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The Key

Discover Philly's Best Local Music

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A conversation with The Thermals’ Kathy Foster about bass, Rocky and their first decade as a band (playing Union Transfer tomorrow)

Watch The Roots mural be unveiled next Friday in South Philly

Watch City Rain’s cinematic music video for “The Optimist” (playing North Star Bar on Monday)

News
- All the news that's fit to print (on the limitless expanse of the World Wide Web, at least)—including the latest updates on local record releases, ticket sales, tour announcements, show cancellations, band breakups, link roundups, and more. Got a hot tip you want to share? Email us, and we'll assign our best reporter to the scoop.
  RELATED TOPICS
  World Cafe Live
  My Morning Download
  Rogue Wave
  Julia Holter
  North Star Bar
  LATEST POSTS
  Where to see (or avoid seeing) Kanye West's new video projection in Philly tonight
  Watch The Roots mural be unveiled next Friday in South Philly
  Watch City Rain's cinematic music video for "The Optimist" (playing North Star Bar on Monday)
  Watch Julia Holter's new video for "World" (playing World Cafe Live on 7/13)
Artists
- Everybody who's anybody making music in Philly. Interviews, features, tour diaries, and more—because the only thing bands love more than writing and performing their music is talking about their music.
  RELATED TOPICS
  Artist Profiles
  Interviews
  The Thermals
  Union Transfer
  Macklemore & Lewis
  LATEST POSTS
  Where to see (or avoid seeing) Kanye West's new video projection in Philly tonight
  See Big Terrible and Ali Wadsworth celebrate Rotten City the North Star Bar tonight
  Review: Bobby McFerrin peforms this week's Free at Noon (photos, audio, setlist)
  A conversation with The Thermals' Kathy Foster about bass, Rocky and their first decade as a band (playing Union Transfer tomorrow)
Scene
- It takes more than music to make a scene. It requires an entire legion of intimidatingly beautiful people with badass tattoos and impeccable fashion sense. Here, find a who's who of everyone else that keeps Philly music on the map—from promoters and producers to bouncers and bartenders—as well as stories on local venues, trends, and hot-button issues.
  RELATED TOPICS
  Kurt Vile
  Super Chikan
  NonComm2013
  Ray Manzarek
  The Doors
  LATEST POSTS
  Music Hack Day Philadelphia: The results are in
  City Hall Presents free music series begins May 29 with Summer performances from Kurt Vile, Dice Raw, Alo Brasil, Norwegian Arms, Cheers Elephant and more
  Non-COMM recap: Photos, audio, and setlist from the Mississippi Blues Project concert with Super Chikan and the Fighing Cocks
  RIP Ray Manzarek of The Doors (listen to songs from their Live at The Spectrum show in 1970)
Events
- Never ask "What's going on tonight?" again. Stay informed on all the best upcoming performances with our handy calendar of events, and become the go-to guy or gal your friends turn to for show recommendations. (And, if you miss a show, read our review—so you can say you were there and pass our opinion off as your own. We don't mind.)
  RELATED TOPICS
  Concert Photos + Videos
  Concert Previews
  Concert Reviews
  Union Transfer
  Baroness
  LATEST POSTS
  Where to see (or avoid seeing) Kanye West's new video projection in Philly tonight
  See Big Terrible and Ali Wadsworth celebrate Rotten City the North Star Bar tonight
  Review: Bobby McFerrin peforms this week's Free at Noon (photos, audio, setlist)
  A conversation with The Thermals' Kathy Foster about bass, Rocky and their first decade as a band (playing Union Transfer tomorrow)
Recordings
- FREE MUSIC: everyone loves it. (Well, except the RIAA, but everyone hates them.) 100%-authorized, totally-legal, lawyer-approved MP3s of songs and live studio sessions. Plus: more streaming audio than you can shake a cease-and-desist letter at, as well as reviews of new local singles and albums (so you know what to download later).
  RELATED TOPICS
  Album Reviews
  Downloads
  Single Reviews
  My Morning Download
  Rogue Wave
  LATEST POSTS
  See Big Terrible and Ali Wadsworth celebrate Rotten City the North Star Bar tonight
  A conversation with The Thermals' Kathy Foster about bass, Rocky and their first decade as a band (playing Union Transfer tomorrow)
  Download Major Lazer's remix of "Can't Hold Us" by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis (playing Roots Picnic on Saturday, June 1)
  My Morning Download: "College" by Rogue Wave (playing Union Transfer with The Boxer Rebellion on June 18)

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About The Key
Philadelphia: Home to a rich musical history, a unique musical identity, and one of the nation's most thriving musical communities. In a scene filled with so many local bands worth listening to, there will always be new music to discover—and The Key is your source for finding it. Brought to you by WXPN—the non-commercial public radio station that World Cafe, XPN2, and XPoNential Music Festival call home—The Key covers all local music in Greater Philly and beyond.GET IN TOUCH
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ABOUT THIS SITE

Philadelphia: Home to a rich musical history, a unique musical identity, and one of the nation's most thriving musical communities. In a scene filled with so many local bands worth listening to, there will always be new music to discover—and The Key is your source for finding it. Brought to you by WXPN—the non-commercial public radio station that World Cafe, XPN2, and XPoNential Music Festival call home—The Key covers all local music in Greater Philly and beyond.

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The Key

Discover Philly's Best Local Music

A conversation with The Thermals’ Kathy Foster about bass, Rocky and their first decade as a band (playing Union Transfer tomorrow)

Watch The Roots mural be unveiled next Friday in South Philly

Watch City Rain’s cinematic music video for “The Optimist” (playing North Star Bar on Monday)

RELATED TOPICS

LATEST POSTS

Where to see (or avoid seeing) Kanye West's new video projection in Philly tonight

Watch The Roots mural be unveiled next Friday in South Philly

Watch City Rain's cinematic music video for "The Optimist" (playing North Star Bar on Monday)

Watch Julia Holter's new video for "World" (playing World Cafe Live on 7/13)

Everybody who's anybody making music in Philly. Interviews, features, tour diaries, and more—because the only thing bands love more than writing and performing their music is talking about their music.

RELATED TOPICS

LATEST POSTS

Where to see (or avoid seeing) Kanye West's new video projection in Philly tonight

See Big Terrible and Ali Wadsworth celebrate Rotten City the North Star Bar tonight

Review: Bobby McFerrin peforms this week's Free at Noon (photos, audio, setlist)

A conversation with The Thermals' Kathy Foster about bass, Rocky and their first decade as a band (playing Union Transfer tomorrow)

RELATED TOPICS

LATEST POSTS

Music Hack Day Philadelphia: The results are in

City Hall Presents free music series begins May 29 with Summer performances from Kurt Vile, Dice Raw, Alo Brasil, Norwegian Arms, Cheers Elephant and more

Non-COMM recap: Photos, audio, and setlist from the Mississippi Blues Project concert with Super Chikan and the Fighing Cocks

RIP Ray Manzarek of The Doors (listen to songs from their Live at The Spectrum show in 1970)

RELATED TOPICS

LATEST POSTS

Where to see (or avoid seeing) Kanye West's new video projection in Philly tonight

See Big Terrible and Ali Wadsworth celebrate Rotten City the North Star Bar tonight

Review: Bobby McFerrin peforms this week's Free at Noon (photos, audio, setlist)

A conversation with The Thermals' Kathy Foster about bass, Rocky and their first decade as a band (playing Union Transfer tomorrow)

RELATED TOPICS

LATEST POSTS

See Big Terrible and Ali Wadsworth celebrate Rotten City the North Star Bar tonight

A conversation with The Thermals' Kathy Foster about bass, Rocky and their first decade as a band (playing Union Transfer tomorrow)

Download Major Lazer's remix of "Can't Hold Us" by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis (playing Roots Picnic on Saturday, June 1)

My Morning Download: "College" by Rogue Wave (playing Union Transfer with The Boxer Rebellion on June 18)

October 22, 2012 | 3:26 PM | By John Vettese

Ellie