I Just Read About That…

[ATTENDED: September 29, 2019] Philly Music Fest

For those counting, this makes four concerts in four nights, which is frankly insane (and thanks to my poor wife who tolerates such excesses).

But the whole reason I wanted to go this evening was to see Man Man (more in their own post).

But, in fact, the entire Philly Music Fest was pretty fantastic.  I would have certainly gone to three of the four nights if I could have.  This little festival is a testament to the amazing music that Philadelphia is producing, and they didn’t even include two of my favorite Philly bands, Mannequin Pussy and Control Top.

The first night I actually didn’t know any of the bands.

• Wednesday 9/25 at Milkboy (a venue I haven’t been to yet)
• Secret American
• Sixteen Jackies
• Ceramic Animal

The second night was an amazing line up!

• Thursday 9/26 at Johnny Brenda’s (a venue I love, but whose parking situation was pretty ugly last time I went)
• Sammus
• Remember Sports
• Speedy Ortiz

I would absolutely have gone to this show, except that the rarity of the Stereolab show precluded it.  But I love Speedy Ortiz and I have heard amazing things about Sammus.  I don’t know Remember Sports, and I instinctively dislike them because of their name, but I have heard very good things about them too–I just listened to some of their stuff on bandcamp and they are pretty fantastic–note to self.

Friday night was a solid lineup, too.  I hadn’t heard of any of the bands playing upstairs, or RFA, but Ali Awan has been generating a ton of buzz.  I have already seen Restorations, and they were amazing and I’ve heard of Vacationer, but don’t know them.  However, that night was Darlingside with my beloved wife and her mom and that’s more important than anything else.

• Friday 9/27 at World Cafe Live
• Tate [upstairs]
• Ill Doots [upstairs]
• Ali Awan [downstairs]
• Arnetta Johnson [upstairs]
• RFA [downstairs]
• Chestnut Grove [upstairs]
• Restorations [downstairs]
• Vacationer [downstairs]

But Saturday night featured a band I’ve been wanting to see again since I first saw them five years ago–Man Man!  Right after I saw them–and was blown away by their live show–I was determined to see them again.  And they pretty much immediately called a hiatus for Honus Honus to do some other things.  So when they announced this show in Philly, I was going!

At first they were the only band I planned to see (although they went on at 10:35 PM, which is incredibly late to be going out).  So I decided I’d make an earlier night of it.

I hadn’t heard of Arthur Thomas or Jeremiah Tall (a really good banjo player it turns out).  I had actually seen Rosali open for someone else.  Ill Fated Natives and Foxtrot & the Get Down sounded familiar but I didn’t know them.  (Actually Foxtrot & the Get Down to me sounded like a combination of early Genesis and Thao and the Get Down Stay Down, which would be a very interesting mash up).

• Saturday 9/28 at World Cafe Live
• Arthur Thomas  [upstairs]
• Rosali [upstairs]
• Ill Fated Natives [upstairs]
• Jeremiah Tall [downstairs]
• Thin Lips [upstairs]
• Petal [downstairs]
• Foxtrot and the Get Down [upstairs]
• Sun Ra Arkestra [downstairs]
• Man Man [downstairs]

I had heard that Ill Fated Natives were good live, but realistically I didn’t want to devote too much of my night to the show.

I had seen and enjoyed Petal solo, but I imagined she’d have a band with her, so that was worth checking out.  I have appreciated Sun Ra for decades and never imagined I’d see his Arkestra, so of course I was going to see that.

And then there was Thin Lips.  I had heard and really liked a song by Thin Lips, so I decided to make them my first band of the night.

Traffic was crazy and I was so upset that the place I usually park was full.  However, i found on street parking right near the venue, which was great.  It was also hilarious, because I used the app to pay for on street parking which, as I finished cost a total of 55 cents [for eight minutes of time and a 40 cent fee–the meters stops at 8PM.

I entered World Cafe Live and was all set for a night of great music.  I did not expect FREE DONUTS from FEDERAL DONUTS!

And since…

Philly Music Fest is a non-profit endeavor focused exclusively on local bands, with all proceeds donated to local music education charities. Philly Music Fest features both established and up and coming artists, showcasing the diversity of the Philadelphia music scene.

…it’s a win-win situation.

I can’t wait to see who is playing next year!

 

And just to show that 2019 wasn’t a fluke  Check out the lineups from last year–I had a ticket for Saturday night’s show but my plans changed and I couldn’t go. But what a lineup!

Thursday, September 27 – Johnny Brenda’s
9:00 p.m. Soul Glo
10:00 p.m. Pissed Jeans

Friday, September 28 – World Cafe Live Upstairs
6:30 p.m. The Whips
7:10 p.m. The Mysteries
8:25 p.m. Secret American
11:00 p.m. DJ Royale

Friday, September 28 – World Cafe Live Downstairs
7:45 p.m. Vita and the Woolf
9:04 p.m. Waxahatchee
10:05 p.m. Low Cut Connie

Saturday, September 29 – Upstairs at World Cafe Live
3:30 p.m. Great Time
4:10 p.m. Levee Drivers
4:50 p.m. Orion Sun
5:30 p.m. Kingsley Ibeneche
6:25 p.m. Hurry
7:30 p.m. Man About a Horse
11:00 p.m. Guest DJ

Saturday, September 29 – Downstairs at World Cafe Live
5:55 p.m. End of America
6:55 pm.m Hardwork Movement
8:10 p.m. Ruby the Hatchet
9:00 p.m.Palm
10:00 p.m. The Districts