To mark the anniversary of Clash guitarist Joe Strummer’s passing, the North Star Bar will be hosting In Memory of Joe Strummer: A Benefit for Strummerville. The show benefits the Strummervile charity that financially support struggling musicians who aspire to change the world through music. The charity was established by family and friends of the influential punk rocker, and a variety of acts will be performing in support of the cause including Blayer Point du Jour and the Rockers Galore, The Cold Roses, Betty Iron Thumbs, I Yahn I Arkestra, The Future Unwritten (named after the Strummer documentary), The Successful Failures and Split Red. More information on the foundation can be located here. Below, watch one of the Strummerville sessions directed by famed punk scene DJ and Clash associate Don Letts.
Ali Wadsworth
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Download Toy Soldiers’ entire catalog for free (playing World Cafe Live on 12/22)
It’s the season of giving, and Toy Soldiers‘ are giving you something big. Through the holiday season, you can download their entire discography for free on their Bandcamp. Everything from their 2010 debut sampler Whisper Down the Lane to this year’s “Been Here All My Days” single are up for grabs. It’s an opportune time to catch up on their hard wailin’ rock music, too, as the unveiling of the rootsy Americana band’s first full-length record draws nearer. Toy Soldiers have a huge show at World Cafe Live on December 22nd with The Kalob Griffin Band and Special Guests Hoots & Wadsworth. Tickets and information can be found here. If you plan on going to the WCL show, you can take advantage of The Toy Soldiers Holiday Special: $25 for a t-shirt, ticket, poster and download. Below, listen to “Been Here All My Days.”
Tonight’s Concert Picks: Ali Wadsworth at City Hall, KISS and Motley Crue at SBC, On The Water at Johnny Brenda’s, Ross Belenoit at Fergie’s
Feelin’ a little country? Catch Philly singer and songwriter Ali Wadsworth as she graces City Hall tonight with her blues-infused ensemble as they perform new music to be released on her upcoming solo album. Wadsworth, who previously sang in Goldiebox and Unlikely Cowboy, is currently competing on this season of NBC’s The Voice . Tonight’s show is free and starts at 5:30. Listen to the new singles ”Where Is Your Love?” and “All Due Respect” below.
Check out two new tracks from Ali Wadsworth (playing free show at City Hall tomorrow)
Powerhouse Philly singer Ali Wadsworth just released two rocking new songs from her forthcoming full-length solo album, just in time for her free show at City Hall tomorrow. The songs feature Tim Arnold of Good Old War on drums, Jaron Olevsky of Amos Lee on piano/organ, Toy Solders’ Dominic Billett on congas and percussion, as well as fellow local musicians Phil D’Agostino on bass, and Dan Schwartz and Joe Bisirri on guitar. Below, listen to Wadsworth’s new tracks and, if you like what you hear, make sure to RSVP for her City Hall Presents performance tomorrow night. The show runs from 5:30PM to 6:30PM at the Mayor’s Reception Room (City Hall, Room 202). RSVP ahead here, as seating is limited.
The Week’s Best MP3 Downloads, incl. Heyward Howkins, Ali Wadsworth, Benjamin Francis Leftwich
Photo by Ann Teliczan | MichiganSweetSpot.com
Ali Wadsworth playing a free concert at City Hall for Creative Philadelphia (next Wednesday 9/19)
The free “City Hall Presents” concert series that the folks at Creative Philadelphia have been running all summer continues on Wednesday the 19th of September with a performance by singer and songwriter Ali Wadsworth. The versatile vocalist used to perform in the band Goldiebox with her sister Claire, and Unlikely Cowboy with Dan Schwartz (the “war” in Good Old War). She’s backed up Kuf Knotz, Fantasy Square Garden and Aaron Brown in Aaron and the Spell…and is also the one I challenged to cover Harry Nilsson’s “Without You” earlier today. With previous City Hall Presents shows cancelled due to weather, this one takes place indoors in Mayor Nutter’s reception room (fancy!) and runs from 5:30 to 6:30, but you have to RSVP at CreativePHL.org. Below, grab a free download of Wadsworth performing the jazz standard “Someone to Watch Over Me” from Folk You Philly’s Franks and Deans radio show.
A selection of Randy Newman and Harry Nilsson songs we’d love to see The Ron Gallo Revue cover at Fergie’s Wednesday
Randy Newman (left) and Harry Nilsson
Fans of snappy piano pop would do well to head to Fergie’s Wednesday night, when Toy Soldiers frontman Ron Gallo hosts a tribute to 70s songwriters Harry Nilsson and Randy Newman. Admission to the show is free, and music gets underway starting at 9 p.m. It’s the first installment of the new weekly “Ron Gallo Revue”, and features an impressive list of local collaborators: Ali and Claire Wadsworth, Tim Arnold of Good Old War, Thom McCarthy, Ross Bellenoit, Gretchen Lohse of Yellow Humphrey, Jerry Bernhardt of The Get Real Gang, Aaron Brown, Modern Inventors and Gallo himself. With so much talent in the room, we couldn’t help offering a few suggestions / challenges from the Nilsson / Newman repertoire that we’d love to see these folks perform. For instance, Nilsson’s iconic 1971 hit “Without You” – re-popularized by Mariah Carey in the 90s – would rock so hard coming out of one or both of the powerhouse vocalist Wadsworth sisters. And Aaron Brown’s voice already has the husky smoothness of Newman’s – he’d tear up “I Think It’s Going To Rain Today.” Check out our picks below, and get more information on the tribute at its Facebook event page. Continue reading