Photo by PETE TROSHAK Midway through an intense, sweaty two-hour set at the Electric Factory on Thursday night Flogging Molly frontman Dave King stopped to share a Philly memory. He described a moment much earlier in the band’s career when a fan in Philadelphia showed him a blown up picture of the mosh pit from a previous show here and he described it as “the most frightening and beautiful thing” he had ever seen and said that after seeing that he knew his band would make it. The Celtic punk/folk rockers were in town with their Green 17 tour, an […]

Gin Wigmore, Upstairs At World Cafe Live, by DEREK BRAD Last night, the Upstairs At World Cafe Live, usually a quiet-dinner-and-strummed-guitars kind of place, was turned upside down by New Zealander Gin Wigmore. The Kiwi singer rocked an enthusiastic, overflow crowd, some of which had driven from as far as Michigan to see her at WCL, one of her rare U.S. shows. You might recognize Wigmore from the new James Bond-themed Heineken ad starring Daniel Craig. She is currently on the road supporting her Gravel and Wine album, which was reportedly heavily influenced by a tour of the southern U.S. […]

The xx, Electric Factory, last night by MEREDITH KLEIBER After a solid performance from Toronto natives Austra, a white curtain fell from the Electric Factory ceiling, separating the crowd from the stage at the sold-out show. A little over half an hour passed, the lights went down, and desperate screams erupted from the mostly teenybopper audience as an artsy design somewhat resembling a woman’s head projected onto the curtain and two silhouettes emerged into spotlights on either side of the stage. The xx had arrived. The uber-chill London band eased into their hour-plus set with the haunting, yet serene “Angels,” […]

Chris Cornell, Tower Theater, last night by HOWARD GAINES BY JOE PAONE The Tower Theater’s iconic marquee read “SOUNDGARDEN SOLD OUT.”  The WMMR Fun Times Party Van was out front. Shiny tractor trailers stretched as far as the eye could see. Middle-aged superfan rock dudes excitedly chattered about the latest projects from people like “Tom” (Morello). Silver-haired middle managers and salespeople roamed the venue with their uncomfortable-looking wives. Some people looked like they hadn’t been to a rock show since Eric Lindros captained the Flyers. And then there were the kids who weren’t even born during the height of grunge, […]