Photo by Olivia Malone

This month (and this month only) World Cafe is offering free downloads of performances from bands including Calexico, Lord Huron, the Afghan Whigs, Alt-J, John Fullbright, Freelance Whales, Stars, Nick Waterhouse, Allen Stone, The Kopecky Family Band, Sea Wolf, Trey Anastasio, Minus The Bear, Father John Misty and others. Download the entire collection, while they last until March 1st, here.

Photo by Olivia Malone

Her online persona may suggest that Katie Frank doesn’t take herself too seriously.  As a young, recent Temple University graduate, it could be safe to assume as much, but her attitude on her music is a different story completely.  Don’t let Facebook taglines like, “Folk rock meets pop in a whole new way!” fool you.  Both Frank’s stage presence and songwriting are heavy, mature products of years of hard work and dedication to her craft.  Toting a new EP, the budding songstress and her band The Pheromones play tonight at Tin Angel, with Madalean Gauze, Amy Faden and Meaghan Cary in a showcase of local female singer-songwriters.  Tickets and information for the 21+ show are available here.  Below, watch a video from when Katie Frank and The Pheromones performed at Underground Arts in October.

The day before yesterday, we Unlocked Joe D’Amico… so to speak. While his new album did make our Unlocked series, a feature story could hardly unpack his complex and eclectic compositions. D’Amico’s recent release, A Short Time’s A Long Time, ranges from easily accessible (like opening track “Up, Up and Away”) to winding and difficult (his 11-minute “Imagine My Surprise – Mother, Mother – Good Morning Child”). The Philadelphia native’s experimental americana has begun to draw attention beyond the local scene, which makes it all the more exciting to catch an intimate Kung Fu Necktie show from him. Tickets and information for the 21+ show with Rev. TJ McGlinchy and Ben Smith are available here. Below, you can stream tracks from his new album.

Femi Kumi brings world music to World Cafe tonight.  Born in London but raised in Nigeria, Kumi’s multi-cultural life informed his musical education and ultimately his style.  Beginning with his time playing in his father Fela Kuti’s band, his life-long musical career has been characterized by a blend of jazz and Afrobeat.  This fusion and even the tradition of father-son collaboration continue to play into his grammy nominated music.  Today, Kuti’s son plays in his critically acclaimed and aptly named band, Positive Force.  Kuti often uses his music as an outlet for political activism, famously raising AIDS awareness with a collaborative remake of his father’s hit “Water No Get Enemy” in 2002.  Tickets and information for all ages show are available here.  Below, watch the music video for his song, “Beng Beng Beng.”

One of our favorite new bands, Guards, premiered its ultra-catchy single “Ready To Go” yesterday on Pitchfork. It’s the second single from the band’s forthcoming album, In Guards We Trust, out February 5th on Black Bell Records. Listen to it in the player below – you’ll love having this one stuck in your head. Guards opens for Ra Ra Riot at Union Transfer on January 24th. Find tickets and information here.

Montreal five-piece psych boys Elephant Stone are performing tonight at The Fire. The band’s self-titled sophomore album is slated for a February release; in the meantime, you can download the dreamy single “Heavy Moon” here. Tickets and more information about tonight’s 21+ show can be found here; watch the band record “Love The Sinner” below.

London electronic duo Simian Mobile Disco are playing the Making Time party tonight at Voyeur. The pair’s third album, Unpatterns, is a giant break from their last two records, casting out the poppy dance-filled hits from 2007′s Attack Decay Sustain Release, instead opting for a more ambient vibe. Tickets to tonight’s 21+ performance can be found here. Watch the video for “Cerulean” from Unpatterns below.

Philly rapper Lushlife is opening for Oakland hip-hop trio The Coup tonight at Underground Arts. The Coup, made up of Raymond “Boots” Riley, E-Roc, and DJ Pam the Funkstress, dropped their sixth album, Sorry To Bother You, in October, their first release in six years. The 21+ show starts at 9 PM; find tickets and more information here. Check out the single “The Magic Clap” from Sorry To Bother You below.