Written and Photographed by Rev. TJ McGlinchey, MFA, MAE

It was a gloomy Thursday night in Philadelphia when I parked my car on North 7th Street to attend a concert by British rockers The Darkness at Franklin Music Hall. The show was to start right at 9:00 PM. I missed the opening duo Paris Monster, but I was there in time to hear their last few chords ringing out. A friend had tagged along, and they went to the bar back and forth while I geeked out nearly the entire show. For the opening three numbers, I was in the photo pit to witness the band in full glory. 

The band came out swaggering, as is their modus operandi, and launched into “Arrival,” “Black Shuck,” and the ever-green classic “Get Your Hands Off My Woman.” By the time they got through that tune, lead singer Justin Hawkins had removed his shirt and made love to the room. Now, let me take a pause here to remember that 20 years ago when this first album of theirs called Permission To Land was released, I was a huge fan. During those first three songs in the pit, I was fanboying a little bit. On my way out of the photo pit, I got a fist bump from the lead singer and a “cheers, brother,” which made my night before they started.

For the next part of the set daily, it went from one tune into another, seemingly without stopping. The band played another hit called “Growing On Me,” which is a favorite of mine, and then “The Best Of Me,” “Making Out,” “Giving Up,” and then “Love Is Only a Feeling.” From one song to the next, they played like the veterans that they are, and it’s clear to see why Brian May of Queen has joined them in concert. Both Hawkins brothers played like they were taught in Brian May’s guitar school. 

They continued being absolute rock stars as they played “The Curse of The Tollund Man,” “Stuck In a Rut,” “How Dare You Call This Love,” and “Street Spirit.” In between songs, Hawkins would banter with the audience like we were in his living room. If you’ve ever seen his YouTube channel, you’ll know the kind of conversational style I am referring to, which makes his stage presence mostly rockstar with a pinch of standup comedian.

For the last part of the set, they played “Holding My Own,” “Friday Night,” then paused for a minute before teasing the biggest song of the evening. Justin played a funky version of the opening riff to their biggest hit. He paused again to ask the audience to join him in a magical moment where everyone would put away their phones and cameras. Most of us were inclined to oblige. Then they launched into their mega-hit, the song heard across the universe, “I Believe In A Thing Called Love.” The entire venue was singing along with every single word and humming along.

They returned for an encore, dressed in pajamas and silk robes. The band had switched positions. The bassist played guitar. The drummer played bass, and the guitarist played drums. That lineup lasted for a tune called “I Love You 5 Times.” Then, they closed the show with a song called “Love On The Rocks With No Ice.” The singer surfed the crowd during a grand guitar solo.

As they left the stage, the crowd was in complete shock, and I could feel the gratitude in the air for what had just happened before us. It was an honor for me to see this band. I had long awaited to experience their music at a live concert. It was everything I had hoped and imagined it would be, and I got a fist bump from the lead singer, so, there. 

Cheers, brothers and sisters!

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Australian singer/songwriter, Courtney Barnett, unveils her third album, Things Take Time, Take Time, via Mom+Pop, out now.

To me, this album feels raw; like she recorded it all on a whim, over one long, productive weekend. Her drawled delivery drips with depression, angst, love, anger, jealousy, acceptance, whimsy, and honesty.

The arrangements are sparse but well-produced. Each track feels like a conversation with some unknown lover on the other side of the line. She laments her lyrics like someone who continues the argument long after the other person has left the room. “And another thing, let me tell you…” (while wagging a disapproving finger in the air). She’s scratching back at someone who cut her deep. She is recovering from lost love. As it goes with any kind of healing, these things take time to fully unfold and reveal whatever life’s lessons you can glean from that experience. 

In the video for the opening track, “Rae Street,” she complains about her neighbors and sits on the floor in a small apartment strumming a guitar and singing; when she’s not walking dogs or staring out the window being nosey.

In the second video, for the album’s fourth track, “Before You Gotta Go,“ Barnett seems to be saying an amicable goodbye to a lover while she wanders beaches, forests, and deserts with a microphone, recording nature. She also records a horse, a sea cave, some moss, a few trees, the ocean from a dock, tiny houses, etc. while suggesting that they cut caffeine out of their diet.

The single, “If I Don’t Hear From You Tonight,” features Barnett and a three-piece band jamming in the desert and striking moody poses under cactuses, while she opines not getting texted back from her crush.

On the track “A List of Things To Look Forward To,” she sings about waiting for letters while the world burns around her, as she picks up packages from her doorstep filled with pots and pans and recipes with which she makes a tiny birthday cake with three candles. She mails a letter and then gets a guitar in the mail which she opens to find a Fender guitar. She then plays chess by herself and wanders moodily across a hilltop with her new guitar.

I like this album. It’s honest. It rests comfortably between stripped-down instrumentation and smoothed-out production. It must have come out of her brain all at once. It’s like one long diary entry about a few different passionate flings. There are some socially oriented lyrics: “Light a candle for the sufferin’, Send my best wishes with the wind, All our candles, hopes and prayers, Though well-meanin’ they don’t mean a thing Unless we see some change…”

This is then immediately and laconically followed by “I might change my sheets today…”, bringing it immediately back to her mundane self-centered worldview which makes me think this is a heartbreak record.

Don’t get me wrong; there are many legendary heartbreak records; I wrote one myself. This is a great album. I love it for all its quirks and complaints and fantasies and melancholy sadness. However, there are such beautiful lines here including this gem: “Sorry that I’ve been slow, you know it takes a little time for me to show how I really feel, won’t you meet me somewhere in the middle? On our own time zone…” Bravo, Courtney. You did it again. Another fantastic album.

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It was a beautiful weekend for music and good vibrations at the Wiggins Park Marina for this year’s XPoNential Music Fest presented by University of Pennsylvania radio station 88.5 WXPN on September 17, 18, and 19, 2021.

Two stages were set to host dozens of bands over the weekend, the River Stage and the Marina Stage. The River Stage catered to larger acts, bands more prone to dancing, situated at the bottom of a large natural amphitheater. Nestled right next to the Marina, just over a small hill, was the Marina Stage. This special stage was reserved especially for singer/songwriters and Nashville acts on their first leg of a tour since 2019.

Saturday, September 18, 2021

On Saturday, September 18th, the second day of the festival, the first act we caught was Philly locals, Stella Ruze, on the River Stage. Established in 2014 by Brendan Johnson and Katie O’Donnell, the band has recently expanded to include two drummers, a trumpet player, a saxophonist, a keyboardist, and 3 and 4 part vocal harmonies. Stella Ruze’s sound is reminiscent of Paul Simon and the crowd responded well to them being that they were the first act of the afternoon. I saw a few familiar faces up on stage with Stella Ruze including Rob Tait on percussion and Gabe Preston on trumpet. Their set was fun and danceable and fans stuck around to talk to the band afterward.

photo credit: Liv Foltiny

Over on the Marina Stage, we caught a group called Great Time. Their sound is along the lines of what I would call Neo/New Wave. The lead singer played synths in front of what was essentially a funk trio who also had synths attached to their instruments. In a neon jumpsuit, the lead singer could have managed on her own. The trio could have played a mean funk set on their own, as well. But, as a band, the combination is artfully executed. The sound was synth-heavy but ultimately danceable. They employed two laptops, one on the drums and one with the lead singer. She also played saxophone and flute throughout the set. 

After the band, Great Time, we headed back to the River Stage for Paul Beaubrun and his band from Haiti. At first blush, there was a strong flavor of Fela Kuti. This young quartet slickly transitioned between rock and roll, reggae, blues, Caribbean, cumbia, salsa, and more.

Beaubrun rocked the lead guitar effortlessly. They led a vocal jam heavily laden with percussion that ended in a sing-a-long and passionately screamed directions to ‘Go Low!’, ‘Jump!’, and ‘Scream!’. The highlight of their set was a very cool, very reggae version of “Ain’t No Sunshine” by Bill Withers.

Nashville singer/songwriter, Michaela Anne, and her quintet crooned to audiences from the Marina Stage. This was her second show back prior to the pandemic. She employed spacey intros and synth strings to begin a few of her songs. Strong three-part harmonies and an authentic pop-country sound were eerily reminiscent of Stevie-Nicks-era Fleetwood Mac.

Her songs were heartfelt and employed clever turns of phrases in her lyrics. I especially enjoyed this lyric: “I’m not the fire, I’m just the smoke…”

I caught up with Philadelphian bassist, Charlie Muench, (an old classmate of mine from West Chester University’s bass studio where we both studied under Peter Paulsen), and he told us that the rest of the band came up from Nashville while he joined them for shows in PA, NJ, and NYC. This group is going places, I’m a fan.

The funky Cimafunk delivers an unforgettable set at the  XPoNential Music Festival on Saturday. (photo credit: Liv Foltiny)

The 29-year-old Cuban vocalist known as Cimafunk was warmed up and ready to rock when we returned to the River Stage. This band is all business, and their business is funk. Two female singers who also doubled on trombone and saxophone, respectively, backed up a lead singer who resembled a young, Cuban James Brown. The rhythm section included a drum kit, congas, hand percussion, bass, and electric guitar. At moments, they reminded me of an Afro-Cuban Fishbone, or funkadelic or both, combined with the Fania All-Stars.

The lead singer had all the moves and charisma of a master like Héctor Lavoe or James Brown. I must also mention that the backup singer playing hand percussion was integral to the band’s sound. The claves and the güiro were the stars of the show in this group full of soon-to-be- superstars. I must also mention heavy usage of the Stravinsky orchestra-hit sample featured in most hip-hop songs produced between 1981 through 1993.

On the Marina Stage, Adia Victoria, from South Carolina, emphatically informed the crowd that she “Drove up to play the blues for you.” Her voice was instantly breathy and bluesy, but her mic technique was lacking and it made for an uneven vocal performance. However, her band was tight and she and they got extra points for wearing matching black and red western-themed outfits with boots and hats and all. If you walked away from the stage a bit, you could hear the Tedeschi Trucks Band warming up in the BB&T Pavilion.

South Carolina blues artist Adia Victoria performs on the Marina Stage. (photo credit: Liv Foltiny)

Strand of Oaks, a straight-up rock and roll outfit, was next on the River Stage. The band was tight. Three-part harmonies, electric guitars, a three-piece Ludwig drum kit, and absolutely spot-on stage presence made their performance spectacular. The lead guitar solos were amazing. Towards the end of their set, they were stretching out into Pink Floyd territory.

Next up, on the Marina Stage, the crowd was starting to boil over in anticipation of the arrival and performance of one Christone “Kingfish” Ingram.

Suddenly, though he was not yet on stage, Kingfish‘s guitar began to scream. He appears from off-stage just ripping up a solo over that groove. From there the temperature only went up. Of course, there were ups and downs, highs and lows, throughout the set. But Kingfish absolutely held the audience in the palm of his hand throughout. He got out into the middle and then just rocked for five minutes or so before heading back down the

Legendary guitarist and blues artist, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram and bring the blues to Philly. (photo credit: Liv Foltiny)

hill to get back on stage. The crowd was absolutely foaming at the mouth at this point. He ended the set by starting a very loud and fast solo over the tune, “Hey Joe,” and then dropped his guitar down onto the stage with a huge band and giant static and feedback while he walked off and hopped onto a golf cart. Absolutely legend.

Capping off the afternoon on the River Stage was the singer/songwriter, Ani DiFranco. Her trio consisted of a drummer/percussionist, a keyboardist/bassist, and herself on vocals, plus an array of really cool, old guitars for various tunings. She joked with the crowd initially, saying “I like this set-up. You all have the light in your eyes this time. Now you can see how it feels…” She launched into a set of mostly new songs mixed with classics. She is the master of the use of dissonance in her songs and from song to song in her sets. She can hit a chord that will make your shoulders tighten and then resolve it in such a way as to make you actually relax a bit. She’ll go from a taught, confessional song and then follow it with a tune that makes you smile again. She’s a master performer and another who always has the crowd right there in her palm.

Vocalist Greg Ormont gets weird at XPoNential Music Fest on Saturday, September 18. (photo credit: Liv Foltiny)

Later at the BB&T Pavilion, Pigeons Playing Ping Pong and the Tedeschi Trucks Band rocked out for four solid hours. Pigeons Playing Ping Pong were lively, danceable, and generally provided a fun atmosphere for the crowd to dance their butts off on the lawn. Their setlist included just five incredibly stretched-out songs including: “Penguins,” “Somethin’ For Ya,” “Fun In Funk,” “Horizon,” and “Lightning.” 

The Tedeschi Trucks Band, conversely, while rocking out completely, was less lively on stage. With a setlist that included covers of The Wood Brothers’ “Smoke Ring Halo,” as well as “Don’t Keep Me Wonderin,'” by the Allman Brothers Band, and “Bell-Bottom Blues” by Derek and the Dominoes. Tedeschi Trucks kept up its reputation for being the next generation of enlightened southern rock.

Sunday, September 19, 2021

The next day it was even more sunny and bright than the day before and the crowd was just as excited. I had been surviving on lemonade and chicken empanadas for most of the weekend. Between sets, you could hear the brass band, Snacktime, up at the top of the hill playing cleverly arranged pop tunes, including Stevie Wonder’s “I Wish” and “Waterfalls” by TLC. Unfortunately, one of the headliners, Dawes, had to cancel their set due to positive COVID-19 tests. Cimafunk was added to the bill and Shovels and Rope was moved up to close out the festival. 

Sunday’s festivities began on the Marina Stage with songwriter/vocalist, Anna Shoemaker, joined by an accompanist on acoustic guitar. Her tunes were a bit emo, a bit folk-punk. She and her accompanist were sharing beers throughout the set. She seemed both nervous and relaxed and having fun at the same time. She spoke with the audience like they were her family sitting out in the crowd. Off-hand comments and asides punctuated a set of introspective, existential songs with titles like “It’s Depression” and “Laugh Until I Die.” Her voice reminds me of another amazing Philly vocalist named Ali Wadsworth.

Chris Day delivers some serious guitar. (photo credit: Liv Foltiny)

Over on the River Stage, things were heating up. The sun was beating down on an ever-increasingly expectant crowd of rabid Tommy Conwell fans. This classic rock group referenced their own songs as they introduced them. For their third song, Tommy announced, “This is the first song off our first album.” For their fourth song, “We did this on Letterman back in 1989!”… and so on. He was adamant that “the eighties are coming back!’ many times throughout the set. I’ll give it to him, Tommy Conwell still rocks out. His band is awesome. 

Singer/songwriter, Sierra Ferrel, sweetly sang songs of struggle and love and everything else in-between from her perch on the Marina Stage. Here we had another group of Nashville professionals pretending to be a live band, but really doing exactly what they did in the studio. However, Ferrel‘s look (complete with denim jumper, nose ring, and facial tattoo), was just the beginning of my interest in this songstress. Before going on stage, while I was chatting with the sound technician and local musician, Jim Tauscher (IATSE, Local 8), I saw her rocking a leather fringe mask over her regular mask. This lady is cool as hell. But what really had me swooning was her amazing voice. Her songs are fun and her band was tight. She also had a fiddler and a bassist. They were short one other member due to a positive COVID-19 test. 

Nashville-based singer/songwriter, Devon Gillfillian, will knock your socks off, then help you put them back on, and tie your shoes for you. He came dressed to the nines in psychedelic businesswear ready to croon to the crowd awaiting him in front of the River Stage. He did just that. His first tune was sexy and slow and had stops that lasted just a bit too long, but also just long enough. This man is a soul singer who loves chatting with his audience. He has two cats, named Felicia and Barry White. His band had killer backing vocals, especially during a rousing version of Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On?” with the addition of the members of Snacktime bolstering the horn section. He was seen chatting up fans and posing for pictures throughout the festival after his set.

Devin Gillfillian rocks out on the guitar at WXPN’s XPoNential Music Fest. (photo credit: Liv Foltiny)

Back over at the Marina Stage, singer/songwriter, Jade Bird, was warming up. She played solo, just her and an acoustic guitar. She informed the crowd that thought they’d notice her English accent, even though she had recently moved to Texas. She had a backing vocalist to flesh out vocal harmonies over sweet and personal songs. This Brit has got a firm hold on an Americana sound and style. It was nice to hear someone from across the pond as opposed to the many Nashvillian folks we’d had through the weekend. 

Next up on the River Stage was Cimafunk for a second set, but not before Snacktime could get up and play a quick version of P-Funk’s “Do That Stuff.” Cimafunk came out guns-blazing for their second set of sexy, Spanish-speaking funk. That famous Stravinsky orchestra-hit sample came out early in the set and stuck around. They also made heavier use of 80s synth sounds. Cimafunk is everything you want in a party band. Funk, Latin, Caribbean, hip-hop, rock, reggae, everything! Who wouldn’t want another set from Cimafunk?

Nicole Atkins smiles at fans after performing live. (photo credit: Liv Foltiny)

Nicole Atkins is a rare bird. She’s a Nashville pro who’s ready to rock out. Her set was at once tight and loose like a good Rolling Stones concert. I spotted Philly locals Meaghan Kyle, Ryan Williams, and Imani Roach supplying backing vocals at stage-left. Her band was a rock and roll quintet with her as the lead singer and rhythm guitarist. Their blend of pop-rock and bluesy rock and roll hit the spot after a set of super-dancey funk. Her voice soared above the crowd at the Marina Stage, as she switched from a Fender Jazzmaster (a model I own, coincidentally) to a Fender Acoustasonic Jazzmaster. I particularly liked a tune called “Garbage of Eden.” They closed with an epic righteous cover of Led Zeppelin’s “What Is And What Should Never Be,” proving that she and her group is on top of their game right now.

Shovels and Rope, a duo featuring Michael Trent and Cary Ann Hearst from South Carolina, set up on the River Stage to close the festival. They resemble the White Stripes with Trent on guitar and Hearst on drums. But each had more to offer than what you could see immediately. They both employed synths attached to the guitar or the keyboard the Hearst played with her right hand while keeping a beat with her right on the snare and her foot the bass drum. Eventually, they settled in and Hearst riffed on the band’s name: “Shovels and Rope:” it’s all you need to dig a hole for yourself and to get back out again.” They had released an album years ago with that title and decided to keep it for the band’s name later on when they started touring. They wowed the crowd, as well as me and Liv. I’m a fan. Get yourself some Shovels and Rope.

With that, the weekend of sun and music had ended. Crowds filtered out to their cars and trains and Ubers to go back across the bridge to Philly or back out into the wilds of New Jersey. Tito’s Vodka packed up their merch tent. Police stood around trying to look useful. Performers and audience members, alike, wiped the sweat from their brow, packed up their cooler and lawn chair, and went home to face another week.

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photo credit: Francis ‘2Good’ Kolbmann

Written by Ashley Paskill

Philly-based collective, Thelonious Jawn, released their debut album, NewEurope/BlastedCity, on October 23 earlier this year. The group consists of musicians and producers from Philadelphia, led by producer, TJ McGlinchey. It was mixed and mastered at Turtle Studios. The album is 40 minutes long and is geared towards “dance music for the humanist revolution,” according to a press release about the album. 

While most of the songs are geared towards modern times, a few of the songs talk about history. This allows listeners to remember that current events did not just pop up out of nowhere, but they are a cultivation of other things that have happened in the history of the United States.

A few of the songs include protest chants. Not only is this representative of this year with the protests around racial justice, but may also represent the Women’s Marches and other protests throughout the past and even into modern history. 

In terms of the sound of the album, even the chants are layered over a background of funk and jazz, with the group’s name making a hint towards Thelonious Monk, a famous jazz pianist and composer. 

In many cases, the vocals get lost in the background instrumentals, but the chants come through loud and clear. The moments where the vocals are a bit fuzzy sound intentional as they fit in with the psychedelic feel of the songs. One song where this is evident is “We Gotta Work Together.” While this is true from modern times, the psychedelic feel and the message of unity resembles the feel of the 1960s.

The only songs that feel out of place are “Because I’m In Love” and “Green In Blue.” The instrumentals keep with the psychedelic sound of the rest of the album, but the lyrics do not speak on current issues. However, love is a human experience, and the album is geared towards the humanist revolution. Even so, it is a bit of a stretch to include these songs on an album that is otherwise focused on protesting the current administration.

Overall, this album is awesome. Having the protests and the current moment captured in music is so important and beautiful. This album will be so important in history for seeing all that took place over these past four years in the Trump administration as it really speaks to how so many have felt.

By TJ McGlinchey

Photos By Bill Dolton & Lisa Schaffer

By the grace of my parents’ good taste and mental fortitude; I’ve grown up with the extreme privilege of attending the Philadelphia Folk Festival every summer in Schwenksville, Pennsylvania. During seemingly the hottest and/or rainiest weekend of August; my entire family would spend four days witnessing the crafts of amazingly artful musicians, dancers, poets, painters, jugglers, candlemakers, paper cutters, glassblowers, and other awesome artists. As we all know, this kind of gathering and merry-making can’t happen right now. This year, as most other festivals have completely canceled for safety reasons surrounding COVID-19, The Philadelphia Folksong Society is pushing forward with a completely different model than ever before for their historically longest-running festival. In 2020, the 59th Anual Philadelphia Folk Festival is entirely online.

In a year when so much is going wrong, it’s uplifting and comforting to know that the folk fest is still there, even if only virtually. We may have lost our dear founder Gene Shay, but we can continue to carry on his vision of providing a plethora of musically entertaining and educational performances and opportunities. Many wonderful artists and others have been lost this year as well, including the prolific John Prine; but we can carry on supporting the community that creates amazing people like them. We may not be able to wander through Dulcimer Grove, meander around the Society Sales Tent, or bliss out in front of the Martin Guitar Main Stage; but PFS has put together a wonderful online experience, partnered with Mountain View Staging, including an interactive map of multiple stages, shops, and more that feels very, shall we say, festy. Additionally, ticket-holders gain access to decades of never-before-accessible archival footage of over 800 past performances from festival years 1983 thru 2019 (check out 2012 Main Stage for a younger version of myself giving my debut performance).

One advantage of an online experience is their ability to book acts that may or may not have participated depending on touring schedules and budgetary concerns. This year’s lineup includes Ben Gibbard, The Lone Bellow, Los Lobos, Richard Thompson, Billy Bragg, Shakey Graves, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Susan Werner, Ivan Neville, Trixie Mattel, Josh Ritter, Robert Earl-Keen, Allen Stone, Rhiannon Giddens, Francesco Turrisi, and so many more. The festival certainly continues to shine in terms of its Main Stage. However, the Camp Stage and Front Porch Stage are also packed with prodigious performers. Camp Stage features acts including William Prince, Gangstagrass, We Banjo 3, The Suitcase Junket, Talisk, Lisa Canny, and the presentation of the Woody Guthrie Prize honoring Joan Baez. The Front Porch Stage features many performers from The Philadelphia Music Co-op and other local favorites such as John Flynn, Terri Hendrix, Lloyd Maines, Andrea Nardello, Katherine Rondeau, Avi Wisnia, Kuf Knotz, Christine Elise, John Byrne, The Cheddar Boys, The Honey Badgers, Erin Fox, Emily Drinker, Hotsy Totsy, GF Patrick, myself, and many others.

The festival means so much to so many people around the country and across the globe that it’s not surprising that PFS has decided to take on the herculean task of pivoting to an online model despite having such a limited amount of time to prepare. The festival’s organizers have partnered with Mountain View Staging to create a unique broadcasting-platform-template to complete the mission. Executive Director Justin Nordell and his team have worked night and day answering a non-stop barrage of calls, texts, and emails since the moment they decided to make this move. They and the board of directors have all been doing their part to ensure that this year’s festival goes on uninterrupted. As always, the overarching mission is ensuring that the festival has the budget they need to make all of this happen and to secure the future of the festival and the society by conducting their largest annual fundraiser.

You may or may not be aware that the folksong society exists physically, outside of the festival in the Roxborough section of Philadelphia. They operate year-round as a concert venue while simultaneously providing educational workshops, music classes, and much more. They also house the Philadelphia Music Co-op and the Odyssey of American Music program which provides folk-music-education programming into city schools. The Folk Song Society has been operating since 1957 and the festival began in 1971. In addition to the folk fest that happens every August at Old Poole Farm, PFS presents smaller gatherings including Fall Fling and Spring Thing which are more about workshops and community building than they are showcases for amazing performers. There are dozens and dozens of opportunities throughout the year to participate in real, honest-to-goodness music-making and merriment (including house concerts!). Members regularly enjoy an overabundance of musicality in their lives. In a country where music and arts programs are the first to be cut during budget meetings for school districts, PFS is providing a strong supplemental pedagogy distilled from the essential essences of American music.

Both the folk song society and the festival foster a music-making/art-making community that spills over into every major organization in the city. The people who make the festival happen each year are not just the production crew, the talent-buyers, the vendors, and the board of directors. The people who make the festival what it is each year are you and me; the performers, attendees, and volunteers. Ask around; there’s at least one person at your place of work that has attended or volunteered at the festival. It’s an institution. The society’s membership includes people in every industry. You can’t throw a battery at Santa Claus in Philadelphia without hitting someone who’s been to the folk fest (Yes, Virginia, Santa has been to the fest). You can hear the festival’s influence on every local singer-songwriter. The festival and the people who attend it have indelibly changed the musical and artistic culture of our beloved city.

In addition to performing at the festival, I am also a member of the folksong society and the music co-op. In the interest of transparency, I must admit to you that the board president, John McGlinchey, is my father. He and my mother Johnnie Sue have been taking their children (myself and my siblings) to the festival since 1981. In turn, we have brought our children to the festival. Well, my siblings have brought theirs. My one-year-old daughter has yet to attend. My sister also recently gave birth to a new baby who has yet to plant their tiny, folky feet in the festival’s fairied field. Point being, this year is a turning point for the festival where its existence is truly at stake and I feel a personal responsibility to help rally the folks who usually attend and volunteer. But I’m motivated by more than just having a fun festival to attend every summer. For my family, it’s about cultural identity. It’s about humanity. It’s about feeding our soul and connecting with our fellow folks. This festival is my ‘home away from home’. It’s a place I want to hand down to my progeny just like the previous generation has done for me.

For an even more personal perspective (if that’s possible), I asked Justin Nordell, Executive Director of the Philadelphia Folksong Society, a few questions. I wanted to know how it’s going, who he’s most excited to see perform this year, and what it’s like putting on a festival entirely online. I also asked a few members of the Philadelphia Music Co-op to tell us why they feel the festival is so important and who they’re most excited to see perform

Justin Nordell: “It’s going incredibly well! Stressful, but well. Who knew putting on an online event would be more work than an in-person? As an out gay man, I’m proud of the number of LGBT artists on the bill this year, including drag legend Trixie Mattel, unapologetically black and queer Amethyst Kiah, Fest frequent flyer Susan Werner, out singer-songwriter and Juno-nominee Jack Pine, androgynous celestial beings Parlour Panther, hard femme queer radical Korean Canadian Janice Jo Lee, Xicana Xingona Dr. Diana Alvarez, country queer Paisley Fields, women’s folk music legend Tret Fure, queer artist and prison abolitionist Zoë Boekbinder, a favorite of the 2019 Festival Western Canada’s Mariel Buckley, half of the dynamic North Star Puppets identifies as nonbinary, as does half of Tui identify as gay, local singer-songwriters Avi Wisnia, Philly’s own Brandi Carlile-approved Andrea Nardello, and Omni-hypersexual 2019 Fest favorite Shirley Gnome, all of whom bring their unique stories and voices that demand your attention to the digital festival. Beyond that, since there is such little funding for artists in the United States compared to other countries, we are thrilled to be partnering with Canada, Ireland, Scotland, South Korea, and Wales to present artists from each country whose in-person Festivals were also canceled due to COVID-19. Incredible artists are coming from each, but if I had to give one to watch from each it would be First Nations artist Leela Gilday from Canada, string kings Slow Moving Clouds of Ireland, instant dance party Elephant Sessions from Scotland, traditional tunes with a modern twist girl group Ak Dan Gwang Chil from South Korea, and stunning songsmith Al Lewis of Wales!

How do you capture the magic of the Philadelphia Folk Festival and make it digital? It’s nearly impossible, so we have worked really hard to try and make the event as interactive as humanly possible while retaining many of the aspects (camping, crafts, food vendors, merch tent, etc.) that people know and love. Convincing people to leap with us to digital has certainly been the biggest challenge. The Philadelphia Folk Festival is known for many things (being the oldest continuously run outdoor music festival in North America, being the first outdoor music festival in North America to achieve the key-change pledge of 50/50 gender parity on and off our stages, delivering one of the most diverse and interesting festival lineups year after year both musically and socio-politically, etc.)… but we aren’t known for our technological prowess. It was INCREDIBLY important that this be an opportunity for us to not only provide people with something to look forward to but secure the future of folk by crafting a digital infrastructure for our event. Not only will people be able to enjoy the new music but decades of archival recordings never-before-available to our patrons. We will be able to offer the Festival digitally to anyone anywhere in the world not just this year during a pandemic but for years to come for those who are unable to physically get to or navigate the event. This is an investment inaccessibility and our organization’s future.

Do you know how people hand you a business card and tell you if they ever need anything to reach out? Well, one Mountain View Staging staffer had attended the Philadelphia Folk Festival once upon a time and done just that. To live stream 168 artists from 8 countries is an insurmountable undertaking. We needed a partner that had the proven track record of handling such an endeavor, and Mountain View Staging, with over two decades of streaming excellence as their pedigree, jumped at the chance. They have worked on everything from music to conferences to sports to national political conventions… with no dropped streams. We are incredibly excited that such a renowned company would partner with us to ensure that our event is an accessible success.”

Avi Wisnia: “The Philly Folk Fest is such an important cultural institution. I love the sense of community it has built over the years and the way it celebrates not only international artists but also homegrown Philly artists, giving a platform to a variety of voices. Even though we can’t be together in person this year, it’s so important that the tradition continues and I’m honored to be a part of it. I’m excited to catch Rhiannon Giddens, Trixie Mattel, Ben Gibbard, Susan Werner, and sets from all of my Philly local songwriter friends”

John Byrne: “I remember playing my first Folk Fest. We were booked for the Camp Stage on a Sunday afternoon. I got there the day before but I was too nervous about our set to relax and take it in. After our set, there was a dip in the river where an impromptu version of ‘Down to the River to Pray’ broke out and it was one of the most gorgeous things you could ever witness. Maura (Dwyer, my fiddle player) turned to me and said, ‘This is Folk Fest’. I spent the rest of the day finally embracing the beautiful community that gathers to listen and sing and be present. I couldn’t wait for the next year. We’ve been fortunate enough to be asked back four more times (including this year) and I feel very lucky to live in a city with this kind of magic on its doorstep. I think I’m most looking forward to Billy Bragg. Even though I’ve seen him live many times he never fails to leave me feeling completely rejuvenated as a person and a writer.”

Andrea Nardello: “Folk Fest is my favorite music festival of the year. I fell in love with everything about it the first time I performed. The community of people that attend this festival are the happiest and most loving people to surround yourself with. The amount of music that you can see throughout the weekend is incredible. The variety of artists that come from all over the world is amazing. I just glow the entire weekend. So this year I’m determined to celebrate fest the same even though we can’t be on the farm. It’s an honor to perform, even if we will be virtual. And the line up is once again incredible! I’m excited to see Talisk, Irish Mythen, Allen Stone, The Lone Bellow, and my local faves, Emily Drinker, Tin Bird Choir. I’m also excited to discover artists I’ve never heard before. I always get introduced to new music at Fest and this year will be no different. Happy Fest!”

GF Patrick: “Folk Fest is a coming together of musicians both professional and not to share in this thing that we all love. It’s a place where everyone is unapologetic about their willingness to dance to banjo and nasal voices. In a folk arts sense, it’s where the generations meet and for a moment see each other more clearly. I’m jonesing for some Shakey Graves. I missed his set last time he came through and I’ve been kicking myself ever since.”

Erin Fox: “Philadelphia Folk Fest is important to me because it holds a very special place in my heart as I’ve spent many an August of my aimless youth there. It was part of my growing up and helped shape my experience as a musician and an artist and showed me what being part of a grassroots music community is all about. I definitely wouldn’t be the same without it. Aside from the obvious answers here which are Ben Gibbard (because Death Cab for Cutie is one of my favorite bands) and Shakey Graves… I’m looking forward to seeing all of the Philly artists together on this bill who I’ve known and loved for so many years. There are so many incredible artists in Philly.”

Kuf Knotz: “The folk fest has such an amazing and rich history. So much talent has blessed the stages of this festival over the past 60 yrs. I have always loved the parallels and connection between folk and hip hop so to be a part of such a prestigious folk festival is super exciting & a nod to the progressive inclusion & direction of the festival. I am excited to see Gangstagrass (another hip-hop fusion band) all of the Philly local acts & Adia Victoria! She is amazing!”

Phoenix Leigh/North Star Puppets: “The folk fest has meant a lot to me since I began going with a group of friends when I was sixteen- in 2000. Camping, hanging with my best friends, and being surrounded by incredible music- it’s always been an amazing experience. I never thought I would be performing a kids’ show every year on the Dulcimer Grove Stage. It feels like a way to give something back to the Fest and take part in the ongoing grand tradition at the same time. Two years ago, my husband and I created Banjo Jo- a sixteen-foot tall walking version of the Smiling Banjo. We stroll the grounds and take photos with happy fest-goers. It’s a highlight of my year. This year is a stellar lineup. I can’t wait to see my longtime favorites Chris Smither and Richard Thompson. Buffy Sainte-Marie, Rhiannon Giddens, and Los Lobos. All the local acts- and the tributes to Gene Shay and John Prine. I always discover new musicians at Fest.”

Huston West / The Cheddar Boys: “Stoked to see Molly Tuttle. Saw her the first time two years ago at a tent by the ticket gate at the fest. It’s exciting for us to join as performers this year. I’ve been playing and busking around Philly for ten years and kept hearing I should check out folk fest. 3 years ago I went and volunteered. Same the following year. And now we get to play it. It’s an institution, lots of good folks, good music, and the mascot is a damn smiling banjo!”

It’s apparent in the enthusiasm of these performers’ endorsements that the folk festival is a positive influence on the lives of people looking to start a career in music as well as many who are simply seeking a community of fellow artists (and people who love them) in which to expand their family circles. Performance opportunities provided to up-and-coming musicians are invaluable in an ever-more-competitive professional landscape. The educational experience of performing for their peers and witnessing musical heroes work their craft in such a personally meaningful place could not be recreated in a university setting. And the opportunity to witness all of these artists at work in a welcoming community makes it all the more sweetly inviting for everyone else involved. This festival has spawned generations of musicians, artists, and generally great people across the Eastern seaboard and beyond. It’s part of what makes Philadelphia a very artistic and culturally diverse place to live.

However you’ve conveniently found yourself at the bottom of this particular rabbit hole, I’m glad you‘re here and I must give thanks for your attention span’s durability. You’ve graciously given me more time than what’s contemporarily possible for most. That’s about it from the top of this particular soapbox. Get tickets. I’m most excited to see Billy Bragg, Richard Thompson, and Los Lobos. Tune in, turn on, and drop your shoulders…

Peace and Love,
Rev. TJ McGlinchey, MFA, MAE

P.S. You can find me on the Front Porch Stage: Sunday 08/16/2020 @ 11:00 AM

Written by TJ McGlinchey

Actor, former American Idol finalist, and New Jersey native, Constantine Maroulis, has released his third album Until I’m Wanted. This is his latest since 2007’s Constantine but Maroulis has also released many other singles and contributed to collections including Killer Queen: A Tribute to Queen. His latest work is, at points, standard rock and at others, more thoughtful and reflective. Luckily, the production value really shines through on these tracks which, though some of the lyrical content may seem quaint, makes for a great album of rock and roll to play at a party or in bars. Let’s go track by track, shall we?

The first track, “Here I Come,” employs standard rock moves utilizing heavy guitar and drum sounds and reminds me of a bit of Def Leppard. Track two, “Try,” is a slow, 80’s sounding tune (with a nice piano line) that reminds me of Cinderella or Bryan Adams. Track three, “Blown Away,” is underwhelming (or just barely whelming) with lyrics like “Is this love or war?” and also reminds me of Cinderella.

Track four, “For Once In Your Life,” is a course correction that employs a production sound like Tom Petty’s “Don’t Come Around Here No More” combined with the band, Boston. The title track “Until I’m Wanted,” number five, is disappointingly standard white-guy-funk.

Track six, “All About You,” is the saving grace of this entire effort as it contains some actually good songwriting, a beautiful ballad that is set in the city of Boston and Cape Cod. “She’s Just Rock N’Roll,” track seven, is exactly what you think it should be; rock-and-fucking-roll. These two tracks should have been the title and single. Track eight is an acoustic version of track six. I must say I prefer the acoustic arrangement with its soft piano accompaniment. 

In all, a so-so effort from this singer who doubles as an actor. This guy can rock when he wants to and can sing a nice ballad. My advice? Stick to the Cinderella formula…

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The New Abnormal, the seventh full-length record from NYC’s The Strokes, their first since 2016’s Future Present Past EP, is a solid effort by, at this point, career rockers. Julian Casablancas’ voice is roomier than ever. The guitar riffs are as staccato as you want them. The backbeats are back. There are a few surprises here which point to new territory for this bunch of downstroke strumming, kick-hi-hat-snare drumming, four-chord-song writing veterans. There are moments when this sounds like a whole new band. Keep your ears open for evolution. 

The first single (track 6), “At The Door,” was released in February and features a fantastic animated video written and directed by MikeBurakoff. In the video, an animated child Julian Casablanca is led on an outer-space fantasy featuring evil rabbits, dying astronauts, a skeleton in a long black cloak, some kind of crystal-like empress, a space station, and little Julian eventually being led back home. The song is possibly even more fantastic than the video in its deviation from the norm of what this band does so well. There are no drums on this song. Repeat. No. Drums. This is a synth-laden dreamscape narrated by Casablancas crooning more than it is a proper song. The only thing tying it to solid ground is Julian’s verses which all sound like choruses. This is a real left run for them, and I like it a lot. 

The second single (track 4), “Bad Decisions,” was released a week later and is a return to form. The tune has a The Cure-esque intro which returns, it flies into a hook that resembles a Billy Idol tune which I’ll do you the favor of not naming. The video features the band in various formats performing in a living room, on a game show, a telethon. Eventually, their faces melt and it ends up they were clones like a certain bad guy from a certain outer-space-opera movie. Classic Strokes material. Nothing wrong with a formula that works. 

The third single (track 03), “Brooklyn Bridge To Chorus,” starts out with a smattering of synth riffs that make me wish I had taken more of whatever chemicals would make me want to hear this mix of timbres. The verse is… a verse. The chorus goes back to classic Strokes territory. The guitar part in the middle section quotes Bruce Springsteen’s Glory Days. In the chorus, he sings “I want new friends, but they don’t want me.” Poor guy. He can’t make new friends. I guess he’ll just have to write a song about it and go play it for fashion models on some back alley runway in Soho. This one is… meh. It’s a song. 

This album marks a new direction for the band and expands on motifs, styles, and themes that populate all of their work. If you like The Strokes, you will love this album. If this is your first introduction, I recommend you visit their previous albums before diving into their latest.

Hezekiah Jones (photo credit, Michele Lynn)

Hezekiah Jones brought folk, roots rock and then some to Johnny Brenda’s this past Thursday, June 26th. They shared a bill with New Sweden, The Spinning Leaves (who played their first show as a band in over a year,) and Lovers League, who released their debut album that very day.

Hezekiah Jones’ set boasted a healthy mix of older tunes and some yet-to-be-recorded material. “Knives of Summertime” came early on, which left a warm impression as heads were nodding and bodies swaying. It felt very much like a summer scene, as Raph Cutrufello sang that sweet melody, Kiley Ryan played bluegrass-y licks on the fiddle, and the rest of the band perpetuated the song’s addictive beat.     

“Spare the Wicked”, a seemingly new tune in the band’s arsenal, sported more ambiguity in genre, as they seem to have a great talent to do. Rock suffused the percussion, folk pervaded the guitar and perhaps the vocal melody took a blend of the two. An elaborate drum solo from Kevin Killen, followed by some bad-ass bass work from Phil D’Agostino found the other band members sitting on the stage observing and clapping as if they were audience members themselves.  

Other tunes in the lineup included “Cannonball”, “Cupcakes for the Army” and “Borrowed Heart”, which was, of course, more haunting and beautiful than ever. “Hildebrand”, the last song of the set, got the very local and artist-heavy crowd dancing, as many of the previous tunes had.

But old or new, aspects of each song became as raucous and electric as a Zeppelin breakdown, or as acoustic and folky as Old Crow Medicine Show. One of the cool things about Hezekiah Jones is that they really defy a set genre- they let their songs unravel as their musical gut tells them, and they stand out because of it.   

As a special encore, TJ McGlinchey and Dani Mari from Lovers League played a gorgeous version of “Two of Us” by The Beatles. Their beautiful harmony floated through the atmosphere like a gentle breeze. Needless to say, it was the perfect end to a night of delightful music.

Lovers League (photo credit, Michele Lynn)