Our weekly concert picks: May 13–May 19
What we’re seeing live this week!
What we're seeing live this week!
Wednesday, May 13–Friday, May 15: The 15th Annual Non-Commvention
Non-Commvention, or Non-Comm (as they say in the biz), is a 3-day music conference for radio stations, industry insiders, and music fans, created by WXPN DJ Dan Reed and hosted at World Café Live. More than 30 artists will take the stage this Wednesday through Friday, including up-and-comers like Natalie Prass and Borns, old skoolers like Blues Traveler and JJ Grey & Mofro, local faves like Dr. Dog, and this old dude you might have heard of named Brian Wilson. It kicks off Wednesday night, with a 2-stage music showcase, then continues Thursday and Friday with selected performances and lectures during the day, and even more performances at night. Originally conceived as a way to for non-commercial radio station employees to gather together and discover new music, Non-Comm has since blossomed into a great way for anyone — music insider or not — to soak up a ridiculous amount of talent in a short period, without having to camp somewhere far away or use porta-potties. Now to convince your boss to give you 3 days off this week…
Noon Wednesday through Friday at World Café Live, 3025 Walnut St., $100 (for all 3 days). Tickets available here.
Thursday, May 14: Surfer Blood
What happens to a buzz band after the hype? Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun? This is a question I often ponder when thinking about buzz bands past, who soldier on five, seven years after their Best New Music tags expire. Some fizzle out, crushed under the attention; some veer off into less compelling directions. And some "sell out" to the establishment, releasing less interesting, more vanilla follow-ups to breakout records that were raw and genuine. If you had asked me six months ago, I would have put Surfer Blood, the South Florida punks whose 2010 debut Astro-Coast was perfect pool party music — in the latter category. The fresh-faced foursome slayed so much face the first time I saw them live, front man John Paul Pitts sweating and raging. Shortly after, they signed to Warner Brothers, and released their second record, Pythons — which compared to Astro-Coast seemed unmemorable and bland. The second time I saw them live they were lackluster. So I was psyched to hear "Grand Inquisitor," the opening track on new record 1000 Palms — recorded DIY-style by the band after WB dropped them — find that same passion once more. It's not as youthful or exuberant as Astro-Coast — but then again, the men of Surfer Blood are not as youthful or fresh-faced either. Instead, it shows a band finally figuring out what they want to be — and in this case, it's thundering, fuzzy, and perfect pop.
8:30 at Boot & Saddle, 1131 S. Broad St., $12–14. Tickets available here.
Friday, May 15: Tennis
Colorado indie-pop trio Tennis are a band I hold near and dear, whose music reminds me of summer and everything I love about the season: beaches and boats; suntan lotion and tropical drinks (served in coconuts); listening to doowop and girl groups while BBQ'ing in the backyard with friends. Formed in 2010 by couple Alaina Moore and Patrick Riley following a 7-month boat trip down the Eastern seaboard, Tennis made a splash (!) with 2010's Baltimore, a two-song EP containing two perfect slices of vacation pop that attracted all the right attention. Since then, they've evolved into a more fully-formed entity, adding a drummer (James Barone) and releasing three full-lengths, each of which fleshes out their minimalist concoctions a little more. Inspired by Brill Building pop, twee, new wave, and sun-drenched fantasies, Tennis tap into something effortlessly lovely, that leaves the listener refreshed. Their most recent, Ritual In Repeat, is a lush, dreamy collection of vintage-inspired pop that still keeps the focus where it belongs: on Moore's vocals and sense of melody. They play Milkboy Philly this Friday; come soak up summer vibes.
8:30 at Milkboy Philly, 1100 Chestnut St., sold out.
Saturday, May 16: Up the Chain
Up the Chain is the project of Reed Kendall, Philadelphian and musical soul, who has a penchant for crafting simple, meaningful, folk-pop. A musician since childhood, who performed his first show at age 13, and self-released his first record while still in high school — Kendall spent his post-college years touring America, troubadour-style, before returning to Philly to form Up the Chain some 7 years back. Originally a solo vehicle with a rotating cast of contributors, the project has since evolved into the steady line-up of Kendall, Kirby Sybert, and Noah Skaroff, who together craft tight, breezy, afternoon pop—and who have spent the past year travelling to Germany, Switzerland, and across the country, finding new fans and winning them over. This weekend, they return home to Philly to celebrate the release of new EP Windows Into Worlds, their debut offering as a trio and a beautiful collection of mellow songs. Stream it first to get psyched — then show up early for locals Bill McCloskey (of Toy Soldiers fame) and The Bernhardt Family Band.
8:30 at Boot & Saddle, 1131 S. Broad St., $10. Tickets available here.
See also: Sandcastle with Mystic Braves at Johnny Brenda's (Wednesday, May 13), Lightning Bolt at the First Unitarian Church (Thursday, May 14), Mac McCaughan (of Superchunk) at Underground Arts (Friday, May 15), Jam on the River (Saturday, May 16), The Tallest Man on Earth at The Tower (Saturday, May 16), Polaris at Underground Arts (Saturday, May 16), Baauer and Spank Rock at KFN (Saturday, May 16), Northern Arms with Mercury Radio Theater at Johnny Brenda's (Saturday, May 16), Beach Fossils at Boot & Saddle (Tuesday, May 19)