Concert Previews

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May 15, 2013 | 4:44 PM | By

Sundrop Music Festival announces its 2013 installment and initial lineup (Memorial Day weekend at The Fire)

anjuliAnjuli Josephine and her band, Andrew Lipke and Juston Stens and the Get Real Gang are among the initial artists announced for the 2013 edition of the Sundrop Music Festival at The Fire. Returning for its third year, the festival features two days of music on two stages – a free and all-ages outdoor stage on Liethgow Street in Northern Liberties and a ticketed run of 21+ shows at The Fire’s indoor stage.  For more information, check out the festival’s Facebook Page. Below, download Key Studio Sessions performance tracks from Josephine, Stens and Lipke.

FILED UNDER: Artists, Concert Previews, Events, News, Andrew Lipke, Anjuli Josephine, Juston Stens and the Get Real Gang, Sundrop Music Festival, The Fire
May 15, 2013 | 2:31 PM | By

What do you think of Black Flag’s first new music in 28 years? (playing Union Transfer 6/17)

BlackFlagHaving released their last record in 1985, Black Flag – whose Greg Ginn-led reunited lineup plays Union Transfer on June 20 – unveiled their first music in 28 years with two new songs this week. First came “Down in the Dirt,” a single in exchange for an email address. Then there’s the newest song, “The Chase,” which features a super low-rent music video and lyrics that are massively vague. Given how young these guys were when they rose to fame, we have to wonder what the original Black Flag fans think of all this recent activity. Check out “The Chase” video below, and let us know your reaction in the comments. Black Flag plays Union Transfer on June 17.

FILED UNDER: Artists, Concert Previews, Events, News, Recordings, Black Flag, Union Transfer
May 15, 2013 | 12:18 PM | By

The Key Studio Sessions: Literature

All photos by Abi Reimold | Abireimold.22slides.com

About a year ago, the snappy and warped psych-pop band Literature relocated to Philadelphia from Austin, Texas with an awesome LP called Arab Spring in tow. Hard tourers, sharp dressers and a buzzing name on the indiepop circuit, they specialize in a sound that’s a bit more direct than the washed-out hazy dazy Pain of Being Pure At Heart aesthetic of a few years back. There’s a lift to their sound (though still a reverb’d surface) and a galloping-out-the-gate energy (with some oddball lyrical diversions).  For their Key Studio Session, Literature recorded four new “barn burners” in the words of guitarist Kevin Attics, including their latest 7″ a-side “Tie Dye” and a couple unreleased numbers. “Grifted” slowed down the pace and dipped back to their LP, but kept the momentum going enough that it may as well just plow straight into the Johnny Brenda’s show they’re playing (and KDU is hosting) next week. They’re opening the night on May 22nd, with Key Session alums Pet Milk headlining; tickets and information can be found here, while the session is available for your streaming and downloading (and bopping around the room) pleasure below.

FILED UNDER: Artist Profiles, Artists, Concert Previews, Downloads, Events, Recordings, Johnny Brenda's, Literature, The Key Studio Sessions
May 15, 2013 | 10:44 AM | By

Listen / Download: “Fifth in Line to the Throne,” a new song from Camera Obscura (opening for She and Him and The Mann Center in July)

187Scottish melancholy pop five-piece Camera Obscura released another new single today from their fourthcoming 4AD Records offering Desire Lines. Unlike the jaunty lead single “Do It Again,” this one is a haunting, heartrending waltz with delicate and reverbed-out vocal harmonies a la Neko Case. From Camera Obscura singer Tracyanne Campbell:

Fifth In Line To The Throne” is a song about someone in a seemingly perfect relationship but there is a dark underside to it. We wanted to sound menacing and give folk the creeps. I believe Princess Beatrice is fifth in line by the way.

Desire Lines is out June 4th on 4AD; Camera Obscura will be in Philadelphia on July 7th opening for She and Him and the Mann Center. You can stream and download “Fifth in Line to the Throne” below.

FILED UNDER: Artists, Concert Previews, Downloads, Events, Recordings, Camera Obscura, Mann Center, She and Him
May 15, 2013 | 10:32 AM | By

Philly Local Busker Background: Alex Shaw

Alex Pandeiro

Photo by Mark Stehle

Alex Shaw is the band leader of of Philadelphia eleven-piece Brazilian music ensemble Alo Brasil. He’s also a vocalist, member of the Spoken Hand Percussion Ensemble, educator who works with the Live Connections nonprofit at World Cafe Live, and also teaches at University of the Arts. This week, he’s our featured guest at the Philly Local busker’s series at The Porch at 30th Street Station.

This will be a rare opportunity to see Shaw perform as a solo artist – usually, he’s performing in a large ensemble, or leading a large ensemble (or teaching a roomful of curious minds). Today, however, he performs with only a guitarist as accompaniment.

The hour-long show begins at noon at The Porch at 30th Street, right off of 30th and Market Streets in University City. To get a taste of the unaccompanied Shaw, watch him performing “Dia de Praia” in the video below. For more, listen to Alo Brasil’s Key Studio Session from earlier this month.

Alex B Shaw: “Dia de Praia” from Anula Shetty on Vimeo.

FILED UNDER: Artist Profiles, Artists, Concert Previews, Events, Alex Shaw, Alo Brasil, The Porch at 30th Street Station
May 15, 2013 | 10:12 AM | By

Tonight’s Concert Picks: Heyward Howkins at Ortlieb’s, Northern Valentine at Random Tea Room, River City Extension at TLA

howkins-2Folk singer/songwriter Heyward Howkins plays Ortlieb’s Lounge tonight. Howkins released a single in December 2012, entitled “Praline Country“, as well as his debut full length The Hale & Hearty in June 2012. Go here to watch a video of Hawkins playing his song “Flimsy Stock”. Tickets and information for the 21+ show with Break It Up, Dreambook and Taggart can be found here. Below, enjoy the music video for “Sugar Sand Stitched Lip” off of Howkins’ album The Hale & Hearty.

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FILED UNDER: Artists, Concert Previews, Events, News, Scene, Heyward Howkins, Northern Valentine, Ortlieb's Lounge, Random Tea House, River City Extension, Theatre Of Living Arts
May 14, 2013 | 4:23 PM | By

Break it Up sets full-length release date, shares new song and track listing, sneaks onto Ortlieb’s bill tomorrow

BIUBreaking a nearly year-long silence, riot grrrl-inspired Philly three-piece Break It Up announced today that its long awaited self-titled debut LP will be released digitally and on CD on June 4th with a vinyl pressing in the long-range plan. The band has been working on the record for the better part of the past year; they recorded in a quick three-week run with Jeff Zeigler at Uniform Recording back in late summer, while post-production with Dave Downham at Gradwell House commenced through the fall and into the spring.

I caught up with singer-guitarist Jen Sperling over email, and she tells me that the eleven-track album will feature some familiar material from the band’s live setlist, and some brand new cuts. She explains that taking it into a studio world allowed them to dig into each song’s sonic possibilities, “things like layered vocal harmonies, feedback, and other subtle production effects.” Sperling says the result is simultaneously more pop and more grit.

“I think that we’ve been able to further evolve what is an obvious nostalgia for a previous era of bands in our songs, into something more thoroughly modern,” she says. 

You can hear that in the first single, “New Penzance.” It builds on the punchy, melodic approach of the band’s earlier singles (see also: “Excavate,” and “Paint the Town“), and crafts a striking contract between snappy pop sensibilities and a fuzzy punk rock drive. Tomorrow, the band makes its first appearance since last summer, sneaking onto a bill at Ortlieb’s Lounge that also features Heyward Howkins and Taggart.

Sperling says she is excited for her return to the stage. “We are definitely ready.  We all really love performing, and are eager to present the songs to an audience in that format again.”

“Some of these songs might well be considered ‘old’ at this point,” Sperling continues, “But playing live always breathes new life into them.  Anything can happen when you’re interacting with an audience, and that sense of unknown, that energy and mystery, is something we’ve all really missed.”

Below, watch a trailer video of Break It Up in the studio with Zeigler, and listen to a stream of “New Penzance.”After the jump, check out the tracklist of the album.

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FILED UNDER: Artists, Concert Previews, Events, News, Recordings