Philadelphia

Turning Violet Violet Album Release Party at KFN May 26

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Taking their name from a line in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, Turning Violet Violet are celebrating their latest release Double Cure at Kung Fu Necktie tonight. The Fishtown five-piece recruited seasoned Philly producer and Weathervane Music mastermind Brian McTear to help lay down their latest EP, which is rich with pretty harmonies that are skillfully tucked into each song and accentuated by soft violins and treble-filled guitar licks. Turning Violet Violet will be joined this evening by Brooklyn-based and Deli NYC faves Field Mouse. Kung Fu Necktie, 1250 N. Front St., 8pm, $10, 21+ – Maura Filoromo

San Francisco

Live Music Picks: May 26-27

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Stuck in the city over the three-day weekend? Quit pining for warm beaches, throw on a sweater and hit up these awesome local shows.

Tonight, Saturday, May 26 at the Great American Music Hall discover some great bands at "Sean Healy Presents: Steer the Stars CD Release Party with the Bay’s Best Unsigned Bands!" Steer the Stars, Debbie Neigher, Handshake and The Deli SF’s very own Artist of the Month, HUFF THIS! All guests who purchase presale tickets will receive entry into an intimate house show/after celebration on June 9 where all the bands will cook dinner for attendees. Tickets available here. 

Tonight is your second-to-last chance to catch indie rocker Boy in the Bubble before the "boy" Josh Seidenfeld moves to Durham, NC. It’s an early show at the Make-Out Room at 7:30 PM and another on Thursday, July 5 at 6:00 pm at the UC Berkeley Botanical Garden Redwood Grove Amphitheater. Download his album "The King" for free here.

On Sunday, May 27, don’t miss a first look at music videos from WATERS, Mist Giant, Elle Niño, William Ryan Fritch, French Cassettes, The 21st Century, Cormorant, Conspiracy of Venus, Vandella, Seatraffic, The Hot Toddies, Cash Pony, C H U R C H E S, doppio, Le VICE and Big Light. The Music Video Race Screening Party will also have live performances by doppio, Le VICE, and Big Light. Tickets available here and at the door.

Monday, well, you’ll likely need a day to recover.

–Whitney Phaneuf

Philadelphia

Weekend Warrior, May 25 – 28

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OK – it’s getting hot, and it’s Memorial Day Weekend so you know that summer has arrived. For all those who are smart enough to avoid the massive crowds at the shore and stay home this weekend, we applaud your intelligence, and hope that you procreate to strengthen our society’s gene pool. We’d also like to hang with you this Saturday in the daytime at The Fire for a FREE day of music that we’ll be co-presenting with Cloud Entertainment as part of the 2nd Annual Sundrop Music & Arts Fest. Providing tomorrow’s summer jams will be Tutlie, Night Panther (new sexified project from members of White Birds and formerly Drink Up Buttercup), Conversation with Enemies, The Plastic Traps, The Really Cooks, The Shakes, Fast Car, Venice Sunlight, and Sunset Recorder. But we shouldn’t have to remind you that it’s a long party weekend so the Sundrop Fest will be providing a slew of local acts like Illinois, DRGN King, Juston Stens & The Get Real Gang, On the Water, Kuf Knotz, Andrew Lipke and much, much more to keep you entertained through the weekend. You can check out the rest of the lineups HERE or in the flier (above). Philly is yours for the taking. Cheers! Sundrop Music and Arts Fest – The Fire, 412 W. Girard Ave.,Free, All Ages – H.M. Kauffman

 
More Memorial Day Weekend festivities…
 
Johnny Brenda’s (1201 N. Frankford Ave.) FRI JJL, Belgrade, The Peace Creeps
 
Kung Fu Necktie (1250 N. Front St.) FRI The Chairman Dances CD Release Show w/The Mendles and The Quelle Source, SAT Turning Violet Violet Album Release Party
 
The Level Room (2102 Market St.) FRI Thee Shutdowns
 
North Star Bar (2639 Poplar St.) FRI The Idea Men, Graveyard Shift, SAT Wizard Eye
 
Tin Angel (20 S. 2nd St.) SAT Ella Dars and Brian Flanagan
 
The Trocadero (1003 Arch St.) SAT (Early) Greenjeans, Saturday (Late) Peek-A-Boo Revue
 
The Blockley (3801 Chestnut St.) SAT Splintered Sunlight and First Capital Funk
 
Fergie’s (1214 Sansom St.) SAT Old Man Cactus
 
World Café Live (3025 Walnut St.) FRI Flint and The Shock Trials, SAT (Downstairs) Ruder Than You
 
The Legendary Dobbs (304 South St.) FRI (Early) Burn Switch, Twin Ghost, Fisher, (Late) That Mag Showcase w/ Rev TJ McGlinchey and Glen Landing, SAT Curt Chambers, Funk Church, Sound Barrier Experience, Danie Ocean Band
 
Triumph Brewery (117 Chestnut St.) FRI Montoj-Plymouth, SAT Chris Are and Flote
 
First Unitarian Church (2125 Chestnut St.) FRI Bubonic Bear and Heavy Medical
 
Connie’s Ric Rac (1132 S. 9th St.) FRI Mr. Unloved and Cthulu Martini
 
MilkBoy Philly (1100 Chestnut St.) SAT Phantasm and Love Panther & the Sexual Prowess
 
Underground Arts (1200 Callowhil St.) FRI Far-Out Fangtooth
 
Highwire Gallery (2040 Frankford Ave.) SAT Toshi Makihara
 
Theatre of Living Arts (334 South St.) FRI Attia Taylor
 
L.A.

ERAS announces record release + music video

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LA-based Nathaniel Eras creates tracks that contain elements of both the DIY noise scene of The Smell and the experimental hip-hop beats of the Low End Theory/Brainfeeder scene. Under the moniker ERAS, the producer has dropped a few well-received limited releases, as well as remixing music from artists like Death Grips and Chelsea Wolfe. His latest full-length, Portals, is set for a June 12 release. On the record, the electronic artist embraces the duality of vinyl—the first side explores new soundscapes, creating a lush, warm atmosphere, while the howling drones of the second side set a more sinister mood. Check out the video for side two’s opener, “Oath,” below. — Katrina Nattress 

NYC

Weekly Feature: Fort Lean tours with Bear Hands

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Fort Lean conceptualizes sonic escape in a parallel utopian world where you can still see the skyline but not hear any cars, and the weather is always perfect. Isn’t that Portlandia? The band just announced that they will join Deli NYC favorite Bear Hands on a summer west coast tour – they’ll be playing The Knit on July 20. – Read Dave Cromwell‘s interview with the band here.

Philadelphia

This Is Hardcore Fest Is Back!

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This Is Hardcore Fest is back bigger than ever, which is a testament to the strength of Philly’s hardcore punk scene! Curated by Philly hardcore legend Joe Hardcore, who has been a prominent figure in the local scene since the ‘90s (booking shows and fronting his own band Punishment), and R5 Productions, this year’s lineup is a blend of hardcore pioneers (national and local) spread out over 4 days and two venues (Union Transfer and the Electric Factory) from August 9 – 12. National stand-outs include Suicidal Tendencies, Gorilla Biscuits, Lifetime, Cro-Mags, Negative Approach, H2O and Terror, and on the local side, Blacklisted, Wrong Answer, Horror Show and Agitator will be holding it down for Philly. You can check out the list of all the bands performing as well as purchase your passes HERE. (BTW: Judging from the lineups and past years, these shows will probably sell out so grab your tix soon or you might get shutout.)
 
NYC

Weekly Features: ohnomoon

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It was great to see ohnomoon live again last night at our B.E.A.F. Psych Rock stage at Public Assembly. Hit hard by the sudden death of their bassist Raymond Blanco towards the end of the year, OhNoMoon’s 2011 was bittersweet at best. Until then, this Astoria-based psych rock band had released the single “Sleeping Limbs” and an outstanding cover of Bowie’s “Ashes to Ashes” (streaming below) laying a fast path around town, which culminated in a sold out Deli show at CMJ. Hopefully they’ll give us some new recordings soon. Their somnambulant dream-rock, whose pace is dictated by Kat Lee’s softly pedaling, is rich in hooks and well structured. – Read Ed Guardaro and Dave Cromwell interview with the band here.

Philadelphia

Far-Out Fangtooth Opening for Black Dice at Underground Arts May 25

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The guitar resonates in a day after the apocalypse alien invasion kind of way. The vocals hauntingly echo as you try to figure out just were you are and where you want to be. And somehow despite the prevalent uncertainty the heavy backbeat keeps forging forward unafraid of the road ahead. Far-Out Fangtooth is the kind of band that  plays in a cement warehouse and steadily increases the distortion just because its seems like the right thing to do. They know that threshold moves when you push hard enough, and they’re not afraid to push. Far-Out Fangtooth will be the undercard for New York electronic maestros Black Dice whose space age beats thrust into the outer realm welcoming the future with open arms. Underground Arts, 1200 Callowhill St., 8pm, $10, 21+ – Michael Colavita

Philadelphia

Attia Taylor Opening for The Polyphonic Spree at TLA May 25

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Attia Taylor has been a lo-fi darling of The Deli for quite some time now. The Girard College grad, Girls Rock Philly alumnus and now dedicated GRP counselor has been building a following by captivating audiences with her experimental bedroom pop and heartwarming positivity. She has also been quite the supporter of the indie music scene as a co-founder (along with Madeline Thomas) of the celebratory female musician blog Lady.Bang.Beat. and her work with Tom Tom Magazine. Attia Taylor will be opening tonight on the big stage of the TLA for infamous cult band The Polyphonic Spree. We just hope that they don’t fall in love with her like we have and try to brainwash her backstage. (BITBY, don’t let her put on a robe!) Theatre of Living Arts, 334 South St., 8pm, $18 (+fees), All Ages – H.M. Kauffman