Philly’s own electro pop ensemble Grandchildren are taking over The Ox tonight. It will be their first Philly show in 2011. It was a big 2010 for these guys with the release of their stellar long-awaited debut LP Everlasting, a quickly growing fan base and plenty of media love. Hopefully this year will only bring more success to these guys. And maybe even some new music? Grandchildren’s live show is not to be missed, and if you have yet to catch them live you are in for a treat. The band’s technical proficiency is a sight to be seen and the rotating stage setup highlights their LP’s diverse but always captivating songs. The multiple drum kits drive the set while band leader Aleks Martray sits back with his acoustic guitar adding his touches to the hypnotic soundscapes. I had the pleasure of seeing Grandchildren play The Ox for our Best of Philly Showcase 2010. It was a tight fit on the stage, and their sound could barely be contained within the warehouse space. Looking forward to hearing them through The Ox’s newish sound system! The Ox, (you should already know or ask a friend), 8pm, $5, All Ages – Adam G.
So Freeway’s freestylin’ skills are becoming legendary around these parts. Well, the quick-tongued, bearded emcee recorded a 7-song EP titled Statik-Free in 24 hours with hip hop producer Statik Selektah while XXL streamed the recording session LIVE this past Monday to 50,000+ viewers. You can already purchase the EP on iTunes here. Below is “The Making of Statik-Free”, a video with some behind the scenes footage from that day. – The Deli Staff
Aggressive dissonance nears reckless abandon between crashing cymbals and shouts of “I hate it”, in Omar’s abruptly ending “Larry I Love Ya, But Ya Blew It”, exuding an anxious energy that hums throughout “Jumping Jacks” and the punk-esque chants of “Nism”. Matched with the driving riffs and urban landscapes of “Day 8 (Trampoline Only)”, Omar’s anthems play out fast and fun, finding a common ground between post-punk nostalgia and lo-fi fuzz. Headliners Slutever set to crank out signature brat-punk ballads are prone to heat things up like “Sun Hot” while the tongue-in-cheek nostalgia of “Seventh Grade” and apathetic charm of “No Offense” makes slam dancing seem appropriate. Far from falling out of fashion, both acts go down smooth with Brooklyn-based Easter Vomit. Slut it up at Kung Fu Necktie (come on, don’t be shy)! 1250 N. Front St., 7:30pm, $5, 21+ – Dianca Potts
What started out as one man with a synthesizer has since evolved into a loopy and joyful musical experience, from his involvement with Need New Body, to the tripped out quirky tunes on Sugar Glider, Jamey Robinson, who records under the moniker Buffalo Stance, has been creating his own quirky brand of experimental pop. And the fun times are sure to arise when he plays Johnny Brenda’s tonight. Another act that you should get there early enough to hear is Lux Perpetua a.k.a. Justin Wolf. His melodies can quickly transition from country folk to indie rock(-ish) while keeping things down-home soulful, and he has spent ample time working with the likes of The Extraordinaires and Folkskunde refining his craft. Also on the bill will be Titus Andronicus’ former guitarist Andrew Cedermark, who released a personal and thought-provoking debut in Moon Deluxe. Johnny Brenda’s, 1201 N. Frankford Ave., 9pm, $10, 21+ – Bill McThrill
No Wavelength gives you fun and interesting things to do off the beaten path. Tonight they’ll be importing Detroit’s Tyvek (In the Red Records) and Reading Rainbow besties, Roanoke, VA’s Eternal Summers (Kanine Records), to South Philly’s garage/warehouse/studio space Cha-Cha’Razzi. Local trio Moon Women will be representing our hometown this evening. The post-punk outfit has created a nice buzz off of their captivating, noisy rocker “Listen Closely” and its mysteriously intriguing music video (which they made from found footage at Philadelphia Public Libraries – you can check it out below). Moon Women have a limited edition cassingle out now and will be releasing a 7” on Ian Records. They’ll also be opening for Gang of Four and Hollerado at the TLA on Saturday, February 5 so this will be a good opportunity to catch them in a more intimate setting. No Wavelength’s Grace Ambrose knows the venue maybe a little difficult to find so she suggests that you head “between 16th and 17th and Mifflin and McKean” and keep a listen for some tunes. Cha-Cha’Razzi, 1918 S. Bancroft St., 8pm, $7, All Ages (No Jerks)
So many good shows to hit this weekend – just take your pick…
Johnny Brenda’s (1201 N. Frankford Ave.) FRI Audible and Ports of Call, SAT Buffalo Stance and Lux Perpetua
Kung Fu Necktie (1250 N. Front St.) FRI Ladies Auxiliary, SAT Slutever and Omar, SUN The Armchairs, Virtual Virgin, Paper Masques
North Star Bar (2639 Poplar St.) FRI Grimace Federation, Cavemen, Somata, SAT Amnesia Star Hotel, The Codes, High Kick
The Fire (412 W. Girard Ave.) FRI Octopus For Yes, SAT The Electric Boa and Music Box Dynamo, SUN Phantasm
M Room (15 W. Girard Ave.) FRI Jacobs Hill, SAT Cadaveric Spasm and Old Head, SUN Northern Liberties, Sounds From Atlantis, The Non-stop Mint
Tritone (1508 South St.) FRI Ganto Barn, SAT Vintage Kicks
Indie supergroup Mister Heavenly is offering up a FREE digital single via the band’s website here (well, for the price of your e-mail address). It features two tracks, the eponymously titled “Mister Heavenly” and “Pineapple Girl” (which you can check out below). Still no Philly dates on their calendar yet, but if you’re jonesin’ to see them live, then you can head up to NYC and catch them at one of our favorite music venues, Bowery Ballroom, this Sunday, June 16 (or you can teleport yourself to Chicago tonight for Tomorrow Never Knows Festival). Enjoy! (Photo by Johnny Le) – The Deli Staff
Power Animal are ready to bring their found sound orchestrations to Danger Danger Gallery tonight. This percussive collage of samples, harmonies and various instruments is the brainchild of Keith Hampson and filled out live by a crew of members including Matt Hampson, Kevin O’Neill, Dave Ott, Chris Clark, and Marie Nicolo. Banjo and homemade vibraphones often act as bandleaders while dialoging with the spoken word samples. Power Animal’s fine LP People Songs is a series of musical nuggets that combine folk-pop orchestrations similar to Danielson or Tunng and sample-happy sound explorers The Books. Their sound is all over the place with hip-hop drum beats fitting perfectly under Hampson’s sleepy croon on “Sometimes” to the schizophrenic blasting of instrumental epic “Summer Came From Nowhere”. People Songs is one of the strongest and most slept on albums of last year, and it still doesn’t capture the power of their live show. Don’t miss this chance to see their big sound in a super intimate setting. Danger Danger Gallery, 5013 Baltimore Ave., 8pm, $5 – $10 Donation, All Ages – Adam G.
I remember seeing Grimace Federation when I first moved to Philadelphia in 2007 and being automatically struck by their intensity and technical skill. They were lost in themselves, casting this mesmerizing silky soundscape of opulent, textured, intricate post-rock that raged hysterically like a disciplined cyclone around the stage. It was as if we, the audience, were just mere outsiders who happened to stumble upon a mad scientist’s deliberate working and could do nothing but gawk in amazement. Well, it should go without saying (but I’ll say it anyways). Grimace Federation is one act that’s a must-see live so trek your ass up to North Star Bar, where they’re playing tonight with locals, the psych-jazz group Caveman, and electro-jam outfit Somata. North Star Bar, 2639 Poplar St., 9pm, $10, 21+ – Annamarya Scaccia
I was invited to Manayunk this past Saturday to hang out with Creepoid and check out their practice space as drummer Pat Troxell said (and 99% of the folks on MTV’s Cribs) to see “where the magic happens”. Well, most of the time was spent drinking cans of Pabst and Miller, swigging sips of Jameson, puffing bowls and chatting about their latest debut LP Horse Heaven (Ian Records) while we tested out the voice recorder on my new smartphone that I got for Christmas. We had some laughs, but it’s hard not to with these cast of characters. But at the heart of Creepoid, you find the spirit of hardcore/punk kids learning to grow up and do what they can just to be a working class band. Well, their working class ethics seem to be paying off. But these guys and gal aren’t quite ready to grow up just yet. Join us this evening at Kung Fu Necktie when The Deli Magazine presents Creepoid’s Record Release Show w/Nothing, Party Photographer and Pet Milk. First, read about how the rest of our Saturday went here before we devoured a bunch of BBQ for dinner and I trekked my slightly inebriated ass home on the Regional Rail.
If you’ve ever caught a performance by The Extraordinaires, then you know why there is plenty of positivity around their name, and understandably so. Their quirky folk-rock ditties are pretty inventive in lyrical content combining good old fashioned high-energy tunes with a fish-shaped guitar. Word is they have some new songs in the works, so that’s one more thing to keep in mind. Orbit to Leslie can take your breath away with their perfectly crafted pop that contains elements of surf, grunge, and everything between, aiming straight for the stratosphere. "The World Was Saved with Chocolate Cake" never gets old (at least for this guy). Also keep an eye out for the mangled punk of Drunken Sufis, the afro-pop-inspired PRUSSIA, and the goofy synth anthems of the Amil Byleckie Band. The Ox, (you should know already or just ask a friend), 8pm, $5, All Ages – Joe Poteracki
Strand of Oaks a.k.a. Timothy Showalter premiered his new music video for “Last to Swim” from 2010’s critically acclaimed Pope Killdragon on Pitchfork.tv today (which you can check out below). It was directed by Memory Drift. Please prepare to get close-up and personal with Strand of Oaks. Enjoy! – The Deli Staff
Even in the supposedly wide-open realm of indie, it’s somewhat rare to find a band who’s actually hard to categorize. Everything tends to fit into easy compartments, and even while those compartments are often kind of weird or niche ("shoegaze", "post-rock", freak folk", etc.), it’s still not a challenge to come up with the obvious reference points for the bands that subscribe to them. Dragon King, however, is somewhat of a break from that. Sure, they’re a breed of electronic pop, but just where do they come from exactly? I can’t think of anyone in particular that sounds like them, though that probably has more to do with the fact that they don’t draw from any of those niche genres so much.
The Warriors EP starts out aggressively with "Wolfboy", a sort of hip-hop meets electrorock shuffle. It features Peedi Crakk, which is pretty much enough to seal the track’s rap street cred, as the guy has collaborated with everyone from The Roots to Jay-Z. The song’s grimy bassline and pulsing synth doesn’t return until the last track of the record, "Wild Night", whose chorus is about as big and blunt as things get. Sandwiched between all this are a couple of subtler, slow-burn tunes. "Warriors" builds up graciously, piling on little synth bleeps and bloops, eventually culminating in gorgeous, swooning vocal harmonies. "Altamont Sunrise" is probably the best choice for a single. Its instrumentation is minimal, at least compared to the rest of the EP, but this is to make way for its vocal melody. It feels natural and breezy, containing hints of some classic pop songwriting.
The mood of the first track is somewhat at odds with that of the next couple, and listeners might find themselves divided between these two "types" in Dragon King songs. For some, this might indicate a band that can do a lot of things and isn’t afraid to try them out. But for others, it might be a sign of band that hasn’t quite found their sound yet. Either way, there’s enough potential going on to make the Warriors EP a worthwhile listen. You can pay what you want to download the album here. – Joe Poteracki
