The Porch at 30th Street Station

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May 16, 2013 | 7:42 PM | By

Watch Alex Shaw of Alo Brasil perform WXPN’s Philly Local lunchtime busker series

Alex

Local multi-instrumentalist Alex Shaw performed at The Porch at 30th Street Station earlier this week for the XPN Local Show busker series.  You may recognize Shaw as band leader of Philadelphia’s eleven-piece Brazilian troupe Alo Brasil (check out their recent Key Studio Session here) but for this week’s afternoon set he performed solo, accompanied only by a guitarist.  Watch a video of the duo below and check out other busker series videos here.

Alex Shaw of Alo Brasil busking at The Porch at 30th Street Station from WXPN FM on Vimeo.

FILED UNDER: Artists, Concert Photos + Videos, Events, Alex Shaw, Alo Brasil, The Porch at 30th Street Station
May 15, 2013 | 10:32 AM | By

Philly Local Busker Background: Alex Shaw

Alex Pandeiro

Photo by Mark Stehle

Alex Shaw is the band leader of of Philadelphia eleven-piece Brazilian music ensemble Alo Brasil. He’s also a vocalist, member of the Spoken Hand Percussion Ensemble, educator who works with the Live Connections nonprofit at World Cafe Live, and also teaches at University of the Arts. This week, he’s our featured guest at the Philly Local busker’s series at The Porch at 30th Street Station.

This will be a rare opportunity to see Shaw perform as a solo artist – usually, he’s performing in a large ensemble, or leading a large ensemble (or teaching a roomful of curious minds). Today, however, he performs with only a guitarist as accompaniment.

The hour-long show begins at noon at The Porch at 30th Street, right off of 30th and Market Streets in University City. To get a taste of the unaccompanied Shaw, watch him performing “Dia de Praia” in the video below. For more, listen to Alo Brasil’s Key Studio Session from earlier this month.

Alex B Shaw: “Dia de Praia” from Anula Shetty on Vimeo.

FILED UNDER: Artist Profiles, Artists, Concert Previews, Events, Alex Shaw, Alo Brasil, The Porch at 30th Street Station
May 7, 2013 | 3:39 PM | By

Philly Local Busker Background: Mike “Slo-Mo” Brenner

As far as Philly Local musicians go, Mike “Slo-Mo” Brenner needs no introduction. But we’ll introduce the guy anyway. A versatile guitarist whose career has spanned folk to raga to slide guitar blues, he’s been a player in town for close to twenty years. In the 90s, he was in the breakout roots ensemble The Low Road; he also collaborated with Marah, took part in genre-spanning collaborations with DJs in the early 00s, and embarked on a hip-hop project with Mic Wrecka (playing XPoNential Festival and other XPN events). Most recently, Slo-Mo traveled to India to study slide guitar with teacher Debashish Bhattacharya. He’s the featured artist in this week’s edition of the WXPN Philly Local Busker’s Series at The Porch at 30th Street Station, and will play outdoors tomorrow from noon to 1 p.m. (indoors in case of rain). Below, watch a video documentary of Slo-Mo’s travels to India.

FILED UNDER: Artists, Concert Previews, Events, Recordings, Mike "Slo Mo" Brenner, The Porch at 30th Street Station
April 23, 2013 | 1:30 PM | By

Philly Local Busker Background: The Splashing Pearls (playing a free show at The Porch at 30th Street Station tomorrow)

splashing

Tomorrow at noon brings the concluding WXPN Philly Local Busker performance to The Porch at 30th Street Station with The Splashing Pearls.

The island / folk rock trio of Peter Scobell (vocals, guitar, ukulele, etc.), his niece Larkin Salemi (vocals, steel drums, percussion) and longtime friend Cooke Harvey (vocals and bass) formed after an impromptu jam session grew into a unique band of mixed influences and instruments.  The Splashing Pearls have released three CDs since their official start in 2011, most recently pleasing fans with Stories From the Bottle.  The Delaware band was nominated in five categories for their  hometown station WSTW’s annual Homey Awards, taking home trophies for Album of the Year and Bass Player of the Year.

Watch The Splashing Pearls perform “Paper Doll” live at Kennett Flash below and check out recaps of April’s other WXPN local busker events here.

FILED UNDER: Artists, Concert Previews, Events, The Porch at 30th Street Station, The Splashing Pearls
April 17, 2013 | 3:54 PM | By

Watch Christie Lenee perform at The Porch at 30th Street Station today

LeneePhilly-area singer-songwriter Christie Lenee performed at The Porch at 30th Street Station the afternoon as part of the WXPN Lunchtime Buskers series. She alternated between acoustic guitar instrumentals and vocal songs. Watch a video of her performing below, and check back next week when island-folk steel drum band The Splashing Pearls performs.

Christie Lenee busking at 30th Street Station from WXPN FM on Vimeo.

FILED UNDER: Artists, Concert Photos + Videos, Events, Christie Lenee, The Porch at 30th Street Station
April 10, 2013 | 2:14 PM | By

Watch The Fleeting Ends perform for WXPN’s lunchtime buskers’ series at The Porch at 30th Street

Philly pop / rock three piece The Fleeting Ends played an acoustic set at 30th Street Station today for the second installment of the WXPN lunchtime buskers’ series. They mixed in songs from their new LP Our Eyes are Peeled with old cuts and a Beatles cover. Watch a video of them performing “Poor Gloria” below and get details of their upcoming shows – including a residency at The Living Room in New York – here.

The Fleeting Ends busking at 30th Street Station from WXPN FM on Vimeo.

FILED UNDER: Artists, Concert Photos + Videos, Events, The Fleeting Ends, The Porch at 30th Street Station
April 9, 2013 | 3:23 PM | By

Philly Local Busker Background: The Fleeting Ends

FleetingEndsThe WXPN Philly Local Busker’s series continues tomorrow at noon at The Porch at 30th Street Station, and this week brings the power-popping rock trio The Fleeting Ends to lunchtime crowd.

Founded a few years back by singer-guitarist Matt Vantine and drummer Matt Amadio, the group brought bassist Rusty Langly last year and released their debut LP Our Eyes Are Peeled in the winter. The album is an eclectic romp with notes of The Beatles, ELO and Spoon – not to mention sweet string arrangements care of Philly production legend Larry Gold – and the band has a handful of live dates on the calendar in support of it.

In addition to the free show at The Porch, the band will play the Kimmel Center for PIFA on April 26th, and will play The Barbary on April 29th. In addition, they have a month-long residency at The Living Room in New York. Below, watch The Fleeting Ends rocking out their song “Elaine” at The Fire on Valentine’s Day, and read our Unlocked interview with the band here.

FILED UNDER: Artist Profiles, Artists, Concert Previews, Events, The Fleeting Ends, The Porch at 30th Street Station