Playing Philly

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Playing PhillyFlorry Gets Folky on "Oh You Vacation Time" EP

Florry. Photo by Amanda Silberling. Three summers ago, a friend of mine (Deer Scout) opened for Francie Medosch's band Florry on a short tour through New England. For some reason, they let me tag along. There's no weirder way to discover a band than to jump in a minivan with them for a week, but...

Amanda Silberling

PLAYING PHILLYSea Offs Take Root with Playful, Soothing Dream Folk EP

When I met Sea Offs months ago at my favorite coffee shop, I didn’t expect that our meeting spot would soon close down, or that I’d eventually write about the band while watching the children across the street play outside in hand-sewn masks. Similarly, Sea Offs didn’t...

Amanda Silberling

PLAYING PHILLYLocal Musicians Get Creative in Quarantine

Elaine Rasnake Photo Credit: Storm Paul Philadelphia is on lock-down – as per Governor Tom Wolf's orders, those of us who are not essential workers may only leave our homes to buy groceries and pharmacy items, or to exercise. To put it eloquently, it's a weird time. While we collectively try our...

Amanda Silberling

A Celebration of All-Ages Venues with Yowler, Kississippi, and Thin Lips

Kississippi. All photos by Amanda Silberling. I remember joking with friends in high school about how we should get fake IDs, but not so that we could buy Smirnoff Ice – we just wanted to see live music without worrying about getting carded at 21+ venues. I am now older, wiser, and legally...

Amanda Silberling

Chub Rub Is Fat, Proud, and Powerful on their Debut EP

Chub Rub. Photo by Irene Victoria. A month after the Grammys, I'm still thinking about Lizzo's opening performance: how she belted "Cuz I Love You" in a black, bedazzled Christian Siriano ball gown, and just moments later, danced across the stage in a neon bodysuit, rapping the lyric of the year:...

Amanda Silberling

New Tracks from Kilamanzego and Gladie

"Jungle Frequency" by Kilamanzego Kilamanzego has been on our radar ever since fellow Philadelphian superstar Moor Mother name-dropped her online, but in March, the electronic producer and multi-instrumentalist will release her first EP after years of releasing one-off...

Amanda Silberling

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AF 2019 IN REVIEWMannequin Pussy's Patience is Philly's AOTY

Mannequin Pussy’s Patience isn’t just my Philly album of the year for 2019 – it’s one of the best records of the year in general. This shouldn’t be a surprise, since Philly has one of the strongest music scenes in the country (@ me, I dare you). But, in a time when the fabric of our scene feels a...

Amanda Silberling

Sophie Coran Premieres Dreamy "Saltwater" Video

Film still by William DeJessa. It's easy to get lost in particular nooks of the Philly music scene. Within a few blocks radius of where I'm sitting, there's a coffee shop that blasts Screaming Females in the morning, a basement venue with metal shows every other night, three tattoo shops, two vegan...

Amanda Silberling

PLAYING PHILLYAPHRA and Control Top Release New Videos

APHRA photo by Megan Matuzak Between APHRA's solemn plea for "Love and Affection" and Control Top's wildly cathartic "Office Rage," this week's new releases in Philly music seem to span completely opposite facets of human emotion. That may be an exaggeration, but you'd be hard-pressed to find two new...

Amanda Silberling

General #1 - Photo Credit_ Julia Khorosilov

PLAYING PHILLYFrances Quinlan of Hop Along Releases First Solo Single

Frances Quinlan press photo by Julia Khorosilov. Don't get me wrong: Hop Along is one of the best bands in the business. But what would Hop Along be without Frances Quinlan's distinctly shrill vocals and unparalleled, witty songwriting? On Tuesday, Frances Quinlan announced her first solo record,...

Amanda Silberling

PLAYING PHILLYBig Nothing is Back With Debut LP "Chris"

When Philly four-piece Big Nothing broke onto the scene back in 2017 with their self-titled 7” EP, they brought with them an impressive lineage. Guitarist Pat Graham fronted the punk trio, Spraynard, and fellow guitarist Matt Quinn played with Beach Slang’s Ed McNulty in band Crybaby. Liz Parsons...

Olivia Sisinni