JUMP #8: Winter 2012/2013

ISSUE #8

WINTER 2012

FREE! TAKE A MAG

MEET BLONDE GANG THE

MUSIC MAKING

MISFITS THE VISUAL ISSUE: NOSEGO, DJ PHSH, ARRAH AND THE FERNS, THE NATIONAL RIFLE, NORWEGIAN ARMS AND MUCH, MUCH MORE

CONTENTS | Issue #8

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Winter 2012

THE JUMP OFF The National Rifle, Marissa Cianciulli, Break It Up, Sunny Ali & The Kid, Sadie, Tutlie, Anessa LaRae, BriaMarie, Arrah and the Ferns, Modern Inventors, Band Name, Norwegian Arms, DJ Damage, Harsh Vibes, The Downtown Club, Chaisley Lussier, Modern Colour, Back to Back Records.

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THIS PLACE ROCKS Ola Solanke slowly built the Arts Garage into a beloved arts space. But now he's ready to sell the joint.

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MUSIC & POLITICS City Hall Presents brings musicians and artists to unusual performance spaces around the grand building.

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MUSIC & EDUCATION Wes Manchild teaches children by day. By night, he makes beats and produces for local artists.

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COVER stories: The VISUAL ISSUE! They're more than a collection of social misfits with crazy colored hair. Blonde Gang is a collaborative musical experience that you have to see and hear.

Ameerah K. glows in the art, painting the hip-hop scene.

Prowler frontman Keith Greiman creates art as weird as the music his band makes.

DJ PHSH and the SEDSO DESIGN team throw a monthly party that combines music and visual arts.

NoseGo channeled the negativity he experienced while growing up into something powerful – his art. And now his work graces murals, galleries and album covers

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MODERN BROPAR Mattitude hangs with Patt Whelan, bass player for The Adults and occasional tattoo artist.

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FOOD THAT ROCKS To get to the hipster music spot upstairs, you have to walk through the best Ethiopian restaurant in Philly, Abyssinia. And five other places to eat in West Philly.

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the JUMP concert calendar Check out who is playing in the city.

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UNUSUAL APPROACH Kurt Hunte talks with Kock 107's Brian Langan about music, art and doing the Slip 'n Slide as an adult.

COVER PHOTO: Blonde Gang, by Marie Alyse Rodriguez.

BACK COVER: Real Jawn, by NoseGo. CONTENTS PAGE: (top to bottom) Break It Up, by Ryan Treitel.

Blonde Gang, by Marie Alyse Rodriguez. Harsh Vibes, by Ryan Treitel.

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publisher G.W. MILLER III senior staff SOFIYA BALLIN, KELSEY DOENGES, LAUREN GORDON (EMERITUS), COLIN KERRIGAN, CHRIS MALO, MEGAN MATUZAK, BRANDEE NICHOLS, KEVIN STAIRIKER staff SEBASTIAN ADE, NAVEED AHSAN, LAUREN ARUTE, RACHEL BARRISH, BRITTNEY BOWERS, MIKE BUCHER, CARY CARR, SERI CHAO, ANEESAH COLEY, CHESNEY DAVIS, GRACE DICKINSON, BETH ANN DOWNEY, MATTHEW EMMERICH, JESSICA GRIFFIN, ASHLEY HALL, GRETA IVERSON, MORGAN JAMES, RICK KAUFFMAN, KIM MAIALETTI, NIESHA MILLER, BRENDAN MENAPACE, ANDREW MENDELSON, CAROLINE NEWTON, ELIZABETH PRICE, MARIE ALYSE RODRIGUEZ, CHAD SIMS, KIRSTEN STAMN, BRITTANY THOMAS, RYAN TREITEL, JUSTIN WAGNER, BRIAN WILENSKY, BREE WOOD contributors SHARON CALVIN, SUMREEN Z. CHAUDHRY, ASHLEY COLEMAN, JASON GANSKI, KURT HUNTE, GABRIELLE LAVIN, THAD SUZENSKI chief copy editor AARON JOLLAY assistant to the publisher MATTHEW ALBASI these folks believe in JUMP and we love them for it KYLE BAGENSTOSE, RUSS CAMPBELL, MEREDITH EDLOW, LIZ SCHILLER WE PRINT 10,000 FULL-COLOR ISSUES FOUR TIMES PER YEAR, IN MARCH, JUNE, SEPTEMBER AND NOVEMBER. WE DISTRIBUTE THEM FREE AT PHILLY AREA MUSIC VENUES, STUDIOS, RESTAURANTS, RECORD SHOPS, BARS, CLOTHING BOUTIQUES, GYMS, BOOK STORES, COFFEE SHOPS, UNIVERSITIES, CLUBS AND OTHER PLACES WHERE MUSIC LOVERS HANG OUT. IF YOU WANT MAGS AT YOUR LOCATION, EMAIL US AT JUMPPHILLY@GMAIL.COM. JUMP is an independent magazine published by Mookieland Inc. The parent company is named after a dog. That's how corporate we are (we're not).

This is a full-on, DIY community effort. If you want to get involved, if you have story ideas or if you just have something to say, contact us at jumpphilly@gmail.com.

Find us on online at jumpphilly.com or facebook.com/jumpphilly.

Follow us on twitter - @jumpphilly.

We really need advertisers. Advertising money allows us to print this magazine and tell stories about the awesome people doing awesome stuff in Philly. By supporting JUMP, you are supporting the local music scene.

Philly rocks. Spread the word.

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Publisher's Note

"Go live your life."

My grandmother called me and said, "Hey, I'm getting a dog. You want one? It'll be your birthday present."

At the time, nearly 10 years ago, I was in graduate school, wrapping up my master's thesis. And after the semester, I was leaving for seven weeks in Italy. So I told her no. The timing was bad.

One week later, my grandmother called me again.

"Are you coming down to get your dog?" she asked.

I thought she was messing with me. I said no, again, but she then added, "Well just come down and see the one we picked out for you."

And I did. Now that dog is the greatest friend I have ever had, my constant companion (if you know me, you know that is true). My grandmother always knew what I needed in my life. Whether it was a bottle of water for the ride home, a few words of support over the phone or an amazingly well-timed, hand-scrawled letter, she was always there to make me happy.

So when she went into home hospice care in September, I was devastated.

This woman (pictured at right in 1946), who had provided the foundation of my upbringing and had always seemed so unflappable, was left bedridden, barely able to move. She needed help sitting up, eating and going to the bathroom.

My aunt and uncle became primary caretakers, a thankless task for sure. But after three weeks, they needed a break.

They had to return to their lives, if only for a few days. So I volunteered to watch over my grandmother for the weekend with the assistance of my grandfather.

It was hard to stay positive and I'm a pretty optimistic person. By this point, her mind was increasingly drifting. She started hallucinating, even speaking to people who weren't there. And she began snapping at me.

"Go home," she told me. "You have to go to work."

When I explained that it was Saturday, she said, "Then you should be playing baseball."

She was right. During good weather, I drink beer and play baseball all day Saturday with good friends, several of whom contributed to this issue – Matt Emmerich, Jason Ganski, Kurt Hunte and Thad Suzenski.

She insisted I leave, though I refused.

"Live your life," she barked at me. "Go live your life."

My grandmother, Josephine Miller, died a week later, on October 28. She was 89 years old. I miss her terribly but what she said to me struck a chord.

Even in her final days, she was most concerned about people around her not wasting their time watching her die. She wanted us to live.

From now on, I'm not letting work bog me down and I'm not going to let the haters get to me. None of that stuff really matters. I want to appreciate every minute of my life. I'm going to hang with my friends and listen to music and spend a lot of time with my dog, as my grandmother instructed.

If you want to go have some fun, give me a holler. Anytime.

- G.W. Miller III JUMPphilly.com

Photo by G.W. Miller III.

Tighter Than Ever Before

Photo by G.W. Miller III.

The members of The National Rifle started with a passion for music, but became bogged down by life. Rehearsing became a pain. So they found a schedule that worked for them and now, they're back to having fun, as Sumreen Z. Chaudhry discovers. The band will release their next album, Almost Endless, in January.

With a name like The National Rifle, you might expect to hear some violent, loud music, perhaps with references to the NRA. But instead, the South Philly-based band’s sound is inviting, fun and stimulating.

Guitarist and lead singer Hugh Moretta, who works by day as a barista, definitely comes off as the strong, silent observer type, brooding behind his full head of dark hair. But in the band’s music, he is so vulnerable and open, immediately eliciting a sense of deep connection.

“I will always be a music person,” Moretta says. “This is all I care about.

Whether it becomes my career or something on the side, it will always be a part of my life.”

The bandmates work well together to create an air of comfort and familiarity in their songs, which range from indie rock to dance-pop.

After keyboard player Lynna Stancato, bass player Jeremiah Sweeney, drummer Buddy Mazzenga and Morretta formed the band in 2006, the bandmates practiced multiple times per week at their rehearsal space in Upper Darby. But then jobs and other obstacles got in the way. For more than two years, their practices didn’t begin until after 11 at night. They found that they were not being very productive and more importantly, they weren’t having fun.

They decided to only practice together every Sunday night, with each member practicing on their own several times during the week.

“It sounds crazy but we actually are playing tighter then we have ever before,” Moretta says.

That new process and newfound joy is evident in their upcoming album, Almost Endless, which will drop in January. Produced by Brian McTear and Jon Low, the album features pounding drums with tight guitar riffs and layers of sound. Their first single, “Coke Beat,” is an upbeat, danceable track reminiscent of 80s electro-pop songs made by the likes of New Order.

It is apparent that The National Rifle bandmates are bonded not just by their sheer love of making music, but their style allows each person to let go and be who they inherently are meant to be.

“Joining the band was the first time I felt like I was doing something that was my own,” says Stancato, who works at a patient advocacy call center. “I realized one day that I lived in a box and did what I thought I was supposed to do in life but didn’t really know myself. I just wanted to march to the beat of my own drum, I guess, and will continue to do that.”

Sweeney spends his days going to school to become a personal trainer

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BACK TO FUN: (L to R) Buddy Mazzenga, Lynna Syancato, Hugh Morretta and Jeremiah Sweeney in Clark Park. and also works as a server at an Italian restaurant.

“I was born to entertain people,” he says. “I love being in the spotlight. I love the big stage and I just want this to be my life.”

Rounding out the band is the soft-spoken Mazzenga, who at times is so quiet that one could forget he’s still in the room. But as soon as he picks up his drumsticks, he transforms into an energetic, confident, totally-incontrol guy, forcefully banging away on the drums. Mazzenga started out playing the guitar when he was 13.

“I got bored with it,” he says. “I then started playing the drums and realized it was much more fun than the guitar. The drummer may not get all the glory but I am pretty much the backbone of the band.”

Over the past six years, The National Rifle has been on 16 tours, with the four band members, their instruments and equipment living out of a van and crashing on friends’ floors. They last toured in April, and then spent the spring and summer recording the new album.

The evolution of the band’s sound is clearly recognizable. It has gone from being a bunch of kids jamming and having fun to a mature, calculated sound that warrants revisiting, maybe even with headphones so that you can appreciate all the subtle nuances in the music.

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The JUMP Off Photo by Bree Wood.

The Art of Union Transfer Behind the bands you see up on stage, there are countless people who work long hours behind the scenes to make sure events go off without a hitch. One of those people is Marissa Cianciulli, a new graphic designer at Four Corners Management. Our Bree Wood talks to the young artist.

What is your job now exactly?

I am a graphic designer, venue liaison and marketing guru. I design menus, calendars and logos, etc. I make sure shows run smoothly with certain venues by contacting the bands and getting all of the proper information to have a great show. I update the website to whichever venue I am assigned and I help construct the creative focus for the company as part of the marketing team.

How did you get this awesome job?

One of my best pals who used to book shows for R5 hooked me up with work at some shows at the First Unitarian Church a little over a year and a half ago. Working shows at the Church, I learned about ticket taking, will call, etc. With that experience, I got an easy in working at Union Transfer.

One day I was working in the box office at Union Transfer and one of the owners asked to see something I created in school or at my internship. I showed him and he hired me on the spot. For a week and a half, I was the freelance graphic designer. After that week and a half, he approached me to work in-house. It was pretty cool. I wasn't really looking for a job fresh out of school because really, I went to school for video game design. But I love creating posters for bands and working in the music scene.

Where did you go to school?

Photo by Ryan Treitel.

I studied illustration at Moore College of Art & Design. I had an internship with World Cafe Live making poster designs. I had no experience with graphic design but I was hired to create illustrations of the artists for promotional posters. I had some friends who worked for R5 Productions and I made a few posters for them as well. Through working with R5, I got a job at Union Transfer taking tickets, working the box office, doing merchandise sales and concessions. That led to some freelance graphic design work with Four Corners Management (which operates Union Transfer). They eventually hired me as an in-house graphic designer.

How did you get involved in the art world?

I always made art but never took an art class until my senior year of high school. Toward the end of high school, I spent my time making art and going to shows instead of partying. My GPA was god-awful and art is something I really enjoy doing, so I decided to apply to art schools versus normal universities and got accepted into Moore.

Any plans for the future?

My dream job is to create video games, video game characters and turnarounds. I do plan on doing that a few years down the road. But in the meantime, I plan on staying here in Philadelphia and creating art having to do with music and shows. I am a music nerd, so this is just as fun for me to work in and out of venues. I will eventually move to Norway… one day.

Music For The Masses

Break It Up went from being an all-girl band to being a trio with a dude. Now they're prepping their debut album, as Bree Wood learns.

The lights go out and the crowded bar empties into the backroom of Kung Fu Necktie as Break It Up straps on their guitars.

The band opens with “Paint the Town,” a rambunctious anthem of a song, and the people instantly start bouncing to Dan Morse’s catchy guitar riffs and Casey Bell’s powerful drumming.

The 90s are when this group began exploring

TWO GIRLS AND A GUY: (L to R) Casey Bell, Jen Sperling and Dan Morse.

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Photo by Matthew Albasi.

Stripped-Down Sounds Matthew Albasi chills with Sunny Ali & The Kid, the lo-fi psychedelic punk duo who are taking things pretty easy, you know?

There is a certain nonchalance to Hassan Ali Malik and Abdullah Saeed, the singer/guitarist and drummer, respectively, who make up Sunny Ali & The Kid. And it doesn't just come from the joint they're rolling. This insouciance is something that runs much deeper than that. It carries through everything either one of them does – their wild, unkempt hair, the jaunting, long steps of Malik or the mismatched clothes they wear, which still, somehow, looks good on them.

And it especially shows in their approach to their raw, lo-fi psychedelic punk music.

Their friendship started with the same sort of apparent ease as everything else they do. Before Sunny Ali & The Kid, they were both playing in different bands. Malik was in PO PO with two of his brothers.

Saeed filled in as the drummer of The Mighty Paradox. Both bands were booked for a show at Tritone one night and the two met. Not long afterward, Malik invited Saeed to jam and they haven't looked back since.

They began rehearsing in a tiny, Spartan space, which reflected their attitude and lack of resources.

“The way the drumset came together was weird too,” Saeed says. “I only had bits of gear with me and Sunny [Malik] had, like, a floor drum, a kick pedal and a snare. There were no cymbals.”

The sparse setup and cramped space foreshadowed the way they continue to make music.

“It's something that set us up, I think, for the way we make stuff now,” he says. “Which is with whatever is around us, in a sense, you know? Just grab and go.”

Another way in which their nonchalance shows through is in the way they record and distribute their music. They have a collection of EPs with anywhere from one to six songs. The only physical media they’ve released over the past two years was a cassette tape. They don't even have a website, only a domain name that redirects to their bandcamp page.

Malik claims they have somewhere around 100 unrecorded songs, written and waiting. Saeed says this avoidance of physical media is intentional.

“The physical format thing is unnecessary in a lot of ways,” Saeed says.

“I think spending our efforts and budget on different things is probably better.”

Without any real albums, a press kit or even a dedicated website, they music and they use all the influences of their youth to create the dynamic sound of Break It Up - pop, twee and Riot Grrrl, among other styles, with roots in Sonic Youth, Mission of Burma and the Pixies.

“We are your first basement show, where you went for the first time and connected with music,” says Jen Sperling, the singer, guitarist and keyboard player. “We are that garage bandiness! You can do this. Music is for everyone and it’s fun. That first moment you say, ‘Hey, that could be me!’ That’s us.”

Bell and Sperling met through Craigslist and they originally formed an all-girl group, Creatures of Prey. It consisted of five women.

Slowly, the members began to drop out because of various other commitments.

At the time, Morse happened to be the person recording the group. Throughout the recording process, Morse, who also plays with Wigwams, offered great input for arranging the songs.

And so the conversation began. Should JUMPphilly.com

don't exactly look like marketing entrepreneurs. But Malik seems to think it is just a different route.

“I think the best promotion is your music,” he says.

Malik and Saeed prefer Philadelphia's music scene for a range of reasons. They think that New York is overloaded with bands trying to make it big and that splits the audience into many separate scenes.

“I don't think there is really even a music scene in New York because it's such a transient place,” Saeed says. “In Philly, it's like people care a lot about their local music.”

They say Philadelphia is more concentrated, so it's easier to get a foothold and have some serious fans.

“I think we have the type of fans who listen to us because they genuinely like our shit,” Saeed says.

Malik adds, “I feel like our fans would kill for us.”

Sperling and Bell, who both volunteer with Girls Rock Philly, add Morse to their all-girl group?

The answer was easy.

“At the end of the day, an all girl band was an aesthetic,” Bell says. “What we felt was more important was having a member who we had chemistry with, and that we were making songs that we all felt good about. That overshadowed the all girl aspect.”

They were chosen to participate in WXPN's Key Studio Session in 2011 before the band had even performed live on stage. And they were among the first groups to participate in a Bands in the Backyard video shoot.

Break It Up has since played all over the city, and they performed at SXSW last March.

When they're on stage, like the night at Kung Fu Necktie, you can see the chemistry between the bandmates. They are so relaxed. You can tell they really are enjoying what they are doing. Even as Sperling’s guitar string breaks

mid-song, she just keeps on playing as if nothing has happened.

They've done performances at Girls Rock Philly events and the bandmates are involved with Rock to the Future. They also helped with a fundraiser for Little Berlin.

Somehow between having real life jobs and helping the community, they still have time to create music.

The group stopped playing live for a while as they began recording their debut full-length album in August with Jeff Zeigler at Uniform recording. They are shooting for a spring release.

“I hope people think about our music as what anyone can play if you really want to,” Morse says. “You can play a few chords and it’s ok.

You don’t have to be flashy. Not that we are that simple but if a person really wanted to do something they could.”

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Photos by Conrad Haber.

The JUMP Off

Reality On The Internet Nicole Agostino has long dreamed of making a show about Philly and it's music scene, as Kelsey Doenges discovers. Now it's here.

We have an epidemic on our hands. The city of Philadelphia has been bombarded with celebrities. Streets have been closed for the sake of “movie making,” and Philadelphians everywhere have had their lives turned upside down and sideways. Tom Hanks! Sigourney Weaver! Bradley Cooper! And yes, Even Miley Cyrus has stomped through the city recently.

You would think there would be a huge payoff for being late to work because a stunt double is blocking the entrance of your place of employment. But when you settle into your cushiony movie theater seat with your bucket of popcorn, you see on the big screen that what was once Walnut Street has been transformed into some pseudo-Manhattan street. And we, as loyal citizens of this city, feel cheated.

Where’s the trash?

“Everything that has come to Philadelphia, everything I have worked on this year, did not take place in Philadelphia,” says Nicole Agostino, who has worked on the majority of productions shot in town.

And now, she is trying to change all of that with her upcoming web series, Sadie, which she produced, wrote and directed. It is set to launch this winter.

The title character, Sadie, is the daughter of a rock-legend father and a deceased music photographer mother. Over the course of ten episodes, she explores the gritty Philadelphia music scene, sneaks into bars to photograph her favorite bands and falls in and out of love.

“I started writing a screenplay about the bands I had been going to see and the boys who had been breaking my heart,” says Agostino. “I had been writing it and writing it and work had been getting in the way. Finally, I was like, ‘I am going to be 30 years old. It is time that I make something happen.’”

So she threw herself a party. It wasn’t just another Saturday night in Philadelphia. It wasn’t even just another Saturday night at the RUBA Club. It was Nicole Agostino’s 30th birthday bash, filled with more food than any 10

STAR STRUCK: Alyssa Kempinski (top) stars as Sadie. She is with Zaire Harris, who plays Jared. The Sadie cast and crew (left).

human could imagine, stand-up comedy, raffle baskets, and, yes, even a performance from MissRose Burlyque. It was a celebration for turning the big three-oh but it was also a fundraiser to launch the project she had been cooking up for the last six years.

It worked. Agostino was ready to see her own project become a reality.

She is extremely proud that she has created this thing, this compilation of people from Philadelphia. This little indie web series is one huge love letter to the city. All of the episodes were shot in town. Sadie hangs in Philadelphia bars we will all recognize and she listens to Philadelphia favorites, like Shorty Boy Boy, Ruby the Hatchet and En Fuego.

“I wouldn’t say that Sadie is 100 percent autobiographical,” says Nicole. “But it is definitely inspired by my twenty-year-old self, who snuck into bars to see my friends’ bands play and then became friends with all these musicians. I am just a huge, huge fan of original music.”

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Turtles, Glitter and Face Paint Megan Matuzak learns about fairy-pop band Tutlie's upcoming release. Photos by Marie Alyse Rodriguez. Make up design by Amber Haze. Make up art by Sarah Kane.

When fans and unassuming spectators experience a Tutlie show, they are dazzled by the flower crowns, the colorful set, the face paint and, most of all, the glitter.

Tutlie has been crowned “that fairy band,” and they’ve been said to have the echoes of “peace, love and glitter” ringing in their ears. They put on quite a show, with a pair of powerful female vocalists, well-written indie pop and unbridled energy.

But in order to grasp the full picture of Tutlie, you must look deeper into the looking glass.

It started as two West Chester University sophomores, Jessie Radlow and Christina Klaproth, jamming, harmonizing and sending Paul McCartney covers to friends from their tiny dorm room.

“Tutlie started very small,” recalls Radlow. “It started with me, Christina, a loop pedal and a tambourine. We had our very first show at a house party. We were so nervous. We were like, ‘They’re going to boo us off stage. We need to be prepared if they hate our music. This music is really girlie. They might hate it.’ We played and we got an encore! Everyone was so excited.”

They had stumbled upon indie pop gold.

Radlow has used the gift of song to express herself since she was 9. Like many great musical artists, she noticed from an early age that words escaped her except in song.

When times get dark for Radlow, music is the medicine that saves her.

“One day I came home and I was like, JUMPphilly.com

TUTLIE POWER: (clockwise from top left) Taurisano, Klaproth, Brooks and Radlow.

‘Hey, Christina, I wrote this song,’” Radlow reminisces. “I was like, ‘I need something to go at the end and I don’t know what it is.’ She starts going, ‘Da da dadada da.’ I said, ‘Ok! Let me find the chords!’”

Their recent, post-graduation move to Philly has been the momentum that is turning a flicker into a smoldering flame. Asher Brooks and Drew Taurisano, who own the East Room Recording studio in Fishtown, encouraged the move and now they're part of the band. Brooks plays a free standing drum, the trumpet and works the loops in Tutlie’s live performances.

Taurisano sometimes steps in for the live show to play keyboard and is the mixologist behind the soundboard. Additionally, Tutlie has been able to sample a few backing musicians who have fleshed out their already unusual vibe.

“To me, music has to take me to a certain place to impress me,” Radlow says thoughtfully.

“I mean that in a sort of physical sense too.

Hearing certain things will take me to a time in my life or an imaginary world that I can escape to, whether it’s a mountain or a field or a haunted house.”

Inspired by an obsession for turtles and Radlow’s dictionary of made up words, Tutlie became the name that ties everything together.

There is also a certain alchemy that blends the music with Radlow’s musings. Based upon her observations of animals, for instance, she says it’s the creatures that don’t speak that say the most about those who do.

“I just started writing about animals,” Radlow says. “I couldn’t put myself into perspective to be like, ‘Jessie, what do you feel right now?’ So I was like, ‘What would a turtle feel right now?

What would a fish feel right now?’ I wrote about a bird looking out the window, wanting to fly away. I said to myself, ‘Oh, I guess I’m projecting a bit.’ It was weird because I looked over the lyrics and I realized that my feelings were projected into these animal personas.”

Tutlie started an Indie GoGo campaign in January to support the production of their first album, Young Cries.

Before coming into the studio, Young Cries was a collection of song fragments that were lacking cohesion. But with the possibility of making something real, the band’s vision grew larger. In the studio, strings and horns were dropped over the tracking of songs.

With a dream of performing with an orchestra someday, Radlow says Tutlie is in no way lo-fi.

While their fundraising campaign fell short, the band has plans to drop new music soon and it is nothing short of grandiose. Tutlie will release "Hush Up," a B-side of sorts with “Shell Shocked,” a song about a turtle’s tribulations, and “Safe” within the next few weeks.

“David Bowie did it right,” Radlow says confidently. “Of Montreal did it right. As long as we do it right, the girlie glitter and jumping around will align with our music.”

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The JUMP Off Photo by Sharon Calvin.

Reborn in Philly Aneesah Coley meets singer/songwriter Anessa LaRae.

Rocking an afro puff, jeans and a black crop top along with heels that make her appear taller than the five feet and one inch she admits to truly be, Anessa LaRae takes the stage at Warmdaddy’s.

As it pours rain outside, the 23-year-old singer/songwriter and her band, Pop Scene, appropriately start the set with an original song called “Dance in the Rain.” Throughout the restaurant, heads begin to nod rhythmically. LaRae seems at home on the stage.

“It’s something I’ve been honing for literally 20 years even though I’m really young,” she says. “I normally am a little bit of a nutcase before I perform. I’m all about energies and vibes.”

She hates feeling like a diva but certain things are necessary before she performs, like sipping blackberry brandy to help open her throat and keeping room temperature water handy. Meditation, crystals and chakra-opening stones are also things she’s into.

LaRae was born to military parents. She moved here five years ago to attend Drexel University, where she studied music industry and concentrated in entertainment law.

“I’m a Philly transplant,” she admits. “I was reborn here.”

Her first album, Apocalyptic Genesis, released in May 2011, was actually her senior project at Drexel. Though classified as eclectic rock ‘n’ soul, she says she wasn’t fixated on what genre the project would fit in. Her music style varies and she doesn’t limit herself.

Right now, she says she’s trying not to rush her art but she will create something new soon. The mantra of her next project will be love, peace and everything in between. She wants to be able to reach people.

“I want people to be touched by the music,” she says. “Music is the soundtrack of life.”

Uniquely BriaMarie

Photo courtesy of BriaMarie.

Sebastian Ade meets the DC native who is now working with Philly legends.

BriaMarie Moss-Wilkerson wears gold earrings and a white T-shirt with the word “SHINE” painted in bright highlighter hues as she prepares to host and perform at the annual Uniquely You Summit. Uniquely You is an event that brings together hundreds of young girls to discuss positive female values.

Right before the eager young women flood into the Kurtz Center at Philadelphia U n i v e r s i t y, BriaMarie can’t help but smile with anticipation.

She takes to the stage alone, armed with a microphone.

She had not expected

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to be singing in a venue that size. The girls in the crowd warm up to BriaMarie within moments of her first words, almost as though she was a friend they have known for quite some time.

And that’s because she’s not far removed from these young women.

BriaMarie Moss-Wilkerson works around her busy college schedule to chase after her dreams. This 20-year-old R&B songstress attends 8 a.m. classes at Temple University, stays fashionable throughout the day and then manages to workshop songs with Grammy-nominated producers Carvin & Ivan until it’s time for her head to hit the pillow.

And then she wakes up early and does it all over again.

“Sometimes I have to wake up at 6 a.m. to do homework,” BriaMarie laments.

BriaMarie is working on her debut album which includes “French Fries and Apple Pies,” a single she released this past summer featuring DJ Jazzy Jeff. The track reminds listeners of a time when lyrics were silly

and fun, while DJ Jazzy Jeff coats the tune with old-school vibes. The singer describes her sound as hip-hop and R&B with a pop feel.

After high school, the DC native knew she needed to go to a city where the music scene is vibrant and well-connected.

“God was leading me to Philly!” she exclaims.

“Every website, every college, it was all leading me to Philly.”

When she moved to Philly, the first order of business was to produce YouTube videos that showcased her songwriting, singing and dancing. Her sassy rendition of Jay-Z’s “Who You Wit” garnered more than 8,000 views.

“I think social media is one of the most powerful tools ever,” she stresses. “It has the power to create a bond and allows you to be more approachable.”

While scanning the web investigating different notable musicians from Philly, she stumbled upon Carvin Haggins and Ivan Barias. The duo, more commonly known as Carvin & Ivan, have produced artists like Musiq Soulchild, Jill Scott and Justin Timberlake. BriaMarie knew she had to work with them.

“I stalked them,” she says with a laugh.

BriaMarie is now the first artist signed to their label, Ethical Music Entertainment.

Her days are hectic as she meanders through the music scene but she refuses to worry.

“Wherever God wants me to be, where I will be,” she grins.

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Photo by G.W. Miller III.

The Philly Ferns Arrah Fisher's style changed when she came to Philly and met her new bandmates, as Chesney Davis discovers.

Arrah and the Ferns is not the same band it was six years ago. Not even close. That is all for the better, according to frontwoman Arrah Fisher.

“We’re definitely a rock band more than we are a folk band or a cute band,” she says. “We’re not cute. We’re ballsy.”

Fisher, who co-founded the band in 2005 while in Muncie, Indiana, moved from the Midwest to Philadelphia in 2008 with former bandmate Carl Stovner. The original lineup had disbanded earlier that year, just shy of completing what would eventually be their sophomore album All the Bad in One Place. Their first album, Evan is Vegan, was a folksy debut.

After their relocation to Philly, Fisher and Stovner played on and off under names such as Woodlands, or simply Arrah until the band’s former record label no longer had the rights to the name.

After a 2009 reunion tour with the original members, Stovner and Fisher released All the Bad in One Place and then put together the Philly Ferns, which produced the EP Solider Ghost. Stovner eventually left the group but Arrah continued with the new lineup, developing a heavier sound than the airy folk and alternative country sound of the their earlier work.

“The music definitely still has the potential to go that way,” says Ryan Belski, the band’s lead guitarist. “As a band, we’ve kind of started to float away from that. And it feels natural. It doesn’t feel forced which makes it interesting and cool.”

“All of the musicians come from different backgrounds, so it’s interesting to see how our different backgrounds meld to create music for Arrah’s songs,” says drummer Mike Harkness.

Fisher says it can be strange sometimes to play under the same name with a new band and new music. Sometimes, mostly on tour, fans want

to hear the older songs.

“It’s weird but at the same time I think it’s good to see the transition over time,” she says.

Listening to a song like “Apple for Evan” on Evan is a Vegan and then a song like “Pumpkin” from Solider Ghost, the difference is clear. For one, Fisher traded in her acoustic guitar for an electric one, a change that alone prompts more headbanging than toe-tapping. Also, while Fisher’s lyrics have transitioned from youthful to more mature, they are always confessional and intimate.

Fisher says that she, Belski, Harkness and bass guitarist Buddy Szczesniak are committed to staying on their current track.

“I feel we’re at the best we’ve ever been,” she says. “We’ve had more than two years now to play together. The stuff we’re coming up with is, in my opinion, amazing. The goal is just to share it with people and hopefully people will enjoy and respect us. That's all we can do.”

Photo byBrendan Menapace.

Praised By Sir Paul The guys from Modern Inventors are buds with a Beatle, as Brendan Menapace discovers.

Folk rock duo Modern Inventors have been building a pretty impressive resume. They’ve gotten steady radio play from WXPN, played numerous shows and have even had their cover of a Paul McCartney song heard – and praised – by McCartney himself. This is a lot to be proud of in itself but what makes it more impressive is that they’ve done all this before the release of their debut album.

They started in 2007 when members Matt Kass and Josh Benus met in Connecticut while Kass was playing with Philadelphia band The Brakes. Modern Inventors essentially began when Benus approached Kass to produce his solo album.

“The original sessions for this record were meant to go on Josh’s solo record,” says Kass. “As we started developing more of a camaraderie in the studio, we were like, ‘Yo, lets make this into a band.’”

Benus relocated to Philadelphia and the 14

LISTEN WHAT THE MAN SAID: Matt Kass (left) and Josh Benus. guys hit the studio to record more songs early in 2012. They ultimately created their debut album, Trains and Aeroplanes, which is set release in December.

With Kass’ production know-how and Benus’ songwriting, the two are a self-contained unit.

You could describe their process for making this album with a certain I-word that gets thrown around a lot these days.

“Josh does some production, and I do some songwriting,” Kass says. “But it’s kind of a

symbiotic thing. We kind of have our roles and it’s pretty sweet.”

Back to the Paul McCartney thing. The guys were invited to open for McCartney’s son James by WXPN’s Helen Leicht, whom Kass has known since his days in The Brakes. They performed a version of Paul McCartney’s “Every Night.” Leicht later asked them to go into the studio and record it.

“The amazing thing really about this cover is that we completed it within two days,” Benus says. “It was an incredibly busy week for me and our time schedules, we didn’t even know if they were going to match up.”

It was a short time spent in the studio but it wasn’t a half-assed effort in the least.

“We made something really special,” Benus says. “I think Paul really noticed that.”

They heard through Leicht that McCartney was impressed. The accolades don’t get much bigger than that.

“It was cool, you know,” Kass says. “We took our time so much with this record and then having…”

Benus interrupts, “Having someone validate our work on something that we did in two days versus something that we did in like, three years.”

“It makes you kind of rethink it,” Kass says, jumping back in. “It’s like, ‘Alright, our next record is going to take five days.’”

JUMPphilly.com

The JUMP Off Photo by Matt Hindman.

Culinary Rockers

Brian Wilensky goes in the kitchen with the bandmates from Band Name.

New Releases

A band that lives together sort of sounds like a cliche. Maybe it happens a lot. But for the three members of Band Name, who have been living together in a North Philly loft above a warehouse for a few years now, cohabitation wasn’t exactly intended. Nor was meeting and playing in a band together.

“The house brought us together,” says guitarist and singer, Jeremy Jams. “We all moved in separately and just started playing music together.”

Hard-hitting drummer Gregory Labold says he was the last to move in and he gave them fair warning – he has a lot of stuff. But in the grand scheme of the loft, it doesn’t look like it would’ve made a difference.

The number of people living here is somewhere in the double digits. Most are musicians or artists or both, and they all fuel each other’s muse. So naturally, there’s a myriad of stuff around the room, ranging from faux slot machines with piles of trinkets on it to stacks of VHS tapes from decades ago, to random, displaced items on their kitchen table, including the plate to press an Algernon Cadwallader record.

“This place is about constant ebb and flow and just making whatever changes you need to make it work,” says Labold. “You can see there’s a lot of stuff in this place. It’s organized chaos.”

Which is a bit like Band Name’s riff-laden, needle-past-the-red-line punk music about youth and lost jobs that they displayed on their 2010 full-length debut, Breakfast, released on Jams’ own Soft City Records label. Since then, they put out King of Surfers, a split 7-inch with D.C. punk band Shat Shorts.

Even though Breakfast isn’t about the first meal of the day, it isn’t an arbitrary title.

“It kind of started when we all lost or quit

JUMPphilly.com

our jobs and we were just living together and writing,” says Labold. “We’d wake up, make breakfast together and then we’d make music.

So that’s how we found out what the band connected on.”

Jams, Labold and bassist Cat Park regularly play house shows, tearing up the basement scene. They prefer house shows to bars because occasionally bars can be tougher to fill. Then making them slam along is the next challenge.

"It's sort of like when we played up in Boston and everyone stood with their arms folded," Park says. "I think they were there with the mindset of meeting people or something."

But with low-paying house shows comes some couch-surfing and having to pay gratitude to whoever it was that took them in. Jams says that they’d make breakfast for whoever let them crash, insisting they buy all the ingredients and cook them breakfast.

“We now have bands text us pictures of them making food together,” Park says.

As happy as Band Name seems to be about sharing their culinary skills, they couldn’t believe how many 20-year-olds can’t cook.

“We met a ton of people who we stayed with that don’t know how to cook food for

themselves,” Labold says. “It’s like we taught them - all you do is put oil in a pan and then put a potato in it, or an egg, or a piece of meat.

What’s salsa? Seriously, it’s just tomatoes, onions, hot peppers, a little lemon or lime.

Maybe not even lime. Just cut some stuff up and put it in a bowl and it’s food. I mean, come on.”

Aside from the good eats, the Band Name oven bell is about ring with a couple new releases.

They’re expecting to put out a new cassette and a 7-inch by the end of the year – but only in small batches, and cut by hand. They say the hip thing to do these days is to get your own lathe and physically press records yourself.

“It’s really the way to go when you don’t need, like, 500 7-inches from old releases,” says Park.

“We know so many people that have hundreds left over.”

Labold agrees, saying he’s got a stack holding up a table in his bedroom from a previous project.

“We’ll probably put out about 50 lathe-cut records for the seven-inch,” Jams says.

That may be just enough for the house show circuit. Good luck getting a copy for your collection.

DRGN King

Paragraph Nights Dominic Angelella has been a part of numerous amazing Philly projects over the years. For DRGN King, he teamed up with superproducer Ritz Reynolds. Their debut album drops on January 23. drgnking.bandcamp.com

The Snails

The River This reggae/ska/soul/rock 'n' roll five piece has a sound from another era, and it's catchy as all hell.

They'll drop their debut EP in December. thesnailsband.bandcamp.com 15

Photo by Brandee Nichols.

Freak Folk From The Cold Front

Brandee Nichols talks to the world-travelling duo behind Norwegian Arms, whose upcoming debut album was inspired by bandmate Brendan Mulvihill's trip to Siberia.

After receiving a Fulbright fellowship in 2011, Brendan Mulvihill, one half of the freakfolk duo Norwegian Arms, found himself in the middle of Siberia, teaching English at a university.

“I think it was a good maturation thing,” Mulvihill says of his time in Tomsk, Russia.

“It’s really easy to grow as an individual when you put yourself in these difficult situations.”

Mulvihill harnessed his experiences and channeled them into the music of Norwegian Arms’ debut album, Wolf Like a Stray Dog, which is due out in December.

“Everything was at least partially, if not completely, written there,” Mulvihill says.

“It deals with things that happened while I was there. It’s basically a documentary of my experience abroad.”

Eric Slick, the other half of the group, wasn’t directly inspired by Mulvihill’s experience but he had no trouble working on the album upon Mulvihill’s return.

“I've been to Russia a few times and it's a gorgeous, freezing nightmare,” Slick says.

“At the end of the day, it's all music. Brendan 16

definitely gave me some insight as to what he as I am everyday in my life.” was looking for musically and it seemed to “If people are looking for something that’s blend well with the lyrical content.” accessible but a little left of center, then I think Mulvihill and Slick teamed up with Michael they'll enjoy the record,” Slick adds.

Chadwick, formerly of The Armchairs, to When Mulvihill isn’t off discovering the record the album in October 2011. They pulled world, he works as an assistant talent buyer it off in less than a week at Dr. Dog’s Meth at Johnny Brenda’s in Fishtown, basically a Beach studio. Slick also plays drums for Dr. graduation from what he used to do at The Dog. Ox, the Olde Kensington “It was good because warehouse space that Norwegian Arms album release I think it forced us to hosted countless concerts December 21 at Johnny Brenda's, with distill our thoughts so and parties until the Laser Background and Night Panther that the songs didn’t police shut them down. become too overproduced “It’s the best job I’ve ever or overblown,” Mulvihill says, describing the had,” he says proudly. “I’ve never worked in a intense and somewhat blurry process. place I like, with people I like, doing something Continuing with the worldly theme of the I like. It’s just a really wonderful experience.” album, the duo took their time doing longIt only makes sense that the venue of distance mixing with a former Philadelphia choice for the album’s December 21 release friend, Jose Diaz, who now lives in Seattle. is Johnny Brenda’s. The duo is also taking “We took a while to get it mixed because we this opportunity to celebrate the Mayan really wanted to listen to the tracks we had Apocalypse at the same time. and figure out what we wanted it to sound “Hopefully all of my friends will join me as the like,” Mulvihill recalls. “I hope that there’s an world crumbles around us,” Mulvihill says with authenticity to this record, that it’s me as I am, an enthusiastic grin.

JUMPphilly.com

Photo by G.W. Miller III.

The JUMP Off

Spinning with Philly Pride Niesha Miller meets DJ Damage, the city's hottest young mixer .

Hailing from the heart of North Philadelphia, Abdul Muhammad, better known as DJ Damage, says he was a DJ before he actually had his equipment.

“I just loved the technical side of being a DJ,” he says. “I just love going up there and touching the vinyl and playing records.”

The 23-year-old launched his music career when he was 11-years-old. He started out as half of a rap duo with his brother, Fese Muhammad. That ended when he realized he was a horrible rapper. By 13, he was working the turntables with friend DJ Young Shizz. Damage soon began DJing events around the city while attending Girard College High School.

Damage moved on to Temple University, where he built up his brand and honed his skills. In 2008, he shared the stage with one of the most respected hip-hop artists of his generation – Nas. “I came from being a freshman DJ on campus,” Damage recalls, “to actually DJing in front of a crowd that’s gonna rock to Nas.” JUMPphilly.com

Now, Damage pumps out beats on Hot 107.9 every weeknight. He started spinning at the station back in 2009 when the station was 100.3 The Beat. Damage was just a sophomore at Temple at the time.

Last year, he walked out of the third annual Philly Hip-Hop Awards with best radio DJ and best mixtape DJ honors.

Damage sees his mixtapes as a way to promote the city’s up-and-coming artists, and as a platform where local musicians can work together.

“It’s good to unify and stay positive,” he says.

“Collaborating and supporting each other only makes it bigger for everybody.”

One artist Damage has collaborated with is West Philly rapper Chill Moody. Last summer, Damage helped curate the first annual Let It Bump Music Festival at the Wall Street International with Moody and Mic Stew.

The event spawned from a track by the same name that the three made together.

“Mic was like, ‘I really like this record. I think it’ll be good on the radio,’” recalls Moody. “We didn’t really have a hook for it, so we was like, 'We’ll get DJ Damage to scratch on it.' He’s another up-and-coming person in the city like us and he represents Philly really well.”

In 2011, Damage launched the All Hamm Back to School Tour, where he spoke to Philadelphia’s youth about being a positive force in their communities.

“I was going around talking about higher education, life skills, learning how to be determined, hard work and why it’s important to know your skills,” remembers Damage, who sold drugs brielfy as a teenager when his family hit hard times. “I feel like if you’re popular and people put you on a pedestal, you have to give back some way.”

Damage keeps himself busy. He says when one thing slows down, he makes sure he’s jumping on to the next thing.

“If I’m not doing mixtapes, then I’m doing events,” he says. “If I’m not doing events, then maybe I’m working on a TV show or working on a website. You gotta just keep it going.”

Last year he was given an opportunity to host and DJ for BET’s influential music countdown, 106 and Park.

Damage dropped his latest project, The Caution Tape 2, in August. It was hosted by fellow Philadelphia-native DJ Drama. The album features a slew of local artists including Marsha Ambrosius, Cody Kahmar, Chill Moody, Freeway and Young Chris.

Damage prides himself on uplifting his city, whether it’s working with the city’s youth or spinning for his fellow Philly musicians.

“It’s not always just about talent, “ he says.

“It’s how you connect with people. I was always good with connecting with people. I always found myself in the right place at the right time.”

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Mind-Numbing Fuzz, East Coast-Style Harsh Vibes were playing out around Philly, drenching basements and bars in driving acid rock, when suddenly it came time to rethink their name. Not because they started to mellow out, giving up the dense stoner riffs, but because someone else tried to steal it.

“We searched the Internet so hard to make sure there was no other band called Harsh Vibes,” says guitarist and singer Chris Ragnar Bergen. “After we’d been playing out for about a year, a band in California popped up with the same name. We found them because they signed up for all the same social media outlets, like Bandcamp.”

Synth player Evan Raab recalls the time they had to correct a promoter after he accidentally put a picture of the West Coast Harsh Vibes on a flyer for one of their shows in Philly. The joke is really on those Pacific Coast kids because our local guys’ shows have been listed on the West Coast Vibes’ social media thanks to the algorithm Bandcamp uses.

Bergen, drummer John Paul Titlow and guitarist Kyle Reiff graduated from Upper Merion High School in 2001. Bergen and 18

Titlow have been playing together on and off since they were 15. Reiff joined in 2010, followed by bassist Peter Sabatino and Raab.

Over the past two years, the five of them have recorded every practice, creating a backlog of what they estimate to be hundreds of hours.

“There are two different modes of us playing,” Bergen says. “There are rehearsed parts that I mostly wrote. And we have just jam outs all together.”

Bergen had been releasing solo electronic music on European labels for years under the name Moblin. As the music he was writing became more rock oriented, he realized he needed a band because he didn’t want it to be just him directing everything anymore. He says that a lot of the songs he’d recorded as demos are now pretty different after having the rest of the band work on them.

The reason Harsh Vibes have all this material but haven’t put out a full-length or even a 7-inch after gigging around the city since 2010 is because of trying to expose their name through playing live. However, they feel they aren’t always put in the right lineup.

“We’ve been put on a lot of inappropriate bills, which I guess is normal when you’re first starting,” Bergen says. “At first it seemed like people weren’t sure where to place us. We’d either be the heaviest band or it’d be a real heavy death metal show and we’d be by far the lightest.”

Recently they adjusted their focus to putting out a cassette of their improv psych jams from their recordings. With so much content to choose from, they plan to make it a series of cassettes, putting out several over a steady period, starting with Psychedelic Gin Blossoms in December. But they’re still set on putting out a full length eventually.

“There are usually three or four parts of each jam that are worthy of being turned into actual songs,” says Titlow.

Since they’re having a hard time getting funds together for recording, they’re hoping to find someone who might help send their jams around to different labels.

Until then, Harsh Vibes will keep a steady dose of mind-numbing fuzz in your ears on their own.

JUMPphilly.com

Photo by Ryan Treitel.

The guys from noise-metal band Harsh Vibes played harsh vibes long before the biters out west tried to steal the name, as Brian Wilensky discovers.

The JUMP Off Photo by Greta Iverson.

New Wave Redux Greta Iverson meets the trio from The Downtown Club, whose music will make you wish John Hughes was still making awesome 80s teen movies.

The Downtown Club is a darker New Wave band, with influences drawn from the punk and New Wave scenes of the 70s and 80s.

Singer/guitartist/keyboard player April Harkanson, who was raised by an 86-year-old former nun, admits she’s influenced by the vocals of Siouxsie Sioux. Harkanson says she is very impressed by the sounds Sioux makes without actually singing. Bassist Travis Regan, who served as Schoolly D’s road DJ, remarks with a smile that he’s most influenced by The Clash and other dance-oriented punk musicians.

“He’s obsessed,” Harkanson whispers before Regan can say anything else.

Harkanson and Regan experimented with other drummers before finding Dan Welsh. “When Dan entered the picture, he really helped define our aesthetic,” Regan says.

“I like to play music that I like, with people who I like,” Welsh demures.

The familial vibe from the young, Fishtown-based band, which formed in 2011, is overpowering. Regan and Harkanson, in particular, have a brother/ sister-type relationship, with definite “I hate you” moments.

“Travis can be really into it,” Harkanson says of their music, “but I’m much more laid back about it. Dan is the moderator. He’s in the middle.”

They dropped a five-song, self-titled EP in June that is full of dreamy, danceable, richly-layered, post-punk melodies and Harkanson’s commanding vocals. It was co-produced by Jeff Zeigler, who has worked with Kurt Vile and The War on Drugs.

The bandmates admit that their first EP was not very definitive to their message or their genre but they felt rushed to produce something. Now that they have a better idea of who they are and what they want to say, they’ll return to the studio with Zeigler in December.

JUMPphilly.com

NEW NEW WAVERS: (L to R) Travis Regan, April Harkanson and Dan Welsh make dark, dreamy, danceable music.

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The JUMP Off

Leading Lady on The Turntables Just a few years ago, Chaisley Lussier, was a full-time nanny who saved up enough money to buy her first turntables.

“One time in New York, I saw a girl DJing,” Lussier says. “She wasn’t even serious. She was just kind of dancing and playing songs on her iPod. The next week I went out and bought turntables because I knew I wanted to be a DJ.” Playing music was something she always had a passion for, something that made her feel cool when friends in college would ask her to pick the songs at parties. But it was something she had never taken seriously.

Today, Lussier is blowing up, and she hopes to change the very perception of what a female DJ can achieve.

Lussier, 24, has dark, piercing eyes that reflect the glow of her decks as she unleashes the next track for an ape-shit crowd of yuppie party goers on a Monday night. With jewelry dangling from her wrist, she cranks the beat and sends the suits into a foolish display they’ll probably regret with hazy recollection in the morning.

She got her first break one night while smoking hookah and hanging out with friends, when she happened to talk to the owner of the Vango Lounge and Skybar near Rittenhouse Square.

“I mentioned that I was a DJ and he looked at me like I was crazy,” Lussier says. “It was Tuesday night and he said to come Thursday night to Vango. I wanted to play house music, but he just said to me, ‘You’re playing hip-hop.’ I thought to myself, ‘Oh shit.’”

Vango owner Dia Sawan says, “She seemed to know a lot about music, had a nice collection of friends and I wanted to give her a shot.”

That Thursday came and it was a nightmare.

“Everything went wrong,” Lussier says with a chuckle.

“We were packed wall-to-wall and at 12 o’clock the music just turned off. I don’t even know what I did. I just started unplugging and plugging things in. Then I got it to work, threw on a new song and the people went back to dancing.”

A year later and Lussier is among the hottest catches in town. She’s the house DJ for Roots collaborator and Grammy-winner Dice Raw (whom she calls her “Teddy Bear”). She’s got residencies at Vango and Opa nightclubs.

Every second Sunday, she’s at The Legendary Dobbs and every Tuesday she’s at Voltage. She’s expanded from exclusively playing in Philadelphia to DJing every Wednesday in New York. She’s working on her first EP, building projects of original productions and curating soundtracks. On top of it all, she’s masterminding a website that caters specifically to female DJs in hopes of creating a sustainable and

20

legitimate community of DJs like herself.

“DJ culture is huge,” she says. “You can definitely make a lot of money in this industry. But, you know, everything that I’ve seen advertised, every gig, every major party, every major DJ, has always been men.”

And being the center of the party is not an easy job. People are depending on the DJ to make the party, and a pretty face behind the decks isn’t enough to keep the party rocking. Girls come in ready to belt their favorite lines from Beyonce and Rihanna songs, while dudes come in with their hats down low, just wanting to hear hardcore hip-hop.

The DJ is expected to make everyone happy, to play that one song that will make their night even better. Catering to the whims of her faithful crowd has never been an issue for Lussier, and she revels in the ability to do the job that men have dominated for so long.

“Chaisley puts in work,” says fellow DJ and collaborator, Shino Urena.

“It’s been a humbling experience to watch what she does. The DJ industry is tough – imagine how tough it can be for a female. But she’s put in her dues. She’s organized, she takes pride in looking for tracks and catering music for her set and herself in ways that not everybody does.”

Through the wonders of social media, Lussier has already conferred with longtime Philly DJ Lisa Love and Fajr Muhammad, the brain behind the fashion/lifestyle blog Stylish Thought.

Lussier knew there wasn’t a convenient way for female DJs to come together and organize. The scene was fragmented and as a result, it suffered. So, she created Chick Decks, an online hub that will bring the community of female DJs together. When it launches, the social media hub will allow female DJs to connect, organize shows, buy and trade equipment, partner with clubs and offer a way for female DJs to get out of the bedroom and into the club.

The polite, businesswoman ethic Lussier exhibits is her strongest attribute. Her professionalism has enabled her to expand her brand and thrive where others with more practice, and years DJing under their belt, have failed.

She’s become a commodity for all who have given her opportunities. And yet with ease, she stays humble and keeps her focus – she wants people to dance and be happy.

“Everyone wants to hear something different, everyone has a different idea what is going to make their night,” says Lussier. “I feel I can read people really well, just in everyday life, and I think that definitely translates when you’re a DJ. You need to know how to make people have a good time in every aspect.”

JUMPphilly.com

Photo by Rick Kauffman.

In a short period of time, Chaisley Lussier has become a sought after DJ in Philly and beyond, as Rick Kauffman discovers.

Photo by Caroline Newton.

Photo by Matthew Albasi.

Band Of Serendipity Modern Colour came together by chance, as Matthew Albasi learns.

Tom Weir and Chris Boyle had been playing together for years, trying to piece together a band. They played in the basement of their house, crammed into the laundry room.

Much of the music they made, by their own admission, was without direction. It was experimental rock – or something like that.

Then one day, while Weir played along with a Black Keys album in his basement, Stephan Sirochman walked by the house and overheard Weir. So he stopped in. Sirochman liked what he heard and soon, Modern Colour was born.

Sirochman moved Weir from bass to drums.

Boyle took up the bass. Sirochman became the frontman and guitarist. Everything fell into place and they decided on a sound that was decidedly soulful and rock ‘n’ roll inspired.

On December 7, they will release their first real recording, titled Rally the Summit. It was produced by Dave Clauss, who has done work for artists like Shakira, U2 and Janet Jackson.

Clauss and Boyle’s girlfriend grew up together.

Boyle's girlfriend started inviting Clauss to shows and the relationship grew from there.

“He came to our first couple of shows when he was in town just to check us out,” Weir says.

“He wouldn't critique us but he’d say, ‘Good job. Keep working.’” After a few months, Clauss decided they were ready to go to the studio.

Armed with a professional recording, Modern Colour is looking to take the hand of serendipity and continue on to greatness.

JUMPphilly.com

Doing What They Want Neil Patel booked hardcore shows in Atlanta before he came to Philly. That’s how he met Title Fight’s Ned Russin. The duo formed Back to Back Records here in 2009 and since then, they’ve pressed and sold about 5,000 pieces of vinyl, signed one of the West Coast’s biggest hardcore bands, Soul Search, and arranged the recording of Face Reality’s record at Studio 4, the same studio used by Circa Survive. Our Caroline Newton talks to Patel about the label.

What was the process of starting the label?

Ned’s from Wilkes-Barre and I live in Philadelphia. Wilkes-Barre and Philadelphia and Boston have been the hubs for hardcore.

Like, kids come from all around the country and the world just for our shows cause we have This Is Hardcore Fest here. As soon as we said we were doing this, kids instantly supported us. We put out the first record. I had finally put out a vinyl. The most exciting part was when we finally did this, Revelation Records, which is probably the most important hardcore label ever, hit us up and said, “We need these records.” They sold out very quickly. Our favorite label ever asked us for more records and then sent us a check.

How did you go about making the records and album art?

Ned drew the album art himself. And that just goes hand in hand with the whole do-ityourself hardcore ethic. Hardcore all sprung out of a bunch of angry kids not feeling right

in the mainstream. For the actual record, we screwed up. We were sending the audio to the wrong places and we got the colors wrong at first. But that’s just the fun in doing your own thing.

Was it expensive to start up?

I got a $1,000 loan from my dad. And Ned got a $1,000 loan from Title Fight, which we paid off immediately so it was fine. I had a bunch of graduation money from high school saved up as well, so with that we started making shirts.

Honestly, we had a lot of support.

So you made you money back and more?

Barely more. You make almost no money doing this. It is strictly because we love hardcore. You really don’t make money off of 7-inches. If you’re ever gonna make money it’s off of LP’s and we’ve only put out one LP. But we plan on doing more.

Do you promote and manage bands as well?

Yeah. This label has a lot of hype. I have a lot of followers. I strictly stick to Facebook, Tumblr and Twitter for promotion. That’s enough marketing. People always want to talk about your image and networking but it really doesn’t mean shit. If kids like your stuff, it’s good.

Do you have advice for people who want to go down this path?

Really the best way to do anything is to actually do something you’re involved with already.

Start with your friends. All the bands I’ve ever worked with are my friends. Do something within your friendships. If it becomes famous, it gets famous. But that’s not what the goal of anything should be. We’re just doing what we want.

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This Place Rocks

Arts Garage: Still Steady Rocking But Up For Sale Ola Solanke quit his corporate job to turn a derelict warehouse into a neighborhood transforming arts space. But now he's ready to move on, as Christopher Malo learns.

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estled on a swath of property between the expanding gentrification north of Center City and south of Temple University, rests an old garage on Ridge Avenue that has hosted a variety of entertainment acts, art expos and performances.

The Arts Garage is the result of one man's colossal effort to bring something novel to the city of Philadelphia.

When Ola Solanke's job as a corporate risk manager at Cigna, the health insurance company, moved him from Wall Street in New York City to Liberty II in Philadelphia in 1990, the self-described house head noticed a void in the arts community.

There seemingly was no venue that could serve various artistic groups under one roof and provide professional caliber equipment for each element to be able to shine. The fragmentation and lack of support that he saw not only hurt each individual segment, but the community as a whole. He began buying and selling properties, laying the groundwork to open the Arts Garage.

“I don't see myself as a pioneer,” says Solanke, sitting at the bar, long before his 11 employees or any patrons arrive. “I saw a need and rolled up my sleeves to fulfill that need.”

But like any explorer who blazes a trail and plants a flag, they don't simply remain there. There comes a time when it is necessary to move on.

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DJ Kid Roc playing all the new hip hop and some old school stuff..

For booking info, contact djkidrocbookings@gmail.com or (267)-650-1538. Follow him @DJKidRoc1.

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olanke explains, “A space is defined as a place of assembly. But more than just that can happen in that space.”

When Solanke first purchased the building, trees grew inside and they reached out through the roof. The first order of business was the brick and mortar building. Next was the choosing of a PA system and building of the DJ booth. Solanke received assistance and encouragement from the DJ crew and production team Illvibe Collective.

While according to the building codes of the city, Solanke may have a right to open an entertainment venue in a neighborhood, that didn't mean the city wanted him to. At the time, there was a push from the city government to develop the nightlife along the riverfront. Solanke ran into the brick wall known as the City of Philadelphia and it was a costly experience, in both time and money.

After what turned into a long, arduous and costly process, Solanke secured all the proper permits and licensing to fully operate a bar, nightclub and restaurant in 2006.

But even getting his liquor license turned out to be bittersweet. As a result of the mountain of court costs Solanke endured, the day he received the license, he realized he had no money to actually buy alcohol. He then went home where he found mail from credit card companies he had ignored for weeks, assuming they were bills. Upon opening them, he found three credit cards, each with $7,500 limits. And the Arts Garage's bar was shortly thereafter open for business.

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Bottom photo by Christopher Malo. Top photo by G.W. Miller III.

Solanke eventually understood that the openings and poetry readings. resistance to the Arts Garage from the city He’s transformed this area, and not wasn't personal. It was just business as just with the club. He has demolished usual. There are no lingering hostilities. seven properties in the neighborhood as Just last month, the Arts Garage hosted part of a personal anti-blight initiative. two major events booked by the city. In a Each summer, he sends 10 kids from the strange turn of events, Solanke has gone neighborhood to camp. This has been from writing checks to the city to cashing Ola Solanke’s pet project for more than a checks from them. decade and he made it happen.

City politics aside, it is easier for Solanke And now it is time to move on. to recount the success and partnerships he has built that have been helpful and olanke is currently looking to positive for the Arts Garage. lease or sell the Arts Garage to the Early on, the Arts Garage expanded right owner. It's just time for him the reach of the Fringe Festival to North TURNKEY OPERATION: Ola Solanke (bottom image) to move on, he says. He is 10 years older Philly. Early on, those at the Fringe Fest created a venue that presents a wide array of events, then when he started the project. He has a were unsure of neighborhood because at including an open-mic hip-hop showcase (top image). family he wants to spend more time with. the time, that section of Francisville was What is required to run a performance only at the beginning of its transitional period. It is a relationship that venue is more then he is looking to give. But he is not just looking to cut has been maintained through the years. Other organizations and artists ties and run. After what he has given of himself to build the Arts Garage, soon began making use of the 7,000-square foot venue including Tommy he wants to make sure it ends up in the hands of the right person who will Up, Rich Medina, DJ Statik, Bo Bliz and Emynd, Brendan Bring' em, King carry on the tradition Britt and Questlove.

“What I have to offer someone who may be interested is opportunity,” “It's been about how these relationships have added up, making the Arts Solanke explains. “The opportunity to take it to the next level. We have Garage into what it is,” Solanke states. the capacity and license and permits to be able to do indoor and outdoor events. The venue can accommodate 500 to 1,200 people, indoor and out.” ince opening the Arts Garage, Solanke counts at least three other The area has certainly undergone a change since the Arts Garage first venues with similar missions that have opened. It is not something opened. And with the recent proposal to turn the nearby Divine Lorraine that he feels threatened by. hotel into 126 apartments, it certain does not look as if the neighborhood “Competition is good for business,” he quickly reminds. is going to atrophy to the condition it transcended from.

His original vision – to bring people together, to unite energy and Until he finds a suitable buyer, Solanke's plan is simple. It is a line he to give artists an outlet for their creativity – has been realized, from often interjects throughout conversations. film screenings and karaoke, to open mic nights and showcases, to art “We continue to rock steady,” he says.

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City Hall Moves With The Sounds Of The People Sofiya Ballin meets Josh Dubin, the man behind the free concert series at City Hall. Photos by Michael Bucher.

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lice Rader points toward the Second Empire-style clock tower while Ursula Rucker recites poetry on a small stage.

“Look at where we are!” Rader yells. “ That’s awesome!

I can look out and see Broad Street!”

She sits in the City Hall courtyard for the Peace Is A Haiku Song: Sonia Sanchez & Friends event, featuring Sanchez, Rucker, Chill Moody and others as part of the City Hall Presents series.

The courtyard is filled with citizens across demographic lines, joined together to celebrate and absorb Philly talent, for free.

The ability to simultaneously listen to Rucker eloquently recite spoken word as the sun sets and monitor the traffic on Broad Street creates a unique and captivating combination.

“It’s a beautiful night and it makes me feel a part of the city,” says Rader, 67. “It makes me feel connected to the community.”

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few days prior, event organizer, Josh Dubin, sits in La Calombe Café. He’s dressed casually and sports sneakers.

His laid back, easy-going demeanor seems contradictory for someone involved with politics.

“People’s perception of City Hall is not always the best,” he says. “Sometimes they’re there to pay a fine or for jury duty.”

Dubin grew up outside of Boston and moved to Philly to attend the University of Pennsylvania, where he studied political science and music.

“I fell in love with the city,” he says. “It’s very walkable and I love the music scene.”

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Now, he is the special projects coordinator for the city’s Office of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy (OACCE). He also helps organize Blocktoberfest, an annual beer and music street party on South Street.

“I have seen the live music scene explode venuewise,” he says.

“I’ve noticed a trend overall to take more pride of what goes on in the city musicwise.”

When Mayor Nutter proposed the idea of showcasing Philly talent in City Hall, he contacted Chief Cultural Officer Gary Steuer, who knew the project was right up Dubin’s ally.

“Josh is great to oversee this because of his experience producing Blocktoberfest,” Steuer says. “His ease with social media also allows him to do an excellent job of promotion.”

City Hall Presents showcases the spectrum of the city’s performing arts in the often overlooked spaces of City Hall – the courtyard, the mayor’s reception room, conversation hall, the law library and elsewhere. The goal is to inspire citizens to become involved in the performing arts, Dubin explains.

Each show is free and open to the public. Often during the courtyard performances, citizens coming off the Broad Street Line find themselves literally walking right into a concert.

“We want to portray the performing arts not just as something that is a luxury in the city or an accessory to a great city,” Dubin explains, “but as something that is a critical part of city life.”

The series gives citizens a chance to become acquainted with the largest municipal building in the United States, a historical JUMPphilly.com

Music & Politics

gem right in their backyard.

“The mayor’s reception room is nine times out of 10 where you go to hear a press conference,” Dubin says. “It’s crammed full of reporters and people taking notes. The walls are filled with portraits of mayors from the past. I love the idea that somehow all these old mayors are looking down in the room, having an opportunity during City Hall Presents to see something they’ve probably never seen before.”

Dubin’s voice fills with passion, competing with the others in the café as he clarifies.

“The arts have the power to transform space and perception of space,” he concludes.

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fter a request for artists went out in October 2011, the city received more than 200 applications from arts organizations and artists who wanted to perform in the building. Dubin and his team planned 24 events for the year.

“We’ve had gospel music, circus performers doing aerial acrobatics, comedians and flamenco,” Dubin says.

In addition to Sonia Sanchez, Ursula Rucker and Chill Moody, City Hall has hosted children from the Philly Youth Poetry Movement, the Kyo Daiko taiko drummers, drag queen/cabaret performer Martha Graham Cracker, Project Capoeira, Ali Wadsworth, the Opera Company of Philadelphia and much more.

“The hardest part has been just trying to get in as much as we can, trying to capture a little bit of everything.” Dubin says.

“Different neighborhoods, different disciplines, different styles and genres of art that fully represents a broad City Hall Presents diversity of the city’s style and ethnic disciplines.”

Learn about upcoming shows at The series presents cityhallpresents.creativephl.org strictly Philly talent.

“We want these shows to inspire people to become patrons of the arts and follow up on those interests to be exposed to new groups and new talents in the city,” Dubin says.

Thanks to funding from the Knight Foundation and the William Penn Foundation, the series pays artists up to $500 per event.

“Artists have jobs like everyone else,” Dubin says firmly. “Our office represents artists. They’re our constituency. We believe that artists should be paid.”

IN THE PEOPLE'S BUILDING: Chill Moody (opposite page) on stage in the City Hall courtyard. Bleachers (above) ring the stage during the outdoor performances. Office of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy special projects coordinator Josh Dubin (below), the man behind the City Hall Presents series.

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nvesting in the arts is proving to be vital to Philadelphia’s economy. According to OACCE’s research, arts, culture and creative industries are responsible for one in 15 jobs in the city. If treated as a single sector, it would rank as the 4th largest employer after health care, education and retail.

“Arts and culture have a fantastic economic impact on the city,” Dubin says. “It’s an amazing force for development for business attraction, for residential attraction and quality of life.”

However, Dubin emphasizes that the focus on the arts goes past economic gain. Through arts and culture, people grow from an intellectual and emotional perspective, as well as artistic.

“The arts provide something that goes beyond a dollar figure,” he says.

As the café closes, Dubin walks to Rittenhouse Square Park, parking himself on the nearest bench. As someone who sang in high school and goes to at least one concert a week, he has a sense of expertise when discussing his favorite bands, his fandom for Philly music becoming clear. He lists Sun Airway, Dr.Dog, Cheers Elephant and Toy Soldiers among his favorites.

Dubin is proud that the City Hall Presents series has become popular, and that the city will continue the program.

“That to me says more about the city’s commitment to the JUMPphilly.com

arts,” he says. “It’s one thing to talk about how important the arts are to the city. It’s another thing to bring it into the people’s building. City Hall is literally singing, speaking and moving with the people’s voice.”

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Photo by G.W. Miller III.

Music & Education

The Clark Kent of Beats Ashley Coleman meets Wes Manchild, the North Philly native who is a school teacher by day and a hip-hop producer by night.

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lthough there is no telephone booth or disguise involved like in Superman’s double life, producer Wes Manchild definitely maintains two different personas. He is Mr. Ames, the eighth grade teacher by day and a hip-hop producer by night. Even though his role changes, his philosophies on the importance of history, beating the odds and making timeless music remain consistent.

Manchild, a North Philadelphia native, always had a flare for history, both socially and musically. Growing up in the 80s and 90s, when the hip-hop scene in Philadelphia was relatively small, Manchild became known as the "dude with the music" because of his frequent trips to New York to purchase exclusive mixtapes. He quickly garnered a reputation for having a great ear for music.

However, it was his sister who introduced him to the group that would become the single reason he wanted to produce.

"My older sister went to Delaware State and it was when A Tribe Called Quest’s first album, People’s Instinctive Travels and the Paths of Rhythm, came out,” Manchild remembers. “She had the cassette and she kept playing ‘Bonita Applebum’ all the time and I got hooked."

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usic from that era has the strongest influence on his role as a producer. It was after he discovered A Tribe Called Quest that Manchild began listening for samples and reading credits to see who produced each of his favorite songs. He continued to immerse himself in music after heading down to Atlanta for college, where he met Philadelphia natives DJ Drama and DJ Sense.

“DJ Sense was my roommate and he was from Philly,” Manchild explains.

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“We would go to his mom’s house in the summer and she had all these old records. He had these old break beats so I would just use his Gemini eight second sampler and make beats with that.”

After he returned to Philadelphia and began teaching social studies, Manchild got a whiff of a program called Fruity Loops from producer 9th Wonder’s project The Listening with Little Brother. Once he learned that he could make tracks with the computer software, he really decided to dig in as a producer.

Manchild tries to keep his work as a teacher and producer separate. But his work with popular acts like Chill Moody, Philly SK and Antwan Davis make it difficult, especially with the older students he formerly taught at Hope Charter School.

“A couple of them would come over to me and say ‘Yo, you got some beats?’” he says with a chuckle.

He’s now teaching younger students at Wakisha Charter School in North Philly. Manchild often bites his tongue at times when he wants to give his opinion on the music they’re listening to. For Manchild, the most important thing when it comes to working with the students is imparting on them the reality that there is a bigger world than their neighborhood and their block.

“A lot of people don’t really know all Philly has to offer,” he says. “They stay in their little box.”

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s a kid who grew up at 19th and Cumberland, Manchild shows his students what “making it out” means each day. He’s working toward major label placements, tribute projects and total world domination, and his newest project – comedy writing.

Although Manchild expresses that there aren’t too many similarities in working with artists and children, he seems to have found his stride in both. Continuing to incorporate history into his production and delicately educating students on the origin of the music they love, Manchild’s two worlds collide more often than noticed.

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BLONDE GANG: (L to R) Kidd Sweeny, Sik, Bok Nero, Plane Walker, Shy the Social Misfit and Lyve.

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Cover Story

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BLONDE AMBITION They're more than a collection of social misfits with crazy colored hair. Blonde Gang is a collaborative musical experience, fueled by a bunch of Philly kids who strive for individuality, though they find comfort amongst each other.

Our Cary Carr hangs with the crew who aspire to push people put of their comfort zones.

Photos by Marie Alyse Rodriguez.

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eon paint spills on the floor creating a pink, blue and green path for the crowd. The ultra-hipster kids have arrived with their dreads, ripped T-shirts and drugged out dance moves, but they’re not alone. A swarm of hip-hop fanatics makes their presence known, swaying to the beats of the DJ while prepping for the main event.

Girls with barely-there outfits and skintight jeans smear body paint on one another, struggling to strap on as many glow bracelets as their wrists will allow.

Blunts are passed around like candy, forming a cloud of smoke that overpowers the effects of the fog machine. Behind dark shades, a man with a red streak in his hair holds a Bud Ice in one hand, a bottle of cheap liquor in the other and balances a cigarette on the edges of his lips while still managing to bust out some dance moves. He’s glowing under the blue rays of the black light, and he makes one thing very clear – he doesn’t give a damn what you think of him.

This is the party before the main event. This is the pregame that lasts all night. This is the home of the social misfits, the individuals, the kids who give a middle finger to anything or anyone who tries to tell them no.

“Welcome to Blonde Gang,” laughs Jamiil Hankins.

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ankins oversees the music video shoot for 2nd Child, a group branched off of Philadelphia’s very own do-it-yourself music collective, Blonde Gang. For him, this isn’t a chance to party and bullshit – it’s his opportunity to make sure everything runs smoothly, to make sure that the members of the group branded in 2011 are all where they need to be, when they need to be there.

Hankins, Bok Nero, Kidd Sweeny, Lyve, Plane Walker, Sik, Reese and Shy The Social Misfit are the foundation of the movement which was born through a spur of the moment meeting. They each take on their fair share of jobs. From performing and writing to promoting and marketing, JUMPphilly.com

Cover Story

Blonde Gang makes it all happen within their own trusted circle. And this eclectic group of guys, well known for their fabulously freaky hairstyles, does not discriminate when it comes to music.

Dubstep, pop, rock, punk, rap – they experiment with it all. And when added to their guiding message that it’s okay to be yourself, you have a Philadelphia force of musical innovation that cannot and will not back down.

“I always try to reinvent myself,” says Nero, who started with battle rap and hip-hop before evolving to beats influenced by pop and punk.

“Everyone can relate to emotions but not everyone can relate to a genre.”

Changing up his sound, he says, helps him relate to Blonde Gang’s very diverse crowd.

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inally, the cameras start rolling and the crowd starts moving their way to the background. It’s Sik and Shy’s turn to shine and they quietly convert from faces in the crowd to the stars of the show.

Silly string is shot into the air, and the girls fight over who can get the closest to the main attraction. Suddenly, Shy breaks his way out of the crowd to make his debut.

The lyrics to “Girls Like to Party” start blasting through the speakers and Shy, impossible to miss with a perfected hot pink Mohawk, stares down the camera, focusing on each word, in sync with the catchy hip-hop melody. His partner, Sik, isn’t far behind, his sunglasses unable to hide his intensity.

They don’t make mistakes, they don’t break the beat and they manage to turn this beatdown warehouse into a private concert, brimming with energy.

The rest of Blonde Gang soon follows – pink, red and blue hair standing out on the sidelines. They’re there for support. They’re making sure that together or separately, everything is flawless. It’s not always easy for the members of Blonde Gang to prove themselves as individual entities.

“Everybody always wants Blonde Gang as a whole,” Nero stresses, “and they don’t understand that if you get someone from Blonde Gang, it’s a good alternative.”

“We don’t want to see our brother fail, no matter what,” Kidd Sweeny says, hiding behind his sunglasses. “We are a brand, so if my brother fails, I fail.”

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ut despite their fight to be recognized as separate artists, you can be sure to recognize these guys on the streets of Philly. With outrageous hair styles that are quickly becoming popular among celebrities like Wiz Khalifa, Chris Brown and Pharrell, Blonde Gang maintains a look that truly highlights their belief in individualism.

Nero, who sports streaks on the sides of his head, first dyed his hair while living in Los Angeles, hoping others would be roused to showcase their own uniqueness. Marilyn Monroe, who Nero describes as “the ultimate rebel” inspired his vibrant style.

“It was amazing to be able to express how I feel on the inside,” Nero says, smiling.

But, he remains cautious of letting his hair outshine his talents.

“I don’t want my hair to define me as an artist,” he says. “I don’t want to be known as the blue hair dude. I want to be known as Bok Nero. He’s an entertainer. He does everything. I don’t want to live in the shadow of my hair.”

Nero shouldn’t worry about fans loosing focus on his music – it’s just as unconventional as his hair. Inspired by a wide range of free-spirited JUMPphilly.com

artists such as Freddy Mercury, Bruce Springsteen, 2 Cocky 2 Care and Dosage, as well as historic rebels like Alexander the Great and Julius Caesar, he ensures his shows are outlandishly engaging.

Jumping into the crowd, wearing a cape during his performances and riding a bike on stage are just a few of Nero’s past performance tactics.

“As Blonde Gang, we do a lot of creative, outrageous stuff to bring people out of their comfort zones,” he says. “If I embarrass myself, you’ll feel more comfortable doing something outgoing.”

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londe Gang doesn’t just want people to embrace their own sound; they strive for Philadelphia as a whole to start accepting and appreciating all that the city has to offer in music.

“I think Philadelphia invests too much in one person at a time,” Nero says. “You have Chiddy Bang over here. You have Meek Mill over here.

Show the world that we have variety, you know?”

Plane Walker, who credits Blonde Gang’s sound to the influence of the city, wishes Philly would be more “accepting” to music.

“The crazy thing about it is the one thing people hate about the music in this city is there’s no versatility,” he explains. “But then they’re not supporting anything different.”

But despite the fact that both Walker and Nero think living in Los Angeles or New York would up their odds of making it into the big-time, neither plan to leave the city their style developed in.

“It’s one thing to go somewhere else and blow up and make an impact, which I wouldn’t mind doing,” Nero says, “but it’s like, you can’t bring everyone you grew up with to L.A. or another city. Being in Philadelphia, people get a chance to see you grow. They see that you changed things.

They see it happen before their eyes.”

And it’s not the money that matters to Blonde Gang – they’re just aiming for the continued health and happiness of each member of the collective.

“As long as they report their taxes and they’re happy at the end of the day, I like that,” Sweeny says, letting his emotions cut through his composure.

“That’s what I want.”

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t’s a Saturday morning, and the members of Blonde Gang manage to squeeze in an extra event for the day – a 5K walk for sickle cell disease, something Walker has struggled with since a young age.

They’re not fulfilling any duties or promoting their group; they’re simply supporting a friend. With their dark glasses, expensive shoes and beyond bright hair, Nero, Walker, Hankins and Sweeny show off their custom “Team Plane” T-shirts, gathering for a group picture.

“Okay, take one with your ice grill,” Sweeny shouts.

But everyone’s too busy laughing and talking to get it right.

“Yo, we got to be serious,” he jokingly yells, initiating attempt number two.

“Say ‘Blonde Gang,’” someone shouts from the back.

Everyone manages to get in sync for the one-two-three click of the camera, modeling their best straight-faced stares.

The truth is, Blonde Gang is anything from intimidating. They’re their city’s biggest advocators, their bandmates’ leading enthusiasts and their fans’ number one source of encouragement.

“I want it to be like, ‘If he could do it, I can do it,’” Nero stresses.

“Sometimes that’s what people need as opposed to looking up to someone great.”

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Live-Painting the Hip-Hop Scene Sofiya Ballin experiences the passion of Ameerah Khabir's music-inspired art. Photos by Michael Bucher.

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meerah Khabir has been told many times tonight to be careful of her makeup. Yet the dark streaks of wet mascara cascade down her cheeks as she tears up yet again.

Sole II Soul restaurant is closing down for the night and Ameerah is surrounded by tables topped by overturned chairs. Dressed in all black with gold jewelry, Ameerah pats her face lightly with a tissue while holding on tightly to a bag containing her paintings.

Tonight, her official brand, Ameerah K. Art, presented GLOW: Hip-Hop Artists of The Past, Present and Future. She showcased the many eras of hip-hop in her paintings on canvas, all of which used glow-in-the-dark paint.

“It’s like putting myself on display,” says the 26-year-old artist.

“Each piece is literally a part of me it’s very personal to me and I take it very seriously.”

And the show was a massive success – a big crowd with lots of positive feedback.

“This is a new twist to the art scene in Philly,” says Curran J. Swint, creator of Kings Rule Together clothing line, as he surveys the room. “ This was more of an experience. It made you appreciate the art more because she took the time with everything.”

The show began with various soul food dishes and included bustling conversations as well as old school and newer hip-hop pumped through the restaurant.

“I think visual artists are known but get overlooked in popular culture,” says Cory Townes, who acted as host for the evening.

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“She bridged the gap. She let her vision speak for itself. She let her hands talk.”

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meerah says she’s had an eye for the arts since she was 2 years old but it was when she was 6 that she first put pencil to paper.

“I just started picking up pencils and started duplicating pictures,” she explains. “I showed it to my mom and she didn’t believe it was me. She thought I traced it. I said, ‘No, I drew it.’”

Ameerah was then enrolled in weekend classes at the Fleisher Art Memorial in South Philly. On those weekends, 7-year-old Ameerah had a diverse roster packed with visual arts classes, sculpture lessons, drawing and painting.

After seven years at Fleisher, Ameerah attended the High School for Creative and Performing Arts (CAPA) and her world expanded.

“I’ve always favored Frida Kahlo,” she says. “I like the fact that she was a female artist and an artist of color. She made a name for herself in a male-dominated area and time.”

At CAPA, she diversified her craft, learning not only the technical aspects behind visual art but also the commercial aspects. After CAPA she attended Moore College of Art, where she completed her first self-portrait.

“I was just like, ‘Wow! I think I’m kind of okay,’” she says, smiling a little.

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s DJ Mike Lowry packs up his equipment, he congratulates Ameerah on a successful event. As he leaves, her smile falters slightly.

“I’m happy for the people who came out,” she says with a hint of disappointment. “It’s unfortunate that I go out to a lot of other people’s events and I didn’t see those people here. It kind of hurts but I told myself this night was going to show who my real supporters are.”

Ameerah has become almost a fixture at local hip-hop events, live-painting at more than 20 recent shows. With a face of calm concentration and a palette board tied to her hip, she creates smooth brush strokes as the commotion continues around her.

“Even though no one has ever questioned my work, I do sometimes think people don’t believe my work is actually my work,” she explains.

“I don’t see too many female artists so I love live-painting. It shuts down any doubt that my work isn’t 100 percent authentic and done by me.”

After being spotted live painting at a show last spring, she was asked to do the same at Jay-Z’s Made In America Festival.

“It was definitely a turning point in my career,” she says. “M.I.A. was a great experience.

I got to reach people across the U.S.A. and even a group of guys who traveled all the way from Europe. I’m just tremendously grateful for that opportunity.”

Tonight, however, carries a multitude of meanings for Ameerah.

Even as she introduced her artwork to the audience, she found her voice cracking midsentence.

“Art is really personal to me” she says. “I just take it so seriously. I spend so much time on it. It’s a very intimate experience for me to share my art with people and have it judged.

It’s like I literally have my heart on every single piece.”

Throughout the night, each piece was brought into the pitch black restaurant by women dressed in all black and in high heels.

As the paintings were placed around the restaurant, the glowing artwork illuminated the room.

“I didn’t want to just hang it on the wall,” Ameerah explains.

“I wanted each piece to get its own attention. I wanted everyone to take in that specific piece at the time and really see it, and appreciate it, as well as appreciate that person being portrayed.”

JUMPphilly.com

Paintings of Queen Latifah, Biz Markie, Big Pun, Andre 3000 and more circled the room, representing different eras of hiphop. Through the intricate paint strokes that shape Nas’ intuitive stare, it’s clear that it was painted by an avid fan.

“She was always really artistic and into hip-hop,” says CAPA classmate Tierra Fernandez. “The fact that she’s painting hiphop artists is pretty much who she is.”

“I just love hip-hop so much,” Ameerah says, with a heavy sigh. “If it were a man, I would marry it. It has so many different moods. Hip-hop keeps me in touch with my moods, and it doesn’t exclude anybody. I never want my art to exclude anybody.”

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he’s currently developing a clothing line called heARTwork.

Her tagline is, “Only make moves when your heart is in it,” a line from Notorious B.I.G.’s hit “Sky’s The Limit.”

She wants the clothing line to serve as inspiration and motivation to artists of all forms.

“Being an artist, unfortunately is not profitable upfront and probably not for a very long time, even if you’re lucky,” Ameerah says.

“You’re probably not going to get to the credit that you should. You need to love doing it.”

Love seems to be a key element behind Ameerah’s energy, and it’s something she feels Philly artists have an abundance of.

“In Philly, there’s a ridiculous amount of talented visual artists,” she says.

“I’ve been to a few other places for a short time but Philly just has so many creative minds. I can see a portrait of somebody in 75 different ways because every artist in Philly has a unique eye.”

As the waiters begin to turn off the lights and the restaurant is left with a dim halo of light, the room feels slightly barren without the previous glow of Ameerah’s pieces.

“I think that’s what makes Philly special,” she says. “You have these artists and they can produce a painting or spray paint graffiti and it has so much emotion in it. You can feel the energy from the piece. You can tell these artists actually have a passion for what they do and I’m just glad to even be considered one of them.”

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Cover Story

Casting The Imaginary Reel Prowler, an ostentatiously funky disco sextet, has a fetish for beat-driven boogie and a frontman/lyricist who is an artist with the vision and skill to pick ideas out of thin air.

Singer Keith Greiman says the band's songs have been written about such varied topics as restless leg syndrome, poison ivy on his dick in ninth grade, Nancy Reagan giving the best blowjob in Hollywood (according to Frank Sinatra) and getting cavities from candy.

“I'm just the talent, man,” Greiman says with a shrug of satisfaction. “The band is very patient with me. Whereas these guys are legitimate, real musicians, they just allow me to mess around. They’re friends. They don’t have a choice.”

Greiman’s Fishtown home is furnished with the delicate touch of a woman, his wife, and organized as neatly as he is dressed. The architect of the house was a true nut, creating a space devoid of any right angles and exposing brick in odd places that now serve as shelves for Greiman’s collection of snow globes.

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Photo by G.W. Miller III.

Prowler frontman Keith Greiman creates paintings as weird as the music his band makes, as Rick Kauffman discovers.

Upstairs in his studio are pictures framed of him and his wife’s family, plus a random one of Marlon Brando, and hanging on the walls are his canvas paintings.

“Prowler, from my standpoint, is sort of a weird by-product,” he says. “But painting has always been my focus. It’s my thing.”

His art, like the music he performs, is pressed on and layered sometimes beautifully and other times awkwardly, but always with a lust for shocking originality. A scene he paints begins with layers of sprawling green over a lush meadow which grows piece by piece into a vivid bubblegum landscape occupied by distortions of humanity – think Georges Seurat’s A Sunday Afternoon on acid. In the harmony between man and nature, Greiman creates a juxtaposition that is both jarring and awe inspiring.

“While you work on something, you’ll have a line and wonder what it means or what you can make it mean, adding context after the fact,” Greiman says, comparing the process of creating music to creating art. “Really it’s just about laying on the ground and letting your mind wander. Just cast the line and reel them in.”

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Cover Story

AUDIOVISUAL THUNDER FILLS THE AIR AS THE CROWD SLOWLY POURS INTO FLUID NIGHTCLUB FOR PHSH TANK, THE MONTHLY ART AND MUSIC SPECTACLE AT ONE OF PHILLY’S MOST POPULAR DANCE HAUNTS.

GRAPHICS ARE PROJECTED THROUGHOUT CLUB. HIS ECSTATIC PYRAMID IMAGERY BOUNCES AROUND THE ROOM TO THE BEAT OF THE MUSIC, ALMOST ECHOING THE VIBE OF THE STORMY NIGHT. “ IT’S IMPORTANT TO OFFER SOME SORT OF MOVEMENT FROM THE BEGINNING,” SAYS DJ PHSH, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS MATTHEW FISHMAN-DICKERSON. “THAT’S WHAT THE VISUAL SIDE DOES. IT’S SOMETHING EYE-CATCHING.” PHSH TANK IS THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN PHSH AND THE SEDSO DESIGN TEAM’S EXHIBITION SERIES “PLACE YOUR ART HERE.” THEIR RESIDENCY AT FLUID BEGAN IN JANUARY OF 2012 AND FEATURES A LOCAL VISUAL ARTIST EACH MONTH. THE WORKS OF THE AIR RAT, JUAN DIMIDA ,

TONIGHT IS THE OFFICIAL RELEASE OF DJ PHSH’S FIRST RECORD ON HIS PHSH TANK IMPRINT, END OF THE SUMMER,

RON ACKINS, BOB WILL REIGN, FROST215 AND NOSEGO HAVE ALL BEEN PART OF THE SHOW.

FEATURING PHILADELPHIA RAPPER THE BUL BEY. LOCAL

THE TEAM PROJECTS HIGH -RESOLUTION IMAGES OF THE

GRAPHIC ARTIST JOHN WILLIAM FITZPATRICK, KNOWN

ARTIST’S PRINTS AROUND THE DANCE FLOOR, ALLOWING

CREATIVELY AS JOHNF THE ARTIST, STENCILED THE ALBUM

THE ART TO BECOME AN INTEGRATED PART OF THE EVENT .

ARTWORK FOR THE COLLABORATION AND NOW JOHN F’S

IT’S ABOUT CREATING A NARRATIVE FOR THE NIGHT ,

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WORDS BY MORGAN JAMES / PHOTOS BY TIM “SHOTSFIRED” BLACKWELL / LAYOUT BY SEDSO DESIGN

EXPLAINS THE 24-YEAR-OLD WEST PHILADELPHIA-NATIVE ,

BROKE KIDS’ FLEISHER (ART MEMORIAL). I LOVED IT. I LOVED

ILLVIBE COLLECTIVE MEMBER AND TOUR DJ FOR GILBERE FORTE. THE MIS-EN-SCÈNE IS CRUCIAL.

THE COMMUNITY. THAT CAMP CHANGED MY LIFE.” DURING

WHETHER IT’S HIS SIGNATURE BUN OR HIS DISTINCT STYLE ACCESSORIES - A WORN PASSPORT IN HIS BREAST POCKET (HE DOESN’T OWN A DRIVER’S LICENSE ) AND A TATTERED COPY OF SAKYONG MIPHAM’S “RULING YOUR WORLD ANCIENT STRATEGIES FOR MODERN LIFE” IN HIS BACK POCKET, IT’S EVIDENT PHSH IS PRETTY DAMN COOL. THE PRODUCT OF A MULTIRACIAL HOME WITH PARENTS WHO FOUNDED A LOCAL THEATRE COMPANY, PHSH’S REARING EMPHASIZED CREATIVE EXPRESSION. HIS EXPERIENCES DURING HIS FORMATIVE YEARS AT PHILADELPHIA’S

HIS TEENAGE YEARS, HE WORKED AT THE PROGRAM AS A COUNSELOR. “MY FIRST SET OF TURNTABLES WAS BOUGHT WITH SUMMER ART CAMP MONEY,” HE RECALLS. “I PROBABLY WOULDN’T BE A DJ IF I HADN’T WORKED THERE.” HE’S SINCE TRAVELED THE WORLD AND OPENED FOR MOS DEF. HE SPINS IN NEW YORK REGULARLY. BUT PHILLY IS HOME.

“ I WANTED TO OFFER THE PHILLY EVENT SCENE SOMETHING A LITTLE MORE THOUGHT OUT THAN THE TYPICAL CLUBBAR-DANCE FLOOR-DJ SET UP.

SUMMER ART CAMP HELD GREAT WEIGHT IN FASHIONING

THAT’S WHERE THE ARTISTS’ PROJECTIONS COME IN ,”

HIS PROCLIVITY TOWARD AESTHETIC IMAGERY.

HE SAYS. “APPRECIATION FOR VISUAL ART IS A SHARED UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN SEDSO DESIGN AND MYSELF ,

“ WHEN I TALK ABOUT INFLUENCES AS FAR AS THE VISUAL SIDE, I WOULDN’T HAVE THE AESTHETIC UNDERSTANDING IF IT WEREN’T FOR THE TRAINING I RECEIVED AT THE SUMMER ART CAMPS,” HE SAYS. “WHEN I ATTENDED, IT WAS THE JUMPphilly.com

SO IT WAS A PERFECT FIT FOR US TO WORK TOGETHER.”

STAY UP TO DATE WITH DJ PHSH & MONTHLY ARTISTS AT PHSHTANK.COM 37

Cover Story

ANIMAL Y POWER

Yis Goodwin, better known as NoseGo, channeled the negativity he experienced while growing up into something powerful – his art. And now his work graces murals, galleries and album covers.

Morgan James sits down with the South Philly native who bridges art and music.

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is Goodwin’s art is layered, with a kick. It expands upon itself in a crescendo of utterly discordant components that mesh together in a super-clutch masterpiece.

“When you were a kid with a toy box and the toys were splattered over each other, a cluster of toys on the floor creating its own composition,” Goodwin explains, “when I paint, I envision that.”

Goodwin, known creatively as an Übermensch illustrator, street artist and muralist, grew up in the Graduate Hospital section of the city, not far from his current South Philadelphia studio. His moniker, NoseGo, originated from a childhood nickname.

“I used to do street art and went by the name ‘Nose,’” he says.

“As I was transitioning into the professional world, I wanted to keep my name, but at the same time rebrand myself.”

He combined his nickname with the first two letters of his last name. “‘Go’ was perfect. ‘Nose, go!’” he exclaims. “It’s energetic like my work.”

JUMPphilly.com

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oodwin attended the High School for Creative and Performing Arts before graduating from University of the Arts in 2008. While in college, he honed and refocused his given creativity toward a more illustrative expression.

Those expressions can now be found all around the city. He has created more than a dozen commissioned murals, and he exhibits his painted pieces regularly in the city’s galleries. But his hometown is not the only place his work’s been shown.

Goodwin’s work has been displayed in Manhattan, Texas, California, Spain and elsewhere. It will be featured in an upcoming segment of Streetosphère, a French documentary series highlighting urban art. Converse and the hit Cartoon Network series Adventure Time have contracted him to do work.

He’s also created album art for Mic Stew, Tsunami Rising and for Los Angeles experimental hip-hop artist Cory Jreamz. As if that wasn’t enough to keep him busy, he serves as art director of Broken Compass Studios, a mobile gaming company he also owns.

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his past summer, Goodwin was selected as one of a few people to be featured in the Ron Howard directed Made In America documentary.

The forthcoming film documents Jay-Z’s inaugural Philadelphia music festival, as Howard and his crew captured behind-thescenes moments to front of the stage performances.

It is no surprise that Goodwin, an unconventional visual artist, was handpicked to represent Philadelphia in a film about the largest commercial music festival to grace the area.

Goodwin’s style is gritty and fresh, like the music associated with Philadelphia.

Goodwin painted a huge mural at the festival over the two-day event and a film crew followed him as he worked. Goodwin jokes JUMPphilly.com

that it was an organic process, but at times the crew suggested retakes in the name of directorial liberty.

“They were cool,” he recalls. “I’m incredibly honored having been part of it.”

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friend once told him, “I feel big inside.”

That friend unwittingly fueled Goodwin’s artistic signature.

“I thought that was amazing,” he muses. “Some paintings I do where I have a realistic animal coming out of a cartoon mouth, the inspiration originally stemmed from growing up, encountering the typical naysayers. Not just with artwork, with anything. That feeling that you have that you’re bigger than what you actually give off. That you’re actually stronger than what you actually give off. That cartoon character [referring to his work]? That’s me. A silly guy on the outside but I have this animal power breaking out.”

For NoseGo, commonplace growing pains helped spawn awesome fun.

“When I first painted something like that it was me releasing frustration,” he says. “But now I do it because I think it’s a rad image.”

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Food That Rocks

The Hipster Hotspot And The Ethiopian Joint Thad Suzenski, from PhillyPhoodie.com, eats with his hands downstairs at Abyssinia, and then jams upstairs at Fiume. Photos by Gabrielle Lavin.

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thiopian food has a cult-like following. It’s safe to say that Washington D.C. is the North American hotbed of this cuisine, with an unofficial estimate of five-sixths of the Ethiopian-American population residing there. That said, we have our own population in Philadelphia that is dedicated to the flavorful fare.

In our fair city, it is well known that West Philly is the Mecca of Ethiopian culinary establishments. Abyssinia/ Fiume in particular stands ahead of the pack, notable for its interesting combination of hole-in-the-wall music joint upstairs and authentic Ethiopian restaurant downstairs.

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satisfying meal downstairs at Abyssinia. It's also an under-theradar hotspot for the discerning whiskey connoisseur, with more than 80 varieties. And they boast more than 120 bottled beers and an ever-evolving list of craft cocktails.

“In 2001, a group of self-proclaimed anarchists began managing the spot,” Holland says. “Offering the likes of Jagermeister & Corona, they ran the place for several months before losing interest and disbanding. I became the operator and Fiume evolved from anarchy into what I like to think of as a benevolent dictatorship,” Holland jokes.

The music scene is one of the bestkept secrets in the city, which is good because you might not get in if it was NO UTENSILS REQUIRED: Kevin James Holland (top) at better known. But before the music, Fiume. Use the injera (below) to taste the food. there is food.

ou are greeted with two completely different operations under the same roof and same ownership.

“For the past 30 years, there has always been something going on in the second floor,” says Kevin James Holland, the manager of Fiume (upstairs), which is no larger than your friend’s studio apartment.

Fiume is a an intimate, live music joint that’s a sure bet after a

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W

hen you break it down to its most basic, you can sum up Ethiopian food with two words, injera and wat.

It’s generally understood that you get your hands into both prior to hitting Fiume. And with good reason – you have JUMPphilly.com

to pass through Abyssinia to even reach the venue. This strange juxtaposition has two worlds colliding, with a charmingly dingy, extremely ethnic restaurant meeting a hidden bar that is one part Portlandia, one part Anne Frank.

Most everything served at Abyssinia comes in a thick stew, called wat, usually served atop a giant piece of spongy bread, injera.

This can be both good and bad. It’s great if you are comfortable eating with your hands and are not grossed out by the people with whom you are sharing the meal.

It’s terrible if you're dining with some dirty finger-nailed, picky eater, someone who questions the cleanliness of the kitchen or anyone who isn’t into trying some raw beef.

When you’re ready for the tour de force, here is what to do.

Order a beer because this is going to make you sweat.

Hoppy beer works well with the smackyou-in-the-mouth SECRET PARTY: You'll find a world of alcohol flavors and spices of and music above Abyssinia.

Ethiopian cuisine.

Next, you must try the kitfo, as this is the barometer used to judge the quality of Ethiopian food. Kitfo is basically a tartar, minced raw beef marinated in mitmita, which is a spice blend consisting of ground African birdseye chili peppers, cardamom seed, cloves and salt. While you may be a bit squeamish about eating raw beef from a place that looks less than spic and span, give it a shot. The mincing of the beef makes it tender and the wallop of the pungent spices explodes in your mouth. This particular version is served with collard greens and ayib, a spiced cottage cheese.

Anything else is up to you. Try one of the vegetarian combination platters, and intersperse one or two of the other meat types. Each item is completely different, yet all work well together.

The injera, a sour, spongy bread, is the main event at any Ethiopian meal. Your entire order will be served on a comically large plate, with a giant piece of injera draped over it. It will serve as your utensils – simply pull off a piece and use your thumb and forefingers to pinch whatever food your heart desires.

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ou have now experienced Ethiopian food. Try to stop sweating. Then head upstairs to Fiume, where you’ll cram into 150 square feet with 30 other people to enjoy the live music. Pick your poison: blues with Shakey Lymon, the Perseverance Jazz Band, gypsy/django jazz band OctoMonkey, or the Citywide Specials (starring manager Kevin Holland) performing live traditional bluegrass.

One of the added benefits of having both a restaurant and a venue is that you can tailor your evening to your mood. Want to sit at a bar and listen to a Fred Armisen lookalike wax poetically about which house-infused cocktail ingredients they are offering that day? Hit Fiume early (where you can also eat food from downstairs). More in the mood for an unusual meal at your Ethiopian neighbor’s house? Sit downstairs at Abyssinia.

Either way, stay for the music.

Abyssinia/Fiume is at 229 S. 45th Street (abyssiniarestaurantpa.com).

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Fueling Up Whether you are headed to a house party, swinging

by The Blockley or even trudging out to the Tower Theater, there are a multitude of great eating options in West Philly. Here are a few of our faves.

- Thad Suzenski

Saad’s Halal Restaurant

A legend in the West Philly food scene, Saad’s serves up nononsense Middle Eastern sandwiches and platters in a fast food, order-and-find-a-seat style. The chicken maroosh and falafal are among the best in the city. It’s a perfect place to fuel up before a show at The Blockley. Don’t miss the garlic sauce.

4500 Walnut Street 215-222-7223

Dock Street Brewery Grab some fresh-brewed ale, a wood-fired pizza and take in the scene. They have great outdoor seating on Baltimore Avenue when the weather is nice, so plan some spring sitting when you’re out west. Here’s where you’ll want to fill up (and catch a buzz) before heading to Danger Danger Gallery.

Top image of Grandchildren at The Blockley by G.W. Miller III. Other images by Gabrielle Lavin.

Food That Rocks

701 S. 50th Street 215-726-2337

Study Away IMM IGR AT IO (00 N OF 1) FIC 17 ER O

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Green Line Café Need a caffeine boost? Green Line has some serious coffee drinks, local art on display and live music. It's also directly across the street from Abyssinia/Fiume. If you want a sandwich instead of kitfo, you’ve got nothing to worry about. There are also Green Line Cafes near Clark Park and in Powelton Village.

4426 Locust Street 215-222-0799

ER ION OFFIC IMMIGRAT 9 )

Jolly’s

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05 3 1 MAY 20 )

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Dream.

Discover.”

— Mark Twain

Program Destinations Dublin London – Optional credit-bearing internship component Los Angeles – Credit-bearing internship component New York City – Credit-bearing internship component

http://sct.temple.edu/studyaway

Dueling pianos coupled with long weekday happy hours makes Jolly’s an affordable fix for your live music craving. From Thursday through Saturday, you can make requests and hear the talent play your favorites. Another great bet before hitting The Blockley. Show your ticket and get 25 percent off your food.

3801 Chestnut Street 215-222-1232

Manakeesh Café Bakery

Flatbreads and an exotic (and delicious) selection of homemade pastries and baked goods make this vegetarian-riendly Lebanese place stand out. Traditional music helps further their goal of turning this corner into “New Lebanon.” Don’t miss the baklava or the zatar flatbread.

4420 Walnut Street 267-292-4733

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Friday 12/07 The Coup / Japanther / Lushlife Underground Arts $13 21+

SEE THESE SHOWS Thanks to TheSwollenFox.com for listing info.

Check the site for complete listings.

NOVEMBER

Wednesday 11/28 Jen Creed & Svetlana Smolina World Cafe Live $15 All Ages

Friday 11/23 Sufjan Stevens / Shelia Saputo Union Transfer $20 All Ages

Thursday 11/29 Neil Young & Crazy Horse Wells Fargo Center $53+ All Ages

Friday 11/23 Stephen Kellogg and the Sixers World Cafe Live $20 All Ages

Thursday 11/29 R. Kelly / Tamia Tower Theatre $49.50-$150 All Ages

Saturday 11/24 Lamb of God / In Flames / Hellyeah / Sylosis Electric Factory $38 All Ages

Friday 11/30 Joe Bachman Milkboy $10 21+

Saturday 11/24 Of Monsters and Men Tower Theatre $25 All Ages

Friday 11/30 Title Fight / Tigers Jaw / Pianos Become the Teeth / Single Mothers Union Transfer $12 ($14) All Ages

Sunday 11/25 Brave Combo World Cafe Live $12 All Ages

DECEMBER

Tuesday 11/27 The Gaslight Anthem Electric Factory $27.50 All Ages

Saturday 12/01 Tanlines Union Transfer $14 All Ages

Tuesday 11/27 Twin Sister / School of Seven Bells Union Transfer $13 ($15) All Ages

Sunday 12/02 Six Organs of Admittance / Blues Control Johnny Brenda's $10 21+ Tuesday 12/04 Marina & The Diamonds / Icona Pop Union Transfer $20 All Ages Wednesday 12/05 O'Brother / Moving Mountains / Caspian North Star Bar $13 All Ages

Tuesday 11/27 Red Bull Public Assembly: illVibe Collective The Blockley $5 21+ Wednesday 11/28 Red Bull Public Assembly: The Shakedown with DJ Rob Paine and Wilyum Underground Arts $5 21+ Wednesday 11/28 Carrie Underwood Wells Fargo Center $46-$66 All Ages

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Wednesday 12/05 Red Bull Public Assembly: Mad Decent G Lounge $5 21+ Thursday 12/06 Rubblebucket / Reptar The Blockley $13 ($15) 21+ Thursday 12/06 Woe Is Me / Chunk! No Captain Chunk! / Our Last Night / Capture the Crown / The Seeking First Unitarian Church $13 All Ages

Saturday 12/08 Japandroids Union Transfer $16 All Ages Sunday 12/09 New Found Glory / The Story So Far / Candy Hearts Theatre of the Living Arts $28 All Ages Monday 12/10 Mates of State Johnny Brenda's $14 21+ Wednesday 12/12 The Apache Relay North Star Bar $10 All Ages Thursday 12/13 Of Montreal / Foxygen / French Horn Rebellion The Trocadero $20 All Ages Friday 12/14 Band of Horses Electric Factory $27.50 All Ages Friday 12/14 Trans-Siberian Orchestra Wells Fargo Center $29-$69 All Ages Saturday 12/15 Get the Led Out Electric Factory $22.50 All Ages Sunday 12/16 Motionless in White / Chelsea Grin / Stick to Your Guns / Crown the Empire / Upon This Dawning Theatre of the Living Arts $18 All Ages

Thursday 12/27 Halestorm Electric Factory $25 All Ages Thursday 12/27 Long Miles / Jimkata The Blockley $9 21+ Friday 12/28 Gov't Mule / Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds Tower Theatre $32.50-$38 All Ages Friday 12/28 Mike Maguire World Cafe Live $10 All Ages Saturday 12/29 Dark Star Orchestra Electric Factory $25 All Ages Saturday 12/29 The Hold Steady Union Transfer $20 All Ages Sunday 12/30 Philadelphia Jug Band World Cafe Live $10 All Ages Sunday 12/30 and Monday 12/31 The War On Drugs Johnny Brenda's $18 21+ Monday 12/31 Brothers Past / The Heavy Pets The Trocadero $23.50 18+

JANUARY Friday 1/11 Kris Allen World Cafe Live $19-29 All Ages

Monday 12/17 Local H / Alright, Junior North Star Bar $12 21+

Wednesday 1/16 Underoath / mewithoutYou / As Cities Burn / LetLive Union Transfer $25 All Ages

Wednesday 12/19 Street Dogs / Flatfoot 56 Union Transfer $14 ($15) All Ages

Friday 1/18 Jessie Ware Union Transfer $15 All Ages

Thursday 12/20 Good Old War / Vacationer Theatre of the Living Arts $20 All Ages

Saturday 1/19 Lee Fields & the Expressions World Cafe Live $12-18 All Ages

Friday 12/21 Norwegian Arms / Laser Background / Night Panther Johnny Brenda's $10 21+ Saturday 12/22 Renegade / Sweatheart Johnny Brenda's $10 21+ Wednesday 12/26 The Starting Line Electric Factory $25 All Ages

Tuesday 1/22 Green Day / Best Coast Liacouras Center $39.75-$65 All Ages Friday 1/25 Ellie Goulding Electric Factory $35 All Ages Tuesday 1/29 Purity Ring / Young Magic Union Transfer $15 All Ages

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Unusual Approach

A Conversation With

The Stone Gollum Band Juggler Philadelphia based artist & musician (artician?) Brian Langan of the bands Kock 107, Langor, and Sweatheart discusses his approach to creating/sharing music he makes, "rock résumés", and lessons learned from periphial artisic ventures. Interview, images, and layout by Kurt Hunte.

What's up with Kock 107?

Kock 107 started off as a joke, making fun of Rock 107 in Scranton. Just doing classic rock covers, Foreigner, Thin Lizzy and stuff.

Then we started writing our own sounds, like Bryan Adams, and we have a bunch of songs we're working on, doing that. Some of the songs are getting mixed now. We're doing polished demos I'll say, not shitty demo demos. We just recorded mostly ourselves and we're going to take the demos to get mixed decently, but nothing we'd release yet. That's what I've been doing a while with my friends Mike and Pat in Scranton.

You travel back and forth there to do that?

We don't play too much, I stay with Pat when I'm there so we can do a lot of writing when I'm in town. But we're a special location band, holidays, that kind of thing.

Like, a show that's paying a lot of money in Scranton. We played here once and we did a weekend with Sweatheart too in Columbus, that was fun.

I like that, you have a holiday band.

And Langor, what's up with that? That’s an awesome song by the way. Thank you for the record.

I was in this band, The Swims for years and it's kind of similar to that. It's 60's pop stuff.

Kind of my solo project if you will. But that's another thing too, every now and then we'll get asked to play and I'll just get whoever is available. We just did a Sparks tribute show at PhilaMoca last week.

Sparks?

The band, Sparks.

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But anyways, Langor is a band I do every now and then.

But you have records, sitting in my place, on my turntables… What?

I did a few songs with The Spinto band, they have a really awesome studio in Delaware.

Some of those guys played on it, and some of my friends. And that was a thing that I got a grant (to do). I didn't realize, it took until the year before I left Scranton that (I realized) there were all these art grants I didn't know about. And no one applies, ever. I got a grant to have them record it and produce it and press that flexi-disc. I did a video for it too, I dunno if you saw that.

Yeah, I saw that, it's pretty fuckin' awesome.

Yeah, that came out really good. But I think I might just keep doing things like that.

Just do singles, do songs, at a time Get grants to make songs and pressing...

Hopefully, yeah. If I can get more grants I will. Because I always feel bad because this is not a steady band and I know there are some small labels that will do it. But I feel bad making people drop a couple grand just for a band that's not touring, I feel like most of the people that would do it are just like, poor and they just want to spend money and put out records and do small releases, but I don't want to make people do that. I'll make Scranton pay for that. It's the least they could do for the 31 years of (living in) Scranton.

So, do you have the songs sitting around?

I mean like "this is my book of grant songs".

I should, that's the only grant I've ever applied for. Have you ever done that before? It's a huge process. The thing was it was weird, they didn't really care about… It was supposed to be that it had to benefit the community. So all they really cared about was the release show. So you could spend the money however you want.

Which pretty much all just went to the record and recording and stuff. Which was weird.

But it was a mixture of a senior project and a really really long job application. And it was funny, we had to write "rock résumés…

You know, like: "list your partners" so I had to pick everybody that is going to be recording on it and they had to have their résumé, their "rock résumé" kind of.

Because, for the proposal I'm not going to be like "This is y'know, so and so and they worked at y'know, Dunkin donuts" or whatever. So I'm writing all these things like, The Spinto Band, they're a pretty successful band they do really well, but these grant people aren't gonna be like "Oh Spinto Band, I know those guys!" It was just weird like, "and they've played with this band, that you're not going to know" Yup, you have to list that shit, I mean, here's the Wikipedia page that makes them a real player in the game... a game, that you may not be aware of.

Yeah, so on my computer I do have a rock résumé, which is pretty cool. At least I have the rock résumé written…. I'm holding a whammy bar… I just bought a new whammy bar. Could the whole interview be about me going to buy a new whammy bar?

I wouldn't mind that. That's an adventure.

I also recently did a couple things for this British label called Fruits De Mer Records.

And it's these cool dudes that put out 60's psychedelic covers.

Cover songs?

Yeah, they have a band cover 60's psych songs. I just did a Hollies song for them, I don't know, it's still waiting to get approved.

You stay busy, did I see that you did a commercial for Urban Outfitters?

Oh yeah, I got to fall a lot.

He was the, FALL model (Brian's friend Ainsley interjects while she was art making in the room during the interview) Oh, the FALL model. Nice, I didn't put it together… Duh. Yeah that was cool, you know Scott and Cool Karl, right?

Yeah yeah yeah, Cool Karl? Hot Scott and Cool Karl?

Yeah, they asked me to do it. It was fun, there were 17 year old cheerleaders flying in the air and stuff. It was cool.

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Right, I didn't understand… It just looked awesome!

They didn't tell me anything about it but like, "we have a football uniform for you, bring rocker clothes" What?

Yeah that was funny, then Urban Outfitters took a hilariously funny bad still shot of me and put that everywhere. Making the worst face ever.

Yes! So the idea was fall busting through and you fell? Ok. At the end I fell, but I had to practice the fall a lot. And I was dogging it the next day.

I'm a pretty big guy to be throwing my body around like that. Oh, I was going hard… I went "H.A.M.", I definitely went "H.A.M.".

Have you done slip n slide at an adult age, anybody?

Oh yeah, Yes, Slip n Slide Wiffle Ball.

Were you guys in incredible pain afterwards?

Yes. There's nothing fun about that.

I was hurting bad for like a month!

Every muscle in my chest. Granted I'm like y'know 230 pounds throwing myself on the ground. All. Day. Long. I'm just throwing myself on the ground.

There are bones that just should not be hitting the ground.

No part of that is a good idea.

I was hurting, I was put out.

Especially after you've lost some resilience…

Eh, Little kids do that shit But the time is fun. So, "I'm drunk, Slip-n-Slide!"

Alcohol really does help with that resilience factor coming back, you're very loose.

Only in the moment Yeah, in the moment And the next day, you're like, "where the fuck did that bruise come from?"

I thought about going to the doctor after I did that. I was in sooo much pain!

Going to the Doctor Yeah, "what were you doing?" Oh, I was just doing Slip n Slide "do you realize you're 28 years old, sir?". That would've went great.

Yeah, don't do Slip N Slides, at an adult age.

The Grant produced track & music video titled "Ladyblade" by Langor: http://www.youtube.com/user/BrianLangor Brian Langan's Soundcloud & Sweatheart http://www.soundcloud.com/langor http://www.sweatheartsweats.com For the sounds and videos of Kock 107, Google that shit.

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