We are always digging deep into New England's talent garden to find rising artists from all corners of the region: we have unearthed a March gem we want to share with you. Derry, New Hampshire's Aaron Noj released his single "M​.​O​.​T​.​M." with little fanfare and in relative obscurity but its bite should not be ignored as it leaves a lasting mark. Aaron rebels against the tranquility of Derry's quaint Main Street and the town's overall serenity with sharp grunge guitar chords that reverberate violently. Aaron's distant voice is melancholic, angst-fueled, entrancing—grunge music's preference. The culminating instrumental breakdown is destructive and has a lo-fi sound to it that delivers a cathartic finish. Whatever emotion you are feeling, Aaron's track will be sure to discover it and animate it. We are looking forward to some show listings from this alternative artist; stream “M​.​O​.​T​.​M.” below. - Rene Cobar

Ahead of their forthcoming release Shiny New Model, New York garage heroes BODEGA headlined Brooklyn’s Market Hotel September 28th. The EP’s title track is a sunny and energetic romp, characterized by an uneasy sense of self—lead singer Bodega Ben riffs on the built-in obsolesce of technology (and people) while dropping metaphysical bombs, like “every woman and man is a microcosm of lust.” Watch the video below, and catch BODEGA’s wild, philosophical ride this Saturday alongside Native Sun, and Kahiem Rivera. 

Dear Deli Philly Readers,

I’m a procrastinator by nature, and this is certainly a post that I’ve been procrastinating to write. When I first became involved with the Philly music community, I started with booking shows at various spaces and for local area acts. I remember coming out to a show in Brooklyn to support one of the local bands that I was helping out, and I was really interested in figuring out how I could connect similar-minded, up-and-coming NYC acts with the lesser known yet talented Philly artists that I was assisting. During that time, if you had heard of a touring act coming to your town, they were usually already a little too popular to really want to trade shows with any acts that they didn’t know personally and/or probably had never heard of. That was when I just happened to come across a print issue of the NYC Deli Magazine in a coffee shop. (I still probably have that copy somewhere because I’m a borderline hoarder.) It was exactly what I was looking for – a publication that was dedicated to giving exposure to interesting-sounding, indie/DIY acts that were still flying under the radar of the larger music blogs and news organizations.

I was instantly a fan of what The Deli was doing, so when I read that they were opening a Philadelphia branch, I was psyched to get involved. I have always been a bit of a music geek who spent way too much of his time listening to and discovering new music to make mixtapes, burn CD mixes, and create playlists for my friends. The Deli Philly just felt like a natural extension of what I had been doing most of my life. However, when I submitted my first post, I never imagined that I would be writing my final one over a decade later, which will unfortunately also be The Deli Philly’s last as well.

Running the Philadelphia site and helping to edit the NYC print magazine have truly been a joy to me and a labor of love, but as some of you may or may not know, I recently became a father, and I’ve been simply finding myself lately more interested in jamming on a toy cat synthesizer with my daughter and deejaying private dance parties for her than practically anything else in the world. So deciding to move on from what has been such an essential part of my life for over the last ten years or so was definitely a difficult decision, but it also became a much easier one. It just felt right.

I’d like to take this time to thank all those who have supported us over the years and those who have inspired us with your music, words, photos/graphics, and always much-appreciated kindness. Of course, extra special thanks go out to Deli Editor-in-Chief Paolo De Gregorio for his passion and genuine good nature, Michael Colavita, whom The Deli Philly could have never survived without for the last few years, Tedd Hazard for his creativity and humor, and all the wonderful writers and photographers who have contributed to The Deli Philly site. It’s been an honor to share your words and art. And finally, for those who might still be interested in what I’ve been listening to of late, you will soon be able to find interviews with some of my favorite musicians over at Delicious Audio. (That is after I take a much-needed vacation.)

Much Love to All,

Q.D. Tran

Sims Hardin (Dark Web, JUICE, Brain Clouds, Throbbing Chakra) has a new musical outlet called MESH, and recently shared a trio of demos. Lo-fi, heady, garage-punk vibes permeate throughout the recordings, with its intimacy hinting at a slacker-rock mentality. "Work sucks. People suck. Life sucks. Fuck it - I'm just gonna jam on this guitar." MESH is slated to perform at Free Candy on Thursday, October 10, as part of a lineup that also includes Soft Crime (the latest project from Spacin's Jason Killinger), Thigh Master, and Michael Beach.