Back to the Future

With the North Star Bar and Legendary Dobbs adding to the closed venues in the Philadelphia area I once attended a past is remembered. A past in which I used to see live bands twice a month or more. However, with an upcoming reunion show from Polymer, one of the bands I saw most often and connected so well with their audience, feeding off their energy and vice-versa, the memories are rushing back. Even though it's been almost eight years since they last played a show, and some of the members have families now and others moved to California, the chemistry returns once all of them are together in the same room or on stage. They have come together from time to time in recent years, performing at singer Ben Weldon's wedding, for instance. But in a setting like the Grape Room, the new name and original location of Grape Street, the place they played so many times, it should be amazing, like the past is present once again. Even though there won't as much room for Polymer performance trademarks such as jumping in unison and microphone twirling. Let's relive some amazing moments...

Grape Street in 2007:

Triumph Brewing Company, 2005. Not too many loud bands played there after that.

And one of my best photos from a live show, at Grape Street, 2006

Polymer performs at the Grape Room, Grape Street Manayunk on December 11th.

They're a Knockout

Former members of Blue Sinatra and Fantastic Plant are now part of a new evolution, Sonny Knockout. Their first show was at Connie's Ric Rac in the Italian Market in Philadelphia. The biggest difference in this band is leader Greg Harrigan handing lead guitar duties in a tighter, louder-rocking four-piece unit.

A true Legendary venue returns

The second part of my back-to-back trips to Philadelphia featured my first vist to another recently reborn venue. The Legendary Dobbs which was the Pontiac Grill when I visited once before way back in 2004. It was one of the best venues for music in Philadelphia back in the '80s and early '90s and it seems to be trying to be that again. The sound levels were good if a bit loud and the place has a nice vibe to it. The interior is basically the same at it was at the Pontiac with a revamped stage. And like at Grape Street a video screen drops down between bands. I was there to see the Absolute Zeros for the first time since their EP release party back in May. The band had honorary member Joe Randle helping them out on keys and harmonica. Later we hung out wtih some of the bands' friends including a few visiting from Brooklyn and listened to the other bands.

Happy Return to the Grape

This past week I saw a revived band at a revived venue the Grape Room. It was the first time I had been in Manayunk since 2007. The Grape Room is near the original location of the Grape Street Pub and I remember their previous location where I had seen Blue Sinatra and other groups have many good shows. Most of Blue Sinatra were part of a new crew, Fantastic Planet (see the Fantastic Planet "Six") who played after two jazz and pop influenced groups. I was pleased to hear one old Blue Sinatra tune "Homecoming". Guitarist Dave was pretty sick but he gutted through the performance. It was great that most of the crowd and the first two bands stuck around to see their show. Fran, Blue Sinatra's first bass player showed up and we were all happy to see him and hang out after the show. I really hope Greg and the guys continue their momentum with their upcoming LP.

Cdbaby link for Blue Sinatra

A Winning Team

This past Friday I was back at the Tin Angel to see my friend Loretta Allen's new collaboration with singer-songwriter Stephen Rose of the band Bong Hits For Jesus. She sang backup on a few of his songs, played two of her songs with Steve on backing vocals and percussion and then they performed a new duet which they wrote together. They had a five song EP with the latter song and previously recorded songs available for an "official" donation of $5 or however much you wanted to donate. Not bad for a few months worth of work. The night kicked into high gear with the folk, rock and bluegrass of Miz and then the three-guitar power rock of Lost In Company.

Stephen Rose's Reverbnation profile

Lost In Company's Reverbnation profile

Mike Miz's Reverbnation profile