The music industry has always been dictated by a bevy of tastemakers – one way or another. Back in the day, the gatekeepers who decided if a performer would make it in the biz were usually music executives who managed to maneuver through and survive the shark-infested waters of the industry. However, as we have learned especially in more recent times, those in charge of making the big decisions probably had/have more business sense than actual taste and passion for music. Well, the music industry is at a very interesting crossroads now with the interweb evening out the once very slanted playing field. The suits with the big expense accounts aren’t the only people holding the keys to the gate for young artists to make it onto the big stage. Instead, you’ll find a bunch of them climbing the walls with a boost from a new generation of passionate music lovers who are using and evolving with modern day technological advances to change the archaic ways of a truly flawed system. One such self-professed “music nerd” is music blogger (YVYNYL) and indie record label co-owner (Small Plates Records) Philly’s own Mark Schoneveld. We recently had a chance to pick the brain of the tall, bearded art and social media loving all-around good dude about the past, present, and future of music as well as some personal stories from his life that helped to make him who he is today. You can read all about it in our interview with Schoneveld HERE.

We admit that with all the overpriced players and seemingly lack of heart in professional basketball, we have lost touch with what has been going on with the NBA over the years. Right now college basketball and March Madness is where it’s at for us when it comes to hoops. But local NBA enthusiast Dave Hartley (Nightlands/The War on Drugs) has a new NBA column called "Death Dunk" for Impose Magazine that might fuel the fire that we once had for the game (or at least provide us with some moments of entertainment and facts that we can use in quizzo). Check out his most enjoyable inaugural posting entitled “9 Head-Scratching Hoops Wikipedia Entries” HERE. Congrats Dave on a job well-done!

There really is something quite charming about the radio-friendly upbeat, jangly indie pop tunes of New Motels. While there are plenty of acts out there who are ready to offend for a little shock value and fame (I’m looking at you – Gaga), the Jenkintown/South Philly quartet bring you back to a more innocent time in American music where you might find yourself sitting around drinking pop with your best friends and dancing with your favorite guy or gal. While those days may seem outdated, it doesn’t mean that you can’t have fun recapturing the magic of those moments once again. Come find that feeling tonight at Kung Fu Necktie when New Motels open for JC Brooks & The Uptown Sound and Blayer Pointdujour and the Rockers Galore. Kung Fu Necktie, 1250 N. Front St., 7:30pm, $10 adv/$12 door, 21+ (Photo by Ezgi Bilici) – H.M. Kauffman

As expected, The Extraordinaires’ Holiday Revue last Friday at Kung Fu Necktie was quite a festive occasion. The place was filled with plenty of friends and fans soaking in the good vibes. Conversations with Enemies kicked things off with a joyous romp through some of new tunes from their upcoming album as well as a Xmas classic and “ugly holiday sweater” contest. It was kind of a pre-party as they waited for frontman Josh Craft’s birthday to come at midnight which included his own celebration later on at Barcade. The Extraordinaires also treated the crowd with some new songs that they’ve been working on in the studio with Kyle “Slick” Johnson (Wavves, Cymbals Eat Guitars, Creepoid, ect.) as well as old fan favorites like “Hi Five the Cactus” and “Patent Pending,” which closed out their set. They took a very short break to make some costume changes to get ready for the surprisingly rad Holiday Revue. I only say “surprisingly” because I really don’t care much for Christmas songs, but their versions and skits were more than entertaining with pals like Man Man’s Chris Powell (a.k.a. Pow Pow) and Matt Gibson (a former Extraordinaire) helping to share in the good times. While their Scrooge-y neighbor played by Mike Chadwick (ex-Armchairs) tried to shut down the party, it simply wouldn’t stop. Not with The Extraordinaires’ drummer Evan Smoker coming out from behind the kit to bust a rhyme for the cover of Run DMC’s “Christmas in Hollis” (BTW: I wish that I had requested “Santa’s Rap” from the movie Beat Street beforehand) and Eric Slick (Dr. Dog, Norwegian Arms, etc.), Mike Harkness (Arrah and the Ferns, ex-Armchairs), and Mikey Tashjian (Dangerous Ponies) as the police bringing it drumline style-y for a smokin’ rendition of “Little Drummer Boy/Peace on Earth” a la Bing Crosby and David Bowie. It became one of those nights that you had to be there, and anyone who was – knows what I’m talking about, but you can still check out my pics HERE. Happy Holidays, yule all!

Our recent Featured Artist(s) Poll was easily the most intense one that we’ve had so far. In the end, sexy, bluesy, psychedelic alt rockers Ruby the Hatchet were able to leg out 8-bit solo artist Chipocrite, who should definitely be applauded for his valiant effort and rad tunes. But to the victors go the spoils. You can check out our interview with the hard rockin’ four-headed monster Ruby the Hatchet HERE.

Northportfishington band Harsh Vibes will be invading The Fire tonight so you should swing on by to the Girard Ave. watering hole. But I’d definitely suggest that you bring a set of earplugs because the local five-piece are certainly not afraid to get loud as they create unrepentant fuzzed out shoegaze-y psychedelic noise rock that feels like it was made to seduce your soul into the pits of hell. Their early demos are currently the only tracks available online, but they are quite badass. Harsh Vibes finished their final recordings this past August so expect to see an actual release coming out soon. They’ll be joined this evening by 8-bit groove makers Cheap Dinosaur and Drexel duo Gypsy Death and You. The Fire, 412 W. Girard Ave., 9pm, $7, 21+ – Alexis V.

Philly sports fanatic Dan Svizeny, who records under the moniker Cough Cool (name taken from the title of a Misfits song), has a new LP Lately coming out today on vinyl via experimental indie label Bathetic Records. The former Bucks County native who now resides in Fishtown has also been a co-conspirator in other local acts (Blackhawks and Nude Beach) that we’ve taken a liking to in the past. His latest full-length album is certainly layered up in a blanket of reverb to help keep you warm during these upcoming frigid winter months. We had a chance to catch up with Svizeny to find out a little more about the man behind the fuzz which you can read about HERE.

"Lately" by Cough Cool from Bathetic Records

Indie pop masters The Homophones have been going through plenty of growing pains and lineup changes in the last year or so, but frontman Jason Ferraro still continues to give it his all on stage entertaining audiences with his dreamy baritone vocals, witty lyrics and onstage banter, and infectious energy. And the guy is never afraid to wail on his guitar and bleed for you. The Homophones will be opening at Johnny Brenda’s tonight for ultra-rad Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr., who showed up all of the overpaid big name acts on the first day of this year’s POPPED! Festival. So throw on your ugly sweater that you just bought from The Punk Rock Flea Market and brave the cold this evening – it will be completely worth it! Johnny Brenda’s, 1201 N. Frankford Ave., 9pm, $12, 21+ (Photo by David Turcotte) – H.M. Kauffman

This past weekend started early for me with Tin Horses on Thursday night at Kung Fu Necktie. The fledgling four-piece performed a very enjoyable set made mostly of their debut album American Radiance with some newer material thrown into the mix. A definite highlight was the searing slide guitar work during “You Took Care of Me While I Was Dyin.” Kiel Everett’s lazy drawl on songs like “Amphetamine” helped to lull the audience into a hypnotic, stoned state while bobbing their heads to the instrumentation. I generally prefer to simply enjoy a few drinks and the music when I’m at a show, but I’ve been recently playing around with a new/used camera so you might see me roaming around snapping a few shots while I’m out and about. Levee Drivers laid down a surprisingly rollicking performance as a duo with frontman August Lutz on the acoustic guitar with a suped up harp that doubled as mic adding a welcomed megaphone effect to his vocals. He began the set with a couple of solo tunes before Kyle Perella who normally plays bass in the band joined him on stage and switched things around by picking up the electric guitar. Also opening the night was Bronze Float. You can check out my pics from the evening HERE.