Brooklyn indie kids Freelance Whales head out to Harrisburg for a show at The Abbey Bar tonight. The quintet followed up their 2009 debut with Diluvia last year. The sophomore effort sees Freelance Whales expanding their sound and their narrative with more intricate arrangements and a complex sci-fi concept running through the tracks. What hasn’t changed with the new release is the band’s accessible and appealing indie pop sound that got the buzz started in 2009. Tickets and information for tonight’s 21+ show with Hundred Waters can be found here. Below, watch the video for “Spitting Image.”
For The Key’s year-in-review, we asked our trusted sources – our writers and photographers, XPN’s on-air staff, fellow bloggers in the Philly scene and even a few musicians – to send us their Top Five Whatevers. Could be the traditional music route – albums, songs, concerts of the year – or it could be only loosely connected. We’ll be sharing these recaps every day through to the end of the year. Today, contributing writer Beth Ann Downey ranks her top collaborations from regional artists.
We music lovers read, browse, skim, agree with, disagree with and soon forget so many of these lists this time of year. But if you’re a rock/punk/alternative lover from in or around Philadelphia, hopefully you’ll remember this one.
Collaborations amongst hard-working artists are undoubtedly how the best music is made. And in a time when folk, hip-hop and electronic music seem to top most of these other lists this year, I wanted to highlight the local singers, instrumentalists and producers who work together to do what they love despite what’s popular.
Collaborations are also where we see scene veterans training or complimenting emerging talent, and vice versa. Whether it’s bringing them out on tour or asking them to provide guest vocals on a new track, it’s great to see bands helping each other, or big-time producers working diligently on what they think should become the next big thing.
Here are five examples, in no particular order, of just how much love and talent the city of Brotherly Love has to go around. Continue reading →
Day number two of the 2012 XPoNential Music Festival wrapped up with a high-energy lineup at the Susquehanna Bank Center. On the main stage was the much-anticipated triple bill of Wilco, The Avett Brothers and Dr. Dog, and on The Key’s side stage were Dave Hause (joined on guitar by Brian Fallon of The Gaslight Anthem) and The Bailey Hounds. Check out a full photo recap of the night in the gallery above.
The 2012 XPoNential Music Festival is upon us, and we’re happy to say that, along with the national big names Wilco and Counting Crows headlining, we’ve got a solid offering of some of our favorite homegrown music on the bill. Dr. Dog and Dave Hause on Saturday, the Good OldWar OnWork Drugs triumverate across the weekend, singer-songwriters Matt Santry and Dana Alexandra, synth poppers City Rain and gothic Americana four-piece The Bailey Hounds. Most of those musicians have recorded for WXPN in one form or another, and as we get ready to open the gates at 5 today, we present you with The Key’s XPoNential Music Festival 2012 Sampler. You can download the entire thing here, and load it onto your iPod for the car ride over to Wiggins Park tonight. Tracklisting after the jump. Continue reading →
This just in from Dave Hause‘s tour van, heading our way from points west: joining him on guitar for his XPoNential Music Festival appearance on Saturday evening will be one of his current tourmates: Brian Fallon of New Brunswick, NJ rockers The Gaslight Anthem. Hause hinted at this yesterday, tweeting “Getting fired up to play @wxpnfm festival on Saturday. Gonna be full band, but im gonna need to find a guitar player….”, following up with “Guitar players. Guitar players. Well, I am riding on the bus with a few of them after all….” Today, he was more direct:
To me, the pairing couldn’t be more perfect. Both artists have roots in DIY punk rock, both broadened their sound over time with excursions into Americana tones and ambitious pop-rock arrangements, and both have a natural knack for hooky songwriting and singalong anthems. The only thing that could make this more of an insanely satisfying collaboration is if some of The Menzingers somehow hopped onboard, but that might be too much awesome for me to take. As it is, I’m calling it: Hause’s set on Saturday is sure to be a sleeper hit of XPoNential Festival. Below, you can see Hause starring in The Gaslight Anthem’s video for “Bring It On,” and download an exclusive acoustic version of “C’Mon Kid” that he recorded for The Key last year. Dave Hause, backed by Brian Fallon of The Gaslight Anthem, plays The Key Stage of the Susquehanna Bank Center at 9:20 p.m. on Saturday, July 21.
Dave Hause, The Fleeting Ends, and The Bailey Hounds were recently added to XPoNential Festival’s line-up for Saturday, July 21st at Susquehanna Bank Center, along with Wilco, The Avett Brothers, and Dr. Dog. The all-ages event starts at 6 p.m.; 3-Day Festival Passes include lawn admission to the show and can be purchased here. Tickets to this show can also be purchased separately here.
Listen to Dave Hause’s cover of Kathleen Edwards’ “The Cheapest Key” below.
Tonight, XPN Welcomes The Loved Ones’ lead singer Dave Hause to Johnny Brenda’s. Opening for Hause is Cory Branan and Turning Violet Violet. Doors open at 8 p.m.; show at 9 p.m. Tickets to the 21+ show are $10 – $12. We spoke with Hause last April about Hause’s recent solo album, Resolutions (released last January) and his work with his punk rock band, The Loved Ones. You can read the interview here. Below, watch the video for the song “C’mon Kid.”
Brooklyn indie kids Freelance Whales head out to Harrisburg for a show at The Abbey Bar tonight. The quintet followed up their 2009 debut with Diluvia last year. The sophomore effort sees Freelance Whales expanding their sound and their narrative with more intricate arrangements and a complex sci-fi concept running through the tracks. What hasn’t changed with the new release is the band’s accessible and appealing indie pop sound that got the buzz started in 2009. Tickets and information for tonight’s 21+ show with Hundred Waters can be found here. Below, watch the video for “Spitting Image.”
For The Key’s year-in-review, we asked our trusted sources – our writers and photographers, XPN’s on-air staff, fellow bloggers in the Philly scene and even a few musicians – to send us their Top Five Whatevers. Could be the traditional music route – albums, songs, concerts of the year – or it could be only loosely connected. We’ll be sharing these recaps every day through to the end of the year. Today, contributing writer Beth Ann Downey ranks her top collaborations from regional artists.
