James Vincent McMorrow @ Union Transfer.
Text by Laura Fanciullacci. Images by Grace Dickinson.
As the audience gazed upon the intricately set up stage, scattered with illuminated, color-altering pyramids, patiently waiting for James Vincent McMorrow to appear, one would have never guessed that this show almost did not happen.
When the Irish singer-songwriter took the stage, he quickly explained that his drummer had to back out last minute because of a personal engagement, so a majority of the Union Transfer show was thrown together during the course of only one day.
Texas Hippie Coalition, Anti-Mortem and More @ The TLA.
Text by Gabi Chepurny. Images by Ian Ruckus Watson.
Southern metal heads arrived in small numbers at the TLA last Wednesday night, but the bands performed like they were in front of a packed stadium, bringing hard riffs and a little Southern twang to the stage.
The Dillinger Escape Plan @ Union Transfer.
Text and images by Rick Kauffman.
The Dillinger Escape Plan played the Union Transfer on Friday and they smashed everything. The end.
But, wait, there’s more.
Pattern is Movement @ Boot & Saddle.
Text by Laura Fanciullacci. Images by Grace Dickinson.
At one point on Thursday night, Andrew Thiboldeaux of Pattern is Movement requested that the lights be turned down a bit. And then a bit more. A soft red glow hung upon the stage as the crowd collectively lent their ears, trying to anticipate what was to come.
“Our next song is a cover,” Chris Ward, Pattern is Movement’s lively percussionist, told the people packed in at Boot & Saddle. “You guys cool if we get sexy? Are you ready to get sexy?”
Quickly the room was transported to a warm summertime day as Thiboldeaux belted out a soulful D’Angelo cover, “Untitled (How Does It Feel?),” showing off his falsetto vocal range, which trailed gently over the bobbing heads of the audience.
The Districts and Hurray For The Riff Raff @ World Cafe Live for the Free At Noon Show.
If you’ve been wondering if all that primal growling that Rob Grote, frontman of The Districts, does night in and night out ever catches up to him, the answer is a soft, scratchy yes.
Taking the stage for a WXPN Free at Noon session today at the World Cafe Live, Grote could barely speak between songs, his apologies to the audience nearly indiscernible. But luckily for the capacity crowd waiting to hear the young band from North Philly via Lititz, Pa., Grote’s condition did nothing to stop The Districts from rocking the house with their high energy brand of indie rock.
Fresh off a successful trip to SXSW, The Districts fired off a six-song set that was loud from start to finish. Grote had the audience’s attention from the beginning, as he heaved from foot to foot with his back to the audience, seemingly stalking his shadow and increasing his inner amplitude before launching into the opening “Lyla.”
Mike B. @ SXSW: Scenes From Day Three, With Amanda X, Chill Moody, Cheers Elephant and More.
Our Michael Bucher spent a few days at SXSW and he’s only now recovering. Here are his dispatches from his journey.
Philly’s three-piece punk band Amanda X made the journey to Austin for their first SXSW. And for drummer Tiff Yoon, it was more like an odyssey.
With only two open seats on the first standby flight out of Philly that Thursday morning, bass player Kat Bean and guitarist Cat Park left behind Yoon and a friend of the band to get the next available flight. The flights were all filling up.
Tiff and her friend even tried taking a train to Newark International airport but a fire in New York City that day delayed the train.
“We left at three am and she got there 15 minutes before our set at nine,” said Kat. “She was just a shell of a human being.”
Our Michael Bucher spent a few days at SXSW and he’s only now recovering. Here are his dispatches from his journey.
G. Love (above) performed on top of Austin’s Whole Foods on Friday morning. I don’t think I’d ever heard one of his songs before.
He was apparently born in Society Hill and his dad is was a lawyer. He has the strangest accent, so I would have never guessed he’s from Philly. It’s like a some sort of beach bum/cowboy vibe.
His first song was about coffee, I think. People seemed to like it, giving little excited yelps during his performance. Later he tried convincing the crowd that Whole Foods should carry his personal barbecue sauce.
Later, I saw Macaulay Culkin perform(?) in the Velvet Underground tribute band with a twist called Pizza Underground. It’s five piece kinda playing the music of Velvet Underground but they replace the lyrics with pizza themed stories.
I think I need to live in New York, where the band is based, to really get the appeal. Actually, it seemed like most of the audience was just there to gawk at Culkin. I saw two women waiting in the back where the band was unloading pointing and whispering “Do you see him. Oh there he is.” Read more…
Our Michael Bucher spent a few days at SXSW and he’s only now recovering. Here are his dispatches from his journey.
Kurt Vile (above) played a solo acoustic set at Clive bar on Rainey Street the Thursday night of SXSW. It was a mellow vibe but I was a little disappointed that the rest of the band wasn’t there. Never having seen him perform before, I had been looking forward to getting the full Kurt Vile and the Violaters experience.
His brother, Paul, sat behind Kurt on the edge of the stage,with a stained Flaming Lips t-shirt and a blank expression on his face.
Rick @ SXSW: Southwork Grooving Across The Country.
Text and images by Rick Kauffman.
Where in the world is Southwork?
As of last week, the boys — six deep on a month-long trek to SXSW and back — were just finishing up a gig in Cincinnati on a whirlwind tour that saw them play more than 11 shows in Austin, TX alone.
On the first night of festivities at SXSW, the techno-color, jumpsuited dreamsquad, Southwork, were all in a line marching down 6th street carrying a snare drum, a psychedelic Steven Tyler-esque mic stand and other odds and ends.
They were hard to miss, even a thousand miles from Philadelphia.
There are plenty of things that come to mind when I think about the city of Philadelphia. You have 
cheesesteaks, sports teams and that whole founding of a democratic nation thing, but there’s more to our city than those simple stereotypes. One thing plenty of people seem to overlook is that there’s music, and lots of it. Believe it or not, Philly also has one of the greatest and fastest growing underground punk and alternative scenes in the nation. Not only do we spawn some sick bands, but we host a few too. So, this weekend is dedicated to punk. To paraphrase the late, great Kurt Cobain, the worst crime is faking it, and one thing is for sure: Philadelphia doesn’t fake a damn thing.- Derrick Krom
FRIDAY
Mumblr, Lizard Police, Cold Foamers and Idiot Kid at Kung Fu Necktie
A four-piece “rotten fuzz punk band from Philly,” Mumblr encourages you to “do whatever you want, whenever you want.” The band’s latest EP, Bang Bang, features everything from high-energy fuzz freak-outs to slow and steady space outs, a mix of textures that will surely carry over to their next full length, Full of Snakes. Oklahoma punkers Lizard Police and Philly rockers Cold Foamers and Idiot Kid round out the bill.
SKATERS and Team Spirit at Boot & Saddle
Coming off the release of their full-length debut album Manhattan and an appearance at SXSW last month, New York alt-rock quartet SKATERS have been on a meteoric rise since their inception in 2012. With catchy hooks, crafty songwriting and energetic live shows, SKATERS are not to be missed. Brooklyn indie rock/soul/pop four-piece Team Spirit will also help kick off the night this Saturday at Boot & Saddle.
SATURDAY
Legendary punk band Pure Hell —“The World’s First Original All Black Punk Rock Band”— was formed right here in Philadelphia yo years ago during the punk rock explosion felt throughout the Western world. True pioneers of the genre, Pure Hell will be playing the Trocadero Theatre this Saturday along with a number of local acts. Dub-meets-punk outfit Blayer Pointdujour & The Rockers Galore, rock bands MACH22 and Joe Jordan’s Experiment and punk/hip-hop four-piece Rebelmatic will open.
Come As You Are: A Night of Nirvana and Other Grunge Hits at Ortlieb’s (FREE!)
If you’re looking for something free, stop by Ortlieb’s in Northern Liberties this Saturday night for “Come As You Are,” an event hosted by DJ Brandon Setta. Setta will be spinning Nirvana tracks and other grunge classics to celebrate the life of Kurt Cobain on the 20th anniversary of the singer and guitarist’s death. And if you’re looking for something a little different, make sure to show up early and catch the New York-based funk, groove and jazz band The Wali Sanga.
SUNDAY
Pachangacha, Mike Bell & The Movies, All Bad and Loose Tooth at Mt. Thrashmore
There’s really no better way to experience a true Philadelphia punk show than by witnessing an up close and personal concert in the basement of a house turned music venue. Located in West Philly, Mt. Thrashmore will play host to fuzzed-out 90s-drenched New England rockers Pachangacha, Philly pop punkers Mike Bell & The Movies and All Bad and local rock trio Loose Tooth.
Dave Hause and Northcote at World Café Live
Dave Hause is a native Philadelphian and veteran of the local hardcore/punk scene who has played in bands such as Step Ahead, The Curse, Paint It Black and The Loved Ones. Over the past few years Hause has focused on his solo career, creating blue-collar rock songs with folk and punk undertones that can be heard on his latest album, last year’s Devour. Even though Hause has since moved to California, he’ll be coming back home with a full band to perform at World Café Live along with Northcote (aka Matt Goud).
JUMP: The Philly Music Project 