Philadelphia

Swearin’ Opening for The Babies at KFN Dec. 22

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Welp, we’re still alive so I think it’s safe to say that the rockin’ will still be a knockin’ tonight. Over at Kung Fu Necktie, you can check out former Brooklynites turned Philly natives Swearin’ who will be opening for The Babies, the side project of Woods’ Kevin Morby and Vivian Girls’ Cassie Ramone. The local garage rock four-piece has been impressing the indie music scene with their latest self-titled LP, which is a solid collection of catchy rock jams and an adrenaline pumping atmosphere, while also performing alongside notable acts like Japandroids and Tenement. Swearin’s emotional lyrics and traditional rock riffs are led by the vocal stylings of Allison Crutchfield (ex-P.S. Eliot) – adding some serious grrrl power to the mix. Other members include co-songwriter Kyle Gilbride on backing vocals and guitar, Jeff Bolt on drums, and Keith Spencer on bass. Kung Fu Necktie, 1250 N. Front St., 7:30pm, $10, 21+ – Rachel Barrish

Philadelphia

The Kalob Griffin Band’s Annual Holiday Bash at WCL Dec. 22

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World Café Live plays host to The Kalob Griffin Band’s annual holiday bash tonight. The evening should be eventful bringing together some of the finest Americana roots rock the area has to offer. Along with the aforementioned KGB, who dabbles in the country-blues arena often characterized as southern-rock, the bill also features Hoots & Hellmouth founding member Sean Hoots, whose musical output is ingrained in the fabric of Philly’s roots movement, teaming up with Alison Wasworth (ex-Unlikely Cowboy). Bringing a rustic prairie sound that peaks the ear and makes your foot stomp, like musical comfort food. Toy Soldiers, the Ron Gallo-fronted, boogie-down blues/folk package that just has a stick-to-your-ribs, soul-warming polish while still maintaining the ability to catch fire and cook on stage was recently mentioned as a band to watch in 2013 by USA Today. So give yourself the gift of a truly memorable musical evening. World Café Live, 3025 Walnut St., 8pm, $15, All Ages – Michael Colavita
Philadelphia

The Philadelphia Independent Craft Market’s Holiday Show at 2424 Studios Dec. 22

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Whether you’re looking to take care of some last minute Christmas shopping or just want a good dose of holiday cheer, then you don’t want to miss the Philadelphia Independent Craft Market’s Holiday Show. 2424 Studios will be fully stocked with some of the cities finest craft artists selling their goods, and for just a $2 dollar donation, you’ll be able to take it all in while enjoying free PBR-sponsored refreshments. And as always this fun, friendly Philly anti-mall will feature music from four fine acts. Before being a part of Modern Inventors album release show at Johnny Brenda’s, Hezekiah Jones will bring his melodic alt folk to the market. He’ll be joined by his longtime Philly Folk Parade cohorts The Spinning Leaves, who has been celebrating their 5th year anniversary as a band. And since both are in attendance, there could be a good chance that you’ll encounter a Hezekiah Leaves & The Spinning Joneses sighting. The Craft Market will also feature a rare solo performance from The Homophones’ charismatic frontman Jason Ferraro, and the nostalgic Hollywood musical and swing era jazz-influenced sounds of The Swinging Foxes. If you are reading this, then you know that most (if not all) of us survived yesterday (well, it is Philly so I’d put my money on “most”), and the event is still on. 2424 Studios, 2424 E. York St., 12pm, $2, All Ages – Bill McThrill

Philadelphia

Weekend Warrior, December 21 – 23

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OK, I’m sure everyone has probably had enough of the jokes about the Mayan Apocalypse, but it does give us a reason to party like it’s 1999 (again – luv ya Prince!). And so does Norwegian Arms’ Album Release Party at Johnny Brenda’s tonight with Night Panther, Laser Background and Pattern is Movement, who has come out of hibernation for the momentous occasion to throwdown with all new tunes. Little Baby’s Ice Cream will also be there with a very special apocalyptic ice cream as DJ Eddie Austin on the wheels of steel. Check out our interview with Norwegian Arms’ Brendan Mulvihill HERE, and then go see them and the rest of their uber-talented musician pals tear up the stage this evening! Johnny Brenda’s, 1201 N. Frankford Ave., 9pm, $10, 21+ – Q.D. Tran 
 
Other things to do for the Mayan Apocalypse and the days after…
 
Johnny Brenda’s (1201 N. Frankford Ave.) SAT Renegade, Sweatheart, SUN A Yuletide Holiday Extravaganza w/Emily and Micah McGraw
 
Kung Fu Necktie (1250 N. Front St.) FRI Juston Sten & The Get Real Gang, Conversations With Enemies, Glow in the Dark, (Upstairs) Exploding World Record Release Show w/Circadian Rythms, Lux Perpetua, SAT Swearin’, SUN Doomed to Obscurity, Molting
 
North Star Bar (2639 Poplar St.) FRI The Pretty Greens, Low Cut Connie, SAT In Memory of Joe Strummer: A Benefit for Strummerville w/Split Red, The Successful Failures, The Future Unwritten, Cold Roses, Betty Iron Thumbs, Blayer Pointdujour & The Rockers Galore, I Yahn I Arkestra & More
 
The Fire (412 W. Girard Ave.) FRI Orbit to Leslie, Anjuli Josephine, The Atomiqs, SAT (All Ages) Secrenaut, Cycle, Tuesday Night, Brothers and Sisters, (Late) Manataway Creek Ramblers, Brad Hinton Band, Jesse Lundy Band, Matt Helm Scream, Barren Wells
 
MilkBoy Philly (1100 Chestnut St.) FRI The Fallen Troubadors, GRiZ, Black Horse Motel, SAT Val de Val, Way Home, Seamus Brown, David Cope
 
Ortlieb’s Lounge (847 N. 3rd St.) FRI Gin Canaries, SAT The Wittchen Initiative, SUN Good Graces
 
M Room (15 W. Girard Ave.) FRI Vice Royal, G and T, Relatives, The Skeleton Frames
 
Tin Angel (20 S. 2nd St.) FRI Gillian Grassie, Andrew Lipke, SAT (Early) Laura Mann, (Late) Graham Alexander
 
The Trocadero (1003 Arch St.) SAT Lost Season, Extractus, Legends Never Die, Beyond Balck Skies, Humanity Forsaken, Impact winter, Anomaly, SUN Bonner, Spies Like Them, The Giving Stones, Matt Cermanski, Bonner & Rising
 
Electric Factory (421 N. 7th St.) FRI Among Criminals, No Such Noise!
 
The Blockley (3801 Chestnut St.) SAT Beru Revue
 
Fergie’s (1214 Sansom St.) FRI Jasafar Blues Band, SUN Rusty Cadillac
 
World Café Live (3025 Walnut St.) FRI (Downstairs) Find Vienna, Talain Rayne, LizBeth Rose, (Downstairs) The Once Was, Air is Human, Joe Trainor Trio, SAT The Kalob Griffin Band, Toy Soldiers, Sean Hoots, SUN Boy Wonder
 
The Legendary Dobbs (304 South St.) FRI The Indefatigables
 
Triumph Brewery (117 Chestnut St.) FRI The Nines, SAT The Happy Dog
 
PhilaMOCA (531 N. 12th St. Philadelphia) FRI “It’s the End of the World (Again!)” w/S.T.A.R.W.O.O.D.
 
The Grape Room (105 Grape St.) FRI The Beta Phase, Crobot, Winston’s Dog, East of the West, SAT Faster, Jason Ager, One Sound Nation
 
Sprinkle Kingdom (Please contact one of the acts or the venue for more details.) FRI Idle Idols
 
Hong Kong Garden (Please contact one of the acts or the venue for more details.) FRI Joint Chiefs of Math, Lana Avacada
 
Philadelphia

It’s Going to Be a Full House w/Juston Stens and The Get Real Gang, Conversations with Enemies, Exploding World & Much More at KFN Dec. 21

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Whether it’s to celebrate the holidays or to have one last hurrah before the end of the world, tonight is a good reason to party and dance like there’s no tomorrow! And either way Juston Stens and The Get Real Gang are fully prepared to be your masters of ceremonies, and have even recently covered the classics Last Christmas and Christmas Don’t Be Late in case it takes the turn towards the holiday party. And they’ll definitely be playing plenty of their rollicking originals. Conversations with Enemies are no strangers to good times and holiday celebrations as evidenced by last year’s holiday revue with The Extraordinaires. And their set list that’s filled with zombies, devils, good times, and secret holiday tracks will be the perfect soundtrack to either occasion. The show will also mark the debut performance of Glow in the Dark, the new project that features members of Algernon Cadwallader. BTW: Exploding World will also be hosting their own showcase upstairs for their record release of Reptilian Revival with Circadian Rhythms, Lux Perpetua and Invisible Hand. It’s going to be a full house at KFN this evening with plenty of entertainment worthy of the last night on earth! Kung Fu Necktie, 1250 N. Front St., 7:30pm, $8, All Ages – Bill McThrill

Philadelphia

“It’s the End of the World (Again!)” w/S.T.A.R.W.O.O.D. at PhilaMOCA Dec. 21

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As we inch ever closer toward our demise, PhilaMOCA is closing out their three-day “It’s the End of the World (Again!)” party tonight showcasing local quintet S.T.A.R.W.O.O.D., whose premise and sound befits the looming apocalypse marrying twisted space, creepy synth and keys with a rhythm section that initially lurks in the distance, before it takes flight hunting you down as you search for a safe haven. However, amid the chase, the effected vocals preached/transmitted to masses provide a sense of calm amid the chaos assuring us that some form of normalcy will be restored. This time-warped band provides a glimpse of the future as the present comes to a close. And, as an added bonus, Philly Brewing Company will provide free refreshments. PhilaMOCA, 531 N. 12th St., 9pm – 11:30pm, $10, 21+ – Michael Colavita

Philadelphia

New Dead Milkmen 7″ Single Available for Streaming

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The Dead Milkmen just shared a new 7" single last night that you can stream below. It contains three tracks ["Big Words Make The Baby Jesus Cry," "Somewhere Over Antartica," & "Mary Ann Cotton" (The Poisoner’s Song)], and will be available on limited edition vinyl (500 copies), which is the second release in their singles series. Each vinyl single will be handstamped with big words by the band, and will have a unique design. The package will also contain a download card to get the MP3 version of sides A & B as well as a digital only bonus track.

Philadelphia

Where Is My Mind?: Norwegian Arms’ Brendan Mulvihill

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We’ve had Norwegian Arms’ new LP Wolf Like a Stray Dog on our radar for a while now. The band (who were performing as a duo at the time) came into HotBox Studios a few months ago to record an in-studio live performance for our Choice/Cuts series and to talk about the group’s history as well as their forthcoming album. We recently caught up with Norwegian Arms’ Brendan Mulvihill once again to slip in another interview just in case the world ends tomorrow. So we had a chance to chat with him about his plans to celebrate the Mayan Apocalypse (which will also double as Norwegian Arms’ album release party), the band’s experiences recording the new record, the residency tour of Philly DIY spaces that they went on since our Choice/Cuts session, and much, much more, which you can read about HERE.  

Philadelphia

Shaking Through w/Grant$

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Below is the final episode of 2012 from Weathervane‘s Shaking Through, which features Grant$. The video captures not only the birth of a song, "Punch Drunk," but also a humorous new collaboration from Brooklyn artist Tim Fite and the episode’s curator Christopher Sean Powell (Man Man, Spaceship Aloha, etc.). "We want to make sure what we’re doing is smart. What we’re doing is art. What we’re doing is hard… but at the same time, you know you get a laugh out of it." You can also download the track for free HERE.

Philadelphia

The Eeries, Pussy Dogs & The Shakes Go for Garage Rock Gold at KFN Dec. 20

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Bolstering Gainesville surf-rockers Thee Holy Ghosts at Kung Fu Necktie tonight is a troupe of local basement bands who all sound equally at home treating classic rock and roll to their own sloppy and sweet sounds. The Eeries couldn’t be more staunchly of the city if they tried as you can tell from the cover of their latest album Home Alone with its an unmistakably Philadelphian row home facade. Hitching gilded Beach Boys harmonies to bare-bones arrangements is their ticket to getting stuck in your head for days and calling to mind all sorts of out-of-season memories. Relentlessly summery garage rock tends to do that to you. The Eeries, though, are downright straitlaced in comparison to the Pussy Dogs. They wear that "perverted rock" tag as proudly as a vintage bomber jacket, draping themselves in a screeching layer of guitar fuzz that demand you revisit the days when rock and roll was the devil’s music. The lyrics might not be quite intelligible, but you know there’s something deviant going on underneath all the feedback. And if you are powerless in the face of male-female dueling vocals a la Japanther, The Shakes will be your undoing. Their rollicking soul-punk melange is topped off by a mix of delicacy and gravelly shrieking, the kind you’d least expect to be adorning a Buzzcocks cover, but don’t let that get in the way of your dancing. This is ROCK AND ROLL Night ’12, when classic sounds get an unmistakably Philly styling. Kung Fu Necktie, 1250 N. Front St., $8, 8pm, 21+ – Alyssa Greenberg

Philadelphia

Fishtown Mural to Be Cover Art for Kurt Vile’s Next Album

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Check out the photo (above) of the mural at Front and Master that is supposed to be the cover art for the next Kurt Vile album. It was taken by Violators’ guitarist Jesse Trbovich, and the artwork was created by Steve Powers, who did the Mural Arts’ Love Letter to Philadelphia along the Market-Frankford El in West Philly. There is also a documentary about the making of the mural coming from Don Argott, who directed The Art of the Steal and is the guitarist for Serpent Throne. Special thanks to The Key for bringing it to our attention. (Photo by Jesse Trbovich)