Nashville

It’s the mid-2000s again and I love it: Ghostfinger, How I Became the Bomb, and Lone Official at the Exit/In tonight

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I think the cancellation of Nashville (the show, not the city itself) got a lot of people thinking about where Nashville (the city itself, not the show) is, has been, and is going. We’re not gonna get too think-piecey on you here, but recent events like that have proven that time may in fact be a circle. There’s no prime time TV dedicated to our lovely city, sounds from The Features and Character are still electrifying the ground around the Beast from their show last night, and if you get yourself down to the Exit/In tonight, you can catch yourself yet another piece of bona fide Old Nashville vibiness with Ghostfinger, How I Became the Bomb, and Lone Official.

We’re leaning pretty heavy on the throwback jokes here, but make no mistake—these are all bands that, despite various periods of silence and an unfortunate spot on the It City sidelines considering their role in building up that rep, were here before here was a place to be and they’ve all stuck it out. So go for the nostalgia. Or go to show respect to the old guard. Or go because it’s a stacked bill of genuinely great local bands. Whatever your motive is, you can’t go wrong. -Austin Phy

Nashville

Deli Premiere: Notelle has confidence to spare on “No One Else Alive”

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Sometimes you hear a song and know right away that it’s going to follow you around for a while. "No One Else Alive" is the unshakably catchy new track from the unshakably talented Notelle, and it’s got just the right kind of hook to dig itself in deep. The sound on display is big, in a perplexingly minimal way. "Anthemic" is an easy descriptor that comes to mind, but there’s a measure of restraint in the actual execution that keeps the whole affair from becoming too bombastic. It’s radio pop perfection, and you can catch the ear worm down in the stream below. –Austin Phy

Philadelphia

Weekend Warrior, May 13 – 15

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This weekend is the second annual Love on the Streets Festival. Held at Paines Park, it is an all day festival that supports the Franklin Pains Skatepark Fund (FPSF) in its attempt to spread the love of skateboarding and support urban culture in and around the city. While last year the festival filled the park with circus performers, artisan coffee, and a mess of food trucks, this year is really upping the ante in terms of entertainment. Wahoo Tacos, along with The Electric Factory, will be sponsoring a skating competition, where the lucky winner will take home $2,000. New this year are a couple key cogs that were missing last year. First and foremost, Beer. There was not a beer as far as the eye could see last year. Unfortunately, it will be coming from a Budweiser Beer Garden so you might just want to bring your own. Live art has been added to the mix, with renowned graffiti artists Distoart and Getup to make the festival a multi-sensory experience. Another enticing addition this year is a Flea Market with over 40 vendors selling a vast array of lightly used treasures that are just waiting for a good home.

The music is also a strong suit of the festival once again, bringing both variety and congruity to make for an eclectic but fitting lineup of artists. There is a bit of a punk tinge to this years lineup, with artists like Mumblr, JANK (who have a great new album Awkward Pop Song coming out May 20 on Creep Records), Lithuania (DRGN KING’s Dom Angelella and Dr. Dog’s Eric Slick), and Steady Hands (a.k.a. Sean Huber from Modern Baseball). Other artists include The Obsessives, Vicky Speedboat, Plainview, Endless Taile, and RFA. For the skate competition and throughout the day, there will be tunes complimentary of Fishtown Beats, Frank Sriracha, and Aurize. All in all, a pretty dope collection of happenings that are sure to be a good time for a good cause. Paine’s Park, N. 24th St., 12pm-10pm, Free, All Ages – Adam G.

Other places to escape the chill this weekend…

The Boot & Saddle (1131 S. Broad St.) SAT School Dance

Kung Fu Necktie (1250 N. Front St.) FRI Scantron, The Whips / Grimace Federation, Gorgeous Porch, Risky Disko / Hivelords, SAT The Mountain Chiefs, The Russells / The Rectors, SUN The Burgeoning, Hartline, Summer Scouts / Tungsten, Clamfight

Underground Arts (1200 Callowhill St.) SAT Creepoid, Gondola, Kohoutek., SUN Mercury Girls

Union Transfer (1026 Spring Garden St,) SUN DJ Junior

The Trocadero (1003 Arch St.) FRI American Sugar Bitch, Cyanide Saints, Roslyn Creek, SAT Foxtail Fest; Anyee Wright, Miles Chancellor, Marv Mack, Sincerely Tahj, Evan Riley, Ronnie Riggles, Brainrack

TLA (334 South St.) FRI Prince Tribute: Martha Graham Cracker, Northern Arms

World Café Live (3025 Walnut St.)FRI (Downstairs) PhillyBloco SUN (Upstairs) The Wayside Shakeup,

The Fire (412 W. Girard Ave.) FRI The Daylight Savings and Loan, Trash Night, Professor Maybe, SAT (5pm) Jackson May, Tessellation / (8pm) The Rowdies, Overcoming Gravity, Brothers & Sisters, SUN (5pm) El Jugo, Mute Rebel, / (9pm) Relicseed

MilkBoy Philly (1100 Chestnut St.) SAT PHNTMS

Ortlieb’s Lounge (847 N. 3rd St) FRI Laser Background (Record Release), Beth Israel, SAT Mohican, Supine, Dirt Queen, Coronal Mass Ejection

Silk City (435 Spring Garden St.) FRI Lee Mayjahs?, DJ Everyday, SAT DJ Deejay

Fergie’s (1214 Sansom St.) SAT Dave Steel Blues Band, SUN Rusty Cadillac

Connie’s Ric Rac (1132 S. 9th St) FRI Audio Impulse, Palaceburn, Behind Deadlines, SUN Visoon

The Grape Room (105 Grape St) FRI Justin Phillippi, The Sugar Pops, Hopscotch Jefferson, Wolf Accent, SAT The Duke Brothers, Matt Gauss Band

Bourbon and Branch (705 N. 2nd St.) FRI Queen of Jeans, Ceramic Animal, Curtis Coopers, DJ Robert Drake, SUN Lost in the Woods

Ardmore Music Hall (23 E. Lancaster Ave.) SAT Tommy Conwell & The Young Rumblers, Stolen Rhodes, SUN Philadelphia Songwriters Project Final Showcase

Morgan’s Pier (221 N. Columbus Boulevard) FRI DJ Beatstreet, SAT Mr. Sonny James

Frankie Bradley’s (1320 Chancellor St.) FRI DJ Royale

First Unitarian Church (2125 Chestnut St.) FRI Nick Millevoi

Vox Populi (319 N. 11th St.) SAT Auxcide

All Night Diner (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more information.) FRI Downtrodder, The Up Up Ups

Millcreek Tavern (4200 Chester Ave.) SUN Jenkem, Castle Freak

The Petting Zoo (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more information.) SAT Coping Skills, Stippling

The Pharmacy (1300/02 S. 18th St.) FRI Dreambook, Horsecops, Cellarfox

Birdhouse (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more information.) SAT Mahatma X

Big Cakes (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more information.) SUN Fiona Parker and Stephanie Bonham, Jim Strong

LAVA Space (Please contact one of the acts or vine for more information.) FRI Pinkwash (Record Release), SWARM, Andromeda Sky, King Azaz

 

NYC

TEEN announces June tour in support of Wye Oak

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TEEN‘s 2016 album, entitled Love Yes, can be described as a playful aural kaleidoscope that follows in the footsteps of imaginative, brainy, NYC based pop bands like The Talking Heads and They Might Be Giants. Check out the playful video for single ‘Free Time’ below. The four ladies just announced a June tour in support of (awesome) DC avant-pop duo Wye Oak – locals will want to mark June 21st on their calendar, the day the two bands will perform at Brooklyn’s Warsaw.

With all those crazy sounds going on in TEEN’s music, we couldn’t refrain from asking band founder and main singer, guitarist and songwriter a question about her guitar pedals – check out what she answered on our littlle Delicious Audio feature.

San Francisco

Panic is Perfect Release New Remix – You´re Alive (Cavego Remix)

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The San Francisco based band, Panic is Perfect has released a new remix for their single, You´re Alive! Make sure you take a listen and keep an eye out for the band´s upcoming shows and music.

The “panic” in Panic Is Perfect has a lot more to do with adrenaline than it does with anxiety. On the San Francisco-based band’s debut full-length Cellspace, there’s a sense of urgent wonder that drives the unique, eclectic and undeniably accessible songs. It’s something also apparent in the band’s legendary live show, which is known for captivating audiences with instrumental sagas, high-energy percussion and soulful grooves that make it nearly impossible to stand still. The band sums it up aptly, describing their own music as: “finding a fire that burns bright enough to transcend your life; finding joy that can burn through the sorrow.”

"’You’re Alive’ is about finding joy through pain and how sometimes those two things can exist together at the same time. We filmed part of this video at one of our shows in San Francisco. As a band, our most joyful moments are on stage playing music for people. We we really wanted to capture a little piece of that experience in this video." – Mike Hoffman

Philadelphia

Laser Background Record Release Show at Ortlieb’s May 13

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Correct, the new LP from the Andy Moholt-led musical vehicle of Laser Background, was officially released today via La Société Expéditionnaire/Endless Daze. The album floats on a cozy cloud of psych-pop, cruising in the upper atmosphere of melodic mystery. The tones are invitingly transmitted from somewhere out there; however, invigorating trance-inducing tropical warmth maintains a sense of closeness twinkling in a mystical manner magnetizing the fantasy. Tonight, Ortlieb’s hosts a performance punctuating the album’s arrival. With their own new record Suspended Animation due out in roughly a month’s time, the infectious crisply stacked tunes of Brooklyn’s Leapling occupy the middle slot. The dreary captivating grit of Beth Israel kicks open the doors. Ortlieb’s, 847 N. 3rd St., 8pm, $10, 21+ (Photo by Natalie Piserchio) – Michael Colavita

Chicago

Color Card

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Color Card (Kyle Irwin and Eden Sierotnik) has released a new single, "Caught Alone".

You can catch Color Card at The Burlington on May 25th with Canter and Wingtips.

NYC

IGBO unveils video for ‘Gimmie Gimmie’ + works on new music

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At first listen, music snobs will grope toward an easy classification of Afrobeat for Brooklyn collective IGBO (who made it into our Best of NYC Emerging Artists list earlier this year). However, upon continued listening, new and unexpected levels continue to emerge from 60s psychedelia to 70s funk. Just as their first EP appears to deconstruct an African Ethnic group’s name into a spectrum of trippy colors, their music is a chilly chill stroll through a mescaline tinged dance party. There is definitely a little Fela in IGBO’s trunk, but their flag flaps to its own beat. Check out their recent video for single ‘Gimmie Gimmie’ – the band is currently working on new music. – BrokeMC

Philadelphia

Scantron Opening for Kid Congo and The Pink Monkey Birds at KFN May 13

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In the past three decades, Kid Congo Powers has been active in some of the most iconic, genre-defining bands in garage rock. Previously involved with The Cramps, The Gun Club, and Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, it’s safe to say he’s got his garage rock chops. These days, the project that serves as his main creative outlet is dubbed The Pink Monkey Birds, and they stay faithful to the Kid’s celebrated noise-laden, macabre, dirty garage roots. This Friday, the group is coming to Kung Fu Necktie with openers Scantron, a band appropriately committed to gritty garage rompers and who have pledged fealty to the tradition pioneered by Kid Congo’s efforts. The guitar buzz and the energy feel distinctly punk influenced, but Scantron reintroduces a 50’s style twist and swing motif to their back-looking method. The result gives the band more of a party energy, with soulful hooks and a persistent pace that are designed to get your feet moving. Also, catch The Whips for more slap-back 50’s style hooks and bad boy greaser vibes. Kung Fu Necktie, 1250 N. Front St., 7pm, $12, 21+ – Bryce Woodcock

NYC

Motion Studies open for Body Language at House of Yes on 06.21

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Motion Studies’ Facebook page perfectly describes their music as “weird disco”. The musical project of Tyler McCauley is an electric dance band that incorporates post-punk elements. Their single “In Our Days” is a wildly catchy and explosive track that has the potential to tempt any (famously static) New Yorker into dancing along to the beat. Motion Studies will be playing at the House of Yes in Brooklyn on June 21st in support of Body Language. Check out their other great single “Distractions” below. – John Honan

Philadelphia

New Gondola EP Available For Streaming & Purchase

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Recorded during the same sessions that resulted in their Get Bent album, Gondola recently issued a new EP The Floating East. The triad of songs captures a possessing mind-warping heaviness. The sticky fire of guitar licks slices through, unifying the pounding propulsion of bass and percussion as the vocals steer from deep in the valley. Catch the trio in the opening slot at Underground Arts Saturday as part of a lineup that also includes Creepoid, Kohoutek, and Dead Meadow. 

Nashville

Nightblonde has the cure for what ails you on “I Belong Your Arms”

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Mid-May might not seem like the ideal time for moody new wave pieces, but clearly there’s something in the air. Less than a week after Hit TV raised the bar for electronic throwback, Nightblonde has released the shimmery pop nugget "I Belong in Your Arms" in advance of the full-length Numbers due out in early June. Check out the song below, dig hard on the purple-black aesthetic the band is sporting, and watch out for that mighty fancy vinyl release due out with Numbers. –Austin Phy