Philadelphia

Weekend Warrior, February 5 – 7

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If you happen to be in West Philly and have no fear of the forecasted blizzard this weekend, be on the lookout for a smorgasbord of all sorts of mind-warping sounds. First, kicking off their New England tour which includes an opening slot with Yeasayer at Bowery Ballroom, is Bobo, whose brand of weird electro-rock, replete with tongue-in-cheek vocals and retro synths, sounds like what would happen if the Residents or Ween dedicated themselves to dance music. Then, there’s Mirador, an act that produces chiming, intricate instrumentals for a more prog-oriented electronica sound. And of course, there’s The Love Club, a blast of 60’s inspired psychedelia and garage rock, reminiscent of all the best Nuggets compilations, but fresher and stranger. Come see all of these fellas, as well as Prince Rama, White Lodge, and Peace, Loving over at the Danger Danger Gallery’s new next-door neighbors. Young Love Vintage Clothing and Vinyl, 5011 Baltimore Ave, 8pm, Donations, All Ages younglovesphilly.blogspot.com/
 
What else is going on this weekend if the snow doesn’t force everything to cancel…
 
Johnny Brenda’s (1201 N. Frankford Ave.) FRI The Asteroid #4, The Sounds of Kaleidoscope, Lux Perpetua, SAT The Armchairs (RESCHEDULED for April)

North Star Bar (2639 Poplar St.) FRI Andrew Lipke and The Prospects

The Khyber (56 S. 2nd St.) SAT The Strychnine Babies, Live Not On Evil

M Room (12 W. Girard Ave.) FRI Steve Yutzy-Burkey (of The Swimmers)

World Café Live (3025 Walnut St.) SAT (Upstairs) Kidrockers w/Jukebox the Ghost (RESCHEDULED to 4/10), Late – Mason Porter (CD Release Party)

Blockley Pourhouse (3801 Chestnut St.) FRI Cheers Elephant, Oso, Filmstar

Green Line Café (4426 Locust St.) SAT Dragonzord

Tritone (1508 South St.) FRI Atomic Age and McRad, SAT The Broken Prayers

 
The Fire (412 W. Girard Ave.) SAT Haiti Relief Benefit w/West Philadelphia Orchestra, The Mighty Paradocs, Big Attack, Mirador
 
Lickety Split (401 South St.) FRI The Lizards from Mars

 
New England

the le duo iNprov Sunday @ Radio Bean 9pm

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The grand statement of the weekend will be made by free-improv collective, the le duo, by stripping their profusely collaborative sound back down to square one–letting the whole damn thing go. Improvisation. Expect the best of Burlington’s experimental music scene to be on stage with the le duo leader, JB Ledoux, to create who knows what. It will be mind bending and the drum will be beating, but other than that there’s no telling what pot of noise will be stirred up at the Bean Sunday night. A Snake in the Garden will be opening the night at 9pm with the waves of noise and Lawrence Welks and Our Bear 2X will be closing out the shin dig–should be a good one. The iNprov will actually be three part deal with February 14th and 21st also playing host to the le duo and friends.

Radio Bean
8 N. Winooski Ave
Burlington, VT 05401

—The Deli Staff

L.A.

David Lynch takes psych-folker Ariana Delawari under his wings

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Hollywood-via-Afghanistan-based psych artist Ariana Delawari just recently went under the guidance and helm of her biggest fan: director David Lynch. Connected by their mutual love of meditation and storytelling, Delawari had no reservations working on her LP Lion of Panjshir with the notorious filmmaker. Preview the album on video as Lynch guides you through the tracklisting in his signature crooked fashion. A coinciding interview with Delawari is a must-see for those wondering how this peculiar pairing came to be.

L.A.

Michel Gondry directs Mia Doi Todd’s latest video for “Open Your Heart”

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Mia Doi Todd | "Open Your Heart"
Dir. by Michel Gondry

Filmmaker Michel Gondry teamed up with LA songstress Mia Doi Todd and Riverside Community College’s marching band to create this surreal Technicolor dream in support of Todd’s latest single "Open Your Heart." According to EW.com, Gondry and Todd met at a party, and the chemistry was just right to bring his surreal vision to life. Tres Skittles-esque.

Mia Doi Todd plays the next two Tuesdays at Spaceland.

Chicago

Last Minute Plans: Blane Fonda @ Subt

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Congratulations Mark! As evidenced by the above picture, Blane Fonda’s front man and lead singer became pregnant while we were on the road for shows in Missouri last month. You can get pregnant from gas station cheese dogs, right?

In related news, Blane had an excellent time playing some rocks and roll shows in Kansas City and St. Louis; there’s a recap of the trip complete with color pictures up at our internet website-blog. Next weekend, we head back for another show in St Louis, this time with a stop in Indianapolis for a show with some fellow Chicago-types, Dr Manhattan. Before all that, we’ll be playing tonight, at Subterranean in Wicker Park with Explode into Colors and Carbon Tigers.

So… 2010 is looking pretty busy so far, but we’re not complaining. Except when the heat in our rehearsal space is never on and we wear gloves during practice; then we’re complaining. – Charlie Nadler

Nashville

From The Deli’s Open Blog: Buffalo Clover, Real Roots Music

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Buffalo Clover is a rare plant that grows in the wake of stampeding buffalo. It is also the name of Nashville’s most eclectic band. The songs are original, energetic, rootsy and anything but sappy. Their styles range from underdog gypsy punk to motown boxcar blues, vaudvillian acid rock to train wreck folk. Their songs are a unique blend of carnival dirges, quirky waltzes and dark nursery rhymes. "Roots music isn’t synonymous with the stripped down sounds of Pete Seeger or Woody Guthrie though those two are widely credited as the fathers of American roots music. In fact, the genre’s massive legacy includes bluegrass, jazz, gospel, country, even vaudeville. Hailing from Nashville, Buffalo Clover takes this wide-angle view of roots, fearlessly stitching together blues, rock, country, folk and gypsy music into an eclectic, theatrical tapestry." -Kate B., Ourstage Blog "Margo’s vocals have a Southern charm but also the melancholy warmth found in Jenny Lewis’ material. -It’s like coming home." -Tiffany Daniels, God Is In the TV Zine. – (as posted in The Deli’s Open Blog – post your band’s entries, videos, and Mp3s here).

 

Portland

Band of the Month Nominee Spotlight: Grouper

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Grouper is Portland musician Liz Harris. Starting from humble means and a self-release in 2005, Harris has continued to build steam toward lofty heights of creativity and popularity. She now has four full-length albums, as well as a collaboration project with NYC-based group, Xiu Xiu.

I appreciate that Grouper strays away from the stereotypical 10-minute length ambient-dream tracks, and instead bends toward the three-five minute standard that the majority of modern songs in the world tend to curtail themselves at. Even without utilizing lengthy tracks, the heart of Harris’ art wells from the pairing of haunting vocals gliding over the calm magic of her chord changes. What she does, she does well.

Grouper’s latest release, Dragging a Dead Deer Up a Hill, received superlative critical reviews, and ranked high on several 2008 blog "end of year" lists, including, Gorilla vs Bear’s 2nd best album pick of 2008. After giving the album a once-through-listen, I was impressed with how the mood and musical changes worked to keep the album interesting, while remaining very much the same with regard to style and rhythm tempo. You can stream the album on LaLa.

Harris is also involved, along with Honey Owens, with the vintage clothing shoppe Rad Summer located on Burnside (right in my hood, yo). Design firm Wieden and Kennedy have been releasing an awesome video series entitled, "Don’t Move Here," which features music artists from the already robust, yet always growing music scene in Portland. Check out both these musicians (and business women) in the third episode of "Don’t Move Here."

With keyboards, guitar and vocals, Grouper paints a string of songs that act as small landscapes for the listener to enjoy. Ambient dream-scapes and steady acoustic strumming steer the listener over an ocean of rolling swells and shrouding fog to arrive at something musically satisfying. Check it out, and then reach out and vote for the next Deli Band of the Month. Perhaps you will do so just a little more calmly than normal.

– Joel Sommer

Philadelphia

Cheers Elephant Ready to Start a Riot at Blockley Pourhouse Feb. 5

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Cheers Elephant are hard at work on the brand new album, and are getting ready to unveil some new tracks. But before they do both, the dynamic local psych-folk rockers are getting ready to play Blockley Pourhouse during what might just be the nicest lineup to grace the new venue. They’ll be joined by Oso, whose last album The Bellringer was one of my favorite releases of last year. This will be the bands first big outing before they headline Thursday’s portion of the Northern Liberties Winter Music Festival. Rounding out the already well-rounded lineup is Filmstar, a band whose leaping and plunging melodies, incisive lyrics, and unabashed pop hooks should rouse up the crowd. Blockley Porhouse, 3801 Chestnut St., 9pm, $5, 21+ myspace.com/cheerselephant (Tyler Westnedge) – Bill McThrill
 
Philadelphia

The Asteroid #4 Lands Down at JB’s Feb. 5

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Cosmic crusaders The Asteroid #4 are making their return to Johnny Brenda’s tonight. Since the mid-90’s these ‘genteel woodsmen’ have been making fuzzed out space jams the likes of Brian Jonestown Massacre, Lillys and 60’s pop ancestors. They mix a cocktail of shimmering harmonies, breezy, churning guitars, pounding drums and haunting atmosphere that manages to pay homage to their many influences while still maintaining a sound all their own. The band’s last released was These Flowers of Ours: A Treasury of Witchcraft & Devilry in 2008, but a new album is expected for this year. One-time cacophonous 4-track project turned full band The Sounds of Kaleidoscope and former-Extraordinaire and Punk Rock Payroll’s Lux Perpetua will be joining them on this journey. Johnny Brenda’s, 1201 N. Frankford Ave., 9pm, $10, 21+ myspace.com/asteroid4 (Photo by Courtney Brooke) – Adam G.
 
Philadelphia

Andrew Lipke’s Prospects Look Good at North Star Bar Feb. 5

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Whether it’s through original acts like Franzschubert & The Schuubs, cover bands like Get The Led Out, or through his own material, Andrew Lipke has always managed to be a strong presence in the local music community. But through the work he’s recorded on Mad Dragon Records, he has really started to come into his own as a solo artist, and Motherpearl & Dynamiteis easily his most dynamic release to date. Tonight at The North Star Bar he takes it one step further by emerging onto the scene with a strong backing band in The Prospect. Expect this one to be filled with plenty of alt-folk compositions that mirror everything from Led Zepplin and Pink Floyd to John Denver. North Star Bar. 2639 Poplar St., 9pm, $8, 21+ myspace.com/andrewlipke – Bill McThrill
 
Chicago

Red Ants

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Via Nuon has created a beautifully animated video for the new track from Sonoi called “Red Ants”. The self-titled debut album from Sonoi will be released this April by Low Transit Industries. Here is another peak at the eclectic and expiremental album and the track “Sherry Fall”.