Youth takes center stage tonight at PhilaMOCA. Idle Idols bring the aggressive pissed off edge of punk rock and play it with an air of California-cool. While the songs are still focused in a high-energy down-hill “play it like it sounds” mentality, the band also does its due diligence in placing an emphasis on creating a crisp complete sound. Sam Roland and Andrew Migliore click in a united guitar front – both in following the direction from where one leads to where the other is going and also in showcasing the capabilities of an a intricate dual-guitar threat. Speaking of California, Cruiser, the solo exploits Andy States, takes that idea and works through it in a pop-rock direction that utilizes simple catchy grooves and punctual bursts of guitar that will have his songs echoing in your ears well into the upcoming week. They’ll be hosting Boston’s Pretty & Nice. PhilaMOCA, 531 North 12th St., 8pm, $8 – $10, All Ages – Michael Colavita

Like the smell on Sansom in August or the tourists rushing past the Art Museum to stand next to the Rocky statue, some things can only come from Philly. Stinking Lizaveta, one of our city’s finest – and weirdest – fusion trios is one of them. With their exuberant stoner sludge boogie-jazz, built on towering riffs and drum crescendos, they’ve been a cult favorite since the mid-90s, due in no small part to their legendary shows. Tonight at Johnny Brenda’s is the perfect location to get consumed by their out-of-control stage presence. They’ll also be accompanied by Witch Mountain and Castle – both doom metal icons in their own right. Johnny Brenda’s, 1201 Frankford Ave., 9pm, $12, 21+ – Alyssa Greenberg

Tonight the focus of the 215 Festival will shine on its strongest music showcase of the weekend at Underground Arts. Lushlife, a.k.a. Raj Haldar, brings a unique approach to hip-hop as both an emcee and producer, combining a wide array of sonic sampling warping listeners through various stages of musicology. Capable of taking a simple snare-beat and owning the mic with sweet-spot lyrical precision, Lush pays tribute to his “golden days” predecessors. However, while his lyrical narratives are influenced by emcees like Nas and Black Thought, it’s just a tool at Lushlife’s disposal. Integrating powerful lyrics with multi-genre-fused beats creating music that honors the past while sounding like the future. Light Heat, the latest venture for Quentin Stoltzfus (formerly of Mazarin), takes the concept of classic pop-rock production and pushes at its seams by using the layered instrumentation approach in strategically building songs that are both complex in structure yet accessible. Also joining the bill is Dave Quicks (formerly of the BurnDown All-Stars) with his trio and NYC’s Lily & The Parlor Tricks. Underground Arts, 1200 Callowhill St., 8pm, $5 (Light Heat Photo by Kyle Costill) – Michael Colavita

 

 

Union Transfer welcomes a pair of local heavyweights Saturday night. Hoots & Hellmouth have a rustic Americana sound that’s part cabin-in-the-woods-campfire country and party revival-backyard blues. Sean Hoots’ vocals have a soulful reassuring preacher’s authority that combines with instrumentation which thrives in its simplistic tradition, but further succeeds in its tightly woven combination of clean strings, guitar, mandolin, etc., and persistent stomp rhythms that continually stoke the fire. While Hoots & Hellmouth’s sound tips their cap to tradition and history, on the opposite side of the bill, Creepoid takes classic elements of acoustic guitar music and twists it in a dark grungy psychedelic way. The hollow buzzing guitar etches haunting siren-like tones, which are only magnified by heart-thumping percussion that serves as an adrenaline shot amid the eerily chilling vocals of Sean Miller and Anna Troxell. While their fans may not hang in the same circles, these two bands represent the soulful depth of Philly – one in the familiar warmth of tradition and the other in the chilly darkness that lies in its wake. Union Transfer, 1026 Spring Garden St., 8pm, $13 – $15, All Ages – Michael Colavita

 

 

Other things to entertain you while the chill sets in this weekend…

 

Johnny Brenda’s (1201 N. Frankford Ave.) SAT Stinking Lizaveta

 

Kung Fu Necktie (1250 N. Front St.) FRI (Early) The Slotcars, Toy Cannons, St. James & The Apostles, (Late) Mighty Paradocs, Upholstery, (Upstairs) Vintage Kicks, SAT (Upstairs) The Company Corvette, L.U.N.A.R. Revolt, SUN (Early) Ladies Auxiliary, (Upstairs) The Shakes, Pussy Dogs

 

Underground Arts (1200 Callowhill St.) FRI John Wesley Harding’s Cabinet of Wonders, Alec Ounsworth, The Spinto Band, SAT Lushlife, Light Heat, Dave Quicks Trio

 

PhilaMOCA (531 N. 12th St. Philadelphia) SUN Cruiser, Idle Idols

 

 

The Fire (412 W. Girard Ave.) FRI Juston Stens & the Get Real Gang, Cow Pals, The Heat Run, Anjuli Josephine, SAT (All Ages) Taking a Chance, The 74s, The Engine Atlantic, (Late) Rone, Verso, Uptown Tone, SUN Hop Along, Kite Party

 

M Room (15 W. Girard Ave.) FRI Russian Arm Candy, LightPoint, SAT Avenue Kings, Commonwealth Choir, Siamese Sundown

 

The Trocadero (1003 Arch St.) SAT Swizzymack

 

Fergie’s (1214 Sansom St.) FRI Hired Guns Blues Band, SAT Low Rise w/Suzi Brown, SUN Rusty Cadillac

 

World Café Live (3025 Walnut St.) SAT (Downstairs) Mutlu, (Upstairs) The Parsnip Revolt, The Lux

 

The Blockley (3801 Chestnut St.) FRI Tayyib Ali, Moosh & Twist: OCD, SAT Low Cut Connie

 

The Legendary Dobbs (304 South St.) SAT CHOWDER Band, John The Conqueror, Cold Roses, White Hot Noise

 

Triumph Brewery (117 Chestnut St.) FRI Dave Steel Blues Band

 

Electric Factory (421 N. 7th St.) SAT Josh Wink, Rob Paine

 

Ortlieb’s (847 N. 3rd St.) FRI The Glotones, SAT Sweetheart, SUN Raimundo Santos

 

Rebel Rock Bar (100 Spring Garden St.) SAT Baby Diaz, Mackenzie Iames, Montoj

 

Milkboy Philly (1100 Chestnut St.) FRI Post Sun Times, SUN Archives of Oblivion

 

The El Bar (1356 N. Front St.) SAT Hott Tubb, Taco Joint, New Hero

 

The Grape Room (105 Grape St.) FRI Hot Spoon Gully, The Matt Lyons Band, SAT Big Worm

 

Broad Street Ministry (315 S. Broad St.) FRI All Else Failed, Rock Bottom, Sawed Off

 

The Han Enterprise (2124 N. 17th St.) FRI Victory Shoes, Somniac, Sauce

 

Crystal Palace (Please contact one the acts or the venue for more info.) SAT Nona

 

The Double Deuce (Please contact one the acts or the venue for more info.) FRI Idiot Kid, Eureka Driver

 

Cloud City (Please contact one the acts or the venue for more info.) FRI Dopestroke, Alement, Nothing Is Over

 

Alt-stoner rockers Ruby the Hatchet got drunk one evening and started a fire in their backyard, and then decided to make a video of it spliced with Dragonslayer scenes and wolves eating bears. The final result is their new music video for the track “Black Tongue” off their latest album Ouroboros, which they released earlier this week on Devil’s Night and can be listened to HERE.

Badmaster Records’ Dopestroke make bludgeoning music that revolves around gang vocals and slashing guitar riffs. Combining melodic hardcore with thrash metal, the nihilistic punks are making plenty of noise in the basements and underground music scene of West Philly, where you’ll find the four-piece tonight at Cloud City. They’ll be joined by locals Alement, Nothing Is Over and Albany’s Neutron Rats. Cloud City, (Please contact one of the acts or the venue for more info.), 7pm, $5, All Ages (Photo by Bill Dunleavy) – Alexis V.

Last night Meek Mill was detained by Philly police around 8 p.m. after his vehicle was stopped at 1100 W. Girard Ave. It was also the evening of the release party for his debut studio album Dreams & Nightmares.

 

According to Philadelphia Police spokeswoman Julian Russell:

 

 

Meek tweeted late last night to explain his side of things:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tonight West Philadelphia Orchestra will be bringing their Balkan Dance Party to its new home Underground Arts. So every first Thursday of the month, there will be a reason to celebrate in the Eraserhood. It will also be an extra special party this evening when the klezmer band helps to kick off the music for the reinvigorated 215 Festival curated by Philebrity’s Joey Sweeney. There will also be plenty of wit and humor added to the night with Juliet Hope Wayne, Shmitten Kitten’s Anna Goldfarb and Starlee Kline spinning their tales to entertain the audience. Underground Arts, 1200 Callowhill St., 9pm, $6, All Ages – H.M. Kauffman