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:

Via Audio, Live @ Kung Fu Necktie

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brooklyn, concert video, indie music, kung fu necktie, live music, live philly concerts, Sidecho Records, Spotify link, Undertow Music Collective, Via Audio, Via Audio band

Via Audio made a semi-rare performance, as of late, at Kung Fu Necktie on May 15th, 2012.  The Brooklyn-based band has been on somewhat of a hiatus recently but put forth an energetic and fun performance on this night.  This break is to be short lived as a new album is due out this year and will add to their existing catalog of two LP’s and one EP.  Comprised of Tom Deis on Vocals and Guitar, David Lizmi on Bass and Synthesizer, Jessica Martins on Vocals, Guitar and Synthesizer, and Adam Sturtevant on Drums, Via Audio constructs a lauded (see Pitchfork, Tiny Mixtapes, Spin, Alternative Press) amalgam of indie pop sounds.

We like these guys because the enjoyment they receive from playing is clearly evident in their stage presence.  Guitar work and synths drip with catchy cords.  Vocals compliment these nicely and bass and drum work round out the sound perfectly.

++ Via Audio on Spotify ++

Supporting Via Audio is easy – give a listen and maybe you will be hooked.  Pick up their merch and catch one of their shows.  Via Audio does not disappoint and they are as friendly as can be to boot.  Check out a few of our vids from the evening below:

The Spinto Band, Live @ Kung Fu Necktie

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bands to watch, concert video, delaware, kung fu necktie, live music, live philly concerts, spinto band, Spotify link, the spinto band, the spinto band residency

The Spinto Band is one of those amazing local bands we have caught on numerous occasions but had never filmed.  We finally got our act together and did so the second night of their May 2012 Kung Fu Necktie residency.  What a show it was.  What a band they are.  A shining star rising from the first state, The Spinto Band are definitely one of our favorite bands to come out of Delaware in awhile – and they have been doing so for well over a decade.

++ The Spinto Band on Spotify ++

The six piece consisting of Jon Eaton on Guitar, Nick Krill on Vocals & Guitar, Thomas Hughes on Vocals & Bass, Jeff Hobson on Drums, Sam Hughes on Keyboards & Vocals, and Joe Hobson Guitar & Vocals is not new to laying down catchy tracks.  Now with 14 plus years behind them, The Spinto Band can look back upon a catalog of 10 LPs and multiple EP’s.  The band has hit an energetic stride over the last 6 years and picks up steam with age.  Their new album Shy Pursuit was just released this year.

This residency will see The Spinto Band playing 4 shows at KFN this may and the videos below are from the second.  You still have 2 Tuesdays left to check them out and we strong suggest you do.  Beat the crowd though, they pack the place and a few notes in it is clear why.  Check out some videos because these are worth more than a thousand pictures.

 

Allo Darlin’, Live @ Kung Fu Necktie

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Allo Darlin band, Allo Darlin', concert video, kung fu necktie, live philly concerts, London, Slumberland Records, uke

Allo Darlin’ played Kung Fu Necktie in Fishtown on the 25th of April, 2012 to a packed crowd fairly well versed in their song-book and energized at the ability to hear it live.  The band currently calls London home.  Half of Allo Darlin’ are from the UK while half are not including Elizabeth, the lead and project originator, who hails from AUS.  It is partly for these reasons the Philly crowd felt so lucky to hear her soothing voice and enchanting ukulele.   It was also due to the infectious joy with which the rest of the band played.  Paul Rains, Bill Botting, and Mikey Collins are all great musicians in their own right and the combination of the four had us grinning from ear to ear the majority of the set.

This second stop on their US tour was proceeded by an NYC engagement.  On this Philly stop the band quickly enthralled the audience and controlled the atmosphere to the point of near silence during song crescendos and quieter numbers – a rare feat at KFN.  Songs were played off both their 2010 and 2012 LPs and all were delivered on point and with magical purpose.  We were fortunate to talk with Elizabeth, Mikey, and Bill after the show and they were all as kind as they appeared on stage.  There was no act there.  A genuine group of people making genuine music.  Check out our video from the evening below:

Niki & The Dove, Live @ Voyeur

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concert video, live music, live philly concerts, making time, Niki & The Dove, Niki and the Dove, Niki and The Dve band, Spotify link, Stockholm, Sub-Pop, Swedish Band, voyeur nightclub concert, voyeur philly

Niki & The Dove delivered a magical light-filled performance at the making time event @ Voyeur nightclub on March 9th.  Originating in Stockholm, Sweden, the Sub-Pop signed duo of Malin Dahlström and Gustaf Karlöf have been around in their current configuration since 2010.

+ Niki & The Dove on Spotify +

Niki & The Dove deliver Pop music outside the realm of traditional over-production and corporate tweaking.  It is a pure and raw electronic pop sound that is on the precipice of even greater US popularity.   You can cop their new album out May 14th.

Check out a few of our vids from Niki & The Dove’s performance below.  They played about 5 songs and we got video of two of them:

Charli XCX, Live @ Voyeur

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bands to watch, Charli XCX, Charli XCX first US performance, Charli XCX live, concert video, live music, live philly concerts, London, making time, making time philadelphia, voyeur nightclub concert, voyeur philly

UK-based bombshell Charli XCX made her first US appearance at Voyeur for Making Time in Philly on March 9th truly an amazing event.  Delivering an energetic performance capable of exciting a stadium crowd on the Voyeur main stage, Charli killed it.  Everything positive you’ve heard about the rising star is true and we were there to witness in amazement.

Creating an experimental dark pop blend with a dancey beat, we found falling for her and sound facile in practice.  Charli’s on-stage presence is engaging and capacious. She and band will continue to grow in popularity there is no doubt.  We feel extremely fortunate to have had Charli XCX come to Philly first and are sure everybody in attendance felt the same.

Not content to move solely about the stage, Charli came off the elevated platform and into the audience with passionately delivered verses stirring the crowd into a frenzy.  She moved about with purpose donning a spiked bracelet,  black mid-drift and black pants singing each lyric authentically into the mic.  Running through a number of tracks, Charli delivered the show everyone wanted to hear and man was it brilliant.  They say a picture is worth a thousand words but the videos below are worth a million.  Check them out:

Young Empires, Live @ Kung Fu Necktie

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bands to watch, concert video, electronic music, Haute Rock, indie music, kung fu necktie, live music, live philly concerts, Spotify link, swollen fox show, Toronto, y not radio show, Young Empires, Young Empires Band

Young Empires from Toronto, Canada graced the KFN stage on March 3rd courtesy of the Swollen Fox and Y-Not Radio.  Dripping in big beat indie-electro goodness Young Empires wasted no time plunging head first into a set of mesmerizing tracks.  The energy transfer from band to crowd was ephemeral and lasted long after the last note faded out of the stage amplifiers, through the hot confines of KFN, and into the warm Philadelphia winter evening.

▲ Young Empires on Spotify ▲

Young Empires, comprised of Matthew, Aaron, Jacob and Taylor, have a sound that transcends live recording and hits with the force of a mega-ton bomb in a live arena.  Primed for future success with a new album out now and several EP’s worth of material prior, we look forward to seeing these guys get the recognition they deserve.  Young Empire’s eventual return to Philly is eagerly awaited and we feel fortunate to have been in attendance for their first go-around.  Check out some video from their set below and make sure to check out our favorite song of theirs, Enter Through the Sun:

Los Campesinos!, Live @ Union Transfer

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Cardiff, concert video, live music, live philly concerts, Los Campesinos!, Los Campesinos! band, R5 Productions, Union Transfer, Wichita Records

Los Campesinos! from Cardiff, UK rocked the Union Transfer in Philly on November 18th playing to a huge crowd of fans.  An exuberant live performance was displayed performing tracks new and old.  Consisting of Ellen Campesinos!, Gareth Campesinos!, Neil Campesinos!, Tom Campesinos!, Kim Campesinos!, Rob ‘Sparky Deathcap’ Campesinos!, and Jason Campesinos! on this night they also had a guest trumpeter.  Gareth talked to the crowd a fair amount making jokes about the mosh pit and how participants never get laid after the show and about their tour assistant whom he likened to a butler in the nicest verbiage possible.  Besides crowd talk, Gareth delivered the tracks with flair and gusto complementing the diverse sound (definitely not to be classified as twee) coming from the multitude of musicians that comprise the band.  The audience paid it forward singing and clapping along with songs and made a rudimentary go at crowd surfing.  If you like Los Campesinos!, this really was an excellent show.

Los Campesinos! Live @ UT

The band formed back in 2006 in Cardiff, Wales while at University.  Within a few months of forming, they were already touring as the opener for Broken Social Scene.  Since then, the band has released 3 LPs and 2 EPs.  While the word campesino in Spanish translates to “peasant” or “country person,” Los Campesinos! have certainly shed their peasant skin with hugely popular tracks featured in ads and other mass media.

We captured a lot of video from the night so as not to miss anything.  Inevitably, we did miss some but want to leave you with the 9 videos we took.  Enjoy:

Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, Live @ The Academy of Music

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Academy of Music, concert video, live music, live philly concerts, Manchester band, Noel Gallagher, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds band, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds live, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds philadelphia setlist, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds Philly setlist, Oasis, Oasis covers, Philadelphia Academy of Music, setlist, Wonderwall\

Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds put on spectacular show at the Academy of Music in Philly on November 11th, 2011 playing 20 songs in total.  With a venue constructed for sound at their disposal, Noel wasted no time getting into Oasis classics and topped them off with great new tracks from his High Flying Birds project.

Noel was gracious with the crowd, engaging them in several conversations and ignoring some of the less couthy cat-calls hollered from within the audience.  Among these conversations was one recognizing a Philly favorite, the late boxing legend Joe Frazier, and dedicating the song “AKA… What a Life!” to him.

We loved the stunning light display and LCD driven pictures at their backs.  With graphics reminiscent of 60’s psychedelia combined with the unwavering guitar and vocal skills, we were reminded of the Beatle-esque prowess of Noel Gallagher and the band he so seemingly carried on his shoulders – Oasis.

Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds Live @ The Academy

The night was one to remember and even though our seats weren’t the best, we still enjoyed the show and set list immensely.  Please find some video we took from the evening below as well as a set list courtesy of setlist.fm:

SETLIST:

1. (It’s Good) To Be Free (Oasis cover)
2. Mucky Fingers (Oasis cover)
3. Everybody’s on the Run
4. Dream On
5. If I Had A Gun
6. The Good Rebel
7. The Death of You and Me
8. Freaky Teeth
9. Wonderwall (Oasis cover)
10. Supersonic (Oasis cover)
11. (I Wanna Live in a Dream in My) Record Machine
12. AKA… What a Life!
13. Talk Tonight (Oasis cover)
14. Soldier Boys and Jesus Freaks
15. AKA… Broken Arrow
16. Half The World Away (Oasis cover)
17. (Stranded On) The Wrong Beach

Encore: 

1. Little By Little (Oasis cover)
2. The Importance of Being Idle (Oasis cover)
3. Don’t Look Back In Anger(Oasis cover)

Now, Now, Live @ Johnny Brenda’s

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concert video, indie music, johnny brendas, live music, live philly concerts, No Sleep Records, now now, now now band

An amazing trio out Minneapolis, MN called Now, Now came through Philly October 20th. Their fuzzy, synth-driven rock sounded fantastic at Johnny Brenda’s and we enjoyed hearing their staples and new songs very much.

Now, Now play live at JB's in Philly

Now, Now is comprised of Cacie Dalager (vocals, guitar, keyboard), Bradley Hale (drums, backing vocals), and Jess Abbott (guitar, vocals). Formed back in 2003, the band has matured and so has it’s sound. This maturation is even represented in their change of name from Now, Now Every Children to just Now, Now.  Now, Now’s popularity soared after their performance at the 2009 Bamboozle tour and they have been building on this since. With 4 EP’s and 1 LP to their credit, the band has garnered a large following.

On this night the trio played a seemingly flawless show and even threw in a bonus song at the end of their performance per audience request.  A great band to see live, we have several videos from the evening to share with you:

Check LPC on youtube for more videos from this performance!