Voss: Straight Outta L-Town.
Text by Chesney Davis. Top images by G.W. Miller III. Bottom images by Darragh Dandurand.
Sweat drips from Philly-based rapper Voss‘ forehead, nose and chin. Dressed simply and chicly in a black tank top, simple gold chain, grey jeans and boat shoes, the 25-year-old rapper bounces from one end of the stage to the other, even jumping off to sing the chorus to his recent single “Tarantino.”
The room is warm and energetic, with fans pressed against the stage upstairs at Milkboy for the MC’s last night of his Reservoir Dogs tour.
Bouncing hands are up in the air and rarely come down, except when Voss closes his set with a word of appreciation for any support and a vow that he will continue creating great music for those who want to hear it.
The crowd wants to hear it and Voss knows why. He says he takes pride in his writing.
“I don’t make fast food rap,” he says of his lyrical ability. “I want to make something you can feast on but you can still enjoy. The taste will hit you right away but then you will taste a new flavor the next week.”
In a career that spans more than 50 years, critically acclaimed South African a capella group Ladysmith Black Mambazo has garnered a number of GRAMMY® nominations and awards (including one this past Sunday for their album Singing for Peace Around the World (Live), which won Best World Music Album) and continue to sell out shows around the world. Our Derrick Krom spoke with Albert Mazibuko, a longtime member of Ladysmith Black Mambazo, which is currently on tour in support of their latest album Always With Us. They’ll perform at the Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on Friday.
You’re currently on tour in support of your latest album Always With Us. What do you enjoy most about performing live?
Performing live this tour gives us a chance to reflect back because the music that we sing — isicathamiya — is a reflection of the kind of music which is sung by women and men together in South Africa. A long time ago, our forefathers worked in the mines and when they would miss home, they would sing this kind of music. To sing these songs is to go back to our roots. It’s very exciting and I’m looking forward to singing the songs we have chosen on stage.
Do you have any special memories about the city of Philadelphia?
I always never forget Philadelphia. I remember when we went there for the first time. It was the summertime in 1987 and we performed outside. We had a great time there. That was when we had time to mingle with the people who were there and met a lot of friends there. I always remember Philadelphia and that day because it was telling us that the world was welcoming us. At the time, it was very difficult for us because it was hard to speak English but people were correcting us and were still so loving and so welcoming. That is when we said, “America is our home away from home.”
Delorean and Mas Ysa @ Johnny Brenda’s.
Text by Andrew Brown. Images by Michael Bucher.
It was very cold this past weekend. Like, 25 degrees, a temperature-that-you’re-excited-for kind of cold. So perhaps it was fitting that the Spanish electronic pop group Delorean wound up in Philadelphia on Sunday. The band did an excellent job of thawing out the frozen masses gathered at Johnny Brenda’s with their warm brand of house-inspired grooves.
Admit it. That New Year’s resolution you declared a few weeks back is like Justin Bieber’s recent career—spiraling out of control in a haze of bad decisions. But there’s hope for you yet. How about a resolution to experience new music? Take some risks, listen to things you’ve never heard before and tune your eyes and ears to worldly, nostalgic, classic and relaxing sounds. Seriously, get off the treadmill, put down the doughnut and treat yourself to something new. – Derrick Krom.
FRIDAY
Vinnie Paz, featuring Army of the Pharaohs, @ Union Transfer
Independent Philly MC Vinnie Paz — frontman of classic Philadelphia hip-hop group Jedi Mind Tricks, part of hip-hop supergroup Army of the Pharaohs and one-half of Heavy Metal Kings (not to mention JUMP winter issue cover boy) — is reuniting with the core members of Army of the Pharaohs for a highly anticipated show at Union Transfer. A full-on Army of the Pharaohs set will follow solo sets by each member. It’s Philly hip-hop at its finest.
Ladysmith Black Mambazo @ Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts
South African a capella group Ladysmith Black Mambazo are one of the most talented and critically acclaimed world music groups on the planet. Celebrating more than 50 years of joyous and uplifting music and coming off a recent GRAMMY® win for Best World Music Album, Ladysmith Black Mambazo are not to be missed.
SATURDAY
Béla Fleck and Brooklyn Rider @ The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts
It’s not every day that you get the chance to experience a live performance from a banjo virtuoso. Béla Fleck is known across genres as the premier banjo player in the world and through his unique blending of musical styles has reinvented the sound and image of the instrument. Fleck will be joined by the contemporary Brooklyn Rider string quartet for an extremely interesting and unforgettable show.
Saved By The 90s Party with The Bayside Tigers @ The Trocadero Theatre
If you’re one of those people who love the ’90s (and in all seriousness, who doesn’t?), then the Troc is the place to be this Saturday. New York City’s Bayside Tigers are a time machine of a band, transporting you back to the time of ripped jeans, boy bands and Boy Meets World. Covering everything from grunge to hip-hop, the Saved By The ’90s Party is bound to be all that and a bag of chips (see what I did there?).
SUNDAY
WHIRR, Nothing and Sad Actor @ Boot & Saddle
Northern California shoegazers WHIRR create effects-filled noise rock that is as heavy as it is beautiful. Using a wall of guitar noise along with faraway vocals, pounding drums and trippy synth, WHIRR — and their dark, Philly shoegazing counterparts Nothing — will help bring your weekend to a peaceful climax. Sad Actor (above) is a new band featuring Kyle Costill and Shorty Boy-Boy. This is an afternoon show, which means you’ll still have time to catch the Big Game.
Young and Sick, and Yellerkin @ Johnny Brenda’s
Young and Sick blend soulful and soothing vocals with electro beats and samples to produce a unique and dreamy sound. Defining itself as a music and art project, Young and Sick turned down major label six-figure deals, releasing their latest single on the dangerous Tor underweb instead. A truly independent group, Young and Sick is bound to be an interesting artistic experience.
The Pizza Underground @ PhilaMOCA.
Text by Chris Diehl. Images by Arin Sang-urai, courtesy of PhilaMOCA.
The atmosphere buzzed with static excitement as the PhilaMOCA crowd’s insatiable appetite grew painful. They chilled comfortably inside the warm depths of Diplo’s former home, the repurposed mausoleum on 12th near Spring Garden, with Pabst Blue Ribbon and Narraganset in hand.
Some danced, others lay slack against the walls but all conversed about a peculiar feeling that brought them out that night. Not Kevin McCallister, Richie Rich, nor any of the childhood relics he has etched into everyone’s memory, but Macaulay Culkin and The Pizza Underground, about to play a full set of Velvet Underground covers layered in pizza referential humor.
twenty | one | pilots, Switchfoot and more @ The Piazza for the Radio 104.5 Winter Jam.
Text by Beth Ann Downey. Images by G.W. Miller III.
Radio 104.5 hosted perhaps its most literal Winter Jam this past Saturday for the thousands who packed into the free event at The Piazza at Schmidt’s. Snow came down steadily for most of the afternoon on fans who’d come to check out the five-band lineup.
Norristown’s An Honest Year opened the show after winning the station’s contest for local bands, beating out Philly acts like Commonwealth Choir and City Rain.
As New York-based electro indie pop duo MS MR took the stage, several members of the crowd started jumping up and down, with both the music and cold being equal motivators. MS MR Vocalist Lizzy Plapinger wowed the crowd with her dark green hair and sultry voice.
The snow continued through alternative pop rock band New Politics‘ set, something they’re probably used to in their native Copenhagen. The weather didn’t inhibit frontman David Boyd’s stage antics as he scaled the scaffolding of the stage and perched atop its roof-like covering at one point during the band’s set.
“I want to be one of you right now, a Philadelphian,” he said.
Switchfoot lead vocalist Jon Foreman (above) felt less kinsmanship with the crowd.
“I’m from Southern California, so I can say that you’re all clinically nuts,” he joked with the thousands of snow-covered onlookers watching the band’s set. “But it’s nice to be nuts with you.”
The band played through their biggest hits like “Meant to Live” and “Dare You to Move,” along with tracks from newer releases including Fading West, their ninth studio album released earlier this month.
And though about an hour behind schedule, headliners twenty | one | pilots took the stage to a still energized crowd around dusk. They put on a rambunctious set that featured numerous ski mask changes, a few flips and lots of crowd sing-alongs.
Ali Wadsworth @ Ortlieb’s for the JUMP Winter Issue Launch Party.
Huge thanks to Ali Wadsworth and everyone who came to Ortlieb’s on Friday for the JUMP winter issue launch party.
The room was packed for Ali’s set, with Satellite Hearts as her back up band and Vanessa Winters from The Lawsuits on harmony.
We started at happy hour and many people stayed well past the 7:30 performance (Ali – who graces the cover of the new issue – was seen later on the stage dancing, and many of the musicians stayed well past midnight).
If you haven’t found a printed copy of the new mag yet, hit us up. We’ll either let you know where they are located near you or we’ll mail copies to you – free of charge.
Text by Gabi Chepurny. Images by Ian Ruckus Watson.
HellPop 2 took over The Trocadero last Friday night, bringing in five metal bands to give the audience a sampler of what the different genres really have to offer.
Spiritual Rez: Bringing The American Edge to Reggae.
Reggae tunes, crazy feet and happiness filled The Blockley in its second to last show before closing forever a few weeks ago.
Responsible for all the euphoria were the rock-reggae band Spiritual Rez. Hailing from Boston, this seven-piece group traveled five hours to perform hits from their second and third studio albums Rising in the East and Nexus including “Vex,” “One Light” and “Alone Again.”
Spiritual Rez’s style is what would happen if Matisyahu and Bob Marley had a musical baby – inspired by heavy and energetic rock, and laced with vibe-worthy reggae rhythmic tones. But that shouldn’t come as a surprise since the the guys met in a Bob Marley class in Berklee College. In fact, that’s their go-to spot when recruiting new members.
Our Niesha Miller met with a few of the Spiritual Rez guys outside the club as one shivered while eating what looked like a potpie?
How did Spiritual Rez come together?
Jesse (bass player): We all met in college, Berklee College of Music in Boston. We were all in the same dorm room and started jamming in the basement there. Came up with the band name in the dorm room, as well. Me and Toft. The clue to what the name means? We were in our dorm doing something (laughs) and the name came out. We were talking about spirituality. We were smoking a little. So Spiritual Rez was born. And then we started crafting the music in the basement. And here we are today.
What are the advantages of studying music in college?
Jesse: The networking, number one. All the people you meet there are the people who can help you with your career because you’re meeting the next group of people everyone’s talking about. Networking, I think, is the musical education.
Intern Derrick’s Weekend Picks: Going Local.
Editor’s Note: We’re pleased to welcome our spring semester intern, Derrick Krom from St. Joseph’s University. Every Tuesday, he’ll be offering you a few suggestions for fun stuff to do for the upcoming weekend. The dude scored points with the boss by adding the JUMP winter issue launch party to his first calendar post. Looks like the kid has a future …
FRIDAY
Belgrade, The Archive and Darling Specter @ Johnny Brenda’s
Philadelphia-based Belgrade will bring their simplistic and shimmering sonic flavor to Johnny Brenda’s this Friday in support of their new album S/T. Energetic and blissful, Belgrade are bound to fill your head with emotionally drenched and reverb-soaked goodness.
A Victim of Good Times, Satellite Go and Lo Power Plane @ North Star Bar
If you’re in the mood for a more guitar-driven night, Philly rock four-piece A Victim of Good Times will be playing at the North Star Bar. Along with the local grooving 60s-influenced group Lo Power Plane, these acts will most definitely quench your thirst for Pixies-esque garage rock.
Shameful self-promotion? I think not. Come join the JUMP writers, editors and photographers as we celebrate the release of our most recent winter issue. Ali Wadsworth (who graces the cover of said issue) will be performing an acoustic set with Satellite Hearts. Not only will there be great music, but drink and food specials as well. AND it’s free!
SATURDAY
Bastards of Earle, Dylan Andre, Chris Zurich and Angel Ocana @ The M-Room
A veteran of the local music scene, Philadelphia native Todd Zamostien is the sole driving force behind the alternative, folk and country tinged Bastards of Earle. Along with a diverse array of musical artists, many of Zamostien’s influences come from the sights and sounds of the city we know and love. Calming and introspective, Bastards of Earle is a must-see.
New Sound Brass Band @ Ortlieb’s
Philadelphia’s own New Sound Brass Band is a mixture of many different backgrounds, personalities and traditions, but the band’s roots will always be planted in Philly. Bringing energy and charisma to Ortlieb’s this Saturday, New Sound Brass Band mixes mummery and gospel to form their own sound, reflecting upon the city and circumstances that surround them.
SUNDAY
The Sun Club, Underwater Country Club, Pill Friends and Pine Barons @ Kung Fu Necktie
The two local acts on this bill (Pill Friends and Underwater Country Club) are bringing a heavy dose of indie rock to Kung Fu Necktie this Sunday. A self-proclaimed “death pop” band, Pill Friends provide a minimalist and deeply emotional listen, while Underwater Country Club are a much more lighthearted outfit that uses heavy percussion and swirling melodies to back their poignant lyrics. Both bands are great examples of Philly’s unique and growing indie scene, as are the Pine Barons (even though they rep Jersey).
Widow Maker Social Club, Pro Post Time, Snagwing and Candice Martello @ The Fire
It’s usually pretty hard to find something to do on a Sunday night. But rather than getting miserable in preparation for the inevitable day-that-must-not-be-named tomorrow, check out these local opening indie acts at The Fire. The combination of sweet ukulele singer/songwriter Candice Martello, up-tempo acoustic-heavy Snagwing, electro alt-art-rockers Pro Post Time and folkie pop rock headliners Widow Maker Social Club will inevitably leave you feeling better about the week ahead.
JUMP: The Philly Music Project 