Philadelphia

Gildon Works Building Walls of Sound at JB’s March 11

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More than mere shoegaze, Philly sextet Gildon Works is a force to be reckoned with. Sincerely felt emotive nestled between deft melodies, what began as a side project between Gerard Angelini (ex-Relay) and Cody Ferdinand has evolved into a well-loved fixture of our city’s soundscape. The band composes a delicate fusion between atmospheric post-rock and chilled out indie pop with vocals reminiscent of Sunny Day Real Estate minus all the gloom. Paired with dreamy riffs and hushed percussion, songs like “Pity For the City” and “Artful Rifle” (the title-track of their debut), Gildon Works’ sound avoids trendy cop-outs in favor of true musicianship. Headlining JB’s with Scout Niblett and Walker Lundee, Gildon Works live performance is guaranteed to please. Johnny Brenda’s, 1201 N. Frankford Ave, 9pm, $10, 21+ myspace.com/gildonworks – Dianca Potts

Philadelphia

Peasant’s Shady Retreat CD Release Party at World Café Live March 11

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On the Ground and the vinyl The End were both strong releases for Damien Nicholas DeRose, the Doylestown artist otherwise known as Peasant. His gentle, wispy tunes have conjured up plenty of comparisons to the late, great Elliott Smith. He’ll be celebrating the release of his latest album Shady Retreat on Paper Garden Records at World Café Live tonight before beginning his tour down south for SXSW. Seeing him off will be the beautiful Vibewrangler Records songbirds, Sisters 3. World Café Live, 3025 Walnut Ave., 8pm, $13, All Ages myspace.com/peasant (Photo by Heidi Greenwood) – Bill McThrill

 

Philadelphia

Artist(s) Who Deserve Your Friendship: Attia Taylor

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Attia Taylor records seductive lo-fi experimental bedroom tracks with vocals and beats that should surely get remixed over and over again, which may get you dancing alone in your room or the most packed Making Time that you’ve ever been to. But for now, let’s appreciate the intimacy of her psych-pop/art pop recordings. You can check out her sweet, sweet video for “Flash Photography Class” above and/or catch her live tonight at the M Room, but I’m already looking forward to her show at Tritone with local lo-fi dance queen Lillie Ruth Bussey (a.k.a. Bianka Brunson) and Gemini Wolf, who will be celebrating the release of their remix EP. myspace.com/attiataylor – Q.D. Tran

Philadelphia

Algernon Cadwallader and Mose Giganticus at DDG March 10

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Maybe it’s a little hard to ignore the Kinsella brothers influence with Algernon Cadwallader. Many will tell you they sound like Cap’n Jazz, and the truth of the matter is, well, they do. But one quick listen to these songs, and there’s clearly so much more! Elaborate guitar lines serpentine around impassioned vocals to result in something more complex and refined than their forebears, but just as immediate. And then there’s Mose Giganticus, whose claim to fame – heavy metal and hardcore accompanied by retro keyboards – may seem a little odd at first, until you realize we’re talking about two very 80’s things right here, and it’s quite perfect. "Days of Yore" almost gets into doom metal territory, with its slow, crushing riffs, while some tracks, like "My Machine", even sport a vocoder. Put these two acts in the Danger Danger Gallery with Providence, RI’s Math the Band and you have quite an interesting night. Danger Danger Gallery, 5013 Baltimore Ave., 8 pm, $5 donation, All Ages myspace.com/algernoncadwallader, myspace.com/mosegiganticus – Joe Poteracki

 

Philadelphia

Free Energy Releases Stuck on Nothing and Interview with Paul Sprangers

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Free Energy digitally releases their debut album Stuck on Nothing today on Astralwerks/DFA Records, which was produced by DFA’s James Murphy (LCD SoundSystem). Physical copies will be available on May 4, 2010. The guys are on tour with LA’s Foreign Born, and will be rolling back into town at the MarBar this Saturday before heading off to SXSW and across the pond. Singer Paul Sprangers was nice enough to take time out from the parties, boob signings and (oh yeah) rock shows to answer a few questions from the road.
 
The Deli: You’ve been part of the Minneapolis music scene. How does it compare to Philly’s scene (similarities/differences)?
 
Paul Sprangers: The Twin Cities and Philly are similar scene-wise in that there’s a lot of unconditional musical support, but also a ton of corresponding scene-drama, band-hating, and social feuds. There are way more tats in Philly. Probably more fixed gear hipsters in The Twin Cities, but I certainly could be wrong.
 
To conclude–both cities are rad. But we’ve always been outsiders. Our band has never really fit in anywhere.
 
TD: We’ve always thought that it was an odd pairing given the usual dance-punk music that you might find on DFA. How did you originally get hooked up with them?
 
PS: We’ve been in touch with them before "Keep Guessin" came out. So it’s been a long, long process of emailing, talking and sending them demos and waiting for the time to feel right. 
 
TD: How did James Murphy help you with your recording process?
 
PS: He has a vast, vast knowledge of weird old equipment, getting good sounds, and recording a lot of different kinds of bands. He knows what will sound good on a dance floor as well as a shitty boombox. 
 
TD: It looks like there are many tours for your future with the upcoming release of your debut full length Stuck on Nothing on Astralwerks. What cities are you most excited about rolling into and why?
 
PS: I like college towns. Kids always wanna dance and party in college towns. We like the West Coast. We like the East Coast. D.C. has been really cool. Midwest is cool cause kids are so excited about anything good.
 
TD: What are your biggest musical influences?
 
PS: Life. Understanding the self. Non-fiction about the mind, perception, consciousness, and the evolution of humankind. Learning from mistakes. Learning from friends and teachers. Learning to forgive and accept fault. These things influence the process of making music and achieving success more than any single record or artist we’ve ever listened to.
 
TD: What local and national/international artists are you currently into?
 
PS: Surfer Blood!! Yeasayer. Beach House. Hot Chip. Foreign Born. Clovers. Skinny Uglies. Kurt Vile. 
 
TD: What’s the first concert that you ever attended and first album that you ever bought?
 
PS: New Kids on the Block. Robert Palmer – Heavy Nova.
 
TD: What are your plans for 2010?
 
PS: Sign a lot of boobs. Big boobs.
 
TD: What was your most memorable live show?
 
PS: We just had an awesome show in Chicago. Tons of hot girls taking pictures up front, then a bunch of frat guys doing fucking crazy dance moves. Then I jumped on one of the guys shoulders and sang from within the crowd. It was a party.
 
TD: What’s your favorite thing to get at the deli?
 
PS: CLUB SANDWICH BAYBEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!
 
 
– The Deli Staff

 

Philadelphia

The Asteroids Galaxy Tour Ticket Giveaway!

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We love giving away free shit! And we’re sure that you love getting free shit! So here’s your chance to win a pair of tickets to see The Asteroids Galaxy Tour when they kickoff their Spring U.S. Tour as they make their way down to SXSW. We’re jealous and poor. But we’d love for you to join us and The Asteroids Galaxy Tour (what a strange name, but maybe it got lost in translation), who are fronted by Danish producer Lars Iversen and vocalist Mette Lindberg. If you wonder why their music may sound familiar, their track “Around the Bend” appeared in Apple’s iTouch ad. Throw in that Amy Winehouse had them open for her which was basically their first official gig, Katy Perry became a fan and had them open several sold out European dates, and Lindberg is stunningly beautiful with her supermodel looks and sexy Deborah Harry gaze – we have the right to hate them. Come on – we’re Philly! This ain’t New York or LA. We’re not impressed. But we know a good party when we see it, and this might be one on Sunday, March 14th at Kung Fu Necktie! To enter, send us an email at thedelimagazinephiladelphia@gmail.com. – The Deli Staff

 

Philadelphia

Ape School, Grandchildren and The Armchairs at The Ox March 6

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I saw the sun today, and I didn’t know how to handle it. Things were going so well between us then BAM, gone, no note, no bread train, not even a pair of panties to remember her by. This morning she woke me up though, and I knew it was a sign of spring. Another tell tale sign came when I found out that feel good rockateers Ape School are coming to The Ox tonight. If you are into breezy melodies, laser show-ready synths and charged guitar riffs then this elephant 6-style outfit will fit just right. This show gets even more stacked with the addition of electro-folk wunderkinds Grandchildren. They combine an exciting mix of acoustics, live and produced drums, and crisp samples to create spastic and enamoring pop tunes. Their style recalls the summery jams of Panda Bear and D.C. crew Le Loup. These guys will hopefully blow up soon, but are definitely one of Philly’s best-kept secrets. But wait! There’s more! The proverbial whiz on this fine cheese steak is newly initiated Punk Rock Payroll’s The Armchairs. Their live show rides high on quickie gems that leave you both scratching and bobbing your head. It sounds like a really bizarre indie circus with Gordan Gano as the right leader. Make sure not to miss out on what will be a truly fun evening! The Ox, 2nd and Oxford St., 7pm, $5 donation, All Ages – Adam G.

 

Philadelphia

Weekend Warrior, March 5 – 7

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Man Man can be a little intimidating to the uninitiated. That bizarre cocktail of Tom Waits, Frank Zappa, and God-knows-what-else makes no apologies for its total bombast, and for its ecstatic refusal to settle down and take itself too seriously. With three albums under their belt already, and now part of the Anti Records roster, they’ve already secured themselves as one of the most unique (and most popular) Philly bands of the last few years. Most will tell you the best way to experience them is live. Their setup consists of all band members packed in really tight, all sorts of percussion and odds and ends splayed out, ready to be wailed on with a stage presence talked about, but rarely seen. So go see them, and have bragging rights! They’re returning to their hometown this weekend, playing The Troc with special guests Javelin and the Skin Cells. The Trocadero Theatre, 1003 Arch Street, 8 p.m., $14, All Ages myspace.com/wearemanman
 
Other things that might entertain you…
 
Danger Danger Gallery (5013 Baltimore St.) FRI Post Post

North Star Bar (2639 Poplar St.) FRI Jason Ager and Up the Chain, SAT Matt Davis Aerial Photograph

The Khyber (56 S. 2nd St.) FRI Among Criminals and Steppin Razor, SUN McRad, Handsome Petes, Alright Junior

M Room (12 W. Girard Ave.) FRI Suttercane and Workhorse 3, SAT Wissahickon Chicken Shack and The Suitcases

World Café Live (3025 Walnut St.) FRI (Upstairs) Sisters Three and The Feverfew

Blockley Pourhouse (3801 Chestnut St.) FRI Agent Moosehead, The Lizard from Mars, Mad Sweet Pangs

Tritone (1508 South St.) FRI Tongue Sculptors, SUN Invisible Friends
The Fire (412 W. Girard Ave.) FRI Hezekiah Jones, Spinning Leaves, Kevin James Devine, SAT The Rowdies and Seizure 17
Green Line Café (4426 Locust St.) SAT Patterns and Ominous Black
 
Vox Populi Gallery (319 N. 11th St.) FRI Ryat
 
The Ox (2nd and Oxford St.) SAT Ape School, Grandchildren, The Armchairs
 

 

Philadelphia

RJD2 SOLD OUT at First Unitarian Church March 5

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One of Philly’s finest RJD2 kicks off the third leg of his tour in the city he loves best. Having come a long way since his mid-west start, former DJ turned producer launched his own label, RJ’s Electrical Connections, in 2009, starting with the re-issue of prior full lengths under its newfound name. A fitting home for his fourth LP, The Colossus, RJD2’s latest marks the tenth year of his career, making the album’s title befitting in chronology as well as sound. Far more grounded than The Third Hand, The Colossus is feverishly expository, coupling textured backbeats and tricked out rhythms with lines only capable of a true wordsmith or visionary. Infusing a number of throwbacks to his earlier work, the album’s thematic core drips innovation while staying true to its creator’s roots. Taking the stage with Break Science and Happy Chichester, RJD2’s set is bound to satisfy. First Unitarian Church, 2125 Chestnut St., 8pm, SOLD OUT, All Ages myspace.com/rjd2 – Dianca Potts

 

Philadelphia

Hezekiah Jones and Friends at The Fire March 5

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Things have been going quite well for Hezekiah Jones (Raphael Cutrufello) and his merry band of Joneses. His latest offering on Yer Bird Records, Bread of Teeth, is just a little taster as he works on his upcoming full length. He’s getting ready to hit the road on a mini-tour in March with Chris Kasper, but before he does he’ll be doing a show at his home away from home tonight at The Fire. You never know who or how many people will be popping up to play alongside Raph, but expect it to be good vibes all around. Also on the lineup is our current band of the month, The Spinning Leaves, the Americana folk stars, who just recently released their full length vinyl, Love, on Ropadope. Rounding out the lineup is Kevin James Devine, who has emerged on the scene in true working man fashion with his debut release Through The Fields. The Fire, 412 W. Girard Ave, 9pm, $8, 21+ myspace.com/hezekiah11 (Photo by Lisa Schaffer) – Bill McThrill

 

Philadelphia

Post Post at Danger Danger Gallery March 5

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Post Post write endearing indie pop that is earnest and accessible with an underlying feeling of constantly fighting for survival or just making it through one more night alone. Michelle Zauner’s sweet, bend but never break vocals is youthful, but her lyrics pack a sucker-punch of maturity. They’ve graduated from Garage Band to a real studio for their upcoming EP. I’m sure that you’ll get a taste of the new tunes at Danger Danger Gallery tonight. Danger Danger Gallery, 5013 Baltimore Ave., 9pm, $5, All Ages myspace.com/postpostmusic (Photo by Noah Temple) – H.M. Kauffman    

 

Philadelphia

Return to the Golden Ages at The Ox March 4

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The identity of Golden Ages may be enshrouded in mystery and hoodies. But this one man bedroom production is a swirl of vibrant colorful soundscapes. Still relatively new on the scene with his first EP Sitting Softly in the Sea emerging last summer. But it has gained him a strong reputation and some serious praise. NEU Magazine pronounced Golden Ages a “bold step back to the time when big acoustics mattered but still keep it very 2010.” While The Fader said that the music sounds “like being birthed inside of a rainbow.” Golden Ages just recently released his second offering, an 8 song album called Tradition. The Ox, 2nd and Oxford St., 8pm, $5, All Ages myspace.com/wearegoldenages – Bill McThrill