Written by Nick Hopton

“Meet Me On South Street”

The city of Philadelphia, a sprawling, vast embodiment of the music scenes across America, has long been a lighthouse to the artists and bands that travel across these great lands in search of the dream. The dream that all musicians have when they play their first notes. The dream of stardom, the dream of making it., the dream of being a goddamn rockstar.

Green Day. Tool. Rage Against The Machine. Pearl Jam. Nirvana. Sunblaze Lane (sorry, I couldn’t help myself).

These legendary bands, along with countless others that have made their mark in music history, got some of their first shots at glory in a beat-up, old bar on South Street. J.C Dobbs, originally opened in 1975, was the first stop and was the stomping grounds for many of the first tours that major bands have made across the US. The venue itself has always had a South Philly feel about it, and a very simple one at that. A cramped stage, reeking of stale beer and sweat. A light and sound system that did JUST enough to make you feel like you were playing in an arena, rather than your bar down the street. A bar and a staff that always greeted you with a smile and a drink but wouldn’t hesitate to toss your ass through the front door if you caused any issues.

It was simple. It was home. It was rock and roll.

Over the years, numerous owners would come in and take over, but miraculously the essence and vibe of Dobbs always survived. It was always that bar you would meet up at when you got into the city to catch a quick gig, or to end the night after seeing a bigger show down the street at the TLA. But in October of 2015, Dobbs closed its doors and said goodbye with a four-sentence social media post. All those years of hellacious evenings and hungover mornings… poof. Gone. Just like the magic that conjured them inside the hallowed walls erected decades before. No more meet-ups, no more nights… no more music.

Flash forward to January 2021. Ron Dangler and Angelo Rullo were on the prowl through the Southeast Pennsylvania region looking for a potential venue to bring their vision of a new music venue to life. After a few swings and misses on various locations around the area, their real estate agent told them he had something that might pique their interest. They hopped in the car and ended up out front of the once mythical J.C Dobbs, now reduced to a relic and a shell of its former self.

The excitement immediately hit Dangler, a former patron of the previous iteration, who knew right away what kind of project he would be taking on. “I knew that if we decided on this place, it would have to be done right. No bullshitting around, no cutting corners. Dobbs has way too much history for us to come in and blow it.” The decision was made, and the team moved forward with the task to re-create and evolve Dobbs into something new and exciting, while also holding true to its roots.

While a major remodel is underway (and nearly finished at the time of this writing), expect a lot of the same from Dobbs, but brought forward into the modern age. Gone is the upstairs’ stage, and is replaced with a DJ booth, pool tables, TVs wrapped around the walls, and a new laid-back atmosphere that caters to a much larger crowd than previous versions. Downstairs? Don’t worry because yes, that stage is still there. While the bar and surrounding areas have been updated, that old South Philly feel is still there. More space has been allocated for patrons to move around and shake their asses a bit, while also adding hybrid seating areas that are easily moveable to cater to certain times of the day and special events.

Rock and roll will always be a staple of the music choice at the venue, but Dangler wants to invite everyone and everything that Philly has to offer to come to perform. Teaming up with DVT Entertainment, they plan on opening the doors and the hallowed stage to all different genres of music to really give the city its Everyday Mecca of Music. Different nights produce different themes, as do different times of day (Acoustic Country Sunday Brunch followed by a Punk Rock Happy Hour, anyone?). “We wanted to re-invent what this bar was all about, while also not losing sight of its history. Something that everyone will enjoy no matter the day or night.”

While the official opening date is still up in the air (owners are hoping to kick the doors open in late August / early September), the excitement is already building around the city and surrounding suburban areas. The day the word broke that Dobbs was returning, Dangler received hundreds of messages of support and enthusiasm for taking the project on and re-igniting the fire. Support is also building from other venues and businesses around the area as well, eager to see the landmark welcome guests once again, as it only can help bring the entire music scene back to the forefront.

With the past few years taking away so many venues from us, and in turn, really hitting the local music scene hard to see one opening back up is not only a breath of fresh air. It’s an entirely new life. Very soon, we will be able to walk through those big red doors again, grab a drink, and settle in for a night of old-school fun. Very soon, we’ll again be able to say, “Meet me at Dobbs On South.”

Connect with Dobbs on South

Facebook

Photos by Matthew Valcourt

It was a bustling Friday night on South Street when The Black Moon’s hit the stage at Legendary Dobbs after following a successful show at World Café Live the previous week. With many of the members having grown up in Philadelphia this was some sort of homecoming for the band. The group formed at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, and it was now time to show their Philly audience what they had up their sleeve.

Heavy Harold opened the stage with their energetic feel, setting the mood for the rest of the night. The band’s upbeat drumming and steady bass lines filled the tiny room with a hard rock vibe.

Second up was Sam Haiman Band who also hail from the Berklee College of Music. The quartet describes themselves as an equal mix of Asbury rock, Texas blues, and Laurel Canyon folk. Front man Sam Haiman showed his New Jersey roots up on stage as he played an sang along to the bands original songs as well as energetic cover to Led Zeppelin’s “Good Times, Bad Times” which responded well with the crowd.

The Black Moon’s graced the stage shortly after as the crowed began to chant their name over and over again. They began with “Only Got The Night” and “The Eastern Skyline” off their current album Half-Heart & Climbing. Six musicians scattered the stage which included front man and guitarist Jake Ohlbaum, Liz Duska on backing vocals, Chris Wilder on the keyboard, Scott McIntyre with the bass, Harry Price on guitar, and Will Butera on the drums.

After an energetic start to the show the band went on to debut a new song, “Hungry Like The Wild”, from their upcoming album Less Talk…More Beard (set to release this September). The group kept the fire going throughout their whole performance and the audience responded with constant cheering. Everyone in the venue was enjoying what these guys were doing up on stage. The combination of Ohlbaum’s lead vocals with Duska’s backing harmonies were perfect when it came to tracks like “Careful With My Heart” and “Waiting by the Phone”. Duska even went on to sing solo of AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell”.

With new music on the way, the future of The Black Moons seems very promising. Their constant energy isn’t fading anytime soon.

Right about now, Pearl Jam is getting ready to go on stage for their second night in Philadelphia. I can’t remember the last time I caught an act two days in a row on tour. Big bands come through Philly a lot, stopping for more than one night. For me, on most occasions, one night is enough. As I type this, my back is sore, my ear drums are shot and I’m falling asleep. But, give me a Red Bull and some money for parking at the Wells Fargo Center, and I’d go back. I see a lot of bands- small venues, big venues, venues where my friends and I are the only ones in the crowd. The majority of my disposable income is spent on seeing bands and spending way too much money on a single beer. But, there’s absolutely no doubt in my mind that of every musician I have seen recently, Pearl Jam is the only band who puts on a show worth ever single penny spent on a concert ticket. I really do wish I could see them again tonight.

Last night, Eddie Vedder pointed to the crowd behind him and told the audience there were 20-30 times more people in just that section than there were when Pearl Jam played The Legendary Dobbs in 1991. I was seven that year and didn’t know a thing about Pearl Jam. It wasn’t until a few years later when I had to have my hands on anything related to Beverly Hills, 90210 (don’t judge me) that I stumbled upon an article where Shannen Doherty mentioned Eddie Vedder and I started to pay attention to him and Pearl Jam. I’ll be honest- I have never been the biggest Pearl Jam fan (and it’s times like this I’m glad I have the ability to approve all comments before they get posted here). I have nothing bad to say about the guys and they were on every mixed tape and burnt CD I made circa 1993-1998, but, I never jumped at the opportunity to see them live. After seeing them last night in front of 20,000, performing almost non-stop for three hours, I regret not paying much attention to the band sooner. Please, forgive me.

Pearl Jam didn’t need to end their show Monday- I didn’t care what they played next and I could have watched them all night. These guys were created to perform live and it doesn’t matter what the hell they sing. Vedder has the perfect voice for rock and roll. He knows how to play the crowd. A no-frills stage, some stripped down songs and two enormous encores make Pearl Jam a band every other band should measure themselves against.

They started with “Pendulum” off their newest release, Lightning Bolt. A few songs in, “Elderly Woman Behind the Counter in a Small” town from 1993’s Vs. About twenty songs later, Pearl Jam left the stage. But the crowd knew it wasn’t the end. They came back for plenty more, throwing in The Ramones’ “I Believe in Miracles” and pulling some fans down who were sitting behind the stage at the very top of the venue. Their “Gabba Gabba Hey”  sign caught Vedder’s eye and he made sure they were sitting right on the stage as he sang this song. Then the band left again, coming back a couple minutes later for a few more which included “Alive” and a cover of Victoria Williams’ “Crazy Mary”.

From sharing his wine with the audience to acknowledging every single section in the venue, Vedder and the band truly made this concert about the fans. They played for us. “If you’re not leaving, we’re not leaving,” Vedder said when the band returned for their second encore last night. Tonight, Pearl Jam is celebrating. Twenty three years ago, on this date, they played their very first show. It was at the Off Ramp Cafe, which held about 200 people. Obviously, their fans never left.

Broad Street Music Group was started in the basement of a Temple University frat house and is now taking hold of the music scene throughout the Philadelphia area.  Conceived by Dave Silver and a crew of friends, BSMG was started in February 2012.  “Everything from 2012 has changed, everything besides the mission behind the company which is to create opportunities for the undiscovered artist,” says Silver.  No longer are they operating out of basements, but rather are booking events at major Philadelphia locations like the Sigma Sound Studios, North Star Bar and The Legendary Dobbs.

BSMG is starting to book bigger acts to give the undiscovered artists better opportunity.  For their release party on August 17^th they have Mic Stewart,The Burgeoning and Matt Wade and have a resume of the likes of Ground Up, Tayyib Ali and Chiddy Bang.

“I believe Broad Street Music to be the premiere outlet for young Philly talent as it stands now. Everything we do, we do for the musician.”  By gathering a team of musicians and music minded businessmen together, Silver built up BSMG internally as well as with great partnerships across the city like Dub Caesar Apparel, WIRED 96.5, Mirror Image, Neuro Beverages and Red Bull.

Having 15+ shows a month, people would think finding talent would be the ultimate challenge, but Silver has set up talent scouts on the internet, at other Philadelphia shows and allows submissions at broadstmusic@gmail.com. He points out their qualifications are “hard working, passionate, and raw.”

BSMG has a close relationship amongst its staff. So close in fact that two of Silver’s roommates are part of the company. “My roommates (Will & Kevin) are the heads of the newly created Broad Street Music Media sector. These guys are as talented as they get for what they do. Instead of sitting around playing video games, we sit around the home office and create new ideas for advancing the company.”

With the total BSMG team at 18 members from a mere three under a year ago, the expansion is continuing. Identifying as a full-scale booking and production company, Broad Street Music Group plans to continue its expansion and representation of artists in the Philadelphia area and is hoping to eventually have a BSMG Tour.

So what can you expect to see on August 17^th?  Besides some of the top acts in the Philadelphia music scene meshing with the newest talent, but also free home-cooked food, swag from the event sponsors and vendors, possibly some free alcohol, and of course what company launch would be complete without an ice sculpture?  There will also be a red carpet and professional photo shoots for all attendees!

By Brittany Rotondo

Design by: Marcus Darpino

Bong Hits For Jesus, the local band that has shared stages with the likes of Cypress Hill, Sublime and many others, are surely on their way to the yellow (or green, in this case) brick road. The title of the band is based on Joseph Frederick’s Supreme Court Case defending the freedom of speech and self-expression, after Frederick was arrested for holding a sign that read “Bong Hits 4 Jesus” during the 2002 Olympic Torch Relay. How rebelliously reassuring!

BH4J are a rock/funk/reggae group of cannabis connoisseurs that know how to make your “Tuesday’s feel like Friday’s” and your “Friday’s feel like New Year’s Eve”. Riding high, quite literally, off of their latest EP, “Low Rent Hustlers”, released last September, the guys have hit the road running. After touring through Southern California and traveling back to the East Coast to play festivals like Jam @ the Dam, the Irie Vibes and Hemp Heals, they’ve summoned the kind of stoner-swag that breathes a life of its own. And now, to keep the ball rolling, they’ve been aptly appointed as 93.3 WMMR’s Local Artist of the Month.

The four piece (lead by front man, Stephen Rose, and backed by CJ Bracale, Matt Boyle and Shawn Betz) hosts the infamous Jam Session every second Tuesday at The Legendary Dobbs, coincidentally where they will be showcasing for WMMR this Saturday, April 20th. The event has been dubbed as “The Philadelphia 4/20 Fest”, and there’s no better band to grace the stage on “National Pot Smoking Day” than Bong Hits For Jesus.

But, there’s more to BH4J than just lighting up the love. As Stephen Rose puts it, “We aim to celebrate our human connection through joyful self expression and basking in all the good energy”. Be sure to catch these cats on Saturday alongside veteran bands like Zymotic Flow, Baby Diaz and The Jackson Rider, amongst others.

Let me get a bong hit!

What were you doing when you were 16? Cheerleading at football games? Studying for the SATS? If you were Nick Perri, you were touring all over the world with some of the biggest rock and roll bands of all time.

Perri, a Philadelphia native, dropped out of high school to play lead guitar with his band Silvertide. They opened for legendary artists such as Van Halen, Aerosmith and Motley Crüe, and their 2004 album, Show and Tell, helped cinch their place as one of the best new rock and roll bands. Despite their talent and success, they were on the losing end of business and record label drama, which ultimately led to their hiatus in 2005. Eight years later, Silvertide is giving it another go.

In addition to recording a new EP, Silvertide is playing a sold-out show at the Theatre of Living Arts on Saturday, March 9th. The show sold out in just five days, but don’t be distressed if you didn’t get tickets—on Saturday, March 2nd, Perri will be playing at The Legendary Dobbs with what Perri calls  “some of the best Philly musicians ever.”

He’s not kidding—it’s a veritable Who’s Who of Philly musicians:  Silvertide’s Walt Lafty and Brian Weaver; Michael and Anthony Montesano of Pepper’s Ghost; Paul Keen of Pawnshop Roses; Jealousy Curve’s Shane Rozum; and “quite a few special guests” will be playing together. Perri, who is now based in Los Angeles, said the idea stemmed organically from his itch to play with his old friends.

“I started calling all my buddies, saying ‘Hey, let’s get together’, and have been playing non-stop with [them]. Some of these jams I’ve been doing have been so bitchin’ that I was like ‘We should do this for fun, we should do this live’…[the show is] basically me and all my best friends in Philly jamming onstage and playing a bunch of the songs that really inspired me growing up.”

While fans are benefiting from Perri’s productive use of his downtime, he remains focused on his original purpose for visiting Philly. Silvertide will be entering the studio to record their EP the day after their TLA show.

“We’re not putting any expectations on it,” Perri clarifies. “We’re doing it just for us because we love to create new music together. We’ll put it out and see what the reception is…I think we’re gonna continue at a pace that feels right for everybody. We’re gonna put the music first and see what happens, and go with the flow.”

After Silvertide’s initial break, Perri moved to L.A. and began touring as a lead guitarist for artists such as Perry Farrell, Shinedown and Matt Sorum of Guns N’ Roses. He continued to write and record his own music, and even briefly returned to Philly in 2010 to start another band.

“Walt [Lafty] and I put together a band called SINAI. It was a great band and a great experience, but the timing wasn’t right…we gave it our best shot, but shit was not aligning for us.”

Back in L.A., Perri focused on new projects such as developing his business, Perri Ink, and writing and playing with his sister Christina, known for her monster hit “Jar of Hearts.” Despite all of the creative projects he was pursuing, Perri felt something was missing.

“The truth is, of all the things I’ve done, nothing moved my soul and my creative being like Silvertide. Silvertide was my baby; I wrote or co-wrote all those songs and really got to be me in that role. I’ve never felt that in any other project I’ve done.”

He decided to reach out to his band mates and see if they shared the same sentiment; fortunately, they did.

“These guys and I, we shared life experiences that [we’ll] never have with anyone else. To drop out of high school at 16 years old, then be in Japan playing for 15,000 people? Only us five who lived it can relate to each other the way that we can.”

The band made plans to get together in 2013; now Perri, along with fellow L.A. transplant and Silvertide alum Brian Weaver, are ready to rock with their Philly brothers again.

(credit Jared Polin,
FroKnowsPhoto.com)

While Perri is here, his wife remains in L.A. taking care of their store, Perri Ink. The company started in 2009 as an online store selling custom guitars; however, Perri always envisioned having a space that reflected all of his interests. In 2011, his dream came to life as Perri Ink opened its doors on Hollywood’s Melrose Ave. It’s a one-of-a-kind retail store that sells custom guitars, motorcycles and clothing; additionally, they perform tattoos and piercings. You can even get a trim at the in-house barber shop.

“The response has been overwhelming,” Perri says. “The people who’ve been there—it’s their favorite store in the world and they come back almost every day. It’s a super chill environment, which is what we wanted out of a store; to have the vibe of a place you’d wanna hang out at. It’s really been an incredible experience and, honestly, I couldn’t do any of it if it wasn’t for my wife. I also have two business partners that are based out of Philly; it’s a good team, and I believe in it. Every month it grows, so I just look forward to growing and developing.”

Notably, everything in the store is American-made, something Perri feels passionately about. “We need to support small businesses and American-made products. I take great pride in having an American establishment that sells solely American-made products.”

Although he misses his family, Perri is thrilled to be playing with his old friends and band mates during his hometown visit. “I’m proud to be from Philly. There’s a heart and soul and very distinct character about Philly, and it’s in me no matter where I go.”

He’s certainly thrilled to have the chance to honor his inspirations at The Legendary Dobbs.“It’s actually a tremendous opportunity because I’ve never really had the chance to play the songs that inspired me to start playing. What this night is really about is just jamming on all my favorite tunes. I don’t wanna give anything away too much, but if you’re a fan of Silvertide or Pepper’s Ghost or Pawnshop Roses or any of those bands, then I would definitely be at the show.”

They’ll be playing songs by artists such as Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd, The Beatles and The Rolling Stones. As far as hearing original tunes? “Come out and find out!”

Nick Perri and Friends are playing at The Legendary Dobbs this Saturday, March 2nd. For more information on Silvertide and Nick Perri, check out www.facebook.com/nickperrimusic. For information on Perri Ink, check out www.perriink.com.