union transfer – That Music Magazine

Philadelphia native Kurt Vile performed 2 sold out shows at Union Transfer

Lauren Rosier — Wed, 08 Jun 2022 15:45:21 +0000

photo credit: Angel Park

Written by Angel Park

This past Friday evening marked the first of two sold-out shows at the Union Transfer for legendary Philly folk artist, Kurt Vile. These hometown stops were done as part of Vile‘s multicity tour spanning cities across the U.S. in support of his latest album, Watch My Moves. This fifteen-song release is filled with dreamy, psych-inspired rock and features acclaimed fan favorites such as “Mount Airy Hill,” “‘Goin’ on a Plane Today,” and “Thinkin’ About Flyin.”

As the crowd packed the venue floor, the supporting band, Natural Information Society, kicked off the show by diving right into their pleasant avant-garde, long-form set. Despite lacking any introductions, the group’s contemporary sound captivated the audience and touched on a compelling combination of jazz, minimalism, and traditional music genres.

Following Natural Information Society was Vile, who warmly greeted the crowd of cheering fans before riffing into the opening chords of “Palace of OKV in Reverse.” With his bandmates strumming along and his iconic Vile logo glowing behind him, Vile‘s stage presence captivated everyone in the audience. Mixing both his old and new music, his set had a track to please both past and recent Vile fans.

If you’re a fan of folk, Kurt Vile and Natural Information Society are definitely two groups that are worth a listen.

Tickets are still available for the ‘Watch My Moves’ tour here.

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Kurt Vile / Natural Information Society Photo Gallery

Mayday Parade and friends did not disappoint at Union Transfer

Lauren Rosier — Mon, 09 May 2022 18:30:03 +0000

photo credit: Eric Sperrazza | Mayday Parade

Written Eric Sperrazza

In 2011, emo pop/punk wunderkinds, Mayday Parade, released a self-titled album that would go on to be one of their best-selling and most memorable LPs. With that album, the band gave us the classic track, “Oh Well, Oh Well.”

Ten years later, Mayday Parade decided to celebrate that seminal record release with a tour playing the record’s hits for the fans and sharing the stage with the likes of bands, Real Friends and Magnolia Park.

I headed out to one of my favorite venues in Philadelphia, Union Transfer. This old 1800s Farmers Market-turned-music venue still has that solid 19th-century wooden architecture intact on the inside as well as chandeliers of the period hanging from the tall ceiling. It always provides a uniquely vintage backdrop to whatever live act is performing and I can also confidently attest to the fact that, acoustically, there is not a bad seat or even a bad vantage point in the house.

The first to take the stage was Magnolia Park. So a bit of a backstory. In February, my oldest daughter came down to my office, and said, “I have a band I want you to hear. I found them on TikTok.”

photo credit: Eric Sperrazza | Magnolia Park

The video she played before me? Magnolia Park’s video for “10 For 10.” I was instantly blown away and was legitimately excited to see this band perform. Perform they did with the explosive electricity of a pop/punk band that is having just as good of a time as the crowd and is legitimately excited to be there.

Lead vocalist, Joshua Roberts, stayed in constant motion as if being propelled by landmines from point to point, on stage. Playing viral hits like “Sick of it All,” “Back on My Bullshit,” and “10 For 10,” the crowd was energized and in the palm of their collective hands.

Real Friends was the second to perform and I got the biggest ringing endorsement of this band from fans right on the floor. In between Magnolia Park and the Real Friends sets, I began talking to a couple that was equally blown away by Magnolia Park. These two random would-be music historians were filled with excitement about Real Friends, comparing them to some of the biggest names in punk and hardcore. Names like Black Flag and the Descendants. If these two individuals are not part of the Real Friends PR team, they should be. They had me so excited to see this band, I was actually mad at myself for not being in the know, before.

photo credit: Eric Sperrazza

To that, Real Friends ripped into songs like “Me First, Nervous Wreck” and “From the Outside.” I felt like I was wearing my Santa Cruz Skateboards Corey O’Brien t-shirt while reading Thrasher Magazine and listening to kickass hardcore punk once more. It’s amazing how closely music can take you back to an exact time and location in your life and Real Friends did just that.

Finally, Mayday Parade arrived and gave the audience the entirety of their album, A Lesson in Romantics, which was celebrating its 15th anniversary. Every track was performed in chronological order from “Jamie All Over,” “If You Wanted a Song Written About You All You Had To Do Was Ask,” “Take This Heart and You Be the Anchor…,” from start to finish. They even encored with a snippet of “My Hero” in honor of Taylor Hawkins of the Foo Fighters. The set wrapped up with “Oh Well, Oh Well” and a gracious bow out before the lights lit back up Union Transfer.

I’m compelled to first address the fact that there was not a fair-weather fan to be seen in that venue. Every single person from the balconies to the front row came for Mayday Parade. They knew every word to every Mayday Parade song and they came to the party with Mayday Parade. The sheer static electricity from everyone’s excitement on that floor was enough to charge an iPad. That crowd was an essential piece of the success of that show and lead vocalist, Derek Sanders, knew that and was a kind-spoken tour guide through it all. He brought the fans in and the audience claimed the show as a result. It is always like watching a miracle take place when I witness people of all walks of life, united in being a part of a musical experience that moves all of them equally. That is something I will always remember about this show.

The greatest takeaway for me, however, will be getting to say that “I was there” when Magnolia Park broke. Mark my words, they are going to be the future of pop-punk.

Connect with Mayday Parade

Connect with Magnolia Park

Connect with Real Friends

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Indie singer/songwriter Snail Mail brings ‘Valentine’ tour to Philly’s Union Transfer for two sold-out shows

Lauren Rosier — Tue, 19 Apr 2022 14:30:10 +0000

photo credit: Angel Park

Written by Angel Park

For the second night in a row, Elliott City, MD-based singer/songwriter, Lindsey Jordan, (better known as Snail Mail), graced Philadelphia’s Union Transfer venue with a sold-out performance. These back-to-back shows marked the kickoff of the Valentine tour, curated to promote Jordan‘s most recent album of the same name.

Supported by local alternative group, Joy Again, Snail Mail‘s concert captivated both longtime and newer fans with what would be a jam-heavy, noise-pop-filled set that had the whole room smiling (and also – at least, if you were me – shedding a little tear of joy.)

Before performing in packed rooms across the states, Jordan established her roots as a musician as a teenager after finding a passion for playing the guitar at only eight years old. Her earliest released EP, Sticki, paved the way for her to perform her debut live show at Baltimore’s Unregistered Nurse festival. Her performance piqued the interest of post-punk headliner act Priest, and shortly after, Jordan signed to their label, Sister Polygon Records.

The following three years gave Jordan her first DIY tour and the subsequent EP releases of Habit and Lush. This sophomore release was met with critical acclaim from her growing fanbase, with singles such as “Thinning” being added to Pitchfork’s Best New Track series.

Fast track to 2022, and Valentine has long since won over fans and critics’ eagerly listening ears since its release in November of last year. The album serves as a critical turning point for Jordan as an artist; she evolved, sharpened her sound, and her maturity shone throughout all ten tracks on the release. Filled with revolving themes inspired by her journey with the stages of falling in love (and out), her music honestly speaks to the heart (no pun intended). Valentine engulfs listeners in a poignant state of emotional astuteness, a condition that definitely applied ever more so during the live experience of the album.

photo credit: Angel Park

The clock finally ticks away to 8:00 PM, and the crowd mingles comfortably together as the five members of Joy Again finish tuning their instruments and take their starting places on stage. Singer Sachi DiSerafino kicked off the set with an enthusiastic “Whaddup Philly?” followed by an ecstatic compliment to one of the cheering front row crowd members.

“Yo, I see an OG’ Joy Again’ Shirt there, man,” he exclaimed, “I love it!”

The band’s act could be best described as a high-energy mix of blues and indie riffs. Their set bounced back and forth like a hyperactive kid, touching on their old, dance-worthy singles like “Kim,” a fun jazz improvisation session, and a crowd-rousing cover of Lit’s “My Own Worst Enemy.” It was as chaotic as it was fun, and they made quite a point to hype up Snail Mail quite a bit before closing out their set.

In true Valentine-like fashion, the transition before Snail Mail‘s performance was marked by the stage crew displaying two enormous, marble-lined Cupid statues on either side of the stage. A hot white light shone across the backdrop, where the capital words ‘SNAIL MAIL‘ were displayed boldly in a capital font. The excited murmur of the crowd transformed into earsplitting cheers as Lindsey walked on stage, donned in her signature blouse and vest attire. She gives a quick greeting right before the opening chords of the self-titled single echo across the room. There isn’t a missed verse from the crowd, as they sing along, and the entire front row becomes a string of raised arms and phones, all grasping to capture the incredible experience.

“Thank you guys for being here for night two,” Lindsey quipped between her songs, “I’ve been sitting on my a– for three years cause of surgery plus the pandemic, so thank you all so much for making it out tonight.”

Aside from the catchy notes of Valentine, her set exceeded expectations with the live rendition of her more solemn-hitting acoustic tracks. Whatever setbacks she may have had due to vocal surgery dissipated, as she hit every high note in “Light Blue” and “Mia.” Even more impressive was her unexpected cover of Smashing Pumpkins‘ single, “Tonight, Tonight,” which fans enjoyed as a pleasant surprise to round out this top-tier show.

All in all, Joy Again and Snail Mail are definitely two indie acts that will be on the radar of listeners for years to come.

Don’t miss out on a show near you — listen and learn more about Joy Again and Snail Mail below.

Connect with Snail Mail

Connect with Joy Again

Snail Mail to bring ‘Valentine’ Tour to Philly’s Union Transfer tonight April 5th and tomorrow April 6th

Lauren Rosier — Tue, 05 Apr 2022 13:00:23 +0000

Written by Angel Park

Singer/songwriter, Lindsey Jordan, (better known as Snail Mail)’s debut album, Lush, was one of my top favorites of 2018. So, needless to say, I had high expectations for her latest follow-up release, Valentine. I am happy to say that it did NOT disappoint. The album is packed with catchy melodies and heartfelt lyrics that will stay with you long after the end of the song, with singles like “Ben Franklin” and “Glory” being the best standouts of the new release. If you are a fan of indie rock or just appreciate well-crafted music, then Valentine should be on your playlist rotation.

In support of Valentine, Snail Mail is embarking on a North American tour spanning major cities across both coasts, with a stop at Philadelphia’s Union Transfer for two nights: tonight, April 5th, and, tomorrow night, April 6th – if you’ll be around the city of brotherly love those two days and are looking for an evening filled with fun, heartfelt indie rock music, then Snail Mail’s shows are a must-see!

Tickets for her Union Transfer show are still available here.

WAXAHATCHEE returns to Philly’s Union Transfer April 10 and 11

Lauren Rosier — Mon, 04 Apr 2022 19:00:19 +0000

photo credit: Johnny Eastlund

Written by Ashley Paskill

We can all remember March of 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic was just starting up and the world was shutting down. Unfortunately, for many musicians, this meant touring new material was put on hold for a while. Luckily, things have improved and concerts are happening again, even though there are a few safety measures such as vaccination and mask requirements.

Waxahatchee, featuring Katie Crutchfield, will be performing at Union Transfer in Philadelphia on April 10 and 11, 2022. She had just released her newest album, Saint Cloud, in the spring of 2020 in the midst of the shutdowns. She is performing songs off of Saint Cloud at long last.

Waxahatchee is from Alabama, and Crutchfield got the name from a creek near her hometown. She started performing as Waxahatchee in 2010 and has had much success since. “Can’t Do Much,” a song off the 2020 album release, even landed on Barack Obama’s Favorite Songs of 2020 list.

The album was written in 2018 and recorded in the summer of 2019. The 11 songs deal with topics from romantic love to overcoming addiction and tell of various journeys, both literal and metaphorical. The songs of the album have different styles, with nods to classic country, modern, and folk. The album was released on March 27, 2020, as the world was shut down.

The New Yorker described the album as “A talisman of the self-isolation era… Saint Cloud evokes a sense of freedom and belonging that has been elusive in this era of constraint and distance.”

Waxahatchee is currently on tour with a variety of special guests. She is coming to Philadelphia’s Union Transfer on April 10 and 11 of this year.

Brooklyn Vegan caught a performance of the recent tour dates and said “[Waxahatchee] has the ease of a road-seasoned group and sounded fantastic bringing her songs to life, particularly the Saint Cloud material, which is among her strongest yet. From the pure jolt of energy that came as the band all joined in together, it became abundantly clear to all that they’d been waiting for this moment just as anxiously as we had.”

For Philadelphia’s tour dates, Madi Diaz is the opening act, and during previous shows this tour, she played songs off her latest album, Same History, New Feelings, which was released earlier this year. She was born in Connecticut and grew up in Pennsylvania. Diaz’s music has touches of folk, country, and pop, and she cites Patty Griffin and Lori McKenna as her influences.

RVA described Diaz’s setlist as “vulnerable, quiet tunes, ones that only necessitated a single drummer/keyboardist and Diaz‘s lone guitar.”

Aside from the tour venues, Waxahatchee has recently performed her songs on the likes of Jimmy Kimmel Live and CBS This Morning. She also wrote and sang the song, “Tomorrow,” for Apple TV+’s original show, El Deafo.

For Crutchfield, Saint Cloud is a representation of how much she has grown and really highlights her journey of getting sober. The lyrics highlight places she has been and there is optimism in her lyrics. This has resonated not only on the album but on her recent tour.

RVA cites this growth, saying “The flora seeming to grow up the band’s equipment and the cautious optimism of Crutchfield’s lyrics only served to highlight the signs of life elsewhere inside the National.

For Waxahatchee‘s upcoming shows at Union Transfer in Philadelphia, those attending the show are required to show proof of their COVID-19 vaccinations at the request of the artist. Both shows, on April 10 and 11, are sold out. The doors open at 7 pm and the show starts at 8 pm.

If you go:

Venue: Union Transfer, 1026 Spring Garden St., Philadelphia

Time: 8 pm

Tickets: Sold out

You can read about the venue’s COVID-19 policy here.

Modern surf-pop/punk band, Beach Bunny, unveils a high energy, engaging live show at Union Transfer

Lauren Rosier — Sat, 27 Nov 2021 20:30:51 +0000

photo credit: Eric Sperrazza

Written by Eric Sperrazza

Being a Dad can be easy when your kids are all in lockstep with the music, movies, and sporting events you love.

That is the case with most of my children; sans one. My twelve-year-old is a quiet introvert who doesn’t like being around too much “busy” and isn’t one to share with the proverbial group her thoughts and feelings as readily as the others. At times, you can feel like you’re on the outside looking into her life until you have properly earned, in her mind, the privilege of being let in.

This year, I tried to rectify that gap by taking guitar lessons together with her. The time between class has been spent with her opening up and showcasing the sheer depth of her musical interests.

Enter, Beach Bunny. When she began playing songs from various albums she liked, I assumed it was a fleeting TikTok fad. But she really became a fan of the modern surf pop-punk sound and, quite frankly, so did I. We talked about the band and shared things we learned like how frontwoman Lili Trifilio started the project in her Illinois bedroom and how it grew organically to a seven-year run with multiple albums.

Serendipitously, we also discovered that Beach Bunny was still touring and coming to Philadelphia at Union Transfer. I had a passion to want to share this great music with a larger audience, as it now lived in a special place in my heart. I also wanted to see if, but for a night, my daughter could deal with all the people and the loudness for the chance at being enveloped in the experience of seeing her new favorite band live.

Once we were through vaccination record checks, people flocked to get as close to the stage as possible; a diverse crowd of kids and adults, many cosplaying as Trifilio, herself. Finding a spot to settle in amongst the chaos with an anxious kid seemed like an exercise in futility. But, with my arms filled with her little purse, souvenirs and a Shirley Temple drink from the bar, we found our mark and planted our flag for the night.

photo credit: Eric Sperrazza

The first band to perform was the artist, Miloe. Let me start with this – if anyone says rock music is dead and that it’s all just auto-tune and computers, these days, it is because they have not seen Bobby Kabeya thrash on his guitar and hear his soulful voice fronting this group! There is a modern new wave vibe that echoes through their music and deep emotion pouring out of the vocals like some battle-tested rhythm & blues artist all at once. I was flabbergasted and thoroughly entertained.

Out to plug their newest EP, Greenhouse, the band performed songs, including “Winona” and “Yellow,” with the crowd electrified and hanging onto every word.

In fact, with Kabeya playing his guitar more like a vintage punk rocker and singing with such raw talent, the innocence shocked me when he told the won-over crowd that he was more accustomed to playing basements at house parties than venues such as Union Transfer. As Miloe exited the stage, I knew this was a group I needed to hear more of, and have.

photo credit: Eric Sperrazza

After a short break, Beach Bunny made their way to the stage and we made our way to the front. The band kicked off with their hit, “Prom Queen.” The track absolutely set the pace for the night, and immediately, you saw fans clambering to the front, reaching out to feel closer to Trifilio.

I can’t describe the energy in that room any better than a stadium concert jammed into a boutique venue on a Thursday night. The atmosphere was thick and joyful, fueling the band to add to it and make it more substantial by the note.

Trifilio and Beach Bunny performed “Good Girls (Don’t Get Used)” from their Blame Game record, in addition to the track, “Dream Boy,” from their debut, Honeymoon. They ended the set with their hit singles, “Sports,” and “Cloud 9,” and returned with an encore cover of Katy Perry’s “Hot N Cold.”

photo credit: Eric Sperrazza

Trifilio was a real, organic performer radiating honesty to a crowd that wasn’t trying to be like her but rather she was, in fact, one of them. It may not have been a show that I would have found on my own, but it wound up being one of the best concert experiences I’ve had.

What about my daughter? Well, the longer you’re a Dad the easier it gets to recognize those little impactful moments as they play out. You can relish in them a bit more and look around to really take it all in. That said, in my phone is a video of my 12-year-old wearing the biggest grin I have ever seen on her little Cherubin face while dancing, jumping, and belting out every word of “Cloud 9,” flushed and fatigued with zero intention of stopping.

That was her concert moment; the moment when you are no longer awkward about who you are and feeling alone in a crowd because now you are an army! A mass of individuals sharing in an existential experience of feeling newfound strength in numbers. It’s that concert moment when you first realize you found your people. I was able to bear witness to that.

photo credit: Eric Sperrazza

Walking back to the car from Union Transfer we both realized that we are more similar than we ever knew. We both reconciled early with the idea that not everyone will like our music, our anime movies, our comic books, or even the New York Yankees. But it was worth it to stay strong and be true to who you are because our people were out there waiting for us.

It’s amazing how great music and the right crowd can make one night change your perception of things. We need more Miloe and Beach Bunny shows in our world.

Connect with Beach Bunny

Connect with Miloe

Philly indie rock band, Mo Lowda & the Humble, drop new single, “Snowbird,” to all DSP’s out now

Lauren Rosier — Fri, 10 Sep 2021 15:30:50 +0000

Written by Lauren Rosier

The Philadelphia-based, indie rock band, Mo Lowda and the Humble, share their incredible new single, “Snowbird,” out today.

“Snowbird” is an excellent indie rock that features an infectious, looping electric guitar riff while touching upon subjects of seasonal depression and having the support needed to pull through it.

“‘Snowbird’ was a fun one to work on,” frontman Jordan Caiola says. “Those driving acoustics that serves as the drive/backbone of the tune were one of the last things we added, oddly enough. The origin of the song was a simple voice memo from a few years back that really just had bass, drums, and that electric guitar riff, looping. Once we revisited it, the verses were written and that riff/hook finally had its place in the chorus. Lyrically, the song deals with themes of seasonal depression and having someone by your side to help you through it.”

The trio is currently on their 2021 Ready Coat Tour. The remaining dates are listed below.

2021 Ready Coat Tour

09-10-21: The Radio Room, Greenville, SC
09-11-21: The Lincoln, Raleigh, NC
09-12-21: Bristol Rhythm & Roots, Bristol, TN
09-15-21: The High Watt, Nashville, TN
09-16-21: The Grey Eagle, Asheville, NC
09-17-21: Venue on Main, Columbia, SC
09-18-21: Windjammer Beach Stage, Isle of Palms, SC
09-22-21: Aisle 5, Atlanta, GA
09-23-21: Georgia Theatre, Athens, GA
09-24-21: Lenny Boy Brewing, Charlotte, NC
09-25-21: The Broadberry, Richmond, VA
10-01-21: The Sultan Room, Brooklyn, NY
10-02-21: Thunderbird Cafe & Music Hall, Pittsburgh, PA
10-03-21: Natalie’s Music Hall & Kitchen, Columbus, OH
10-05-21: The Southgate House Revival, Newport, KY
10-07-21: Zanzibar, Louisville, KY
10-08-21: Subterranean, Chicago, IL
10-09-21: Appleton Beer Factory Night 1, Appleton, WI
10-10-21: Appleton Beer Factory Night 2, Appleton, WI
10-12-21: The Bur Oak, Madison, WI
10-13-21: Reverb Lounge, Omaha, NE
10-14-21: The Moxi, Greeley, CO
10-15-21: The Bluebird, Denver, CO
10-22-21: Three Links Deep Ellum, Dallas, TX
10-23-21: Antones, Dallas, TX
10-26-21: Red Dragon Listening Room, Baton Rouge, LA
10-27-21: Gasa Gasa, New Orleans, LA
11-18-21: Pearl Street Warehouse, Washington, D.C.
11-19-21: Union Transfer, Philadelphia, PA

Take a listen to “Snowbird” below!

Connect with Mo Lowda and The Humble

Monday night, Union Transfer had quite a crowd for opening band Plague Marks and a full house with headliner The Jesus Lizard

Lauren Rosier — Fri, 03 Jan 2020 20:02:51 +0000

by Maria Arroyo

The opening act, Plague Marks, took over the stage with their unbelievable stage presence and interesting fashion choices. Now I love the circus as much as the next person, but clowns?

Yeah, not my thing…

But that’s beside the point.

Getting back on track: their witty and almost comical look really threw me off because of their rock and metal sound.

The sheer amount of VOLUME alone made me very happy I brought some earplugs. And very proud of those who did as well. I didn’t think it was possible for a band to be that loud or for those speakers and sound systems to amplify and push that much sound out but… ya know, here we are.

With that being said, I did enjoy their mix of rock and metal influences and the very brazen decision to have their look be so far from their sound. They made me WANT to keep listening. From the comedy acts to the plate spinning and costume changes, I was thoroughly entertained from beginning to end!

Immediately, the crowd became even more enthusiastic and aggressive than before. It didn’t take long for the crowd to basically be back-to-back, with everyone trying to be as close to the stage as they possibly could, even if that meant climbing over everyone to do so.

The band takes a few minutes to get situated on stage. The first burst of sound did not prepare me for the show I was about to witness.

Literally, in a matter of the first 45 seconds of the song, lead singer David Lambeth Yow STAGE DIVED into the crowd with a corded mic, while a stage crew member stood crouched on the stage, trying to keep the cord from tangling or unplugging. Yow makes it about halfway down the crowd before they bring him back up.

Thus, the mosh pit was formed.

Every last second of the show was filled with pushing and shoving and struggling to not get trampled.

The band had PHENOMENAL energy in their stage presence. All of their songs were dynamically different and they continued to be engaged with the audience. Even though the many, many stage dives were entertaining and really added to the experience, there wasn’t much else that was done to keep the performance interesting. That, along with the constant breaks because of how hard the singer was pushing himself, were the only minor hiccups for me.

The band members seemed a little disengaged with the singer, but that didn’t seem to stop the crowd from cheering for them. The band has an incredibly loyal and dedicated fan base and really lived up to my expectations as a band, and his FUCK TRUMP shirt was a nice touch!

My first experience at Union Transfer will definitely not be the last and is most definitely one for the books!

Songs We Don’t Hate Yet – An Interview with Don Babylon

Lauren Rosier — Mon, 17 Sep 2018 10:00:20 +0000

by Zack “Ziggy” Merritt

I know next to nothing about the amount of work it takes to write an album start to finish. I have an idea of the work involved having watched Kate Bush and David Bowie documentaries more times than I care to admit. Each band, each performer, has their own special process that gets analyzed and deconstructed in an interview after interview, but to live that experience is something different altogether and one that is hard to necessarily translate into words.

That visceral experience, something internal and intangible, comes out in the music itself. For Don Babylon, former Richmond natives, now newly transplanted to Philadelphia, that music that is raw, unkempt, and subject to change on a whim. Strutting around a grey area between genre-bound and genre-less, their initial offering/debut, 2017’s Babe, was a whirl of sonic flavors. With a base layer of back-to-basics rock and roll mixed with a touch of humorous nihilism, each successive layer felt new yet familiar.

It’s an album careful not to wear itself out. Now close to starting up a new tour and eager for the release of their follow-up, Foul, I had the chance to hear from vocalist, Aubrey Neeley, who spoke openly about the procession of the past few years, as well as their upcoming album and tour.

It all started off with a brief account of how the three principal members (Aubrey Neeley, Leland Bickford, and David Gaither of Don Babylon came together. “Me and David were random roommates in college – our respective high school bands unknowingly played a show together so we ended up meeting a few weeks before move in,” wrote Neeley. “We felt obligated to start a band after jamming a bit. Leland joined a bit later but we really started coming into our own when he did.”

photo credit: Michelle Singer

With a trio in tow, it would be four years and a smattering of shows and EPs before their first full-length, Babe, would be released. You could lodge either criticism or praise at their decision to record a 10-track album of songs that run the gamut from a pastiche of outlaw country to a winding epic built up brick by precarious brick to a satisfying conclusion.

“On Babe, I think the songs were kind of all over the place which makes sense – most of the record just consisted of songs we didn’t hate yet when we were recording,” admits Neeley, before divulging a bit more into Don Babylon’s sophomore release. “With Foul, when we were writing, we kept reminding each other to sort of reel it in – we tried to say a lot on Babe and I think, at points, it felt like we were over explaining the point. We tried to keep Foul more succinct and maybe uniform to a degree.”

With its release date set for September 28, there’s an expectation that Neeley’s words will hint at something more cohesive and stitched together, but hopefully not lacking in the charm or their frankness that makes them so endearing. I’m not the only one to think so as one of their earliest superfans, Will Toledo of Car Seat Headrest fame, has given them justly deserved attention, even before his own signing to Matador in 2015.

“One night, I drunkenly sent a very professional Facebook message to the Car Seat band page that read something to the effect of “‘Hey come play in Richmond it’ll be a good show [sic]’,” wrote Neeley of his first brush with the band 3 years ago. “The next day or so there was a post from the Band Page saying they were booking a show and for those who ‘knew who they were’ should contact them. We set up a show that turned out surprisingly well and we’ve been in touch every now and then since.”

That relationship has also given them the odd luck of having that same mentioned epic from Babe, “Ow, My Tiny Heart” featured on the season finale to the Showtime series, Billions. Perhaps more crucial to their recent success and heavy touring, it also led to them signing with the London and New York-based indie label, Medical Records.

I wanted, however, to revisit “Ow, My Tiny Heart” as it goes beyond just being background set dressing for whatever the hell Paul Giamatti is up to these days. It’s 10 minutes in length, yet unlike some of the more conceptually adventurous songs by 70s prog rock auteurs, Yes, it doesn’t sag in the middle or become bloated with a slog of noise. Instead, it’s a rambling venture through the frustration, anxiety, and depression that comes in the wake of a breakup.

“I got dumped and spent a summer trying to write a breakup song that said everything I felt or could possibly feel about breakups so that I never have to do that again,” wrote Neeley on how the track came together. “We kept adding on here and there when I’d write more lyrics. I hit a wall with the ending – I was originally trying to end the song on a note of like ‘Hey, it’s time to move on’ and I spent so much time trying to do that until ‘why the hell am I even still writing this’ seemed more appropriate.”

With a few tours, a few singles, and a few friends made along the way, Neeley and the rest of Don Babylon are poised to keep the flame of reinvention going with a new album and a new city to call home.

“We moved to Philadelphia in February,” wrote Neeley on the recent relocation from Richmond to Philly. “The move was more symbolic for us than anything – we’d been playing together for a while and figured if we were serious about trying to make a living out of this band we’d have to go all in. Philadelphia itself has a much higher ceiling than Richmond, as well as proximity to other big cities where we could tour. It’s also cheaper than New York.”

Practicality and purposefulness can be tacked on to a new and bold direction for a band that has spent the past five years making music that they don’t hate, music that they want to make.

Don Babylon is on tour now with Car Seat Headrest. They will come back through their new hometown of Philadelphia on September 18 at Union Transfer. Their new album, Foul, comes out September 28 on Medical Records.

THE WOMBATS – FROM LIVERPOOL TO PHILLY

Mandy McGee — Sun, 14 Jan 2018 21:54:09 +0000

By Daniel Williams

About ten years ago, in response to a question regarding his favorite new bands, Paul McCartney said: “I like Radiohead – they’re really cool. I think they’re on it. Innovative. The Zutons, The Killers, The Wombats.There are a lot of good people around.”

Upon reading this, I did my due diligence, sampled each and fell in love with The Wombats, also from McCartney’s hometown of Liverpool. By the looks of the packed crowd at Union Transfer Tuesday night, I’m not alone. The secret was out about this energetic, post-punk trio from Liverpool.

Kicking off the night were a perfectly paired New York group called Nation of Language led by Ian Devaney. They have a decided 80’s-era sound and performance style with nods to Talking Heads and Tears For Fears. Huge energy with a lot of movement and strong performance got the crowd going early.

In direct support to The Wombats was L.A.’s Courtship, led by Eli Hirsch and Micah Gordon. The touring band included bass and drums, but the show was Eli and Micah front and center. Self-deprecating, bright, sunny and energetic from start to finish, they were the perfect band lead into the headliners. As a relatively new group beginning in 2016, they worked their fun poppy catalog, but slayed the audience with a most impressive sing-along version of Outkast’s “Hey Ya.” Between songs, the duo engaged the audience with stories about this being their first visit to Philly and how back in high school, The Wombats hits got them to stop listening to Green Day. They had the crowd from that point for sure.

Shortly after 10:00 PM, The Wombats took the stage leading off with “Cheetah Tongue,” the new single from their soon-to-be-released album “Beautiful People Will Ruin Your Life.” About a minute into it, lead singer Matthew Murphy (“Murph”) unexpectedly began looking back to drummer Dan Haggis laughing. The music stopped and through their laughter, Murph explained that they had just learned the song and had screwed up the lyrics. Another member of the tour told me that they had been practicing that song all day hoping to have it down by showtime. So off they went from there with a perfect set of seventeen tunes spanning their nearly fifteen-year career.

The Wombats are an Indy, Post-Punk three-piece band with a heavy New Wave influence. The tunes are well-crafted pop with upbeat tempos supported by strong drums and the high-flying bass of Tord Øverland Knudsen. While Murph and Haggis plant themselves behind their instruments, Knudsen is in constant motion bouncing and jumping everywhere on the stage. He brings a remarkable energy that seems to fit the rhythm-heavy songs.

Next up was crowd-pleasing “Give Me a Try” from the killer 2015 “Glitterbug” album. Walking through the audience, it seemed everyone was mouthing the words to this hit. While the setlist was well-balanced choices going back to 2007, nearly a third were from Glitterbug and four from the new one.

The encore wrapped it all up in a career spanning way with the head bobbing “Let’s Dance to Joy Division” followed by the spacy, hook-heavy “Greek Tragedy.” A packed house on a wintery Tuesday night with a show starting after 10PM … These guys have it going on.

“Beautiful People Will Ruin Your Life” debuts February 9^th.

Upcoming Tour Dates

Jan 15: Chapel Hill, NC at Cat’s Cradle
Jan 16: Atlanta, GA at Centerstage
Jan 18: St. Louis, MO at The Pageant
Jan 19: Kansas City, MO at The Truman
Jan 20: Notre Dame, IN at Legends of Notre Dame
Jan 22: Denver, CO at Gothic Theatre
Jan 23: Salt Lake City, UT at Rockwell Room
Jan 25: Los Angeles, CA at The Fonda Theatre
Jan 26: Santa Ana, CA at The Observatory
Jan 27: San Francisco, CA at The Filmore
Jan 29: Portland, OR at Wonder Ballroom
Jan 30: Vancouver, BC at Venue Nightclub
Jan 31: Seattle, WA at The Showbox Market

See more at The Wombats official site

(Photos By Daniel Williams)