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“We’ll be mostly just trying our best to bring these songs to life in a live setting,” says Minneapolis-based indie rock singer/songwriter runo plum, who is about to hit the road for a North American headlining tour behind her debut full-length, patching, which dropped last November via Winspear (home...
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You may have caught Chicago DIY rockers Smut opening for SPELLLING last May at Underground Arts or on the latest edition of Philthy Radio (now streaming via Y-Not Radio). Last week the Bayonet Records outfit — led by vocalist/lyricist Tay Roebuck and guitarists Andie Min and Sam Ruschman —...
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Last year singer, songwriter, violinist, and producer Sudan Archives — real name Brittney Parks — dropped five instantly anthemic singles leading up to the October 17th release of her third full-length, THE BPM, which came via longtime home Stones Throw (also home to our phriend Sofie Royer) and lived...
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“I think collaboration has been my favorite part, to be honest… I’ve been really fortunate throughout the years to be in orbit with deeply thinking, deeply feeling musicians,” reflects Massachusetts-based “writer song-singer” Heather Maloney of the personal highlights of her musical career, which officially began 17 years ago, when...
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If you caught the January edition of Philthy Radio this past weekend on Y-Not Radio (now streaming), you heard “Horror Show,” an early classic from dark-pop icons The Birthday Massacre that longtime fans may remember seeing the band play “back in the day” at The Trocadero and Starlight Ballroom. ...
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“Every day we’re confronted with a confusing and scary world… Making music and creating things can feel flippant or unnecessary, but my own world view was defined and influenced by art and artists who weren’t afraid to highlight and offer solutions: Public Enemy, The Smiths or a wider American...
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We haven’t spoken to Cate Le Bon since 2016, when she was preparing to play Johnny Brenda’s while touring her brilliantly psychedelic-leaning fourth LP, Crab Day, featuring the drumming of Warpaint’s Stella Mozgawa. However, the Welsh art pop singer/songwriter has had us out to a number of notable Philadelphia...
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This October, the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection got a live preview of, what is thus far, our favorite album of 2026, when Ailbhe Reddy opened MilkBoy for Will Varley, her final show of 2025. The performance featured solo acoustic renditions of a handful of tracks from...
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“I’m excited to go on tour with Built to Spill!” says Kassie Carlson, front person of New York art rockers – and longtime PHILTHY phriends – Guerilla Toss, who played their umpteenth show at Johnny Brenda’s less than two months ago, a venue Carlson tells me she’s a big...
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You may have seen Long Island-based melodic metalcore outfit Deadlands opening our very own Brooklyn Bowl for “bimbocore” originator Scene Queen and sapphic pop star girli (who you may have heard on Philthy Radio) this July. However, this Tuesday, December 16th, the band — comprised of singer Kasey Karlsen...
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This coming Saturday, December 13th, Toronto indie folk group Great Lake Swimmers will close out 2025 when they return to Center City’s premiere rock n’ roll barroom, MilkBoy, a venue frontman and founder Tony Dekker — during a recent chat — tells me he’s a big fan of, despite...
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This June, Montreal outfit NOBRO put on the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection’s best punk performance of the summer when they brought The Go For Broke Tour – a double-headlining run that had them sharing top billing with almost-equally rad Canadian punks Bad Waitress, in addition to...
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“We’re really psyched to be back in Philly at Warehouse on Watts on December 9th!” proclaim San Francisco post-rock/shoegaze duo chokecherry, who will be headlining the 250-capacity all ages venue next Tuesday as part of their first-ever full-scale North American headlining tour, which they suggest is their biggest show...
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“We’ll have to make sure to play different sets, if you’re gonna be there all three nights!” says Simeon Kavanagh-Vincent, guitarist/synthesist of New Zealand quartet Phoebe Rings, who are, indeed, preparing to play three Philadelphia shows next month, when they open Union Transfer for fellow New Zealanders The Beths...
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“As an Alaskan, I have a lot of thoughts on Thanksgiving,” says Portugal. The Man’s John Gourley, laughing, coyly admitting, “I never really believed in that holiday or the origins of the celebration.” However, during a recent phone chat, the indie rock band’s founder, primary songwriter, and only constant...
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Asheville-based Southern rock band, Wednesday, performed to a sold-out Union Transfer on November 10th, with support from Daffo. Wednesday’s critically acclaimed album, Bleeds, was released in September. I’ve been following Wednesday since their first album and saw them play in tiny rooms, so it’s been very cool to watch...
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Last December, all-BIPOC pop-punks Action/Adventure put on an exceptionally great basement set at First Unitarian Church. The Chicago-based quintet was sandwiched between two emo family acts, headliners Tiny Moving Parts and our phriends Greywind, who handled opening duties. Well, we recently befriended Action/Adventure, as well, and found out that...
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*Unfortunately, Jenna Nicholls’ 11/30 show at City Winery has been cancelled. “This is definitely the most fully-realized album that I’ve done in terms of sonic professionalism. It’s definitely more sophisticated musicianship… The writing is the strongest that I’ve done so far,” says singer/songwriter Jenna Nicholls of her recently released...
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One week from today, November 21st, indie retro pop/soul septet Couch will be at our very own Union Transfer as they prepare to play their most monumental gig yet just 24 hours later… but during an October phone chat with Zach Blankstein, the Couch lead guitarist tells me that...
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Last year, seminal punk rockers The Saints – of whom Bob Geldof has said, “Rock music in the 70s was changed by three bands – the Sex Pistols, the Ramones and the Saints.” – released a 4-LP box set of their 1977 debut, (I’m) Stranded (also featuring an unreleased...
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Y-Not Radio, home of Philthy Radio, is giving away a pair of tickets to see Cut Copy next Tuesday, November 18th, at Union Transfer, which they last played in 2017. The date comes in the middle of a two-week North American jaunt in support of the Australian synth-pop act’s...
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Earlier this week, indie pop quartet The Aces kicked off the Gold Star Baby World Tour, beginning with a little more than a month of North American dates, including a November 14th stop at Theatre of Living Arts. The tour — featuring support from Lydia Night of The Regrettes...
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When I spoke to Gabi Gamberg, AKA Daffo, in May of this year, ahead of a June stop at Union Transfer on a run supporting Blondshell, the former Philly-area resident and currently LA-based artist spilled to me that they would be back at the Eraserhood ballroom in November, supporting...
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Bella White’s debut at MilkBoy — Center City’s last remaining barroom rock club to attract touring artists – has been a long time coming. The Calgary-raised/Nashville-based Americana singer/songwriter was set to play the venue in August of 2021, but was thwarted by a COVID scare the day of the...
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LA’s marine-inspired electronic artist and producer, Oxis, performed at The Fillmore last Sunday night, supporting Magdalena Bay on the last stop of their Imaginal Mystery Tour. She played a variety of her songs released over the last two years, including her latest single, Piranha, a glitchy synth-layered track that...
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Los Angeles-based/Bologna-bred synth pop trio Nuovo Testamento – comprised of Chelsey Crowley (vocals), Giacomo Zatti (drums), and Andrea Mantione (synth) – will be spending their Halloween at Baltimore Soundstage, sharing a bill with our old phriends Scowl and new phriends Whispers (along with co-headliners Sunami). And while Scowl, Sunami,...
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Los Angeles retro alt-rockers Rocket (whose sound Paste characterized as, “imagine Sonic Youth writing songs for the pop charts.”) have already played some pretty huge shows in the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection. Last year they opened two nights at The TLA for emo legends Sunny Day...
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If you’re a fan of Audiotree, there’s a good chance you recently saw the debut session from self-described “Bangkok Evilcore” outfit Whispers, a Thailand-based band signed to Flatspot Records (home of our phriends Jivebomb), who released their Yom-Ma-Lok EP last December. The group have spent much of the past...
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“People don’t need therapy, they need to see David Byrne,” my phriend says to me three songs into David Byrne’s third and final night at The Met Philadelphia, amidst Talking Heads classic “And She Was,” already the second Talking Heads song of the evening. October 16th, 17th, and 18th...
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Our old phriends Magdalena Bay are gearing up for their third local headlining show this year, and their somehow “most intimate” yet, playing the 2,500-capacity Fillmore on Sunday, October 26th. However, we’re just as excited to see LA-based, marine-inspired Oxis, whos’s been opening the Imaginal Mystery Tour for the...
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Today, King Princess – singer/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist/producer/actor Mikaela Straus – dropped her latest single, “Cherry,” the follow-up to LP #3, Girl Violence, which hit shelves last month via section1. The song is named for King Princess’ archnemesis, “a large busted, cartoon stone fruit that has tried to thwart KPs advances at...
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Hopefully you’ve heard by now that tomorrow, October 17th, is the October/Halloween edition of Philthy Radio (9-11pm ET on Y-Not Radio), where I’ll be spinning spooky songs from a plethora of phriends, including our newest phriend, Tei Shi, whose upcoming North American tour kicks off this coming Monday, October...
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This Friday, October 17th, is the October/Halloween edition of Philthy Radio (9-11pm ET on Y-Not Radio), where I’ll be spinning a plethora of especially spooky tracks from phriends of PHILTHY, including a hand-picked selection from London-based dream pop trio (comprised of electronic producers) Night Tapes, who are currently touring...
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Shoegaze/noise rock quartet Laveda firmly cemented their status as a NYC band with the September 12th release of LP #3, Love, Darla (which dropped via Bar/None Records), an album both sonically and thematically inspired by frontwoman Ali Genevich and guitarist Jake Brooks’ 2023 move from Albany to Queens. However,...
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“Philly is one of my absolute favorite cities in the US! I’m from Houston, and there’s no other city (maybe Atlanta) like Philly, that has the same kind of aggressive talking style that I’m used to!” says pop artist, DJ, and producer Mothé of the City of Brotherly Love...
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You may have seen singer/songwriter VALÉ – whose roots in Colombia have helped to infuse her brand of alt-pop with the soul of traditional Latin sounds – opening The Met for The Driver Era’s Obsession Tour this June. However, the Los Angeles-based musician is already scheduled to return to...
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“It’s gonna be a really special show! It’s gonna be completely solo and acoustic, all around one mic, which I’ve never done,” says NYC singer/songwriter and longtime phriend of PHILTHY Margaret Glaspy (who we first met in October of 2016, prior to a Johnny Brenda’s show where she was...
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Former Talking Heads frontman and generally ineffably cool musical genius David Byrne is gearing up to make his debut at The Met Philadelphia, where he will be performing next Thursday (10/16), Friday (10/17), and Saturday (10/18) as part of his An Evening With David Byrne – Who Is the...
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This weekend Alex G returns to the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection for the first multiple-night stand in his hometown in three years. November of 2022 had the singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist performing three nights in a row at Union Transfer in support of ninth studio LP...
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Austin, Texas, all-female punk quartet, Die Spitz, performed at Franklin Music Hall on 9/27, supporting Viagra Boys. Their sophomore album, Something To Consume, came out just last month. Check out my photos from their set below!...
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LA industrial-dance duo Sextile performed songs from their 2025 album, yes, please., as well as fan-favorites from previous records, at The Foundry last Friday evening. The show was so fun and exciting, I don’t think I stopped dancing for a second! The band was energetic, jumping around on stage,...
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Last month marked the fifth anniversary of MACROCOSM, the debut full-length from Colombia-based psychedelic funk trio BALTHVS, the project of guitarist Balthazar Aguirre (who’s joined by bassist Vanessa Muñoz and drummer Santiago Lizcano), who left a career in law after a life-changing rock-climbing accident to pursue a more creative...
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Musical chameleon (and royalty) Noah Cyrus is currently amidst her biggest-ever headlining tour, and preparing to play her biggest-ever headlining show in the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection with her October 10th appearance at the city’s most prestigious ballroom, The Fillmore (Her last local headlining date came...
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Those of you who caught the September edition of Philthy Radio (my monthly show for Y-Not Radio, now streaming) heard “Murmurations,” off of I Went To Find You, the first solo LP from Amy Millan in 16 years, which dropped this May via Last Gang Records. The album had...
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“We love Johnny Brenda’s! Of course, if we could sell more tickets and sell giant rooms, that would be great, but we love playing Johnny Brenda’s. It really is a room with such a vibe and a feel; you couldn’t build a room like that now, so I’m glad...
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The last time we spoke with Iowa-born, Nashville-based country singer/songwriter Hailey Whitters was in February of 2022, just prior to the March release of her third studio album, Raised, and amidst her first-ever headlining tour, which included a particularly memorable night at The Foundry. Since then, she has toured...
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Last month, Albany-based metalcore quartet Downswing dropped “For What It’s Worth” (featuring Colorblind’s Travis Moseley), the lead single off of And Everything Was Dark, their sophomore full-length and first for MNRK, which hits shelves October 24th. They also announced a tour with He Is Legend [celebrating (almost) 20 years...
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Last week was the official start of fall touring season… which means we’re actually gearing up to see a handful of our phavorite acts for the second time this year… This May, we saw Australian alt-pop singer, songwriter, and producer Grace Shaw – better known as Mallrat, whose noted...
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“When the tour’s over people are gonna be like, ‘Fuck, I wish I went to that!’ The intimacy is going to create exclusivity. Like, afterwards, people are gonna kick themselves for not being there,” says indie pop singer MARIS of her upcoming Give Me A Tour! double-headlining jaunt with...
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London alt-rockers – and favorites of Y-Not Radio, the home of Philthy Radio – Wolf Alice are currently one night into their 2025 North American tour, which will have them returning to the City of Brotherly Love and Sisterly Affection for the first time since 2017 when they headline...
“We’ll be mostly just trying our best to bring these songs to life in a live setting,” says Minneapolis-based indie rock singer/songwriter runo plum, who is about to hit the road for a North American headlining tour behind her debut full-length, patching, which dropped last November via Winspear (home...
You may have caught Chicago DIY rockers Smut opening for SPELLLING last May at Underground Arts or on the latest edition of Philthy Radio (now streaming via Y-Not Radio). Last week the Bayonet Records outfit — led by vocalist/lyricist Tay Roebuck and guitarists Andie Min and Sam Ruschman —...
