Philly Music Matters Showcase @ The TLA, Featuring Maitland, Sauce, Dear Althea and Angela Everwood.
Text and images by Tyler Horst.
A few talented local acts finally saw their names on the marquee at the Theater of the Living Arts on Friday night for the venue’s very first Philly Music Matters Local Showcase. While the house may not have been packed, the crowd made up for it in dedication what it lacked in volume.
Four Awesome Music Parties for New Year’s Eve.
New Year’s Eve celebrations can be hit or miss. It’s hard to live up to the hype, you know? Here are four events for the last day of 2013 where you will at least be guaranteed to hear good music – and probably have a hell of a good time.
The Lawsuits, TJ Kong & the Atomic Bomb and Commonwealth Choir @ Milkboy
Three amazingly talented bands that are great for making people move.
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, Juston Stens & The Get Real Gang and Pine Barons @ The North Star Bar
CYHSY were the it band a few years ago. Juston Stens was part of Dr. Dog for a long time. And John Vettese from WXPN’s The Key just named Pine Barons as his number one discovery of 2013.
West Philadelphia Orchestra, Johnny Showcase and The Extraordinaires @ Underground Arts
Lots of brass, attitude and good music.
Philly Bloco @ World Cafe Live
Ending the year with a Brazilian Carnival-type dance party? Oh yeah. These guys are great fun whenever they play but expect them to go crazy for the biggest party night of the year.
Ben Davis: From The Backyard to The Big Stage.
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 spoke to Ben Davis of DCS Concerts, the bookers at the Hard Rock Cafe. Davis has been part of the team that has changed the Hard Rock from a mostly-tourist hangout to a venue that spotlights area talent.
Ben and Jake Davis knew they were on to something when a few hundred people showed up at their family home in Marlton, NJ for a multi-band music festival back in 2006.
Ben was in college and Jake had just graduated from Cherokee High School but this was not your average high school or college bash. The Davis brothers set up a stage with high-end sound equipment and they had Porta Potties on site. They sold burgers and beer and they carded people who entered the property at $5 per person. All of the money went to pay the bands, Ben recalls.
“We definitely didn’t do it for the money,” he says. “It was about coming up with an idea and executing it. There was something really satisfying about doing something where everyone had fun.”
Until the cops arrived and shut down the party, that is (despite their parents being on hand). Still, it was a life-altering moment.
WIN FREE TICKETS! See No Bunny, Dead Meadow or Russian Circles @ Underground Arts in 2014.
We’re working with the folks at one of our favorite joints, Underground Arts, and we’ll be giving away a ton of tickets to their shows in the coming weeks.
Today we have tickets for three great shows in 2014: No Bunny (above) on February 7, Dead Meadow on February 12 and Russian Circles (below) with KEN mode and Inter Arma on February 19.
Like us on facebook and email us at FreeJumpStuff@gmail.com to enter to win a pair of tickets per show (give us your name and put “No Bunny,” “Dead Meadow” or “Russian Circles” in the subject line).
Tickets for the No Bunny and Dead Meadow went on sale today. Russian Circles tickets will go on sale Friday. See the Underground Arts page for details (or click the links above).
Ola Solanke: The Next Generation of The Arts Garage.
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 hung out with Ola Solanke, the owner of Francisville’s The Arts Garage, an incubator for local music talent.
Ola Solanke was an insurance company executive when he arrived in Philadelphia in 1990. Soon after moving to the city, he noticed a void in the arts scene.
“There weren’t that many venues that were offering performance space,” Solanke says. “People were working out of basements and ill-equipped restaurants and coffeehouses.”
Philly Hip-Hop Awards @ The TLA.
Images by Kevin Cook.
The annual Philly Hip-Hop Awards hit the TLA Sunday, with more than 30 artists being recognized. Chill Moody walked away with the Artist of The Year title. K.Dot Da Showstoppa (above) was named the Male Rap Artist of The Year and Asia Sparks won the female counterpart. DJ Damage was named Hustler of The Year.
JUMP mag was named Best Magazine, and we are truly humbled. Find a full list of winners here.
Jessica Hernandez & The Deltas @ Milkboy.
Text and images by Kyle Bagenstose.
You know those strange little corners of your mind, where imagination and emotions hideaway together until something sparks their release? You wake from an odd dream, or get hit with a case of déjà vu, and for a moment reality gives way to wonder.
That seems to be the creative force driving Detroit-based singer Jessica Hernandez, who performs backed by a collection of musicians known as the Deltas. The group hit Milkboy on Sunday night, treating a low-key crowd to a performance that blended elements of rock, soul and jazz.
The main attraction throughout the performance was Hernandez’s powerful, soulful voice (often drawing comparisons to Amy Winehouse), and energetic stage presence. The set started by showcasing both in “No Place Left to Hide,” in which a pounding drum beat provided a launching pad for Hernandez’s raw vocals.
DJ Ben Arsenal: Form North Philly To WorldTown.
Text by Morgan James. Images by Timothy Becker.
In the basement of the architecturally impressive Window Factory Arts –yesteryear’s North Philly industrial beacon repurposed as a collection of arts studios, DJ Ben Arsenal has created a den for multi-genre production called Elevate Sound Studio, home of the WorldTown party movement.
Zoe Keating @ World Cafe Live.
Text and images by Matthew Leister.
When talking to the audience between songs, Zoe Keating felt the need to apologize for Ariège, her cello. “He” is named after a region in Southern France where he was found. But he has spent most of his life in Northern California. Apparently, he is almost always in tune unless it is cold outside.
“He’s very French,” Keating joked.
WIN FREE TICKETS! The Disco Biscuits @ The Electric Factory in February!
The Disco Biscuits will perform three straight nights at the Electric Factory in February. Tickets go on sale tomorrow at noon but we’re giving away tickets to the opening night now!
Like JUMP on facebook and email us at FreeJumpStuff@gmail.com to enter you to win a pair of tickets (give us your name and put “Biscuits” in the subject line). Winners will be announced at 9:30 am Friday.
JUMP: The Philly Music Project 