The kick-off party for the KahBang Festival 2012 took place in and around downtown Bangor, ME last Thursday. The tucked-in but vibrant town is brought alive by KahBang each year and offers showcases at its multitude of quality bars and restaurants.  Besides Portland, Oregon, Maine has the most home-brewers per capita in the US. This prevalent DIY ethic is what has powered KahBang into its fourth year. Somewhat surprising is how many devoted supporters of the arts live and work right here to bring this understated discovery festival to the thriving yet understated city.

One of the most intriguing aspects is the familial of the affair. (Big ups to The Hornet’s Nest – our camping home at KahBang!) While many festivals are either ostracizing or overwhelming, KahBang instead focuses on exploring the vast musical spectrum of New England and bringing them together to Bangor with some heavy hitters. They celebrate (overall) bringing like-minded people together to experience art, film, and music and the connection of that common bond.

For the opening evening of the fest, we came for the music and stayed for the drinks. The beer was flowing like water at the kick-off Beer Fest with a bunch of artists, like Trisha Mason and sultry alt-rocker Valerie Orth, entertaining the drinkers on the Pickering Square Stage.

Over on the West Market Stage, we caught performances by alt-rock oufit Beach The Whale, who reminded us a bit of At The Drive-In at times, as well as KahBang headliners Deftones. They were sharply dressed, and delivered some solid, angular power rock. They also talked about seeing the night’s headliner, Jacob Augustine, a decade ago when he and his brother were cutting their teeth in metal bands. 

An exuberant Portland, ME group Sunset Hearts caught our ear and captured our hearts with their 80’s styled synthpop that Robert Smith would be proud of.  They filled the pretty big stage with lots of members who all could really shred, and looked like they were having a hell of a time doing it. Besides overflowing with soul, they also had the crowd dancing more than any other act that night.  Everyone keep an eye out for these guys. They are dope.

The night came to an official close with a blistering set by hometown hero Jacob Augustine, who is not actually from Bangor, but you get the idea. His “Family Band” consisted of his brother, sister, and girlfriend, among others. Together, they brought to life much of Jacob’s newest EP Bikini Island, as well as a rapturous version of Frontier standout “Pulse and Hum,” among others.  Jacob’s massive voice and presence was undeniable as always, and really raised the bar for the rest of the weekend.

Make sure to check out all our photos from the night right HERE.

– Adam G.

For Family Band bandmates, Kim Krans and Jonny Ollsin, who are also married, collaborating came naturally. They first met around a campfire in upstate New York, which is actually near a cabin that they own and use as a “creative refuge.” The couple had originally started a band together called Stonehenge, and after the breakup of Jonny’s metal outfit, Children, the duo’s focus switched to their current project. Family Band was invited last year to come to Philly to record an episode of Weathervane Music’s Shaking Through by guest curator Daniel Rossen from Grizzly Bear. The band later returned to Shaking Through’s headquarters Miner Street Recordings to lay down most of what would be their latest LP Grace & Lies (No Quarter), which eventually led to the couple moving from Brooklyn to “a huge loft in an old church” near the Fishtown studio. (Ha…try finding an affordable apartment like that in New York – good luck!) We recently had chance to ask Kim Krans questions about their meeting, songwriting process, mesmerizing music video for the track “Night Song,” and any other topics that struck our fancy. You can read our interview and what she had to say HERE.

Below is live footage of Lantern performing a new song called “Evil Eye” from the upcoming album that they recorded with Uniform Recording’s Jeff Zeigler. It was filmed at Kung Fu Necktie on July 11, 2012, which was their summer tour kick-off show, and features bassist Emily Robb on lead vocals and David Fishkin on baritone sax. Special thanks to Live Philly Concerts’ Chris Thomas for sharing. (Photo by Kyle Costill)

The Kensington Picnic probably had the coolest of locations compared to all of the other music gatherings in Philly this summer. The back lot of Liberty Vintage Motorcycles was the quarters of this multi-sensory music picnic, and went well beyond sundown, which was a plus for attendees. The brighter hours of the picnic housed some very easy-listening acts, with captivating guitar work by Chris Forsyth and Steve Gunn, a rad harp/synth combination from Mary Lattimore and Jeff Zeigler, and Meg Baird wooing men and women alike with her siren songs. A pathetic fallacy vibe reflected from Blues Control’s set, having its trippy, futuristic psychedelia on the forefront of nightfall, and only seen by the picnic lot’s questionable light source – it kind of felt like something out of Ridley Scott’s 1982 Blade Runner. Birds of Maya started once the rain set in again, and it certainly didn’t hold them back. The crowd stood close and banged their heads to the monster jams, while an elderly woman, whose backyard conjoined with the lot, shook her fist at the frenzy. 

Liberty Vintage Motorcycles was a great host for the picnic, providing its plumbing for gatherer’s potty breaks, and plenty of dusty motorcycle and vintage car eye-candy during the wait. Plus, there was a lady dangling and artistically maneuvering from the ceiling via strands of satin. The Kensington Picnic was a great day of music and community, and you could measure its success on many levels – pushing through a hefty rain delay, positive crowd response, and segueing very different sounds in one place, to name a few. Mission accomplished. Check out some of our photos from the hang HERE!

Below is a stripped-down performance by Laser Background of the song “We Trust,” which is the opener to their self-titled debut EP. The session was recorded on the roof of their Port Richmond practice space by BITBY. They’ll be performing this Friday at Johnny Brenda’s for the Ape School LP Release Party.

Check out The War on Drugs’ entire set from Shine A Light Music Festival at Mulcahy’s in Wantagh, NY on July 21, 2012! You can download it for free HERE. Special thanks to NYC Taper’s Dan Lynch for sharing.

With all the free shows happening at Morgan’s Pier, it definitely feels like the summer of freebies provided by R5 Productions, which I really don’t want to end. And it doesn’t have to. Well, not just yet. Tonight at Kung Fu Necktie, service industry folks and those who don’t mind beginning their work week with a hangover will be getting a bonus free show this week. Local electro, post-punkers The Bad Doctors will be kicking the evening off. The trio recently recorded some new material for a 7” that will be released by Eaglebauer Records so be on the look out for that one. They’ll also be playing host and supporting San Francisco’s Rank/Xerox and Rat Columns. Kung Fu Necktie, 1250 N. Front St., 8pm, Free, 21+ – H.M. Kauffman

After being a man down due to a wedding at their last show at Morgan’s Pier with Free Energy, Grandchildren should be back with their very best at Johnny Brenda’s tonight when they open for The Very Best. The West Philly crew have been taking their usual easy summer tending to their many other non-musical obligations, but you’ll find the group fine-tuning some of their new material as a new album peaks over the horizon. You can take a listen to the band’s lead single called “Where’s the Knife” HERE, or soak in their all-encompassing sound live this evening – not bad for a lazy Sunday. Johnny Brenda’s, 1201 N. Frankford Ave., 9pm, $13, 21+ – H.M. Kauffman

We’re back with another equipment giveaway courtesy of The Deli and SonicScoop, and this one is for the DJs and producers looking to add something to their live performances. It’s your opportunity to win a Novation Twitch, which has 16 trigger-pads, touchstrips, mixer, numerous rotary controllers, and much more. Just go HERE before August 16 for your chance to win.

Where can you go in the city to escape into the woods? Well, yes, Bartram’s Gardens or the Wissahickon Trail. But where in the local music scene? The answer is Heyward Howkins. His songs take you to some pine forested area, with fields passing by in a rearview mirror. Howkins released his debut LP The Hale and Hearty earlier this summer which is filled with captivating, well-crafted folk tunes. He’ll be on the bill at Kung Fu Necktie tonight along with another local Resistor (a.k.a. Steve Goldberg). Where Heyward takes you on a trip in the woods, Resistor helps you stumble upon the future in a clearing with his synthpop sounds. Young Man, Chicago-based artist Colin Caulfield and sort of a cross between the other two acts’ sounds, will also headline the evening. Kung Fu Necktie, 1250 N. Front St., 7:30pm, $10, 21+ – Maura Filoromo

Professional secret: Writing show previews are much easier when there’s a ton of great artists in one place, which I admit is one of the reasons I’m stoked about the Kensington Picnic. The other, less selfish reason is that Saturday afternoon finds a bunch of the city’s illest talent gathered in one place. In an outdoor lot behind Liberty Vintage Motorcycles, you can see the genre-free instrumental prowess of Blues Control, the vintage garage kick of Birds of Maya, two experimental/psych duos in Chris Forsyth/Steve Gunn and Mary Lattimore/Jeff Ziegler, acclaimed singer-songwriter Meg Baird, young fingerpicking extraordinaire Daniel Bachman, and Watery Love, who Siltblog calls “Philadelphia’s best band at the moment,” and says sounds like “the gear shaft of a Kensington garbage truck,” which to me just sounds like fancy talk for kickass. It’s all good, all free, and goes from 2pm until whenever the sun goes down. The Lot behind Liberty Vintage Motorcycles, Frankford Ave. near E. Susquehanna Ave., 2pm, Free, All Ages (Illustration by Jason Killinger) – Adam Downer