G.W. Miller III.
Puerto Rican party rapper Les Rivera, aka El Malito, celebrated his birthday last night by performing with his band, the 33rd Century, at Milkboy so we stopped by for a few beers.
The man puts on a solid show – he entered the room in Revolutionary War-style blazer and a fluffy white wig. The band had the crowd bouncing from the get go. Then Les took his pants off and the crowd bounced even more.
It’s hard to put the guy in words (though we’ll try in the summer issue of JUMP) so here are a few pics from the night. Read more…
JUMP: The Philly Music Project 