Steven & Jeff McDonald, aka Redd Kross, moments before they ripped the roof off Kung Fu Necktie last night. PREVIOUSLY: Q&A With Jeff McDonald Of Redd Kross REDD KROSS: Jimmy’s Fantasy

Photo by ERIC ASHLEIGH If you heard a distant rumble or saw a flash of light on the Northwest horizon last night around 9 p.m., that was Nick Cave, like a bat out of hell, smiting Glenside to a crisp as per his satanic majesty’s request. And it was good. Very good. How could it not be? Everyone knows Heaven has better weather but Hell has all the best bands. Cave looked and sounded in peak form (good hair, great suit, whipped himself about the stage like an electrocuted Elvis),  and his voice contained multitudes. Deep, dulcet, and strong like […]

Photo by PETE TROSHAK Slowcore avatars Low arrived in Philly on Monday night to play an hour long free show to a packed store at Main Street Music in Manayunk. The event was a celebration of the eve of the release of their The Invisible Way album, produced by Wilco mastermind Jeff Tweedy. Tweedy let the band do what they do best while infusing their spare, dreamy sound with a dash of country influence resulting in one of their best albums yet. The band played almost all new songs but dipped into their back catalog to play “Dinosaur Act” at […]

Photo by PETE TROSHAK The Eels have a history of odd opening acts. That streak continued on Saturday night, with opener Puddles Pity Party. Puddles [pictured, above]  is a six foot five clown clad in a white outfit who arrived on the World Café Live stage after shambling through the crowd with a lantern and suitcase in hand. He stood at the mic silently and stared into space for what felt like a nine months before opening his mouth. When he did finally sing he stunned the crowd with a short set of heartbreak ballads served up lounge style with […]

Photo by MEREDITH KLEIBER A way sold out Union Transfer got its collective weird-beard on last night when local yokels Man Man planted their freak flag with an onslaught of rock-and-roll absurdity that spanned all four of their extant albums. It didn’t take long for the local cult favorite to raise the collective heart rate of the audience. By their third song, “Mr. Jug Stuffed,” they had the floor dancing, the balconies stomping, and the crowd surfers doing a great job of pissing off security. Momentarily slowing down the audience’s collective pulse, Honus Honus donned his signature alien mask as […]

Photo by PETE TROSHAK There are a few things you need to know about Bleeding Rainbow. 1) they have been praised by both surviving members of Nirvana 2) they once were known as Reading Rainbow but changed their name after being chided by Carrie Brownstein and one too many stupid questions about LeVar Burton and 3) they might be the best band you’ve never seen. The band started out as an indie duo of husband and wife Rob Garcia and Sarah Everton, but last year expanded to a four piece by adding lead guitarist Al Creedon and drummer Greg Frantz. […]