Sorry, our server took a long lunch break earlier. I don’t blame it. It’s beautiful out. This will be short and sweet because we’ve been ready to enjoy this weekend and the weather for a long time now. (Damn server!) You’ve probably noticed this flier (above) on our website all week. Well, you should really show up for our show this Saturday at The Ox w/Grimace Federation, Grandchildren, Power Animal, Ryat, and Circadian Rhythms. It’s going to be badasss! We’ll be there. You should definitely join us. Now go out and do something fun before the weather gets shitty again. Cheers! The Ox, (you should know by now or ask a friend), 8pm, $5, All Ages
Other things to get you out and about…
The Ox (you should know by now or ask a friend) FRI Aunt Dracula
Johnny Brenda’s (1201 N. Frankford Ave.) FRI Dr. Ketchup, SAT Busses, Royal Shoals, Upholstery, SUN Folkadelphia w/Lewis & Clarke
Kung Fu Necktie (1250 N. Front St.) FRI The New Connection and Cheers Elephant SAT The Future Unwritten
The Fire (412 W. Girard Ave.) FRI I Yahn I Arkestra and Theotis Joe, SAT Mongrel Mix and Kickin Bear, SUN Curious Buddies
M Room (15 W. Girard Ave.) FRI Megajam Booze Band, SAT Panic Years and Atomic Square
Tritone (1508 South St.) FRI Man Is Doomed, SAT Buddhafest 43 w/Victoria Spaeth
Millcreek Tavern (4200 Chester Ave.) FRI Cloud Entertainment Launch Party w/The Josh and Pete Band, Lion Versus, The Best Western
Tin Angel (20 S. 2nd St.) FRI The Absolute Zeros and Funkharp
The Blockley (3801 Chestnut St.) FRI The Black Rose Foundation Presents: Let's Move Philadelphia - A Health Benefit for Black Girls w/Black Thought and Rich Medina
If you live in Philly and haven’t heard of the name Black Thought yet, then you must be living under a rock. The politically charged emcee and co-founder of the legendary hip hop group The Roots has rocked the foundation of the music industry with his complex lyrical content and intense live performances. Tonight you not only have the chance to see him roll solo inside an intimate setting at The Blockley, you also have a chance to contribute to a good cause in Let’s Move Philadelphia for Children. Branched off from Michelle Obama’s Lets Move initiative, this party with a purpose strives to support programs that promote healthy choices for black females by providing funding and resources to local Philadelphia youth organizations. So you can feel a little better about yourself as you listen to the funked out freestyle mastery. And hopefully members of the Money Making Jam Boys will be down for a good cause and a good time that will be amped up by one of the most recognized club DJs, Rich Medina. For close to 20 years, he has been taking people on a sonic journey using afrobeat, house, funk, and more. So tonight he is sure to be in his element to get yo asses on the floor! The Blockley, 3801 Chestnut St., 10pm, $20 adv/$25 door, 21+ - Bill McThrill
Pitchfork darlings Free Energy refab American rock ‘n roll with a twist on the old familiar, falling somewhere between the earnest riffs of Springfield’s “Jessie’s Girl” and Spoon’s enthusiastic beats (long before they plateaued at mediocre with Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga). “Dark Trance”, off their debut Stuck on Nothing, possesses an inherent charm comprised of wailing riffs and straightforward poetics. “Something in Common” is the perfect mix of upbeat and heartfelt (reminiscent of what Sugar Ray’s “Every Morning” might have sounded like if they knew what indie rock was). “Power pop” for the masses, Free Energy sets to kick start your weekend with a bang pop premised by quirky jams compliments of Sweatheart. First Unitarian Church, 2125 Chestnut St., 8 pm, $10, All Ages - Dianca Potts
The Mural and The Mint collaborate with Nichole Canuso Dance Co. for live performances this Friday and Saturday at The Maas Building. Inspired by the chamber pop outfit’s new album, As the Eyes of the Seahorse, you can download it for free here. There will also be a vinyl version of the album available at this weekend’s record-release shows. Below is a quirky, groovetastic preview trailer for your enjoyment. The Maas Building, 1325 N. Randolph St., 7:30pm & 9:30pm, $12 - $15, All Ages - Alexis V.
Cloud Entertainment will be having a launch party this evening at Millcreek Tavern for their official website: http://www.cloudentertainmentphilly.com. If you’re not familiar with Cloud Entertainment, they’ve been booking shows and helping to spread the word about local talent for over four years now. They book primarily at Millcreek Tavern and Pterodactyl Art Gallery and also other venues independently including World Cafe Live, Kung Fu Necktie, The Fire and other non-conventional spaces. Tonight local acts Lion Versus, The Best Westerns, The Josh and Pete Band, and Baltimore’s A Cat Called Cricket will be helping them celebrate this occasion. You’ll also find head guy Josh Craft pulling double duty and performing around town with his band Conversations with Enemies or as the re-incarnation of The Bee Team. There will be drink specials from 9 - 11pm so liquor up and buy a round for the Cloud Entertainment crew while you are at it. Cheers! Millcreek Tavern, 4200 Chester Ave., 9pm, $8, 21+ - H.M. Kauffman
When I first saw Levee Drivers two years ago at Yards Brewery, I was instantly blown away by the sheer boldness of the Bucks County outfit's performance. The second time I saw them--at the 2009 Beta Hi-Fi competition where I was one of the judges for--I was equally mesmerized. And yes, they did win and deservedly so. These reactive moments, though, didn't happen because what I heard was surprisingly singular. It was because there was this undeniable passionate force behind every guitar lick and salty intone. That's probably why The Deli has had them on our radar for a long time now. Levee Drivers performed at our first-ever locals showcase, part of The Tunes Wit Whiz series, at Johnny Brenda's. They also snagged the top spot last year in our Fans/Readers poll and got to share the stage with The Deli's Best Emerging Artists 2009 overall poll winners Reading Rainbow and runner-ups Grandchildren. But what do you expect from a band that calls on dirty pick-ups ("Poor Boy's Shoes") and driving swagger ("Tennessee Girl")? Just charismatic ruggedness, that's all. On the real, their signature blend of vintage rockabilly, dust bowl country, working class rock, and crossroad blues melts to this sort of beaten Steel Country rock 'n' roll, and you can't ignore it. I dare you to try. - Annamarya Scaccia
It’s strange to think that Hezekiah Jones a.k.a. Raphael Cutrufello was on the first bill that I ever booked for an artist some years ago (which also included Brooklyn’s O’Death and D.C.’s Exit Clov - a pretty sweet random bill at The Fire). I remember really digging his set, especially the song “Cupcakes for the Army”, and trading a little banter back and forth with Cutrufello from the audience. He later thanked me after his set for heckling because he admitted that things can get kind of boring on stage because the only people who come to see him are friends and family. Even though I was far from heckling him (he’d know it if I did), I knew right then and there what a genuine person he was/is. And you can obviously hear it in his tunes. It’s just great to see him headlining the big stage tonight at World Café Live. Though I’m sure the crowd will be filled with friends and family for his latest release Have You Seen Our New Fort?, I highly doubt they’ll still be the only people there to see him. It will also be a triple record release party with Up the Chain and Joe D’Amico. The New Fort album officially drops on March 29, but you can grab your advance vinyl copy at the show. We had a chance to throw a few questions at Cutrufello and Pepe Jones a.k.a. Phil D’Agostino before tonight’s party. Here is what they had to say.
It’s strange to think that Hezekiah Jones a.k.a. Raphael Cutrufello was on the first bill that I ever booked for an artist some years ago (which also included Brooklyn’s O’Death and D.C.’s Exit Clov - a pretty sweet random bill at The Fire). I remember really digging his set, especially the song “Cupcakes for the Army”, and trading a little banter back and forth with Cutrufello from the audience. He later thanked me after his set for heckling because he admitted that things can get kind of boring on stage because the only people who come to see him are friends and family. Even though I was far from heckling him (he’d know it if I did), I knew right then and there what a genuine person he was/is. And you can obviously hear it in his tunes. It’s just great to see him headlining the big stage tonight at World Café Live. Though I’m sure the crowd will be filled with friends and family for his latest release Have You Seen Our New Fort?, I highly doubt they’ll still be the only people there to see him. It will also be a triple record release party with Up the Chain and Joe D’Amico. The New Fort album officially drops on March 29, but you can grab your advance vinyl copy at the show. We had a chance to throw a few questions at Cutrufello and Pepe Jones a.k.a. Phil D’Agostino before tonight’s party. Here is what they had to say.
The Deli: In our last interview, you said that the biggest influences on your music are people and books. Which people and what books inspired you when making your latest album Have You Seen Our New Fort?
Raphael Cutrufello: The New Fort material was written [over] the course of many years. But I kind of felt they belonged together for the most part. We also have a cover of Chris Bathgate’s on there. I’m a big fan of his music. I think some of this stuff was more influenced by my love of horror and science fiction films. Musically, I would say I’m very inspired by the Philadelphia music scene in general. I love our local music.
TD: What does the album title mean to you? We thought possible album names “Brocolli Jordache” and “Real Americans Speak in Codes” were interesting. What were the stories behind them?
RC: I like word combinations and phrases for what I think people might interpret them as or what might have the largest spectrum of interpretations. I feel like the listener is half of the art. Most of the time things get interpreted differently than I intended. I like that. Have You Seen Our New Fort? has been an album title I’ve been batting around for the past four or five years. I like conversational album titles for the most part and thought this one fit the album, considering the difference in production to some of our earlier work. “Brocolli Jordache” [were] two words that I loved next to each other for some reason. I guess it makes no sense, but the sound it makes is what I really liked. And I can’t recall what I liked about “Real Americans Speak in Code”, but I think it was part of some dialogue I read in a Norman Mailer book, and I liked the sentiment.
TD: What are you taking away from the recording process of this album that you didn’t know before?
RC: Andrew Lipke was amazing to work with. Most of the other albums we had done at home. Bread of Teeth was done at The Moonlight Forest, but over the course of two days. New Fort was the first album we had spent an elongated period of time recording that wasn’t done at home. Andrew Lipke is a big part of why it sounds the way it does. He wrote the horn arrangements and put some [of] these songs together. I learned a lot watching him work. The man is thorough. I like that.
TD: Would you rather spend more time in the studio or touring?
Phil D’Agostino: I'd rather be doing both equally. I neither like nor dislike the road more than the studio or vice versa. Both are awesome and annoying. A record like this, that we worked hard on and are proud of, gives going on the road a real purpose and gives everyone something to get behind. So I'm really looking forward to touring this year and seeing what it brings. Also looking forward to working on new music.
TD: What is your favorite city (besides Philly, of course) that you enjoy playing in most and why?
PD: We love playing in Michigan, and the music scene there seems to be statewide. We've done shows in Ypsilanti, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Marquette, etc. If I had to pick one, the Blind Pig in Ann Arbor is probably my favorite.
TD: You do a cover on the album of “The Last Parade on Ann St.” from Chris Bathgate's 2007 A Cork Tale Wake. What song by another artist do you wish that you wrote?
RC: “Bottom of the Delaware” by Brad Hinton. Instant classic in my mind. Beautiful, beautiful song. And “To The Other Side” by Chris Kasper. Again, just a really, really gorgeous song all the way through. I’m jealous.
TD: How many Joneses are in the family now? Please name them all if you can.
RC: We never really take a person’s Jones name away from them even if they don’t perform with us anymore. At last count we were somewhere in the 50 person range for “members”. The actual band is usually about a 7-piece at this point. When we get the bigger stages, we can add the horn section too. So for Thursday the rundown of members is -- Pepe Jones on bass, Kiwi Jones on violin and vocals, Pocono Jones on electric guitar, vocals and slide whistle, Jones Jones on drums, Schuylkill Jones on electric guitar, Hez Jones on keyboards, acoustic guitar, and vocals, Flicker Jones on keyboards and trumpet, Eggroll Jones on trombone, Letscoolone Jones on trombone, Spit-Valve Jones on trumpet, Juan Thompson Jones on baritone saxophone and clarinet, and a yet unnamed Jones player joining us for the first time on drums for some songs. We gave him until Thursday night to pick his name.
TD: What concerns you that you see is happening in the music industry, and what makes you hopeful that things will get better?
TD: Are there any local bands or solo artists that you are really into lately that you personally don’t know? How did you discover them?
PD: One of the best shows I've ever seen in my life was The Jef Lee Johnson Band at the Grape Room last summer. He's obviously a legend on a far grander scale than "local act", but he's from Philly and I don't know him personally, and he blows my mind. I also really like Buried Beds and Blood Feathers, and don't know any of those guys to my knowledge.
TD: You recently participated in the Folkadelphia series. How was that experience, and what did you learn from it?
RC: That was a really cool thing. Those shows were all put together by Fred Knittel. He’s an interesting guy. He runs the Folkadelphia show on Y-Rock. We shared the show with The Spinning Leaves and had Biff Kennedy come up in between our sets and interview us on stage. It was our first time doing anything in that kind of format before - a very unique thing for us to be a part of. It was early in the day. A one o’clock show. That’s something I’ve never really gotten used to. Playing in the early part of the day - that’ll take some getting used to.
TD: We love documentaries. If you ever had a documentary made about yourself, what would it be called and why?
RC: My day-to-day life is pretty boring. Not sure if people would want to watch it. But maybe “Brocolli Jordache” - unless we find another place to use that title.
TD: You talked about how this album is the one that you’ve been “dreaming of making for the last ten years”. What’s the best dream that you’ve had related to music in the last ten years?
RC: That my mother invented that instrument that Ben Franklin invented, The Glass Armonica.
TD: What are your plans for 2011?
RC: We have some touring coming up in April w/Chris Bathgate throughout the Midwest. We are going to be recording a couple albums this year. Releasing an album with Mad Dragon Records that we had worked on with The Spinning Leaves entitled The Spinning Leaves & Hezekiah Jones Performing as Hezekiah Leaves and The Spinning Joneses. Love the album - some really great songs on it. Probably do some more touring come fall too. I haven’t seen the ocean in a while so I’d also like to take the hour and half drive to do that at some point.
XPN’s “Free at Noon” concert series will be hosting our very own Kurt Vile at World Café Live this Friday, February 18. Besides the fact that free is always a good price, it should entice you that Vile is set to release his new full-length, Smoke Ring For My Halo, on March 8th via Matador, and you’ll most likely get a sneak peek at some of those tracks. Never afraid to indulge both the gnarly and mellow sides of his classic influences, he’s successfully made the switch from bedroom tinkerer to full-fledged rock troubadour. This show is just the beginning for the hometown crowd, of course. Expect Vile to stop by World Café Live again on March 23rd with Dinosaur Jr.’s J. Mascis. You can also hit up AKA Music on March 4th for a more intimate setting with him and the Violators. To RSVP for “Free at Noon”, go here. World Café Live, 3025 Walnut Street, 12pm, FREE, All Ages (Photo by Tim Griffin) - Joe Poteracki
Below is a mini-doc about 4-time Grammy winners The Roots that was filmed last year during the “Hennessey Artistry” tour. The intimate footage was gathered by Cam Be (director/editor) and Jeff Baraka (interviewer/co-producer). Cam Be stated about the video called The Legendary: A Film About The Roots, “In this film I wanted to not only highlight the versatility of a group that has played with most everyone in the industry. But also capture candid moments of real human beings just trying to share the gifts they have been given to the best of their abilities.” Special thanks to Okayplayer TV, Cam Be, Jeff Baraka and Bradley Murray for sharing it with us. Enjoy! (Photo by D. Savini) - The Deli Staff
