“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.