Root Down in the Shadow

From time to time, there comes a need to bring fans up to speed with all the goings on with a band.  Hence the "Catching Up With...." series here at Root Down In The Shadow Levee Drivers at XPoNential Festival for a World Cafe Live #PopUp Session Briar Patch Video Session While on their recent East coast tour, Levee Drivers sat down with the folks at Briar Patch Video to record four songs, 'Off Them Tracks', 'Burbon Coated Blues', 'Waking Up in Memphis' and 'Midnight in My Hometown'.   These new tracks have been making their rounds at shows this year.  Keep tabs on Levee Drivers for what looks like a fall EP announcement.   World Cafe Live Pop Up Session : During the successful XPoNential Festival put on by WXPN, World Cafe Live curated a few Pop Up sessions near the World Cafe Live and Main Street Music tents.  Although they fought crowds heading to hear a rare Dr. John set on the River Stage, Levee Drivers were ...

Here's a look back at the wildly successful 2nd Street Festival! Every day covering Philly music, I find yet another song, band, artist, festival, etc. to be excited about.  Sunday's find was the #2ndStreetFest.   I hadn't done all that much exploring in Northern Liberties, but hey The Bailey Hounds and New Sweden were playing, what else did I really need to know? Getting to the festival, I was a little nervous as I didn't know where the stages would be, but, ummm.. It is the 2nd Street Festival, so it couldn't be that hard right?  Walking to the Piazza at Schmidts , on 2nd street from Girard, the first stage became glaringly obvious.  Right smack in the middle of the street!  With logistics out of the way, it was time for fun! The next big show for Brad Hinton Band Looking back, I have the day split into two categories: Before Johnny Brenda's and After Johnny Brenda's .  The Johnny Brenda's bar/venue wasn't involved in the fest...

From time to time, there comes a need to bring fans up to speed with all the goings on with a band.  Hence the "Catching Up With...." series here at Root Down In The Shadow THE MAYBE BOYS RELEASE SHOW Johnny Brenda's September 13th Nearly a year in the works, The Maybe Boys will finally reach its audience.  Headlining their second Johnny Brenda's show this year, Toy Soldiers share the stage with fellow Newport Folk Festival compatriots Kingsley Flood . Get tickets here: Johnny Brenda's Newport Folk Festival?    Yes indeed.  After touring for two weeks with Joe Fletcher and then two more with more with Andrew Combs , it only made total sense that the Toy Soldiers would come along to Newport Folk Festival as well. Joe Fletcher had curated a set so well received by the Newport Folk Fest powers that it got extended from two hours to four.   Even if Philadelphia is neither Nashville nor Newport it is on the route from ...

Last Friday night, MilkBoy Philly hosted a stellar line-up of local acts to support national act Desert Noises .  The local line-up itself was solid in its own rights and here's what you need to know: Mike Southerton of Song Dogs The Bernhardts   Jerry Bernhardt / Kate Bernhardt The Bernhardts have to be one of Philly's biggest buzz bands right now.  Members have been all over town in as parts of other bands.  Kate Bernhardt is often found backing Ali Wadsworth , Ben Plotnik plays bass now for Levee Drivers , and Jerry Bernhardt can be found with Juston Stens and the Get Real Gang or sometimes with Mike McMonagle.   Regardless of whom else they team up with, when they get together the Bernhardts have an unmistakable draw.  In fact, the whole crowd stopped to watch just on the sound check they did right before their set. The songs are simple in nature, but it's not just a pretty voice and face playing with her b...

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.  In order to create an intimate and spellbinding atmosphere, we ask that nobody talk during performances.  We hold these pop-up gigs in over 35 cities across 5 continents"  ** All photos from Lindsey Borgman** August 11th Northern Liberties - Philadelphia, PA Each Sofar Sounds show is unique.  Each Sofar Sounds show has elements that haven’t been seen before and won’t be seen again.  Fans keep coming back as they are so intrigued by what incredible experience they might be a part of. What part of town will the show be in?  Who in the crowd will be performing later?  What future (or current) star is going to be performing?  What unexpected genre will be represented? Looking back at prior shows, there has ...

I w as very excited to see a new sampler from  Merge Records  on Amazon. It features The Love Language, Telekinesis, She & Him, Mikal Kronin, The Mountain Goats, and more. While you are there, check out the 2012 Summer Sampler.

Today marks the 5th annual 2nd Street Festival in Philadelphia's Northern Liberties neighborhood.  Headlining in the last slot on the Piazza stage is Rhode Island's the Low Anthem !  Incredible Philly area acts, New Sweden , the Bailey Hounds , Kuf Knotz , Brad Hinton , and DJ Slowpoke ( Birdie Busch ) are sure to bring solid performances, but it's the Low Anthem that are bringing the intrigue. Wild success and international acclaim surrounded their first two albums, What the Crow Brings and Oh My God, Charlie Darwin.  They followed up with Smart Flesh , but despite stellar tracks 'Apothecary Blues', "Boeing 737', and 'Hey, All You Hippies', and live show staple 'Ghost Woman Blues' it just didn't seem to have the edge like the previous offerings.  Even still their careers were in an upward projectory.  Larger audiences were becoming aware, as they had a track on the Hunger Games Soundtrack and a fantastic collaboration with The Chi...