Philadelphia

Weekend Warrior, February 11 – 13

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With the light at the end of the tunnel in sight for a February thaw, we are getting excited about shedding off all this winter gear. Well, this weekend you’ll still have to bundle up, but we have a couple of events that will get you warmed-up. First off, tonight we’ll be at South Philly’s The Station to celebrate our buddy and Assistant Editor Bill McThrill’s B-day! If you know Bill, then you know that he is simply a nice guy who has been such a positive influence and supporter of all things culturally enriching in Philly. Artists, music venues, art spaces, restaurants, and whatever you are into, Bill has most likely helped spread the word about how rad you are so now let karma work its magic and come out, buy him a drink, and let’s make sure that he has trouble making it to his bed. Bill helped put together a FREE show this evening with Flash Mob Productions for all of us to enjoy so don’t miss Deli favorites like Levee Drivers, Conversations with Enemies, Shorty Boy-Boy (just recently learned about him and really digging his lo-fi tracks) and On the Water as well as “fist pumping” tunes (j/k) by DJ Big Spliff Dawg! But we request that you save some energy for tomorrow because it will be a prolonged assault on the senses when The Deli Magazine presents “Aquarius Raging”, the annual rager that is doubling this year as a benefit for the Danger Danger Gallery. The lineup is packed will talented Danger Danger friends ready to throw down for a seriously good cause. Donating their time and skillz will be Dangerous Ponies, Gang, The National Rifle, Dinosaur Feathers, Spirit Animal, The Armchairs, Valleys and The Perfection!sts, who were brought together by Grandchildren’s Aleks Martray. Please check out our recent interview with Aleks about the event here and learn why you should be there too! The Station, 1550 McKean St., 9pm, 21+; Danger Danger Gallery, 5013 Baltimore Ave., 6pm, $10 donation, All Ages
 

We have people that we’re dating, boyfriends, girlfriends, multiple sex partners and friends with benefits, but we still HATE Valentine’s Day weekend so screw this Hallmark holiday and its pseudo romantic bullshit! We want you to go out to a show, get wasted, and have sloppy sex this weekend, and here are some other places that you can do that at…

Johnny Brenda’s (1201 N. Frankford Ave.) FRI Oh! Pears and Attia Taylor, SAT Creeping Weeds Album Release Show w/Cheers Elephant, Hong Kong
Stingray

Kung Fu Necktie (1250 N. Front St.) FRI June Divided EP Release Party w/The Climb, SAT Writtenhouse Album Release Party w/Kuf Knotz & 84

North Star Bar (2639 Poplar St.) FRI Warm Whiskey, SUN The New Heaven and the New Earth and Caboder

The Fire (412 W. Girard Ave.) FRI Cookie Rabinowitz Feat. Schoolly D Record a Live Album w/Zilla, I & I, The Living Sample, SAT Andrew Lipke, Sisters 3, Cowmuddy, Emily Zeitlyn (of The Weeds), Charlotte Littlehales, SUN Bruce Lucy and The Rowdies

M Room (15 W. Girard Ave.) SUN Renne and Christian Bitto

Tritone (1508 South St.) SAT Sounds from Atlantis

Millcreek Tavern (4200 Chester Ave.) FRI Starving the Tsunami, Ape!

Tin Angel (20 S. 2nd St.) FRI Gillian Grassie and Dante Bucci

The Trocadero (1003 Arch St.) SAT Drexel Presents: "Afternoon Delite" w/The Synth Sircus

World Café Live (3025 Walnut St.) FRI Welcome to My Face, Franz Schubert & The Shrubs SUN Peek A Boo Revue

Fergie’s (1214 Sansom St.) FRI John Train

The Rotunda (4014 Walnut St.) FRI The Inspiration and The Excelano Project

Raven Lounge (1718 Sansom St.) FRI Union Suns

Greenline Café (4239 Locust St.) SAT Tin Bird Choir

Younglove (5011 Baltimore Ave.) SUN Combine

Connie’s Ric Rac (1132 S. 9th St.) SAT Sunny Ali & The Kid, Slutever, Lopez, Caboder

Electric Factory (421 N. 7th St.) FRI Dr. Dog and Buried Beds

Theatre of Living Arts (334 South St.) Prowler

First Unitarian Church (2125 Chestnut St.) FRI Grandchildren

The Ox (you should know by now or ask a friend) SAT The Loved Ones, The Menzingers, Holy Mess

 

Philadelphia

Grandchildren Opening for Wild Nothing & Abe Vigoda at FUC Feb. 11

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If you haven’t seen Grandchildren’s live set yet and are a fan of Pitchfork favorites, then tonight is a good opportunity to check out West Philly’s experimental art-poppers at the First Unitarian Church. They’ll be opening for Blacksburg, VA’s retro 80’s dream pop outfit Wild Nothing and the prolific, ever-evolving LA gang Abe Vigoda. Just make sure to get there early because Grandchildren will be kicking off the evening. Below is a video of their live performance from 2640 Space in Baltimore to get you psyched up and off your couch. First Unitarian Church, 2125 Chestnut St., 8pm, $10 adv/$12 door, 21+ – H.M. Kauffman
 

Philadelphia

Prowler Opening for Deerhoof at TLA Feb. 11

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Slowly but surely, Prowler is becoming one of my favorite local bands. The erratically-inclined five-piece, who recently visited the Y-Not Radio studios for some chat stew and jamming, steals my heart with their jagged electro-rock bops and transfixing knife-like yowls. You can witness this Phrequency.com-presented blitz tonight at the TLA when they open for quirky San Fran spazz-garage veterans, Deerhoof, and their tour mates, the lashing Scotland/Germany-based synth-prog duo Ben Butler & Mousepad. Show up early, and catch Philly’s wickedly hip spinners Broadzilla DJs (who by the way consistently have the raddest promo posters) shake the floor. Theatre of Living Arts, 334 South St., 9pm, $15, All Ages – Annamarya Scaccia
 

Philadelphia

Oh! Pears & Attia Taylor Join Forces at JB’s Feb. 11

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With acoustic riffs and staccato snaps of drum and cymbal, former Pattern Is Movement guitarist Corey Duncan makes the most of dreamy chords and charming hooks in local outfit Oh! Pears. Comprised of a unit that can reach up to 13 people, Oh! Pears melodic fortitude lies in the intricate progression of their lyrical narratives. Tracks like “Helena” and “Singers” swell with intentional harmony, making Duncan and his bandmates’ efforts reminiscent of Beruit and Andrew Bird’s “Plasticities” stripped rather than overproduced. “Fill Your Lungs” is crisp and sincere, much like the band’s collaborative creation for this show “Born In the Clouds”. Paring Oh! Pears rhythmic sensibilities with Attia Taylor’s bright yet heartfelt voice, “Born In the Clouds” lends itself as auditory escapism with a hint of cathartic bliss. If you missed when we premiered the track a few weeks back, then you get a chance to take a listen and download it for FREE below. Johnny Brenda’s. 1201 N. Frankford Ave., 9pm, $10, 21+ – Dianca Potts
 

 

Born In Clouds by Corey Duncan & Attia Taylor

Philadelphia

Sold Out Dr. Dog Show at E Factory Feb. 11

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When Dr. Dog was formed roughly ten years ago, who would’ve thought they’d be the staple they are today? Whether you saw it coming or not, Dr. Dog are now Philly’s elder statesmen, and it seems like they’ve been taking over the world one album at a time. Starting off in the chaotic territory of Elephant 6-ish psychedelia, replete with all sorts of tape manipulation and general lo-fi fuzziness, they’ve gradually scaled back a lot of those eccentricities, honing in their sound to the pop essentials. The songwriting has grown cleaner, the lyrics more personal, and the harmonies more infectious. Last year’s Shame, Shame (their debut for major label ANTI-) saw the band roping in more fans than ever before, which is apparent with the sold out show this evening at Electric Factory. Pals Buried Beds have also been given a chance to show off their pop savvy tonight. You’ll find the five-piece plugging in instruments and leaving the term “Appalachian” behind with songs from their latest release Tremble the Sails. They’ll also be joined by recent Sub Pop signees The Head and the Heart. Electric Factory, 421 N. 7th St., 8pm, $20 (SOLD OUT), All Ages – Joe Poteracki
 

Philadelphia

The Deli Magazine Presents Grimace Federation, Grandchildren, Power Animal, Ryat & Circadian Rhythms at The Ox Feb. 19!!!

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We just want to give you a heads up on a KILLER local bill that The Deli will be presenting next Saturday, February 19 at The Ox w/Grimace Federation, Grandchildren, Power Animal, Ryat, and Circadian Rhythms. We really wish that we could take credit for putting together this lineup of some of our favorite Philly artists, but this honor goes to Ox resident The Armchairs’ Andy Molholt – a great dude who was smart and nice enough to bring these talented folks together. Remember to thank him with plenty of alcohol and herb that evening. We will. – The Deli Staff

 

Philadelphia

Don’t Trust ‘tine-‘tine w/Her Pyramid $keem Opening for Shark Tank at DDG Feb. 10

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I know Christine Griffis, a.k.a. ‘tine-‘tine (a.k.a. The Deli’s June 2010 Featured Artist of the Month) has been in the game for a hot minute, but it’s still surprising that her tiny, adorable self can pack such a dirty lyrical wallop over tattered lo-fi beat downs. You can hear her fiercely wild foul mouth at Danger Danger Gallery tonight, where she’ll take the mic alongside local hipster-hop outfit, Pyramid $keem, whose colorful assaults are one-half retro 8-bit synths and one-half witty rhyme drops. Along with Baltimore’s Gavin Riley, the two will open for hip hop super group Shark Tank (featuring Height, Mickey Free, B.Rich, and Lord Grunge of Grand Buffet), who’ll be swooping in on our favorite West Philly DIY space for their two-years-in-the-making self-titled record debut release party. Go get crunk’d, y’all. Danger Danger Gallery, 5013 Baltimore Ave, 8pm, $5-$10 Donation, All Ages – Annamarya Scaccia
 
Philadelphia

El Fuego (The Band, Not the Burrito Place) at KFN Feb. 10

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The fire burns at Kung Fu Necktie tonight when El Fuego, self-proclaimed “rock and roll fuck ups”, bring their vibrant, caliente melodies to one of our favorite watering holes. While the guitars rage on in heated fury, the keyboards and female vocals help help cool the burn. And since they just recently finished up an EP that’s on the verge of being released, you’ll be sure to hear some hot new jams. They’ll be joined by The MLMs, who are fronted by Grammy nominee and learned jazz musician Ben O’Neil, The Nonstop Mint, and Cold Fronts. O’Neil has worked with mainstream heavyweights like Common, Christina Aguilera, Musiq Soulchild, Erykah Badu, and Cee-Lo so expect some mass ear appeal. Kung Fu Necktie, 1250 N. Front St., 8pm, $5, 21+ – Bill McThrill
 
Philadelphia

FYI on DIYs in PHL: “Aquarius Raging”

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If you ever performed or attended a show at West Philly’s Danger Danger Gallery, then you probably know what a special place the DIY space is to the local indie music/art community. That’s why when Grandchildren’s Aleks Martray asked The Deli to present and help promote this year’s “Aquarius Raging”, which is doubling as a fundraiser for the Danger Danger collective, we were happy to pitch in and do our part. But we felt that our words would not quite do justice to the annual event and beloved venue so we wanted to hear from dedicated volunteer Aleks Martray himself reasons why everyone should join us this Saturday to help keep the creative space alive and ragin’!
 
The Deli: How did “Aquarius Raging” start?
 
Aleks Martray: “Aquarius Raging” was kind of the origin of what became Danger Danger. February for whatever cosmic reason is filled with birthdays of tons of our friends and so it always took on a life of its own – lots of partying, celebrating, and a sense of starting off the new year with a bang. What was originally more of a dance party among a network of friends evolved into shows that spread in scope and size, really capturing the energy in West Philly at the time. There were tons of emerging bands with not a lot of opportunities to play to real music-loving fans, and there was a desire to bring people together around the music in a casual neighborhood environment. I think the first one was held at a house on Willows Ave. featuring such classic bands as The Teeth and Fuck with the Bull Get the Horns (RIP). But by around 2006 everyone in the DDG collective was now living at 900 S. 47th St., the original Danger Danger house, where we were rehearsing, recording, and developing what would become the band Grandchildren. Out of that energy and the success of the “Aquarius Raging” shows, it became the perfect place in West Philly to host shows. Our 2 members Tristan Palazzolo and Russell Brodie in essence became bookers/promoters for this run down Victorian we were renting. The shows began to take on a life of their own, and they could barely even keep up with all the show requests. Soon the event had evolved into 20 band bills that drew hundreds of kids to see emerging and national acts perform round-robin style throughout the 3-story house, in the basement, living room, bedrooms, and even the attic.
 
TD: What are some of your favorite moments from past “Aquarius Raging” events?
 
AM: The most memorable “Aquarius Raging” event consisted of the abrasive noise-rock of White Mice in the basement, a packed living room witnessing 80+ year old jazz legend Marshall Allen of Sun Ra Arkestra, the debut appearance of Tickley Feather in Russell’s bedroom where she performed on a wooden bed-frame as a stage. That pretty much sums up the spirit and essence of the event.
 
TD: This year’s “Aquarius Raging” is also a fundraiser for the Danger Danger collective. What will everyone’s donations go towards?
 
AM: Danger Danger Gallery is a completely volunteer operation and everyone involved contributes because they believe in it as a one-of-a-kind place for music and art where almost all the money goes directly to the performers. But there’s a lot of upkeep that goes into maintaining the building and hosting tons of shows. When we first acquired the building, it had been abandoned for years and was pretty much in ruin. There was a long period of building walls, installing new plumbing, electricity, etc., just to get the place up and running. The past 3 years since then has been a constant effort to maintain and improve the place in the face of tons of wear-and-tear from so many events. Most people probably don’t realize how much work has gone into the gallery space, but if you look at the walls in the hallway where the bathroom is, you can see what the whole place used to look like. We left the walls in that space raw as a reminder of where it started. So the money raised this year will go directly to making repairs and paying off past debts related to the space. So at the risk of sounding like a NPR pledge drive…if you frequent the gallery or if you’ve ever had a great time there, now is the time to pitch in and contribute to maintaining Danger Danger as a great place for music, art and events. Plus this show is gonna be amazing! We’ve put together a bill of some of the best Philly and NY bands that have been friends of DDG and have been awesome enough to give back to it.
 
TD: What should we expect to happen at the event this year?
 
AM: You should expect the unexpected. It’s gonna be a memorable event. The line-up runs the gamut of styles and genres so there is something for everyone no matter what you’re into. We’re doing the old-school basement/gallery round-robin set-up of constant music, reuniting West Philly’s classic band "the Perfectionists" to debut their 30minute rock symphony, reintroducing the video projection room, and they’ll be food and drinks available! What more could you ask for.
 
– The Deli Staff
Philadelphia

“Revolution Girl Style Again” – Streaming Video Available

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If you missed last night’s “Revolution Girl Style Again” panel discussion at The Kelly Writers House with Kathleen Hanna (Bikini Kill/Le Tigre), Sara Marcus (author of Girls to the Front: The True Story of the Riot Grrrl Revolution), Katy Otto (activist and founder of Exotic Fever Records), and Beth Warshaw-Duncan (Executive Director of Girls Rock Philly!), you can check out the whole discussion here. Glad that it ended up being recorded to share – thanks KWH-TV! – The Deli Staff
 
Philadelphia

Daytrotter Session w/Sun Airway!

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Daytrotter just released Sun Airway’s session today from when they visited in October, and as one of the comments stated about the new posting, “This is the opposite of suck.” We concur. You can take a listen for yourself here, and download it for free if you like it (just signup for a Daytrotter account if you don’t have one already and make your way through their sweet archives). The four songs that were posted are “Infinity”, “Oh, Naoko”, “Your Moon”, and “Put the Days Away”. Enjoy! (Illustration by Johnnie Cluney) – The Deli Staff
 
Philadelphia

Kurt Vile Announces an In-store Tour in March

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According to Pitchfork, Kurt Vile will also be doing an in-store acoustic tour in early March before he heads out on the road with J. Mascis. Vile will perform at A.K.A. Music on March 4, but Philly will get the royal treatment with the Violators joining him. The rest of his in-store dates are below. Vile’s Smoke Ring for My Halo will drop March 8 via Matador. – The Deli Staff
 
Kurt Vile In-store Tour Schedule:
03/01 Boston, MA – Newbury Comics (Newbury Street store)
03/02 Washington, DC – Red Onion Records and Books
03/02 Baltimore, MD – Sound Garden
03/04 Philadelphia, PA – AKA
03/08 Brooklyn, NY – Academy LPs
03/08 New York, NY – Generation Records
03/08 New York, NY – Other Music