Root Down in the Shadow

Swelltone Music's Shana Hartzell interviews Pine Barons Any year where you get main stage your city's NPR station's festival and a split Daytrotter vinyl with The Districts , it's a great year.   The Pine Barons are clearly ascending the indie ranks, but they still have time to chat with their blogger friends.   After their set at WXPN's XPoNential Festival presented by Subaru, the Pine Barons sat down with the Root Down In The Shadow crew and our friend Shana Hartzel of Swelltone Music to discuss the highlights of the show, their thoughts on WXPN, playing live, the new album, and more!   Check out our XPoNential Festival preview , featuring Pine Barons..    Check out the interview below: Pine Barons at XPoNential Festival : Photo by Dan McGurk Pine Barons are back this fall as part of the TJ Kong Halloween Murder Show VI.   Get Tickets now for Pine Barons, TJ Kong, Satellite Hearts and mor...

Israel Nash at the Malvern Summer Stage : Photo by Dan McGurk Israel Nash @ Non-Comm : Photo by Dan McGurk It's been a busy year for Israel Nash and band.  In support of the timeless Rain Plains album they came to Philadelpia for a WXPN Free At Noon, The 15th Annual NON-COMMvention, Malvern Summer Stage, and XPoNential Festival.  While each of these could have been essentially short promotional sets, that didn't stop the band from giving everything they had each time. After being wowed at Non-Comm and Malvern Summer Stage, we knew we wanted to catch up with Israel Nash to see what the connection is between band and WXPN, the radio support behind these shows.   Check out our XPoNential Festival preview , featuring Israel Nash..    Click the interview below to see Israel's thoughts on WXPN, XPoNential Festival, and what brings them back for more! : To hear their whole XPoNential Festival set... check out the player WXPN's The Key ...

Holly Miranda at Boot & Saddle - Photo by Lindsey Borgman Every national tour has its share of disasters, whether it's tour van break down, or equipment theft.  The tour featuring Holly Miranda with Ambrosia Parsley + Chris Maxwell seemed to get it all out of the way, before Miranda ever made the stage at Philadelphia's Boot & Saddle .  Looking past Ambrosia Parsley's wardrobe malfunction (went missing off a MegaBus) and the paltry crowd (I'm looking at you Philly music fans), Holly Miranda and band had everything rocking in the right direction. Ambrosia Parsley + Chris Maxwell To start the night the Chris Maxwell warmed up the crowd, only to be joined by partner Ambrosia Parsley (formerly of Shivaree & Kill Bill 2 Soundtrack fame) for her first show in quite a while.  With her soft and affected voice and his skillful guitar playing, they warmed up the crowd despite some terribly sad songs. “This is the most honest thing I’ve ever m...

Shakey Graves Levee Drivers and Ladybird As a first-time "fest" attendee I wasn't sure what to expect. I've been to many fests, but never before a folk fest, and never before one in such a sprawling, open, natural environment. I'd heard of the Philadelphia Folk Fest (or just fest, as everyone calls it) of course but didn't know what kind of crowd it would draw, what the general feel would be, or how I would fit in as a young(ish) photographer with more of an indie music bent. As it came to be, the answers were, in order: the nicest fest crown I've yet experienced. I had anticipated an older crowd and while they were there in droves, there were also a ton of younger adults, kids and everything in between. There was no pushing, or crowding, or obnoxious drunk bros as far as the eye could see. The crowd was refreshing, and happy. Fest had this feel of absolute love of music, and of shared appreciation for it. I don't think I've even bee...

There's always something exciting going on for the bands of Cover Club . This week's entry, Mason Porter , will finish the week with their own curated fest : The Midnight Mountain Music Show featuring friends galore such as Wallace Brothers , Ladybird , Kalob Griffin Band, and Hinton, Bower, Jones . Meanwhile they start the week celebrating other friends, American Babies , by choosing them as their Cover Club selection! This has to be the best value in town with$60 for two nights camping and show ticket. How's the response so far? "The response has been unbelievable. So much enthusiasm. So many people want to be a part of this and help out and see it succeed. We have an amazing community of fans and friends and family and this festival is really bringing everyone together in a really special and exciting way." For Midnight Mountain Music Festival tickets head to MasonPorter.com/MMMS Joe D'Amico of Mason Porter explains the choice of Ameri...

It's a big weekend for August John Lutz II.   Saturday marks the release of 'O Foolish Heart his debut solo release.  Before grabbing your tickets for the show at Bourbon and Branch, check out the insight August gives us to five questions we had about his new material. 1. Q:​ It’s been 7 years since the first Levee Drivers EP and fans have been clamoring for a full-length album - only to be teased with a few songs here and there. Now, just a month or so before the full-length is ​officially​ recorded, you’re releasing a 5-track solo effort. Why now? A: ​It basically came down to timing and finding the right songs to complement each other. Everything fell comfortably into place with this project. I’m also in the middle of recording a follow-up to ​O’ My Foolish Heart​, and on top of that the Levee Drivers full- length should be out sometime next year. People definitely won’t have to wait long between releases! August John Lutz II - Photo By Bo...

Arc Iris may be from Providence RI, but, for me, their front-woman, Jocie Adams , has always been a part of my Philadelphia listening experience. At one of my first shows in Philadelphia six years ago, she was a shy multi-instrumentalist with The Low Anthem. Over the next two years I would catch The Low Anthem every time they came through town It was Jocie’s evolution that really had me hooked. It wasn’t just what new instrument she would play next, as she moved between crotales, hammered dulcimer, clarinet and so many more instruments, but as a vocalist you could see her emerge. This emergence was most stark with the cover of Jack Kerouac “On The Road”/ Tom Waits “Home I’ll Never Be.” Through the years, the vocal duties on the song moved over to Jocie taking the reins. It was so uplifting and exciting, to see this tiny sun-dress-folkster of a free spirit wailing away, channeling some Janice and bringing the whole crowd to their feet. As Jocie’s career has progress...