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:

 

Quilt, Live @ Johnny Brenda’s

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brooklyn, Burger Records, concert video, johnny brendas, live music, live philly concerts, mexican summer, Quilt, Quilt band, R5 Productions

Quilt weaves a refreshing psych-folk sound with both laid back and cut loose guitar and drums.  The Boston-based trio joins several projects producing quality throw-back stylings ripe with variation, texture and originality.  John Andrews, Anna Rochinski and Shane Butler have put music out on several of our favorite labels including Mexican Summer and Burger records and perhaps for this reason drew our intense interest initially. Only highly listenable tracks could sustain it.

Playing numerous songs off their late 2011 release, Quilt, as well as new tracks to be on a yet to be releases album, the band put forth a solid first Philly performance.  We wish the time honored tradition of no encores by an opener was ignored.  More tracks would have been welcomed and enjoyed.  As Anna switched back and forth between guitar and organ while providing vocals, John toiled away mesmerizing on the skins and John flowed between solo and beat chiming in on vocals as well, time stood still and we felt lucky to be there.

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:

Mariachi El Bronx, Live @ Johnny Brenda’s

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concert video, johnny brendas, live music, live philly concerts, Los Angeles, Mariachi El Bronx, Mariachi El Bronx Band, Sailor Jerry Show, Sailor Jerry Show Philadelphia, Spotify link, The Bronx Mariachi

Mariachi El Bronx is the Mariachi incarnation of the punk band The Bronx hailing from LA, CA.  After an acoustic set was requested in 2008, the band decided to take it a completely different direction and infused their sound with a very Latin influence – one of the Son Jaliscience typification.  2009 would see Mariachi El Bronx releasing its first of, now, two albums in this style all of which was written and arranged while on tour.

++ Mariachi El Bronx on Spotify ++ 

The current Mariachi El Bronx live setup includes full Mariachi charro regalia and true-to-genre instruments.  There is no faking it and their sound is authentic enough for us.   Mariachi is a genre of music that originated in the State of Jalisco, in Mexico. It is an integration of stringed instruments highly influenced by the cultural impacts of the historical development of Western Mexico.  The band utilized traditional instruments such as the violin, guitarrón, guitarra de golpe, vihuela, guitar, trumpet, and incorporated a tailored set of drums with their logo emblazoned.

The band stays true to its punk attitude though with Matt pandering to the crowd before and after each track as can be seen in some of our videos.  Pretty hilarious. Matt Caughthran, Joby J. Ford, Jorma Vik, Ken Mochikoshi-Horne, Brad Magers, Vince Hidalgo, and Ray Suen put on quite the show and deviate fantastically from your standard show fare.  Truly a sight to behold, get out and support them and check out our videos 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:

Widowspeak, Live @ Johnny Brenda’s 0412

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brooklyn, captured.tracks, johnny brendas, live music, live philly concerts, R5 Productions, widowspeak, widowspeak band

This was our second time catching Widowspeak and it was as delightful as the first. What was rendered the evening of April 15th 2012 was certainly a more honed and confident performance indicative of the extensive touring that had taken place in the interim.

There was also one additional member; Pamela Garavano-Coolbaugh.  This afforded a more dynamic sound and the volume of people on stage matched that of the performance’s auditory depth.  All of the original three, Molly Hamilton, Rob Thomas, and Mike Stasiak are still in the group and sounding better than ever.  Molly still has her enchanting voice, Rob is still killing it on guitty, Mike is still holding it down on drums.  Every bit as personable as the first time we caught them on their inaugural Philly performance,  Widowspeak replicated on and off stage impressiveness.  We hesitate at gushing, but shit, we just did it.  And this band truly deserves it.

Check out some videos from the evening below and dig the guitar solo in Nightcrawlers – boss.

Dice Raw, Live @ Johnny Brenda’s

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concert video, Def Jam, Dice Raw, Dj Sugar Shay, johnny brendas, Karl Jenkins, live music, live philly concerts, Local Philly Band, Lushlife album release party, Money Msking Jam Boys, Philly Rapper, Spotify link, The Roots, The Roots Crew

Philly Hip-Hop legend Dice Raw (aka Karl Jenkins) with Roots crew affiliation and Money Making Jam Boys ilk rhymed like a gold-medaler for the Lushlife album release party at Johnny Brenda’s in Fishtown on April 17th.  Spitting verses from his DeNiro-eque career track credits, Dice came across as an authority to the craft in a performance most moving.

++ Dice Raw on Spofity ++

Taking the stage in a vintage-looking grey and black power suit and glasses, vodka in hand, Dice Raw was total class act.  Verses were prepared with quiet effort and care with beats supplied by DJ Sugar Shay (sp?); Dice’s new set DJ.  Diverse, powerful, moving, searching, and clever samples combined with Dice crowd engagement made this a must see set.  One of the greatest Rap performances we have ever seen.   Sufficed to say, there was no mumbling on the mic.  The crisp sound of JB’s lent itself well to Dice’s flow and Sugar Shay’s turntableism.  Check out our video below and witness a Philly star.  Also, Gotye is sampled in the second video.  I know you will like this:

Poor Moon, Live @ Johnny Brenda’s

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Casey Wescott, Christian Wargo, concert video, Ian Murray, johnny brendas, live music, live philly concerts, Peter Murray, Poor Moon, Poor Moon band, R5 Productions, Seattle, Sub-Pop

The massively talented quartet Poor Moon consisting of Christian Wargo (Fleet Foxes, Crystal Skulls) Casey Wescott (Fleet Foxes, Cystal Skulls) and brothers Ian and Peter Murray (The Christmas Cards) played JB’s in Philly on April 15th. The band was named for frontman and primary songwriter Christian Wargo’s favorite Canned Heat song and seems to abstractly encapsulate the group’s constitution.

++ Poor Moon on Spotify ++

Now on Sub Pop records, the band produces a hybrid jug band type of music, sans jugs – that is to say, they play a music ripe with tradition and new era instrumentation.  Born out of a long distance exchange of ideas and sounds, Poor Moon has grown into a mature sound that is certainly multi-faceted.  We truly enjoyed their set and are pleased to present you with multiple videos below: