Philly’s own Ladies Auxiliary was fairly unknown to me until a few months ago when they played a show at the First Unitarian Church with the Future Islands boys and Ed Schrader’s Music Beat – a show at which I ended up spending most of the night hawking merch at the Future Islands table, right next to the Ladies Auxiliary folks. They were munching on pizza, cracking jokes, and came across as goofy, energetic, and real sweet. When they got on stage and began to coo, pound, and strum the sounds of their strange, fiery soul music, I was sold. I anticipate that they’ll pair quite nicely tonight at Johnny Brenda’s with lo-fi, acoustic throwbacks Market East, whose sun-kissed harmonies introduce another distinct incarnation of Philadelphia’s strange soul. They’ll be helping Broad Beauty Tapes celebrate its launch this evening along with Atlanta’s Nomen Novum. Johnny Brenda’s, 1201 N. Frankford Ave., 9pm, $10, 21+ – Sarah Mae Allard
