The Area Weekend

Another weekend, another set of great shows. Here's the lineup.


Parts of Swervedriver, Interpol and The Album Leaf join to create Magnetic Morning. Lead singer Adam Franklin seems to be everywhere, doing solo work, reuniting with Swervedriver and working with MM. They will be performing in DC at the Rock & Roll Hotel Friday night and Johnny Brenda's in Philly Saturday. Joining them is Springhouse. Also on board for the DC how is Julie Ocean and The Jet Age.

mp3: Magnetic Morning - At A Crossroads Passive
mp3: Julie Ocean - At The Appointed Hour
mp3: The Jet Age - O Calendar

Cold War Kids are on tour in support of their recently released new album Loyalty to Loyalty. Catch them at TLA Friday and 9:30 Club Saturday with A.A. Bondy.

mp3: Cold War Kids - Bullies Always Win
mp3: A.A. Bondy - Theres a Reason

Also doing multi-city stops is indie-popsters The Little Ones. Friday at the Khyber New Motels is the opener. Sunday at DC9, they are joined by Via Audio and locals Pash as well as The Postelles.

mp3: The Little Ones - Morning Tide
mp3: New Motels - Modern Thinkers
mp3: Via Audio - Modern Day Saint
mp3: Pash - Kill The Rich Boys II

Shiny Toy Guns can be found at Sonar Saturday and North Star Sunday. If you like a loud show, this is one to see.

Screen Vinyl Image is at the Metro Gallery with The Water, Luxa and Monocle. Saturday, you can catch SVI at the Velvet Lounge with Black Nite Crash.

Friday

Wilmington's own The Spinto Band is having a CD release party at the First Unitarian Church. Joining in on the fun is The Swims with their raucous stage manner and infectious pop songs and Scots Frightened Rabbit.

San Francisco's Citay is in Philly for a show at Johnny Brenda's. Their sound is described as dreamy shoegaze with ethereal vocals and layered acoustic guitars. Two local acts round out the night. Gianmarco Cilli, part of National Eye and a great act from the Philly folk scene, and East Hundred are also set to perform.

Over at the World Cafe, Jonatha Brooke takes the stage.

Keeping it local at the North Star, Wilmington's The Sky Drops perform.

Sweden's Blackstrap is in the midst of a North American tour. Catch them at DC9.

mp3: The Spinto Band - Summer Grof
mp3: The Swims - We Need Lava
mp3: Citay - First Fantasy
mp3: Gianmarco Cilli - Empire (Acoustic Home Demo)
mp3: East Hundred - Leave It
mp3: The Sky Drops - Now Would Be

Saturday

Only a couple of shows for Saturday not already mentioned. Pierced Arrows are at DC9 with The Shirks, Love City and Hollywood. Rock & Roll Hotel hosts US Royalty. They are joined by Bear Hands, Blonde Acid Cult and Fever.

mp3: Bear Hands - Long Lean Queen
mp3: Blonde Acid Cult - Shake It Loose (Remix)

Sunday

Now I know a few of the IA staff members are salivating over this show. Swedish pop sensation Lykke Li is at Black Cat in DC. Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson just adds to the appeal of this show.

mp3: Lykke Li - Dance Dance Dance
mp3: Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson - Buriedfed

The Sky Drops Hang On

Wilmington, DE band The Sky Drops is a favorite of mine. I just saw them play a great set last week and now they have a new video for "Hang On." There have been a lot of quality videos put out by regional bands lately and this is no exception. Enjoy!

The Sky Drops - Hang On


Hang On

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

A Place To Bury Strangers and Airiel

Airiel

Not doing anything tonight? Then get down to The Khyber and get out a great show featuring Airiel, Atlanta's Parade, A Place to Bury Strangers, also known as the loudest band in New York, and Wilmington's The Sky Drops. This is guaranteed to be a great show, so do not miss it!

Regionally, you can also check out A Place To Bury Strangers and Airiel as follows:

8/15/07: The Black Cat, DC
8/17/07: Metro Gallery, Baltimore w/ Monarch, The Sky Drops

The Sky Drops

Airiel - Firefly
A Place to Bury Strangers - I Know I'll See You
Parade - Hunting
The Sky Drops - Green to Red

Friday Night in Wilmington

Forget the beach for one night and stay close to home. One hell of a show will entertain the masses at Mojo 13. A pair of locals and some out-of-towners share the bill.

Shade, who is now being featured on American Airlines in-flight music, comes in from Pittsburgh. If you miss them Friday, check them out at The Fire in Philly Saturday.

From Brooklyn, billed as "The Loudest Band In New York City", A Place to Bury Strangers is not just noise, but have an awesome sound and great lyrics. Check out the definite Joy Division influence. I heard a rumor they may not be there and nothing is stated on their myspace page about the show...come and see what happens. *No Longer On Bill*

Gemini Wolf from Philly is an eclectic mix of electronica and pop. Get up and dance! Check them out again 6/12 at The Fire.

Lastly, Wilmington's favorite two-piece Sky Drops will entertain the hometown crowd.

So get yourself down the Philly Pike, just a short drive down I-95. Its gonna be a great show.

Shade - Jade Dagger

A Place to Bury Strangers - I Know I'll See You

Gemini Wolf - Owl Song

Sky Drops - Green To Red

New Music From The Sky Drops

While they do not have a new CD yet, The Sky Drops have released 2 brand new mp3s. For those of you who missed my post on them last year, the band hails from Wilmington, DE. They are a 2-piece of the shoegaze variety. The band is touring the country quite heavily, but they do have a few regional shows on the horizon and several more that haven't yet been announced. For now, you can see them as follows:

4/28 @ Sugar Town @ Tritone, Philly
5/12 @ Johnny Brenda's, Philly
6/08 @ MOJO 13, Wilmington, DE
6/09 @ The Fire, Philly

Million
Sentimental

The Sky Drops

While I was working on yesterday's feature on Thrushes, I was introduced to another band. The Sky Drops are a two-piece from Wilmington, DE that are of a similar vein. Both members bring their voices and create some stunning harmonies. Their sound is very lush and includes the type of guitar work that you used to hear on college radio in the early 90's. Definitely check them out. I will include my favorite track and you can find more here.

The Sky Drops - Now Would Be