|
Philly Bands |
||
|
Everybody likes live music and we here at Phillytown.com are no different. Here's our take on the Good, the Bad and the Ugly of local musical talent in Philly. Click on the band title to go to their site. We'll be adding more bands in the coming weeks. Reviews with a " =^-^=" are written by our resident Cover Band Critic "Kitten." |
||
| Blackthorn - One of the best Irish bands in the area. Their sound is electric and they know how to rock. Blackthorn are American so do not let the fake Lucky the Leprechaun accent fool you. Blackthorn plays a wide variety of songs including traditional songs, Pogues covers, Wolftones covers, Van Morrison covers, and many more. If you want a great night at the pub go to the Blackthorn website and find out where they are playing. | ||
| Blarney - A couple of hardworking fellas from Ireland trying to please the crowd and make a living - no fake accents here. Check out their website: www.blarneymusic.com. | ||
| Bonehead - These guys have been on the Philly scene since the early 1990's. They specialize in straight forward alternative cover music. Sure Bonehead has a CD of original songs and one of their tunes got a little play on local Philly radio station WYSP, but it will be hard for this band to establish itself while they're touring the countryside playing cover tunes. They like to frequent Brownies 23 East and Brownies Plymouth. | ||
| Burnt Sienna - These guys hail from the University of Delaware, as they repeatedly told the crowd, but I’ve seen them all around the Philly area, usually at places like Brownie’s Plymouth and 23 East. They’re not bad, but they don’t rock my world either. I have to say that the bassist is fabulous, as is the rhythm guitarist/singer. They both have great ranges and give the impression of wanting to take the group beyond the garage-band sound. Their set lists are quite mixed, which is always a plus to get me purring. One set included “Video Killed the Radio Star”, Cheap Trick, “Kiss” by Prince, and “Jack and Diane”, which boggled my mind. How do you dance to that? I guess you just bob a bit. Anyway, they completely rocked on some stuff, and, well, didn’t on others. I could tell which songs they really like and which they just played to please the crowd, and that’s not cool. The funny thing is that they’d get a lot of momentum and an awesome jam going but then it would either peter out or abruptly stop, like they were caught singing in the mirror. Or maybe the practice tape ended and cut those particular songs off before the end. The two “leads” (bass and rhythm guitar), as I said, have great voices, but the rest of the guys aren’t too hot at harmonizing- some songs literally made my fur fluff out. But the high point of the night was their absolutely rocking version of “American Girl”- they really let go on this one and had a blast (and didn’t end it too soon). And, I only had one Iced Tea (and a cider, that counts too) and I was dancing up a storm. Too bad it was the last song of the last set. For now, their Purr Factor is a 7, but I’ll check them out again in a month or so. =^-^= | ||
| THE GREGG CARPENTER BAND - When I was a little girl, my Dad would play his guitar and sing to me- songs by The Beatles, Simon and Garfunkel, Danny O'Keefe, Van Morrison, America, etc. Beautiful, poetic, heartfelt songs. Perhaps that's where my weakness for the acoustic guitar comes from. (Freud would have a field day with this…). It is certainly where my appreciation and love of music was born. And, on a recent rainy Friday night at Library II in Berlin, NJ, those times 20+ years ago came back to me and made me smile. This band is a 3-piece acoustic group (even the bass), with a smattering of keyboards. They are down-to-earth performers and their love of music and the songs they play is obvious. There's no flash, no whipping the crowd into a drunken frenzy, and best of all (to me), they don't sound as if I just turned on the radio. They interpreted the songs and gave a bit of themselves as well. To say they "rock" would be derogatory, like saying The Beatles were hummable. They usually play the South Jersey area and can be found Tuesday nights at Steamers in Cherry Hill. Please, check them out if you want to hear some good music. These guys have heart, and their harmonies make me tingle. Je ronronne. =^-^= | ||
| Causeway - An Irish band lead by a blonde haired vixen. The lead singer is a bloody banshee. The way that she screeches announces the death of your hearing. For some reason they always manage to play the kiddie tune "The Unicorn Song" for what reason, we'll never know. We always seem to run into Causeway at Brittinghams. | ||
| Celtic Connection - Irish band, well, they play Irish tunes. When the singer falls out of his fake Irish brogue, it sounds like he's from Dublin, by way of South Philly. These guys are fairly talented. They get the crowd up chanting and doing that "Lord of the Dance" jig dancin'. For their last set of the night, they slip into more popular songs like American Girl, Brown Eyed Girl and Wonderwall. They frequent the basement of Finnigan's Wake, called The Quiet Man Pub. | ||
| CRUSH - I don’t know where to begin with this band. I love them. I adore them. I could easily become a “Crush groupie”, but I’m too old for that. Perhaps I should start by saying that they are heavy on the Dave Matthews (which is just fine with me). Don’t let that keep you away, though, if Dave’s not your thing. They have a diverse set list. And the DMB they do is the less-heard stuff, like “#41” and “Two Step”. I will try hard to keep from gushing too much, but they made me very very happy. By the end of the night I was purring non-stop, and the last time THAT happened was…..well, never mind. OK, why am I so blown away by this band from Scranton, PA? Because they have Talent (the capital T was intentional), and they rock. Sorry to give such a lame answer but I think everyone should check them out to see what all my fuss is about. Their sets range from DMB to Janis Joplin (belted out by the phenomenal woman on the electric violin) (yes, you read right). They throw some Rusted Root, Paul Simon, Phish, and Filter in for grins, along with tons of other stuff. Did I mention they do Dave Matthews? My notes from the evening pretty much consisted of phrases like “Oh my god” and “WOW”. They covered “Closer to Fine” and they even did a bit of what I think was “Scotland the Brave”. I can’t give them a Purr Factor- they are way off the scale. THEY are my new favorite cover band. Please, please make an effort to see them- you won’t regret it. Their September schedule is posted on their website: www.crushtheband.com. Hopefully October will be up soon- I want to make plans to see them again- they’re the kind of band for which I will need a “fix” every so often. Thank you and I will stop gushing now. =^-^= | ||
| Daphne Hero - Based in Wilmington. Recently played at Finnigan's Wake. Shows are mainly covers, which is disappointing because their originals are fantastic. (Think Goo Goo Dolls meet the Indigo Girls). These guys have too much talent to waste on covers, although they do two originals in their sets. Pick up their CD- it is wonderful. =^-^= | ||
|
Slap a little "Philly" on your car.
|
||
| Engine #9 - Wow, how they’ve changed. This cover band was started by Chris Myers and Eric Eden of Strange as Angels fame in 1998. They are currently on their third guitarist and second bassist in a year. (Most recent guitarist is Billy Neil, formerly from Flip Like Wilson) Since Jude, the original bassist left in the Spring to pursue other interests, they have had to change their set lists. Jude bought a different sound to the band, and a fabulous Perry Farrell-like voice that allowed E9 to have the most diverse set lists of anyone out there. Back in the day they played everything to “I Will survive” to the Indigo Girls to Sublime to Rage to the Beastie Boys. An E9 show never disappointed and was always different. But them they lost their edge in May 2000 when Jude left. Now they stick to the hard stuff for lower voices (Rage, Limp Bizkit etc). The shows are always the same and there are no surprises. But to be fair, Chris Myers is one hell of a performer. And they have Knappyhead Lovebones on the turntable and he is a little ball of energy. They have a couple of original songs that are included in the sets but they tend to stick to the safe haven of covers. They play all over- Both Brownies’ and Reeds and Kahuna etc etc. =^-^= | ||
| The Exceptions - Wow, the last time I heard so much Earth, Wind and Fire was on one of those Soul Sounds CD offers at 2 am! This is a good party/wedding band, but they cram so many people onto the stage it’s a wonder they don’t knock each other out. There was one guy who’s sole purpose seemed to be to look "bangable" and hit a cowbell. (not that I am complaining….) They tried to blend 70’s dance music with 90’s stuff like Ricky Martin but missed the mark in a way I can’t really explain. It sounded choppy and confusing. Maybe they just weren’t sure what everyone up there was supposed to be playing. They did get me dancing, but it was after two Long Island Iced Teas. On a scale of 1-10, their Purr Factor rated a 5, alas. But those iced teas were yummy….=^-^= | ||
| The Flaming Caucasians - “Best band in the land” as they’ve been advertised. Been around forever and know how to get a crowd going. They attract a more subdued crowd- dancers mostly- no moshing has been observed. Do not miss them- they turn even the most awful day right around. They seem to love what they are doing and it shows and is catching… Had a CD out a few years ago, but I don’t know if it’s still around. They’re fun and groovy and they play all over the area. =^-^= | ||
| The Heartbeats - I admit it’s been some time since I saw them, so they may be broken up or better (either would be good). Last played the Lagoon in Essington. Cover band with a guy and gal up front as the “singers” but they mostly prance around and swish their hips (BOTH the guy and gal). They get annoying after one set, even though they seem to give it their all. When they broke into a Ricky Martin cover, I knew it was time to leave. =^-^= | ||
| The Interns - Fun fun fun party band. The kind of get-a-crowd-on-their-feet-dancing band that are good to have at weddings and rather dull clubs. They do the more boppy, danceable covers- Erasure (“Respect”), “Brown Eyed Girl”, that nouveau swing stuff and even a cover by one of those boy bands (yippee). But they’re fun. Recently played at Reed’s Blue Bell. =^-^= | ||
| Jumper - My new favorite band!! These guys (and a gal) blew me away. They have a chick singer who is a ball of fire up on stage and is the most fun I’ve seen. She prances and dances and marches and works up a sweat- and the audience follows her. She got me moving, before I had anything to drink. Impressive! Something very cool about them is that they all took turns singing- and they all could sing, rather well. Their set lists are diverse, which I love, from 70’s to 80’s and 90’s. And every song sounded like it was their personal favorite, ya know? I even liked their versions of the songs I hate. Good transitions from song to song- no dead air- they didn’t stop in between songs like a lot of bands do. It was like one big mix. And they effortlessly went from “You Sexy Thing” to one by Lita Ford (remember her?!?!) to Limp Bizkit. I’m on their mailing list - they’re definitely worth the cover charge. Check out their NEW website HERE. I think it goes without saying that their Purr Factor is a 10! Don’t miss ‘em. =^-^= | ||
| K-Floor - These 4 guys are a blues band from Kansas City who have taken up roots in Philly. If you enjoy an awesome blues acts, K-Floor is your band. Their regular Philly haunts are the TLA, JD McGillicuddy's Pub, and the Grape Street Pub. The Dog caught these guys at the Grape Street Pub and the Manayunk Brewing Co and he give K-Floor 2 paws up. | ||
| Love Seed Mama Jump - This is a six-piece alternative band that puts their own slant on cover tunes. For instance, they'll play Peter Gabriel's "In Your Eyes" to a reggae beat. Sometimes it's just fun to kick back and try and figure out the tune they are playing. Their regular Philly haunts are Brownies Plymouth and Maui. Since these guys hail from Delaware, they spread their gigs across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland - don't be surprised if you check their schedule and they are only in the area once in a month's time. | ||
|
|
||
| Mary Arden Collins - We caught her One Woman act at The General Lafayette and she was awesome. You can't help but think that she is going to be the next Sarah McLaughlin. Her performance is a little folksy, but her rendition of Peter Gabriel's "In Your Eyes" may just bring a tear to your eye. She also performs with a band, but the real show is her one-on-one with her guitar. Check out her website, this girl is real soft on the eyes. | ||
|
Monkey
Bus - When reviewing cover bands, they all start to sound the same after a while, since the set lists contain so many "Y100 songs". That's fine- it's what the crowds want- but bands start to blend together after a few reviews. So, it is especially
refreshing when I find a band that can mix the popular stuff with really creative arrangements of other songs. Monkey Bus is one of these bands. Sure, their set lists include "Kryptonite" and "Little Black Back Pack" etc etc like most other cover bands. But then they throw in
"Brown Eyed Girl" that they've made all their own and which is amazingly rowdy. Or they launch into "Hey Micky" or "Hooked on a Feeling". Other highlights that set them apart are "Sweet Home Alabama," a Greg Kihn song of which I cannot recall the name
(perhaps "The Breakup Song", is that one of his? The line is "they don't write 'em like that anymore"…but I digress.), and an out of this world rendition of "Leaving on a Jet Plane". Who knew that song could ROCK?!?!?! I like 'em- they have talent and they get the
crowd going. Lead vocals switch from guy to guy and they manage to change places without any dead air. This is another thing that makes them special- there is nothing worse than the music stopping between songs and having quiet from the stage for a few beats while the band figures out what the
heck they are doing.
Musically (technically) they're tight, very together. Watching them I get the feeling that even if someone misses a chord or messes up somehow, the audience would never know. And they look like they are having fun up there- like they'd rater be on stage in front of those people than anywhere else in the world. And that makes this kitten purr, and very willing to pay the cover charge again to see them. Speaking of purr, their Purr Factor is a 9. They're good, but judge 'em for yourself. They play all over the place. =^-^= |
||
|
|
||
| Mr. Greengenes - Formed back in 1992 at West Chester University, Mr. Greengene's is a Top 40 cover band. If you stumble into a bar where these guys are playing, they won't disappoint. They kick out the jams at Brownies 23 East and Brownies Plymouth when they're in the area. | ||
| Punch Buggy - Cover band based in S Jersey. Recently played at RP McMurphy’s in Holmes, PA. Don’t see them around on a regular basis, but then again I don’t look for them. They have talent, but it needs to be honed a little more (some songs sound like they are still in the garage). Strictly covers- some interesting versions of old songs. IE- grunge/hard version of “Mandy” (Yes, the Barry Manilow song!). It has to be heard to be believed. Some of their medleys are odd, but they have a diversified set list, from Blink 182 (It’s hard to find a cover band that doesn’t do them) to the Bangles and Van Morrison. Good for a night out if there isn’t anyone else playing near your house. =^-^= | ||
| RICHIE, JUDE & TED: These three guys don't have an official name at press time, but a the end of this review I'll tell you where you can catch them. I saw them at Abilene on a recent Saturday night and they made me very happy. They play covers, but not all the same old top-40 alternative stuff that seems to be de rigueur for the scene. They mix in a lot of The Police with The Cure, Jane's Addiction, U2, The Cult, Neil Young, Stevie ray Vaughn, etc. They are fun and their smiles and jokes let the audience in on the fun they are having too. A few times they discussed what song to play next, like they were just having a ball jamming, and they were very receptive to requests. Although they didn't play my request of "Freebird", go figure. (haha j). I wish they had a name or a website so you could check out potential weekend gigs, but there is a standing Tuesday night show at Abilene on South Street (215-922-2583 for details). Please go see them and spread the word- the local band scene needs more of these guys, in my humble opinion. And even though it's a Tuesday night, you could always call in sick on Wednesday. Go on, you've earned it! I give 'em a Purr Factor of 11 for being so down-to-earth and wonderful. =^-^= | ||
| Sean Ryan - he has been known to play Toad's in Conshohocken. As I watched this "strumming car wreck" felt like I was back at a college dorm and this guy was the only person on the floor with a guitar. The guy would start songs and not be able to finish them - lame! His repertoire includes about 10 Who songs. He was in a back room of Toad's and it was no mystery why the only patrons there (aside from the Phillytown Crew) were his friends. I miss this guy's performance like I miss a "chapped-ass." | ||
|
|
||
| Secret Service - Uggh, these 2 guys are so overrated. Picture 2 guys in their 40's playing songs like Sweet Caroline and The Gambler as well as Top 40 music. These 2 guys remind me of my drunken uncle who whips out the Karaoke machine (and Jim Bean) when the family visits and thinks he can sing. For God's sake Secret Service doesn't even have a drummer. Sorry but it's just not a band without a drummer - it's Karaoke. Their regular gig is Friday Happy Hour at The Barn - and I don't know why? | ||
|
SLAMM -
OK, they’re fun, in a frat-boy, drink-till-you-puke-party-hardy way. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing. For me, it was a good thing the night I saw
them- I had a Week From Hell and all I wanted to do was party till I couldn’t see straight. And they did it for me.
Of course, as was pointed out to me by my companion, there wasn’t much difference between the show and listening to Y-100 with the volume way up. But, as I counter-pointed
(is that a word?), if you just listened to the radio, you’d miss the antics and shenanigans of the lead singer, who has a great rapport with the crowd. He talked to everyone and made cracks about the quantity of alcohol consumed and he came down on the dance floor to let some of the crowd sing. Yes, it’s the same set list as most other cover bands out there, but these boys were
having a hell of a time being rock stars and it was fun to watch. The only thing I didn’t dig was the set closer- a cover of Dave Matthews’ cover of “All Along the Watchtower”. Now, it’s cool to
cover that song, but put your own spin on it. The singer even made his voice sound exactly like Dave, but his voice wasn’t naturally in Dave’s range, so it was an obvious stretch. But at least they didn’t play any
Ricky Martin… |
||
| Slippery & NGX - These guys put on a great show. They've got a horn section, which gives them the edge over the run-of-the-mill cover band. Their staple of songs are Top 40 with a concentration on Alternative Music. If only they would play more "Make Me Smile" by Chicago & "Scene's From an Italian Restaurant" by Billy Joel. If you see any Philly Band, see these guys, they are the top dawgs. The Dog has been a big fan of these guys since they played the old Bent Elbow on Roosevelt Blvd (NE Philly) back in the early 1990's. | ||
| Star 69 - Caught these guys at the ol' Bent Elbo. They played Top 40 alternative music. A little Stained, Pearl Jam, Everlast, Fuel, etc. Sure they are a new up and coming cover band, but they got the crowd going and did a pretty good job kicking out the jams. I don't know if she was part of the act, but there was this one girl that was a permanent fixture dancing on the bar while these guys played. This chick was wearing a "belly" shirt and she was showing plenty of belly. Sorry I had to mention it, but when you climb up on the bar shaking your money maker, you're asking for it. | ||
| Tin Pan Alley: When I mentioned to some male friends that I'd be reviewing this band, their eyes lit up and the reactions were all along the lines of "Kristen is SO HOT", said with goofy grins on their faces. Kristen is the lead singer for this band from Scranton, PA, and I can say that she is beautiful. BUT she is also very talented with a killer vocal range. Their set lists consist of the usual cover band fare, but their delivery and performance sets them apart from all the other run-of-the-mill cover bands out there. Kristen puts on quite a show- she really gets into the music and revs the crowd. her "hotness" is definitely a draw for the guys I polled in the audience, but this band certainly rocks- and they're fun. Go see 'em, even if you're a girl. They play all over the place- their website is www.tinpanalley.net. Gotta give 'em a Purr Factor of 9. =^-^= | ||
|
|
||
|
|
||
|
=^-^= - Reviews denoted by " =^-^=" were written by our resident Cover Band critic "Kitten." We can't use her real name because she's got a whole "I'm your number one fan" / Misery Thing going on, with a couple of the bands. If she knew I told you that, she'd tie me to a bed, break my ankles and then force me to make my next website about her.
|
