Our weekly concert picks: February 5–February 11
Fight the weather + go out and party!
Fight the weather + go out and party!
Thursday, February 6: Mutual Benefit
The music blogosphere might be mostly overrun with news of Miley's latest twerking outrage or Bieb's drag racing exploits, but every once in a while, it comes through for us, and introduces us to a great, new band we would never have found ourselves. Case in point: amorphous experimentalists Mutual Benefit, the brainchild of Jordan Lee, whose debut record Love's Crushing Diamond became the first Bandcamp release to go on to earn Pitchfork Best New Music marks last fall, and who've been a burgeoning act to watch ever since. (The record was later re-released on Other Music). The product of years of creative tinkering, piecing together studio fragments with Lee's own bedroom recordings, Diamond is a gorgeous, ethereal journey through lush orchestration and frail, stirring vocals that's earned comparisons to Sufjan and Animal Collective. Lee stops by Boot & Saddle this Thursday along with his band, where the small space and cozy vibes should provide the perfect setting for his intimate creations. Before you go: check out this video of "Advanced Falconry" live and prepare to be swept away.
8:30 at Boot & Saddle, 1131 S. Broad St., $10. Tickets available here.
Saturday, February 8: Mission of Burma
As we move further and further from our college days, and wearing the same pair of cigarette-burned jeans four days in a row, chances are we spend less time watching bands in dark, sweaty basements and more time in actually nice places. Which makes the occasional basement ragefest all the more satisfying, and—in the case of famed punks Mission of Burma—the best way to experience the cacophony. An experimental, post-punk group formed in the late '70s by friends in Boston, MA, Mission of Burma released just one record during their heyday (1982's Vs.), before breaking up due to front man Roger Miller's tinnitus—but would go on to influence a generation of alt-rockers with complex, capricious, and cathartic rockers. They later reformed in 2002 and continued to churn out ragers, proving that just because you're old doesn't mean you can't be punk—and will now play a very raucous show this Saturday at the First Unitarian Church. Also on the bill: Philly punks Bleeding Rainbow, whose new record Interrupt drops February 25, and whose new video for "So You Know" is surprisingly sweet.
8:30 at the First Unitarian Church, 2125 Chestnut St., $15. Tickets available here.
Saturday, February 8: Pissed Jeans
Philly sludge-punkers Pissed Jeans are the type of band every 30-year-old Hukser Dü fan wishes he was a part of—exploring banal topics like health care and cafeteria food with wit, fury, and the force of 10,000 mosh pits. In the past 8 years, they're released four full-lengths, including the recent Honeys—which offers both biting commentary (the incisive "Male Gaze") and hilarious diatribes (the uncomfortable "Bathroom Laughter"), while pretty much insisting you rage your face off (label Sub Pop describes it as "a recorded loop of a marching band being pushed down a waterslide"). They play Union Transfer this Saturday; arrive early for openers Purling Hiss, a.k.a. Philly's most twisted guitar jammers, and hard-hitting power punk duo Trophy Wife. Anyone who says the Philly music scene doesn't have balls pretty much needs to be dragged to this and humbled stat, because this sh*t will rock, hard.
8:30 at Union Transfer, 1026 Spring Garden St., $15. Tickets available here.
Sunday, February 9: Upset
Indie supergroup of sorts Upset joins Massachusetts punks Potty Mouth and Philly goth rockers Psychic Teens for a DIYer's wet dream (homemade band tee not included). Vivian Girls might have officially called it quits in the new year, but our fave punk ladies rage on: Katy Goodman with La Sera, Cassie Ramone with The Babies, and Ali Koehler, the second and most memorable of the Viv Girl drummers, with Upset, a new project featuring Hole's Patty Schemel, and guitarist Jenn Prince. (It's worth mentioning that the other two Viv Girl drummers, Frankie Rose and Fiona Campbell, are still very active too.) As Upset, Koehler takes on lead vocals and guitar, tapping into her punk and emo roots to craft jangly, indie pop gems like the sunny "Phone Calls" and the dour "Oxfords and Wingtips." They're joined Sunday night by two other bands recently featured here: Northampton punk princesses Potty Mouth and Philly New Order devotees Psychic Teens. Wear layers, because things will get sweaty.
8:00 at Kung Fu Necktie, 1250 N. Front St., $10–12. Tickets available here.
Sunday, February 9: Phosphorescent
January's Phosphorescent show (postponed due to snow) gets rescheduled for this Sunday. (Read what we originally had to say about it here). Can you think of a better way to end your weekend than with Matthew Houck's bluesy folk anthems? I think you already know the answer.
8:30 at Union Transfer, 1026 Spring Garden St., $18. Tickets available here.