Intern Derrick’s Weekend Picks: PARTY TIME!
Let’s be honest, who doesn’t love a good party? I’m not talking about the frat basement kind of party with stale beer, red Solo cups and that weird kid who always plays music from his iPod. I’m talking about an up close and personal, ear rattling, live music experience kind of party. This weekend is dedicated to partying and having a kickass time listening to great live music throughout the city. If there’s one thing we here at JUMP are good at, it’s finding the right kind of party. From rock ‘n’ roll blowouts to hip-hop throw downs, we know what’s good. So come out and join the party. – Derrick Krom
FRIDAY
Low Cut Connie, Shark Week, Satellite Hearts and DJ Dan Connie at Johnny Brenda’s
Rock and roll outfit Low Cut Connie is a band on an astronomical rise that knows how to throw a good party. Steeped in critical acclaim, the lively five-piece, dripping with 1950s rock ‘n’ roll nostalgia, will be kicking off its US tour at Johnny Brenda’s this Friday along with bluesy D.C. garage rockers Shark Week and Philly rock trio Satellite Hearts.
The Whigs, Nikki Lane and Desoto Jones at North Star Bar
Athens, Georgia-bred rock and roll power trio The Whigs will be bringing its raw and energetic show to North Star Bar this Friday in support of their recently released fifth full-length, Modern Creation. Country-tinged singer-songwriter Nikki Lane and Philadelphia alt-rockers Desoto Jones will open the down and dirty rock and roll night.
SATURDAY
Red Bull Sound Select and JUMP have teamed up for a monster party featuring the return of legendary Philly art-rappers Plastic Little and showcasing local Philly acts Sweatheart, Needle Points and DJ GUN$ Garcia. Come join the JUMP crew for surprise guests (Spank Rock?), lots of giveaways (T-shirts?) and a wild night of awesome live music. AND it’s only $3 if you RSVP online before the show! See you there.
The Legwarmers at The Trocadero
“The Ultimate Eighties Tribute Band” from Virginia will be bringing its high-energy nostalgia-filled live party to the Troc this Saturday night. From A Flock of Seagulls to Whitesnake, the seven-piece outfit will deliver all the classic Eighties hits you remember all while leaving you yearning for the days of skinny ties, big hair and parachute pants.
SUNDAY
You Do You, Jessica Hernandez & The Deltas and Conversations at Boot & Saddle
A genre-defying five-piece from Philadelphia, You Do You combines funk, soul and rock and roll to create something truly unique. With soulful vocals and Seventies-era showmanship, You Do You will be throwing its own funk party along with dark soul act Jessica Hernandez & The Deltas and feel good rock/pop Philly outfit Conversations.
Ron Gallo & Friends featuring Satellite Hearts at Ortlieb’s
Ron Gallo has been all over the country playing music both solo and with his rock band Toy Soldiers since 2010. Currently working on his first solo album, Gallo will be performing a number of his powerful songs backed by Philly rock trio Satellite Hearts.
Brewtallica: The Reigning Band of Brewers.
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 caught up with the members of Brewtallica, the house band at Philadelphia Brewing Co. (and winners of the 2014 Band of Brewers competition).
Brewtallica, the team of musicians representing the Philadelphia Brewing Company, was the last band to perform at the 2nd annual Band of Brewers competition at World Café in March.
The band from Yards, however, took the stage right before them. And they were the winners of the inaugural event, a battle of cover bands made up of employees from local breweries.
“I didn’t even watch them,” says Justin Wildon, PBC’s lead singer and truck driver. “I knew they were the first champs so right as they took the stage, I said, ‘This is the perfect time to go to the bathroom.’”
The Yards crew came out in black cloaks to a crowd chanting, “Yards! Yards! Yards!” and then they put on a raucous display punctuated by heavy metal cover tunes.
That put the pressure on PBC, Yards’ archrival in all things, including music.
Carl Cox @ The Electric Factory.
Text by Fredric Fresh. Images by Teresa McCullough.
Before there was EDM, there was Carl Cox.
Some may call house and techno music too repetitive, but repetition can get deep. Always keeping an open mind, I was eager to check out Cox at The Electric Factory last Friday. My last Electric Factory adventure was to see School of Seven Bells. Always considered one of Philly’s top rock venues, I was pretty much blown away by the slick Vegas-like transformation for the Carl Cox show.
Needle Points: Positive Vibrations.
Text by Brian Wilensky. Images by Kate McCann.
A beach is the preferred place to get away on a vacation for lots of people. Needle Points would rather have an entire island.
“It’s an island in your mind,” lead singer Colin Holloway says about their first album’s title, Bom Tugangu. “It’s a happy place.”
By the sounds of it, the album could have been inspired by a wild psychedelic trip. But it actually came from something more natural than that. The five-piece band had only been playing their jangly garage freak-outs for a few months when one day, they decided to bring their four-track recorder into the basement where they practice. It was just to make a demo to help get them more shows. However, that live recording turned out to be their first full-length.
Tycho @ Union Transfer.
Text by Christopher Kurdelski. Images by Teresa McCullough.
Saturday night, Tycho brought their West Coast adaptation of ambient post-rock to the City of Brotherly Love. Front-man Scott Hansen puts as much emphasis on the band’s visual artistry as he does the music, and that was clear from the start. Crisp album iconography and majestic videos were a perfect complement to the clean, chill sound of Tycho.
Gardens and Villa opened the night in front of a sell-out at Union Transfer (after doing an in-store show at a.k.a. music for Record Store Day). Everyone was impressed when their front-man broke out several minutes of flute-supported material.
The main act went right into to their new album’s name-sake, Awake, for the first song of the night. They stayed with the new album for most of the night, perhaps owing to the fact that Tycho as a band is relatively new entity (only recently adding supporting members Zac Brown and Rory O’Connor).
Whether we were watching a kaleidoscopic sun, a cresting tidal wave, or a beautiful, pensive woman wandering through the desert sand dunes, it was easy to submit to the Tycho experience. During the show, there may not have been a single thought of worry amongst the entire crowd.
Welcome to Philadelphia, Tycho. Please come back soon.
Chiodos @ The Trocadero.
Text and images by Rick Kauffman.
It was like 2005 all over again Saturday night at the Trocadero. A reunion of sorts, a new union in other regards, Chiodos made their triumphant return to Philadelphia to a packed house in Chinatown.
With a new lead guitarist in place, Thomas Erak, best known for his work leading the group The Fall of Troy, Chiodos has reformed with the return of lead singer Craig Owens and embarked on a full US and European tour in support of their newest album Devil.
For many in attendance, it was like a reformation of two of their favorite acts during the peak of the post-hardcore phase of the mid-2000s. In September 2005, Chiodos and The Fall of Troy had toured together and made a stop at the Newman Center in Drexel University. Now, nine years later, key leading members of those two acts now have a joint venture to call their own.
Text by Gabi Chepurny. Images by Jesse Marass.
The Theatre of Living Arts was packed to the brim with metal-heads Thursday night in anticipation of the Metal Alliance Tour.
Reading PA, natives, Black Crown Initiate opened the show with some surprisingly whimsical chords that the crowd was totally into. Halfway through their set, two kids dressed in all black and bandanas walked into the center of the crowd and started doing stretches like they were getting ready for gym class when we really knew they were getting ready to rage.
Two-piece Inquisition took the stage next with a surprisingly full sound, considering there was only a drum kit and guitar on stage. The two – vocalist and guitarist Dagon and drummer Incubus – began with what sounded like the intro to a horror movie soundtrack and ended with their song “Infinite Interstellar Genocide,” which sounds exactly the way you’d expect it to.
Fans were as excited when Goatwhore took the stage as they were for the headliners.
“When you’re feeling sick, a little whiskey and a little Robitussin goes a long way,” lead singer Ben Falgoust told the crowd.
He was greeted with the most metal of cheers.
Kwesi K: The Team Player.
Text by Kyle Bagenstose. Images by Darragh Dandurand.
It’s tough to imagine Kwesi Kankam barreling at you full-speed, preparing to knock you to the ground and leave you face-down in the dirt. The 26-year-old songwriter is soft-spoken and unassuming. When he talks, he pauses thoughtfully between each sentence, looking down through the corner of his square-framed glasses. When he sings, his smooth vocals have an instantly soothing effect.
But that doesn’t change the fact that for a good portion of his life, Kankam had the primary objective of running over everyone who stood between him and the end zone.
Growing up in Toledo, Ohio, Kankam excelled athletically and was offered a chance to play Division I football at Lehigh University. He took the offer and landed with a splash, earning starting time and even scoring touchdowns as a freshman. There was just one problem: He couldn’t have cared less.
“I remember being in the locker room before games, thinking something was wrong,” recalls Kankam, who now records as Kwesi K. “Everyone else was hyped up, rowdy as shit, and I’m just really chill in the corner.”
Record Store Day: Creepoid Drops WET.
Text by Michael Bucher. Images by Micheal Bucher, Brandee Nichols and Chad Sims.
After the successful release earlier this month of Creepoid’s self-titled second LP, the band is faced with a question all bands hope to have to ask themselves: can we do this music thing full time?
“We’re right at the point now where I think we’re going to have to make the decision to leave all this behind and hit the road full time,” says Sean Miller, the lead singer and guitar player. “We gotta give our notices and make sure everyone is on the same page.”
Text and images by Darragh Dandurand.
Most of the hummus was gone from the hors d’oeuvre platter in Johnny Brenda’s green-room as Vita and the Woolf, Bird Watcher and Canon Logic all went in and out during sound check. The 13 musicians shared a few short conversations with one another before breaking off for each band’s pre-show ritual.
Front-lady Jennifer Pague and sit-in drummer Al Smith of Cold Fronts opened as Vita and the Woolf, a West Chester-born band making its way onto the Philly scene. Pague’s rhythmic music, influenced by piano-heavy melodies and Thom Yorke-like vocal stylings, had a crowd growing throughout the set. Curious bystanders hanging at the bar made their way toward the stage and swayed in unison as Pague’s fingers ran around her keyboard. She belted out song after song, eyes wrinkled shut as she hit every note she went for in her vintage, bell bottom pantsuit.
Bird Watcher (above) hopped up on stage next, ramming up the energy in the club. The six musicians occasionally had Ashley Cubbler behind the microphone, crooning along with lead guitarist Julian Booker. Sending Americana Rock spitting out of the amps, Bird Watcher had the boozy crowd shaking their hips.
JUMP: The Philly Music Project 