Kurt Vile & the Violators and Purling Hiss are back home in Philly tonight at JB’s after a long trek around the U.S. promoting their latest works on Matador and Woodsist. They were also joined on part of the tour by The Soft Pack. I’m sure these musical brethren will be very excited to be back in front of a crowd full of friends and family. Yeah, there is going to be a noisy blues rock explosion shaking the rafters at JB’s, but contemplative interludes are sure to be scattered throughout the evening, especially when Vile picks up the acoustic guitar and Amen Dune opens the show. Johnny Brenda’s, 1201 N. Frankford Ave., 9pm, $12, 21+ – H.M. Kauffman

 

Sure, the story of Thanksgiving is a bit morose when you conisder, you know, history. But the message of thanks and generosity is still important, especially now during in such a hardening economic downturn. So show your appreciation for what you have by making a disadvantaged youth’s holiday season and donating a toy through the Toys for Tots program. Not sure where to go for that? Head over to a benefit concert for the non-profit at Tritone tonight, featuring local self-dubbed "eco-friendly electro grunge" outfit, Cubehead. The solo project of vocalist/instrumentalist George Coslop, Cubehead hammers out raucous neo-industrial electro-punk that incorporates gritty guitar licks and throbbing digital knocks. With a high-speed fuzzbox of pop punches and rock smashes, Coslop will be sharing the wealth from Cubehead’s 2010 self-titled album. Tritone, 1508 South St., 9pm, $5, 21+ – Annamarya Scaccia

 

Spend the Thanksgiving aftermath giving to a worthy cause which provides English education, creative arts, job training, and more for the less fortunate. The Barrio Planta Project is an intensive community development program that strives to improve life for adults and children in Nicaragua. The masterminds behind the EP Everything’s Game, Philadelphia Slick will be helping out this grassroots organization as well as dropping four new tunes tonight at The Blockley. They’ll also be joined by some talented friends. Which ones? According to Philly Slick’s website, it will be Jawnzap7, Manchilde and Shiz Le Roq (I think that this is the best bet). However, The Blockley calendar says Dice Raw and Dephonic, but their banner on our site also reads The Rebel Yell which obviously creates a bit of confusion. I know how lineups can change, especially for benefit shows. Feel free to leave a comment if you really know exactly what the deal is. It doesn’t matter to me. Come support a worthwhile cause and get ready to shake what yo mama gave ya! The Blockley, 3801 Chestnut St., 9pm, $8, 21+ – Bill McThrill

 

So we hate holiday music. (Is there even holiday music for Thanksgiving?) But we do love mixtapes, so we wanted to share with you a mix(tape) from Reading Rainbow to help you get through this extra long weekend. It was made for Artist Advocacy. Specials thanks to Chris Zakorchemmy for giving us a heads up and the photo provided by Tiffany Yoon! We would have posted it yesterday along with our Reading Rainbow interview (take a look here), but sometimes these e-mails don’t seem like they stop coming, and we fall behind. Check out the mix below and what Rob and Sarah had to say about it. Enjoy! – The Deli Staff

 

 

Alrighty now, it’s the Wednesday night before Thanksgiving, historically one of the heaviest travel nights of the year. But who doesn’t love a drink with friends and family after a long trip (or on a Wednesday)? Well, there are plenty of places for you to do that at this evening with entertaining folks who want to play you some tunes. At the top of the list is the psychedelic noise-rock of Bardo Pond at Kung Fu Necktie. They have a new self-title album coming out January 11, 2011 on Fire Records (though they need to update their website because it says Dec. 6, but don’t believe it). You can check out and download their new track below called “Don’t Know About You”! TJ Kong & the Atomic Bomb are pulling double duty tonight – first for free at Triumph w/Toy Soldiers and then off to The Fire where Levee Drivers, The Lawsuits and Penrose will already be warming up the crowd. BTW: TJ Kong’s drummer Dan Martino told me a funny story about myself from this past Halloween. I was dressed as Sulu from classic Star Trek this year. (Not because I’m a serious Trekkie, but because I think George Takai hilarious, and I was also capitalizing on my Asianness.) Apparently, one of Martino’s friends complimented me on my rad costume, and I freaked him out because I told him that I was trying to be Captain Kirk. I have no recollection of that conversation. I kind remember saying “thank you”, but the rest of it is a blur. However, it sounds like something I might say for shits and giggles. I just wanted to let Martino’s buddy know if he happens to be reading this. I’m not really that crazy. I don’t really think that I can pull off being William Shatner or have any delusions of grandeur doing so. Oh Jameson – you evil seductress. OK, back to more things to do tonight. Sean Hoots is opening for blue-eyed soul man Mutlu at the Tine Angel. This show is certainly an older XPNers’ wet dream. Our man Bill McThrill will be attending the Tim and Eric show at The Troc. Unfortunately, I don’t get the Cartoon Network from the random cable that comes through my window and magically gives me channels so I’m not really sure what they are all about, but apparently they are hilarious, from Philly and most people have a clue because this event is sold out. And if you enjoy a more somber mood while kicking a few back, then Oubliette Ensemble is performing at the Highwire Gallery. That’s my wrap-up for this evening, and if you see me around tonight, don’t believe anything that I say. It might be just one of those nights. Cheers! – Q.D. Tran

Free Energy is back with the third episode of their Free Energy Power Hour. We kind of want them to get huge just to see Donny Smeads rollin’ in their entourage to the “hottest” LA clubs on TMZ. (We hope that they would never ditch Donny.) The video also features DFA’s “newest artist” Texas Scott (feat. Ol’ Tuck). We think Corn and Peas should definitely be signed next! – The Deli Staff

If you’ve been following The Deli, then last year’s Best of Philly Poll Winners Reading Rainbow (a.k.a. Rob Garcia and Sarah Everton) are no strangers to you. We’ve had great time following all the accolades and opportunities that have come their way this past year. Today marks the release of Reading Rainbow’s Prism Eyes (which can be purchased here) on Hozac Records, but this dynamic duo/husband and wife team (“like Sonic Youth”) already has a new split 7” ready for release in a few weeks. Though life has been pretty hectic, Garcia and Everton were nice enough to let us pick their brains about what’s been going on in the Reading Rainbow camp as well as embracing the dumbness of tweeting, Ancient Astronauts, Antique Road Show, and much, much more here.

 

Lion Versus is headlining Upstairs at World Café Live tonight. I’m guessing that this won’t be the last time now that WCL has Georgia transplant/songwriter/lead vocalist Hilary White on their radar. With her enchanting vocals and lyrics, it looks like she’s finally found a group of players in Philly to help flesh out her hauntingly beautiful songs. Lion Versus have finally laid down some new tracks and have revised older ones for their upcoming album Five Hearts due out in the spring. They’ll be joined by sugary sweet indie popsters and recent Deli poll winners When I Was 12 and rowdy folk rocker Crills Wilson. World Café Live, 3025 Walnut St., 8pm, $6 adv/$7 door, All Ages – H.M. Kauffman

 

All this Gamble & Huff/The Sound of Philadelphia talk lately has definitely made me reminisce about how much soulful, sexy music has seduced the airwaves from our historic streets. Well, tonight Pirate Radio Live, a new weekly showcase at The Blockley, helps keep this tradition alive with local music veteran Lady Alma. You may have been introduced to her from King Britt’s Sylk 130 project. Well, she was recently recruited by 4Hero producer Dennis “Dego” McFarlane to work on the second album (Two) for his project with Bugz in the Attic producer Kaidi Tatham and singer/songwriter Bembe Segue called Silhouette Brown, and tonight will be their debut performance in Philly. From Lady Alma’s recent interview in the Philly Weekly, it sounds like she has all the confidence in the world that she’ll own the room this evening. The Blockley, 3801 Chestnut St., 9pm, $10 adv/$12 door, 21+ – H.M. Kauffman

 

It’s always fun to hear a song from a local virtually unknown that you were rockin’ just a few months ago hit the big or small screen. But things have been moving fast for Philly alt hip hop favorite sons and former Drexel students Chidera “Chiddy” Anagmege and Noah “Xaphoon Jones” Bersein, a.k.a. Chiddy Bang, who recently landed their track “Opposite of Adults” in EA Sports new racing video game “Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit”, and if you happen to catch its national commercial, take a listen where “Opposite of Adults” also landed. Well, we couldn’t find the commercial for you on the internet yet so we’ll just have to get down to its official video below, and then go out skateboarding or buy some bobbleheads. – The Deli Staff

 

Deerhunter’s Bradford Cox released a collection of tunes for FREE download here today under his moniker Atlas Sound called Bedroom Databank Vol. 1. He does a swirly, psychedelic pop instrumental cover of “Freak Train” (which you can check out below) from our very own former bedroom recorder Kurt Vile. Enjoy! – The Deli Staff

With a blur of electro beats and delicate atmospherics, Ryat’s Avant Gold is a welcomed new sound for the former As Human/Kilo members Christina McGeehan and Tim Conley. (You can check out our review of Avant Gold here.) The duo recently finished a successful national tour with Chris Wood (Grimace Federation, Orbit to Leslie) joining them on drums to help fill out the live sound. We had a chance to catch up with the creative couple to shoot them some “get-to-know-you” questions so you can find out what they had to say here.