Every Thursday and Saturday night, Princeton students make the perfunctory pilgrimage to Prospect Avenue with dreams of mindless conversation and Beast. Does the routine ever get old? Do people ever get tired of singing "Livin' on a Prayer" in the same tap room with the same people? Well ... maybe not. Still, there are many ways for us to reach beyond the Orange Bubble, right next door in New York and Philadelphia.
Both those cities are hotspots for the alternative, Indie music scene that is emerging as new record labels look to fill the void left as the pop invasion of boy bands and pre-homewrecker Britney Spears has subsided.
"I think a lot of Princeton students don't realize that they're an hour from New York and Philly, and there's pretty much an incredible band playing on any given Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night," said Luke Goodwin '08.
Reflecting on the show he recently saw of Stars, an Indie band, Goodwin adds, "Stars were one of the better shows I've ever seen. This show exceeded my expectations. They were just really energetic. They even held Theo's [Ellis '08] hand and told him they loved him in the middle of one song." Good music and people proclaiming their love? Sounds like a step up from a typical Saturday night at the Street.
New York has a lot of great places to hear new and upcoming music. Distinguished Big Apple venues include The Knitting Factory at 74 Leonard St., Irving Plaza right next to Union Square, Piano's on the Lower East Side, Lit Lounge on 2nd Avenue and 9th Street, the Mercury Lounge, Luna Lounge, the Continental, Bowery Ballroom, Hammerstein Ballroom, Desmond's Tavern, Arlene's Grocery and even the preppy Upper East Side Sessions. The music scene in Philly and New York is a combination of arguably some of the best sounds in the country, giving Austin, the music capital of the world, a run for its money.
Philadelphia tends to be more enigmatic, but Princeton Radio Station WPRB's Music Director, Kelsey Johnson '08, says there are no shortage of great venues.
"There are some really neat mid-sized venues like the Theater of the Living Arts or the Trocadero, which are both old theaters converted to concert venues and are really fun," she says, adding that her favorite shows are those sponsored by R5 Productions (r5productions.com). "They put stuff on in the First Unitarian Church, which is actually a church with a performance space in the basement. It's really close and intimate, with the best up-and-coming acts."
Johnson adds that as a concert venue, the church, located at 2125 Chestnut St. in Philadelphia, is much more conducive to rocking out than Sunday service might suggest.
"The Unitarians are just a bunch of hippies anyway," she says, citing the impressive list of bands performing at First Unitarian in the next couple of weeks. "The religion really promotes the performing arts and isn't very Jesus-centric. It's just a cool, small building that is strange and different and has great acoustics."
In addition to hippie joints, Philly boasts more mainstream venues like the Electric Factory, located at 421 North 7th Street, where The Strokes are getting ready to play their sold-out show on April 23. Also, several WPRB-sponsored shows occur at the Khyber, located at 56 South 2nd Street.
So, there is really no reason for any Princetonian to miss out on the incredible music so easily available reasonably close to campus. If you're looking for an alternative for the next couple of weeks, check out these performances:
Tonight
Suicide City with Guests @ Maxwell's in Hoboken, N.J. — Though the metal music scene seems somewhat faded, this group is steadfastly endeavoring to keep it alive. If you like screaming and straight-up noise or if you just feel like breaking something, check it out.
Part Chimp, Oxford Collapse, The End of the World @ The Knitting Factory/ The Tap Bar, NYC, N.Y. — This lineup of bands is fairly interesting. The band most worth seeing is probably Oxford Collapse, which has a decent alternative sound. They're noisy and erratic yet hold onto a somewhat relaxed vibe in certain tracks. The End of the World is more easy listening and Part Chimp is just pretty random.
Red Rocket, Gregor Samsa, Thinking Machines, Lee, Jae-Won @ The Khyber, Philadelphia, Pa. — Feeling depressed? Looking for a soundtrack to your midterm week? Check this show out. Gregor Samsa (named after the protagonist of Kafka's Metamorphosis, depressingly enough) is a really mellow electronic band. And that's Jae-Won, not Jae-Kwon.
Friday, March 10:
Marah, The Tender Trap @ Maxwell's, Hoboken, N.J. — Decent mellow rock music from Marah. I mean, they have a song with the phrase "shimmy shimmy cocoa puff" ... it does not get much better than that. The Tender Trap delivers a hint of '80s sound and even some literary references in their song "Son of Dorian Gray."
The Hellacopters, The Datsuns, Nebula @ The Bowery Ballroom, NYC, N.Y. — A group of classic alternative rockers. Loud, fun and catchy.
Metric, Islands and Men, Women, and Children @ Webster Hall, NYC, N.Y. — Mmm mmm, Metric is awesome. Pop rock with hints of electronic at its finest. Men, Women, and Children should intensify the electronica for this show.
Golden Ball, Little Barrie, Creeping Weeds, Zelda Pinwheel @ Khyber, Philadelphia, Pa. — Little Barrie is reason enough to check this show out. Alternative rock that incorporates soul and jazz without getting overly repetitive or unoriginal.
Les Savy Fav @ the Warsaw in Brooklyn, N.Y. — Yuppy + trendy = crazy delicious dance rock music, with varying beats. Strange at times, but cool.
Blood on the Wall @ The Mercury Lounge, NYC, N.Y. — Some very catchy rock tunes, good for singing boisterously at some dive bar. Pretty dark at times, but overall must put on a great show.
Saturday, March 11:
Early Man, Priestess, The Sword @ Maxwell's, Hoboken, N.J. — Another hardcore rock metal show. Again, see if you're in a violent mood.
Hot Chip, Grand National, The Oresets @ The Bowery Ballroom, NYC, N.Y. — Super sweet club, lounge and dance rock music. Hot Chip offers a huge variety in its style of music, ranging from techno sounds to electronic and much more. The Grand National sticks more to basics as well as a more upbeat vibe. This one should be excellent.
Hail Social, The Rogers Sisters, Celebration, Eyes Like Knives @ The Khyber, Philadelphia, Pa. — Terrific lineup. Simple dance rock music. Hail Social is unbelievably enjoyable band to rock out to. Both The Rogers Sisters and Celebration have just put out new albums, so their sets should be pretty fresh.
Skagasm @ Conduit, Trenton, N.J. — With this name, why not? Pretty relaxed ska music that is not exactly like your typical Mighty Bosstones. This band has a stronger California beach sound.
Sunday, March 12:
The Bats and special guests @ Maxwell's, Hoboken, N.J. — The Bats are getting fairly big and for good reason — this show should be great. Songs range from slow country-influenced tracks to more upbeat rock ballads. Slightly reminiscent of underground Ohio legends Guided By Voices.
Mates of State @ The Bowery Ballroom, NYC, N.Y. — Fantastic band at a fantastic venue. Boy/girl Indie pop, oh so good. No wonder they stand alone on this lineup.
Monday, March 13:
Augustana, The Damnwells @ Knitting Factory, NYC, N.Y. — Augustana is hard not to like but at times it's a bit too poppy for its own good. Think Mischa and pals from "The O.C." The Damwells should bring some hope to the show since they have a little more depth and range to their songs.
Todd Snider @ World Cafe Live, Philadelphia, Pa. — Alternative country/folk music. Can't go wrong here. Classic-sounding bluesy songs, sometimes with great lyrics. Nice break from all the dance rock on this list and a way to follow the new trends inspired by "Walk the Line."
The Misteriosos @ Medusa Lounge, Philadelphia, Pa. — This band brings you back to the 1970s with psychedelic guitars and keyboards. Fun to dance to and makes you want to tie-dye your clothes.
Tuesday, March 14:
James Blunt, The Boy Least Likely To @ Webster Hall, NYC, N.Y. — If you like piano ballads or Maroon 5, James Blunt could be of interest to you. Kind of cheesy, yet mixed in with some nice beats here and there. If you still identify with your prepubescent self, you will definitely dig this show.
Armor For Sleep, Boys Night Out, Chiodos, Action Reaction @ At The Theatre Of Living Arts, Philadelphia, Pa. — If you're into the new boy-band punk rock scene, i.e. Yellowcard and crew, you might like this.
Battle of the Bands @ Arlene's Grocery — God knows what the bands will sound like, but the crowd should be great. Not to mention the drinks are $4 each...
Wednesday, March 15:
Bats, Mad Scene @ Knitting Factory, NYC, N.Y. — The Bats again (see March 12) with Mad Scene, a fairly dreamy-sounding band with oozing vocals and an overall relaxed vibe.
James Blunt, The Boy Least Likely To @ Webster Hall, NYC, N.Y. — Another repeat. See March 14.
Thursday, March 16:
Kitty Kat Dirt Nap, The Tiddies, The Bottom Lip @ The Khyber, Philadelphia, Pa. — Who cares what the music sounds like? It's worth going just for the band names.
Friday, March 17:
Henry Threadgill's Zooid @ International House, Philadelphia, Pa. — This is the type of music you expect to hear in some obscure uber-trendy New York restaurant or bar. If you like jazz, you'll dig it.
Saturday, March 18:
The Misteriosos @ Otto's Shrunken Head, NYC, N.Y. — Another repeat. See March 12.
Silver Jews, Tammy Faye Starlight, John Tully @ Webster Hall, NYC, N.Y. — Silver Jews should be enough reason for people to come out to this one. If you're not familiar with them, they make fairly decent rock tunes. The lead singer, David Berman, has a really great distinctive voice. Good band, sizeable following.
Motion City Soundtrack, The Format, The Matches and Men, Women & Children @ At The Theatre of Living Arts, Philadelphia, Pa. — Motion City Soundtrack has a decent sound and reminds of Guided By Voices in some songs. The Format is just some basic indie pop, nothing too original. Men, Women & Children should be interesting, though, adding trance and club music to the mix. Very cool music. And The Matches bring some serious pop rock. What an eclectic show ... worth seeing.
Monday, March 20:
Stereolab @ Theatre of Living Arts, Philadelphia, Pa. — These guys are just so amazing in every way. Indie pop/rock that never ceases to be fun.
Annie @ The Mercury Lounge, NYC, N.Y. — Great Indie Pop. Ever heard that song "Heartbeat"? That's Annie — worth a listen.
Thursday, March 23:
Animal Collective, Nix Noltes @ Webster Hall, NYC, N.Y. — Everyone seems to love the relatively new Animal Collective CD, so people should go to just hear this live. There is too much variety to this band to really pinpoint a genre though.
Friday, March 24:
Mates of State, The Gossip, Maria Taylor, Comet Gain @ The First Unitarian Church, Philadelphia, Pa. — Another repeat. See March 12.
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