Root Down in the Shadow

XPN & Dawes continue to share memorable shows.  From the XPN 20th anniversary concert, to the 2012 XPoNential Festival, each event gets better and better for both entities.  Friday's Free At Noon,  which was 10000% at capacity was the fittingly the first live webcast for WXPN! Playing in support of their Stories Don't End album, which is due to be released April 9th, 2013, they played 7 of the 12 songs, including the already hit 'From A Window Seat'.  The songs and band were very fresh. It was one of the few times these songs had been heard, only after a bunch of SXSW events and a few in-store sessions in Dallas, Nashville, and Baltimore. The new songs are impressive, as 'Someone Will', 'Hey Lover' and 'From A Window Seat' will fit right in with their other hits.  The guitar solos continue, picking up where the 70's left off.  I'd sit and describe more of the set, but you can listen to it yourself here @ http://www.xpn.org/playe

Shovels & Rope are in the midst of a great year!   After releasing  O' Be Joyful on July 31st last year, they have continued to gain popularity and love as they tour.  They have dates galore with Lucero ( now) and Dawes later this summer.  Also on their docket are gigs with Dave Matthews Band and some U.K. & U.S. headlining dates.  On top of all that, they have spots at some of the best festivals in the country with the Newport Folk, Coachella, Sasquatch, Hangout, Wakarusa, Forecastle and Osheaga Festivals.  If they weren't known before now, anyone that even has their finger near the pulse of music will know their name by years end! Shovels & Rope @ Union Transfer - Philadelphia The Charleston, SC husband and wife duo brought their Folky Southern Blues Storytelling to Philadelphia for the 2nd time already in 2013 . This time it was to the spacious, but sonically pleasing Union Transfer while opening for Lucero on their 3rd date on the Spring Tour.

Here's a post for the Sofar Sounds: Philadelphia 3-15-2013          Here's the January review For those of you that don't know what Sofar Sounds is here's their story: "We have created a movement which brings music lovers together in secret living room locations to hear some of the world's most cutting edge artists. In order to create an intimate and spellbinding atmosphere, we ask that nobody talk during performances. We hold these pop-up gigs in over 30 cities across 5 continents" To listen to the show while reading the review, try the mixlr.com stream ** although it was mic'd in the back of the room, and the crowd was particularly enthusiastic, so it gets a little rough** ** All photos from Lindsey Borgman unless otherwise noted **   http:// www.flickr.com/ photos/linky-b/ It was an exciting March night in the Fishtown section of Philadelphia.  There was much to rejoice in: it was only a few days into the re-arranged sunligh

Stars Shine Bright Despite The Rain Mariel Lorenz, is a contributor to Root Down In the Shadow with concert reviews and valuable insight with local bands venues!  She also serves as primary concert buddy!  The Montreal based band Stars came to the Trocadero last Wednesday in support of their 2012 LP release The North . “We didn’t know if you would come…” singer   Torquil Campbell said to the crowd. Fans did come and were ready to dance and sing along to this power pop band. Of course many of the songs featured in the 90 minute plus some set are from The North , but this was the first night for Stars’ spring tour and what do you get when you are witnessing a band’s first night on a new leg of a tour – songs that haven’t been performed live either ever or for many years.   Fans were treated to songs found deeper in the catalogue like Krush and Personal . Singers Amy Milan and Torquil Campbell sounded amazing and I really enjoyed the range of songs from more intimate to

In late January, a seed planted with Jocie Adams nearly two years ago, as the idea to come back to Philly to do a house concert, was finally ready to bloom.  Jocie was scheduling some tour dates with her outfit, Arc Iris , and had the perfect opening for a two day stop in Philadelphia.  Before all was said and done, there was a XPN session in the works and a house concert at the home of Root Down In the Shadow !  Although, the first Philadelphia day held an outstanding studio session taping by Folkadelphia for Arc Iris, co-billed with The Bailey Hounds , it was day two that was going to be outstanding!  For the band, they were already in town so there was no night-time drive, no late arrival; and fortuitously since the studio session was the day prior, five members of Arc Iris were on hand rather than the originally planned three! With the show being in a Philly row house, Arc Iris went on first.  After all, they had trumpet, trombone, cello, and two keyboards; not your typical h

A new pick from the ongoing series discovering songs that both child and parent can enjoy!  From the 2008 release (on DVD and CD) Here Come the 123s They Might Be Giants ~ The Seven Days Of The Week ('I Never Go To Work')

I don't know why I didn't post this earlier.  yeah, i would have liked to say a few words about each band.  The important part is that you get to hear these 10 awesome FUN songs !  Enjoy 1. DayDream Vacation – "Clever’s Not My Best Excuse" 2. The Bamboos – "Medicine Man" FREE SONG ALERT 3. Deep Sea Diver - "You Go Running" 4. David Wax Museum – "Harder Before It Gets Easier" 5. Bahamas – "Caught Me Thinking" "Caught Me Thinking" by Bahamas FREE SONG ALERT 6. Gabriel Teodro s –"Mind Power" Powerful lyrics.. "I will not be defined by where I'm from" 7. Chill Moody "Cotton" FREE SONG ALERT 8. Mark Foster + A-Trak + Kimbra – "Warrior" 9. Shana Halligan – Paper butterfly Also featured on the super cool Knock And Rock web video series Shana Halligan - "Paper Butterfly" 10. Coco Morier – "Explosion&q