We are sad to hear that this Saturday's show at MilkBoy Philly will be the last one for New Motels . We've always been fans of the Jenkintown four-piece. They headlined the very first Deli Philly showcase that we put together at Johnny Brenda's so we certainly have a warm spot for them. Come out and send them off proper, and hopefully we'll get to hear classic beauties like "Modern Thinker," "Drama of the Hollywood Scene," and "West Coast Brawl" for one last sing-along. New Motels will also be joined by Lightninging and Left of Logic [...]
Photo by John Vettese You might remember New Motels from when they played The Key Launch Party earlier this year. This past Sunday, the Jenkintown quartet brought its high-kickin' tunes to the WXPN studios for an interview with Jake Rabid and a session that was so good we aired it right away. The Motels' nail-everything-on-the-first-t ake work ethic was impressive, as was their stylistic blend; I'm picking up hints of Squeeze, "Range Life"-y Pavement, and Costello-style pub rock. Check out an assortment of their songs below, and mark your calendar: they [...]
There's plenty of truth to be found this weekend in the old saying "Too much music, not enough time." Every year when I go to SXSW, I am immediately overwhelmed by the choices and sheer number of bands that I want to see. But the secret to making it through SXSW is to not get hung up on what you'll miss and to just focus on a show-going schedule that you can actually make work. This year's Philly F/M Fest is a lot like that: a ton of excellent music (and movies), and no possible way to take [...]
Any band that has spent a good amount of time on the road knows the many comforts of a night's stay in even the shabbiest roadside motel. Sure, it probably costs more than the amount of money you made at that night's show—but, when you've spent the last two weeks in a van with a handful of stinking bandmates and sleeping on grubby couches, you can't put a price on a hot shower or a good night's sleep in a real bed. Then again, the draw of New Motel's "Modern Thinker" is such that, should the song be [...]
The Philadelphia Film and Music Festival livens up the city this coming weekend. For those of you not familiar with it I'll let the press release do the talking: THE PHILADELPHIA FILM AND MUSIC FESTIVAL or "PHILLY F/M" for short) is a four-day festival taking place at over 30 music and film venues, with free outdoor stages, day parties and a record fair. Philly F/M will take place on Thursday, Sept 23 - Sunday, Sept 26th, 2010 and will feature a wide variety of regional, national and international musicians and films. The festival strives to be [...]
If you're looking for a way to kick of your Fourth Of July holiday this coming weekend, you need look no further than what may be Philadelphia's finest rock and roll venue, Johnny Brenda's . In one of the truly must see shows of the weekend, Bag Of Songs favorites, In Grenada & New Motels take the stage along with the the highly raved about Busses . All three bands have new cds hot off the press, with this Friday's show being the official release party for In Grenada 's Break [...]
Lately I've been suffering from a lack of deep thoughts. The most profound one I've had in the past couple weeks has been, How come no matter which way you put a pair of underwear in the wash, when they come out of the dryer they always end up inside-out? Believe me, I've tried both ways and it doesn't seem to make a difference, the result is always the same. Sigh. Thankfully, other people are thinking deep thoughts. I know this because I recently got a free subscription to [...]
Hope you enjoyed your Friday. Saturday and Sunday are no let down either. A few bands decided to come through the area starting Saturday and finish off elsewhere in the region Sunday, plus plenty of one-nighters to chose from. So I guess I'll get right to it. Spoon from bands myspace Not much hasn't been said about Austin-based Spoon . Probably THE indie band of all indie bands is the best way I can describe them. Chopped vocals, great instrumentation and [...]
The Ting Tings (via band's myspace) Guess it doesn't matter that half of the regional artists are in Texas or slowly making their way back home, because there are some absolutely stellar shows this weekend to check out. Loads of huge names, plus quite a few locals that you don't see much of. Friday The Ting Tings are at 9:30 Club for a sold out show (seems to be a lot of them recently). Along for the ride is [...]
Tonight in Baltimore don't miss out on some heated shows for a cold night. The Talking Head has The Golden Filter, Future Islands, and Smart Growth while the Hexagon has Microwave Background, Holy Ghost Party, and Weekends. If you head down to DC you can catch a few solid shows as well. The Red and the Black has Fffever, Kitty Hawk, The Naked Hearts, and Fugitive Kind while the Black Cat has Nightmares On Wax. Also don't let it slip your mind that it's night # three of shows by Thievery Corporation [...]
Another weekend, another set of great shows. Here's the lineup. Parts of Swervedriver, Interpol and The Album Leaf join to create Magnetic Morning . Lead singer Adam Franklin seems to be everywhere, doing solo work, reuniting with Swervedriver and working with MM. They will be performing in DC at the Rock & Roll Hotel Friday night and Johnny Brenda's in Philly Saturday. Joining them is Springhouse . Also on board for the DC how is Julie Ocean and The Jet [...]
Before " Power Pop Day " is officially over, we thought it might be cool to point you in the direction of some new kids on the block, who not only swipe moves and give nods to the power pop greats of yesteryear, but are also paving the road to the genre's bright future. Also, we know that p-pop kind of gets a bad rap, mostly for being a little bit lame, and a lot bit cheesy. What we tried to bring you here are people doing something a little different with the formula than just ripping off the Knack [...]
Summer is winding down, kids are going back to school and bands are finishing their summer tours or starting fall ones. This weekend is very front heavy with a lot of action on Friday then tapering down to a single show on Sunday. Most are one city shows so be sure to check out who is where. The 80's are making a huge comeback. So many artists and groups that thrived in the early MTV era are going out on reunion tours after years of not performing. [...]
This Sunday, June 22, M Room in Philadelphia is where you'll want to be when Bag Of Songs Presents three of Philly's finest: Adam & Dave's Bloodline , New Motels and RunRunner along with Brooklyn's Secret Life Of Sofia . This should be one amazing night of music that you don't want to miss. To commemorate this special event I have copies of the limited edition signed and numbered silk screened posters(shown above) designed by artist [...]
It's almost the weekend and May has started. It's time to get to some shows. WXPN is having a little CD release party for its latest XPN Local volume. Doors open at 6 and the music starts at 7. Its an all local show (as you probably figured) featuring great acts from around the Philly region. Most notably, Bucks county natives Illinois and singer-songwriter extraordinaire Peasant are on the bill. This event is free, but you must sign up at [...]
Looking for something to do in the Philadelphia area tonight ? Head on down to The Khyber for the final night of the Cheers Elephant / Drink Up Buttercup January residency. Four great bands to keep your winter night warm. I'll be there, stop by and say hi. Tuesday January 29th Drink Up Buttercup,Cheeer Elephant,The New Motels, and The Major Leagues 8 PM at The Khyber 56 S. 2nd Street Philadephia, PA 19106 MP3 : Drink Up Buttercup - Young Ladies [...]
Jam packed. That's the only description for this Saturday in terms of live shows. In Baltimore, the Ottobar hosts Squaaks, The Payola Reserve, The Motorettes, and John Hardy Boys. In DC, These United States govern the Black Cat with The Hackensaw Boys and John Bustine. The Velvet Lounge has a hip hop showcase featuring Flex Mathews, Good Will Ink, Oddisee, Enoch, XO, YU, and DJ V-Roc. Finally in Philadelphia, New Motels roll into the Khyber along with The Minor White, The Moneynotes, and Paul Rogai. Have [...]
It's time to travel this week for most bands to New York for CMJ next week. Expect a lot of great bands to head through the region in the coming days. Friday night is no exception. Swing by The Khyber for Scranton's The Sw!ms , joined by locals New Motels . Also on the bill is our friends from Baltimore, Squaaks and all the way from Little Rock, American Princes , passing through on their way to NYC. The Sw!ms - We Need Lava New Motels - [...]
Inspired by my guest post today over at The Late Greats , here's a Philly music bonanza for you to check out. When The Duke asked me to pick my Philly 7 From '07, I couldn't just stop it at 7 and decided to take it to the limit. Worst Trip - Dr. Dog Dr. Dog myspace Ball of The Dead Rat - The Teeth [...]
The Virgins - Love is Colder than Death I think the bass lines in a of songs are incredibly simple and incredibly catchy. They have these little flourishes to them and change-ups during the songs, like in this one where the rest of the music drops out and it's just a double-time bass. Myspace Moving Units - Crash N' Burn Victim I was a fan of their debut album a couple years back, and if this song is representative of their new [...]
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