Photo by Allison Newbold for PropertyOfZack.com; view a full photo gallery here

Recent Run For Cover Records signees Modern Baseball celebrated their label-ship with a heck of a party and a red-hot bill on Feb. 17th featuring Smoother, Cayetana, Marietta and Cool Points. They closed out the show with their usual romping, triumphant sing-along, except this time they had something to celebrate. It was an appropriate occasion to see this band tearing up a venue like The Fire in the wake of their buzz-crazy record deal, rather than the usual dusty basement.

What made this show great was that there were no loose ends; every band was at the top of their game. Cool Points kicked things off with a killer set, and Cayetana held it down as Philly’s latest girl-rockers. Smoother’s set was also a lot of fun, and definitely got people warmed up for Modern Baseball’s set. The highlight of the night, however, was the second act, Marietta. I’m quite sure they did not mean to over-shadow their headliner pals, but for me, it was a stellar offering. The crowd may have been rowdier at the end of the night, but Marietta owned the second slot by tearing through a set of almost entirely new material, soon to be released on their debut full-length. This was Marietta’s strongest show yet, and it’s all uphill from here.

Tons of people came out to this, which was great considering the bill was full of bands that play 95% of their shows in people’s homes. Far too often I have gone to see bands like this at a bar only to find that I’m the only one there. It truly was a pleasure to see so many younger folks making the trip out to see some great bands put on a great show. Every band killed it, and they deserved to have heads in the crowd. I think I can speak for everyone who was there when I say this night was a blast, and a great high-five to Modern Baseball for their recent accolades. Hooray!

Buy/download music from these bands here:

http://coolpoints.bandcamp.com/

http://whereismarietta.bandcamp.com/

http://cayetana.bandcamp.com/

http://thesmoothguys.bandcamp.com/

http://modernbaseballpa.bandcamp.com/

Recent Run For Cover Records additions Modern Baseball play The Fire tonight.  Their 2012 debut LP Sports is getting the reissue-treatment by the new label and will be released on March 12th.  The local band also contributed to a benefit 4-way split for Topshelf Records this week along with Philly friends The Hundred Acre Woods, Maryland’s Julia Brown and Old Gray, with proceeds go to global anti-violence charity V-Day.  Tickets and information for tonight’s 21= show with Cayetana, Marietta, Smoother and Cool Points can be found here.  Watch a stripped-down version of “The Weekend” from Sports below.

If you, like most of us, missed out on the super fast selling tickets for Mumford & Sons‘ show at Susquehanna Bank Center this weekend, have no fear.  Sit back and enjoy the British invasion event from the comfort of your home or car by tuning into WXPN 88.5 or streaming it online at XPN.org and sing along to favorites from 2012′s stand-out Babel and 2009′s debut Sigh No More.  Opening acts include LA sister trio HAIM and current BRIT Award nominee Ben Howard.  More information can be found here.  Below, watch Mumford & Sons perform “The Cave” live at Bonaroo in 2011.