Sofar Sounds March 2014 To Kill A King / Prides / Worshyper / Maitland

artwork by Jennifer Prough

So just a few weeks back, two hot U.K. bands with brand-new releases played Philadelphia together.  The supporting acts were two exciting bands that have been tearing up the local scene.  The room was packed.  The mood was high.  The crowd was comfortable???

Photo by Lindsey Borgman

Yeah, this super dope line-up of To Kill A King, Prides, Worshyper, and Maitland was in a local living room.  Once again Sofar Sounds: Philadelphia raised the bar on the increasingly popular house-concert scene here in town.  The Sofar Sounds crew has asserted their dominance in the movement, bringing quality music to homes and studios for an experience that can't be matched.

You see, you can't just add people and bands to a living room and expect success.  While it takes the right fans, the right bands, and the right hosts for everything to work it also takes that little bit of allure that only a Sofar Sounds show can provide with the bands being a carefully guarded secret.

The March show was hosted by the folks that bring us HotBox Studios (you remember the Districts viral video, right?) at their Fishtown home.  The evening began like most fun warm March evenings should with some beers out back, talking about music.  In this case, the wife and I hung out with an out of town fella named Ralph talking about his cool web-series Ralph's Balcony.  The super awesome thing about the conversation was being at a music fan hangout talking about what is exciting in the scene.  For Ralph Pelleymounter the leader of To Kill A King, he could relax knowing that with a Sofar Sounds show, there was no pressure of anyone getting super fan-boy on the band.   With Sofar Sounds the bands are a secret until you arrive, so it stands to reason the crowd hadn't come because they were specifically fans of his band, but just there for a quality night of music entertainment of three to four soon-to-be unveiled bands.  While I did know of his band, I certainly wasn't going to ruin the conversation hearing about a project Ralph was passionate about.

The other key ingredient to a Sofar Sounds show is cutting edge bands.  The March 2014 lineup was top notch and the show was fantastic.  Three Sofar Sounds veterans were on the line-up, representing previous shows from Glasgow, Birmingham (U.K.), London, and Philadelphia; making this one of the most exciting Sofar Sounds line-ups yet!

Maitland - Photo by Lindsey Borgman

Starting off was Maitland, which hails somewhere in-between Williamsport and Philadelphia, PA!   Last August, Josh Hines performed for Sofar with long-time collaborator, Jeff Mach and wowed the crowd with Bon Iver like tones.  This time a full-band emerged with Alex Hines and Evan Moffitt flanking Josh.  Playing all new songs, Maitland wowed yet again, this time with some blood harmonies between brothers Alex & Josh.  Josh again pulls you in on his trance like lyrics such as those from "Luna" -  "If you were my spring, I'd drink you up."  With new material in the pipeline, it's only a matter of time before Maitland is the band playing their next Sofar Sounds in another city.

Maitland 
set list - March 22nd 2014

Mother's Touch
Dust Bowl
Luna
Cup of Love

Worshyper - Photo by Lindsey Borgman

Photo by Lindsey Borgman

Philadelphia three-piece Worshyper was next.  Completely out of their electro element, Worshyper left behind the mics to fit the house show vibe.  Fortunately they didn't leave behind any confidence as the vocals were the key to the performance.  Hit "Boyalty" started off the set featuring Marie Nicolo, quietly singing/rapping over some beats.  Matt Hampson brought the swagger with his rap on "Twenties", but it was the Mariah Carey cover of "We Belong Together" by Marie that brought the smiles out of the crowd.  The final & title track of their new album Keeps was the last song of the set, giving a nice but subtle reminder of what to look for when surfing for their new tunes. 

Worshyper 
set list - March 22nd 2014

Boyalty

Twenties

We Belong Together (Mariah Carey)

Keeps

Prides - Photo by Lindsey Borgman

Synth-pop is a little different than what the Sofar Sounds crowd was accustomed to, so when another three piece came in from outside and set up next with an electronic drum pad a little pause was felt by the crowd.  But the Glasgow based Prides, kicked ass from the first electronic beat.  The first song was their brand-new single "Seeds You Sow" complete with a catchy chorus and driving beats.  The crowd loved every bit of the synthy-goodness especially the well-matched Cyndi Lauper cover of "Time After Time".  The normally quiet Sofar Sounds crowd broke bad and sang along for the song.   Things went so well, that a rare house concert encore was clamored for from the Scottish fellows, and the band rewarded the fans with the B-side to their new single, an equally impressive "Cold Blooded"

PRIDES  
set list - March 22nd 2014

The Seeds You Sow

Messiah

Time After Time (Cyndi Lauper)

Out of the Blue

Cold Blooded

To Kill A King - Photo by Lindsey Borgman

To Kill A King was last to take to the front of the room.  Ironically playing their third Sofar Sounds show internationally and taking the airwaves here days later, they were playing just their first Philadelphia show.  To Kill A King also led off with their hit single "Cold Skin", representing their US debut album Cannibals with Cutlery.  While their set lacked other pure "hits" or covers, it was a lesson in composition and harmony.  Ralph Pelleymounter led the band and fans on a journey through five acoustic tunes to cap the night!  To get the best idea of the set, check out the dreamy "Howling (acoustic)" the final track on Cannibals with Cutlery

To Kill a King
set list - March 22nd 2014

Cold Skin

Rays

Howling

Bloody Shirt

Choices