Somewhere in the midst of the Phillies giving us one coronary after another, we lost track of the fact that we went to the Factory a couple Saturdays ago to check out a couple of our favorite live acts, Paramore (MySpace) and Paper Route (MySpace). It's not that the show was forgettable; we just get a little crazy around Phillies playoff time.
Tomorrow night, the husband and wife jazz team Herb Alpert and Lani Hall will perform songs from their new album, Anything Goes, at the Annenberg Center. Herb Alpert is a trumpet-playing legend: an eight-time Grammy® winner, bandleader of the Tijuana Brass and co-founder of A&M records. Among the friends of Phillyist with longer memories, Herb is famous for his 1965 album Whipped Cream, the cover of which displayed a rather attractive woman wearing nothing but. This time around, however, Herb is performing with his wife, Lani Hall, a Grammy® winning vocalist since the 1960s—we expect both musicians to be fully clothed. They are playing in Philadelphia for one night only.
No World Series game tonight, folks, which means that you can head out to see what's actually going on in the Philadelphia area—as long as you aren't relying on SEPTA to get you there.
Sometimes I wonder what it would be like if my dad was a militant slam poet who used eardrum shattering electronic beats and industrial hip-hop to communicate his message of individualism, anti-conformity and transcending the shackles of racism that have affected him so deeply.
Really, so your plan was to spend your night off in between World Series games at home, resting your liver and your wallet? Well think again, because there is a tour rolling into Philly on Friday that takes crazy to a whole new level. Tell your checking account that everything will be okay, but trust us: Saul Williams is definitely worth going into overdraft for.
Hang on, baseball fans. This week, the city's spotlight belongs on the Spectrum, where it will shine for four nights on the men of Pearl Jam and the fans who kept the venue in business for over 55 years.
This post won't be the first to bemoan the acoustical nightmare that The Electric Factory can be. In fact, I hadn't returned there since seeing Tool over a decade ago mainly because mosh pits and tinny sound are no longer my thing. But the promise of an Andrew Bird show got me back to the Factory's sticky concrete floors and tinnitus producing sound. Fortunately, Bird survived the bee stings he endured during last week's interview with Phillyist, and as always, he didn't disappoint.
Alright, Philly. You've got two days to prepare yourself for the World Series, so make sure you get some relaxation in now, because the tension is going to get ramped up as of Wednesday.
Andrew Bird (MySpace) may very well be one of the most interesting musicians around right now. His self-proclaimed description as a "Chicago-based multi-instrumentalist, lyricist and whistler" does not do justice to the layered, richly subtle musical spectacles he offers audiences night after night. He could add that bees love him, as a swarm decided to descend upon our interview. Bird lands in Philly again this weekend, and if you haven't seen him live, it is time to end that gap in your concert-viewing repertoire. Check out the show details below the interview.
Alright, there's no Phillies game tonight, so tonight is a good opportunity to un-glue yourself from the television and see what's going on in Philly before tomorrow's Game 5.
The first time I heard these words, I was in a nightclub in North London. My first reaction was, "Europeans really do listen to some weird shit...and I dig it." At the time, I had no clue that what I was hearing wasn't really European at all, but decidedly American, as these were the opening lines of "Danger! High Voltage" by Detroit rockers Electric Six (MySpace). That was the beginning of a four-month long borderline obsession with the disco-funk-pop-rock outfit responsible for such catchy, politically incorrect numbers as "Gay Bar" and "Infected Girls."
Happy Friday, Philadelphia! Still not sure how you want to get your weekend started? Here are our ideas:
Phillyist will be interviewing Andrew Bird before his show at the Electric Factory on October 25. What should we ask him? Let us know in the comments and maybe you'll see your question answered next week!
We have a confession. Let's just get it out there, because the truth will set us free, right. We're not 16-year-old angsty girls, and yet we still find Paramore (MySpace) inexplicably compelling and listenable. There, we said it. We feel much better now.
When you speak to singer/musician Trevor Hall on the phone, you get the impression that he is, in the words of Eddie Izzard, "relaxed and groovy." When you listen to his self-titled album, that vibe comes through, but so does a very chill energy that reaches out and relaxes you while you're tapping your foot along to the music.
You have to be willing to struggle. It sounds kind of dorky but if you really wanna do it—and you have to really want to do it—then you have to make that conscious decision to put everything you have into it. You have to make a promise to yourself and have an incredible amount of perseverance. You also can't be too good for anything. Learn to talk to your audience and sing because if there's any talent there, people will notice. Be in the right place at the right time, and that comes with being in as many places as you can be. The more you place, the more venues and just random places you play, the better your chances are for success.
If you don't know singer/songwriter Erin McCarley's music, you should. Like, right now. You can start by listening to her full album on MySpace, and then coming to see her this Sunday, October 11, at World Cafe Live. Tickets are $13, which is a helluva bargain. (Her album, Love, Save the Empty, is only her first. Give her a year or two to really catch on, and tickets prices are going to skyrocket.)
Beth Ditto is busy. In addition to helming a band and starting a clothing line, the zaftig lead singer of Gossip (MySpace) recently (and bravely) dropped trou for the cover of UK-based LOVE magazine, giving pride and delight to fierce fat girls everywhere. In addition, she and the band have just kicked off a US tour in support of their latest album, Music for Men, cut with the aid of infamous producer Rick Rubin.
We've lamented—frequently—the craptastic acoustics at the Electric Factory. The warehouse venue has made even some of our favorite acts, who we know are great live performers—The Honorary Title being the most notable example—pretty much unlistenable. Could someone, anyone, conquer the cavernous, metallic echo chamber that is the Factory?
These days, it seems like most bands lack staying power. We can't think of many bands topping the charts right now that will still be around in thirty-five years—but hey, not many of them have the panache and showmanship of KISS. Currently on tour with Buckcherry, the Detroit shock rockers will be releasing Sonic Boom, their first album in eleven years, in Walmarts and Sams Clubs across the country next week. But because pyrotechnics and light shows and really scary makeup don't translate well to CD, if you want to get the full effect of KISS's music, you need to see them live. And the band will be awarding one lucky Phillyist reader with a pair of tickets to catch the Philly stop of the "Kiss Alive 35" Tour, October 12 at the Wachovia Center.
Matt Duke (MySpace) is easily one of Phillyist's favorite things about, well, Philly. Because he plays frequently at World Cafe Live—probably our favorite place to catch live music in the city—we've seen him, and talked about him, many times. But it wasn't until his most recent show at WCL that we actually got a chance to talk Duke. So read on, and if you didn't get to see Duke when he played with Tony Lucca and Jay Nash a couple weeks ago, fear not; Matt will be opening for also-ridiculously-talented Charlotte Martin at WCL on Wednesday night. So check out our conversation with Matt, and get details on Wednesday's show below the interview.
Looking to kick off your weekend with a bang? A headbang, that is. Well, you'll have a prime opportunity to get a jump on your self-induced weekend migraine when the hardDrive Live Tour hits the Troc tomorrow night. HardDrive Live is the inaugural national tour from syndicated hard rock radio show—wait for it—hardDrive. And for its first foray into a live concert tour, hardDrive has packed in some top-notch acts.
It's been three years since Regina Spektor (MySpace) first charmed the world with her vocal stylings on her breakout single "Fidelity." For years, she'd been building an audience under the radar with her superb musicianship and eclectic sound, but that song really put her on the national map, at least for a brief time. Could she keep people's attention, or at least regain it after the buzz of "Fidelity" died down a bit?
Phillyist Interviews... Kaufman: "It's Like Our Version of The Smiths"
They Tried to Make Me Go to Rehab, I Said "I'm Actually Kind of Tired"
CinePhillyist Reviews... Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
T.O. Book Giveaway
God Wouldn't Have Given You Maracas If He Didn't Want You to Shake 'Em.
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