Opulent October

Thursday 10/1
(21+) The Soft Pack, TBA @ Johnny Brenda's $12
OR
SOLD OUT Sunny Day Real Estate, The Jealous Sound @ The Troc
OR
(21+) The Mint, Lovemakers, Overlook, The Gills @ The Khyber $8

Friday 10/2
Ra Ra Riot, Maps & Atlases, Princeton @ The Troc $15 (or @ 9:30 Club the previous night)
OR
Relient K, Copeland, Barcelona @ TLA $21

Saturday 10/3
Every Time I Die, Bring Me The Horizon, Oh Sleeper, Architects @ Electric Factory $20 (or previous night @ Sonar $19)
OR
Ghostface Killah @ The Troc $24
OR
Lights, Stars of Track and Field, The Dialogue @ Sonar $12

Sunday 10/4
In Flames, Between the Buried & Me, 3 Inches of Blood, The Faceless @ The Troc $27 (or the next night @ 9:30 Club $25)
OR
Skillet, Hawk Nelson, Decyfer Down, The Letter Black @ Electric Factory $28-48

Monday 10/5
Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Cymbals Eat Guitars, Depreciation Guild @ 1st Unitarian $12 (or @ Ottobar 10/1 $12)

Wednesday 10/7
Billy Talent, Poison the Well, AM Taxi @ TLA $18
OR
Grizzly Bear, Beach House @ Electric Factory $28
OR
Wovenhand @ B-sides FREE

Thursday 10/8
Senses Fail, A Skylit Drive, Closure in Moscow, Fact @ The Troc $19 (or $18 the night before @ Croc Rock)
OR
We Shot the Moon (ex-Waking Ashland), Lights Resolve, Destry @ Hangar 84 $15

Friday 10/9
Dinner and a Suit, Troubador (Homeboy Music)(show reviews here and here), Swie Back (Homeboy Music)(show review here) @ The Loft at the Auction House $7
OR
Asher Roth (show review here) @ Croc Rock $22

Saturday 10/10
The Bravery, Living Things, The Dustys @ TLA $20 (or the next night @ 9:30 Club $25
OR
The Mars Volta @ Electric Factory $35 (or @ Sonar 10/11 $42.50)
OR
August Burns Red (show review here), The Acacia Strain, Impending Doom, Mychildren Mybride @ Croc Rock $15
OR
Blitzen Trapper, Wye Oak @ Ottobar $14

Monday 10/12
Them Crooked Vultures (Dave Grohl of Nirvana & Foo Fighters, Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age & Eagles of Death Metal, John Paul Jones of Led Zeppelin) @ Electric Factory $47.50

Wednesday 10/14
Colbie Caillat, Howie Day, Trevor Hall @ Electric Factory $27 (or 10/17 @ 9:30 Club $35)
AND/OR
Tiesto @ Electric Factory $50
OR
The Urban Sophisticates (show review here) @ B-sides FREE
OR
BET's 106 & Park Tour: Trey Songz, Mario, Day 26, Sean Garrett, Icebloc @ Sonar $25

Thursday 10/15
SOLD OUT Andrew McMahon (Something Corporate, Jack's Mannequin) @ World Cafe Live
OR
Ray LaMontagne w/ Baltimore Symphony Orchestra @ The Music Center at Strathmore $44.50 (or the following night @ Meyerhoff Symphony Hall)

Friday 10/16
Built to Spill, Disco Doom, Violent Soho @ The Troc $24 (free 21+ DJ set by Doug Martsch of Built to Spill after the show)(or the following night @ 9:30 Club $25)

Saturday 10/17
(21+) SOLD OUT David Bazan (of Pedro the Lion, Headphones), Say Hi @ Kungfu Necktie $14
OR
SOLD OUT Paramore, Paper Route, The Swellers @ Electric Factory
OR
Lewis Black @ Academy of Music $45-65

Sunday 10/18
Mika @ Electric Factory $32
OR
SOLD OUT The Gaslight Anthem, Murder by Death, The Loved Ones, Broadway Calls @ The Troc (or the next day at the Troc $19)(or 10/22 @ 9:30 Club $20)
OR
Pitbull @ Croc Rock $20
OR
Hanson, Hellogoodbye, Steel Train, Sherwood @ 9:30 Club $30

Monday 10/19
New Found Glory @ Chameleon $17
OR
Brokencyde, Kill Paradise, Watchout! There's Ghosts, The Ready Set, Blood on the Dance Floor, Let's Get It @ Croc Rock $14
OR
Youth Group and guests @ Ottobar $12

Tuesday 10/20
Neon Indian, Post Post @ The Barbary $10
OR
From First to Last, Greeley Estates, Therefore I Am, The Color of Violence, Burden of a Day, Embrace the Beauty @ Chameleon $14

Wednesday 10/21
AC/DC @ Wachovia Center $92.50

Thursday 10/22
(21+) Portugal the Man, Drug Rug, Hockey @ Johnny Brenda's $12
OR
Rodrigo y Gabriela @ Electric Factory $37
OR
The Emergency Room (ex-Alkaline Trio) @ the Balcony in the Troc $14
OR
The Electric Six, The Gay Blades, Millions of Brazilians @ Sonar $14
OR
Dr. Dog and guests @ Ottobar $16

Friday 10/23
(21+) Rain Machine (ex-TV on the Radio), Sharon van Etten @ Johnny Brenda's $12
OR
The White Tie Affair, Every Avenue, Stereo Skyline, Runner Runner, The Lives of Famous Men, Victory in Numbers @ The Troc $14
OR
Dr. Dog @ TLA $19 (or the next day again)
OR
Shooter Jennings, Earl Greyhound @ World Cafe Live $15
OR
Powerhouse 2009: Jay-Z (link to concert video here), Keri Hilson (show review here), Jadakiss, Trey Songz, Day 26, Pleasure P, Mario, Jeremih @ Wachovia Center $10-250
OR
Project Pat @ Sonar $20
OR
MTV Ulalame Festival: Paramore, AFI, Dead by Sunrise (Chester Bennington from Linkin Park), Asher Roth (show review here), Kid Cudi @ Merriweather Post Pavilion $25-35

Saturday 10/24
From First to Last, Greeley Estates, Therefore I Am @ Hangar 84 $15

Sunday 10/25
Cartel, This Providence, The Summer Set, The Bigger Lights @ The Troc $17
OR
Andrew Bird, St. Vincent @ Electric Factory $27.50
OR
Drop Dead Gorgeous (show review here) @ Hangar 84 $15
OR
Taking Back Sunday (show review here), Anberlin (show review here), Fun, Gavin Castleton @ Croc Rock $23

Tuesday 10/27
Attack Attack (see complaints about crabcore here and here), I Set My Friends on Fire (hxc soulja boy), Miss May I, Our Last Night, The Color Morale @ 1st Unitarian $13 (or @ Ottobar the next night $14)
OR
Five For Fighting (acoustic set) @ World Cafe Live $25

Wednesday 10/28
The Used, The Almost (Aaron from Underoath) @ Electric Factory $29 (or w/ Drive A @ Croc Rock 10/24 $20 or @ Sonar 10/25 $25)
OR
The White Tie Affair, The Traveling Talent Show, Every Avenue @ Chameleon $14
OR
Zach Vinson @ B-sides FREE

Thursday 10/29
Haste the Day, Divide the Sky, Where the Ocean Meets the Sky, Wish Me Well, At Daybreak @ Hangar 84 $15

Friday 10/30
Cedric the Entertainer @ Academy of Music $59.50-69.50
OR
Army of Me (acoustic), Mike Mangione @ Chameleon $10
OR
Nevershoutnever, Meg & Dia, Now Now Every Children, Carter Hulsey @ Chameleon $15 (or @ Croc Rock 10/20)
OR
Finch, Blessthefall (show review here), Drop Dead Gorgeous (show review here), Vanna, Let's Get It @ Croc Rock $17 (or @ Sonar 10/26 $15)
OR
Junior Boys, Woodhands, Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt @ Sonar $14

Saturday 10/31
Hollywood Undead, Atreyu, Escape the Fate, The Feeling @ Electric Factory $28 (or @ Sonar the previous night)
OR
Silverstein, Madina Lake, I See Stars, The Word Alive @ Croc Rock $14
OR
Cypress Hill @ 9:30 Club $35

Show Review: Troubador and Letters from the Prom

Last Friday Messiah's Philadelphia Student Activities Board (PSAB), of which I am a member, put on a Homeboy Music show featuring my friends in Troubador and the big homie Marc Seeley, who goes by the moniker Letters from the Prom. The following will be my article on the subject for The Broad Street Journal student newspaper:

For the first time ever, MCPC had its own concert. On Friday, September 18th, students were serenaded by central Pennsylvania singer-songwriter Marc Seeley (otherwise known as Letters from the Prom) and Troubador, a band of youthful indie pop upstarts from South Jersey. Sipping hot cider and munching on s'mores and other snacks around a crackling fire in our beautiful backyard as live music floated over the gathered community prompted Director of Community Life Ryan Wilson to wonder, "Why haven't we done this before?"

Letters from the Prom is the solo project of Marc Seeley, a singer-songwriter so talented that he recorded all the tracks (vocals, guitars, bass, drums, keys) on his debut album "Nostalgia Is Dead... And You Killed It" himself. A self-taught musician, he treated us to an hour-long acoustic set of his own material, peppered with occasional covers as diverse as The Postal Service and Bob Dylan, closing with his almost absurdly catchy tune "Discover & Deliver".

Troubador, fresh from a performance on Radio 104.5's local spotlight "Live at 5", played a short set of material from their upcoming "Between the Truth and the Lies" EP and a cover of Nirvana's "Heart Shaped Box". Lead vocalist and keyboardist Erika Ricchini was delighted to play in what she described as "a garden" despite a few minor technical difficulties. Due to a recent personnel change, the first few songs were played with keys, acoustic guitar, and one drum for an effect some students described as "like a lullaby" before being joined by the full kit, electric guitar, and bass for the latter half of the performance.

Be sure to check the bands out at www.youtube.com/icoelmono and www.myspace.com/troubadormusic respectively and look forward to more upcoming PSAB events!

Here's a live electric version of "Discover & Deliver" by Letters from the Prom:


and a video of Troubador performing "Between the Truth and the Lies" on Radio 104.5:

The Future of Music

In case you were wondering, rap music is here to stay, but-regardless of what will.i.am. may tell you, it isn't all about that boom boom pow. Rappers are increasingly collaborating with live musicians, touring, and engaging in other "rocker" behavior, as proved by Kid Cudi's performance on Letterman with Ratatat, a string quartet, and backup singers:

Even Jay-Z has connected with so-called "hipster rappers" like Cudi, Pharrell (of N.E.R.D. and The Neptunes), and Sant(o/i)gold, along with more standard pop/r&b/hip-hop collaborations (wife Beyonce, Alicia Keys, Rihanna, Kanye West, Swizz Beatz, Mary J. Blige, Memphis Bleek, P. Diddy) and a show-stopping John Mayer performance, all of which were showcased in his Fuse-televised 9/11 benefit show at a sold-out Madison Square Garden in front of a live band (all of which can be found here).

Genre blending is the future. I read an academic paper that claimed hip-hop was the most postmodern form of music because of its basis in sampling and recontextualizing other material in our postmodern age. From Girl Talk's collage of pop samples, to M.I.A.'s Diplo-produced, Clash-sampling reggae/hip-hop "Paper Planes" (which was then sampled for T.I., Lil' Wayne, Kanye and Jay-Z's "Swagger Like Us"), to rappers' and popstars' current electronic obsession, the future of music is going to look a lot like Kid Cudi in front of an indie/electronica band, a string quartet and backup singers on late night TV.

Show Review: Iron & Wine and Roman Candle

Last weekend I returned to lovely Grantham, PA to see Iron & Wine at Messiah's main campus.

Roman Candle, the opening act for the evening, was an impressive Americana/rock'n'roll act playing with the kind of swagger that reminds me why some people (occasionally including myself) listen to country music. Catchy hooks and consummate musicianship combined with well-crafted and thought-provoking songwriting rewarded those in the audience who were initially drawn in by the band's excellent showmanship and confident stage presence. "Why Modern Radio Is A-OK" was the standout song of the evening-at least for my friends and I-with its ironically anthemic take on the quality and lyrical content differences between pop classics and contemporary tunes. You can find the mp3 for free here, but I strongly encourage you to support this band with your hard-earned ca$h, whether by attending a show or purchasing music. Their approach to the internet age is also admirable, maintaining an actual website rather than a myspace page and providing their music for the price of your choice.

Sam Beam (Iron & Wine's one and only member) began his return visit to Messiah College with his cover of The Postal Service's "Such Great Heights" (made famous by its inclusion on Zach Braff's handpicked indie-tastic Garden State soundtrack). His amazing ability to command a crowd's attention fascinated me throughout the evening as his phenomenal voice and nimble fingers filled the room with sound. Though he made the occasional mistake, his unflappability and witty banter maintained an air of casual professionalism rare in the solo performer. Whether it was his liberated approach to Christianity or the fact that he'd been at Messiah previously, his playing-at-a-Christian-college jokes were the best I've heard in my 3 years of Messiah concert-going, including light-hearted jabs at SAB advisor Jeff Rioux, commenting on the exception to the strong language policy granted for "Trapeze Singer", and joking about being "caught" smoking. After a fascinating set, he obliged the audience's request for an encore with a rendition of "Jezebel" that drove home my growing impression that his vocals sound better live, without the processing applied on his many albums. Consider an evening with Iron & Wine a night well spent.

*

*I realize of course that this is a video from his previous visit to Messiah, but the goal was to provide a glimpse of the live experience with high-quality audio to indicate the difference in his vocal.

Show Review: The Dream and Keri Hilson

Welcome week at Temple was filled with activities, including a free concert featuring The Dream and Keri Hilson.

The Dream is a genius in pop music, producing Rihanna's "Umbrella" and Beyonce's "Single Ladies", along with many other smash hits, having written for Mariah Carey, B2K, J. Holiday, Usher, Yung Joc, Jesse McCartney, Ciara, and Mary J. Blige. His performance career has also been filled with hits, included "Shawty is a 10", "Falsetto", "I Luv Your Girl", features on LL Cool J's "Baby", Gym Class Heroes' "Cookie Jar", and his own more recent hits "Rockin That Thang", "My Love" with Mariah Carey, and "Walking on the Moon" with Kanye West. This success has led to marriages to Nivea and more recently Christina Milian, as well as a vice presidency at Island Def Jam Records. Having seen him live, I think perhaps the Dream should stay more behind-the-scenes. Though he (surprisingly) managed to replicate his famous high notes live (for the most part), his stage presence was less than mesmerizing, with little to no dancing, only brief moments of crowd interaction, and a lack of light show or backup dancers for most of the performance to distract from his onstage inactivity. It would have been more interesting if they'd simply played a collection of his music videos on a large screen. To prove my point, here's his clip for "Rockin That Thang":


Keri Hilson, on the other hand, took the stage with an actual DJ backing her up like a rapper would, hyped up the crowd frequently, and was almost constantly joined onstage by backup dancers WITH whom she performed carefully choreographed and actually interesting routines. I had to leave because my friends weren't being allowed in due to late arrival and there was no re-entry, but Keri-for me anyway-lived up to the hype of her early work singing hooks for Timbaland on "The Way I Are" and other songs, writing and singing backup on Britney Spears' Blackout album, and playing the lead role in Usher's "Love in This Club" music video. Her debut album has spawned several hits including "Energy", "Turning Me On", and "Knock You Down". Her willingness to perform some of her early non-solo material and even a cover or two set her apart even more than her entertaining performance already had. If you're into pop/r&b, Keri Hilson is an excellent performer.

Sexy September

Hey kids,
It's time for another monthly show schedule. As of now my internet is still a bit weird, but I'm in Philly at Temple now, so that situation should be rectified in the near future, at which point you can expect more regular posting. I still owe you Warped Tour and Purple Door photoblogs, as well as possible guest reviews of Bob Dylan and Dream Theater from summer. There will also be a forthcoming post on Temple's welcome week concert featuring The Dream and Keri Hilson.
Peace, love, and rock'n'roll,
Foxy


Wednesday 9/2
The Love Language @ B-sides FREE

Thursday 9/3
Four Year Strong, Fireworks, Crime In Stereo, Title Fight @ 1st Unitarian $12
OR
Between the Buried & Me, My Children My Bride, Texas In July, ventriloquist, Below the Tide @ Chameleon $13
OR
The Wallflowers, Butterfly Boucher @ 9:30 Club $25
OR
Pet Shop Boys @ D.A.R. Constitution Hall $55-75

Saturday 9/5
Alice in Chains @ TLA ? (possibly sold out)
OR
Flood The Gates, A Century Collapsed (Homeboy Music), Life In Ruin, TBA @ Hangar 84 $14
OR
Counting Crows, Michael Franti and Spearhead, Augustana @ Merriweather Post Pavilion $35-75

Sunday 9/6
The Right Coast, Racing Kites, Boys of Summer, The Fervour, Darry Miller (Homeboy Music) @ Chameleon $9

Tuesday 9/8
Kings of Leon, The Features @ Merriweather Post Pavilion $36-46

Wednesday 9/9
Punchline, Farewell, Between the Trees @ Hangar 84 $14 (or @ Ottobar 9/7 $12)
OR
Mucca Pazza @ B-sides FREE

Friday 9/11
Absolutepunk.net Next Favorite Band Tour: Between the Trees, Farewell, Punchline, Action Item, Changing Leaves, Fast Track Romance, The Movement, Always Second Favorite, The Sandlot Heroes @ Croc Rock $12

Saturday 9/12
Texas In July, Circus Circus @ Croc Rock $10
OR
Trivium, White Chapel, Dirge Within, Darkest Hour @ Croc Rock $20
OR
Iron & Wine, Roman Candle @ Messiah College $25 (non-students)
OR
Cedric the Entertainer @ Academy of Music $70-80

Sunday 9/13
Perez Hilton presents: Ladyhawke, Ida Maria, Frankmusik, Semi Precious Weapons @ TLA $29.50 (or $20 @ 9:30 Club 9/12)
OR
ZZ Top @ 9:30 Club $75

Monday 9/14
Emmure, Evergreen Terrace, Stick To Your Guns, Oceano, For Today, Action Plan Process @ Hangar 84 $14
OR
ZZ Top @ 9:30 Club $75

Wednesday 9/16
Batida @ B-sides FREE

Thursday 9/17
And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead, Secret Machines, The G @ 1st Unitarian $12 (or 9/16 $20 @ 9:30 club)
OR
Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Jay Electronica, Medina Green, Black Landlord @ Electric Factory $37 (or $35 @ Sonar 9/16)
OR
Streetlight Manifesto, Outernational, Broadway Calls @ The Troc $17 (or 9/19 $14 @ Chameleon)
OR
Ingrid Michaelson, Greg Holden, Johnny Marnell @ TLA $23 (or 9/18 @ 9:30 Club $20)
OR
Yo La Tengo, Endless Boogie @ 9:30 Club $20
OR
Matt & Kim, Amanda Blank, The Intelligence @ Sonar $15

Friday 9/18
SOLD OUT Thursday, Fall of Troy, Young Widows, Moving Mountains@ 1st Unitarian $17
OR
Jedi Mind Tricks, Immortal Technique, Reef the Lost Cauze @ The Troc $22 (or 9/19 $20 @ Recher Theatre)
OR
Mercy Mercedes, Stereo Skyline, The Readyset, Tina Parole @ Hangar 84 $14 (or $12 @ The Note w/ Sommersault Sunday)
OR
CI Records 14th Anniversary: Open Ravine, Consumer, Motionless in White, This or the Apocalypse, Palermo, Oceans in Love, Adam Taylor, Albert React @ Chameleon $12
OR
Owl City, Kate Havnevik, Unicorn Kid @ The Note $16
OR
Dave Matthews Band @ Susquehanna Bank Center $42
OR
Secondhand Serenade, Parachute, Evan Taubenfeld & The Bust @ Recher Theatre $18

Sunday 9/20
Moby, Kelli Scarr @ Electric Factory $35 (or @ 9:30 Club 9/18)
OR
Stryper (25th Anniversary), Manic Drive @ Croc Rock $20 (or w/ Flight Patterns @ Chameleon 9/23)
OR
Family Force 5, Breathe Carolina, Cash Cash @ Chameleon $15
OR
Dave Matthews Band @ Susquehanna Bank Center $40-77
OR
Gwar, Job For A Cowboy, Mobile Death Camp @ Sonar $23

Monday 9/21
Craig Owens (of Chiodos), Automatic Love Letter (acoustic), The Scenic @ 1st Unitarian $14 (or $12 without The Scenic @ Croc Rock 9/22 or Ottobar 9/20)

Wednesday 9/23
victor victor Band @ B-sides FREE

Thursday 9/24
Regina Spektor @ Electric Factory $37 (or @ D.A.R. Constitution Hall 9/30 $45)
OR
She Wants Revenge, Kill Hannah, New Medicine, Six O'clock Saints @ The Troc $20

Friday 9/25
All That Remains, Lacuna Coil, Maylene & the Sons of Disaster, From Sword to Sunrise @ The Troc $20
OR
Mutemath, As Tall As Lions @ TLA $27 (or $23 9/24 @ Sonar)
OR
SOLD OUT Yeah Yeah Yeahs @ 9:30 Club

Saturday 9/26
Shwayze, B.O.B., Cold Flamez, Beardo, Tabi Bonney @ The Troc $19 (or 9/29 $18 @ Sonar)
OR
Mat Kearney, Diane Birch @ TLA $23 (or 9/24 @ 9:30 Club $25)(or $20 9/22 @ Recher Theatre)
OR
Parkway Drive, Gwen Stacy @ Hangar 84 $14
OR
Mae (show review here), Locksley, Deas vail @ Chameleon $14
OR
Snow Patrol, Plain White T's @ Tower Theater $30-43 (or 9/25 $35 @ D.A.R. Constitution Hall)
OR
The Prize Inside, House Exit (Homeboy Music) @ The Champion Ship $8

Sunday 9/27
A Day To Remember (show review here), Parkway Drive, In Fear and Faith, I See Stars @ Croc Rock $20

Monday 9/28
The Bled, Alesana, Broadway, Asking Alexandria, Madina Lake, Where The Ocean Meets The Sky @ Hangar 84 $14 (or 9/26 without opener @ Croc Rock)(or $17 with Carousel Kings @ Chameleon 9/27)

Tuesday 9/29
Wavves, Ganglians, Reading Rainbow @ 1st Unitarian $10 (or w/ Popo [Mad Decent] instead of Reading Rainbow @ Ottobar 9/30 $12)
OR
Lady GaGa @ D.A.R. Constitution Hall $25-150

Wednesday 9/30
Arctic Monkeys @ Electric Factory $27
OR
Texas in July @ B-sides FREE
OR
SOLD OUT Sunny Day Real Estate, The Jealous Sound @ 9:30 Club