Invisible – Bermuda Bonnie from Kim Huston

Special thanks to this year’s Deli poll jurors (listed below), writers, readers, and all the artists and their fans who participated – you rock! We wouldn’t have been able to do this without you.

2. Reading Rainbow

You should already know Reading Rainbow by now. They started last year on the right foot by winning The Deli’s Philly Best of Emerging Artists Poll 2009. After rockin’ the fuck out at SXSW, the band received the opportunity to release their sophmore full-length album on Hozac Records. Thus, the process to put together their release Prism Eyes began its journey. The duo recorded most of their album down in Virginia with pals Eternal Summers, and were chosen to participate in Weathervane’s Shaking Through, which allowed them more time in a professional studio to record three tracks for their Hozac release and helped to give Rob Garcia and Sarah Everton their first taste of Pitchfork love that quickly thrust them into the national spotlight. Prism Eyes was released and waves of positive reviews flooded the internet. You would think that would be enough to happen to one band in a year, but not for the dynamic couple of Reading Rainbow. The pair also threw down for Daytrotter, hit the road with Dum Dum Girls, released a split 7" with Brooklyn’s Coasting on French label Atelier Ciseaux (just weeks after Prism Eyes was released), and signed to monster booking agency Billions. Reading Rainbow is one of those outfits that should get all the attention it gets. They already have a slew of upcoming shows scheduled at SXSW as well as tours with The Dodos and Dum Dum Girls so 2011 better watch out! You can check out our interview with Reading Rainbow from last year for our Where Is My Mind? section here as well as our review of Prism Eyes here.

3. Creepoid

Yes, Creepoid has been a band for barely over a year, and if it wasn’t for that fateful storm that snowed-in lead singer Sean Miller and drummer Pat Troxell and now bassist/vocalist Anna Troxell with a vintage recording machine, we might have never discovered this charismatic outfit filled with the spirit of Kurt Cobain and that 90’s Grunge angst all heroined out (as we have stated before). We also think others instantly recognized that there was something special about this band. After all, when your first show is opening for Best Coast and Reading Rainbow and your second show is opening for Kurt Vile & the Violators, someone out there believes that you deserve to be on those bills as well. Creepoid has received plenty of local love from the beginning and with the recent release of their kick-ass debut full-length Horse Heaven on Ian Records (The Deli’s Philly Record Label of the Year 2010), we’re thinking that it is only a matter of time when the rest of the world will realize it too. Expect another new EP from the local gang this summer. You can check out our interview with Creepoid from this year for our Where Is My Mind? section here as well as our review of Horse Heaven here.

Artist J W F OS TOTAL   1 Sun Airway 12 2 0.01   14.01 2 Reading Rainbow 13 1 0.005   14.005 3 Creepoid 9 1 0.021 0.5 10.521 4 Party Photographers 8   0.01   8.01 5 Strand of Oaks 5 1 0.064   6.064 6 Grandchildren 3 2 0.033   5.033 7 The Spooks 5   0   5 8 Levee Drivers 3 1 0.173   4.173 9 Golden Ages 2 2 0.046   4.046 10  The Homophones 1 3 0.017   4.017 11 The War on Drugs 2 2 0.014   4.014 12 Drink Up Buttercup 4   0.007   4.007 13 Chiddy Bang 3 1 0.005   4.005 14 Purling Hiss 3 1 0.003   4.003 15 Penrose     3 1 4   Univox   2 2   4 17 Hop Along 3   0.114   3.114 18 Algernon Cadwallader 3   0.036   3.036  19 Gang 3   0.021   3.021 20 Prowler 3   0.018   3.018 21 Free Energy 3   0.013   3.013 22 Johnny Miles & the Waywards 3   0.005   3.005 23 Far-Out Fangtooth 3   0.003   3.003 24 Nightlands 3   0.002   3.002 25 Ryat   1 1 1 3 26 Swift Technique 2   0.5   2.5 27 Goodnight Lights 2   0.15   2.15 28 TJ Kong & the Atomic Bomb 1 1 0.03   2.03 29 Nicos Gun 2   0.008   2.008   Power Animal 2   0.008   2.008 31 Sweet Lights 2   0.006   2.006 32 The Divine Lorraine 2   0.002   2.002 33 The Synth Sircus     1.5 0.5 2 34 The Armchairs 1   0.083   1.083 35 Thom McCarthey 1   0.056   1.056 36 Cat Vet 1   0.05   1.05 37 Busses 1   0.018   1.018 38 Moon Women 1   0.006   1.006 39 East Hundred 1   0.004   1.004 40 Blackhawks 1   0.003   1.003   The Swimmers 1   0.003   1.003   Close to Good 1   0.003 Philadelphia Penrose Win Best of Philly 2010 Fans’ Poll Posted on: February 6, 2011 Congrats to Penrose, who won the fans’ section of our Best of Philly Emerging Aritsts Poll 2010. The bluesy classic rock trio was followed by glam-punk arena rockers Univox, and experimental keyboard army The Synth Sircus. We embedded the top 10 at the bottom of this blurb. Check out all the bands – this year we have some great variety! A pool of 50+ artists were selected in December 2010 mostly by local scene makers (concert promoters, bloggers, DJs, etc., full list here) and part of them through an open submission process. We let the fans vote and these are the results as far as the top 15 positions. We will publish our final results soon including the jurors’ top 10 list and the full composite chart which will include jurors’, Deli writers’, and fans’ votes as well as the open submission phase. Thank you to all who participated this year!   Artist   1 Penrose 2 Univox 3 The Synth Sircus 4 Ryat 5 Swift Technique 6 Levee Drivers 7 Goodnight Lights 8 Peter Joseph & the Roaring Twenties 9 Hop Along 10 Da Comrade! 11 The Armchairs 12 Strand of Oaks 13 Thom McCarthey 14 Cat Vet 15 Golden Ages The Deli Staff Philadelphia New Track and Video from Work Drugs Posted on: February 6, 2011 Below is the official video and new track “Rad Racer” from Work Drugs (a.k.a. Thomas Crystal & Benjamin Louisiana). It’s a smooth, sexy dance number that we are sure will get some lucky person a little action one evening. Let’s hope it’s you. You can download “Rad Racer” for free here as well as their other tracks “Third Wave” and “Dog Daze”. Enjoy! – The Deli Staff   Philadelphia Get Noisy w/The Notekillers at Coco66 02.05 Posted on: February 5, 2011 I’m lovin’ the resurgence/rebirth of The Notekillers! Besides that the NYC/Philly band straight-up effin’ still rock, it goes with my belief in the “ripple effect”, and how no matter how insignificant you may feel about a body of work, its influence has the ability to affect someone else inspiring paths that might not have been taken before. We doubt that David First and crew ever thought when they dropped off free copies of their 1980 7”, The Zipper, at legendary record store, 99 Records, as a last ditch effort to reach anyone that it would end up in the hands of a young Thurston Moore and friends influencing the sound of Sonic Youth and the No Wave movement. Well, you’ll have a chance to experience The Notekillers live tonight at Coco66 where they will be making plenty of noise with Nymph and Pigeons. – Q.D. Tran Philadelphia FYI on DIYs in PHL: Folkadelphia Concert Series’ Fred Knittel Posted on: February 5, 2011 “Folk music is a major part of my life, and I’m hooked. I love everything that keeps happening, and I’d love to keep other people informed and interested as much as I can.”   That antiphon is from Fred Knittel, a 22-year-old undergrad in Drexel University’s music industry program. The Asbury Park native is true to his words – for the last three years, he’s hosted the alt-folk radio program, Folkadelphia, which was first home to Drexel’s WKDU station, and, since June, finds a place every Tuesday evening on Y-Rock on XPN. He also owns Be Frank Records – a pun on both the idiom of honesty and Benjamin Franklin’s agnomen – with friend Matt Klein, and just pressed its first limited edition 7-inch vinyl, 2010’s Everyone Will Take You In by local folk luminary, Birdie Busch. And now, as part of his senior project before he graduates in March, the former WXPN summer intern will showcase the nouveau riche of folk music with the Folkadelphia Concert Series, taking place at Johnny Brenda’s every Sunday afternoon throughout February.     Presented by the Philadelphia Folksong Society and WXPN, every installment of the Folkadelphia Concert Series will feature live performances and artists discussions with local folk lightning rods The Spinning Leaves, Hezekiah Jones, Lewis & Clarke, Meg Baird, and Maine-based outfit, Arborea (The Spinning Leaves & Hezekiah Jones will play Folkadelphia’s inaugural show tomorrow). We had a chance to catch up with Knittel to talk about the series, how folk music is received in Philadelphia, and why there’s a resistance to modern folk. You can check out the interview here.   Philadelphia Aquarius Prom w/The Jawns & DJ Evil V at Adobe Café Feb. 5 Posted on: February 5, 2011 It’s prom night, well, if you want it to be because The Great Cranberry is presenting Aquarius Prom this evening at the Adobe Café (upstairs)! The event is a prom-themed party with performances by THE JAWNS, a live mashup/soultrain band featuring members of The Extraordinaires, The Armchairs, Arrah and the Ferns, Nicos Gun and Virtual Virgin as well as DJ Evil V spinning some ass-shaking grooves. There will be discounted admission for those who get dressed up ($3) and an extra special discount for those who are ready to get Ab Fab in drag ($2). Basically, get crazy, dance, and have fun! Adobe Café, 1919 E. Passyunk Ave., 9pm, $4, 21+ – H.M. Kauffman