Photo by Theresa McCullough | tresmackproductions.tumblr.com
To celebrate its one-year anniversary, Fishtown recording studio Boom Room has booked a monster of a show. Headlined by hip hop group Camp Lo, The W.E. featuring R&B singer Jaguar Wright, psych-jazz trio Grimace Federation and Kuf Knotz, the event will have an outdoor stage, an indoor dance party and an after party. Complementary food and beverages will be provided by Vitamin Water, Pabst Blue Ribbon and the Local 215 food truck so really, you have no excuse to not dance your feet off. Tickets are $30 and can be purchased here for the 21+ party, which kicks off at 1:00 p.m. Below, watch a promo video for Boom Room Studios.
Billboard just released a new video interview with Ben Folds Five for their Track By Track video series. For this session, the band talks about each song on their new album, The Sound of the Life of the Mind, their first full-length album together in thirteen years. The band gives us an insider’s look at the writing and recording process and how each song came together, including some surprising details, such how they were inspired by the Britney Spears song “Piece of Me” for their song “Erase Me.” The Sound of the Life of the Mind was released yesterday and is available for purchase here. Watch the full video interview below for more insider info on the new album.
Ben Folds Five will be playing the Tower Theatre on October 7th. Tickets and more information here.
Icelandic folk-pop outfit Of Monsters and Men return to the Philadelphia area on November 24th for a show at the Tower Theatre. The band’s debut album My Head is an Animal came out earlier this year following the international success of their foot-stomping single “Little Talks”. Presale tickets go on sale tomorrow at 10am and are available through Of Monsters and Men’s store. General sale tickets will be available on September 22nd through Ticketmaster. Watch the mythical, cinematic video for “Little Talks” below.
Miike Snow is the ugly cute of electronic pop. It sounds great from far away; upon closer examination, there’s definitely something off—and yet, somehow that makes it more endearing. The trio’s 2009 self-titled debutreferenced bestiality in “Plastic Jungle”, dispelled a common misconception in “A Horse Is Not A Home,” and the chorus of “Burial” confessed to becoming a serial killer. This year’s Happy To You has been praised for sounding excellent, as could be expected from a trio in which two members are producers. Yet, the music video series that accompanies the album could not have been expected. With two videos out and more promised, the series features sets of twin girls from outer space who kidnap people and, using chain saws, surgically transform them into clones of a dancing super-human named Jean Noel. But it’s Miike Snow, so actually, this isn’t so surprising. Miike Snow performs with Penguin Prison at 8 p.m. at Electric Factory; tickets to the all-ages show are $25. —Naomi Shavin
A lot has happened in the five years since The Shins’ last album in 2007. The indie-rock band, centered on James Mercer, changed labels, lost every founding member of the band (sans Mercer), and then took a break while Mercer worked with Brian “Danger Mouse” Burton to form Broken Bells. And just when Shins fans were wondering if they’d ever see new material, Mercer returned with a new supporting band and a new album, Port Of Morrow, released last month. Morrow has a more polished sound, showing Mercer’s influence from Broken Bells, but it’s still a Shins album at heart with the jangly pop sound the band’s known for. Mercer plans to focus back on Broken Bells after the band finishes their tour, but hopefully that won’t mean another five years for the next Shins album. The Shins perform with Real Estate at 8 PM at the Tower Theatre; tickets to the all-ages show are $27.50-$45. —Nicole Soll
If any indie-pop act could win an award for being “Most Frequently Featured in Popular Culture,” Death Cab For Cutie would probably take the title. At first, it might seem surprising that an alt-rock band from Washington is highlighted so recurrently in mainstream media, but once your ears are exposed to the band’s catchy yet soothing sound, it’s easy to understand the appeal. Death Cab’s Grammy-nominated, emotive music has enhanced many profound scenes from popular dramas, including ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy and NBC’s Parenthood, as well as numerous recent films. Not that receiving spotlight is a occurrence for the band; its music was often referenced and used in the teen soap opera The O.C. in the mid-2000’s. It’s clear that Death Cab For Cutie’s magnetism to pop-culture exposure is strong as ever. Death Cab For Cutie performs with Magik*Magik Orchestra and Low at 8 p.m. at Tower Theatre; tickets to the all-ages show are $40 – $45. —Lisa Henderson
FRIDAY, APRIL 20th
Fountains Of Wayne performs with James Iha at 8:30 p.m. at Union Transfer; tickets to the all ages show are $27.50-$30)
John Wesley Harding performs with Megan Reilly at 7:30 p.m. at Tin Angel; tickets to the 21+ show are $18.
SATURDAY, APRIL 21st
Rodrigo y Gabriela performs with C.U.B.A. and Brett Dennen at 8 p.m. at Tower Theatre; tickets to the all-ages show are $35-$49.50.
