Like the smell on Sansom in August or the tourists rushing past the Art Museum to stand next to the Rocky statue, some things can only come from Philly. Stinking Lizaveta, one of our city’s finest – and weirdest – fusion trios is one of them. With their exuberant stoner sludge boogie-jazz, built on towering riffs and drum crescendos, they’ve been a cult favorite since the mid-90s, due in no small part to their legendary shows. Tonight at Johnny Brenda’s is the perfect location to get consumed by their out-of-control stage presence. They’ll also be accompanied by Witch Mountain and Castle – both doom metal icons in their own right. Johnny Brenda’s, 1201 Frankford Ave., 9pm, $12, 21+ – Alyssa Greenberg
Philadelphia
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Lushlife & Light Heat Help Celebrate the 215 Fest at Underground Arts Nov. 3
Tonight the focus of the 215 Festival will shine on its strongest music showcase of the weekend at Underground Arts. Lushlife, a.k.a. Raj Haldar, brings a unique approach to hip-hop as both an emcee and producer, combining a wide array of sonic sampling warping listeners through various stages of musicology. Capable of taking a simple snare-beat and owning the mic with sweet-spot lyrical precision, Lush pays tribute to his “golden days” predecessors. However, while his lyrical narratives are influenced by emcees like Nas and Black Thought, it’s just a tool at Lushlife’s disposal. Integrating powerful lyrics with multi-genre-fused beats creating music that honors the past while sounding like the future. Light Heat, the latest venture for Quentin Stoltzfus (formerly of Mazarin), takes the concept of classic pop-rock production and pushes at its seams by using the layered instrumentation approach in strategically building songs that are both complex in structure yet accessible. Also joining the bill is Dave Quicks (formerly of the BurnDown All-Stars) with his trio and NYC’s Lily & The Parlor Tricks. Underground Arts, 1200 Callowhill St., 8pm, $5 (Light Heat Photo by Kyle Costill) – Michael Colavita
Philadelphia
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Weekend Warrior, November 2 – 4
Union Transfer welcomes a pair of local heavyweights Saturday night. Hoots & Hellmouth have a rustic Americana sound that’s part cabin-in-the-woods-campfire country and party revival-backyard blues. Sean Hoots’ vocals have a soulful reassuring preacher’s authority that combines with instrumentation which thrives in its simplistic tradition, but further succeeds in its tightly woven combination of clean strings, guitar, mandolin, etc., and persistent stomp rhythms that continually stoke the fire. While Hoots & Hellmouth’s sound tips their cap to tradition and history, on the opposite side of the bill, Creepoid takes classic elements of acoustic guitar music and twists it in a dark grungy psychedelic way. The hollow buzzing guitar etches haunting siren-like tones, which are only magnified by heart-thumping percussion that serves as an adrenaline shot amid the eerily chilling vocals of Sean Miller and Anna Troxell. While their fans may not hang in the same circles, these two bands represent the soulful depth of Philly – one in the familiar warmth of tradition and the other in the chilly darkness that lies in its wake. Union Transfer, 1026 Spring Garden St., 8pm, $13 – $15, All Ages – Michael Colavita
Other things to entertain you while the chill sets in this weekend…
Johnny Brenda’s (1201 N. Frankford Ave.) SAT Stinking Lizaveta
Kung Fu Necktie (1250 N. Front St.) FRI (Early) The Slotcars, Toy Cannons, St. James & The Apostles, (Late) Mighty Paradocs, Upholstery, (Upstairs) Vintage Kicks, SAT (Upstairs) The Company Corvette, L.U.N.A.R. Revolt, SUN (Early) Ladies Auxiliary, (Upstairs) The Shakes, Pussy Dogs
Underground Arts (1200 Callowhill St.) FRI John Wesley Harding’s Cabinet of Wonders, Alec Ounsworth, The Spinto Band, SAT Lushlife, Light Heat, Dave Quicks Trio
PhilaMOCA (531 N. 12th St. Philadelphia) SUN Cruiser, Idle Idols
North Star Bar (2639 Poplar St.) FRI Flightschool, The Yuzh
The Fire (412 W. Girard Ave.) FRI Juston Stens & the Get Real Gang, Cow Pals, The Heat Run, Anjuli Josephine, SAT (All Ages) Taking a Chance, The 74s, The Engine Atlantic, (Late) Rone, Verso, Uptown Tone, SUN Hop Along, Kite Party
M Room (15 W. Girard Ave.) FRI Russian Arm Candy, LightPoint, SAT Avenue Kings, Commonwealth Choir, Siamese Sundown
The Trocadero (1003 Arch St.) SAT Swizzymack
Fergie’s (1214 Sansom St.) FRI Hired Guns Blues Band, SAT Low Rise w/Suzi Brown, SUN Rusty Cadillac
World Café Live (3025 Walnut St.) SAT (Downstairs) Mutlu, (Upstairs) The Parsnip Revolt, The Lux
The Blockley (3801 Chestnut St.) FRI Tayyib Ali, Moosh & Twist: OCD, SAT Low Cut Connie
The Legendary Dobbs (304 South St.) SAT CHOWDER Band, John The Conqueror, Cold Roses, White Hot Noise
Triumph Brewery (117 Chestnut St.) FRI Dave Steel Blues Band
Electric Factory (421 N. 7th St.) SAT Josh Wink, Rob Paine
Ortlieb’s (847 N. 3rd St.) FRI The Glotones, SAT Sweetheart, SUN Raimundo Santos
Rebel Rock Bar (100 Spring Garden St.) SAT Baby Diaz, Mackenzie Iames, Montoj
Milkboy Philly (1100 Chestnut St.) FRI Post Sun Times, SUN Archives of Oblivion
The El Bar (1356 N. Front St.) SAT Hott Tubb, Taco Joint, New Hero
The Grape Room (105 Grape St.) FRI Hot Spoon Gully, The Matt Lyons Band, SAT Big Worm
Broad Street Ministry (315 S. Broad St.) FRI All Else Failed, Rock Bottom, Sawed Off
The Han Enterprise (2124 N. 17th St.) FRI Victory Shoes, Somniac, Sauce
Crystal Palace (Please contact one the acts or the venue for more info.) SAT Nona
The Double Deuce (Please contact one the acts or the venue for more info.) FRI Idiot Kid, Eureka Driver
Cloud City (Please contact one the acts or the venue for more info.) FRI Dopestroke, Alement, Nothing Is Over
Philadelphia
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New Track: “Repeat Myself” – Hoots & Hellmouth
Below is a lovely new ditty called “Repeat Myself” from Hoots & Hellmouth. The band recorded the song last month in Ann Arbor, Michigan. They are headlining this Saturday at Union Transfer.
Philadelphia
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New Music Video: “Black Tongue” – Ruby the Hatchet
Alt-stoner rockers Ruby the Hatchet got drunk one evening and started a fire in their backyard, and then decided to make a video of it spliced with Dragonslayer scenes and wolves eating bears. The final result is their new music video for the track “Black Tongue” off their latest album Ouroboros, which they released earlier this week on Devil’s Night and can be listened to HERE.
Philadelphia
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Dopestroke Ganging Up at Cloud City Nov. 2
Badmaster Records’ Dopestroke make bludgeoning music that revolves around gang vocals and slashing guitar riffs. Combining melodic hardcore with thrash metal, the nihilistic punks are making plenty of noise in the basements and underground music scene of West Philly, where you’ll find the four-piece tonight at Cloud City. They’ll be joined by locals Alement, Nothing Is Over and Albany’s Neutron Rats. Cloud City, (Please contact one of the acts or the venue for more info.), 7pm, $5, All Ages (Photo by Bill Dunleavy) – Alexis V.
Philadelphia
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Meek Mill Detained by Philly Police Before Album Release Party
Last night Meek Mill was detained by Philly police around 8 p.m. after his vehicle was stopped at 1100 W. Girard Ave. It was also the evening of the release party for his debut studio album Dreams & Nightmares.
According to Philadelphia Police spokeswoman Julian Russell:
“He was stopped in a vehicle but was not arrested. He was only detained in a substation. In normal cases, we do not give out this kind of information, so I can’t release anything further.”
Meek tweeted late last night to explain his side of things:
“cops cost me a lot of money tonight …..taking pics of me like I’ma fuckin joke….no charges just holding”
“Nigga I ain’t get knocked they was just tryna hold me back! Just scooped my nigga #brick Feds gave him 10yea”
“I ain’t get locked up…definitely not in NYC with no gun! Cops just harassed and violated me last night in Philly just for being famous!”
The crazy part about is I really had a handcuff and Rolex on my wrist yesterday…. Really #DreamsAndNightmares
Philadelphia
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The Deli Philly’s November Album of the Month: Manufacturing Joy – TJ Kong and the Atomic Bomb
Twas a wise man who said, “Cocaine is a helluva drug.” TJ Kong and the Atomic Bomb sound like they can attest to that. Their latest record, Manufacturing Joy, appears heavily influenced by the Philosopher James. It’s a testament to drug-fueled benders, whiskey-fueled bar crawls, and the heavy blues that accompany the mornings after. With the boot-stomping energy of a square dance veering out of control and vocals that recall the cigarette-weary drawl of Swans’ Michael Gira, the group has created a singular sound they’ve come to call “post-apocalypse blues.”
A weighty label to wear to be sure, but damn if it isn’t fitting; Kong and the A-Bomb’s brand of the blues isn’t spooky per se, but it carries an unsettlingly sinister undertone. On “10 Minutes,” vocalist Dan Bruskewicz sings, “I got my eyes on your bathroom window… I got just one reason to keep you around” in a devilish minor key while the drums pound just a little too angrily to just keep time. At some point in Manufacturing Joy’s universe, the liars, drunks and road-walkin’ bluesmen took over, and the resulting depravity is too enticing to not indulge.
Because at the center of Manufacturing Joy is the wild, reckless spirit of the blues, all the songs run at a tempo too infectious not to bop to, and all are decked with key blues-signifiers: finger-picking wizardry, hot harmonica solos, lyrics about criminals and cheatin’ dames. Manufacturing Joy is a fitting title not only because the record is littered with intoxicants and party drugs, but because the music itself is too peppy to ignore. One can imagine the joy that the band manufactures live simply by bringing the good times to their audiences. Picture them in a bar, energizing a stony crowd into a frenzy with the introduction to “Rock N’ Roll Club Bathroom Cocaine Blues.” Then there’s “Sweet Lorraine” striking a special chord with a guy five beers deep into forgetting his ex for a couple hours. If all bluesmen are storytellers, then Manufacturing Joy is TJ Kong and the Atomic Bomb’s story of survival. For in these post-apocalypse blues, there’s a party still a-ragin’. – Adam Downer
Philadelphia
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New Track: “Soup Boys (Pretty Drones)” (Prod. by Lushlife) – Heems
Here’s a dope new Lushlife-produced track below for Das Racist’s Heems called “Soup Boys (Pretty Drones).” Lush will be performing live this Saturday at Underground Arts for the Bibliodiscotheque Dance Party & 215 Fest Music Showcase.
Philadelphia
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West Philadelphia Orchestra Kicking Off the Tunes for 215 Fest at Underground Arts Nov. 1
Tonight West Philadelphia Orchestra will be bringing their Balkan Dance Party to its new home Underground Arts. So every first Thursday of the month, there will be a reason to celebrate in the Eraserhood. It will also be an extra special party this evening when the klezmer band helps to kick off the music for the reinvigorated 215 Festival curated by Philebrity’s Joey Sweeney. There will also be plenty of wit and humor added to the night with Juliet Hope Wayne, Shmitten Kitten’s Anna Goldfarb and Starlee Kline spinning their tales to entertain the audience. Underground Arts, 1200 Callowhill St., 9pm, $6, All Ages – H.M. Kauffman
Philadelphia
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Give Into the Temptaion w/Sweatheart at PhilaMOCA Nov. 1
Use eye protection; you might contract something while watching Sweatheart’s set tonight at PhilaMOCA. As you give into the band’s visual temptation, you’ll be audibly struck by their rock assault time-warp, and won’t be able to control yourself from gyrating to their boppin’ riffs and tongue-in-cheek lyrics. The fivesome will be delivering a more personal set, since their last appearance was opening for the "I Believe In A Thing Called Love"-rockers The Darkness at Terminal 5 in NYC. Joining Sweatheart will be Philly’s D.V. NIKT, with its live instrumental and spoken word that addresses radical historical topics in media and politics, and Australian dark-wave duo WAZU, whose "apop-calyptic" sound is currently making its home in the Big Apple. PhilaMOCA, 531 N. 12th St., 8pm, $7-10 donation, All Ages – Brandi Lukas