Picks for the first week of fall!
Thursday, September 25: The Rentals
The Rentals are cool because they're the closest thing we have to Weezer these days — other than the real Weezer, who have become embarrassingly bad. The indie project of Matt Sharp, Weezer bassist for two, near-perfect records (that would be Weezer, a.k.a. The Blue Record, and Pinkerton), Sharp formed The Rentals in 1994 and never looked back, releasing two quirky records of throwback-style garage pop before disappearing into oblivion in the early aughts (save a smattering of under-the-radar EPs). He later reformed the band and earlier this year released their third record, Lost in Alphaville, which sees them maturing into a big, anthemic force. He also revamped the lineup to include Lucius singers Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig, Ozma singer/guitarist Ryen Slegr, and Black Keys drummer Patrick Carney — which sounds crazy on paper and is even crazier live. (Sadly Carney won't appear on tour though). Throughout the years, the band has amassed a huge cult following and this Thursday will journey to Union Transfer. Stream single "Thought of Sound" now to get pumped.
8:30 at Union Transfer, 1026 Spring Garden St., $20. Tickets available here.
Friday, September 26: The Lawsuits
Philly's The Lawsuits formed in 2007, and took the city's folk scene by storm, their rollicking blend of soulful vocals (courtesy of resident powerhouse Vanessa Winters and front man Brian Strouse) and Americana-tinged melodies an easy and refreshing sell. Since then, they've evolved into a multi-faceted musical force, combining '60s folk, '70s pop, and yes — a little bit of country — and one of the city's most beloved bands. They're now celebrating the release of new EP Tumbled, which follows on the tails of 2013's excellent Cool Cool Cool—and will host a raucous party this Friday at Johnny Brenda's. We first fell in love with The Lawsuits during their summer 2012 stop at Rittenhouse Square Park, where they sparked dancing and DIY percussion while performing with hip-hop group Ground Up. In past years, we've loved watching them earn props from everyone from Daytrotter to Rolling Stone, and are psyched for their impending break-through. Before you go: stream Tumbled in full via Culture Collide and get ready to belt along.
9:15 at Johnny Brenda's, 1201 N. Frankford Ave., $10. Tickets available here.
Saturday, September 27: Bardo Pond and friends (play Spruce Street Harbor Park)
Spruce Street Harbor Park has been one of our very fave places to catch shows this summer, and this Saturday the boardwalk oasis plays host to one final concert during its closing weekend. Three kick-ass local bands will take the stage, including long-running psych-rock vets Bardo Pond, psychedelic garage rockers Spacin' and '70s party rockers Needle Points — who together should blanket the park in enough twisted guitar lines and fuzz to sustain you until next summer. (Check out this ear blisterer from Spacin's 2012 LP Deep Thuds lest you need convincing). Plus show up early for a long list of other fun activities, including circus performers, jugglers, pumpkin-carving and more (see the full list here). We mentioned it's free right? Which means you can spend all the money you'd normally spend at the door on burgers and beer. Is it just me or is fall in Philly gonna rule?
7:00 at Spruce Street Harbor Park, Columbus Blvd. at Spruce St., free.
Saturday, September 27: Banks
Jillian Banks — or as she's known professionally — BANKS — crafts dark, lush, R&B-tinged pop concoctions imbued with mystery and a sense of seduction. An artist since age 15 (she's now 26), Banks first started writing to cope with her parents' divorce, and starting posting songs to SoundCloud in 2013. The songs — such as first single "Before I Ever Met You" — were darkly stirring, combining dubstep vibes and chilling beats with impressive vocal chops, and the secrecy surrounding her identity (for months, she hid her real name) only served to help build hype. These days, she's more open about her life details (even if she still refuses to use social media) and her name has appeared everywhere from the pages of Vogue to the Billboard charts, where her debut record Goddess debuted at number 12. But her songs remain just as intoxicating, and this Saturday, she'll bring them to life at Union Transfer. When she played Underground Arts last June, it sold out way in advance and fans raved. We have a feeling this weekend will be similarly thrilling.
8:30 at Union Transfer, 1026 Spring Garden St., $20. Tickets available here.
Tuesday, September 30: Tennis
As the temperatures slowly turn colder and the winds blustery, I long for summer more than ever (as I write this on the second day of fall, I'm wearing sandals defiantly), and bands that evoke that summer feeling. Topping my list? Colorado indie-pop duo Tennis, whose bright, sweet melodies are as soothing as a day at the beach. Formed in 2010 by couple Alaina Moore and Patrick Riley following a 7-month boat trip down the Eastern seaboard, Tennis made a splash (get it?) with 2010's Baltimore, a two-song EP containing two perfect slices of vacation pop that attracted all the right attention. Since then, they've evolved into a more fully-formed entity, adding a drummer (James Barone) and releasing three full-length LPs, each of which fleshes out their minimalist concoctions a little more. They're now touring behind 2014's Ritual in Repeat, a lush, dreamy collection of vintage-inspired pop that still keeps the focus where it belongs: on Moore's vocals and sense of melody. They play Underground Arts this Tuesday; indulge denial and summer pop!
8:00 at Underground Arts, 1100 Callowhill St., $15. Tickets available here.
