Professional secret: Writing show previews are much easier when there’s a ton of great artists in one place, which I admit is one of the reasons I’m stoked about the Kensington Picnic. The other, less selfish reason is that Saturday afternoon finds a bunch of the city’s illest talent gathered in one place. In an outdoor lot behind Liberty Vintage Motorcycles, you can see the genre-free instrumental prowess of Blues Control, the vintage garage kick of Birds of Maya, two experimental/psych duos in Chris Forsyth/Steve Gunn and Mary Lattimore/Jeff Ziegler, acclaimed singer-songwriter Meg Baird, young fingerpicking extraordinaire Daniel Bachman, and Watery Love, who Siltblog calls “Philadelphia’s best band at the moment,” and says sounds like “the gear shaft of a Kensington garbage truck,” which to me just sounds like fancy talk for kickass. It’s all good, all free, and goes from 2pm until whenever the sun goes down. The Lot behind Liberty Vintage Motorcycles, Frankford Ave. near E. Susquehanna Ave., 2pm, Free, All Ages (Illustration by Jason Killinger) – Adam Downer
Weekend Warrior, August 10 – 12
More shows to hit this weekend…
Johnny Brenda’s (1201 N. Frankford Ave.) FRI Arrah and the Ferns, Former Belle, SAT Oldermost, D. Ryan Belski, Cape Wrath
Kung Fu Necktie (1250 N. Front St.) FRI Rumpelstiltskin Grinder, Vektor, Hessian, SAT Heyward Howkins, Resistor
PhilaMOCA (531 North 12th St.) FRI Salvation, SUN Liz and the Lost Boys, 2nd Opinion
Milkboy Philly (1100 Chestnut St.) FRI Ditto Demi, Kensington Sound House, Boog, SAT Johnny Action Figure, Young Summers
The Fire (412 W. Girard Ave.) FRI (All Ages) Ripping X-Ray, (Late) Store Cats, Christian Bitto Band, Orbit to Leslie, Fast Car, SAT King Slugger, Sinking Ocean Gods, Vitamin Cheese, SUN Horace Mann, Betty Iron Thumbs
M Room (15 W. Girard Ave.) FRI Rodent Lord, Dead People Screaming, SAT The Scovilles, The GTVs
World Café Live (3025 Walnut St.) FRI The Cold Roses, SAT (Early) Girls Rock Philly Showcase
The Blockley (3801 Chestnut St.) FRI MitiS
Ortlieb’s Lounge (847 N. Third St.) FRI Voice & Barz, SUN The 9’s
The Trocadero (1003 Arch St.) FRI Grind City, The Divine Lorraines
Triumph Brewery (117 Chestnut St.) FRI UZO, SAT Flux Capacitor
Tin Angel (20 S. 2nd St.) FRI (Early) Aiden James, FRI (Late) Adam Web
Fergie’s (1214 Sansom St.) FRI (Early) Toy Soldiers, Thom McCarthy, Dani Mari, Reverend TJ McGlinchey, (Late) Toy Soldiers, El El, The Whiskey Holler
The Legendary Dobbs (304 South St.) FRI Thee Shut Downs, Winston’s Dog, SPiN, Dirty Rotten Liars, Atomic Age, Johnny Moskal
The Grape Room (105 Grape St.) FRI Pete Groch, Early Ape, SAT The Matt Lyons Band, Wired to Fly, Platinum Moustache
JR’s Bar (2327 S. Croskey St.) SAT Empty Shapes, Time Hitler and the Assholes from Space, Dan Malloy
Ray’s Happy Birthday Bar (1200 E. Passyunk Ave.) SAT Ape!, Bandname, Bad Doctors
First Unitarian Church (2125 Chestnut St.) FRI Joshua Alvarez
Neighborhood Bike Works (508 S. 5th Street) FRI Bubonic Bear, Bardus, Tooth Decay
Little Berlin (2430 Coral St.) FRI Hott Tubb, New Hero
Brenda (1730 N. 5th St.) FRI Ghost Light, JRG
Glitoria (Please contact one of the acts or venue.) SUN Nothing Is Over, Nimbus Terrifix