Philadelphia indie rock duo Bridge Underwater was featured on this month’s edition of Bands in the Backyard, which premiered last week. They preformed the title track off their latest EP Dead Man; check out the video below.
Bands In The Backyard
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Watch: Bands in the Backyard sits in on a Light Heat rehearsal with with guest players Peter Bauer of The Walkmen and Skye Skjelset of Fleet Foxes
This is sweet – the Bands in the Backyard crew got to sit in on a Light Heat rehearsal in preparation for some dates the band has coming up in New York (January 12 at The Cake Shop) Philly (February 23rd at Johnny Brenda’s). Joining them are guest players Peter Bauer of The Walkmen on keys and Skye Skjelset of Fleet Foxes on guitar, and they’re rocking out to an as-yet unreleased jam from the pen of Light Heat mastermind Quentin Stoltzfus. Check it out below, find out more about the Johnny Brenda’s date at WXPN’s Concert Calendar.
Watch Heyward Howkins’ Bands in the Backyard session (playing MilkBoy on 2/21)
The BITBY.tv crew filmed and concieved this month’s Backyard session as their Christmas feature. But since they shot in early December, when weather was still somewhat balmy, it looks like it could be a late summer evening / early autumn afternoon hangout in cardigans and t-shirts. The only definitive “Christmas” sign is various shots of a cheery plastic Santa Claus. Blame global warming, but not Heyward Howkins, who plays a pair of great new tunes in the video – one’s called “Pundit,” the other untitled – and chats with BITBY’s Kyle Costill about the in-production new LP, which he hopes to release by summer. Howkins’ next Philadelphia appearance is February 21 at MilkBoy, opening for Broken Anchor.
Guest VJs Kyle Costill and Dave Kain preview Bands In The Backyard’s Tuesday Tune-out Lineup (kicks off at PhilaMOCA tonight)
It’s the last month of 2012, meaning one final round of Tuesday Tune-Out showcases at PhilaMOCA. This month’s curators are the venerable Bands In The Backyard crew, who bring some adventurous pairings of music and film for the next three Tuesdays.
I knew that I dug what these guys were up to as soon as I saw their video of Ages playing in the back of Johnny Brenda’s. In the year and a half since then, they’ve faithfully documented the Philly scene in videos that range from lo-fi immediacy to multi-camera productions, showcasing the town’s up-and-coming acts as well as buzzing national bands that make their way through. I’m happy to welcome them to this space to talk about what they have in store for the December Tune-Out. All events are at PhilaMOCA (531 N. 12th Street), start at 7:30 p.m. Continue reading
Step out into The Naked Sun (new BITBY video out today, playing The Balcony on 11/30)
To those familiar with this city, South Philadelphia has forever been the central hub for all things loud, fast and sonically destructive. But sometimes, from under the wreckage of broken cymbals and detuned guitars emerges something considerably more tame and distinct. The Naked Sun, a self-proclaimed “honest rock” quartet from the bottom end of the city, offer tender love songs that effectively transcend the idea of “honesty.” Their sound is nothing short of vulnerable.
The group, which opens for Man in a Crowd at The Balcony Bar at The Trocadero on November 30, was recently featured in a Bands in the Backyard BKSTG spotlight which shows them performing at Fleisher Art Memorial. Singer/songwriter Drew Harris sways and croons beneath the venue’s giant wooden crucifix, eyes closed, moving to the group’s stripped down performance.
The Week’s Best MP3 Downloads, incl. Nothing, Denison Witmer and The Roots
Space-rocking Philly shoegazers Nothing stopped by for a Key Studio Session recently. Recorded in front of a live audience and several glowing candles, the resulting four tracks will have an effect on you similar to that of a planetarium; the songs are dreamy, hypnotic and transcendental. The Bands in the Backyard crew were also on site and captured an atmospheric video of “The Rites of Love and Death”; watch the video below and head over here to download the full session. Check out Nothing’s upcoming tour dates on their Bandcamp.
St. James and the Apostles kicks off tour tonight at Silk City
Philly acid-rock three-piece St. James and the Apostles is heading out on a short fall tour, and is kicking things off tonight at the Bands in the Backyard No Alternative party at Silk City. They go on at 11 p.m., with opening sets by This Frontier Needs Heroes and Dani Mari; more information on the 21+ show can be found here. Below, check out the Apostles’ recently released BITBY Backstage session, filmed in their basement practice / recording space.