Union Transfer has been on a streak of bringing in unbelievably talented and creative acts to their stage. Friday night’s sold out show exceeded expectation with opener Psychic Twin and Sylvan Esso.

Psychic Twin (photos by Holli Stephens)

Clad in all black, the three-piece lady synth group comprised of Erin Fein, Rosana Caban, and Whitney Broadstreet set the tone for the night. Their use of drum kit, synth, and keyboard back-ups behind Fein’s sometimes looped or distorted vocals created an environment of psychedelic electronic grooves. The group seemed to be in a state of shock from the enormous applause they received at the ends of their songs and humbly would say, “Wow. You guys are awesome,” accompanied by a smile that stretched from ear to ear.

The balcony, as well as floor area, was wall-to-wall with a wide diversity of energetic fans of all ages. The numbers only grew throughout Psychic Twin’s set and by the end, Union Transfer had been overtaken by people. I could feel the crowd as well as myself getting impatient during the intermission into Sylvan Esso and the familiar dimming of lights threw me into a state of relief and happiness.

Vocalist Amelia Meath and producer Nick Sanborn were greeted by a sea of hands in the air and cries of excitement. Meath wore an all black ensemble with her signature platform sneakers that gave her at least four inches while Sanborn sported a t-shirt that read “Daddy’s Not Funny.” It would be their last show of their tour of East Coast cities before they headed out West and then internationally.

The duo had such an energy and spirit that put the audience into a musical trance and commanded everyone to dance. If you had ever listened to recorded material of their self-titled album you are certainly not getting the full experience. When Sanborn would really drop the beat after Meath had sung an intro to a song, flashes of different colored lights would illuminate behind him and he would periodically leave his deck and wave his arms around in pure conjunction with the music.

Accompanied by more than half of the audience, Sylvan Esso played through their debut self-titled album for the duration of the night. Songs included “Coffee”, “Hey Mami”, “H.S.K.T” and “Could I Be”. As the night came to a close and Sylvan Esso came back out to do an encore Meath teased, “Quick spoiler alert, we already played all of our party jams.” The duo played through a cover song of the artist Porches before slowing things down with another song from their album.

The wet weather this week didn’t dampen the spirits of Philly concertgoers, as big crowds turned out for acts like Courtney Barnett, Benjamin Booker, and Shakey Graves, but now it’s time for the sun to clear the way for a fresh batch of weekend shows. First, though, a shout out to Instagram user @ally2137 for using #phillyconcerts at the Little Dragon show last week! Follow her lead with your concert pics and posts this weekend.

Friday, October 24

The Asteroids Galaxy Tour @ Underground Arts

Get your dose of European-flavored pop with the Danish band built around vocalist Mette Lindberg and songwriter/producer Lars Iversen. After initially gaining recognition when featured in a 2008 Apple commercial, The Asteroids Galaxy Tour recently released their third album, Bring Us Together, on Hot Bus Records. Leisure Cruise opens.

Sylvan Esso @ Union Transfer

When the electropop duo of singer Amelia Meath and producer Nick Sanborn was last at Union Transfer in June, they were opening for Tune-Yards and winning me over with their smooth, seductive sound. Hit single “Coffee” is only the tip of their fantastic debut album, and they will get the room moving Friday night. Psychic Twin opens.

Saturday, October 25

Temples / The Districts @ Union Transfer (early show)

After conquering the big SBC stage at XPNFest this summer, The Districts are living the dream, in town Saturday with Fat Possum labelmates Temples. I haven’t seen them since guitarist Mark Larson left the band, but I’m sure their brand of blues-rock is still in fine form. The English gents in Temples bring a more psychedelic sound, and have received a warm welcome in Philly before.

Ages and Ages @ MilkBoy Philly

The whole gang will be there as this Portland rock collective crams onto the stage at Center City’s MilkBoy Saturday night. Featuring raw, uplifting arrangements, Ages and Ages will get your spirit stirring. Also on the bill is the slightly more subtle Horse Thief and local artist Former Belle.

You never know when a new song might arise from an attempt to revisit an old one, but for Ivan Howard and Kelly Crisp of the Rosebuds, that is exactly what sparked their latest record, Sand + Silence. This marks the sixth full-length from the North Carolinian duet, after they spent two years working on their own respective projects. They could not have come up with a more melodically engaging, stylistically eclectic collection of tunes from their rekindled partnership in songwriting.

Like many works of art, the initial inspiration may come quite haphazardly, and usually in the unlikeliest of places. Sand + Silence was born from a plan to reconfigure songs from 2011’s Loud Planes Fly Low and fashion them into a record. However, Howard had strayed from that path and haphazardly stumbled upon a new musical idea.

“I tried to work on old songs, but I sat down and wrote this,” Howard had said to Crisp. “He played the demo for ‘Blue Eyes,’ and I loved it,” Crisp says. “The freedom we had in scrapping an entire project and starting this album gave him enormous open creative space. That freedom is probably the most important element and it pervades every sound in every decision we made.”

All too appropriately, the motifs of spring and summertime pervade the record- seasons that symbolize revitalization, growth and fresh starts- a fine parallel to the way in which the new songs came about. Crisp described the freedom of tossing aside the old songs to embrace the new as having “…opened a window.”

To record this album built on the warm breeze of renewal, Howard and Crisp collaborated with Bon Iver’s Justin Vernon as well as producer BJ Burton. “Our best guy team,” says Crisp. Vernon’s and Burton’s conceptions of intriguing melodies and textures coincide nicely with Howard and Crisp’s vision of what makes for a compelling, atmospheric song.

“Justin is brilliant…In every song, he knows what it is Ivan and I would find beautiful or interesting, and it makes him especially attuned to being creative with us,” Crisp says. Working with Burton has also proven to be a harmonious partnership. “BJ is a gemologist. He knows exactly how to find and showcase the tiny aesthetic ideas Ivan and I really adore,” she says.

Other players on Sand + Silence include Justin Vernon’s percussive collaborator Matt McCaughan, and bassist Nick Sanborn of indie folk band Sylvan Esso. Together, the six musicians have crafted an album that flaunts lush musical soundscapes, sprightly guitar riffs, and stories sung through haunting and hooky melodies.

Listen to the Rosebuds live at Boot and Saddle this Thursday night, sharing a bill with Jesse Merchant. The music starts at 8:30 pm.

My Morning Jacket have become one of the most acclaimed and adored rock bands in the country over the course of their 16 years together. Next year, following a smash success in 2014, the band will host its very own festival, the second annual One Big Holiday, held at the Hard Rock Hotel in Riviera Maya, Mexico, from January 31st through February 4th 2015. That may seem like a long way off, but tickets are about to go on sale and they will sell out quickly. We’re giving you this advance notice so that you do not miss out on one of the best festival experiences of the coming year.

In addition to My Morning Jacket (in three performances!), the festival will also feature several other wonderful bands, including Philly hometown heroes The War On Drugs, fresh off of their new album, Lost In The Dream, PA natives and international superstars Dr. Dog, and Sylvan Esso, who recently played here at a That Music Mag-covered show with Tune-Yards. Band of Horses, taking a cue from the presenters of the festival, will play two sets over the five day festival, and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Dawes and DJ Biz Markie will also perform memorable sets throughout the week.

Of course, the great music is only half the story. As previously mentioned, this festival will take place at a gorgeous resort in one of the most beautiful parts of Mexico, near the shore of the Caribbean Sea. Not only will you get a chance to see some of your favorite bands, you will also experience a warm, relaxing and luxurious vacation to go along with it, providing an opportunity to get away from Philly in its coldest winter months.

Tickets will go on sale this Friday, June 27th, so make a note in your calendar. Make sure that you buy early and plan your vacation ahead of time so that you can attend! When that time comes, tickets will be available on the event website here, so keep it bookmarked this week. The summer doesn’t have to end when 2015 rolls around, plan your winter vacation around One Big Holiday and bask in great music in the most beautiful possible surroundings.

The line between music and sex occasionally blurs, with both expressions rooted in passion, excitement, and rhythm. For the thousand-plus sweaty bodies at Union Transfer Sunday night, they proved one and the same as Tune-Yards and Sylvan Esso made love to the crowd through their songs.

Opening act Sylvan Esso is the unlikely duo of singer Amelia Meath and producer Nick Sanborn, and the combination of her beautiful voice with his inventive beats creates a stirring sound that can make you cry or make you come. Meath, dressed simply in pants and a tank top with her hair in a bun, nevertheless set the mood with her gyrating hips and potent voice. The set featured songs from Sylvan Esso’s self-titled album, released in May on Partisan Records. Popular tracks “Hey Mami”, “Coffee”, and “Play It Right” showcased both artists’ talents, but it was banger “H.S.K.T.” that brought the crowd to a dance-fueled climax.

Sylvan Esso (photo credit, Adam McGrath)

Properly stimulated, the diverse crowd recharged for round two with headliner Tune-Yards. The stage backdrop was spotted with eerie floating eyeballs, which would later be highlighted by strobing spotlights. Large swaths of pink fabric stretched toward the edges of the stage, punctuated in the center by a sharp-toothed mouth. Freud would have a field day with that one.

Anchored by the multi-talented Merrill Garbus and Nate Brenner, Tune-Yards looked a lot different than they did back in October of 2011 at the same venue. Yes, the aesthetics were similar, with Garbus sporting her trademark neon facepaint and an eclectic outfit, but the lineup has shifted to include percussionist Dani Markham and vocalists Jo Lampert and Abigail Nessen-Bengson. These changes reflect the new direction of the band’s music on latest release, Nikki Nack (4AD).

Whereas earlier Tune-Yards songs were built with Garbus looping and layering multiple tracks of percussion and vocals, the new songs tap into a more organic inspiration, that of Haitian drumming and culture. Garbus became enamored with these rhythms during a trip to the beleaguered island nation last year, and she and her bandmates have been working with and raising funds for a company in their hometown of Oakland, California to send them to Haiti for the first time.

Tune-Yards played seven songs from Nikki Nack, and each performance on its own was an impressive accomplishment. Garbus showcased her incredible vocal range, from powerful bellow to delicate high notes. Lampert was awesomely animated, throwing her body into every line she sang. There seemed to be a real spiritual connection between the musicians that translated to intricate yet expansive performances of the new songs. The only time I really missed the horn section was on the smash hit “Bizness” from previous album Whokill.

While I definitely enjoyed Tune-Yards’ performance, it failed to achieve the same orgasmic intensity as Sylvan Esso’s set. The passion and excitement were there, but the rhythm of the performance was stunted by the lengthy interludes between each song. Sure, it was nice to hear that Garbus’ stylist is from Philly, and that part of the ticket price is going toward funding a Haitian drum company, but the result was a set that was like a heavy petting session without full release. I would have liked to hear more than the 12 songs that were played, or at least hear them in a way that kept me locked in to the emotional core of the brilliant music this band produces.

Sylvan Esso (Amelia Randall Meath from Mountain Man and DJ Nick Sanborn) along with Minor Alps (Matthew Caws of Nada Surf and Juliana Hatfield from Blake Babies and Some Girls) performed at World Cafe Live on Friday night.

The slight rain didn’t stop too many people from coming out and having some food or a drinks while they listened to music. Sylvan Esso and Minor Alps performed behind two sets of double doors, changing what looked like a high school hallway into an intimate lounge. Definitely a little more upscale.

Sylvan Esso hit the stage first, ready to jam with only a DJ setup and a microphone. The first song they played was off of their two song release, Hey Mami / Play It Right. They started with “Play It Right”, sounding great all they way through their short set. Each song was completely different than the last. For only two people on stage, they were able to really put on a show. Both Meath and Sanborn had great energy highlighted by Meath’s voice flowing with every beat and not overpowering the background music. The set ended with “Hey Mami”.

Minor Alps (photo credit, Jaz Bowens)

The next band was similar in set up. Minor Alps- two people and two guitars. That’s all that was needed to fill  the air with acoustic delight. This duo sounded so crisp and clean as if you were listening straight from a CD.  Standout songs of the evening were “Far From Roses” and “Buried Plans”.

I’m looking forward to hearing more music from both Sylvan Esso and Minor Alps. To see more from Sylvan Esso check them out on their website and like them on Facebook. See and hear more from Minor Alps on Facebook and their website as well.

Sylvan Esso, named after the Sylvan sprites from the Sword and Sworcery video game, is not a person like some may think. Instead, Sylvan Esso is a musical experience and experiment by two talented artist;  Amelia Randall Meath from the band Mountain Man and producer, DJ and musician, Nick Sanborn.

Meath, along with band mates Molly Erin Sarle and Alexandra Sauser-Monnig, have been a part of indie folk rock band Mountain Man since they met during their days at Bennington College in Vermont. Continuing to play with her band while doing extracurricular solo projects has made Meath able to link up with Sanborn for Sylvan Esso.

Sanborn has his fair share of projects going on that keep him on his toes, too. He was originally based out of Milwaukee,WI as a member of Decibully and Headlights. Now in Raleigh, NC, he is apart of bands Collections of Colonies of Bees, Megafaun and Cedar AV. For solo projects, he goes by the name Made of Oak.

Sylvan Esso blends electronic sounds mixed with the bass known to dubstep, fitting perfectly with Meath’s smooth, delicate vocals and Sanborn’s exploration of musical genres. The duo met in an atmosphere they were both familiar with and from their first meeting on they decided to keep in touch to make music together.

“We met in Milwaukee at The Cactus Club when Nick opened for my band Mountain Man,” Meath says. “It is a wonderful place that celebrates love, friendship, loud noise and football. Later we both found ourselves with some good old free time and got really excited about making pop music. Thus, Sylvan Esso was born.”

“We wanted to start a band together because music rules,” Sanborn jokes.“We worked on a remix together, and it went so well that we decided to start trading songs via email, and it just kinda grew from there.”

Once the ball got rolling the duo was able to work together effortlessly. Creating their singles was a learning experience all the while being fun. Sylvan Esso’s sound is quite different then the sound their respective bands play. “Collaboration always lends to new expressions, particularly when it is easy to reach a consensus on what we should do,” Sanborn explains. “Rihanna, Aaliyah and They Might Be Giants inspired us.”

Their songs, “Hey Mami” and “Play It Right”, are just enough to leave fans wanting more. “We wanted to put out a straight-ahead 12″ single with full, a capella and instrumental versions, like dance singles used to be released,” Sanborn says.”

The original versions of the song are free to listen to at Bandcamp.com and the full digital download of the album is available for only $7.  Sylvan Esso will be performing Nov. 22 at World Cafe Live in Philadelphia along with Minor Alps. The band is looking forward to playing in Philadelphia and want all who attend to have a great experience.

“I want to see everyone dancing with your friends!” Sanborn says.“High fives! Maybe a tiny make out, maybe just a nice time. Worst case scenario, we all go to Paesano’s afterwards.”

For more information about Sylvan Esso make sure to like them on Facebook, follow them on Twitter, and check out their website.