Pine Barons
Weekend Warrior, September 22 - 24

Summertime has come and gone, and fall is upon us. However, those in need of some music therapy can hone in on one place, and make a two-day appointment. This Friday and Saturday, World Café Live hosts the succinctly named Philly Music & Arts Fest. Among the plethora of local artists canvassing both levels, the spellbinding free-floating melodies of Kississippi, the experimental existential-searching of Eric Slick, the serenading surges of Abi Reimold, the cruising, cosmic psych-pop of Ceramic Animal, and the infectious, rumbling emotives of Cayetana. The quintet of Tiny Hueman kicks off the affair on Saturday afternoon with the endearing open-book of Dominic continuing down the line. Familiarity meets futuristic in the groove-spiraling, psych folk of Pine Barons. Exploring personal depths with a robust energetic push, Sports instantly adheres. And the episodic, comforting narratives of Slaughter Beach, Dog and the candidly soulful hip-hop, hybrid observations of Ivy Sole serves as a snapshot of a lineup that offers a solid sampling of the litany of artistic excellence within our city. – Michael Colavita
Other places where the locals will be hanging out this weekend…
World Café Live (3025 Walnut St.) FRI Philly Music Fest: (Upstairs) Slomo Sapiens, Kississippi, Harmony Woods, Abi Reimold, Skull Eclipses, West Philly Orchestra/(Downstairs) Chris Kasper, Eric Slick, Ceramic Animal, Work Drugs Cayetana, SAT Philly Music Fest: (Upstairs) Tiny Hueman, Sea Offs, Dominic, Local Smokes, Shannen Moser, Sports, Ivy Sole New Sound Brass/(Downstairs) Sixteen Jackies, Cheerleader, Pine Barons, Deadfellow, Slaughter Beach Dog, Strand of Oaks, SUN (Upstairs) Jeremiah Tall
Johnny Brenda’s (1201 N. Frankford Ave.) SAT Frances Doefeen, American Trappist, Greg Mendez, SUN Matt Pond PA
Boot & Saddle (1131 S. Broad St.) FRI Career Crooks, SAT Phantasm (Release Show)
Kung Fu Necktie (1250 N. Front St.) FRI This Way To The Egress (Record Release)/Petunia, Lawn Talk/Philly Soul Syndicate/FeauXX, SAT No Gods, Assayer/Total Discharge/Fame Lust/Labyrinth, DJ Ha, SUN Full Blown Cherry/Chris Forsyth & The Solar Motel Band, Long Hots
PhilaMOCA (531 N. 12th St.) SUN Remote Control
The Trocadero (1003 Arch St.) FRI Burlesque-N- Beyond Presents: Music To Strip Bi
The Fire (412 W. Girard Ave.) FRI The Russells, Automatic Colors, Down The Way, SAT Dev79
The Barbary (951 Frankford Ave.) SAT Only On Weekends, Saver, Faringwell, SUN Boogieman Dela (Album Release), E. Berrios / Twiceyoung
Bourbon & Branch (705 N. 2nd St.) FRI 1AM, Shon Goner, Jermie Falcone, Scottie Kash, SAT Mo Lowda & The Humble, SUN Jim Stephens, Boy Wonder, Xpresidents, Melissa Clampffer
MilkBoy Philly (1100 Chestnut St.) FRI Long Miles, SAT Soraia (Record Release)
Ortlieb’s Lounge (847 N. 3rd St.) FRI Muppet's Titanium Stardust Machine, Mercury Retrograde, SUN The Tisburys, Mat Burke & The Pain Killers
Silk City (435 Spring Garden St.) SAT DJ Deejay, SUN Breathing, House Plant, The Ardvark Felon
Fergie’s (1214 Sansom St.) SUN Rusty Cadillac
Connie’s Ric Rac (1132 S. 9th St.) FRI S.R. Frost & The Sanctuary Band, Samryebread, SAT The End A.D.
The Grape Room (105 Grape St.) FRI The Cozy, Shark Tape, Under This Fire, Stealing Fame, SAT Matt Duke, Greenough+ Wilde
Ardmore Music Hall (23 E. Lancaster Ave.) SUN Conjunto, Ensemble Novo
Morgan’s Pier (221 N. Columbus Blvd.) FRI DJ Beatstreet, SAT DJ Kevin Kong SUN Burnt Sienna
Frankie Bradley’s (1320 Chancellor St.) FRI DJ Chris Urban, SUN You’re Welcome Philadelphia
First Unitarian Church (2125 Chestnut St.) SUN Solarized, Callowhill
Everybody Hits (529 W. Girard Ave.) SAT DJ Haram, DJ Delish, Andre Altrez, SUN Yowler, Junipur
The Pharmacy (1300 S. 18th St.) FRI Cavity Kids/Sidenail, Kelsey Cork, SUN The Retinas, Tremellow
LAVA Space (4134 Lancaster Ave.) SAT Manikineter, Downtrodder, Disappearances
Double H Ranch (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) SAT Loose Tooth, Clique, Yankee Bluff
New Pine Barons LP Available for Streaming

Pine Barons will be officially releasing their sophomore album, The Acchin Book, tomorrow via Grind Select. However, supported by Mumblr, Grubby Little Hands, and The Retinas, their record release show is taking place this evening at PhilaMOCA. Retaining a gritty texture, while exhibiting adherent melodic optimism, resounding ripples of positivity rise as the album concludes, “We are not alone.” You can also now stream the LP in its entirety below.
Weekend Warrior, May 5 - 7

Psychic Teens orchestrate gloomy, ruminating, melodic post-punk with volatile noisy tendencies, magnifying the murky slow burn into a full-on, shoegazing spectacle. Tonight, the trio celebrates their latest album HEX (available via Hex Records) with a release show at Boot & Saddle, where they’ll explore the darkness via steel-cold, slicing guitars and booming, brooding, baritone vocals. They’ll be joined by the combative, grunge-punk quartet of Tiny Vices and the ferocious, fuzzed-out, psych instrumentations meets clairvoyant, catchy vocals of Dulls. And after releasing their sophomore album New Kind of Normal via their own label Plum Records earlier today, Augusta Koch, Allegra Anka and Kelly Olsen, a.k.a. Cayetana, welcome their introspective, honest, emotive rock release this evening with a show at First Unitarian Church, where they’ll be supported by Shannen Moser, Katie Ellen, and Aster More.
A day after releasing their new LP Veblen Death Mask via Kill Rock Stars, the enchanting, eclectic experimentation of Taiwan Housing Project steps into Johnny Brenda’s, wielding their off-kilter, jigsaw-puzzle sound, meshing the hauntingly unexpected with the inherently gripping. They’ll be sharing the stage with the mind-warping psych-punk of Igneous Eyes and ESCAPE-Ism, the latest project from D.C. stalwart Ian Svenonius.
The crowds head back to Boot & Saddle this Sunday for a March On Harrisburg Benefit, featuring the exuberant, melodic, psych-folk stretches of Pine Barons. They’ll be donating their time along with the get-loose, retro-fitted psych-pop of Ceramic Animal and harmony-harnessing trio of TIOGA. - Michael Colavita
Weekend Warrior, May 20 - 22

Tonight at Everybody Hits is the long-awaited release show for Thin Lips’ debut LP Riff Hard, coming out via local tastemakers Lame-O Records. Thin Lips are a venerable supergroup of longstanding Philly stalwarts who have hit a sweet spot of triumphant pop rock and confessional, introspective lyrics without sentimentality. Chrissy Tashjian, formerly of Dangerous Ponies and The Bee Team, captains this ship with her commanding, casual, and versatile vocals. The hard riffs are largely courtesy of longtime bandmate Kyle Pulley (ex-Dangerous Ponies) and Chris Diehm, a punk-rock lifer who cut his teeth in Lancaster’s 1994! before coming to Philly and lending his talents to Thin Lips, as well as Year Of Glad. The band is filled out by Mikey Tashjian (The Superweaks, ex-Dangerous Ponies), who shows his ability to shift rhythms and help craft intriguing songs, while maintaining a not-too-serious rock 'n' roll sheen. Celebrating with the Lips will be Casey Magic, Lame-O labelmates Lowercase Roses, folky psych rockers Pine Barons, and Pure Pop, a “new pop-punk trio comprised of Lame-O, Superweaks, and Modern Baseball angel babies.” Everybody Hits, 529 W. Girard Ave., 8pm, $5-$10, All Ages - Adam G.
WXPN's XPoNential Fest 2015 Wraps Things Up at Wiggins Park/Susquehanna Bank Center July 26

WXPN's XPoNential Fest 2015 will be wrapping up its weekend of music and family events today. Opening things off will be a pair of local up-an-comers in the ramshackle, youthful exuberance of the Pine Barons and the polished indie-pop feels of Cheerleader. They'll be making way for national touring powerhouses like Courtney Barnett and The Long Bellow. Once again, the sun will be shining down on everyone so grab a blanket and find your relaxing, comfy spot on the waterfront. Wiggins Park/Susquehanna Bank Center (Camden), 2 Riverside Dr./One Market, 12pm, $30 (XPN Members)/$60 (Public) + $25 (Grace Potter/George Ezra for those w/o a 3-day pass), All Ages - H.M. Kauffman