Philadelphia

The Deli’s Death Comes Close to Philly Ticket Giveaway Contest!

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Damn that was a lot of snow! We know that you’ve probably been getting a little cabin fever. Well, we have something for you to look forward to from our friends at Matador Records. We’d like to send you and someone that you can have a shit load of fun with to what will probably be Cold Cave’s last appearance in the area for a while on Saturday, February 20 at Haverford College. They’ll be heading out on national/international tours that will keep them busy at least until the summer, which includes European gigs opening for The Editors as well as a stint in The Far East before coming back to Europe again. So if you’d like to win a pair of tickets to see Cold Cave before they get too huge, send us an email at thedelimagazinephiladelphia@gmail.com to enter our Death Comes Close to Philly TICKET GIVEAWAY CONTEST! We’ll also giveaway a vinyl copy of their 12” single Death Comes Close to the runner-up. You can check out dates for Cold Cave’s current U.S. tour below. – The Deli Staff

U.S. TOUR DATES:
2/4 — Mercury Lounge — New York, NY
2/5 — Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar — Charlottesville, VA
2/6 — Pilot LIght — Knoxville, TN
2/7 — Local 506 — Chapel Hill, NC
2/9 — Blackbooth — Orlando, FL
2/10 — Crowbar — Tampa, FL
2/11 — 529 — Atlanta, GA
2/12 — Calendonia Lounge — Athens, GA
2/13 — Studio B — Greensboro, NC
2/16 — Wasted Space — Las Vegas, NV
2/18 — Echoplex — Los Angeles, CA
2/20 — Haverford College — Haverford, PA
2/21 — Mohawk Place — Buffalo, NY
2/22 — Garfield Artworks — Pittsburgh, PA
2/23 — Grog Shop — Cleveland, OH
2/24 — Crofoot Ballroom — Pontiac, MI
2/25 — Empty Bottle — Chicago, IL
2/26 — Project Lodge — Madison, WI
2/27 — Canopy Club/Club Void — Urbana, IL
2/28 — Al’s Bar — Lexington, KY

Portland

Band of the Month Nominee Spotlight: Wampire

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It took me a long time to warm up to indie music. I am traditionally more of a metal/psychobilly/rock chick than a grandpa’s sweater-wearing/obsessed-with-skinny-boys-in-flannels/indie chick. I like it rough and hard (that’s what she said), and indie music seems to have this reputation among my crowd of being, well, music for pussies.

So what made me come around? Two words: Vampire Weekend. I reviewed Vampire Weekend’s debut for the Eugene Weekly a couple years ago, way before they were signed to a record label, and not only was I into their geek-chic look, but I really dug the great twist they put on the traditional indie sound. That’s what makes a good band regardless of the genre, their ability to experiment and take a risk with their music.

Take the local band Wampire; they have taken the indie look and sound, thrown in some crazy Afro and Doo-wop beats, and then blended them all together to make one hell of a Wampire cocktail. I don’t really dig a guy that wears a kitten on his sweater and size 25 jeans, but I am down for some catchy beats and a great cover of Kraftwerk’s “Das Modell.”

Wampire is three guys that make sweet sweaty love to their music. These are the type of guys that turn any situation into a jam session and turn any utensil into an instrument. It is obvious that they make the kind of music that they and their friends would want to hear, not what they think is going to be “popular.”

I thank these guys for contributing to my growing belief that indie music isn’t just for whiny ass pussies.

– Deanna Uutela

Philadelphia

Weekend Warrior, February 5 – 7

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If you happen to be in West Philly and have no fear of the forecasted blizzard this weekend, be on the lookout for a smorgasbord of all sorts of mind-warping sounds. First, kicking off their New England tour which includes an opening slot with Yeasayer at Bowery Ballroom, is Bobo, whose brand of weird electro-rock, replete with tongue-in-cheek vocals and retro synths, sounds like what would happen if the Residents or Ween dedicated themselves to dance music. Then, there’s Mirador, an act that produces chiming, intricate instrumentals for a more prog-oriented electronica sound. And of course, there’s The Love Club, a blast of 60’s inspired psychedelia and garage rock, reminiscent of all the best Nuggets compilations, but fresher and stranger. Come see all of these fellas, as well as Prince Rama, White Lodge, and Peace, Loving over at the Danger Danger Gallery’s new next-door neighbors. Young Love Vintage Clothing and Vinyl, 5011 Baltimore Ave, 8pm, Donations, All Ages younglovesphilly.blogspot.com/
 
What else is going on this weekend if the snow doesn’t force everything to cancel…
 
Johnny Brenda’s (1201 N. Frankford Ave.) FRI The Asteroid #4, The Sounds of Kaleidoscope, Lux Perpetua, SAT The Armchairs (RESCHEDULED for April)

North Star Bar (2639 Poplar St.) FRI Andrew Lipke and The Prospects

The Khyber (56 S. 2nd St.) SAT The Strychnine Babies, Live Not On Evil

M Room (12 W. Girard Ave.) FRI Steve Yutzy-Burkey (of The Swimmers)

World Café Live (3025 Walnut St.) SAT (Upstairs) Kidrockers w/Jukebox the Ghost (RESCHEDULED to 4/10), Late – Mason Porter (CD Release Party)

Blockley Pourhouse (3801 Chestnut St.) FRI Cheers Elephant, Oso, Filmstar

Green Line Café (4426 Locust St.) SAT Dragonzord

Tritone (1508 South St.) FRI Atomic Age and McRad, SAT The Broken Prayers

 
The Fire (412 W. Girard Ave.) SAT Haiti Relief Benefit w/West Philadelphia Orchestra, The Mighty Paradocs, Big Attack, Mirador
 
Lickety Split (401 South St.) FRI The Lizards from Mars

 
New England

the le duo iNprov Sunday @ Radio Bean 9pm

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The grand statement of the weekend will be made by free-improv collective, the le duo, by stripping their profusely collaborative sound back down to square one–letting the whole damn thing go. Improvisation. Expect the best of Burlington’s experimental music scene to be on stage with the le duo leader, JB Ledoux, to create who knows what. It will be mind bending and the drum will be beating, but other than that there’s no telling what pot of noise will be stirred up at the Bean Sunday night. A Snake in the Garden will be opening the night at 9pm with the waves of noise and Lawrence Welks and Our Bear 2X will be closing out the shin dig–should be a good one. The iNprov will actually be three part deal with February 14th and 21st also playing host to the le duo and friends.

Radio Bean
8 N. Winooski Ave
Burlington, VT 05401

—The Deli Staff

L.A.

David Lynch takes psych-folker Ariana Delawari under his wings

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Hollywood-via-Afghanistan-based psych artist Ariana Delawari just recently went under the guidance and helm of her biggest fan: director David Lynch. Connected by their mutual love of meditation and storytelling, Delawari had no reservations working on her LP Lion of Panjshir with the notorious filmmaker. Preview the album on video as Lynch guides you through the tracklisting in his signature crooked fashion. A coinciding interview with Delawari is a must-see for those wondering how this peculiar pairing came to be.

L.A.

Michel Gondry directs Mia Doi Todd’s latest video for “Open Your Heart”

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Mia Doi Todd | "Open Your Heart"
Dir. by Michel Gondry

Filmmaker Michel Gondry teamed up with LA songstress Mia Doi Todd and Riverside Community College’s marching band to create this surreal Technicolor dream in support of Todd’s latest single "Open Your Heart." According to EW.com, Gondry and Todd met at a party, and the chemistry was just right to bring his surreal vision to life. Tres Skittles-esque.

Mia Doi Todd plays the next two Tuesdays at Spaceland.

Chicago

Last Minute Plans: Blane Fonda @ Subt

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Congratulations Mark! As evidenced by the above picture, Blane Fonda’s front man and lead singer became pregnant while we were on the road for shows in Missouri last month. You can get pregnant from gas station cheese dogs, right?

In related news, Blane had an excellent time playing some rocks and roll shows in Kansas City and St. Louis; there’s a recap of the trip complete with color pictures up at our internet website-blog. Next weekend, we head back for another show in St Louis, this time with a stop in Indianapolis for a show with some fellow Chicago-types, Dr Manhattan. Before all that, we’ll be playing tonight, at Subterranean in Wicker Park with Explode into Colors and Carbon Tigers.

So… 2010 is looking pretty busy so far, but we’re not complaining. Except when the heat in our rehearsal space is never on and we wear gloves during practice; then we’re complaining. – Charlie Nadler

Nashville

From The Deli’s Open Blog: Buffalo Clover, Real Roots Music

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Buffalo Clover is a rare plant that grows in the wake of stampeding buffalo. It is also the name of Nashville’s most eclectic band. The songs are original, energetic, rootsy and anything but sappy. Their styles range from underdog gypsy punk to motown boxcar blues, vaudvillian acid rock to train wreck folk. Their songs are a unique blend of carnival dirges, quirky waltzes and dark nursery rhymes. "Roots music isn’t synonymous with the stripped down sounds of Pete Seeger or Woody Guthrie though those two are widely credited as the fathers of American roots music. In fact, the genre’s massive legacy includes bluegrass, jazz, gospel, country, even vaudeville. Hailing from Nashville, Buffalo Clover takes this wide-angle view of roots, fearlessly stitching together blues, rock, country, folk and gypsy music into an eclectic, theatrical tapestry." -Kate B., Ourstage Blog "Margo’s vocals have a Southern charm but also the melancholy warmth found in Jenny Lewis’ material. -It’s like coming home." -Tiffany Daniels, God Is In the TV Zine. – (as posted in The Deli’s Open Blog – post your band’s entries, videos, and Mp3s here).

 

Portland

Band of the Month Nominee Spotlight: Grouper

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Grouper is Portland musician Liz Harris. Starting from humble means and a self-release in 2005, Harris has continued to build steam toward lofty heights of creativity and popularity. She now has four full-length albums, as well as a collaboration project with NYC-based group, Xiu Xiu.

I appreciate that Grouper strays away from the stereotypical 10-minute length ambient-dream tracks, and instead bends toward the three-five minute standard that the majority of modern songs in the world tend to curtail themselves at. Even without utilizing lengthy tracks, the heart of Harris’ art wells from the pairing of haunting vocals gliding over the calm magic of her chord changes. What she does, she does well.

Grouper’s latest release, Dragging a Dead Deer Up a Hill, received superlative critical reviews, and ranked high on several 2008 blog "end of year" lists, including, Gorilla vs Bear’s 2nd best album pick of 2008. After giving the album a once-through-listen, I was impressed with how the mood and musical changes worked to keep the album interesting, while remaining very much the same with regard to style and rhythm tempo. You can stream the album on LaLa.

Harris is also involved, along with Honey Owens, with the vintage clothing shoppe Rad Summer located on Burnside (right in my hood, yo). Design firm Wieden and Kennedy have been releasing an awesome video series entitled, "Don’t Move Here," which features music artists from the already robust, yet always growing music scene in Portland. Check out both these musicians (and business women) in the third episode of "Don’t Move Here."

With keyboards, guitar and vocals, Grouper paints a string of songs that act as small landscapes for the listener to enjoy. Ambient dream-scapes and steady acoustic strumming steer the listener over an ocean of rolling swells and shrouding fog to arrive at something musically satisfying. Check it out, and then reach out and vote for the next Deli Band of the Month. Perhaps you will do so just a little more calmly than normal.

– Joel Sommer