Best of Philly Music – That Music Magazine

Slomo Sapiens Celebrate Sophomore Release @ Johnny Brenda’s

Kilian O’Neil — Wed, 26 Jun 2024 17:29:34 +0000

Written and Photographed by: Max Bennett

Temperatures in Philadelphia have been pushing 100 degrees, so the last thing anyone wants is more heat. But at Johnny Brenda’s Saturday night, three local acts turned the heat up all the way, delivering heavy riffs, dance-inducing punk, blistering solos, and mind-bending aural trips.

Psychedelic rockers Slomo Sapiens celebrated the release of their sophomore album, The Holy Babble, by headlining the gig, with Wax Jaw and Flatwaves opening the show.

Flatwaves hit the stage first and brought a thundering bass tone that served as the driving force of their set, which featured vocals reminiscent of 90s rock frontwomen, with both guitarists taking turns singing lead and at times belting lyrics in tandem. While the guitars bathed the crowded venue in swirling, ambient shoegaze leads, drum fills provided contrast with bursts of speed and ferocity.

It’d be a shame not to shout out Flatwaves bassist Stephen Edwards, who was at center stage during the set and was hyping up the crowd during and between songs. From standing on his monitor doing hair flips to chugging what was left in a can that was tossed on stage, he helped set the tone for the remainder of the show.

Wax Jaw came out strong with an incredibly high-energy vibe. The crowd already fired up from Flatwaves, picked up on the band’s intensity and spirit instantly. Kids were moshing around, throwing in a little two-stepping, as soon as the set kicked off. It’s unclear if Wax Jaw is influenced by hardcore punk, but their set was dripping with rhythms from the golden era of punk.

At this point, no one in the crowd seemed to care about how hot it’s been. Everyone was feeding off the music, sweat be damned. The vibe, as the kids say, was immaculate.

What set Wax Jaw apart from other punk acts was the ripping guitar solos. Both guitarists took turns shredding solos and lead riffs, which aren’t that common among punks thanks to curmudgeons like Johnny Ramone, who actively worked to be a mediocre player. Early in the set, one guitarist broke a string on his Telecaster and busted out a black Les Paul, which felt more fitting given the pace Wax Jaw and Flatwaves set. The Les Paul likely made the show a bit more physically demanding for the already frenzied shredder, as they’re considerably heavier than Telecasters.

Regardless, the band tore through their set, with singer Shane Morgan putting some serious attitude into her performance. The vocalist may be short in stature, but her presence was larger than life on stage. She commanded the crowd at one point to crouch down. On the band’s mark, everyone leapt into the air in unison and the band rushed right into another dance-punk banger.

Not once during the set did Wax Jaw slow down. It was going to be a tough act to follow for Slomo Sapiens.

Unfortunately, Wax Jaw said they won’t be gigging much for a bit. Fortunately, that’s because they’re working on a new alum, so stay tuned to their socials for updates on fresh material.

Slomo Sapiens hit the stage not long after 11 p.m. for their headlining set. The band’s second album was released June 7, and they’ve hit up Brooklyn, Asbury Park, and Richmond recently to support the “The Holy Babble.” As part of the celebration, Johnny Brenda’s was offering two signature cocktails. Well, one cocktail and a city wide.

The vibe shifted with Slomo Sapiens. To say they had less energy than Wax Jaw would be wrong: the energy was just different. While both bands share punk elements, Slomo is rooted in psychedelia, blues, and stoner/sludge. Frontman Ceallaigh Manaaki is a blues head when it comes down to it. His other band — simply called Manaaki and featuring members of Sixteen Jackies, St. James & the Apostles, & Grave Bathers — is a heavy blues outfit that puts on a hell of a show, as well.

With Slomo came less moshing and more tripped-out vibing from the crowd. A Slomo show would surely be a heady event with a bit of psychoactive chemicals rushing through your blood. That’s not to say catching a set sober is boring: it’s still a must-see display of virtuosity and creativity.

Manaaki and multi-instrumentalist Mike Sanzo traded guitar licks and riffs, with Manaaki taking the bulk of the set’s guitar solos. The set’s opening song, Desert Head/Slacker, is the lead track on “Babble.” It features a dizzying guitar solo that breaks the bounds of traditional keys and modes found in popular blues rock. That particular solo gives feelings of mystery, confusion, and unease, and in the best ways possible. A live rendition of it is even more enthralling, as the band nailed the track’s eeriness and intrigue in a way possible only on stage.

When taking his solos, Manaaki kicked his rig into gear with a wah pedal that sent his tone through the mix, giving the crowd crisp and fiery leads.

Sanzo, bassist Greg Geiger, and drummer Jon Pritchard backed Manaaki on vocals. A band this good with members who can all sing well is like getting ice cream after eating cake. A pure treat.

The vocals had some modulation, too. Manaaki’s words were often saturated with a fuzzy effect, like the tracks on their studio releases. It’s always appreciated when a band works to deliver a nearly identical version of their recordings when playing out.

But some deviation is welcome, too. Stone Bones, an anthemic track on “Babble,” featured a bit of a jam, it seemed. The song felt like an extended version with more instrumentality from all four members as they grooved together, laying down serious solos.

Slomo Sapiens closed the show with “Stone Bones,” but came back out for one more song after a few minutes of the crowd beckoning them back to the stage.

Overall, it was a great show and a prime display of Philadelphia’s vibrant music scene. And a shout-out to Johnny Brenda’s for keeping the temperature comfortable amid the heatwave.

Slomo Sapiens: Instagram; Facebook; YouTube; TikTok; Bandcamp; Spotify; Soundcloud

Wax Jaw : Instagram; Bandcamp; TikTok; YouTube; Spotify; Soundcloud

Flatwaves : Instagram; Bandcamp; Spotify; Bandsintown; YouTube; Website

October 2010 Frame by Frame: Best of Philly Music

ThatMag — Sun, 24 Oct 2010 20:07:45 +0000

By Nikki Volpicelli

Photos by Chris Stach

George Morgan is on his third year of following local artists with cameras and lights. On screen is over seventy-five (mostly) local bands including McRad, New Liberty and tonight’s acts, the Parachuting Apostles, Keystoned, Downtown Harvest and Don McCloskey.

“This is us doing a little extra for the local scene,” he says, “because it’s sometimes better than the national thing.”

Morgan is head of GGM Productions, a Philly-based production company specializing in music and the arts. GGM’s newest project is a documentary focusing on the local music scene and all of its players. It’s called “Best of Philly Music: Frame by Frame” and it includes interviews with artists, producers and bookers as well as live concert footage.

The point of Morgan’s documentary isn’t necessarily to highlight our great city and the great talent in it, although the film does just that. Morgan uses Philly as a paragon for local music scenes the world over.

“A lot of these people come and play for no money but for the love of it,” he says. “There’s tons of these weekend warriors. The idea is you do what you have to so you can keep playing music.”

Take tonight for example. We’re at a strip club. Amps, lighting kits, cameras, microphones and wires are strewn across the reflective room and everyone is busy putting them in place. Band merchandise is laid out on tables that are used to holding champagne glasses and stripper heels. Morgan’s reserved the Upstairs at Club Risque for a different type of performance. Four bands are scheduled to take the stage and the GGM crew will film the show for “Frame by Frame.”

Val Zanolle, manager of the Parachuting Apostles, is running around taking care of odds and ends. He’s announcing the completion of the PA’s new music video for “Let’s do it Right.” He’s opening up his netbook to give me a sneak peek. Pete Olieman, the video animator, stands back. He’s given the video a retro, comic book feel. In it, a giant squid that looks like a phallic ice cream cone fights a Neanderthal with lobster claws. The Neanderthal wins. The video is cool. The animator is cute. Back to the show.

Keystoned plays first to a crowd of five, crew not included. People shuffle in slowly. There are plenty of high heels and blonde heads in the audience, and lots of bedazzled Ed Hardy gear. Cameras float past the stage via tall, manual cranes. I feel like I’m sitting in on an episode of Rock of Love. I wait for Riki Rachtman to come up the stairs.

“I didn’t know people still make this kind of music,” says the guy beside me. I’m thinking the same thing. When the band is finished and the PA system plays the Black Keys in intermission I can’t say I’m not relieved.

The Parachuting Apostles come next with a few covers and original songs. They make an announcement about the new video before performing “Let’s do it Right.” The crowd grows a bit and most look like they’ve come from the other side of the Susquehanna. Dom takes a break from singing to explain the camera crew to the audience. He urges bodies to move closer to the stage and they oblige. He’s playing to the audience but he’s playing it up for the cameras, as well. Zanolle looks on like a proud parent. He’s added a maroon sports coat to his managerial uniform.

“You can’t just sit around and wait for things to happen,” he tells me while the band sets up, “you will never get results.”

“Frame by Frame” documents the struggle of the local music scene, from the lead singer to the publicist to the friend who spends hours packing press kits and creating Facebook events. The point is that a lot of work goes into creating one musical act. The other point is that despite talent (or lack thereof), an audience (or lack thereof), hard work and determination, many local artists never get what’s coming to them. Some make it and some don’t. Some deserve to make it and still don’t. Success is often just thinly-veiled luck.

The mics are in place. The wires, the amps, the lights and cameras are ready. A few men with extraordinary muscles ascent the stairs in tight, ribbed tank tops and Old Navy flip flops. They carry duffel bags on their big shoulders and disappear into a back room. A girl with massive breasts and makeup walks across the room in heels that make her stride funny. Female bartenders smile and laugh at men that order drinks but when I ask for a Yuengling I annoy them.

You can’t just sit around and wait for things to happen. That’s what this night is all about. That’s what this documentary is all about. Sometimes you have to work your ass off doing things you don’t want to do. Sometimes you have to play for an audience of five before you play for five hundred. Sometimes you have to carry a duffel bag full of stripper clothes before you can carry a briefcase. Sometimes you have to watch a dude stare at your tits before you meet a dude who won’t. You sit around and wait for things to happen, you never get results.