XPN welcomes Charles Bradley to Union Transfer tonight.  The “Screaming Eagle of Soul” entertained the crowd during a recent Free at Noon performance with his exuberant showmanship and knock-out funk / R&B songs.  Following up his 2011 full-length debut, the 64-year-old crooner released Victim of Love earlier this year.  Tickets and information for tonight’s show with Paul & the Tall Trees can be found here.  Watch the former James Brown impersonator perform “Why Is It So Hard?” live on the Public Radio Rocks stage at SXSW below.

Morning River Band celebrate the debut of their new album at MilkBoy tonight.  The Philadelphia-based country group recorded To Suzie at Gradwell House in New Jersey and will release it on May 21st as the follow-up to 2011′s Between the Ocean and the Blues.  Tickets and information for tonight’s 21+ release show with The Miners and John Train can be found here.  Stream “Lefty’s Last Blues” below and check out their Folkadelphia session here.

XPN welcomes Mary Chapin Carpenter to the Keswick Theatre tonight.  With her long-time friend and cohort Shawn Colvin by her side, Carpenter continues to tour in support of her 2012 LP Ashes and Roses.  The singer-songwriter made a name for herself with a string of of successful country / folk crossover records in the nineties and five Grammy Awards over the course of her career, resulting in her induction into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame last October.  Tickets and information for tonight’s show can be found here.  Below, watch a performance of “Chasing What’s Already Gone.”

MAD Dragon Records caps off its 10th anniversary festivities with a show at The Trocadero tonight.  The Drexel University label has been celebrating all week with block parties, free live music and a special 10th anniversary compilation featuring bands that will be performing at tonight’s event.  Among those scheduled are Cheers Elephant, Wild Rompit and Matt Duke.  Tickets and information for the 18+ concert can be found here.  Check out the compilation here and watch Cheers Elephant’s video for “Doin’ It, Right” below.

JEFF the Brotherhood kick off a two-night stand at Kung Fu Necktie tonight.  The Nashville band of brothers Jake and Jamin Orrall got the music bug from their father, who has written / produced for Taylor Swift and Reba McEntire.  The younger Orralls’ brand of music couldn’t be much further from that of Swift’s though – with a raucous live show and a sound that inevitably finds itself described as grungy, scuzzy and sludgy, JEFF the Brotherhood attract attention through a barrage of loud and distorted but equally quirky and endearing rock songs on their latest Hypnotic Nights LP.  Tickets and information for tonight and tomorrow’s shows can be found here.  Watch them perform “Sixpack” on Late Night with David Letterman below.

XPN welcomes Josh Ritter to The Trocadero tonight.  Touring in support of his latest record The Beast in Its Tracks, Ritter has followed up his 2010 full-length So Runs the World Away with an album of deeply personal songs.  The time-frame of Beast covers the Americana / folk-rock singer’s recent divorce and a period of subsequent rebuiilding, though as NPR’s Stephen Thompson points out, the album has uplifting and happy moments to balance the darker ones.  Tickets and information for tonight’s show with The Felice Brothers can be found here.  Watch a live performance of “Joy to You Baby” on Late Night with David Letterman below and listen back to Josh Ritter’s World Cafe episode here.

Faun Fables play a show upstairs at Kung Fu Necktie tonight.  The project of Dawn McCarthy and Nils Frykdahl, the members of Faun Fables fancy themselves “songtellers,” blending the oral tradition of McCarthy’s background with experiential music environments like those of gypsies, field recordings and celtic culture.  Faun Fables are signed to Drag City and released their most recent effort, Light of a Vaster Dark, in 2010.  Tickets and information for tonight’s 21+ show can be found here.  Watch the duo perform “The Balland of Limpy Glen” below.

Local singer-songwriter Lucy Stone performs at PhilaMOCA tonight.  The Drexel University student has had busy year, recording and touring with Rusted Root last fall, working on her own new full-length currently and accepting accolades like The Deli’s Artist of the Month last year and and an Independent Music Awards nomination for her Would You? EP earlier this year.  Tickets and information for tonight’s show with Cruiser and Former Belle can be found here.  Below, watch an acoustic performance of “Out of Time.”

Not yet a month old, new kids on the Philly indie / electronic scene Dokument play Underground Arts tonight.  Fronted by Jarrett Zerrer and rounded out with Julian Wallace and Pat Lieberman, the band formed after Zerrer parted ways with local electro / pop duo City Rain.  Tickets and information for the 21+ show with Chalk & The Beige Americans, DOTS and DJ Blueshift can be found here.  Alas, there are no recordings from Dokument yet, but you can check out Zerrer’s work with City Rain in this performance of “Real Good” from The Key Studio Sessions Vol. 4.

XPN welcomes leader of the goth-punk circuit and former frontman of Bauhaus Peter Murphy to The Trocadero tonight.  Although he recently released a solo record called Ninth, the British musician will be performing selections from Bauhaus’ discography to celebrate the band’s 35th anniversary.  Tickets and information for the all-ages show can be found here.  Below, watch Murphy perform “Hollow Hills” with Bauhaus live in London.

XPN welcomes Johnny Marr to The Trocadero tonight.  The former Smiths guitarist is currently promoting his first solo effort The Messenger.  Following the break up of The Smiths in the late 80s, Marr has worked on recordings with The Talking Heads and J. Mascis and contributed in large part to the score of Inception.  Tickets and information for tonight’s show with ALAMAR can be found here.  Check out an interview The Key did with Marr here and watch him perform “Sun and Moon” at Coachella below.

U.K. singer-songwriter Tom Odell plays Johnny Brenda’s tonight.  Now touring in support of his 2012 debut Songs from Another Love EP and an upcoming full-length called Long Way Down, Odell got his start shlepping his keyboard to open mics night after night in Brighton before being discovered by Lily Allen.  He’ll be support by Jeremy Messersmith, who recently signed to Glassnote Records in anticipation of his new album.  Tickets and information for the 21+ can be found here.  Watch Tom Odell perform “Another Love” on Later… With Jools Holland below.

PhilaMOCA‘s Tuesday Tune-Out and the Cinedelphia Film Festival have teamed up with local experimental rock project Pattern is Movement to present the duo’s “album screening party.”  Set to scenes of Paul Thomas Anderson’s There Will Be Blood, the audience will get a full preview of Chris Ward and Andrew Thiboldeaux’s new album, as well as an inside look at the past four years of recording with a Q&A session after the screening.  Learn more about the listening party in an interview with Ward here.  The event is free – more information is available on the Facebook page here.  Watch a trailer for the event below.

XPN welcomes Aimee Mann and Ted Leo to World Cafe Live at The Queen tonight.  After sharing a bill last fall while Mann was promoting her latest Charmer LP, the singer-songwriter and Ted Leo teamed up for a proper collaboration called #BOTH earlier this year.  The pair will return to their usual roles for this tour, however, with Leo filling in the support slot and probably reprising songs from the discography of his band The Pharmacists, as well as possibly (and hopefully) previewing songs from a new album he’s been working on.  Tickets and information for the Wilmington, DE show can be found here.  Below, watch Aimee Mann perform “Labrador” on Conan with help from Ted Leo.

Sparks headline The Trocadero tonight.  The LA synthpop duo got its start in the early 70s, subsequently making their mark with over 20 albums.  Their quirky stage presence is reflective of their quirky songwriting style, as the band of brothers Ron and Russell Mael have become known for their witty lyrics and cultural references.  Sparks latest studio release was 2009′s The Seduction of Ingmar Bergman and they put out their first ever live recording, titled Two Hands One Mouth, last month.  Tickets and information for the all-ages show can be found here.  Below, watch the band perform “This Town Ain’t Big Enough For Both of Us.”

Local band Modern Baseball play The Barbary tonight.  Recent headlines for the punk / pop four-piece have made references to their signing with Run for Cover Records, a reissue of their wildly popular Sports debut, a Valentine’s Day split for highly-regarded label Topshelf records and their ability to draw a crowd when they play a show.  Currently on tour along the East Coast, Modern Baseball will help out fellow Philadelphians The Wonder Years with their record release show in May (more information here).  Tickets and information for tonight’s show with Light Years and Safe can be found here.  Below, watch Modern Baseball perform “Broken Cash Machine” for Maggot House Records‘ Piss Couch Sessions.

XPN welcomes legendary reggae band Toots and the Maytals to The Trocadero tonight.  Known for their contributions to the ska and rocksteady genres, The Maytals have released 28 studio albums over the course of their 50 year career.  Like their countrymen Bob Marley and The Wailers, Frederick “Toots” Hibbert and his band signed a record deal with Island Records after establishing themselves as one of Jamaica’s most popular music groups, leading to international recognition fronted by the success of 1969′s “Monkey Man.”  The band has stayed active in recent years, recording an album of best hits called True Love with special guests in 2004 (among them No Doubt, Trey Anastasio and Keith Richards) and in 2012 releasing their first acoustic album (Unplugged On Strawberry Hill ) in conjunction with the 50th anniversary of Jamaica’s Independence Day.  Tickets and information for tonight’s show with Steppin’ Razor and Spokey Speaky can be found here.  Below, listen to Toots and the Maytals perform “Funky Kingston” with Bootsy Collins and The Roots from True Love.”

XPN welcomes The Mavericks to The Keswick Theater.  Taking eight years off to pursue individual projects (and with out any real thought of getting back together), Raul Malo surprised fans by reuniting his country rock band last year to record a new album.  According to Malo, In Time picks up right where their 2003 self-titled effort left off in terms of universality and genre direction.  The Cuban-American frontman comments that he “… [sees] this as a record everyone’s invited to…. It’s a mix of different rhythms, different places and times.”  Tickets and information for tonight’s show withe Seth Walker can be found here.  Below, watch The Mavericks perform “All You Ever Do Is Bring Me Down.”

XPN welcomes Alejandro Escovedo to World Cafe Live.  The longtime listener-favorite will be performing a special acoustic set with his band The Sensitive Boys.  Continuing to tour in support of his eleventh studio album Big Station (released last June), Escovedo has managed to blend all facets of his music career into a unique, far-reaching sound that carries his early days as a punk rocker into his current country / Americana incarnation.  Tickets and information for tonight’s show can be found here.  Below, watch Escovedo and his band perform “Man of the World” from Big Station.

• The Big Bangby The Bad Doctors from The Key Studio SessionsDownload

On the heels of Raekwon’s solo set at The Blockley, fellow Wu-Tang Clan member Cappadonna performs at the Chestnut Street venue tonight.  The on-again-off-again collaborator of the influential hip hop group first appeared on Raekwaon’s single “Ice Cream” before going on to contribute lines to the Clan’s Wu-Tang Forever debut and subsequently releasing a solo album, The Pillage, in 1998.  Currently touring in support of last month’s Eyrth, Wynd & Fyre/Love, Anger & Emotion, Cappadonna may rejoin RZA, GZA and the rest of the clan on their festival tour this summer.  Tickets and information for tonight’s 21+ show can be found here.  Below, watch the video for “Slang Editorial” off of The Pillage.

Following today’s Free at Noon performance here at XPN / World Cafe Live, Django Django go the other side of town for a headlining appearance at Union Transfer.  The British four-piece released their well-received self-titled debut LP last year, placing the psychedelic / electronic outfit at #26 on Rolling Stone’s Top 50 Albums of 2012.  Tickets and information for tonight’s all-ages show with Night Moves can be found here.  Taken from their incredibly creative collection of music videos, watch a take for “Default” below.

Norwegian Arms play PhilaMOCA tonight for a rare all-ages show.  The Philly duo is still riding high after the release of their debut full-length Wolf Like a Stray Dog and members Keith Birthday (vocalist / mandolin player Brendan Mulvihill) and Dr. Awkward (drummer Eric Slick) recently stopped by Brighton Sound Studio in North Wales, PA to record three of their Siberian-inspired tracks including the LP’s title track, which you can watch below.  More information for this show with Scott Churchman, Laser Background and Circadian Rhythms can be found here.

Lancaster, PA folk / alternative band Brethren play The Grape Room tonight.  The band of brothers and friends has been recording together for ten years and released their Gone a Little Wrong  EP in January.  Informed by harmonic folk projects like The Avett Brothers, Brethren incorporate tight three-part harmonies with their high energy instrumentation that results in songs that are fun to sing along to.  More information for tonight’s show with Lion in the Mane, Illinois and A Better Class of Criminal can be found here.  Watch a studio video for “Stepping Stone” off of the latest Brethren EP below.

It’s a soul-vocal double-header at The TLA tonight with the Southern gospel-pop group Delta Rae sharing the stage with blues-inflected singer ZZ Ward. The former appeared at last year’s XPoNential Music Festival following the release of their LP Carry the Fire, while the latter played a smokin’ headlining set upstairs at World Cafe Live in support of her debut Til The Casket Drops. Tickets and more information can be found at the WXPN Concert Calendar. Below, watch the music video for Delta Rae’s “Morning Comes.”

Experimental Philly noise-rock outfit Drums Like Machine Guns make a rare live appearance tonight at Kung Fu Necktie. While the bombardment of percussion is certainly a part of the band’s sound, so is a nihilistc wall of searing guitar noise and electronic effects. Earplugs recommended, even if you think you’re a total badass and don’t need them. Tickets and information on the show can be found here. Below, watch Drums Like Machine Guns tearing up the Fourth of Destruction at Philly’s Big Rock Candy Vat last year.

Drums Like Machine Guns @ Fourth Of Destruction from Breathmint on Vimeo.

There’s a lot of excitement around the XPN offices for DeVotchKa‘s Philly appearance next week. Part of it lies in the fact that the eclectic, eastern European-infused indie band is road-testing its first batch of new songs since 2011′s 100 Lovers. Part of it is the studio session they’ll be recording for Folkadelphia, stripped down and with a string section. And part of it is because the band always puts on a great performance – and today we’ve got your chance to check it out for yourself.

Leave a comment below to enter yourself in the running for a pair of tickets to see DeVotchKa at The Troc next Friday, March 8th. We’ll announce a winner on Thursday afternoon. Ground rules: you have to leave your first and last name in the comments, and you have to enter an email where we can contact you if you win (the e-mail will not be made public). Got it? Good. Now watch this video of DeVotchKa performing with an orchestra at Red Rocks Amphitheater and imagine how good they’ll sound next week.

The Beast in Its Tracks mostly hovers in a fascinating spot, where Ritter’s emotional timeline is concerned: Even in the album’s darkest moments, he’s more bruised than wounded, yearning to compartmentalize and preserve the happy memories that remain, and recovered enough to delight in fresh romantic encounters. He’s a man trying on newfound wisdom and finding that it doesn’t always fit, but he lands in a meaningful place: processing a breakup as the necessary catalyst for a new reality in which everyone has a shot at happiness.

Josh Ritter and The Royal City Band play The Trocadero with The Felice Brothers on Thursday, May 16. Listen to The Beast In Its Tracks in its entirety here.

We’ve got a pair of tickets to give away to this all-ages show with Milo Green – leave a comment below with one song (old or new) you hope Stars play at their Trocadero show and we’ll pick a winner on Thursday.  Make sure to leave a working email address along with your first and last name so we can contact if you win (email address will not be made public).  Listen back to Stars’ World Cafe session from December 2012 here and download a free EP below.

• On the Defensiveby Aspiga from The Key Studio SessionsDownload

New Jersey rockers Ominous Ominous Ominous play The Balcony at The Trocadero tonight.  The Woodstown, NJ natives have varied influences – ranging from metal to synth-pop to “circus punk folk” band The World/Inferno Friendship Society – but the quartet’s own sound falls steadily in the pure-fun-indie-rock category.  Also playing tonight are Come and Get It and The Ridden Fifths.  Tickets and information for the 21+ show can be found here.  Below, stream and download Ominous Ominous Ominous’ song “Spaceman Date.”

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.

A bit of both. The appropriately named “Extravaganza” is described by Spree band leader Tim DeLaughter as “kind of like Laugh-In with the Polyphonic Spree as the soundtrack.” The stunning 4-hour show featured 2 sets from the Spree, as well as performances from children’s singer and cartoonist Gustafer Yellowgold, vaudeville artist Keith Nelson, the Franklin Institute’s Traveling Science Show, and the Philadelphia Zoo on Wheels. An impressive spectacle for sure—but not surprising given the Spree’s affinity for grand, over-the-top theatrics.

Formed 12 years back in Dallas,TX by DeLaughter, the Spree quickly turned heads with lush, sprawling concoctions and a massive, 12-plus person line-up, whose matching robes sparked cult rumors. A cult of joy perhaps! These days, the Spree boasts a staggering 18 members, including a 6-piece choir—with DeLaughter acting as conductor/front-man/purveyor of magic. Since forming, the band has released 4 full-length records, including 2012’s HolidayDream: Sounds of the Holidays Vol. One, which features 11 classic holiday tunes re-imagined as exuberant arrangements.

Holiday tunes made up the first of the Spree’s two sets, with the crowd swaying along merrily to “Silver Bells” and John Lennon and Yoko Ono’s “Happy Xmas (War Is Over).” Classics like “Do You Hear What I Hear?” were recast with a new, darker melody and Middle Eastern horns, while “Feliz Navidad” was infused with tropical flair. A cover of “Town Meeting Song” from Tim Burton’s The Nightmare Before Christmas was a set highlight, DeLaughter climbing atop a small platform to spread his arms and passionately proclaim à la film hero Jack, while “Little Drummer Boy” quite literally exploded with dry ice and joy.

For penultimate number “Silent Night,” DeLaughter invited the children in the crowd on stage to join, then launched into a medley of traditional and Three Dog Night versions of “Joy to the World.” Balloons dropped from the ceiling as confetti exploded like snow and Rudolph, Frosty, and Santa emerged from the wings to join in. For a moment it truly felt like a winter wonderland, with DeLaughter as its gleeful tour guide.

The band’s second set was a more traditional rock set, although there is certainly little “traditional” about a Spree show. Opener “I’m Calling” reverberated with catharsis, the choir proclaiming joyfully, “When I’m in the light, I feel ok!” A cover of Paul McCartney’s “Live and Let Die” felt momentous and powerful. Midway through, DeLaughter surprised the crowd by bringing Grandaddy’s Jason Lytle on stage for a moving cover of Neil Young’s “Heart of Gold,” which segued into a positively life-affirming version of “Section 22: Running Away.”

Midway through the set, I stopped marking songs as highlights, because every number felt joyful and indulgent, as confetti bombs rained down and DeLaughter bounded across the stage jubilantly. Second-to-last number “Light and Day/Reach for the Sun” was perhaps the most uplifting, as children waved their balloon candy canes and skipped about, while a cover of Nirvana’s “Lithium” proved the ultimate finale. I’ve heard this tune perhaps a hundred times, and never have I thought of it as anything but a schizophrenic grunge anthem. Yet somehow, in the hands of DeLaughter and co., it felt joyous, as hundreds of voices screamed in unison, “I love you, I’m not gonna crack.” Emphasis on the love, as always.

And while the majority of the crowd was clearly there to see the Spree, the supporting acts proved fun diversions: Morgan Taylor’s Gustafer Yellowgold offered quirky guitar pop about aliens and pterodactyls, while Keith Warren won oohs and gasps with his sword-swallowing and plate-spinning. The Franklin Institute’s Traveling Science Show wowed with dry ice explosions—and the Philadelphia Zoo on Wheels introduced the crowd to a porcupine, a hawk, a lizard, and an armadillo. At the end of the night though, it was all these acts together that created an unforgettable experience: when the Spree is your curator, you can rest assured you’re in for a magical ride.

Set 1:

Silver Bells
Happy Xmas (War Is Over)
Do You Hear What I Hear?
Little Drummer Boy
Christmas Time Is Here
The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)
Town Meeting Song
Feliz Navidad
Silent Night
Joy to the World

Set 2:

I’m Calling
Section 12: Hold Me Now
Section 29: Light to Follow
Live and Let Die (Paul McCartney cover)
Heart of Gold (Neil Young cover)
Section 23: Get Up and Go
Section 22: Running Away
Section 14: Two Thousand Places
Section 32: The Championship
Light and Day/Reach for the Sun
Lithium (Nirvana cover)

Following the release of two EPs in 2011, Sounds From The Ground and Ancient Drum, Telford indie folk outfit Former Belle prepares for the release of their first full-length, Cathedral. You can catch Joseph Bruno and his buddies kicking around tonight at Milkboy Philly. The 21+ show starts at 9 PM; go here for tickets and information. Stream From The Ground Up here, and below you can listen to Former Belle perform “Shouldn’t Love.”

The Polyphonic Spree‘s Holiday showcase at The Trocadero is finally here! Come out and spread  holiday cheer as the pop / rock choral ensemble performs their collection of seasonal tidings tonight. The all-ages show starts at 7 PM; go here for tickets and information. Below, check out their newly released cover of John Lennon’s “Happy Xmas (War Is Over).”

Local five-piece powerpop act Rob, Lately is playing at The Fire tonight. The band, started by brothers Rob and Ryan Malloy, began playing together 2008 and released their finished full-length album Haunts this past July. You can check out Haunts here and find tickets to the show tonight at our concert calendar here. Below, watch Rob, Lately’s webcam performance of their new song, “Powdered Wig,”

Of Montreal hanging with the Yo Gabba Gabba crew

You can now stream Of Montreal‘s “Dumb Acre” as well as a variety of other unreleased tracks from the band’s Kickstarter page for their forthcoming documentary, Song Dynasties (go here to donate – there’s still two weeks left!). In exchange for donations, the band is circulating previously unreleased singles, including some of their oldest material. You can catch Of Montreal playing with Foxygen and French Horn Rebellion at The Trocadero December 13th. Tickets and information can be found on our concert calendar here. In the meantime, listen to Kevin Barnes get extra hippie on the love-struck “Dumb Acre” below.

The group, which opens for Man in a Crowd at The Balcony Bar at The Trocadero on November 30, was recently featured in a Bands in the Backyard BKSTG spotlight which shows them performing at Fleisher Art Memorial. Singer/songwriter Drew Harris sways and croons beneath the venue’s giant wooden crucifix, eyes closed, moving to the group’s stripped down performance.

The Naked Sun challenges the listener to break free from social restraints and provides the audience with the opportunity to question the world, and more importantly, the people in it. Their claims of honesty and authenticity is less of a motto and more of a mantra. As their name implies, the band encourages its listeners to think freely, embrace humility and to step out into The Naked Sun.

Phoenixville blues rock trio Riley Road will be playing tonight at World Cafe Live. The group’s eponymous debut EP was released in August which you can stream on their website here, but you can hear a teaser for their new song here. More information about the show can be found on our concert calendar here. Check out the Riley Road’s performance of “You Don’t Love Me” below.

Legendary jazz pianist and composer Chick Corea will be playing tonight the McCarter Theater in Princeton tonight. Corea cut his musical teeth as part of the Miles Davis Band in the ’60s, starting a career that would been hail him as a pioneer in the electric jazz fusion movement. His all-ages show tonight starts at 7:30; find more details here. Watch Corea perform “Return to Forever” with Stanley Clarke, Lenny White and Al Di Meola below.