Artist: Scene

After successfully funding her latest record on PledgeMusic, local singer-songwriter Birdie Busch is set to release Birdie Busch and the Greatest Night in January. Busch will celebrate with a show at Johnny Brenda's on January 18th that doubles as both a record release party and Busch's fourth annual "Philly Opry" variety show; Brooklyn guitarist Jason ... Continue reading �

December's Tuesday Tune-Out hosts Bands in the Backyard welcome the colorful indie rock of Thee, Idea Men and the folk rock of Katie Frank to PhilaMOCA for this week's music and film event.  Both bands released new music this year - Thee, Idea Men put out Getcho Groo Von in May and Katie Frank shared ... Continue reading �

• Gretchen Lohse - Primal Rumble

The incredible New Year's Eve shows keep rolling in, the latest being thrown by The Deli Philly at "the Penn frat house that has been the East Coast punk rock toga party for well over two decades now" (you'll have to Google that to find out the somewhat-secret location).  So far only Dangerous Ponies have ... Continue reading �

Scottish indie band Frightened Rabbit will be coming back to Philadelphia in the spring; today the band announced a date at Union Transfer for Saturday, April 6th.  The indie-rockers released their State Hospital EP in September and have their major label debut Pedestrian Verse coming out in February.  Tickets for the all-ages show will go ... Continue reading �

Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore teamed up with frequent on-stage collaborator John Moloney (Howlin' Rain) for the experimental Caught on Tape release earlier this year, and the duo is now taking the project on the road.  Moore's work has spanned the punk rock, avant-garde singer-songwriter and drone-y noise genres over the years and this latest work ... Continue reading �

British troubadour Passenger travels to World Cafe Live tonight.  Mike Rosenberg released his latest album All the Little Lights in July while busking throughout Europe and the UK on a DIY tour.  If being chosen to open for Ed Sheeran isn't praise enough for Rosenberg's ability to craft soulful, heartfelt compositions, just take a look ... Continue reading �

Vancouver, BC duo Japandroids shook the walls at their midsummer Johnny Brenda's show and tonight they'll shake the walls of Union Transfer.  Japandroids are touring in support of an album many consider to be one of the year's best (here, here and here).  The punk rockers released Celebration Rock earlier this year and were subsequently named Band of ... Continue reading �

We met Philly DIY collective Roof Doctor back in October when The Key interviewed lead guitarist/vocalist Mark Harper about his band's beginnings and desire to start a beef with Conor Oberst.  While the beef never happened, the folk-rock-with-a-saxophone band has been busy since that interview, remastering their first album I Am Going To Die for CD ... Continue reading �

For nearly a decade now, Rachael Yamagata has seduced and charmed audiences with her gorgeous vocals and rare ability to encapsulate love and heartbreak in a 4-minute pop song.  Her exceptional voice and songwriting have won the hearts of everyone from Rhett Miller to Ryan Adams (both of whom she’s collaborated with), not to mention ... Continue reading �

Reggae-pop rapper Matisyahu is stopping by The Electric Factory on 12/12/12 in support of his latest chart-topping album Spark Seeker.  The "King Without a Crown" artist may have a new haircut but his songs are as compelling as always on the new release.  We have a pair of tickets to his "Festival of Light" show ... Continue reading �

We've all heard about it by now: Beck, the cutting-edge musician who gave us leaf blowers on stage and the 1994 hit "Loser," set forth his latest release in an unconventional medium - a songbook.  Available this week and distributed by McSweeney's and Faber, Song Reader: Twenty New Songs by Beck features unrecorded songs in ... Continue reading �

With so much of our life's activities spent playing virtual games, it's refreshing to know that gaming still exists in real time and real life. This is where XPN member and business woman Debbie Gold comes in. Gold is the founder and owner of Gold Standard Games, a company that released the highly successful Grateful ... Continue reading �

With just over 50 days until their Kanine Records debut Yeah, Right LP finally gets set loose (can we project an official countdown on the Ben Franklin Bridge or something?), Bleeding Rainbow shed some light on the future of their original namesake Reading Rainbow and talk about some childhood shenanigans in this new in-studio video ... Continue reading �

Not one to shy away from big statements ahead of album releases, Philly's own "Constant Hitmaker" Kurt Vile has something to say about his forthcoming 2013 record: "It's totally our Tusk, but no cheese. Just rock."  Vile spoke with Spin earlier this week about the "epic" new release and while it's still untitled, we can ... Continue reading �

Plow United turned in their punk rock digs for conventional life in 1998, taking up normal jobs and watching their records go out of print.  But after filling a slot at the 2011 Riot Fest East in Philadelphia, the Wilmington-born trio seemingly picked up right where they left off.  Ok, maybe not right where they ... Continue reading �

Virginian seven-piece The Last Bison perform at World Cafe Live Upstairs tonight.  With a folk-roots style that places them in the same breath as The Lumineers and The Decemberists, The Last Bison create music steeped in the Appalachian tradition of the past.  Their debut EP Inheritance was released in October and features the free download ... Continue reading �

It's the last month of 2012, meaning one final round of Tuesday Tune-Out showcases at PhilaMOCA. This month's curators are the venerable Bands In The Backyard crew, who bring some adventurous pairings of music and film for the next three Tuesdays. I knew that I dug what these guys were up to as soon as ... Continue reading �

Under The Influence wanted to play a special set for their friends before they went to the Bacardi NH7 Weekender 2012, Bangalore, and we tagged along.

El Vez (The Mexican Elvis) is celebrating the yuletide season with a show at World Cafe Live tonight.  Billed as El Vez Mexmas!, the Latin singer will perform holiday favorites with a Mexican twist alongside his stage companions The Elvettes, sprinkling in some cabaret-style entertainment and exciting costume changes.  Tickets and more information for the ... Continue reading �

World Cafe Travel Adventures went to Memphis and Clarksdale, Mississippi in October. While in Clarksdale, as part of WXPN’s Mississippi Blues Project, the group visited Red’s Lounge, a legendary juke joint featured in the documentary, We Juke Up In Here!. In the video below, Red Paden, the owner of Red’s, talks about the rich history ... Continue reading �