Toy Soldiers

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Tonight’s Concert Picks: Chill Moody at The Blockley, Pissed Jeans at Underground Arts, Goodnight Texas at Kung Fu Necktie

Photo by Ricky Codio | rickycodio.com

After celebrating the release of his RFM LP with a sold-out crowd at The TLA a couple of months ago, local hip hop artist Chill Moody comes to The Blockley for another celebration – this time a celebration of love.  Moody will team up once again with Beano and Hank McCoy to perform the last installment in their Valentine’s Day mixtape Who Do You Love? in its entirety.  Tickets and information for the 21+ show can be found here.  Below, watch them perform a track from the mixtape live in Love Park.

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The Swollen Fox Presents: Toy Soldiers with Goodnight, Texas and August John Lutz II (of the Levee Drivers) at Kung Fu Necktie tomorrow evening, 2/15

Goodnight, Texas

Tomorrow evening, Friday, February 15th, music blogger The Swollen Fox presents Toy Soldiers, Goodnight, Texas, and singer-songwriter August John Lutz II (from the Levee Drivers) in concert at Kung Fu Necktie. The show starts at 7:30 pm; you can get tickets and more information here. You may recognize The Swollen Fox’s name if you follow his great music blog, but you may also recognize it from the WXPN Concert Calendar, which he works on for WXPN. The Fox has put together a terrific show with two of our favorite local bands along with Goodnight, Texas, an indie-folk group with roots in San Francisco and Chapel Hill, North Carolina. They released an excellent rootsy/rocking/folking record last October called A Long Life Of Living that’s been getting a lot of play WXPN’s Singer Songwriter Radio. Try the record for yourself below.

Tonight’s Concert Picks: Eric Slick at PhilaMOCA, Philly Plays Beck’s Song Reader at World Cafe Live, Elk Rhythms at the North Star Bar

The Key kicks off its month of curating Tuesday Tune-Out at PhilaMOCA with a special solo performance by local multi-instrumentalist Eric Slick.  Best known as the drummer for Dr. Dog and Norwegian Arms, Slick will be improvising a set to his new short film Primal Essence, filmed specifically for this event.  Opening up the night will be short sets by Jonathan Pfeffer (Capillary Action) and Michael Johnson (Ape School).  Admission is a suggested $5 donation at the door; more information can be found here.  Below, watch Slick show off his drumming skills in a Madoff Productions promo video.

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Tonight’s Concert Picks: Johnny Showcase at Connie’s Ric Rac, The Districts at Fergies, Frog Holler at Union Jack’s and like a billion other things

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.”

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15 reasons why Philly’s music scene will go from 10 to 11 in 2013

DRGN KNG Photo by Nicky Devine

As far as the local music scene goes, we thought 2012 was an excellent year. Our hats go off to the dozens of bands across an impressive, diverse range of genres for notching things up last year. Roll call: Dr. Dog. War On Drugs. Meek Mill. Hop Along. Cheers Elephant. Arc In Round. Toy Soldiers. Hezekiah Jones. Lushlife. Work Drugs. Chill Moody. Sun Airway. The Stray Birds. Purling Hiss. Free Energy. The Fleeting Ends. Aaron Brown. Res. Low Cut Connie. Spacin’. Swearin’ (there’s a double bill we want to see). Shark Tape. In The Pocket. DRGN KNG. Cold Fronts. Moosh & Twist. Nothing. RJD2. Night Panther. Reef The Lost Cauze. Buried Beds. Vacationer. Ape School. Adrien Reju. The Spinto Band. Ground Up. Vintage Kicks. Pissed Jeans. The legendary Roots crew. Santigold. Birdie Busch. Zilla Rocca. Scot Sax. Man Man. Schoolly (don’t need the “D” anymore, he’s just “Schoolly”). Freeway. Strand of Oaks. Good Old War. King Britt. Heyward Howkins. Arctic Splash. White Birds Chiddy Bang. GrandeMarshall. Meg Baird. City Rain. Juston Stens and The Get Real Gang. The Money Making Jam Boys. Nicos Gun.

Who’d we forget? Probably dozens more. Our apologies if we left you out. We hope you get the point though; these days, Philly is miles deep and miles wide with talent and creativity. If 2012 was a “ten,” here’s 15 reasons why Philly’s music scene is about to go to 11 in 2013. Continue reading

Just Announced: The Swollen Fox presents Toy Soldiers with Goodnight, Texas and August John Lutz II at Kung Fu Necktie on 2/15

Our friends at The Swollen Fox just announced their latest showcase concert, which brings Philly roots-blues five piece Toy Soldiers to Kung Fu Necktie on February 15. The band its gearing up to release its Bill Moriarty-produced sophomore album The Maybe Boys in the spring, and plans to showcase a healthy selection of new material in the set. Also on the bill is the gritty North Carolina-based folk duo Goodnight Texas, as well as a solo appearance from August John Lutz II from The Levee Drivers. Tickets to the show are $10 in advance, $15 at the door; more information is available here. Below, check out a selection of videos from each act. Continue reading

Tonight’s Concert Picks: Boy Wonder at World Cafe Live, Cozy Galaxies at Chameleon Club, Scuzbot at the Fire

Funk-rock musician Boy Wonder, a.k.a. host of World Cafe Live’s Philly Rising Open Stage, play World Cafe Live with singer/songwriter Mary Scholz. A native of Havertown, PA, Scholz will be returning to the area after a long stint in Los Angeles to perform. Below, stream Boy Wonder’s album Heavy, released in summer of 2012.

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