Photo by Eric Ashleigh | showtographe.com

After quickly selling-out their Union Transfer date last month, Local Natives have announced another U.S. leg that brings them back to Philadelphia with openers Wild Nothing for a show at the Electric Factory on September 28th.  The California indie rockers followed up their stunning 2010 debut Gorilla Manor with the expansive and gorgeous Hummingbird earlier this year.  Tickets go on sale Friday, May 17th at noon; more information will be available here.  Check out photos from Local Natives’ Union Transfer show here, listen back to their April appearance on World Cafe here and watch a new video for “Bowery” below.

Fusion acoustic guitar duo Rodrigo y Gabriela have announced a tour that swings them through town to the Electric Factory on August 2nd.  Traveling the country in support of last year’s retrospective collaboration with C.U.B.A. called Area 52, the Mexico City natives are currently working on a follow-up album of new material.  Tickets go on sale this Friday, May 3rd.  More information can be found here.  Below, watch a clip of Rodrigo y Gabriela performing a new song and listen back to their May, 2012 appearance on World Cafe here.

XPN welcomes California band Animal Liberation Orchestra (ALO) to The Blockley tonight.  SIgned to Jack Johnson’s Brushfire Records, ALO create a laidback, jammy brand of surf rock / pop that has bound them to other Johnson-fan favorites Donavon Frankenreiter, Matt Costa and G. Love.  In 2012 ALO released their seventh studio album Sounds Like This.  Tickets and information for tonight’s 18+ show with Ryan Montbleau Band can be found here.  Watch an acoustic performance of “Storms & Hurricanes” from the new album below.

Denison Witmer celebrates his album release at Johnny Brenda’s tonight.  The self-titled record is Witmer’s ninth and most personal effort since the start of his career fifteen years ago.  Recorded at his Brooklyn studio The Honey Jar (co-run by Philly native Devin Greenwood), the Lancaster-born musician called in friends Sufjan Stevens and Greenwood for creative collaboration, though the stories told on the album’s ten tracks are purely Witmer’s.  Tickets and information for tonight’s 21+ show with Soporus can be found here.  Below, stream and download “Asa,” a song named for Witmer’s young son.

New Sweden head down to Phoenixville for a show at Steel City Coffeehouse.  The Wilmington five-piece enthralled a Saturday morning audience at the 2011 Noncommvention with their rootsy, robust folk rock and they’ve been climbing the proverbial ladder ever since.  With two Tri-State Indie awards on the shelf and a buzzy appearance at SXSW earlier this year, the local band hasn’t slowed down one bit after the release of their debut LP The Mountain.  Tickets and information for tonight’s show with The Turnips can be found here.  Watch New Sweden perform “Frying Pan” below.

The Hooters and Good Old War play a hometown show at The Electric Factory tonight.  An institution in the Philadelphia musical cannon, The Hooters got their start in the 80s with hits like “All You Zombies” and “And We Danced.”  In recent years, members of the band have sparked their own projects, with drummer David Uosikkinen’s In the Pocket and vocalist / keyboardist Rob Hyman’s Elm Street Studios in Conshohocken.  Good Old War, a trio that is becoming a local institution in their own right, returns to the stage in support of 2012′s Come Back As Rain while working on material for a new album.  Tickets and information for the all-ages show can be found here.  Below, watch The Hooters’ video for “And We Danced” followed by Good Old War’s “Amazing Eyes.”

Versatile pianist Marco Benevento will be playing at The Blockley tonight. Benevento utilizes an array of electric organs, pianos, and overall keys based instruments to obtain an eclectic sound. He is a member of the Benevento/Russo Duo who are responsible for a number releases, as well as member of other bands, and has various solo albums and recordings, with his most recent being TigerFace released in 2012 with The Royal Potato Family. Benevento will be accompanied by Everyone Orchestra with Steve Kimock, Matt Butler, and band members of the group Moe. at tonight’s show. Tickets and information for 21 and up show with Diamond Doves can be found here. Below, enjoy a live video of Benevento playing his song “Fireworks” at The Blockley last February.

California’s Suicidal Tendencies will be playing at the Electric Factory tonight to celebrate their brand new album 13, their ninth album. Formed in 1981, the band has been deemed a crossover thrash band, combining elements of punk, hardcore, thrash, heavy metal, and every genre that requires an individual to turn their clapping hands into horns to satiate the heaviness.  Suicidal has gone through many lineup changes, with Mike Muir the lead singer being the only permanent member. Their new album 13 marks thirteen years since the band has released a new LP. They started their Slam City Tour on April 11th that has dates all across the U.S., and will then venture to Mexico to play the Hell & Heaven Metal Fest 2013. Tickets and information for the all-ages show with Sick Of It All, Waking The Dead, and D.R.I. can be found here. Below, listen to a streaming on YouTube of Suicidal Tendencies’ new album 13.

Philadelphia native Andrew Gray will be playing Writers in the Round at Kennett Flash tonight. Gray, ex member/co-founder of Philadelphia’s folk band Hoots and Hellmouth, will be taking the stage to play some of his solo material. He has recordings of his songs available on his bandcamp as a name-your-own-price release which was streamed through XPN in August 2011. The songs are a minimal, but powerful, exemplifying Gray’s talent as a solo musician. Tickets and information for the all-ages show with Mike Cummings and Tim Celfo can be found here. Below, listen to Gray’s song “Sing Along, Sing Alone” off of his EP simply titled 3 Songs.

Vegas rock four-piece Imagine Dragons headlined The Electric Factory last night, continuing their tour in support of their 2012 debut LP Night Visions. Opening the show was Australian trio Atlas Genius; check out scenes from the show in the photo gallery above and watch a couple videos below.

Instagram photo by Chris Sikich | @countfeed

Chan Marshall’s new aesthetic is…

That’s a challenging sentence to finish.  The latest Cat Power album, Sun, incorporates elements of pop, jazz, grunge rock and even rap.  At the Electric Factory last night, her live show wove in as many influences, and then some. For starters, you heard right; Cat Power has a blonde pixie cut.  She has a backing band that looks like the group of kids who smoked cigarettes in high school in the 80’s.  She walked out to “New God Flow” by Kanye West and Pusha T.  She played mostly from her new album and had a video for almost every track.  Each visual was distinct from the one before it.  Clearly, a considerable amount of thought went into how the show would look, sound, and even feel emotionally.  As for the train of thought that determined the show’s aesthetic – or Cat Power’s, for that matter – it was hard to follow.

The concert began traditionally enough.  The band began an aching, drawn out rendition of “The Greatest.”  Marshall came out as the song began to build.  By the time the song was over, a rock concert had started.  Predictably, “Cherokee” was her next song – and so began a slew of visuals, some of which made more sense than others.  A video of clouds moving across the sky complemented lyrical references to the sky in “Cherokee.”  “Manhattan” had a gritty video tribute to the New York skyline.  The videos took an interpretative turn as the night went on.  “Always on My Own” was accompanied by a sketch of a Gorilla which changed colors.  “Peace and Love” had a tie dye montage during which the cryptic message “occupower” would flash across the screen occasionally.  Her most provocative video choice, though, was a slide show which ran during her performance of “Human Being.”  Five songs into the set, the audience was faced with faces of children, elderly men and women, families and, occasionally, the infirm.  Presumably, the message was to reach out to people in need, but there was no acknowledgement of who the people were, where they were from or who captured the images.  Instead of a heroic gesture, the use of these images seemed like a cliche.

The “Human Being” video is an extreme example of the attitude that prevailed throughout the night.  Since becoming famous and traveling the world (an entire verse of “Ruin” is devoted to listing new places that Marshall has seen), Cat Power stopped making the sort of ruminative music that made her famous in the first place.  She shouldn’t be slammed for an artistic progression toward pop, but her attitude towards her own art last night seemed dissociated from the artist she used to be.  The set had a few emotional moments (most notably during “Bully,” which produced tears), but it felt like a rock concert overall.  With her look, video reel and new sound, the show was all spectacle.  At the end, she thanked the crowd as “New God Flow” proclaimed delusions of grandeur.  Her exit music choice did not seem to be a tongue-in-cheek or ironic statement on her own success.  The sum total of Cat Power’s changes amounted more to camp than anything else.

That said, Chan Marshall writes incredible music.  Her new album is catchy.  It is packed with variations of experimental pop.  Not every song on the album is the caliber of “Cherokee,” but very few are forgettable.  The Cat Power live show gave Chan an opportunity to tweak the sound of her material, which worked out.  The subtle complaint rock undertones of her older and newer material became obvious.  Cat Power’s live show made her wide-ranging discography cohesive.  Her current hubris may be questionable, and some of her video choices can be scrutinized, but Cat Power is unquestionably a talented artist.  Fame changed her, it seems, but her live show suggests that the old Cat Power and the new Cat Power are two sides of the same coin.

Setlist
The Greatest
Cherokee
Silent Machine
Manhattan
Human Being
King Rides By
Sun
Bully
Angelitos Negros
Always on My Own
3,6,9
Nothing But Time
I Don’t Blame You
Peace and Love
Ruin

Wearing a tank top that read “666″ and a pair of leather leggings, Goulding kicked off the concert with “Don’t Say a Word,” the opening track from her latest release, Halycon. A sea of teenage hands thrust into the air immediately, fist pumping as if the track were their youth anthem.

The synth-heavy “Figure 8″ was equally energetic. While hardly a trained dancer, Goulding’s endearing hip swings and amateur moves were enough to make the crowd scream. Beautiful heartbreak ballad “Joy” brought us Mariah Carey-like vocal runs, and Goulding conducted the audience with her hands, encouraging us to sing along.

The confident “Anything Can Happen” boosted the young crowd’s excitement as they nearly screamed the chorus over and over. Goulding herself was dancing up and down on stage as if she were hearing it on the radio for the first time. She returned for the encore flashing “hang ten” with her hands. A gold sequined bra had been thrown on stage and she hung it happily it from her microphone.

Brooklyn-based electro-pop opener St. Lucia had a full band to accompany him, bringing energy to the crowd early on. Their viral track “We Got It Wrong” had new fans learning that the evening was going to go so right.

Setlist

Don’t Say a Word
Halcyon
Figure 8
Salt Skin
Hanging On
Joy
Explosions
Guns and Horses (Acoustic)
I Know You Care
Your Song (Elton John Cover)
My Blood
Only You
Under the Sheets
Anything Can Happen
Animal
Starry Eyed

Encore:
I Need Your Love
Lights

Photo by G. Widman | GPTMC

With 2012 wrapping to a close, there aren’t many more questions that have to be answered this year. One that you should definitely think about, though, is which concert you will be attending on New Year’s Eve. The two-night stand at Johnny Brenda’s from Philly’s The War on Drugs is sold out as of this morning, but we’ve got a round-up of what else is going on. So now all you have to worry about is how many friends will be begging to tag along!

Schoolly D at Ortlieb’s Lounge
Resident Original Gangsta Schoolly D is ringing in 2013 in his hometown of Philly at Ortlieb’s Lounge. Given the rapper’s rep as a trailblazer for acts like Public Enemy and Jay-Z, this concert is going to be an event you won’t want to sit out. Tickets for the 21+ show start at $45, which includes a buffet and an open bar from 9 p.m. to 2  a.m. Go here for more tickets and information.

Nico’s Gun, El Malito, The Fleeting Ends at Milkboy Philly
Funky pop rockers Nico’s Gun are bringing the party to Milkboy Philly on the one year anniversary of their debut full-length PLUSH. When former bits and pieces of Philly band Cortez, Cortez teamed up with producer Harry Zelnick, the mission was just to create tracks for hip-hop samples, but the Nicos Gun’s psychedelic rhythms and catchy lyrics caught attention as a worthy stand-alone act. Stream PLUSH here, and find tickets for the 21+ concert here.

Brothers Past, The Heavy Pets, Disco Sucks at The Troc

Indie psych band Brothers Past are jamming out at the Trocadero with Florida reggae rockers The Heavy Pets and DJ project Disco Sucks. One of the most celebrated independent acts from Philly in the last decade, Brothers Past has released three full-length records, including 2005′s This Feeling’s Called Goodbye. You can listen to their live recordings including their show at Union Transfer last spring here, and order tickets for the New Year’s concert on our calendar here. Doors for the 18+ show open at 8. Watch Brothers Past’s performance of “Squeeze” from their Union Transfer show above.

Jane’s Addiction at House of Blues

Alt / psych frontrunners Jane’s Addiction will be rocking the Atlantic City House of Blues for a New Year’s Eve showcase after the wild success of their Theatre of the Escapists tour this year, supporting 2011′s The Great Escape Artist. Between the band’s tumultuous on-again, off-again history and breaking barriers for alt-rock’s shift into mainstream attention, Jane’s Addiction have made their mark as one of the most influential bands in the last 20 years. Find tickets for the all-ages concert here; above, check out the video for “Irresistible Force” from 2011′s The Great Escape Artist.

PhillyBloco at World Cafe Live

Brazilian beat masters PhillyBloco are bound to get your groove on this New Year’s Eve at World Cafe Live. The music and dance ensemble draws its roots from blocos of Rio de Janeiro with vibrant, infectious rhythms and energetic performances, bringing heat to any dance floor in Philadelphia. Find tickets and information for the celebration here.

Devil Makes Three and Brown Bird at TLA

Devil Makes Three and Providence duo Brown Bird are crooning at the Theatre of the Living Arts for a festive celebration. Devil Makes Three, a folk punk trio from California, are known for their unique style encompassing ragtime, indie rock and rockabilly. Their most recent album, 2011′s Stomp and Smash, peaked at number 4 on Billboard’s Grass Charts. Brown Bird’s Salt For Salt, which you can stream here, has a dark folk sound in the vein of acts like The Civil Wars. Tickets for the show are available here, and below you should watch Brown Bird’s 2011 performance of “Thunder & Lightning” at WBUR Studios above.

The Making Time New Year’s Eve Hyper-Rager at Union Transfer

DJ Dave P and his buddies in the Making Time crew are bypassing the featured-live-guests thing for New Year’s Eve, instead presenting an assortment of the city’s best DJ crews in various nooks and crannies of Union Transfer. The Sorted crew brings the indie-dance, Rock Tits does garage rock nuggets for the masses, Broadzilla hits hard with electronic beats and Dave P himself brings an assortment of futuristic sounds for a Making Time hyper-rager. Tickets and information can be found here.

…and then there’s:

Ben Arnold at Steel City Coffeehouse

XPN Welcomes Americana rock singer-songwriter Ben Arnold to Steel City for a special all-ages New Year’s concert celebrating the release of Arnold’s “Circle ‘Round The Sun” album. Arnold’s steady blues rock sound has made him an WXPN favorite, so take the opportunity to check out his music here, and find information and tickets to the release party here. 

Francis Dunnery at The Tin Angel

English singer-songwriter Francis Dunnery will be at the Tin Angel for a very intimate New Year’s Eve performance. Dunnery, who got his start as part of It Bites and a revival of The Syn, released his latest album, Made in Space, in 2011. The album is Dunnery’s first without any guitar and features vocals from Dorie Jackson. You can find tickets for Dunnery’s 21+ show here.

Goodie New Year’s Eve at Underground Arts with Fur Coat, Someone Else, Rob Paine & Dirty (Worship Recs)

Venezuelan electro / dance duo Fur Coat are bringing their game to Underground Arts for New Year’s, supported by the smooth beats of Someone Else (Get Physical) and techno act Rob Paine & Dirty. The 21+ dance party starts at 9 PM; check out tickets and information here. 

Octane, Kid Felix, Bong Hits for Jesus, & The Endless March at the Electric Factory

The Electric Factory is bringing you a very alt-rock New Year’s Eve with performances from Philly’s own Octane, Kid Felix, Bong Hits for Jesus, and The Endless March. Post-metal Octane’s 2006 release When All Is Said and Done churned out cult favorites like “Pure” and “Gasoline”–maybe 2013 will see a new generation of headbanging…maybe? If you’d like to be part of that revival, find tickets and information for the all-ages show here.

For a complete list of more concerts in the region not shown above, visit our calendar here. May 2013 bring you fun, happiness, and another year of sweet, sweet music.

How do you react when strife befalls you? “I took a walk!” belts Passion Pit singer Michael Angelakos Thursday night at the Electric Factory, during his band’s opening number. The crowd jumps up and down chanting the refrain, while Angelakos stumbles across the stage like a drunk marionette, clutching his microphone tightly. 2012 has certainly been a strife-ridden year for the 25-year-old singer, whose much-publicized mental health issues forced the band to cancel a string of tour dates earlier this year. Tonight though, Angelakos seems to be taking his own advice, walking in frenzied circles as if to deal with the pain.

That’s not to say the occasion is a somber one — far from it. The venue is nearly sold-out and the crowd is pumped. And between passion-drenched numbers like “Take a Walk” are moments of pure pop brilliance — like “Walk” follower “The Reeling”  — whose bubbly exuberance make the cathartic numbers that much more powerful. It’s a duality Angelakos has long embodied, which he credits (or perhaps blames) on his bipolar disorder—and which is particularly pronounced on new record Gossamer, the soulful and introspective follow-up to 2009’s poppy Manners.

Gossamer tracks make up about half the set tonight, although Passion Pit don’t deny fans early hits like “To Kingdom Come” and “Eyes as Candles,” both of which send the crowd into dancing fits. But it’s new groove “Carried Away” that’s the real set highlight, a wave of uncontrolled fervor sweeping the room as thousands of voices shout, in unison: “We all have problems…and we all have something to say!” Might Angelakos be the spokesperson for today’s restless youth?

“Constant Conversations” is another standout, Angelakos’s smooth crooning and effortless falsetto transporting the crowd to the 1960’s, somewhere in Motown—while “Live to Tell the Tale” accentuates its bleeps and bloops with a barrage of flashing strobes. And penultimate track “I’ll be Alright” is a striking juxtaposition of sugary vocals and intensely personal lyrics about pill-popping and self-loathing: drummer Nate Donmoyer’s frenzied beats lending the unlikely combo dance floor vigor.

The band ends its set with saccharine Manners morsel “Sleepyhead,” a shower of confetti streaming down from the ceiling as the crowd dances even harder. The encore sees impassioned versions of “Moth’s Wings” and “Little Secrets,” the whole room reeling as more confetti and glitter rain down and Angelakos pours his soul out once more. It’s clear from watching that performing live is a release for Angelakos—and the result is invigorating for the crowd as well. Why walk when you can dance?

Setlist:

Take a Walk
The Reeling
To Kingdom Come
It’s Not My Fault, I’m Happy
Carried Away
Let Your Love Grow Tall
Eyes as Candles
Constant Conversations
Mirrored Sea
Live to Tell the Tale
Folds in Your Hands
Love Is Greed
I’ll Be Alright
Sleepyhead

Encore:

Moth’s Wings
Little Secrets

This week Jersey punk heroes The Gaslight Anthem played a rousing set at the Electric Factory; local four-piece The Menzingers, who has been on tour with the band, opened the show. Check out a photo recap of both sets in the gallery above.

• Everything They Say is Trueby Tommy Conwell, from The Key Studio Sessions, Nov. 21, 2012Download

• I'm Homeby Tommy Conwell, from The Key Studio Sessions, Nov. 21, 2012Download

• Goin' Back To Phillyby Tommy Conwell, from The Key Studio Sessions, Nov. 21, 2012Download

• I'm Not Your Manby Tommy Conwell, from The Key Studio Sessions, Nov. 21, 2012Download

Photo by Jason Nocito | Filter Magazine

This just in – Passion Pit‘s appearance next Thursday, November 29, originally scheduled for The Liacouras Center, has been moved to the Electric Factory. All original tickets will be honored, but the show is now standing-room only. Promoters AEG live apologize for the inconvenience and say that refunds, if requested, will be available at the point of purchase through 10 p.m. on Wednesday, November 28. Tickets and more information are available here.

American-Belgian singer/songwriter Trixie Whitley will be performing at Milkboy Philly tonight. Whitley’s forthcoming debut album, Fourth Corner, will be released January 29, 2013. The 21+ show tonight starts at 9:30; more ticket information can be found here. Five tracks from Trixie’s album can be downloaded from NoiseTrade for free prior to the release of Fourth Corner here. Below, watch Whitley’s video for “A Thousand Thieves”.

The revival of the 215 Festival Music Showcase presents the Bibliodiscotheque Dance Party tonight at Underground Arts featuring Lushlife, Light Heat, Lily & the Parlour Tricks, and the Dave Quicks Trio. Proceeds from the event, which is only $5.00, will go to Mighty Writers. The event starts at 8; more information can be found here.  Below, listen to “Dance The Cosmos Light” from Light Heat.

Come celebrate the release of The Parsnip Revolt’s new full-length album, A Sunshine Report tonight at World Cafe Live. In addition to performances from The Lux and Rodger Delany, each guest at the event will go home with a copy of A Sunshine Report. Tickets for the 9 pm show are available here. Below, listen to the first single from A Sunshine Report, “You Can’t Save Me.”

XPN Welcomes Diego Garcia to Tin Angel tonight. Garcia, the former frontman of indie rock band Elefant, is currently touring promoting his solo 2011 album, Laura. Tonight he will be playing back to back performances at 7:30 and 10:30; you can find tickets for the shows here. Below, watch Garcia’s perform “You Were Never There” from this year’s XPo Fest.

York County indie pop group Kingsfoil is playing at World Cafe Live tonight. Kingsfoil became a band to watch after the 2007 release of their EP, Bear In The Attic. Their second full-length album, A Beating Heart Is A Bleeding Heart came out in September after adding Frankie Muniz to the crew on drums. The all ages show starts at 8 pm; tickets are available here. Below, check out the video for “What Your Mother Taught You” from A Beating Heart is a Bleeding Heart.

XPN Welcomes Loudon Wainwright III to the Landis Theater tonight. Wainwright, who was featured on the Grammy Award-winning Boardwalk Empire soundtrack, released his latest album Older Than My Old Man Now in April. The show tonight begins at 7 pm; tickets are available here. Hear “All In a Family” from Older Than My Old Man Now below.

The Black Landlord Halloween Extravaganza is happening tonight at Kung Fu Necktie. Black Landlord performed for us during a Key Studio Session last October after the release of their latest EP, What You Mean To We. The psychedelic rock trio St. James & The Apostles will also be performing with Black Landlord tonight. The Extravaganza kicks off at 7:30; tickets for the 21+ event are available here. Listen to St. James & The Apostles’ track “Kiss & Tell” below.

Metal group The Deftones will be playing tonight at the Electric Factory. Their sixth album, Koi No Yokan, drops on November 3rd. The show tonight begins at 8; tickets for the all-ages performance  can be found here. Below, check out the lyric video for latest single from Koi No Yokan, “Tempest.”

Get ready for a throwback to the grunge era tonight with ’90s alt rockers Dinosaur Jr. as they perform at Union Transfer on their I Bet On Sky tour. The band, who is celebrating the 25th anniversary of their renowned 1987 album You’re Living All Over Me this year, reunited in 2005 after taking an eight-year break. The all-ages show tonight begins at 9; more ticket information is available here. Below, check out the new video for “Watch the Corners.”

XPN Welcomes singer/songwriter Citizen Cope to the Electric Factory tonight. Citizen Cope, who originally began performing as part of the hip-hop group Basehead, just released his fourth studio album One Lovely Day in July. Tickets for the 8:30 show are available here. Watch Citizen Cope perform the title track from One Lovely Day at the Bing Lounge below.

Celebrate Halloween at the Howardween Block Party today. All proceeds for the event, which is happening on the 1400 block of North Howard Street, are being directed to support Team Fox, a grassroots sector of The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. The block party will feature performances from eight different bands including Soldiers of Soul and The Really Cooks. There will also be food and beer vendors, costume contests, and pumpkin painting. The block party is scheduled to run from 1 pm through 8:30 pm; more details about the event can be found here.

Nashville rock trio Those Darlins are playing at Johnny Brenda’s tonight. The group recently collaborated with openers Heavy Cream on a 7″ split, Summer’s Dead, before preparing for production of their third studio album. Also on the bill is Philly brat punk duo Slutever. The show tonight starts at 9:15; tickets can be purchased here. Watch the video for the title track from their sophomore record, Screws Get Loose. 

Folk singer Antje Duvekot plays at Burlap and Bean tonight fresh off the September release of her third studio album New Siberia. Duvekot says New Siberia is a deeply personal reflection of her growth as a person, coming a long way from her sophomore album, The Near Demise of the High-Wire Dancer, voted top album of 2009 by listeners of the Boston radio station WUMB 91.9. The show tonight begins at 8 o’clock and tickets can be reserved here. Watch the video for “New Siberia” below.

America’s favorite bitter ex-girlfriend Alanis Morisette reveals a new dimension of happiness in marriage and motherhood in her latest record, Havoc and Bright Lights, which was released in August. In promotion of Havoc and Bright Lights, the Canadian singer/songwriter continues her tour tonight at the Electric Factory. The all-ages show tonight starts at 8:30; further details and tickets can be found here. Check out the video for “Guardian” below.

Baltimore indie folk group The Great American Canyon Band will be playing with Philly’s Mock Suns and Oldermost tonight at Johnny Brenda’s. The Great American Canyon Band’s June EP was followed up by the September release of a new track, “Young Lady,” which you can download for free below. Philly’s own quirky alt rock Mock Suns released their debut album, Here Nor There, in April. Below, watch the video from their first single off Here Nor There, “The Dark.” The 21+ show tonight begins at 9; details can be found here. 

Into It. Over It, the ambitious punk/pop solo act of Damiera member Evan Weiss, will be performing tonight with local punk/hardcore hybrid Restorations at First Unitarian Church. This is the first full-band tour for Into It. Over It. after releasing its debut full-length record Proper in 2011. Prior to Proper’s release, Into It. Over It. recorded 52 Weeks, a year-long effort that involved writing, recording and releasing new tracks every week during 2007; the finished product was released as a collection in 2009. Tickets  for the 7:30 show are available here. Below, check out the title track from Into It. Over It.’s Proper.

Philly four-piece shoegaze band Forest Fools will be playing at Pi Lam tonight with fellow local dream pop group The Tweeds. ”Weakend Guest” from The Tweeds’ 2011 full-length album, Goliath, is available for a free download here. The show starts 8 PM; more details can be found here. Below you listen to Forest Fools’ latest track “The Way Out” from their forthcoming EP.

Bon Jovi guitarist Richie Sambora will be playing at the Electric Factory tonight. During Bon Jovi’s two year hiatus, Sambora took the opportunity to release his third solo album, Aftermath of the Lowdown, in September. Tickets for the 8:30 show can be found here. Check out Sambora’s performance of “You Can Only Get So High” at our own Free At Noon show at World Cafe Live a month ago. UPDATE: Richie Sambora canceled tonight’s show, as well as adjoining shows in Toronto and New York City. Refunds are available at point of purchase, internet and phone orders will automatically be canceled & refunded. From Sambora’s Facebook: “Really, really sorry – I just blew my voice out. I’m on vocal rest and it wouldn’t be fair to give you a less than 100% performance. I promise to more than make it up to you though!”

Reef The Lost Cauze will be performing at the Balcony at the Trocadero tonight with Faez One, Rockie Reyes, I-Know Brasco, and Jawnzap7. The show begins at 8:30, and more ticket information can be found here. Reef The Lost Cauze was recently here to do a Key Studio Session with us back in September; download his track “The Sound of Philadelphia” from that session below.

• The Sound of Philadelphiaby Reef the Lost Cauze from The Key Studio SessionsDownload

XPN Welcomes The Mountain Goats to the Theatre of the Living Arts tonight. The Mountain Goats’ fourteenth album, Transcendental Youth, was released last week as a follow-up to 2011′s All Eternals Deck. The all-ages show tonight starts at 7 PM; more details can be found here. Below, watch the brand new video for “Cry For Judas” from Transcendental Youth. 

Bluesy Lancaster boys The Districts are opening for Red Wanting Blue tonight at World Cafe Live. Check out The Districts’ Key Studio Session, recorded here last weekend to promote their latest album, Telephone, which came out in June. Tickets for the show start at $12; more information can be found here. Below, you can download a recording of The Districts’ “Lyla” from their Key Studio Session.

• Lylaby The Districts from The Key Studio SessionsDownload

With 17 years of rock under their belt (and pop, and hiphop, dance music), the folks at the Factory are celebrating this month with a special ticket offer. Starting tomorrow at noon, and running for the next 17 days, a limited number of $17 tickets will be available for all shows on their calendar. This includes some pretty sweet gigs, like Cat Power’s October 25 appearance, Nas and Lauryn Hill on November 7 and The Gaslight Anthem with Philly’s own The Menzingers on November 27.

In addition, tickets purchased at the cash-only box office come with a commemorative Electric Factory t-shirt and no service charge. You can find complete show listings at the venue’s website.

Alternative reggae-pop sensation Matisyahu has announced a Philadelphia stop on his fall tour. Matiyahu’s fourth full-length album, Spark Seeker, which was released in July, is currently #1 on the Billboard Reggae Album charts. Matisyahu will be playing at the Electric Factory on December 12. Tickets will be available starting Friday, October 12 at noon. Below, watch the video for “Sunshine” from Spark Seeker.

At World Cafe Live, WXPN welcomes David Uosikkinen’s In the Pocket: Essential Songs of Philadelphia.  The Hooters drummer has rounded up his friends once again for a night of rocking Philly music. In the Pocket members include The Hooters’ Rob Hyman and Eric Bazilian, Soul Survivors Charlie and Richie Ingui, Tommy Conwell, and many more.  Making a special appearance at tonight’s show is the great MC Schooly D. Tickets are $20 on WCL’s website and doors open at 7:00 p.m. with music at 8:00 p.m.  Below, watch the documentary short on the latest In the Pocket track, “Disco Inferno.”

WXPN welcomes Alejandro Escovedo to the Sellersville Theater.  Escovedo has long been a preeminent force in the alternative singer-songwriter scene, fusing his Mexican roots with Americana sensibilities (and sometimes a hint of punk from his earlier days).  This summer he released his 11th studio album called Big Station.  Alejandro Escovedo plays Sellersville tonight with Billy “Blanco” White.  Tickets are $25 to $39, available here.  Below, watch a live video of Escovedo and his band performing “Man of the World.”

Indie-pop sweethearts Tennis stop by Union Transfer tonight for a concert with Wild Belle and The Shilohs.  After listening to Tennis’ bobbing, beachy soundwaves it should not come as a surprise that the core of the band, Patrick Riley and his wife Alaina Moore, spent the influential years after college sailing along the Eastern seaboard over the course of seven months.  After trading in radar equipment for recording equipment, the band released their second album, Young & Old, earlier this year.  Tickets for the all ages show are $15 here and doors open at 8:00 p.m.  Watch the official video for “Origins” below.