For those who’ve been lucky enough to live through the renaissance that Philly’s music scene has been experiencing for the last decade or so, we’d like to remind you of a time when the next big thing in music was not likely going to be discovered in your favorite local DIY space. With the exception of R5 Productions, who was only consistently booking the First Unitarian Church at the time and just starting to gain a great reputation nationally in the indie music scene, many of the music venues were known more for ripping off artists than helping to nurture the music community. However, once Johnny Brenda’s renovated its second floor into a concert space, it was a total game changer – forever raising the bar in Philly. (Thank you!) We finally had a world-class music venue that actually cared about the artists’ and concertgoers’ experience. (What local musician out there didn’t appreciate the complimentary Greek plate in the backstage when he or she first performed there?) Johnny Brenda’s became a cornerstone for the arts & culture community in Fishtown and throughout Philadelphia.
This week marks the beloved establishment’s 10th Anniversary as a music venue, and they’ll be celebrating it with some kick-ass events that start this evening with the soulful, powerful ache of Hop Along frontwoman Frances Quinlan, the polished indie-pop of Hurry, and the “heavenly blues” of The Goodbye Party. You also surely don’t want to miss Tuesday night’s psych explorations with Bardo Pond, Birds of Maya, and Chris Forsyth. The rest of the week’s festivities will also include evenings with Rocky Votolato, The Album Leaf, IGNITE Philly, and much more. Cheers to all the good folks at JB’s! – Q.D. Tran