A somber, slow-burning haze cultivates a particular kind of comfort when listening to In The Shape Of…, the new record from the quartet of So Totally. Those hypnotic qualities, created by the soft, somewhat whispered vocals and the steady progression of music, can quickly be thrown off kilter by jarring instrumental shifts and turns. A cathartic, gentle, swaying calm is combated by the escalating inferno of fuzz that potentially awaits around any given corner. Get comfortable, but maybe not too comfortable. (Photo by Maureen Murphy)

in the shape of..., the forthcoming album from So Totally, is scheduled to arrive on May 3, and the band recently shared its lead single “Pluto”. An initial, luminous glide creates a sense of lightness that gradually gives way to the afterburners of murkier fuzz. There is a relatable outlook within the spacey, shoegazing framework - one of feeling temporarily lost and out of sorts among your peers, while wanting the comfort of attention as you drift off. (Photo by Jeff David Beardsmith)

A residue of fuzz hangs in the air as one listens to Loose Tooth; the band toys with tempo, creating a low-key tone with the ability to flip the switch and race downhill at any moment, demolishing whatever lies in its way. There’s a reflective, emotive element, merged with an uncompromising, smashing grunge approach. It retains the heaviness of walking out into a storm, and then finds the temporary reprieve of shelter, taking another surprising turn into crisp, melodic, almost gentle-swaying rock. Then surges forward yet again. The group keeps you on their toes as the musical forecast continuously shifts, exhibiting a fun ferocity. Tonight at Kung Fu Necktie, they’ll be joined by the heady haze of So Totally, the exuberant, infectious, pop-punk pairing of Mike Bell & The Lame-O’s, and the anthemic emo of Ohio’s Maybe Later to round out the lineup into full form. – Michael Colavita

Other places to feel warm & fuzzy at this weekend…

Kung Fu Necktie (1250 N. Front St.) FRI Loose Tooth, Mike Bell and the Lame-O’s, So Totally/DJ Cousin Mike, SAT Fame Lust

Johnny Brenda’s (1201 N. Frankford Ave.) SAT Church Girls, Field Mouse, Blushed

Boot & Saddle (1131 S. Broad St.) SAT Daeva

PhilaMOCA (531 N. 12^th St.) FRI Friendship, Shannen Moser, Earthboy, SUN Alka

TLA (334 South St.) SUN Grayscale

The Foundry (1000 Frankford Ave.) FRI Function: DJ Tay Banga, Hashland

World Café Live (3025 Walnut St.) FRI (Upstairs) Carroll/(Downstairs) John Byrne Band, No Irish Need Apply, SUN The End of America

The Fire (412 W. Girard Ave.) FRI Summer Scouts, Blueroom, SAT Kenny Price, SUN Ascension Drive, Cardinal Sin 

Ortlieb’s Lounge (847 N. 3^rd St.) FRI CaveWomen, Hauntress, Wild Dust, SAT Gnarbot, Trap Rabbit, SUN Grace Vonderkuhn

The Barbary (951 Frankford Ave.) FRI The Binary Sea, Canyon, Chalk & The Beige American

Silk City (435 Spring Garden St.) SAT DJ Deejay

Frankie Bradley’s (1320 Chancellor St.) FRI Royale, SAT Ian St. Laurent, SUN Nudey Tunes: Sports

Fergie’s (1214 Sansom St.) SAT Torn & Ironic, SUN Rusty Cadillac 

Connie’s Ric Rac (1132 S. 9^th St.) SAT South Street Burlesque Revue presents Necrophilia Haiku Day, SAT M.A.D.E , 3T3N, Big Chooch, Quin Jaye, Fitted Kub

Voltage Lounge (421 N. 7^th St.) SAT Vortex: DJ Mike Saga, Elijvh Vrms

The Tusk (430 South St.) SAT lylyly, Kelsey Cork & The Swigs

Century (1350 S 29^th St.) FRI Atomic Cretins, Downtrodder, L.M.I., SAT Dear Forbidden, Worst Ones

The Grape Room (105 Grape St.) FRI Greg Sover Band, James Pace, SAT The Barker Brothers, Jac w/no K, Pleasant Avenue

Ardmore Music Hall (23 E. Lancaster Ave.) FRI Star Kitchen

Everybody Hits (529 W. Girard Ave.) SAT Amanda X

The Pharmacy (1300 S. 18^th St.) SAT Jesse Gimbel, Frankly Lost, PsychoTropic Candy, Breakfast for Turtles, SUN Mondays, Cold Soul, Dipking

No Face Studios (5213 Grays Ave.) FRI Onett, Spumoni

The Music Ward (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) FRI 5AM, Shapesift, SAT Buddie, Weller

The Mothership (602 S. 52^nd St.) SAT Stinking Lizaveta, Shardik

Free Candy (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) FRI Elison Jackson, Sixteen Jackies, Smokin' In The House 

A pair of Lame-O’s latest releases are being celebrated this Saturday with a dual record release show at the First Unitarian Church. An endearing, country-folk vulnerability is ingrained throughout I’ll Sing, the sophomore album from Shannen Moser. Time-worn tradition meets the empathetic-transformative nature of her personal narratives. Stirring sensitivity sends shivers up your spine, and the warmth of rollicking rockers make this an album that can keep you company or be embraced in a communal collective. Sharing common ground, The Deli Philly’s August Record of the Month, Chosen Family by Thin Lips, is one which unfolds in accessible, revealing lyrics delivered by Chrissy Tashjian. The confidence/ability to put it all on the line forges a instant connection. With that established, the momentous, fire-starting riffs and melodies envelop in songs that tap into a raw swell of feelings and force. With its debut full-length album Sleep Debt out today via Take This To Heart Records, No Thank You’s Nicholas Holdorf-led quintet Cheer Up captures an expansive, bright, bouncy, thought-collecting emo. Speaking of new records, the quartet of So Totally is currently working on its latest. – Michael Colavita

More new sounds to check out this weekend…

First Unitarian Church (2125 Chestnut St.) SAT Thin Lips/Shannen Moser (Dual Record Release), So Totally, Cheer Up

Johnny Brenda’s (1201 N. Frankford Ave.) FRI Langor, SAT 5th Annual Night of 1,000 Kates, SUN Lucy Stone 

Boot & Saddle (1131 S. Broad St.) FRI Yowler, SAT Ben Arnold & The 48HR Orchestra, Cliff Hillis

Kung Fu Necktie (1250 N. Front St.) FRI Christopher Davis Shannon/DJ Deejay, SAT The Drowned God, The University of South Vietnam School of Warfare, Sleepsculptor, Witness/Fame Lust

PhilaMOCA (531 N. 12^th St.) FRI Remember Sports, Corey Flood, SUN 7th Victim

Underground Arts (1200 Callowhill St.) FRI Goldenspiral DJ, SUN Joey Stix & Frankie Vado, Evan Wize, The Burgeoning, KAYIN, Night Bloom

Union Transfer (1026 Spring Garden St,) FRI Jedi Mind Tricks

The Trocadero (1003 Arch St.) FRI Agent Zero, Jeff Omega

The Foundry (1000 Frankford Ave.) SAT Ceramic Animal, Cold Fronts

World Café Live (3025 Walnut St.) SAT (Upstairs)  Nothing Wrong, Jefferson Berry & the Urban Acoustic Coalition

The Fire (412 W. Girard Ave.) SAT Naps Past Noon, Civil HoldUp, Needless Ghost, SUN Punk Hands

MilkBoy Philly (1100 Chestnut St.) FRI Dry Reef, Crucial, SAT The Chris Paterno Band, SAT Joshua Chase Miller, SUN Grady Hoss & The Sidewinders

Ortlieb’s Lounge (847 N. 3^rd St.) FRI Grace Vonderkuhn, Tetra, Ali Awan, SAT Welter, Taxes, SUN Sunchoke, Broke Body, Blame Jakob

Bourbon & Branch (705 N. 2^nd St.) FRI Rachel Andie & The V Element, Elaine Rasnake, SAT Gabe Wolf, Destiny X, SUN Randy Scott Carroll

The Barbary (951 Frankford Ave.) SAT Among Criminals, La Capitaña, Something Like A Monument / Conversations, Flat Mary Road, South on Sunday, SUN Hellings

Silk City (435 Spring Garden St.) FRI Bo Bliz, SAT DJ Deejay

Fergie’s (1214 Sansom St.) SUN Rusty Cadillac 

Connie’s Ric Rac (1132 S. 9th St) FRI Chalk & The Beige Americans, The 1940s, All This Huxley, SAT Milton, Kohn

The Tusk (430 South St.) FRI SOLD (Release Show), Ramona, Machine Gun Joe, Blood Sound

Voltage Lounge (421 N. 7th St.) FRI RFA, SUN Farewell Summer

Morgan’s Pier (221 N. Columbus Blvd.) FRI DJ Beatstreet, SUN Ear Me Now

Frankie Bradley’s (1320 Chancellor St.) FRI Ben Aire, SAT Drootrax

The Grape Room (105 Grape St) FRI Danny Newport, Cain Kerner & Joji Ruffin, XPresidents, SAT Sage Turtle, Super Bonanza

Ardmore Music Hall (23 E. Lancaster Ave.) FRI The Dead Milkmen, She Became Grey, SAT Muscle Tough, SUN Splintered Sunlight  

Creep Records (1050 N. Hancock St.) FRI Control For Smilers, SAT Ronnie Riggles, Schilly, Charley Coin

The Pharmacy (1300 S. 18^th St.) FRI Violet Waves, Mesa Glow, Douse

LAVA Space (4134 Lancaster Ave.) SUN The Obsessives, Strawberry Runners

Tralfamadore (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) FRI Rentboy, Secret Nudist Friends

Tundra Dome (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) SUN Data, TVO, Cavemen

Dear Deli Readers,

It’s been an honor covering Philly’s underground music scene for the past nine years, and we truly appreciate all who have been so supportive of our site and our mission. And of course, mucho love goes out to the all the local area musicians who have been kind enough to share their personal art with us. Without you, The Deli would certainly not exist. (Well, maybe in some form or another, but we might be covering some of our other loves like food, weed or puppies. ;-)

We truly enjoy taking this time to celebrate our wonderful Philly music community with you, so join us this Saturday night at PhilaMOCA for The Deli Philly’s 9^th Anniversary Bash! This year, we will be donating all proceeds from the event to the Southern Poverty Law Center, a nonprofit organization “dedicated to fighting hate and bigotry and to seeking justice for the most vulnerable member of our society,” and we’d like to thank Deli faves The Retinas, Them Jones, and So Totally for donating their time and talents to entertain all of us for the evening. Now, if you’ve attended any of our anniversary celebrations in the past, then you know how we do it. If not, more deets are available HERE, but there will also be plenty of surprises that we can’t mention just yet.

Looking forward to partying down with you soon!

Cheers,

Q.D. Tran & The Deli Staff

P.S.

Shout out to Modern Baseball (who may be performing their final shows for the foreseeable future this weekend at Union Tranfer) and former Deli Anniversary alums Suburban Living (who will be returning home from tour with Frankie Rose, this Sunday at Ortlieb’s)!

Other places that will be almost as fun as our anniversary…

PhilaMOCA (531 N. 12^th St.) FRI Hot Breakfast, F. Woods & The Fellow Humans, SAT The Deli Philly's 9th Anniversary Bash: The Retinas, Them Jones, So Totally, SUN Void Vision, Rodney Anonymous

Johnny Brenda’s (1201 N. Frankford Ave.) FRI Upholstery, S.T.A.R.W.O.O.D, On The Water, SUN Ill Fated Natives

Boot & Saddle (1131 S. Broad St.) FRI Black Horse Motel, Former Belle

Kung Fu Necktie (1250 N. Front St.) FRI Conversations, Goodnight/Goodluck, The Echogenic/Hulqamaniaq/Dev79, Sideswipe/DJ Deejay, SAT Blowdryer/Torito, Cody Cody Jones, Felipe Pupo/Night Drive, SUN Carolyn Thorn/Dog Tears, Allegra, Susie Derkins/Destroying Angel, David E. Williams, Janelle

Underground Arts (1200 Callowhill St.) FRI Andrea Valle, Brianna Cash

Union Transfer (1026 Spring Garden St,) FRI Modern Baseball, Small Circle, Harmony Woods, SAT Modern Baseball, No Thank You, SUN Modern Baseball, Shannen Moser, Greg Mendez

Electric Factory (421 N. 7^th St.) FRI Musiq Soulchild, Vivian Green, Bilal

Bourbon & Branch (705 N 2^nd St.) FRI One Take Dave, SAT Lapses, SUN Sea Offs

World Café Live (3025 Walnut St.) FRI (Upstairs) The Peace Creeps, The SB Deluxe

The Fire (412 W. Girard Ave.) FRI Overwinter, Nikia Camp, SAT Tom Petty Tribute: Lally, The Contractables

The Barbary (951 Frankford Ave.) FRI The Phonies, Hambone Relay, SAT Commonwealth Choir, Saint Brendan & The Navigators, Please., SUN The Binary Sea, The Groove Merchants, Primatives

MilkBoy Philly (1100 Chestnut St.) FRI Nik Greeley & The Operators, David Hoagie And His Heroes

Ortlieb’s Lounge (847 N. 3^rd St.) FRI Wolf Dem, Teknacolor Ninja, KT Caustic, SAT Pet Cheetah, Hoochi Cooch, SUN Suburban Living, Sad Actor

Silk City (435 Spring Garden St.) FRI Lee Mayjahs?, DJ Everyday, SAT DJ Deejay, SUN Peedi Crakk, Oschino

Fergie’s (1214 Sansom St.) SUN Rusty Cadillac

Connie’s Ric Rac (1132 S. 9^th St.) FRI The Sea Tease, SAT Hunter Alive, Breaklite/Moonstomp

Voltage Lounge (421 N. 7^th St.) SUN Holy Smoke

Morgan’s Pier (221 N. Columbus Blvd.) FRI DJ Beatstreet, DJ Kevin Kong, SUN Tom Curtis Band

Frankie Bradley’s (1320 Chancellor St.) SAT Peek-A-Boo Revue, SUN Peek-A-Boo Revue

The Grape Room (105 Grape St.) FRI Operation RATM, Purple to the Core, White Limo, Almost There, SAT The Fearless Fly, In the Presence of Wolves, LOR, Dean

Ardmore Music Hall (23 E. Lancaster Ave.) FRI Rugby Road, SAT David Uosikkinen’s In The Pocket

Creep Records (1050 N. Hancock St.) FRI The Morelings (Record Release), Madalean Gauze, Remote Control, Jo Kusy, SAT Julia Rainer, Mark Lanky

The Pharmacy (1300 S. 18^th St.) FRI Left & Right, Water Temple, Lester

The Vat (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) FRI Drums Like Machine Guns, Ada Babar

The Sound Hole (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more information.) SAT BB Basura