Philadelphia

Weekend Warrior, April 6 – 8

Posted on:

If you are looking for something to do this weekend that simply ROCKS, then Phonographic Arts’ Liberty Fest has got you covered. The DIY festival will be hosting 30+ predominantly garage-psych-rock and hardcore-punk acts at The Level Room and Emoda Gallery. It’s going to be intense! Will you survive this weekend? Maybe. We hope. But you’ll have the scars and bruises to prove that you were there so wear them with honor. You can check out the full lineup on the flier above as well as a list of the fine locals below.
 
Liberty Fest (Locals):
The Level Room (2102 Market St.) FRI (Early – Upstairs) Ladder Devils, Salvation, GA$H, (Late – Downstairs) Void Vision and M Ax Noi Mach, SAT Birds of Maya, Far-Out Fangtooth, L.U.N.A.R. Revolt, SUN Bardo Pond, Creepoid, Purling Hiss, Spacin, Psychic Teens, True Gold
Emoda Gallery (302 Moore St.) SAT (Early) Leather, War Emblem, Backslider
 
 
Other things happening this weekend…
 
Johnny Brenda’s (1201 N. Frankford Ave.) FRI Busses, Break It Up, Orbit to Leslie, SAT York Street Hustle, SUN Norwegian Arms
 
Kung Fu Necktie (1250 N. Front St.) FRI Val de Val, Goddammit, Facts!, SAT Tin Horses and Song Dogs & the Nightjar
 
North Star Bar (2639 Poplar St.) FRI LP Stiles and Matt Gauss Band, SAT Stars Apart, Jesus’s Older Brother, The Kai-Yotes
 
The Fire (412 W. Girard Ave.) FRI Matt Lyons Band and Tale to the Head, SAT Joshua Bright (Man Like Machine), SUN Verbatim Jones, KQuote Author, Ganou, France
 
M Room (15 W. Girard Ave.) FRI Platinum Mustache and Joe Jordan Experiment
 
Tin Angel (20 S. 2nd St.) SAT Johnny Miles and Brad Hinton
 
The Trocadero (1003 Arch St.) SAT Adalie and The Sea Above Us
 
The Blockley (3801 Chestnut St.) FRI Boris Garcia
 
Fergie’s (1214 Sansom St.) SAT Consenting Adults
 
World Café Live (3025 Walnut St.) SAT Femme Fatale Philly w/Teddi Tarnoff, Hay Sugar, Bahner/Slick Duo
 
The Legendary Dobbs (304 South St.) FRI The Musical Chairs, I Yahn I Arkestra, Yeah Son, Band Droidz, SAT Electric Boa and John the Conqueror, SUN Ena of an Era and Goddamn Zombie
 
PhilaMOCA (531 N. 12th St. Philadelphia) FRI The National Rifle and Tamarin
 
The Barbary (951 N. Frankford St.) SAT Bouffant Bangout w/Full Blown Cherry, SUN Restorations, Kite Party, Bearings (Last Show)
 
The El Bar (1356 N. Front St.) SAT Rigor Mortis Revue w/Mr. Unloved and Sparklefight
 
Angler Movement Arts Center (1550 E. Montgomery Ave.) FRI Superlith and Larry Toft
 
MilkBoy Philly (1100 Chestnut St.) FRI Juston Stens & The Get Real Gang and The Quelle Source, SAT The Lawsuits EP Release w/Levee Drivers, Penrose, Mountjoy
 
Hex Factory (2080 E. Cumberland St.) FRI Lisa Sunshine
 
Eris Temple (602 S. 52nd St.) FRI Oral Sex Suicide and Bunny Savage
 
Green Line Café (4426 Locust St.) FRI Snowcaps and Br’er, SAT On The Water and Spirit & Dust
 
PiLam (3914 Spruce St.) SAT Human BBQ 34 w/Acid Kicks, Sunny Ali & the Kid, Tough Shits, Dry Feet, The Shakes, MC Digga, Catnaps, Norwegian Arms and more
 
Warehouse 24 (Please contact one of the acts for details.) SAT John Barlow Benefit w/Rumpelstiltskin Grinder and Bottom Feeder
 
NYC

Nees and Vos – Cookin’ Up Soul For NYC

Posted on:

Nees and Vos is one of those bands you listen to and wonder why they’re not the biggest thing around. Complete with Andrew Neesley’s trumpets, groove-shaking drums and even a backing gospel choir, this band swoops in and takes care of all your soul food needs.
Songs like ‘Burn Me Down’ and ‘Remember Me’ take care of business just fine, but the relentless cowbell in ‘Build A Fortress’ is all I thought I needed to hear.
And then I heard their epic cover of Gnarls Barkley’s ‘Who’s Gonna Save My Soul,’ and got a better idea of just how much this band is capable of. It’s not an easy chore to fill in for Cee-Lo’s vocals, but singer Chris Vos’s buttery vocals, coupled with the souful barnburner of the backing band, produces a combination more than up to the task. Here’s a group you ought to be paying attention to.

This band submitted their music digitally here.

Philadelphia

Busses, Break It Up & Orbit to Leslie at JB’s March 6

Posted on:

If Busses new 2-track EP Metal/Shangri-La is an indicator of the trio’s desired sound, then they may be on to something. The first half “Metal” begins with a guitar that gradually increases in decibel as if first heard faintly approaching in the distance, creating the lure of anticipation. Moments later, it arrives with a bang as drums kick the track into gear. When the lead vocal finally enters the equation it seems to take control as a calming force. The opposing track works in reverse the vocal creating a peaceful comfortable setting that the other instruments play within rather than fitting through. In either case, the overall feel is well-produced by the band and Kyle “Slick” Johnson and refined with hints of being rough around the edges. They’ll be joined by Break It Up, whose sound combines the sweet vocals of modern pop with the grainy attitude of post punk, and Orbit to Leslie, whose interstellar journey finds them time-warping to the land of 50’s doo wop funneled through a hazy, psychedelic strainer. Johnny Brenda’s, 1201 N. Frankford Ave., 9pm, $10, 21+ – Michael Colavita



Philadelphia

Joe Kusy + Big Shirts 7” Record Release Party at The Station March 6

Posted on:

When Founding Fathers Records described the four tracks on Joe Kusy‘s debut EP, POPCORN SALAMANDER, as "revved-up, psyched-out, space-jammin’ ramblers from the mind of a mad man," it hit the nail on the head. On POPCORN, the guitarist/vocalist from Far-Out Fangtooth runs wildly through trippy kaleidoscope meadows, breaching levels of psychedelic acid trips, bone-deep garage phantasm, and spastic finger work that somehow seem reserved in the end. But it’s a journey that shouldn’t be all-powerful every minute – to truly understand the mad genius of Kusy is to lose the mystery of it all, and that’s not something you could afford. You can, though, get a glimpse of it tonight at The Station where he’s holding a record release party for the EP’s 7-inch pressing (dropped as a 45 first ifyadidn’tknow). And, as a bonus, you’ll get to witness the live rarity of Robo Trippers and the abstract beauty of Plural Doves. The Station, 1550 McKean St., 9pm, $5, 21+ – Annamarya Scaccia

Philadelphia

Treasure Juston Stens & The Get Real Gang at MilkBoy Philly March 6

Posted on:

Until 2009, Juston Stens was the drummer for Philadelphia indie psych rockers Dr. Dog. However, he made the brave move of leaving an already successful band to try to make it on his own. The next natural question is: Does Juston Stens & The Get Real Gang sound like his previous venture? The answer is simple and yet not so simple. The similarities are the ties that bind good rock n’ roll music that has been influenced by the bands of the 60’s and 70’s. Those common factors are vocal harmonies tightrope between razor sharp guitar riffs and a groove that’s created by the balanced relationship of drums and bass guitar. However, this is a band in and of itself, that has far less of the emphasis on the spacey psychedelic. Their debut album entitled Trash or Treasure is definitively the latter with Stens authoritative lead vocals and guitar work serving as the groundwork of a band that is absolutely keeping it real. They’ll be joined on the bill tonight at MilkBoy Philly by The Quelle Source. Milkboy Philly, 1100 Chestnut St., 8:30pm, $10, 21+ – Michael Colavita

Chicago

From Our Open Blog: Exit Ghost

Posted on:

Chicago-based indie rockers Exit Ghost are thrilled to announce the release of their first full album, Move Alone, May 2nd at Township in Chicago’s Logan Square! Check out the new video "Like I Did Before", directed by Chicago filmmaker wunderkind Jack Lawrence Mayer setting up shop at the Viaduct Theater. The album is also currently streaming in its entirety via the band’s website and Soundcloud. Enjoy! Exit Ghost HQ

Austin

A Free Ticket Down the Rabbit Hole: Coma In Algiers

Posted on:

With a signature blend of violent noise and catchy hooks that lure you in like a fly to a pitcher plant, Coma in Algiers are one of the most original noise-rock bands to emerge from Austin in the past decade. With dissonant guitars, dark and heavy keyboards, and lyrics that range from the esoteric to the vulgar, there’s never room for a dull moment. Their new record, Christ Aldonis Algiers, finds them shedding some of their fuzzy, garage rock sound of previous releases in favor of a clarity that allows their increased strangeness to showcase itself like a crazed and caged mutant on display near the hot dog stand at the town fair in David Lynch’s afternoon dreams. Catch them at The Frontier Bar on April 19th with Love Collector and The Gory Details. Free show!

– Brandt Kempin

 

NYC

Big Ups Get the Party Started

Posted on:

"Everytime that I sing this f*king song I won’t forget…" – singer Joe Galarraga exclaims in the epic burner ‘Not Over Yet.’ You and me both, Joe…

Big Ups is the kind of fun I used to have with Bouncing Souls and MXPX. It’s nerdcore punk the way it’s meant to be experienced: as an electrically charged current of testosterone and beer bumping through over-charged speakers and car crash drum beats. Galarraga delivers a never-ending cascade against boredom and hypocrisy in songs like ‘Hard to Care’ and ‘Shut Your Mouth.’ But if all this sounds like mere throwback to an earlier era from a relatively young bro quartet, you’re only half right. Big Ups can easily channel first generation hardcore like Minor Threat and Japanther when they want to, but they’re equally capable of reaching the epic heights of At the Drive In when called for.

For a group exalting the glories of couch surfing on their bandcamp, Big Ups also know how to bring the energy to the party.

Mike Levine (@Goldnuggets)

NYC

Black Taxi lands Thursday residency at Rockwood

Posted on:

After a tour down South and back, Brooklyn’s Black Taxi returns to treat their home fans to three Thursday residency shows at the intimate and beloved Rockwood Music Hall. Accompanied by several musical souvenirs, the gig trifecta starts off this Thursday, April 5, as Black Taxi brings back Austin’s energetic space-rock quartet, The Frontier Brothers, along with Albany’s soulful Wild Adriatic. The second show on April 12 features Fort Worth’s garage rockers, The Phuss, and the acoustic meanderings of Joseph King of NYC’s Deadbeat Darling, who just released a new full length. The residency finale on April 19 welcomes Dallas-born, folksy and electronic Ishi and Cleveland’s pop act, The Modern Electric. Pick up tickets before each gig, as they will most likely sell out. Doors are at 9pm each week. www.blacktaxi.com – Meijin Bruttomesso