April 28th, 2009

Free At Noon With Peter, Bjorn & John. It’s Free!

Usually, XPN’s “Free at Noon” shows over at World Cafe Live (for which you have to RSVP in advance) fill up pretty quickly, so I’m kinda surprised that as of this writing at least, there are still tickets available for this Friday’s FaN gig featuring the happy, whistling, much-hyped Swedish indie-popsters Peter, Bjorn & John, who have a new album out called Living Thing. I haven’t heard it yet, but I liked the last one well enough. Maybe I’ll listen to it later. Anyway, if you wanna check out PB&J’s set, go here to RSVP.

April 28th, 2009

Fill In The Blanks: Tommy Keene

Longtime D.C.-based power-pop specialist (and Philly favorite) Tommy Keene comes to Johnny Brenda’s Wednesday night behind a really great new album, In the Late Bright. Like Matthew Sweet, Keene — who in addition to his many solo albums has collaborated on projects with the likes of the Replacements’ Paul Westerberg and Guided By Voices’ Robert Pollard — is an expert at marrying memorable melodies and hooks to potent guitar crunch, as you’ll discover if you check out the show tomorrow night. We caught up with Keene for a “Fill in the Blanks” session:

The last time I was in Philadelphia I: Went to a steak and cheese place at three in the morning with Robert Pollard.
My favorite thing about Philadelphia is: The very good audiences who are familiar with TK. And it’s close to D.C.
The strangest thing that ever happened to me in Philadelphia is: When I was in college in 1984 and I had a mid-term the next day and we drove up to Philly to open for the Church. We got there and we were getting ready to load in and there was a play going on at the venue at the time, that play A Coupla White Chicks Sitting Around Talking. So they came out and they said “Here’s the deal — either no one gets a soundcheck, or the Church soundchecks and the opening band gets cancelled.” Obviously it was the latter. So we drove home and I didn’t do very well on the mid-term.
My live show is not a success unless: The band feels as if they’ve connected with the audience and put on a good show.
The most favorite song I have ever written is: “Back to Zero” — I think it was one of the first really good songs I wrote, even though I’d written probably a dozen or so before that, and it still sounds good today.
The one thing that must be provided for me backstage is: A toilet.
The strangest thing someone has shouted at me while I was performing was: That I looked like Alan Thicke. I thought it was kinda chumpy.
The thing I’ll remember most about making In the Late Bright is: Finishing writing the song “Save This Harmony” and thinking that I’d written a really hooky song. It was one of those moments of self- delusion when I thought I’d written a big hit single.
My most treasured possession is: My 1967 orange Telecaster.
The thing I’ll remember most about collaborating with Robert Pollard is: Hearing a couple of what I thought were the lesser songs turned into great ones. I sent him about 30 instrumental songs and he whittled it down to about 15, and then I was surprised at a couple songs I thought were throwaways and he came up with really great melody lines.
The best advice I ever got about making music was: I’m still waiting for that.
I first realized I was musically inclined when: In first grade I got up and played a piece from Carmen at the end of the year on the piano and everyone clapped, and then I was hooked.
The first time I ever performed music in front of an audience I: Was intoxicated with the applause.
The one goal I had for my career when I first started out was: To keep running on blind ambition.
The one goal I have for my career now is: To keep running on blind ambition.

Tommy Keene plays Johnny Brenda’s on Wednesday, April 29th at 9pm. $10.

April 28th, 2009

2009 XPoNential Music Fest Announced

WXPN has just unveiled its lineup for the XPoNential Music Festival ‘09 happening July 24-26 at Wiggins Park on the waterfront in Camden, NJ. It’s heavy on singer-songwriters, bluesy types, and indie-popsters, but hey, what did you expect? Among the national/international acts headlining the “Camden County River Stage”: Aimee Mann, They Might Be Giants, Yeasayer, Robert Cray, Guster, Shemekia Copeland, Annuals, and Peter, Bjorn and John. For our money, the “JerseyArts.com Marina Stage” (featuring mainly local bands) seems a tad more interesting, with East Hundred, Good Old War, Like a Fox, Hoots & Hellmouth, and others leading the way.

Tickets go on sale to the general public on May 26th; they’re $20 per day and $40 for a three-day pass. Full line-up after the jump.

April 28th, 2009

Tonight In Shows

So some guy from New Jersey named Bruce Springsteen, along with his E Street Band, is playing the Wachovia Spectrum tonight. Dunno much about the dude, so I doubt the place will be filled up. You can probably just walk right up and get a front-row ticket, if you want. Oh wait, nevermind, that guy from the Sopranos is in his band! Anyway, from my understanding, this Springsteen character plays really long shows, like three or four hours…can’t imagine how he could possibly keep anyone’s attention for that long. He’d better be some kinda showman. If you go, let me know how it was and if he’s any good, and if you think maybe he can eke out some kinda career in the music biz, and I’ll try to get him on the phone for an interview.

Also, Detroit trio the Hard Lessons come to the Khyber to show off their soulful garage-rock and piano/keyboard-dappled pop — maybe it’s time for yet another Motown revival? [8pm/$8] Meanwhile, PBS viewer-pleasing Dutch violinist and conductor Andre Rieu — he’s one of my mom’s absolute favorites — brings his strings to the Susquehanna Bank Center, where he and his orchestra will undoubtedly whip up some waltzes of Straussian proportions with skill and humor. [7:30pm/$54.75-163.75]

April 27th, 2009

Popped! On

Nearly two months ago we spoke with Popped! Music Festival attorney Conor Corcoran about Popped!’s split with concert megapromoter LiveNation, effectively killing the proposed June fest down at FDR Park which Corcoran said “would have been our very own Coachella.” As it turns out, Popped! is still happening, albeit in dramatically downsized form in Northern Liberties on Saturday, June 20th. Deets:

We have a fantastic new home as part of the 2nd Street Festival in the burgeoning Northern Liberties neighborhood. POPPED! will take place outdoors Saturday June 20th on the main drag of 2nd Street in Northern Liberties. The festival will be free to attend and will feature live music, over 60 local vendors, and children’s activities.  Businesses located on 2nd street will have attractions such as EXIT Skate Shop’s half-pipe and other skate activities, and local boutique Arcadia’s eco-friendly fashion show.

Continuing with our green mission, POPPED! is keeping it mostly local this year from the acts performing to the beer you’re drinking.  Northern Liberties is known in Philadelphia as one of the greenest neighborhoods and holds the record for recycling.  A recycling center will be stationed on the grounds of the festival and there will be information kiosks for local environmental groups.

With this year’s POPPED! Music Festival joined with the 2nd Street Festival, Philadelphia will truly become a destination for summer concerts and live music.

Current Lineup Includes:

Benjy Ferree
The Blood Feathers
Birds of Maya
Rock Central Plaza
Magnet City Kids
The Chimeras
Heavy Hands
With more to follow!

April 27th, 2009

More Upsetting Than Swine Flu

I hate to be the bearer of such horrible news but… well … there’s no easy way to say this, so I’m just going to come out and say it: Creed has reunited for a tour and new album, and they’re coming to Philadelphia on August 13th, although a venue has yet to be announced.

Unfortunately, all the hand-washing and mask-wearing in the world can’t prevent this from happening, so the only thing you can do is hide in your house until the tour passes. Good luck to you all.

April 27th, 2009

A Musical Guide To Recognizing Swine Flu

Swine flu “fever” (get it? see what I did there?) is gripping America! It’s only a matter of time before the infection hits Philly, leaving only Will Smith and and his trusty German Shepherd hunting for food and supplies on Girard Avenue, renting movies at TLA Video, and hitting golf balls into the river at Penn’s Landing, and all we can do is laugh in the face of this new bubonic plague before it claims each and every one of us. In the interests of public service — and so you can get your affairs in order, say goodbye to your loved ones, and do all the things you’ve ever wanted to do in Philly before you croak, like walk up to Joey Vento and punch him square in the face — we’ve put together an easy-to-remember musical guide to recognizing if you’ve contracted swine flu:

It begins with a cough, much like Black Sabbath’s “Sweet Leaf”:

Next comes a “lite sneeze”:

Then, of course, fever and chills: