Text and images by Brendan Menapace.
You can tell when bands that tour together are actually friends. You can see them on the side of the stage, bobbing their heads, watching their tour mates. In the case of last night’s show, they invite them on stage to participate multiple times. On Saturday, the TLA hosted night 1 of sold out shows for Manchester Orchestra, Balance and Composure (above) and Kevin Devine & the God Damn Band.
The night started with an energetic, albeit sleep-deprived Kevin Devine & the God Damn Band. Devine had just driven all night from Boston the night before and gotten into town at six in the morning, only to do an in-store performance at Main Street Music in Manayunk in the afternoon. He was a little less chatty than he has been in past performances, but this only left room for more music during a relatively short opening set. After a few songs from his new albums Bulldozer and Bubblegum, the crew started loading in a second drum set and Kevin introduced “his son,” Balance drummer Bailey Van Ellis to add some extra drums to his hit “Cotton Crush.”
“You are all in for a treat,” Devine said at one of the few times he did step to the mic. “You have your own Balance and Composure. And from Grand Rapids, Michigan, Manchester Orchestra.”
The crowd went nuts. Keep in mind, Manchester Orchestra is from Atlanta.
Balance and Composure certainly seemed happy to be back in Philadelphia. Vocalist/guitarist Jon Simmons actually did a little dancing. The semi-sedate crowd during Kevin Devine had now all but filled up the TLA, and the shoving started. Read more…
The Pains of Being Pure at Heart @ Johnny Brenda’s.
Text and images by Timothy O’Donnell.
Walking into Johnny Brenda’s last week, you probably wouldn’t have even guessed it was a Monday. It was absolutely jam packed. And for good reason, as indie pop darlings The Pains of Being Pure at Heart took the stage in support of their new record, Days of Abandon.
Longtime fans of the band might have been mildly confused as to just who exactly was on stage performing that night. In a sort of mashup type scenario, very recognizable lead singer and guitarist Kip Berman was accompanied by several members of touring bands Ablebody and Fear of Men, with Ablebody’s Christoph Hochheim on guitar, and Jacob Sloan on bass, as well as Fear of Men’s Jessica Weiss on keyboard and vocals.
Berman took the stage with the newly added singing talents of Jen Goma (replacing former singer and keyboardist Peggy Wang), kicking off their set with the first track off of the new album, “Art Smock.” The song maintained an enchanting yet somber melody throughout, with Berman and Goma’s harmonization nearing perfection.
The rest of the band joined the stage, and immediately jumped into “Until The Sun Explodes,” a song heavily sustained and driven by keyboardist Jessica Weiss’s underlying and catchy melodies.
A few songs into their set, Berman told the crowd that this was a particularly special night because both his and Jacob Sloan’s moms were in the crowd, and then joked that he was hoping for a good review on mock website Momfork (clearly a riff on Pitchfork).
“Simple and Pure” was a stand out for the night, with the crowd hitting its peak of jumping, dancing and singing along. It’s the type of song that you can’t help but move and bop your head to. It has the perfect ingredients of Berman and Goma’s vocals playing off of each other in a way that allows each of them stand out moments, while also working cohesively together to produce a (no pun intended) simple and pure sound.
The rest of the set consisted primarily of new songs off of Days of Abandon, as well as some old favorites like “Heart in Your Heartbreak” and “Everything With You.” The enthusiasm and passion shown by both the band and the crowd made this one of the more memorable Monday night’s at Johnny Brenda’s.
Mumblr and More @ Milkboy.
Text by Jenelle Janci. Images by Chris Narisi.
Milkboy hosted a fun night of punk acts on Thursday, but the groups featured were more polished than your average basement bands.
Headlined by Philly fuzz-punk outfit Mumblr, the night also featured music from Virginia band Big Air, Left and Right and Well Boys.
Guided by Voices, Titus Andronicus and Surfer Blood @ The Troc for the Magnet’s 21st Birthday.
Text by Joe Gallagher. Images by Jessica Flynn.
I just turned 24 and I feel like I can start flexing my age and use “back in my day” sincerely.
So, back in my day, at Magnet’s 10th Birthday Party, opening for Guided By Voices were My Morning Jacket and the Shins. John Wurster from Superchunk did Philly Boy Roy and made fun of Spin magazine between sets. Back in my day, cigarette smoking was allowed in the Trocadero. Back in my day, there was no “classic lineup” of GBV, merely whatever ringers Bob Pollard rounded up for the next record and tour cycle. Back in my day, I was the youngest person at a GBV show by at least a decade, brought there by my dad who bought Under The Bushes, Under The Stars after an enthusiastic review of an early 00s performance in The Inquirer.
We should be proud that our city is home to Magnet and Red Flag Media and that independent publishing seems to be able to at least get by here, in print and on the web. In the time since the last Magnet birthday party I attended, they suspended print operations for a few years, before returning to print with Red Flag and it would seem thriving. Last night, Magnet celebrated 21 years with a party at the Troc with GBV, Titus Andronicus and Surfer Blood.
Text and images by Michael Bucher.
On one of those surprisingly pleasant January afternoons in Philly, there are a handful of tweens playing traditional Irish music in the back corner of Fergie’s Pub. Their parents are seated at a table not far away, talking amongst themselves, listening to their children practice and picking at orders of food from the kitchen.
Normally, the kids would be upstairs practicing before their scheduled 4 p.m. traditional Irish music session downstairs but the owner, a devoted supporter of the arts, promised the space to a theater company.
No one downstairs seems to mind the early Celtic melodies.
The word “traditional” refers both to the historical customs of Ireland’s pub music as well as the 11 consecutive years Fergie’s has hosted the Saturday event. At its peak that afternoon, 13 musicians join in the rolling set, ranging in age from 11 to 69.
Not one specific sound, musical genre, age group or customer defines Fergie’s Pub. Instead, it’s simply the selfish pursuit of Fergie Carey to build long-standing traditions – and in the process, foster a devoted community of people who frequently occupy every square inch of the bar.
Text by Derrick Krom. Images by Jessica Flynn.
There’s a lot on NONA’s plate at the moment.
In a literal sense, the South Philadelphia punk rock trio fills their plates tonight with a full helping of home-cooked barbecue, mashed sweet potatoes and salad while managing to avoid the overly salted asparagus.
But NONA is also in the process of preparing for an upcoming tour – which includes a stop at SXSW – and the re-release of their first full-length LP Through the Head on 6131 Records this July, all while managing to balance part-time jobs to pay the rent.
Going on their fourth year as a band, NONA is also used to a good amount of change. Singer/guitarist/founder and sole original member Mimi Gallagher moved to Philadelphia from West Chester, bringing the band and its aspirations along with her.
“It’s been a revolving cast of members,” Gallagher says, “just because it’s hard to find people I’m on the same page with.”
While bassist Nick Harris slaves away in the kitchen and the “Drive” soundtrack spins on the turntable, Gallagher and drummer Pat “Dos” Ware sit down to talk about life in NONA, what the future might hold and Gallagher’s pivotal move to Philadelphia.
“A big shift was definitely Mimi moving to Philly,” Ware says. “Because before, NONA was a West Chester thing. Now it’s definitely a Philly thing.”
“It feels more like a band now than it ever has,” adds Gallagher. “We’re all musically on the same page and writing songs makes more sense than it ever has.”
According to Ware, finding the right cast of characters for NONA involved a good amount of alcohol.
“A big drunken mistake,” he says with a laugh. “That’s all we are.”
Ware decided to join two years ago, when he and Gallagher met on tour in a New Hampshire bar. Harris, on the other hand, joined without even seeing the band play live.
“I heard Through the Head when it first came out and I loved it,” Harris says. “It was a drunken night, probably 6 a.m., and I just said, ‘I’ll do it. I’ll play bass in your band.’ The next day I bought a bass online.”
It seems as if this current lineup is the lineup that’s finally here to stay. All in their early 20s, the three members of NONA interact as if they have always been lifelong friends.
“We’re three people who are very, for the most part, comfortable in our own skin with the decisions we make,” says Ware. “The only thing that’s different about this band than any other band I’ve ever been in is that we don’t really limit ourselves to anything.”
This limitless stance doesn’t only apply to music. While currently modestly dressed in jeans and sweatshirts, NONA alludes to a few questionable clothing choices in the past after Ware mentions a Phillies beanie Harris stole from Gallagher’s parents.
“We’ve gotta get Nick a new hat,” Ware says. “It’s the only hat Nick’s worn all year and everywhere I go, I see five older gentlemen wearing that hat.”
Along with arguing against the idea of wearing sweatpants on stage, Harris brings up a show in Cincinnati where Ware played the entire show wearing a mesh Goth shirt.
“Like a pinnie from gym class with no undershirt,” Harris adds.
“Everyone at the show proceeded to throw one, two, three hundred beer cans at me,” Ware says. “It was fun that night.”
With Gallagher painting Harris’s nails and Ware attempting to eat the aforementioned salty asparagus, the members of NONA finish-up their dinner and begin talking about the future.
“It’s kind of scary to think that far ahead,” says Gallagher. “We want to take every opportunity that’s given to us. Obviously, in five years, I would love it if some form of this could be what I was living off of. That would be the dream.”
Now that Through the Head is on schedule to be re-released sometime in July, NONA is looking forward to writing new material and booking shows for the upcoming summer.
“I feel like we’re ready to start writing songs that a punk kid with studs on his jacket would love,” Ware says. “But songs that his mom would love, too.”
Our summer edition will start hitting the streets in early June and it’s a great issue. The cover star is Spank Rock (above), who will perform at the Red Bull Sound Select show (curated by JUMP) at Underground Arts on July 19. Tickets will only be $3!
Our last Sound Select show, with Plastic Little, Sweatheart and Needle Points, was straight up bonkers (especially when Spank jumped on stage at performed). The July show should be the same.
We have a few surprises for the show but we can tell you that Mumblr (below) will open. The Kensington-based punk outfit play a lot of basements and house shows, so they know how to get a party started. They’re also profiled in the upcoming summer issue.
If you want to see the Mumblr guys sooner, they’ll be performing at Milkboy on Thursday. See ticket info here. And listen to their music here.
Steel Panther and Future Villians @ The TLA.
Text by Gabi Chepurny. Images by Jesse Marass.
Saturday was 80’s night at the TLA, complete with spandex, big hair and power ballads about girls who are beautiful when they don’t talk.
Los Angeles born Future Villains opened the show with a mix of originals and cover songs from AC/DC to Deep Purple. The five-piece are what we would imagine to have opened for Dokken at the Whisky a Go-Go in 1988, when hair metal ruled the scene.
Fans dressed in their best 80’s attire – rock star wigs from the party store, bandanas and the obligatory band patches sewn haphazardly onto denim and leather vests.
Steel Panther began their set with “Pussywhipped,” a perfect choice to get the show going, before launching into one of the most politically incorrect comedy skits we’ve ever seen at a concert. And the crowd, even the fat chicks, loved it. Read more…
Text by Chad Sims. Images by Paul Imburgia.
When I go to concerts they are usually very loud but on Saturday night, when Mastodon took the stage, is the first time in a long time I can remember my ears hurting from the roar of the crowd. This pain wasn’t the result of a lone, over-exuberant fan shrieking in my ear either. This was the ear drum rattling sound of a crowd going crazy.
Of course it wasn’t just Mastodon’s arrival that caused this audience explosion. The onlookers had already been well primed by Norway’s Kverlertak and France’s Gojira.
Here’s the latest installment of our monthly mixtape series, which is curated by GUN$ Garcia. Today she brings us DJ JavaScript (above, in the center), who spins at Tabu’s Ratchet Wednesdays and starts a new party, Drink or Swim, at North Shore Beach Club starting Monday.
Our Brianna Spause spoke with JavaScript about his rise in the scene and what he plans for the new party.
When did you start to dip your toes in the DJ scene?
I have been DJing since I was 17. I moved to Philadelphia right out of high school, and went to Temple. I had already made a few connections, believe it or not, through Myspace. I guess I’ll just drop that on you. I just started networking once I got to the city. I ended up moving in with a local rapper, Spank Rock, and he was my ticket to the city. He was introducing me to the right people, and he started a party back in the day in 2008 at The Barbary. That was kind of my first gig. My friend was DJing, and he asked me to try it out. I said, absolutely! I’m a drummer so I automatically fell in love with the beat. It was over after that. I just fell in love.
What kind of tracks do you spin?
I usually like to start out with crowd favorites, and then I get into my abstract house things. I try to develop a little bit of trust on the dance floor with some old hip hop, and then bring up the beat slowly. I gradually introduce people to the House that I really love.
I like throwing people back, and getting a smile on their face. I will do a lot of Lil’ Kim, and I love dropping “Geenie in a Bottle.” People really love that, and I love it too. So I guess that’s my style. It’s a mash up of what’s going to keep my dancers interested. I literally play all styles. I love reggae, moombahton, hip hop, twerk, house.
How would you describe the Ratchet Wednesday Party at Tabu?
It’s this really awesome marriage between premiering local drag queens, and showcasing my DJing. It’s a dance party, and then a little show, and it’s incredible. It started out as an open bar situation that has elevated, and has gotten a little bit better each week.
I had gotten a gig at Woody’s, and that’s sort of where it all started. Their parties were where I got the majority of my exposure. One day, someone came up to me at the DJ stand. He said, “Hey I’m throwing a party. I’d love to have you DJ at this spot. We’re have a little drag queen thing going on.” I’m gay myself, and being in the community has brought us all very close.
What changes does the summer hold for you?
I’m hosting a new party at the North Shore Beach Club called “Drink or Swim” that starts on May 19. It’s going to be a late-night kind of thing. We’re taking over a really successful party for the summer, and we’re going strong from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. There’s going to be an open bar, and everyone can swim. It’s perfect weather right now, and I’m really looking forward to it.
JUMP: The Philly Music Project 