A Regional Holiday: The Swimmers

Photo By Lisa Schaffer
Next up in our Holiday series is Philadelphia's The Swimmers. Their track, "The Christmas Sound," was recorded in 2007. Much like We Were Pirates and Middle Distance Runner before them, their offering is an indie pop original.

mp3: The Christmas Sound

The Swimmers Daytrotter Session

Illustration by Johnnie Cluney

Daytrotter is giving a bunch of love lately to IA area artists. Adding to the list of Peasant, Wye Oak, Hoots & Hellmouth and These United States that have been featured in the past few months, Philly group The Swimmers made a stop to record their four songs. This session includes three songs found of their most recent release, Fighting Trees and one unreleased song, "In The Park", described as follows:

This is your basic ‘find it, lose it, try to get it back’ kind of love song, with tambourine. Sonically it feels caught in the gaping chasm between our last record and what I imagine to be our next.

Check out the full story and the rest of the songs at the Daytrotter website.

mp3: In The Park

The IA Area Weekend

Another weekend in upon us. Of course that means great shows playing the area. Here's what to check out.

Friday


The Oranges Band are set to release their new album The Oranges Band Are Invisible upon the masses and to celebrate the new disc, they are having a little shindig at the Ottobar with a few friends from the area. Also on the bill are Gary B & The Notions, Deleted Scenes and Dead Mechanical. Great local line-up to start the weekend.

For those of you up in Philly, another stellar local show is at Johnny Brenda's. The Swimmers continue their Mid-Atlantic dominance, this time joined by Missing Palmer West and Bitter Bitter Weeks. I highly recommend this show.

The District is not letting Baltimore and Philly have all the fun. Wilmington's The Spinto Band, with new album in tow, are joined by our favorites Middle Distance Runner and Title Tracks at Black Cat. Saturday, you can catch MDR for free at the 8x10.

Current insurance shillers Cloud Cult (love the commercial) are up at Lehigh University at the Zoellner Arts Center with locals Exit Clov. Sure to be a great show for those who make the trip.

Matador Records artist Brightblack Morning Light are still out in support of their September release. Catch them at Talking Head.

If singer-songwriters are your thing, you got a couple of choices to sate your appetite. Brett Dennen is on tour with a new album. You can catch him at Ram's Head Tavern in Annapolis. Philly's Tin Angel hosts him Saturday. The Tin Angel also has a good set Friday with William Fitzsimmons, Slow Runner and Caitlin Crosby.

mp3: The Oranges Band - ArtStar
mp3: Gary B & The Notions - Lori
mp3: Deleted Scenes - Fake IDs
mp3: Dead Mechanical - New Alchemy
mp3: The Swimmers - St. Cecilia
mp3: Missing Palmer West - God Knows I'm No Saint Paul
mp3: Bitter Bitter Weeks - Terrified
mp3: The Spinto Band - Summer Grof
mp3: Middle Distance Runner - Top of the Stairs
mp3: Exit Clov - Working Class Hero
mp3: Brightblack Morning Light - Hologram Buffalo

Saturday/Sunday

The trend for local shows continues Saturday night at the Rock & Roll Hotel. Get your dancing shoes on and get ready to party when The Dance Party hits the stage. Joining them are Ra Ra Rasputin, Greenland and Nunchucks.

Southern rock didn't die with Skynyrd. It is alive and well with Kings of Leon. Playing back to back nights at the Electric Factory, they unleash their Nashville sound with help from We Are Scientists and The Whigs.

Elsewhere, Luego is at the Red & the Black Saturday. Sunday, Swedish pop band Fredrik play the Khyber.

mp3: The Dance Party - A-List
mp3: Greenland - Sorrow in the Snow
mp3: We Are Scientists - Inaction

Don't miss the other acts playing this weekend that played elsewhere earlier this week.

The Area Weekend

With everyone going to or coming from CMJ in New York, the IA region has a ton of shows coming through the area. Not many multiple city stops to tell you about, but plenty of local and one-off shows.


Toronto's Born Ruffians is one of the bands making multiple stops. They are on tour with fellow Canadians Plants & Animals. Friday, they take on DC at the Rock & Roll Hotel. For the remainder of the weekend, sBach joins the fray for shows at Talking Head Saturday and Johnny Brenda's Sunday.

mp3: Born Ruffians - Hummingbird
mp3: Plants & Animals - Faerie Dance
mp3: sBach - 1

Some of Billy Bragg's best music came from his time collaborating with Wilco. The Watson Twins have teamed with Jenny Lewis for some great music. Both are now doing their own thing and sharing the stage at the Keswick Theater in Glenside Friday. DC and Baltimore gets them Monday at 9:30 and Tuesday at Ram's Head Live.

mp3: The Watson Twins - Sky Open Up

San Francisco's Deerhoof is back with a new album and is playing Philly for the first time in almost 3 years. You can catch them at the First Unitarian Church Saturday and the 9:30 Club Sunday with fellow bay-area residents Experimental Dental School and Brooklyn's Flying.

mp3: Deerhoof - Offend Maggie

The Magnetic Fields are out on tour in support of Distortion, their highly regarded release from earlier this year. Saturday they are in Philly at the Merriam Theater, then head to Lisner Auditorium on the GW campus in DC.

mp3: Magnetic Fields - Please Stop Dancing

It's a homecoming of sorts for K records artist Mirah. Born in Philly, she moved and began her music career in the Pacific Northwest. She is playing the First Unitarian Church on Friday and the Black Cat Saturday. Joining her are Vancouver's No Kids.

mp3: Mirah - Cold Cold Water
mp3: No Kids - Old Iron Gate

Friday

The loudest band in New York is coming back to Philly for a show at Johnny Brenda's. Bring your earplugs as A Place to Bury Strangers takes the stage. Joining them is Philly's own psychedelic garage rock artists The Cobbs. Take the pop sensibilties of The Kinks and throw in Brian Jonestown Massacre with some psyche guitar and viola, The Cobbs. And a new album is in the works, so expect some fresh material.

New material is also forthcoming from Philly's Canadian Invasion. Expect a new album sometime in February. You can catch them at The Fire.

John Wesley Harding's (Wesley Stace is his born name) music is obviously heavily influenced by Bob Dylan. Why else would he take his perfomance name from a Dylan album. But he also draws comparisons to Elvis Costello. Now also a published novelist, he is set to release a new album in March (a digital release through his website will be available for Christmas). He is playing the Tin Angel in Philly.

Rounding out Friday is Le Concorde from Chicago at the M-Room and singer-songwriter Andy Laird at Milkboy Acoustic.

mp3: A Place to Bury Strangers - My Weakness
mp3: The Cobbs - Say You Never Knew Me
mp3: Canadian Invasion - Standing on the Shoulders of John Mayer
mp3: Le Concorde - Parallel Lives

Saturday

Low Red Land, our friends from the San Francisco Bay, is in the area at The Red & The Black. Head on over and see why we like these guys so much.

Over at Dahlak, you can catch another Bay area act Michael Zapruder and New York's Porter Block.

DC9 is showcasing Mother Mother from Vancouver.

mp3: Low Red Land - Better Angels
mp3: Michael Zapruder - Ads for Feelings

Sunday

Known for their satirical and mostly stupid punk songs, Dead Milkmen are Philly originals. Now they are officially reuniting and playing a sold out show at First Unitarian. They are then heading down to Austin for the Fun Fun Fun Fest the first weekend of November. Anyone going with an extra ticket? I really want to see this.

More Philly originals are also performing Sunday. Hoots & Hellmouth are in Phoenixville at The Colonial Theater as part of the Flower Power Music Festival. At the M-Room The Swimmers are joined by New Yorkers The Figgs.

Baltimore darlings Wye Oak and Caleb Stine are playing a hometown show at Metro Gallery.

Over at the Ottobar, The XYZ Affair shares the stage with E Joseph and the Phantom Heart, who sound hauntingly like Echo & The Bunnymen and locals FFHH and Person Parcel (members of Gary B & The Notions).

Down at DC9, Norwegians The Royalties and Professor Pez perform.

mp3: Dead Milkmen - Punk Rock Girl
mp3: Hoots & Hellmoth - Rattle These Bones
mp3: The Swimmers - St. Cecilia
mp3: The Figgs - Breaking Through These Gates
mp3: Wye Oak - Warning
mp3: Caleb Stine - Devil
mp3: The XYZ Affair - Little Fool
mp3: FFHH - The Body

The Mid-Week and Beyond

Since I am heading out of town for a long weekend, the usual weekend show preview is combined with the shows that will be coming through the area today and Thursday. Quite a few big names are playing as well as some hitting multi-city stops.

TV on the Radio just dropped their new disc Dear Science and are on tour with the Dirtbombs, playing at the Electric Factory in Philly Friday night.

After a long hiatus, Shudder to Think is back together and out on tour. This Friday catch them with Philly's Pattern Is Movement at the 9:30 Club in DC.

mp3: Pattern Is Movement - Bird

Speaking of long hiatus, Wire is out on tour as well, playing Johnny Brendas Friday and the 9:30 Club Saturday.

mp3: Wire - One of Us

Find out if sampled electro-pop and hip-hop mix when Girl Talk takes the stage with Grand Buffet and Hearts of Darknesses for a sold out show at the Starlight Ballroom Thursday night. If you can't get enough, this line-up hits the 9:30 Club Friday and Sonar Saturday.

mp3: Grand Buffet - Dark Autumn

One of the originals of the East Coast punk scene, Ted Leo + Pharmacists are mixing it up with Against Me! and Future of the Left for a show Wednesday at the Black Cat, then head up to Philly and the Electric Factory.

mp3: Future of the Left - Manchasm

Another band with a new album, Apollo Sunshine is out on tour, hitting Johnny Brenda's Wednesday, then are joined by Tulsa for a show at DC9 Thursday.

mp3: Tulsa - Whissper

With a forthcoming new release, Talkdemonic is taking the new material on the road with Bon Savants. Friday night, see them at the Khyber. Sunday, locals Albatross are added to the line-up at The Red & The Black.

mp3: Talkdemonic - Duality of Deathening
mp3: Bon Savants - Between the Moon and the Ocean

The Wedding Present and the Jealous Girlfriends are joined by Philly folk locals Brown Recluse Sings for a show at the North Star Friday. You can also catch the two headliners Saturday at the Black Cat in DC.

mp3: The Wedding Present - The Thing I Like Best
mp3: The Jealous Girlfriends - Roboxulla (Daytrotter)
mp3: Brown Recluse Sings - Western Meadowlark

Wednesday

One of the best line-ups I have seen for a small club show in awhile, Philly's The Swimmers share the stage with Catfish Haven (check out the new album) and Dead Confederate.

Hot Chip/Growing @ 9:30 Club

mp3: The Swimmers - St Cecilia
mp3: Catfish Haven - Devastator
mp3: Dead Confederate - The Rat

Thursday

Uniquely out-there Georgians Of Montreal grace the 9:30 Club with their presence with Love Is All.

York, PA is getting one hell of a show with Langhorne Slim and Heartless Bastards at the Capitol Theater. DC can catch them Monday at the Black Cat.

The New Year/Dirty On Purpose/Tre Orsi @ Johnny Brendas
Laura Burhenn/Olivia Mancini & The Housemates @ Rock & Roll Hotel

mp3: Of Montreal - ID Engager
mp3: Langhorne Slim - Restless
mp3: Heartless Bastards - All This Time
mp3: The New Year - The Company I Can Get
mp3: Olivia Mancini & The Housemates - I Wouldnt Worry

Friday

DC meets Philly in Arlington at IOTA when Middle Distance Runner and Drink Up Buttercup perform. Also on the bill is New Rock Church of Fire.

Title Tracks/The Carribean/Moscow Telephone/Nathan Bell @ Metro Gallery
US Royalty @ Jammin' Java

mp3: Middle Distance Runner - Man of the People
mp3: Drink Up Buttercup - Young Ladies

Saturday

Lach @ The Red & The Black

Sunday

Local troubador Peasant makes the end of the weekend a little bit better with a show at the Tin Angel in Philly

Ra Ra Riot/Walter Meego/The Morning Benders @ Black Cat
Delta Spirit/Andy Zipf/The Moderate @ Rock & Roll Hotel
MSTRKRFT @ TLA
Jonathan Richman (The Modern Lovers) @ First Unitarian Church
Paramount Styles @ Khyber

mp3: Peasant - Those Days
mp3: Ra Ra Riot - Dying is Fine
mp3: Delta Spirit - Bleeding Bells (Daytrotter)

Thursday and a Little Beyond

It is definitely Autumn. The weather is getting a bit cooler, kids are back in school and bands are out on their fall tours.


It's the last hurrah down the beach. The Dewey Beach Music Conference starts tonight and runs through Saturday. With over 100 bands from all over the country at 7 different venues, it is sure to have something for everyone. The best part is all nighttime shows are absolutely free! Local acts playing that we have covered are Philly favs The Swimmers and Hershey's The April Skies. And it's not just a local showcase either. Milwaukee's Fever Marlene and Brooklyn's In Flight Radio are just a few non-regional acts making their way to southern Delaware.

mp3: The Swimmers - St. Cecilia
mp3: The April Skies - Here Comes the Rush
mp3: Fever Marlene - Lemon King Mahoney
mp3: In Flight Radio - Red Flags

Big shows tonight and tomorrow as Cut Copy comes through the area with countrymen The Presets. Also on the bill is synth-pop duo Heartbreak. You can catch them at The Troc in Philly tonight, but it is a little late if you don't have tickets to the Friday show at 9:30 Club as it is sold out.

mp3: Cut Copy - Lights and Music

Another set of indie darlings are doing the city swap. SubPop artist Oxford Collapse is taking the stage tonight at Black Cat with Takka Takka. Then they head up to Philly for a show Friday at the Manhattan Room.

mp3: Oxford Collapse - Please Visit Your National Parks
mp3: Takka Takka - Everybody Say

Salt Lake City's Alt-country group Band of Annuals is joined by Hymns for two shows in the area. Starting Thursday at DC9, they end up at The Fire Saturday.

mp3: Hymns - Stop Talking

For a more local flavor, The Talking Head is featuring Rahim supporting new album Laughter with the Snowmen and Deleted Scenes. Over at IOTA, Bellflur is on stage with Pree.

mp3: Rahim - Through a Window
mp3: Deleted Scenes - Trying to Remember
mp3: Bellflur - First to the Moon

The Swimmers Come To DC

Philly's The Swimmers make their way to the DC region tonight for a show at IOTA. I have it on good authority (say hello to our crack Philly reporter, Mike) that they are a band to be seen. They will be joined by Tennessee's The Everybodyfields in what should be a great show.

It's Time They Knew

Big Saturday In Philly

Lots to chose from tonight. Hell, see them all!

The Swimmers

Johnny Brendas keeps getting bigger and better. A little write-up in RS Hot Issue. The best bands around and always supporting the best of the local scene. Saturday, Philly's own The Swimmers are having their CD release party for the long awaited Fighting Trees. Hometown artists Audible and Denison Witmer join the fun.

The Swimmers - It's Time They Knew
Audible - Fireman
Denison Witmer - Little Flower

Over at The Manhattan Room, more local artists rock the night. The Great Halloween Debate (whatever that means) is on featuring Grammar Debate!. Creeping Weeds , The XYZ Affair from NYC, and from the 'Burgh Life In Bed join the show.

Grammar Debate! - Believe It Away
Creeping Weeds - Eternity Is A Long Time
The XYZ Affair - Little Fool
Life In Bed - Logic Is Your Best Defense

Lastly, The Khyber has some great acts from all over. From Leeds, UK is The Lodger. They are joined by Canadians Small Sins, electro-pop goodness, as Spin said "Imagine if Jack White had a crush on Kraftwerk". Local quintet Brown Recluse Sings who are comparitive to The Shins and Page France are the openers.

The Lodger - Getting Special
Small Sins - Stay
Brown Recluse Sings - Western Meadowlark

Grammar Debate! CD Release Tour

Philly's Grammer Debate! is releasing a new CD and they are embarking on a short tour to release it in style. They have all sorts of great bands joining them on the various dates. Regionally, you can check them out as follows:

9/26/07: DC9, DC w/ Modern Skirts, Rarebirds
9/27/07: Khyber, Philly w/ Modern Skirts, The Swimmers, The XYZ Affair

Grammer Debate! - Believe It Away
Modern Skirts - My Bully
Rarebirds - Wishing Well
The Swimmers - It's Time They Knew
The XYZ Affair - All My Friends