Selling the Soul: Free Concerts with MGMT, Amanda Blank, YACHT

When it came to selling the Soul, their mini-MPV - that stands for multi-purpose vehicle, I'm told - the South Korean carmakers Kia could have just bought the rights to Sam & Dave's "Soul Man." Or perhaps built a promotional campaign around Robert Johnson's "Crossroads Blues," and revamped the whole concept of selling your Soul to the Devil.

But the automotive Soul sellers are going for something edgier and more youthful than that, and as a result we've got four nights of free shows in Philadelphia this week under the Soul Collective rubric, with a cavalcade of marquee alt- acts, starting Thursday with YACHT and culminating Sunday with MGMT (that's them above). They're all coming to the 23rd Street Armory in Philadelphia. (That's not to be confused with the 33rd Street Armory, where M.I.A., Nirvana and the Notorious B.I.G. have played in years past.)

It's complicated, so pay attention. It starts on Thursday with YACHT, the Marfa, Texas and Portland, Oregon based electronic duo of Jonah Bechtolt of The Blow and Claire L. Evans who most winningly describe themselves as "a Band, Belief System and Business," and whose See Mystery Lights is one of the highlights of the season. On Thursday night, they play after a DJ set by Mad Decent's Paul Devro. You can RSVP to the YACHT event here.

To get into the shows on Friday and Saturday is simpler: you just show up. POPO and Philadelphia's own Amanda Blank - see my interview with her here  - play on Friday, and The Drums and Francis and The Lights are on Saturday, with a whole bunch of DJs spinning both days. But if you want to get into to see MGMT on Sunday, you have to test drive a Soul at some point over the weekend. (The Armory, at 22 S. 23rd Street, will be open from 12 to 8, presumably with cars available, from Friday though Sunday.)

Got all that? If not, here's the Soul Collective site that explains it all. Below is the video for MGMT's breakout hit from last year, "Time To Pretend."

Previously: Leonard Cohen Falls Down, Gets Back Up