Peasant Studio Sessions

Illustration by Johnnie Cluney

“What becomes so beautifully clear in listening to Derose sing – in that clear mountain stream, weepy-voiced way of his – is that none of his characters and none of us are ever rid of any of the people that we’ve shared the dark or a kiss with.” - Daytrotter

Peasant, aka Damien Derose, is one of the Philly areas finest singer-songwriters. Daytrotter is one of indie's source for great music. Put the two together, you get the new Peasant Daytrotter session. Along with the four songs from the studio, Peasant recently kicked off a December tour of the Northeast, Ohio and Indiana. You can also check out an exclusive interview and some live tracks from a session with the folks at JamNow. and another interview at Uncensored Interview. And coming soon, the re-launch of his latest album On The Ground with the help of TeamLove and another studio appearance, this time at WOXY. Notice the Philly love in the illustration with the Phillies hat.

Upcoming Area Shows:

12/3: Philly @ Connie's Ric Rac
12/4: West Chester @ Fennario's
12/12: Doylestown @ House Party

Prescription (Daytrotter)

Music in the Mid-Week

Those of you who enjoy the experimental side of music, the next few days will surely feed your need. One of the biggest instrumental bands out there, Mogwai is playing two shows in the area with fellow British Islanders Fuck Buttons. Get to the 9:30 Club tonight and the Starlight Ballroom in Philly Friday for one great show.

mp3: Mogwai - The Sun Smells Too Loud
mp3: Fuck Buttons - Sweet Love For Plant Earth

More experimentation can be found tonight at Johnny Brenda's with Texas-based This Will Destroy You supporting their eponymous new album. Philly's Cloud Minder joins them for this show. Thursday, TWDY travels down to DC9 for another great show with Lymbyc Systym, who also has a forthcoming new album.

mp3: This Will Destroy You - Quiet
mp3: Cloud Minder - Casimir Effect
mp3: Lymbyc Systym - Carved By Glaciers

If folk-pop is more your thing, there's a couple of shows to check out. Canadian songstress Basia Bulat is playing tonight at DC9, then Thursday at the Tin Angel. DC's own Vandaveer is opening the District show.

mp3: Basia Bulat - In The Night
mp3: Vandaveer - The Streets Is Full of Creeps (live)

Death Vessel, whose soon to be released album may be on the best of 2008, is doing the DC to Philly shuffle, playing tonight at Black Cat with Micah Blue Smaldone tonight and at Johnny Brenda's with Doylestown troubador Peasant on Thursday.

mp3: Death Vessel - Brunos Torso
mp3: Peasant - We're Good

Finally, something that doesn't really fit into either category. Sunset Rubdown is on tour with Parenthetical Girls. Catch then Thursday at First Unitarian Church in Philly and Black Cat Friday.

mp3: Sunset Rubdown - Up On Your Leopard, Upon the End of Your Feral Days
mp3: Parenthetical Girls - Love Connection Pt II

photo credit

Thursday: XPN Local CD Release and More

It's almost the weekend and May has started. It's time to get to some shows.


WXPN is having a little CD release party for its latest XPN Local volume. Doors open at 6 and the music starts at 7. Its an all local show (as you probably figured) featuring great acts from around the Philly region. Most notably, Bucks county natives Illinois and singer-songwriter extraordinaire Peasant are on the bill. This event is free, but you must sign up at XPN to attend.

Elsewhere in Philly, Triggers travel across the state from Pittsburgh to the Manhattan Room and Steve Goldberg & The Arch Enemies are joined by Sleeper Car at The Fire.

Down in DC, The Redwalls share a stage with Baby Teeth and Julie Ocean at DC9, then travel up to Philly for a Friday night show at North Star joined by The New Motels and The Bee Team. Meanwhile, Baby Teeth head to Baltimore to play the Talking Head Friday.

Illinois - Alone Again
Peasant - We're Good
Steve Goldberg & The Arch Enemies - The Road
The Redwalls - Universal Blues
Baby Teeth - The Simp
Julie Ocean - At The Appointed Hour
New Motels - Modern Thinker

Peasant Releases On The Ground

When given the new album On The Ground by Doylestown, PA native Peasant (aka Damien DeRose), I must admit thatt I was a bit wary. Typically I have to have the urge to listen to the indie-folk man with guitar genre, I usually do not seek it out. Until now. From the opening with a country-twinged "The Wind" to the ending with the airy "Impeccable Manners", this album held my rapt attention. Peasant makes his guitar a second voice, blending perfectly with soft, almost wispy vocals. Lyrically, his writing is heartfelt and introspective, a dove-tailed fit with the music. The album is a perfect addition for the collections of both folkies and hipsters.

See Damien live in the northeast, before he heads down SXSW way and then across the ocean in May.

3/07/08: Bronxville, NY @ Sarah Lawrence College
3/08/08: Moorestown, NJ @ Emancipation Rocklamation
3/10/08: NY, NY @ Union Hall

Those Days
You Don't Know

Northern Liberties Winter Music Festival

All this week, local musicians (and some out-of-towners) descend upon the Northern Liberties section of Philly, more specifically one venue, The Fire. Most nights have what seems to be a theme. So pick your favorites and get there early. This place is small and is guaranteed to fill up quick. Check out the entire line-up here. Here are some of the highlights:

Cowmuddy

Tuesday night features a definite folk overtone. Be sure to check out Cowmuddy and Devin Greenwood.

Cowmuddy - On Your Star
Devin Greenwood - This Over Here

Papertrigger

Wednesday is a bit experimental. Philly-faves Papertrigger are sure to bring a huge turn-out.

Papertrigger - Fox Hunting

These United States

Thursday is a bit difficult to peg to one specific genre, but it is a great line-up. Local songstress Birdie Busch and the acoustic-folk of Hezekiah Jones are great acts to see. The big act of the night is These United States. You may have heard of these guys.

Birdie Busch - Mystical
Hezekiah Jones - Albert Hash
These United States - So High So Low So Wide So Long

Friday, hip-hop, reggae, and soul are represented with the likes of The Dialects, Anam Owili-Eger, and Don McCloskey.

Illinois

Saturday, all the big names from the Philly scene are on stage with a few out-of-town guests. The genres run the scale from mellow acoustic to electro-pop. This is one big line up for one night: Peasant, Creaky Boards, Emily Easterly, East Hundred, Cheers Elephant, Drink Up Buttercup, Crooked Looks, and Illinois. Doors open at 7 and the music goes deep into the night.

Cheers Elephant - Wide Eyed
Creaky Boards - Pretty Boy
Crooked Looks - Pay Day Baby
Drink Up Buttercup - Young Ladies
East Hundred - Killing Moon
Emily Easterly - Miami
Illinois - Screendoor
Peasant - Those Days

To finish off the week, some bands will return (no listing as of yet) to perform a Radiohead tribute Sunday evening. So get out to Northern Liberties and hear some great music.

Thursday in the Philly Region

It's a busy end of the week. So get out of the rain and check these shows out:

Philly's rootsy folk band Lowlands are having their CD release how at Johnny Brendas. They are joined by Doylestown-bred artist Peasant and Charlemagne.

Peasant - Those Days
Charlemagne - We're Gonna Hate All Over This Town

Over at The Fire, Scale Model and Le Concorde from Chicago bring the windy city sound to Philly. You can also catch Le Concord Friday at Mojo 13.

Scale Model - Merry Go Round
Le Concorde - Parallel Lives

Speaking of Mojo 13, DC's Carol Bui is there Thursday night. This is the place for a real close up experience.

Carol Bui - Modern Dance

indie at the abbey mix: Volume 2

The first month has passed and we have had some great shows. That said, it's time for volume 2 of my mix. For those of you who don't know, I am booking a weekly indie rock night for a club in Harrisburg, PA. The series is called indie @ the abbey and runs every Wednesday. There are 2 bands each week for a measly $2. Music starts at 9:30 and is over by midnight. Check out what we have booked for the next 4 weeks and come to a show if you can. If you missed it, the first mix is available here. I'll be back next month with another volume.

10/10/07
Jukebox the Ghost - Good Day
Peasant - Those Days

10/17/07
Shade - Broken Ribs
The Sky Drops - Green to Red

10/24/07
Warm in the Wake - Golden Inhibition Destroyer
Bellman Barker - Charles Kil

10/31/07
*Free Admission With Costume*
People Noise - The Killing Fields
Thrushes - Into The Woods