Category: Concert Reviews

Concert and Festival reviews

Skies clear for Folk Fest weekend

The rain really started to kick up a few hours before the first concert was set to begin. Luckily, I had just finished dinner over the campfire before it started to drizzle, then rain, then pour.

Just as Angaleena Presley was set to take the stage, the rain let up enough for my camping neighbors to snap a photo of a double rainbow in the parking lot. “It’s a sign for the festival,” I said. Everything around here is a sign for a happy fest.

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There was a large crowd at the camp stage for the Thursday night concert – which is only open to campers at the Philadelphia Folk Festival. Sturgill Simpson came out and played a couple of good songs with the energy of a rock ‘n’ roll band before the lead singer and songwriter, Simpson said, “We had to get the slow stuff out of the way. Y’all want to dance now? This is for the guy who said he wanted to dance.”

#FolkinStoked: Old Crow Medicine Show

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How many bands get tapped by Bob Dylan to finish his unreleased work? Well Old Crow Medicine Show have be handed pieces by Dylan, twice, to record and finish. Now that’s a band I want to see!

Wagon Wheel,” the country single made popular by Darius Rucker was first recorded by Old Crow Medicine Show, the Nashville-based bluegrass and folk band that will perform Friday, Aug. 15 at the 53rd annual Philadelphia Folk Festival.

Philly welcomes folkies for 53rd annual fest

2013 Philadelphia Folk Festival stage (Shaun Smith).
2013 Philadelphia Folk Festival stage (Shaun Smith).

More than 50 years of musical tradition will continue at the Old Pool Farm for the Philadelphia Folk Festival Aug. 15-17 in Upper Salford Township.

The lineup for the 53rd annual Folk Festival includes Old Crow Medicine Show, Steep Canyon Rangers, Janis Ian and Loudon Wainwright III. These performers are mixed in throughout an intoxicating three days of crafts, workshops and a variety of musical performances.

Phish rides “Wingsuit” into Boardwalk Hall

Trey Anastasio performs Oct. 31, 2013 at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ (photo credit: Shaun Smith)
Trey Anastasio performs Oct. 31, 2013 at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ (photo credit: Shaun Smith)

By SHAUN SMITH

ATLANTIC CITY – As they streamed out of Boardwalk Hall, concert-goers were high-fiving security and whooping it up into the night Saturday, Nov. 2 following the last night of a three-night stand. The historic convention center on the Boardwalk was submerged with strange sights and sounds as Phish closed out its fall 2013 tour beginning on Halloween.

“The ‘Jibboo’ last night was worth the price of admission,” one fan said leaving Saturday evening. The band last played “Gotta Jibboo,” 19 shows prior, on July 30, 2013 in Lake Tahoe, according to Phish.net.

Lebowskifest brings Dudes to Philly

A festival for its time and place 

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Lebowskifest came to the Theater of Living Arts in Philadelphia Friday, June 3

By SHAUN SMITH

Blogger in Chief

PHILADELPHIA – They were there to fix the cable. Fans of the Big Lebowski packed into the Theater of Living Arts for Lebowskifest Friday, June 3.

For nearly 10 years, co-founders Scott Shuffitt and Will Russell have been traveling the country with Lebowskifest celebrating the 1998 Cohen Brothers film and “what have you.”

Lebowskifest co-founders Scott Shuffitt and Will Russell welcome the crowd at the Theater of Living Arts.

The two-day festival included a bowling party and costume contest Saturday at North Bowl.

The TLA was nearly at its capacity with a Maude Lebowski serving up the house special: a Caucasian (otherwise referred to as White Russian) which is the preferred beverage of choice Jeff “The Dude” Lebowski.

“Achievers” the moniker that lovers of the film wear proudly, were mingling in the bar and theater for nearly an hour before the show began.