Wait, what’s that? You thought you were off the hook that easily? Like it’s been so many days of holiday cheer that the plan was just a quiet night at home with board games and DVDs? No no no, my friend – there is fun to be had and live music to be seen. Let’s start with a couple accidental omissions from our New Year’s Eve roundup post from the other week. Johnny Showcase and The Lefty Lucy Cabaret – the funky campy ultra-catchy ensemble of Philly dudes and ladies rallying around one central crooner’s aspirations of Tom Jones (or Midnite Vultures-era Beck) – joins forces with West Philadelphia Orchestra at Connie’s Ric Rac for a New Year’s dancing extravaganza. More information can be found here; below, check out Showcase’s video for the ultra-addictive “Sensual, Parts 1 & 2.”
Johnny Showcase
RECENT POSTS
Find out about the music events on the fringe of Fringe (feat. Johnny Showcase, T.J. Kong and more)
The 16th annual Live Arts / Fringe Festival is largely known as an interdisciplinary performing arts showcase – and lest we forget, music falls under the umbrella of “performing arts.” To just note a few happenings: Philadelphia electronic duo Gemini Wolf will perform a live accompaniment to the dance-based production WAMB, while versatile local harpist Mary Lattimore scored the documentary Marina Abramović: The Artist is Present, which screens on September 19 at The International House. This weekend, The Key will run a review of 27, a surreal performance piece about the infamous “dead rock stars’ club”, and next week we’ll talk to Australian avant-jazz group The Necks about their involvement in the festival showcase performance Food Court.
Speaking of showcases, one Johnny Showcase, and his Lefty Lucy Cabaret (pictured), performs a Fringe Festival Opening Dance Party at South Philadelphia club Connie’s Ric Rac. Get your sensual swerve on beginning at 10 p.m. with DJ Carl Sexton; the cabaret brings the funk at 11:30; it’s free to hang for the 21-and-over.
And throughout the festival, the folks at Underground Arts will be hosting the annual after-hours festival hang, Late Nite Cabaret, for the first time. They’ve got a stacked schedule for the next two weeks, including raucous folksters T.J. Kong and the Atomic Bomb on Saturday the 8th, noisemakers The Absinthe Drinkers on Sunday the 16th, and a Brat Productions interpretation of The White Stripes’ album Get Behind Me, Satan to close out the festival on Saturday the 22nd. Full schedule is available here – get ready to get weird.
Tonight’s Concert Picks: My Morning Jacket w/ Band of Horses at the Mann, Ape School LP release show at Johnny Brenda’s, MilkBoy Anniversary w/ GANG and Chill Moody at Milkboy, and Algeron Cadwallader w/ Kite Party at First Unitarian
Tonight XPN welcomes My Morning Jacket with special guests Band of Horses to the Mann Center for a rockin’ all-ages event. The doors open at 6 p.m. and the show starts at 7:30 p.m. Ticket prices range from $29.50 to $48.50 and can be purchased here.
Philly musician Michael Johnson’s solo project, Ape School, is celebrating the release of their new LP, Junior Violence, tonight with a show at Johnny Brenda’s. The 21+ event features performance by Norwegian Arms, Jeff Zeigler & Mary Lattimore, Laser Background, and Adam & Dave of The War on Drugs will be DJing throughout the night. Doors for the 21+ show open at 8PM and the show starts at 9:15 p.m. Tickets are available here for $10.
Looking to hear some free music tonight? Head on over to MilkBoy for their One-Year Anniversary Show featuring GANG, Johnny Showcase, The Lawsuits and Chill Moody. Doors for the 21+ show open at 8:30PM and the show starts at 9:30 p.m. Watch the video for GANG’s song “Why Can’t You Just Be” below.
Algernon Cadwallader are playing First Unitarian Church tonight with Joyce Manor, Tigers Jaw, and Kite Party for a night of sweaty pop-punk. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show starts at 7:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased here for $10. Below, check out Algernon Cadwallader’s song “Springing Leaks” from the album Parrot Flies.