Back in October, The Mary Veils’s Slacker Paint was our Record of the Month – chock full of fuzz-inflected, garage grit and a loose, contagious, surf-psych approach that hums along at a comfortable clip, until it’s time to turn up the heat. One sinks into the humid slacker saturation, absorbing the perpetual buzz. However, just when things appear to normalize, it shifts into overdrive. Nothing appears quite as it seems, because once one commits, the marker is moved. That threshold, between laying into it or letting those frenzied riff-charged explosions take the reins, embraces the calm and the storm. Tonight, at Boot & Saddle, The Mary Veils will be opening for the slick, space-navigating ,psych-pop of former Deli Philly’s Featured Artist(s) Poll Winner, Nematode, and the mysterious undercurrent that lies in the breezy, melodic adventures of Long Spells. – Michael Colavita
More places to hang this Labor Day weekend…
Boot & Saddle (1131 S. Broad St.) FRI Long Spells, Nematode, The Mary Veils, SAT Madalean Gauze
Johnny Brenda’s (1201 N. Frankford Ave.) FRI/SAT/SUN YallaPunk Festival & Conference
Kung Fu Necktie (1250 N. Front St.) SAT Matthew Law, DJ AMH, SUN FLOTE, iunnowho, Josh Hey, Small Professor
Underground Arts (1200 Callowhill St.) FRI CKY
The Fillmore Philadelphia (1100 Canal St.) SUN Dirty South Joe
The Foundry (1000 Frankford Ave.) SAT DJ Diamond Kuts
World Café Live (3025 Walnut St.) FRI (Upstairs) The Wonder Junkies, SUN Prince + Questlove: Under The Cherry Moon (Video Premiere/DJ Set)
The Fire (412 W. Girard Ave.) SAT Moonwalker (Album Release), Twentythreenineteen
MilkBoy Philly (1100 Chestnut St.) FRI The Elysiums, Magnificent Birds of Prey, The Stone Eye
Ortlieb’s Lounge (847 N. 3rd St.) FRI Bryant Eugene Vazquez, Broke Body, Smellco, SAT Honeytiger, Secret Nudist Friends/Stop Not Playin’ DJ’s
Bourbon & Branch (705 N. 2nd St.) FRI Oldermost, SAT Vilebred, The Parameters, The Tisburys
Silk City (435 Spring Garden St.) FRI Rich Medina, SAT DJ Deejay, SUN Brendan Bring ‘Em
Fergie’s (1214 Sansom St.) SAT Tyler Fantini, SUN Rusty Cadillac
Voltage Lounge (421 N. 7th St.) FRI DJ Mighty Mike Sag, Elijvh Vrms
Morgan’s Pier (221 N. Columbus Blvd.) FRI DJ Beatstreet
Frankie Bradley’s (1320 Chancellor St.) FRI Craig Dash, SAT Ed Christof, SUN Honeygasm
Century (1350 S. 29th St.) FRI Eterue, Cage Flight, Aphid Daughters, SAT The Spirit World, Deluxedo, Jaxy & the Three 57s
The Grape Room (105 Grape St) FRI Fuzz King, Cosmic Lottery, Rabbit Heart, SAT Erin Incoherent, SomaRai
Ardmore Music Hall (23 E. Lancaster Ave.) FRI Splintered Sunlight, Under The Oak
The Pharmacy (1300 S. 18th St.) FRI Gringo Motel, Breaklite, SAT Midfield (EP Release), 4th QTR
Made In America (Ben Franklin Parkway) SAT Meek Mill, Armani White, Orion Sun, Louis Futon, SUN Petal, Wicca Phase Springs Eternal, Zahsosaa