Sofar Sounds: Philadelphia - June Concert Review with Small Houses / Commonwealth Choir / Kwesi K / Vikesh Kapoor / Ali Wadsworth - June 21st 2013

For those of you who don't know what Sofar Sounds is here is 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."


**Unless noted, ** All photos from Lindsey Borgman**


Links to earlier SofarSounds: Philadelphia reviews

June 21st... Northern Liberties - Philadelphia, PA

June's SofarSounds: Philadelphia was yet another testament to a winning formula.  Throughout the day, Philadelphia music fans had the opportunity to see quality musicians all around town for free, as a part of Make Music Philly.
  

Even with the opportunity to see an incredibly diverse selection of bands all around town like Toy Soldiers, Levee Drivers, James Hearne, September Call-up, Ang & The Damn Band, and Holy Ghost Tent Revival, fans and musicians alike were drawn to the monthly SofarSounds show.
 
What could possibly be better than seeing top quality music at bars and open spaces all around the city?  Seeing five top quality musicians in one home, with a collection of respectful fans ready to experience music in the raw.

As with every Sofar show, the audience arrived expecting nothing less than a great night of music from some soon to be determined captivating artists.

Vikesh Kapoor , Photo by Jeremy Quentin

Small Houses - Philadelphia, PA via Flint, MI

First on the bill, at the Northern Liberties new row home, was Small Houses: the Michigan-bred, Philadelphia-based, rambling one-manband.  The crowd settled in rather quickly, whether coming in after work or arriving from another #MakeMusicPhilly show.  For his set, Jeremy Quentin treated the crowd to raw cuts from his 2013 release Exactly Where You Wanted to Be and two new yet to be recorded tracks.  With a folk-gravelly voice meets Bruce Springsteen sincerity, his pure acoustic set was an immediate and perfect discharge from the hectic late June day.  Watching Jeremy Quentin, who was just as chill as his music, you could see that the tunes put him in his happy place, singing songs of love and longing.  The highlight was when 'Our Sweet' turned even sweeter as a captivating duet with Ali Wadsworth.

Sofar Sounds: Philadelphia       set list 6-21-2013 
           Track                                         RELEASE 

-Seventeen in Roselore                 unreleased original

-The Last Night of Summer   Exactly Where You Wanted to Be

-Old Habits                                    unreleased original

-Our Sweet                             Exactly Where You Wanted to Be

Small Houses Jeremy Quentin with Ali Wadsworth

Commonwealth Choir - Philadelphia, PA 

The Philadelphia by way of Doylestown, PA five-some, Commonwealth Choir, was next to rock the Sofar fans into a musical submission.  With punk undertones, these harmonizing fellas rock on with a SoCal groove and garage band intensity.
 
Treating the crowd to four fun songs, including their promising single 'Rest' (from the Shirtless EP), Commonwealth Choir kept feet tapping and heads bobbing throughout their set.  The highlight was the set-ending 'Along The Peak' which brought back their melodica and got their loudest!
  

These DIYers are on a mission, which successfully included turning the SofarSounds fans into Commonwealth Choir fans.

Like many others, if you are clamoring for more info on these cool cats, keep an eye out for more digital releases like, Shirtless, in a series of digital singles this summer into the fall.

Commonwealth Choir       
Sofar Sounds: Philadelphia       set list 6-21-2013 
 Track                                         RELEASE
Palace                                   unreleased original
Rest                                       Shirtless EP
Vixen                                    unreleased original
Along the Peak                      unreleased original 

 Upcoming Show: July 18th @ North Star Bar

 Kwesi K - Philadelphia, PA 

The sunlight dimmed outside and the lights came on inside.  It was Kwesi K's smile and tunes that brightened up the room.  Kwesi, also new to the Philadelphia scene, had a brief three song set making some adept choices to show off his wares.

Kwesi, with Jack Johnson chillness, played the vulnerable, yet upbeat single 'By My Side' to start.  Second was a cover of 'Fast Car' by Tracy Chapman.  Coincidentally, while a great choice for his style and skills, he also he followed a similar path out of Ohio.

He wrapped up the set with new tune, 'Fold'.  If this tune was any representation of the upcoming album, the new material should be strong.  Keep an ear open for news on this upcoming release.  Kwesi has been hard at work on the new songs, even coming straight from the studio before the show!

Kwesi K

Sofar Sounds: Philadelphia       set list 6-21-2013 
Track                                         RELEASE 
By My Side                              By My Side Single
Fast Car                                 (Tracey Chapman cover)
Fold                                     yet to be titled, upcoming album

Kwesi K "Fast Car"
Kwesi K "Fast Car" from Bob Sweeney on Vimeo.





Vikesh Kapoor - Portland, OR  

The fourth act of the night, Vikesh Kapoor indulged the crowd with a major influence Pete Seeger, a re-working of old standard, and some new material.  Not quite a cover, 'Down By The River' was his extension of the old Pete Seeger ballad 'Dink's Song', which are Vikesh verses written while stuck in a snow storm, down by the Susquehanna River. 

'Mack The Knife', the old jazz standard more commonly heard by Louis Armstrong, Bobby Darrin or Frank Sinatra, was stripped down to a Seegery-Folk tune.  The lyrics really emerged crisply with Vikesh's rendition.  Seriously, who knew there was a hungry shark involved?

After his mini "influences" set, Vikesh played a selection of tunes from his upcoming debut album The Ballad Of Willy Robbins.  The tracks are excellent power charged political folk, as Vikesh Kapoor clearly studied his predecessors.    

"Three years ago, Vikesh Kapoor performed at Howard Zinn's memorial service in Boston, in front of Zinn's family and colleagues (including Noam Chomsky). Inspired by Zinn's lifelong battle against class/race injustice, Kapoor spent the next two years in Portland, Oregon working on a concept record based on a related newspaper article. His debut album, The Ballad Of Willy Robbins, out this Fall, chronicles the brutal but hopeful story of a working class man who slowly loses everything: ambitions, health, family, shelter. The album was co-produced by Adam Selzer (M. Ward) and features stellar participation from Nate Query (Decemberists, Black Prairie), Jeff Ratner (Langhorne Slim) and Birger Olsen (Denver)."

His finale, 'Sherene, Don't Be Alone' will likely be one of those songs studied by the next generation.  Whoever this wayward Sherene is, I'm guessing there were a few tears shed the first time she heard this heartfelt ode. 

Sofar Sounds: Philadelphia       set list 6-21-2013 
           Track                                         RELEASE  

Down by the River                               unreleased
Mack the Knife                                  Newspress Scare 7"
I Dreamt Blues -                              The Ballad of Willy Robbins
Searchin' for the Sun -                     The Ballad of Willy Robbins
Sherene, Don't Be Alone                      unreleased 

Ali Wadsworth - Philadelphia, PA  

For those relative newcomers to the Philly scene, you may think Ali Wadsworth is simply the attractive bartender upstairs at Fergies Pub.  To the contrary, Ali is a pillar of the music community, and can be found everywhere if you keep your eyes open.  Her collaborators are as diverse as the entire Philly music scene.

For the night her cohorts were Kevin Killen (acoustic guitar) and Joe Bisirri (electric guitar).  Both of the fellas, are involved in her upcoming release which features songs written by many of Ali's friends and coconspirators.  Kevin wrote one of the tunes and Joe was heavily involved in the recording at Bill Moriarty's Waking Studio.

The first song, the powerful, atomic 'Still Not Over You' (Adrien Reju), blew many in the crowd away.  Fortunately, 'Biding My Time' (Claire Wadsworth) was the type of song to help pull you up by your boot straps, or at least to dance to Kevin Killen's picking or Ali Wadsworth's rousing vocals. 

Kate Bernhardt joined Ali Wadsworth for the rest of the set.  'Long Hours' (Chris Kasper) was next.  The song had been on my heavy rotation since I downloaded the On The Hill Session, hearing Ali and her ukelele.  The live rendition, of this tale of perspiration and woe was fantastic with the guitars and harmonies. 

'Hurricane Blues' (Brian Dale Allen Strouse) was taken to new heights with Ali's vocals and Joe Bisirri's electric guitar.  To put it bluntly, the passion she unbridled from Brian's frustrated love song, could easily find its way onto a making love mix-tape playlist. 

To cap the perfect night of songs about vulnerability, love, and passion,  Ali Wadsworth played  'I Ran Away', from her upcoming album, written by none other than guitarist Kevin Killen.  Ironically a song of love lost; put a pointed end on a successful night of honoring influences, sharing them with another set of fans!

Sofar Sounds: Philadelphia       set list 6-21-2013 
           Track                                         RELEASE  
-Still Not Over You                      upcoming album   

-Biding My Time                          upcoming album   

-Long Hours                                  upcoming album   

-Hurricane Blues                          upcoming album   

-I Ran Away                                 upcoming album    



Thanks to SofarSounds: Philly for the invitation to come out again to the shows!
Video by Bob Sweeney & Nicklas Hughes
Photos by  Lindsey Borgman