Cheers Elephant, Live @ World Cafe Live

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bands to watch, Cheers Elephant, Cheers Elephant band, concert video, live music, live philly concerts, Local Philly Band, World Cafe Live, World Cafe Live Philly

Cheers Elephant is a band capable of fully developing tracks on multiple layers with stand-out vocals and great instrumental harmonies.  It is one thing to be capable but another to execute.  We posit they do just that, execute groovable/rockable/danceable music. Their sound is always engaging and their sets are always a good time.  Doin’ It Right off their 2012 release Like Wind Blows Fire is one of our favorite tracks of the year.  At last count, 93 plays. The obsession with this track started on record store day of this year when we bought one of their albums after their live performance on South Street outside Repo records.

So, this was the third time we have caught them and the first time indoors.  It was also the first time we took video.  Derek Krzywicki, Jordan del Rosario, Travelin’ Mat, and Robert Kingsly round out the talented four piece.  Penning incredibly catchy tracks and putting out music videos in 3D are just parts of Cheers Elephant’s portfolio.  With a new album out this year and many local performances for the hometown band, Cheers Elephant is poised to take larger and larger stages.  Check out some of their music via the player below and pick up their merch:

On this night Cheers Elephant played World Cafe Live Philly downstairs.  You know how good this venue sounds and it was a great place to hear them again.  We caught 6 of their tracks which are all on YouTube for your viewing pleasure:

The Improbables, Live @ Johnny Brenda’s

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concert video, johnny brendas, live music, live philly concerts, Local Philly Band, R5 Productions, The Improbables, The Improbables band

This is going to be a short post and for no other reason than this band snuck up on us so fast that we stood trying to put together what we were witnessing.  The Improbables have been playing together for several years now from what we can gather.  They are an AC/Philly combo who’s sound is really good.  Maybe a surprise is misplaced – their Facebook about section simply says “We’re better than your band.”
The four piece consisting of Joe, Kevin, Dave, and Tom delivers a Garage Rock blend with all around talented musicians.  To be honest, the vocals are some of the strongest we’ve heard in awhile.  A huge regret here is only getting one video and not knowing more about them.

We really cannot wait to see them again.  Check out the loneliest one video below and prepare to have your mind blown:

 

Lantern, Live @ Kung Fu Necktie

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bands to watch, Bathetic Records, concert video, kung fu necktie, Lantern, Lantern band, live music, live philly concerts, Local Philly Band

A Lantern is a device used to illuminate an area desired by the wielder.  On July 11, 2012 the Philly-based rock heavyweights of the same name decided that they wanted to see Fishtown lit up with plain nasty guitar work by both Zach and Emily, bass line trade offs, booming saxophone, hints of harmonica, and steady percussion.  The performance was the first of their summer tour and had the crowd intrinsically hooked.

On the heels of yet another diverse and powerful tape now out of Bathetic Records, Lantern continues to put out fully developed albums in variously intertwined musical dialects. Drawing comparisons would potentially derail clearly seeing the minds that drive the direction of the band for what they are:  immensely talented and original.  This is not half-cocked derivative sound.  We love it and wish concerts were more frequent.  Music needs musicians and sound like this.

I rest my words now and direct you to our videos from the evening below:

King Tuff, Live @ Johnny Brenda’s

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Burger Records, concert video, Detroit, johnny brendas, King Tuff, Kyle Thomas, live music, live philly concerts, R5 Productions, Spotify link, Sub-Pop

King Tuff is a mythical creature that escapes fair definition.  His garage sound is one that is capable of serving as the mind’s soundtrack – that is to say, it can get stuck in your head with relative ease.   Go watch a show and you tell us if you agree.  Highly energetic in his own muted idiom, King Tuff took the stage at Johnny Brenda’s in Philly with Sun Medallion in place (see here if you don’t know what this is).  The rest of the group rounded out the evening’s sound playing tracks from the Was Dead and new self-titled albums with the bulk coming from the latter.

++ King Tuff on Spotify ++

Hailing from the motor city, King Tuff’s former project was in the group Happy Birthday.  He was the lead vocalist there as well.  Kyle Thomas is a talent comparable to Ty Segall, John Dwyer or Jay Reatard.  His song writing and composing efforts are assisted by his distinctive vocal delivery.  Delivering the first recorded material in 2010, King Tuff is putting out through and through solid albums devoid of skippable tracks.  Now on Sub-Pop, formerly on Burger, the King Tuff project is hitting its’ stride.  Check them out and our videos below:

Bass Drum of Death, Live @ Johnny Brenda’s

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bands to watch, Bass Drum of Death, BDoD, indie music, johnny brendas, live music, live philly concerts, Mississippi, R5 Productions, Spotify link

Circling in a tight orbit of incendiary sound, Bass Drum of Death alters gravity in the most pleasing of ways for garage rock enthusiasts.  John and Colin create a music of great proportion and interest to those satiated by the genre.  The Mississippi-based BDoD has released their debut LP to positive reviews and we were excited to hear it performed live at JB’s in Philly June 10th, 2012.

++ Bass Drum of Death on Spotify ++

Most every track was covered on the new LP, GB City as was the song White Fright off their tour only DZDR split.  On this evening the band was three strong and the sound was more voluminous from it.  Haunting in their distortion, vocals pierced through the  sludgy electric guitar, bass and drum beat.  BDoD killed it and we are stoked to hear more output from these guys.

Five videos await your viewing pleasure:

DZ Deathrays, Live @ Johnny Brenda’s

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Australia, bands to watch, concert video, DZ Deathrays, DZDEATHRAYS, DZDR, indie music, johnny brendas, live music, live philly concerts, R5 Productions, Spotify link

Listening to the DZ Deathrays album as I peck out this review makes me press the keys with extra ferocity.  The whole delivery is a sonic boom at 1,000 feet and their live set exceeded this.  The Australian band took the stage at Johnny Brenda’s in Philadelphia dispatching a dense fog of drum beats, guitar chords, and effortless vocals.  A clear Death From Above 1979 influence permeate some tracks – the comparison is meant to commend the sound DZDR’s delivers as DFA1979 is one of our all time faves.  Their efforts are finally garnering Pitchfork attention at a time when the sirens have already lured in so many.

++ Spotify Link to DZ DEATHRAYS ++

Immaculate execution on numerous tracks off 2012’s Bloodstreams, DZDR’s left us wanting an encore.  Bones rendered in electric garage punk rock, Shane Parsons and Simon Ridley delivered a thrashed first performance in Philly and one that everyone in the room should remember for a time to come.  Dig some videos we took below:

White Fence, Live @ Johnny Brenda’s 0518

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bands to watch, Drag City Records, indie music, johnny brendas, live music, live philly concerts, Los Angeles, R5 Productions, Spotify link, white fence, white fence band, woodist records

White Fence is one of Tim Presley’s stunning projects hailing from the sunny left coast.  In addition to The Strange Boys, Hair,  and Darker My Love, Presley delivers a garage sound that culls upon tones from an era gone by, namely the late 60’s, while concurrently sounding grounded in 2010’s garage folk punk revival (now we are making genres up). This was the second time we have caught his act at Johnny Brenda’s and we dare say it was even better than the last.  His current effort Family Perfume volumes 1 & 2 is chocked full of sturdy tracks and is an amazing listen.  It would seem there is no stopping the waterfall of music being produced.

++ White Fence on Spotify ++

White Fence played a sick set of tracks that laid out the red carpet for two tracks he would play with Ty Segall in their Hair project.  Since it is impossible to really overshadow ones-self, we simply point out that which was better was irrelevant.  White Fence alone made the show worth every penny and more.  We had been following the project since its eponymously titled debut in 2010 and our liking has only grown with each release – now on number three.  As such, we are proud to present several videos from that May 18th performance performance at JB’s in Philly.  Do yourself a solid and go see him shred:

Crystal Stilts, Live @ Johnny Brenda’s

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brooklyn, concert video, Crystal Stilts, Crystal Stilts band, johnny brendas, live music, live philly concerts, R5 Productions, Sacred Bones, Slumberland Records, Spotify link

Crystal Stilts played mind melting psych post-punk fuzz at JB’s in Philly on April 15th.  The quintet out of BK is comprised of the talents of Brad Hargett on vocals, JB Townsend on guitar, Kyle Forester on keyboard, Andy Adler on bass, and Keegan Cooke on drums.  After great buzz in 2008, the band took a hiatus and returned full force in 2011 with the LP In Love With Oblivion.  Taking many cues from 60’s psych rock, Crystal Stilts maintains a fresh edge and tantalizing sound that makes the hair stand up on the back of your neck.

++  Crystal Stilts on Spotify ++

Ripping through mostly new songs of their 2011 effort, in addition to several classics, Crystal Stilts created an atmosphere in JB’s reminiscent of a different time and place.  Graphics projected on the giant right-angled screens behind the band showed racing images of fleeting landscapes of indistinguishable matter. The electric organ sound of the keys with acid guitar and haunting vocals cemented that aura as space in between tracks was filled with the pysch drone of hung notes and strum teases.  An amazing performance from these guys who are better than ever, check out the Crystal Stilts live below:

 

A Classic Education, Live @ Johnny Brenda’s

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A Classic Education, A Classic Education band, concert video, Italian band, johnny brendas, Lefse, live music, live philly concerts, R5 Productions

A Classic Education were in the States and played JB’s in Philly on March 30th.  The 5 piece from Bologna, Italy brings an amazingly full live sound stemming from two guitars, a bass, drums and keys.  Comprised of Jonathan, Luca, Paul, Giulia, and Federico the band has an indie rock feel with a touch of electronica – albeit a very small touch.  There are also hints of garage rock in there.  It is quite a nice package.  The band represents a full ensemble effort fronted by Jonathan Clancyness of the solo project, His Clancyness.   We loved his work with that and were excited to see his work manifested live with a full backing band.  A let down it was not.

Currently on the Lefse record label, A Classic Education has two EPs and a Long Play out.  The LP was a 2011 release and many of the songs played came off this album.  Thoroughly an enjoyable set, we have some video for you below to check out:

Obits, Live @ Johnny Brenda’s

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brooklyn, concert video, indie music, johnny brendas, live music, live philly concerts, Obits, Obits Band, R5 Productions, Rick Froberg, Spotify link, Sub-Pop

The formidable trio of Rick Froberg, Sohrab Habibion, and Greg Simpson comprise the scorching garage punk band Obits.  Formed in 2006, the band comes by way of BK and has past independent projects Drive Like Jehu, Edsel, and Hot Snakes under it’s belt.  Seminal to say the least.  Playing Johnny Brenda’s in Philly on March 15, 2012, the band laid down numerous tracks off their 2011 release Moody, Standard and Poor along with tracks from 2009’s I Blame You.

++ Obits on Spotify ++

A performance we are relieved not to have missed, Obits blasted in-your-face instrumentals with disgustingly good vocals.  We felt every sound and were compelled to dive in head first.  Check out some video below to see what you may have missed: