The Both: Aimee Mann and Ted Leo Throw a Grenade.
Text by Rick Kauffman.
When it comes to the forces of attraction, covalent bonds or gravitation pull, it’s the mass and distance between objects that matters the most. Like the space that separates atoms or the gaps between celestial bodies – one universe within the other over and over again – we rotate, we dance, we join and we collide.
Take two musical powerhouses, both of whom have garnered their own gravitational pull through spectacular outbursts of sight and sound. Sound may not carry in deep space but here on Earth, those waves come crashing.
In the instance of Aimee Mann and Ted Leo, who each earned their stripes over decades of writing and touring, their bond was formed of friendship and musical kinship. Thus, as spectacularly as an atom is born, The Both was formed and a new musical odyssey has begun.
Intern Derrick’s Weekend Picks: Something For Everyone.
Throughout the decades, Philadelphia has been grinding out its own place on America’s musical map. From classic soul to jazz to the current burgeoning hip-hip and underground punk scenes, our great city has contributed a lot to the sonic landscape of popular music. No matter where you are on a Saturday night in Philadelphia, you’re always bound to be a few blocks away from great 
live music, and this weekend is a weekend to celebrate Philly’s musical diversity. With punk, hip-hop, jazz, indie and rock acts playing throughout the city, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t hit the town and hear something great. No matter your musical tastes, Philly always has something to offer. – Derrick Krom
FRIDAY
The Holy Mess, Chumped and Likers at Kung Fu Necktie
A punk rock outfit from Philadelphia, The Holy Mess plans to annihilate Kung Fu Necktie in typical fashion this Friday night. With a new record coming this summer, The Holy Mess has new material in the works and is bound to put on an awesome show. NYC punkers Chumped and Philly pop rockers Likers round out the bill.
The Black Lips and Natural Child at Union Transfer
On tour in support of their latest record Underneath the Rainbow, The Black Lips will be bringing their hectic, unpredictable, theatrical and high-energy show to Union Transfer. Years of recording and touring definitely haven’t slowed down the Atlantic punk rock foursome. Nashville rock and roll band Natural Child will open the night.
SATURDAY
As part of Jazz Appreciation Month, the 3rd Annual Center City Jazz Festival will be taking place this Saturday. Attendees can expect a jam-packed schedule of 16 talented jazz bands and artists performing at four different venues, all within walking distance of each other. One ticket provides access to all the performances during the six-hour event.
Philly Loves Def Jam featuring DJ Scratch, Mike Nyce and Mr. Sonny James at Johnny Brenda’s
Brought to you by Flygirrl and gL Productions, Johnny Brenda’s will be hosting Philly Loves Def Jam, “a night of classics from one of the greatest music catalogues in history.” Hosted by West Philly hip-hop artist Chill Moody, the night will feature DJ Scratch of EPMD and opening DJ sets by Mike Nyce and Mr. Sonny James.
SUNDAY
New Madrid and DRGN KING at Boot & Saddle
Hailing from Athens, Georgia, “underwater-psych-rock” four-piece New Madrid is currently on tour in support of their second full-length album Sunswimmer. The expansive and experimental psych and noise band will be joined at Boot & Saddle by local Philadelphia psychedelic/dance/rock/indie band and collaborative project DRGN KING.
Mount Carmel, St. James and The Apostles, Harsh Vibes and Village at MilkBoy Philly
With the recent release of their newest album Get Pure, Ohio blues-rock trio Mount Carmel will be bringing their vintage sound to MilkBoy Philly this Sunday night. The band will also be supported by three local Philadelphia acts: psychedelic garage rock power trio St. James and The Apostles, fuzzed-out shoegazers Harsh Vibes and blues-driven psych rockers Village. It’ll be a great way to put an end to your weekend.
London Grammar @ Underground Arts.
Text and images by Grace Dickinson.
London Grammar’s Hannah Reid was struggling to keep her voice strong this past weekend as she sang to the packed crowd swarming Underground Arts on Saturday night. Minus the slight brevity of the set, however, it’s doubtful you would’ve ever guessed, had this not been addressed aloud.
“After this, we head to DC,” said Reid following a forewarning that her voice was starting to go. “And then I’m going to sleep for three days straight.”
Zilla Rocca: It Started In The Alley.
Text by Christopher Malo. Images by Marie Alyse Rodriguez.
“The desk was a wreck. Dagget sagged to his knees. He stayed there, kneeling as though in fervent supplication. Then very slowly he shook his head, sadly refusing the supplicant. As he got to his feet, it seemed he was falling instead of rising. There was a certain dullness in his eyes, a certain look that said, It’s the escalator going down and where it stops don’t matter.”
-“Fire in the Flesh,” David Goodis
Times were rough. And they didn’t look as if they were going to be getting easier anytime soon. Deserted, betrayed, alone. The walls weren’t caving in. They had collapsed. Anything he had worked to build was destroyed. The streets of South Philadelphia were strewn with the type of garbage you pretend not to see but can’t ignore. And the one he loved, whom he had truly loved and devoted his life to, had slipped through his fingers. Yet again.
The love affair had began back when he was younger. They had bumped into each other in the South Philadelphia neighborhood where he was raised, but their attraction was a forbidden one.
“I’m coming from a super white, Italian or Irish neighborhood where racism was the shit,” says the Philadelphia MC Zilla Rocca, 31, reflecting on years long past, when he lived near 3rd and Tasker streets. “Booming business back then. I couldn’t overtly wave my hip-hop flag. It was acceptable to like rap in small doses back then.”
Attending school in Center City at Roman Catholic High School gave Zilla a reprieve from the people, places and customs that surrounded him in his own neighborhood. Not that it was bad, but he now had exposure to other kids from other cultures, from other parts of Philadelphia. And to kids who could wave that flag. Peers who didn’t come from the same area, but liked Black Moon and Fat Joe. It was the start of not being ashamed of his feelings of affection.
Sitting in an SUV on Pearl Street, the alleyway that runs behind his alma matter, Zilla eyes the stone exterior of the school that plays a major character in his story. The alley in the heart of the city may look benign on a warm winter afternoon, but the reality of what pulsed through the vein was much colder. It was here he would trade off tapes like Heltah Skeltah or OutKast with kids of different races or from different parts of the city. There was a network of guys who were up on some shit.
“I couldn’t do that in South Philly,” Zilla reminisces.
Cheerleader @ Milkboy.
It was only appropriate that the weather was gorgeous on Saturday. Milkboy had their ground floor windows wide open and customers spilled out to the sidewalk. Before the doors opened for the second-floor show featuring X Ambassadors, Parade of Light and Cheerleader, the line of people waiting to enter ran down the entire city block.
Moments after everyone flooded into the long, narrow venue, Cheerleader burst out their handful of summer-sounding, electro-pop tunes. The crowd was most likely there to see the later bands, as Cheerleader has little music online except for a three-song demo and a video. But the crowd pushed right up to the stage and everyone was treated to the joyful sounds from the five-piece band.
Cheerleader has only been around for about a year but they have garnered a lot of media attention – from NME, MTV and elsewhere. They did the SXSW thing this year and they have played a handful of shows in Philly. For a band in their early stages, however, they sounded very polished.
During their set, they seemed into the music as they bounced around the stage. Frontman Joe Haller occasionally spoke to the crowd but for the most part, the bandmates just jammed out their upbeat music.
It was back-to-back nights for synth and guitar player Josh Pannepacker, who performed on Friday at Boot and Saddle with one of his other bands, Sad Actor. During the Cheerleader set, Josh’s guitar rocked a sticker from Shorty Boy-Boy, another of his projects.
Cheerleader will head to the UK this summer to perform, and they expect to release new music soon.
Biggest Party of The Year! The Return of Plastic Little, with Sweatheart and Needle Points. Plus DJ GUN$ Garcia!
This will be a blast. And it’s only $3 if you register online before the show.
In addition to Plastic Little, Sweatheart, Needle Points and DJ GUN$ Garcia, we’ll have surprise guests and lots of giveaways (which we’ll announce over the next few days).
The Sounds @ Union Transfer.
Text and images by Mina Lee.
Swedish indie rockers The Sounds left their fans speechless and sweaty at the Union Transfer on Tuesday evening.
Each member was synchronized to formulate a raucous performance, the result of 16 years performing together as a band. Lead singer Maja Ivarsson seduced members of their audience at multiple times throughout the set, singling out characters for her to play dominatrix to for a few brief, yet scandalous seconds. Displaying limitless energy, Ivarsson went through her arsenal of stage moves including frequent roundhouse kicks and upper-cuts to the mic. Countless cigarettes were smoked by Ivarsson throughout the show, showing no lack of comfort while on stage.
Restless bodies ground into one another unabashedly as hits like “Tony the Beat” and “Shake Shake Shake” were performed with flawless and effortless execution.
The Sounds created a singular body of passionate, screaming and shameless dance-like-you’re-alone movements out of a ragtag audience of all ages.
Wussy, Josh Olmstead Band and Bastards of Earle @ MilkBoy.
Text by Derrick Krom. Images by Chris Fascenelli.
A band’s first gig is always a special occasion, and on a rainy Thursday night at MilkBoy Philly last week, Bastards of Earle hit the ground running and didn’t look back.
The Philadelphia band – headed by Todd Zamostien on vocals and guitar along with guitarist Hank Foreman and the solid rhythm section of bassist and drummer Brett and Bart Riley – have yet to release any music. But if their live debut was any indication of their studio sound, they’ll be just fine.
Looking sharp and stylish on stage, Zamostien got the crowd of mostly friends and family to “come a little closer” and with a “let’s do this,” kicked off the set with a driving rock number. A mix of vintage and modern rock sounds, Bastards of Earle’s set grooved from beginning to end.
Awe Fox: From Tigerbeats To The Glow.
Here’s the fourth installment of our monthly mixtape series, which is curated by GUN$ Garcia. Today she brings us DJs Awe Fox and Tygerstrype, the guys behind Magic Death Sounds Record Company.
They hold a regular party, The Glow. The next event is on Friday at Barbarella. See here for details.
Our Holli Stephens spoke with Dan Kauffman, aka Awe Fox, about his start as a DJ and how his music career has evolved.
How did you get your start as a DJ?
I guess in public I started DJing for Tigerbeats at The Barbary and before that, I would DJ at house parties that I would throw along with my friend Tony Mont. I’ve always been playing music to people and then it just evolved to different methods of equipment. One day, Tony and I were asked to be resident DJs at the weekly party Tigerbeats at The Barbary.
Who are your DJ influences?
Right off the top of my head? Local DJ ISL (Ian Saint Laurent), who is a friend of mine. Because of that, I’ve been able to see him DJ so much over the past three years and every time, I’m so impressed by his huge selection. It’s truly inspiring to me since I’m a younger DJ and I it try to keep things fresh and learn how to do everything better. So him and honestly my partner, Gabriel Guerrero, who’s from LA and in a band with his roommate Alden Towler called tygerstrype. They just finished their second album and I’m so excited for it to come out. Not only is he a brilliant musician, singer and dancer, but he has such a unique style of DJing. We have a really good balance when we’re doing The Glow together. He plays a lot of stuff that I never would think to play. And when we’re doing The Glow, we alternate sets and he just gives me so much to work off of.
What are your expectations for this week’s party?
For this specific The Glow, they are pretty high. At The Barbary, how it works is that there’s always two parties – one upstairs and one downstairs. So The Glow will be happening upstairs. The party downstairs is a very successful punk and rock ‘n’ roll party called Guitar Army. I’m usually at this even if I’m working or DJing. I’m excited to pair the digital Internet weirdness dance party with the old school style punk stuff downstairs. It’s going to be an interesting mix.
So how did The Glow start? Read more…
If you’re anything like me, it’s been awhile since you’ve been able to enjoy being outside. Snow, rain and clouds were becoming a large part of our everyday lives. There was even a dark period last month when I forgot the sun was a thing. But all that has changed because spring is in the air. The sun is shining, the birds are chirping, baseball is back in season and we couldn’t be happier. If you’re looking for an excuse to finally get out of the house, why not spend a day out on the town and cap it off with a live show this weekend? As you know, Philly always hosts a number of great musicians and bands so go ahead and treat yourself. Trust me, it’s safe to come outside again.- Derrick Krom
FRIDAY
Work Drugs and Teen Men at Boot & Saddle
Kick off your weekend with Work Drugs, a Philadelphia-based “sedative-wave/smooth-fi” outfit helmed by Thomas Crystal and Benjamin Louisiana. A dream pop duo that is sure to give you that springtime feeling, Work Drugs will be touring in support of their latest album Insurgents. Teen Men, a visually enticing collaboration between two musicians and two visual artists, will also be on the bill.
Bang, Serpent Throne and The Company Corvette at Johnny Brenda’s
If you like things a little heavier, make sure to stop by Johnny Brenda’s this Friday night and catch proto-metal legends Bang play their first hometown show in over 40 years. Despite the briefness of their initial career (1969-1973), Bang were at the forefront of the music movement later known as heavy metal. Joining the band’s resurrection are local hard rock acts Serpent Throne and The Company Corvette.
SATURDAY
Phlight School, the local self-sufficient hip-hop collective, will be putting on its first official showcase this Saturday night at The Fire hosted by “The Gathering” MC Fame Vasquez and featuring all members of its roster. Each member of the collective will be backed musically by Phlight School creator and resident DJ Philly Will, from the hip-hop artistry of Chris Vance to the eclectic singer-songwriter LaBré Tyler.
The Shackeltons, Hot Jam Factory and A Deer A Horse at Ortlieb’s
Recent winner of Indie Punk Band of the Year at the Third Annual Tri State Indie Awards, The Shackeltons will be bringing its energetic live show to Ortlieb’s. Touring behind their latest album Records, The Shackeltons are bound to play the small stage as if it were an arena. Pennsylvania rockers Hot Jam Factory and Brooklyn indie trio A Deer A Horse will play support Saturday night.
SUNDAY
Andy Suzuki & The Method and Jessica Carvo at World Café Live
Hailing from New York City, independent folk/rock/blues band Andy Suzuki & The Method will be playing upstairs at World Café Live this Sunday in support of their latest definitive full-length crowd-funded album, Born Out of Mischief. Having already played a number of national and international shows, the songwriting trio is gaining a large following. Fellow NYC pop-folk singer-songwriter Jessica Carvo will support.
Critically acclaimed Philadelphia-by-way-of Scranton punk band and JUMP cover stars The Menzingers don’t release their latest album Rented World until April 22nd. But you have the chance to hear the new album in its entirety this Sunday night (for free!). Along with the listening party, Boot & Saddle will play host to Rust Belt rockers Scumbag Petty and Philadelphia rock band The Paper Shakers.
Please note this is NOT a Menzingers gig … but still an awesome chance to hear the new album along with some great live music.
JUMP: The Philly Music Project 
