What to do in Labor Day in Philly now that Made in America is canceled
Made in America may be cancelled but that doesn’t mean your Labor Day plans have to be ruined. There are dance parties, a party in the park hosted by a Philly radio legend, and rock and roll shows.
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Yes, Made in America is canceled, but that doesn’t mean your Labor Day plans are all ruined. There are dance parties, a party in the park hosted by a Philly radio legend, and rock and roll shows.
Say Happy 50th Birthday to hip-hop, listen to some Philly-based bands, and attend parties and after parties. Making lemonade out of lemons, that’s the Philly way!
Let the summertime sadness fade away with a Lana del Rey party. On Sept. 1, Underground Arts will host a night full of Lana’s lust for life, accompanied by the sounds of Arctic Monkeys, the Neighborhood, and Marina and the Diamonds. You must be at least 21 to attend, but the night promises to have the coquettish and melancholic aesthetic only Lana’s music can provide. ($10, Sept. 1, 9 p.m. to 2 a.m., 1200 Callowhill St., undergroundarts.org)
Get ready for the last “DJ Nights: Saturday Sounds” of the season. You might not be able to dance it out at Made in America as planned, but you can still have fun at the Independence Blue Cross RiverRink Summerfest 2023. Local DJs, including Shekhinah B., will perform and admission is free. Skating is also available for a $5 entry fee and $10 equipment rental. (Free, Sept. 2, 7 to 10 p.m., 101 S Christopher Columbus Blvd at the Independence Blue Cross RiverRink, Facebook.com)
Two shows at the Dell will bump hip-hop, rap, and R&B outdoors all weekend. On Saturday, popular WDAS radio personality Patty Jackson is throwing her yearly “Patty’s Party in the Park” with old-school R&B quintet the Whispers, British R&B band Heatwave, funk group Zapp, and the veteran quartet the Chi-Lites. ($40, Sept. 2, 7 p.m., 2400 Strawberry Mansion Dr., thedellmusiccenter.com)
On Sunday, legendary hip-hop pioneer Lady B — the West Philly rapper and DJ who became the first woman to release a solo rap single — hosts her annual basement party with a lineup of classic hip-hop acts. She’ll be joined by fellow female pioneer MC Lyte, Brooklyn band Stetsasonic, rapper C.L. Smooth, hip-hop trio Brand Nubian, rapper Kool Moe Dee, and R&B singers Force MDs. ($40, Sept. 3, 7 p.m., 2400 Strawberry Mansion Dr., thedellmusiccenter.com.)
If you’re all about rock and roll, there are two shows at MilkBoy for you this Labor Day weekend. Fred Mascherino, ex-guitarist/vocalist of the alternative rock band Taking Back Sunday, brings the Color Fred band to the venue on Sept. 2. Venture back to Chestnut Street for a night of death metal and rock on Sept. 3 with two New York-based bands: Pyrrhon, a technical death-metal quartet, and Couch Slut, an American noise-rock band. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., and the shows begin at 7:30 p.m. Tickets for both are $15 with a $5.94 service fee online. (1100 Chestnut St., 215-925-MILK (6455), milkboyphilly.com)
Head to the Ruba Club in Northern Liberties on Labor Day Sunday to enjoy a tribute to The Clash’s London Calling album. Sexton Sideshow, a Philly-based concert promotion, offers a night with four bands, including Philly rock-and-roll band Citizen Riot, Philly folk-rock group No Good Crowd, Joe’s Strummers band, and Philly-based cover band 2 Tones Clash, will play each side of the album.
There will also be an after-party with DJ Eric13 spinning vinyl downstairs in the cabaret speakeasy, plus surprise performances and special guests. Tickets are $20 on Eventbrite for the show, which runs from 7 p.m. to midnight. (416 Green St., 215-627-9831, rubaclub.org)