Today, the debut album from The Skull Eclipses drops via Western Vinyl, and tonight, the dynamic duo showcases their sonic chemistry on stage at Johnny Brenda’s. Raj Haldar, a.k.a. Lushlife, grafts his masterful emcee skills with Austin-based producer Spencer Stephenson, a.k.a. Botany. A cool-commanding passion taps into an uncanny ability to thread storylines at a lightning pace. Making sharp lyrical turns while creating unexpected connections via a torrent of terms, there’s an explosive precision. That premium blend of speed and control doubles down, interacting with complex beats that calmly stack layers of sound within the deck-balancing elements, bridging points of the past, through the present and into the future. Hypnotically tunneling with an ear and eye on the ground, reacting to the world real-time, this feels like a combination of foreshadowing and flashback that fits in the here and now. This evening’s lineup will also be fortified by the heady, heavy, noise-lace hip hop of Dälek and the full eclectic, electro/hip-hop spectrum of Hprizm. – Michael Colavita
More places to hear jams this weekend…
Johnny Brenda’s (1201 N. Frankford Ave.) FRI The Skull Eclipses (Lushlife +Botany), Son Step, Ellen Siberian Tiger, The Ada Babar Situation
Boot & Saddle (1131 S. Broad St.) SAT Red 40 & The Last Groovement, OOLALA
Kung Fu Necktie (1250 N. Front St.) FRI Mark Lanky/DJ Deejay, SAT Miggs Son Daddy/Mat Burke and The Painkillers, Emmett Drueding/Fame Lust/Night Sweats, SUN Sonja
PhilaMOCA (531 N. 12th St.) SUN Dark Blue, DJ BCBG (Matt Korvette of Pissed Jeans)
Underground Arts (1200 Callowhill St.) FRI The Pete Donnelly Combo, SAT In The Presence Of Wolves, Moonstriker, Tyler John
The Fillmore Philadelphia (1100 Canal St.) FRI Dirty South Joe, Magglezzz
World Café Live (3025 Walnut St.) FRI (Upstairs) The Planets
The Fire (412 W. Girard Ave.) SAT Ringtail Howitzer, Onett, Blueroom, SUN Flamingo Chicks
MilkBoy Philly (1100 Chestnut St.) FRI Little Stranger, D. Lynch, SAT GainStrive (EP Release), Egocentric Plastic Men, Skyline the City, Oblivion Her Majesty
Ortlieb’s Lounge (847 N. 3rd St.) FRI Low Energy, Crazy Tom Martin, Faringwell, Readership, SAT Mesmeric Haze, Flat Mary Road, Dan Malloy, SUN Benefit Music Matters Project
The Barbary (951 Frankford Ave.) FRI Port Arthur, Pete Hill, SUN Wrong Planet, 3weekoldroses
Silk City (435 Spring Garden St.) FRI DJ Sylo, Astro 8000, SAT DJ Deejay, SUN Francisco Collazo
Fergie’s (1214 Sansom St.) SAT Johnny Moskal, SUN Rusty Cadillac
Bourbon & Branch (705 N. 2nd St.) FRI The Towering Pine, SAT Mage Hand, Gnarbot
Frankie Bradley’s (1320 Chancellor St.) FRI DJ Royale, SAT Ian St. Laurent
Connie’s Ric Rac (1132 S. 9th St.) FRI Sour Kid, Swim Camp, Caleb Michael, Key Oui, SAT Fitzwater’s 4th Annual Concert for Student-Run Emergency Housing: Super Bonanza
Century (1350 S. 29th St.) FRI The Invasive Species, Thunder Thighs, SAT Decap Attak, Acolytes, SUN Deathmonger A.D, Hold Down The Ocean
Voltage Lounge (421 N. 7th St.) SAT Generation Empty, Goddamnit, Alpha Audio
The Grape Room (105 Grape St.) FRI Delmont, Vanderlyle, Queue, Somarai, SAT Overcoming Gravity, The Parameters, Caterpillars, Easily Amused
The Pharmacy (1300 S. 18th St.) FRI Menace Of The Canvas, Xpresidents, SAT Drums Like Machine Guns, Chronic Anxiety/Douse, Chloe Likes Olivia, SUN Moon-liters
Space 1026 (1026 Arch St.) SUN Augusta Koch, Anika Pyle, Worriers (solo)
Sound Hole (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) FRI Caracara, Brave Face
Planet Phitness (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) SAT Mavis The Dog, Spring Onion, Jesse Magenta