You may recognize Ron Gallo as the charismatic frontman of soulful roots rockers Toy Soldiers. But he has also recorded a catalogue of solo albums between 2006 and 2009 that show a whole other side of the talented songwriter. When you hear him play a stripped-down, intimate set as part of Triumph Brewing Company’s Live & Local Music Series tonight, you’ll hear his patented Americana folk that you know and love. But you also might here some candid moments thanks to songs such as “C.C. Rag” and “Time Covers House in Vines”. Gallo may be working on rebuilding the lineup for Toy Soldiers again, but you can bet that the determined Temple student will remain a fixture in the local music community. Joining him on the bill will be another young dynamic singer-songwriter in Kevin James Devine. Between his debut album “Through the Fields” and the online mix tape he released in September, he has been able to impress with his honest lyrics and echoes of early Springsteen. Triumph Brewery, 117 Chestnut St., 8pm, Free, 21+ – Bill McThrill

 

VOTE! VOTE!! VOTE!!! This is a very important midterm election so don’t forget to do your part in helping to decide our future! You can find more info and your local polling place here.  – The Deli Staff

 

OK, so we don’t normally cover bands that only do covers, but tonight is a little different as it’s the kickoff to “Philly Sings Philly”. Every Tuesday night in November at The Fire you’ll find a plethora of our local acoustic singer-songwriters covering some of their favorite Philly artists. This evening is anchored by Andrew Lipke. Look out for other Deli favorites like Hezekiah Jones, The Spinning Leaves, Spirit and Dust, and many more throughout this month. Well, you can’t say that the Philly singer-songwriter/folk community doesn’t love their local music scene. The Fire, 412 W. Girard Ave., 8pm, $8, 21+ – H.M. Kauffman

 

The band When I Was 12 bring you back to those innocent (and not-so-innocent) times when the world was new and your options seemed limitless (albeit from a more feminine point of view). Well, we had a chance to bounce our get-to-know-you questions off super sweet, candy-licious frontwoman Adrianne Gold as she fills us in on the history of When I Was 12 and dishes the dirt about her bestie bandmates.

 

 

Adrianne Gold: It all started when I was 12, and what I really wanted was a heart-shaped guitar. My dad promised if I learned 5 chords he’d get me one…the rest is history!

 

 

AG: It’s sort of a mystery (stemming from our history). I think I chose this band name because everyone remembers what it’s like to be 12 and yet everyone has unique memories of what it was like.

 

 

AG: Our biggest musical influences INCLUDE (but are not limited to!): The Velvet Underground, Tilly and the Wall, Rilo Kiley, Hellogoodbye, and Saturday Looks Good to Me.

 

 

AG: BEST COAST for certain, I’ve written two new songs very inspired by them. I adore the lo-fi, girly, beachy sound they have! ALSO Midi & The Modern Dance. They’re from Connecticut, and we played with them on our summer tour (2010). If you listen they will melt your heart and with winter on it’s way that’s something so desired! Carolyn: She loves First Aid Kit because they’re from Sweden or something and they have the best harmonies ever. We wanna have harmonies like them. And The Avett Brothers because she just saw them in concert! Ryan: He never stops talking about The Unicorns. I think he’s gonna love them the most forever and for always but right now he especially likes Broken Social Scene. Dan: Truthfully he’s listening to Delorean and Motion City Soundtrack. That Motion City Soundtrack song about make out kids never having a chance to be best friends was totally a good song so I don’t know why he sounds embarrassed!

 

 

AG: I’m not gonna lie. The first concert I EVER attended was a Britney Spears concert for my best friend’s 9th birthday. Britney changed her wardrobe like 9 times. She inspired me. I want to change my wardrobe on stage too. I’m also not gonna let Dan lie. The first concert he’s ever been to was Green Day and the first album he ever bought was probably at that concert ("Dookie" by Green Day). Somehow Carolyn has a really COOL first concert: Thao and the Get Down Stay Down, but a super dorky first ever album she purchased: HANSON!!!! I also think half of us are lying about this because Ryan’s first concert was Peter, Bjorn, and John and his first album was Lifted… by Bright Eyes.

 

 

AG: I love the sirens that sing me to sleep.

 

 

AG: I hate the sirens that sing me to sleep.

 

 

AG: We are going to start recording our 2nd full length album very soon! I wish I could tell you the title, but some things are best left unsaid, and secrets are my favorite! I guess you’ll just have to wait and see.

 

 

AG: IT’S A TIE! Performance-wise we had so much fun covering Joan Jett’s "Bad Reputation". We put on leather jackets and stuff. It was wildddd! Once we played a show with Des Ark though, and she’s the most fantastic. It was so intimate, and every word she sang sounded so angelic.

 

 

 

 

There’s a FREE show at KFN tonight that you might want to check out. Headlining will be Tia & Tamara, a new side project from Andy Molholt and Michael Chadwick of psych-pop outfit The Armchairs. No recordings have surfaced yet (that I’ve heard), but if you know The Armchairs, always expect the strange (if you don’t believe me, check out the preview video for their upcoming “Creamsicle Challenge” at The Ox on Nov. 13), and judging by the supposed tongue-in-cheek homage to former child stars and twin sisters Tia and Tamara Mowry, there is nothing to make me believe otherwise. Tia & Tamara will be joined this evening by Levee Drivers, who will be heading down to Nashville for a little while soon to test the waters of its local music scene, and fellow Bucks County mates The Lawsuits. Kung Fu Necktie, 1250 N. Front St., 8pm, FREE, 21+ – Q.D. Tran

 

 

 

We’ll be busy gettin’ our Halloween on tomorrow so we wanted to give you the schedule for TJ Kong’s Halloween Costume Ball Rock and Roll Murdershow. There will be FREE Spaten beer (maybe some Irish whiskey if you’re lucky), food, costume prizes, dancing, visual art, and much, much more so dress to impress! You can purchase discounted advance tix here or from any of the participating bands. Looking forward to seeing some creative costumes and hearing some good tunes! The Ukie Club, 47 N. Franklin St. (Northern Liberties West Between 7th & 8th and Poplar St.), 2pm – whenevs, $10 adv/$15 door, All Ages – The Deli Staff

 

2:30pm – 3:00pm – FLAMINGO
3:15pm – 3:45pm – THE POWDER KEGS
4:00pm – 4:30pm – BUSSES
4:45pm – 5:15pm – PENROSE
5:30pm – 6:00pm – UGH GOD
6:15pm – 6:45pm – CONVERSATIONS WITH ENEMIES
7:00pm – 7:30pm – THE YES WAY
7:45pm – 8:15pm – CHEERS ELEPHANT
8:30pm – 9:15pm – DA COMRADE!
9:30pm – 10:15pm – PROWLER
10:30pm – 11:15pm – TJ KONG AND THE ATOMIC BOMB
11:30pm – 12:15am – THE SPOOKS
12:30am – 1:15am – TOY SOLDIERS
1:30am – ? – ???

 

It’s Mischief Night so let’s get into some trouble! Making Time/R5 will be taking over all three floors of The Barbary tonight. They’ll be surrounded by plenty of their friends/the usual suspects spinning what’s near and dear to their hearts. Unfortunately, there is no rad video from Klip Collective to get you into the mood this year so let’s flashback to "Making Time’s Thriller 3000” video (below) from last year to get you feelin’ festive. Also swing by The Ox if you are looking for a little change of scenery (or are just under 21) for their Halloween Funn! The Barbary, 951 N. Frankford Ave., 9pm, $10, 21+ – H.M. Kauffman

Local native Fursaxa (a.k.a. Tara Burke) conjures up cinematic soundscapes that are mystical and strange. Strange like a séance or a foggy moon-filled night. The ancient sounding intro of “Alone in the Dark Wood” feels like a high-register Gregorian chant, notes bending into twangy strums that settle yet linger like ghosts. There’s something hypnotic and calming in the way the track unfolds, in the way it deconstructs as it progresses, isolating each component with focus and haunting emphasis. Similar to Fever Ray nix the overt dramatics, Fursaxa’s sound exists on the same plane as folklore or myths. Whether it’s the swelling rush of “Cle Elum” or the tolling “Bells of Capistrano”, Fursaxa will entrance you at first listen, note by note each time. Burke will be joined tonight at the Highwire Gallery by The New Heaven and The New Earth, Killa and Vincent Fournier-Boisvert. Highwire Gallery, 2040 Frankford Ave., 8pm, $8, All Ages – Dianca Potts

 

It’s motherfuckin’ Halloween weekend – our absolute favorite time of the year! And to prove it we have 2 extra special events that we will be presenting to you. Tonight our buddies Grimace Federation will be kickin’ off the weekend in style when they celebrate the release of their new EP On Velvet at Johnny Brenda’s with West Philadelphia Orchestra and Univox! (Check out our interview for Where Is My Mind? below with Grimace’s Xack Xweig.) But remember that there will be no rest for the wicked this weekend so we’ll be joining TJ Kong and some of your favorite up-and-coming local artists like The Spooks, Cheers Elephant, Toy Soldiers, and much, much more for the Halloween Costume Ball Rock and Roll Murdershow all day and night this Sunday at The Ukie Club! We will also have a very special headliner that will be taking you into the AM. This evening is going to rock, and we are already sitting around in our costumes waiting. The FREE Spaten Beer will be flowing like water, and there will also be food, costume prizes, dancing, fire, virgin sacrifices, and sexy ladies and gents! Tix are $10 in advance and $15 at the door. You can purchase them in advance here or from any of the participating bands. Let’s get ready to get freaky! Johnny Brenda’s, 1201 N. Frankford Ave., 9pm, $10, 21+; The Ukie Club, 847 N. Franklin St. (Northern Liberties West Between 7th & 8th and Poplar St.), 2pm – whenevs, $10 adv/$15 door, All Ages

Kung Fu Necktie (1250 N. Front St.) FRI Hot Guts, SAT Mr. Unloved

 

North Star Bar (2639 Poplar St.) SAT Hong Kong Stingray and The Crooks, SUN Ruder Than You

 

The Fire (412 W. Girard Ave.) FRI The Fractals, SAT Kevin James Devine, SUN Cowmuddy

 

M Room (15 W. Girard Ave.) FRI Goodnight Lights, The Quelle Source, Long Walk Home

 

Tritone (1508 South St.) SAT The Midnight Beat and The Tulanes, SUN The Wallace Brothers Band

 

Millcreek Tavern (4200 Chester Ave.) FRI Conversation with Enemies, The Josh and Pete Band, Eat Your Birthday Cake

 

Tin Angel (20 S. 2nd St.) FRI Victoria Spaeth

 

The Trocadero (1003 Arch St.) FRI Jedi Mind Tricks, Freeway, Reef The Lost Cauze Freeway, SAT CKY

 

The Ox (2nd and Oxford St.) SAT Halloween Funn

 

Highwire Gallery (2040 Frankford Ave.) SAT Fursaxa, The New Heaven and The New Earth, SUN  Tadoma

 

JR’s Bar (2327 S. Croskey St.) SAT McRad

 

World Café Live (3025 Walnut St.) SUN (Downstairs) Matt Duke, (Upstairs) Drink Up Buttercup, Screwjack, Levee Drivers

 

The Blockley Pourhouse (3801 Chestnut St.) FRI Illinois, SAT Phillybloco, SUN Sean Hoots, The Spinning Leaves, Hezekiah Jones, Chirs Kaspar

 

Fergie’s (1214 Sansom St.) FRI New Pony

 

Connie’s Ric Rac (1132 S. 9th St.) FRI Dani Mari CD Release Party

 

The Barbary (951 N. Frankford St.) FRI Making Time/R5 Halloween Freak Out!

 

When it comes to local post rock outfits, Grimace Federation is certainly a staple in the Philly music community pushing the boundaries in their experimental genre. Tonight at Johnny Brenda’s they’ll be celebrating the release of their latest EP On Velvet. The album is as smooth as its fabric namesake, and those velvety sounds can be largely attributed to the massive vibraphone that multi-instrumentalist Xack Xweig hauls around with a full drum kit, keyboards and his mountain bike sidekick. We had a chance to chat with Grimace vibist Xack Xweig about opening for and meeting the members of Tortoise, how you shouldn’t ask them about getting a singer, plans for a remix EP and all things Grimace. You can check out the interview here.