Events

Open Mic Night

Hosting this Thursday will be Kyle Swartzwelder.

Please review the house rules here.

Five Mile Fall with Jason Min

 

Rising up through suburban Philadelphia is Five Mile Fall. This melodic rock band formed in the fall of ‘09 is quickly finding their place in the Philly music scene opening for the national act Barlow Girl and booking a stage at Musikfest in Bethlehem in their first year.

Their music explores the human condition in all its beauty and brokenness. Soaring vocals and melodic guitars accompany the solid grooves laid out on their tunes. Be sure to check them out this summer and fall!

-- Opening will be special guest Jason Min

$5 Cover

Doors Open at 7:30pm

Adrien Reju, Suzie Brown, and Barnaby Bright

 

Adrien Reju has captivated audiences with her clear, lilting voice and her sparkling stage presence. After gaining her degree in classical guitar from Ithaca College, the New York City raised singer/songwriter took to the music circuit of Philadelphia, toured throughout the nation with the rootsy trio Angel Band with David Bromberg, and was the creative force behind the Philadelphia-based bluegrass outfit The Lowlands.
To listen to samples, visit www.rejumusic.com

Having started writing songs in June 2008, Brown has already taken the circuit in and around Philadelphia by storm, selling out popular area music venues such as the Tin Angel, and opening for the likes of Livingston Taylor and Lyle Lovett. Brown’s songwriting is remarkably mature, combining subtle progressions with memorable turns of phrase, in the best tradition of Nashville-style songwriting. This summer, Brown has reached new audiences with successful shows at Bethlehem Musikfest in Bethlehem, PA, Rockwood Music Hall in New York City, and Johnny D’s in Boston. She will continue touring this fall in support of her recently completed EP, Side Streets, produced by Ross Bellenoit at Turtle Studios in Philadelphia. To listen to samples, visit www.myspace.com/suziebrownsongs

Barnaby Bright's music has since been featured on television shows such as ER, Days of Our Lives, and PBS Roadtrip Nation. Their song, "If I Came Back as a Song" was voted 3rd place winner by a notable panel of judges including Tom Waits, in 2007's International Song-Writing Competition. They will be featured as an "Emerging Artist" at the legendary Falcon Ridge Folk Festival in upstate NY this summer, and are returning to Europe this fall for a month-long tour. Playing throughout NYC in some of the city’s top clubs and venues, this duo continues wowing packed audiences with thoughtful lyrics, intricate melodies and unexpected instrumentation. Rooted in folk, but pushing the boundaries, Barnaby Bright's unique brand of lush, indie folk is a warm and welcome wind of change. To listen to samples, visit www.barnabybright.com

$10 Adv / $12 At the Door

Doors Open at 7:30pm

Eric Barbuscia with Scott Haskitt

 

Every good song has a story. Every good record begins its tale from note one. It is a rare songwriter who can hook the listener and melt the heart before singing a single word. Eric Barbuscia, with the emergence of his debut record, Backroads, proves himself to be just such a uniquely gifted artist. With rich, beautifully realized vocal ability, he merges his heartfelt lyrics with acoustic finger-picking, gorgeous chord progressions, and just the right amount of edge in some mean electric guitar.

Singing since he could talk, and playing guitar since the age of five, Eric took up his instrument seriously at seventeen, merely hoping to become proficient, and then eventually master the craft enough to enjoy playing the music he loved. With the advent of writing songs, an aspect of his musicality that simply emerged by chance, Eric began to play in the campus coffeehouse during college, and performed at area open mics. After ceasing to play publicly for some time, Eric wandered eventually into the local open mic scene at Wayne, PA’s Gryphon Café, then hosted by fellow singer/songwriter Josh Komorowski. Having revisited his love of performing original songs, and inspired by the encouragement of many talented friends, Eric took his songwriting to a whole new level and has never looked back.

As a solo singer/songwriter releasing his first CD, Eric Barbuscia introduces the listener to a fully developed, complexly layered, original sound with Backroads, offering tones of country, blues, ballads, and rock. Eric sings from the heart, writes from the soul, and stays true to his deep respect for music as an art and a way of life. Eric’s other projects include membership and collaboration in several bands, as well as continual songwriting for future solo releases. He continues to play with local musical artists Josh Komorowski, Bill O’Meara, and John Galla, and currently plays and writes in the band Ink & Blades with Scot Sax, co-writer of Faith Hill’s Grammy-winning smash “Like We Never Loved at All” and producer of Backroads. You can also hear Eric’s electric guitar work on Sharon Little’s 2010 album produced for CBS Records by Don Was.

-- Opening will be special guest Scott Haskitt

$10 Cover

Doors Open at 7:30pm

Sam and Ruby with Joy Ike

 

Sam & Ruby gently blend R&B, folk and pop into a sound that is immediately warm and welcoming. Ruby Amanfu boasts a sophisticated, soulful voice that compliments Sam Brooker's relaxed, confident approach. Their song, "Heaven's My Home," is featured in the major motion picture, "The Secret Life of Bees."

Sam Brooker and Ruby Amanfu are both accomplished artists and songwriters in their own right. In fact, their song, "Heaven's My Home," as performed by The Duhks, was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2007. They met in 1999 at a writer's night in Nashville. The two formed a friendship based on mutual respect for each other's music and penned their first song together, "The Here & The Now." The two would go on to perform the song at each other's shows and the audience immediately embraced them, giving rise to the dynamic duo of Sam & Ruby.

Musically their songs represent the "stuff of life." Ruby comments, "We try not to fear honesty in our writing and tackle the things that hurt, the things that aren't always pretty. We wanted this record to be honest and conversational." Sam and Ruby break free from the saturated pack of disheartened singer/songwriters by injecting their songs with messages of uplift and hope. Simply put, it's inspirational.

-- Opening will be special guest Joy Ike

$22 Adv / $25 At the Door

Doors Open at 7:30pm

Edie Carey with Aiden James

 

With her warm, graceful voice and her knack for cutting "into a subject...with a diamond-edged blade" Edie Carey grabs hold of her audiences and doesn't let go until she steps off the stage. While her songs are what first draw listeners in, it's what she says in between that keeps them coming back. Carey's wry and self-mocking humor, coupled with her ability to tell a great story, makes audiences feel as though they have just spent the evening with a very close friend. Given the triple threat of her magnetic stage presence, heart-grabbing songs, and almost unearthly voice, it's no wonder that the word about Carey is traveling fast.

Featuring acclaimed Seattle-based musicians Jonathan Kingham, Skip Peri, Dan Tyack, and Julie Wolf (Ani DiFranco), When I Was Made was released in January 2004. Edie's previous albums, Come Close, Call Me Home, and The Falling Places were released to critical acclaim in 2002, 2000, and 1998, respectively.

-- Opening will be special guest Aiden James

$12 Cover

Doors Open at 7:30pm

Dave Spencer Trio with Eric Burkert

 

This Phoenixville, PA-based group has a sound both sophisticated and minimalist. The trio is actually a duo, and Eli Wenger joins Dave Spencer on vocals, guitar, ukelele, and piano. Eli and David met as employees of Steel City Coffee House. Working open mic nights they started to collaborate. Eventually Dave became the host of the Thursday night open mic and in 2009, the Dave Spencer Trio started to share their music with a wider audience to rave reviews.

Dave, a lifetime musician has been playing music since grade school. By age 13, Dave was composing his own music on piano and learning to play guitar. In high school he performed with the band, the Hot Fossil Project. They played school events, parties and won numerous battle of the bands contests. After high school, the band members split up to go to different colleges, but Dave has continued to write and play as a solo guitarist. The Dave Spencer Trio has played private gigs and top area venues like Burlap and Bean, The Grand in Wilmington, Puck in Doylestown, the Eagleview Concert Series,as well as selling out Steel City Coffee House for their last three shows.

Reviews: -New artist on my radar in Dave Spencer Trio as Dave emcees shows at Steel City CoffeeHouse in Phoenixville, Pa. out in the suburbs west of Philadelphia. He does a bang up job as emcee . . . turns out Dave also hosts a weekly open mic there, too. I hear echos of John Gorka's beginnings. - Ellis Paul Online Discussion Group

-- Opening will be special guest Eric Burkert

$10 Cover

Doors Open at 7:30pm

Charlie Phillips with Joe Ward

 First Friday hosted by Charlie.
Sober Night  - - - - - No BYOB

Listeners agree that Charlie's music cannot be categorized into genre. His musical influences - rooted primarily in rock, soul, folk, and blues - have been blended and distilled to create his eclectic style and fresh sound. From the blues-rock and reggae flavored "Preacherman" to the campfire folksiness of "Donny T", he draws from a pallet of musical colors creating memorable melodies and hooks which leave the listener singing.

Charlie performs solo, as a duo, or with the 4-piece Charlie Phillips Band. Songs from Charlie's first CD "All Roads Lead To Home" have received radio play on WXPN 88.5 in Philadelphia and WSTW 93.7 in Wilmington.

-- Opening will be special guest Joe Ward

Liz Longley with Drew Gibson

 

Voted the #1 all-time female vocalist in Garageband's acoustic category in May of 2006, Liz Longley's textured voice evokes unconventional reactions from music lovers. "The voice of a goddess" writes seasoned musician Jason Canary. It's rare that a voice can arouse the listener to such levels, but this songstress does it...from the sweet velvet-ness of her voice to the passion in which she sings". Canary nicely sums up how people respond to Liz. Even influential artist Ani DiFranco, known for her starkly frank lyrics, has praised Liz's music as "Gorgeous", adding, "I love it".

Her solo songwriting is garnering praise as well. This spring, Berklee College of Music honored her with their Songwriting Division Achievement Award. What’s more, ‘Whatever Goes Up’, a metaphorical song about life’s highs and lows, was ranked the No. 2 song in Berklee College of Music’s 2008 songwriting competition.

-- Opening will be special guest Drew Gibson

$12 Adv / $15 At the Door

Doors Open at 7:30pm

TBD

$TBD Cover

Doors Open at 7:30pm

John Mallinen, Mieka Pauley & Jason Myles Goss

 

With soft music and a warm spirit, John Mallinen isn't like most of today's artists. His unpretentious lyrics capture the mystery of living. Our culture is too verbose, says Mallinen as he takes a sip of wine, I want my music to create somewhat of a sacred and restful place, through both song and verse. His simple song structure and lyrical content often address the complexity and abundant simplicity that is life. In his music ups and downs are presented as normal and questions are refreshingly left unanswered. His soothing voice envelop the listener, making them feel at one with Mallinens thoughts. To listen to samples, visit www.youtube.com/watch?v=SoVSi5bK6t8

Do it bravely, Mieka Pauley sings on her latest record Elijah Drop Your Gun, and the words come at you like blunt force. Pauley, who has recently been Twitter-friended by Rivers Cuomo-dueting Rainn Wilson and championed by Cosmopolitan magazine of all things, forms a kind of bluesy-folk rock and roll that doesn't pander to any easy clichés or dialogue, as that sort of music so often does. She brings words to her tongue that don't feel to be of difficult conception, as if they are the particles that have just been swishing around her canals and veins for all of her eternity. To listen to samples, visit www.mieka.com

Jason Myles Goss recently released his third full-length album, A Plea for Dreamland. From the opening track it’s clear that this change of scenery (along with four years between records) has brought about changes in Jason’s singing and songwriting, with many new influences at hand. Here Jason is heard singing in a lower, more resonant voice, with lyrics that are acutely poetic, darkly playful, and, at times, just plain quirky. To listen to samples, visit www.jasonmylesgoss.com

$8 Adv / $10 At the Door

Doors Open at 7:30pm

David Jacobs-Strain with Danielle Miraglia

 

David Jacobs-Strain, a consummate finger-style and slide guitarist, plays in the blues tradition but isn’t from it. You’ll hear echoes of Skip James, Charlie Patton, Tommy Johnson, and a song or two by Fred McDowell or Robert Johnson in his solo performances. But as a modern roots musician, singer, and songwriter, “I come from the language of the country blues, but it’s important not to silence other influences,” he says.

Upon listening to Jacobs-Stain’s latest CD, Liar’s Day, you can imagine him inviting his touchstone, American bluesman Taj Mahal, on a musical walkabout. You can imagine them conferring with Salif Keita, Afro-pop songster of Mali; and conversing with Vishwa Mohan Bhatt, Indian slide guitarist; and even conjuring the spirit of John Lennon while tramping in the Siskiyou Mountains of Oregon.

The traces of these musical excursions interweave with the fat sounds of a rock rhythm section. The results cohere into a genre-defying journal of Jacob-Strain’s pursuit to honor both the roots of American country blues and the possibilities that can grow from them.

-- Opening will be special guest Danielle Miraglia

$10 Adv / $12 At the Door

Doors Open at 7:30pm

Bill O'Meara with The Beekeepers

 

Bill O'Meara picked up a guitar for the first time at the age of ten years old and almost immediately began a love affair with song-writing. A decade later Bill stood on stage at Citizens Bank Park (home of the Philadelphia Phillies) as the lead singer, guitarist, song writer of the band Morning Story and played to tens of thousands of fans as the opener for world renown act Bon Jovi.

Prior to Morning Story, Bill played in and released a full length album with the Philly-local band "Dirty Blue" in 2006, enjoying a few spins by local radio station WXPN and bookings at nationally respected Philadelphia area venues such as The Electric Factory, World Cafe Live, Grape Street Philadelphia, The Tin Angel, and many others.

-- Opening will be special guest The Beekeepers

$10 Cover

Doors Open at 7:30pm

Darden Smith and Kyle Swartzwelder

 

Darden Smith put out his first album, yes, a genuine vinyl album, in 1986. Since then he has released 10 more. You would think he would have learned his lesson by now. 'Ojo', his first live recording, is the latest. In the ensuing 20 years of toil and trevail, he has toured a rediculous amount, playing every state except for Hawaii and South Dakota, playing to crowds as small as he and a bartender in Asbury Park, NJ to 9,000 adoring and lace-wrapped fans of Stevie Nicks when he opened her 1993 tour of the US. He's been on the Tonight Show a couple of times, Austin City Limits, and recently heard his song, 'Loving Arms' again in Home Depot. The peaks just keep getting higher.

Outside of what he considers his 'day job' of writing songs, making cds and touring, he has written music for dance theater, done commercials for radio and tv, and had songs placed on network tv. The Austin Symphony commissioned his work, "Grand Motion" in 1999. His newest theater piece, "Marathon," a collaboration with Austin writer/musician Jesse Sublett, is in production with the University of Texas Performing Arts Center.

-- Opening will be special guest Kyle Swartzwelder

$15 Adv / $18 At the Door

Doors Open at 7:30pm

JD Malone

 

Dad, husband, son, brother, friend, singer/songwriter, recovering philosopher. JD Malone was born and raised under a bright blue sky in a small town called Bennington in the Green Mountain State of Vermont, U.S.A. He writes and sings songs about love and hate, angels and demons and the universal struggle to feel safe under the stars. Joining JD onstage this night is his band The Experts (Tom Hampton, Avery Coffee, Jim Miades and Tommy Geddes).

He has shared the stage with many national acts: Third Eye Blind, Eve 6, Sugar Ray, Vertical Horizon, Fuel, Familiar 48, Living Colour, The Fixx, July for Kings, Lola Ray, Robert Hazard, Silvertide, John Faye Power Trip, The Martians, The Bogmen, Dee Snyder, John Eddie, Danelia Cotton, Eric Andersen, Tom Gillam, Idlewheel, Craig Bickhardt, Jim Photoglo and Phil Vasser.

$10 Adv / $12 At the Door

Doors Open at 7:30pm

Vilebred with The Nodd

 

Vilebred is a band in the Philly suburbs area. The band started with Sam Vile and Jared Pennington who went on to add the Donahue brothers: Paul on bass, Will on Drums and also Greg Shaiko on Trumpet. Before the band got off the ground Ed Fagan joined forces on guitar with former worship team partner Jared Pennington. *** Jared has since left the band to pursue other musical endeavors, but still pops up here and there.

Each member of the band brings something different to the table. Sam brings his eccentric, off the wall, personality to his vocals. Paul Donahue adds a backbone with a steady bass sound, his only flaws come on purpose when he wants a laugh. Will brings great musical knowledge to the band as well as his skill on the drums. Ed Fagan brings an edge to the table with Metal influences and a Scott Ian-esque stage presence. Greg brings a comic relief to the band and always puts the crowd into a frenzy when he wails on his trumpet. Altogether the band plays a clever mix of alternative rock and classic rock covers with a twist only Vilebred can add.

-- Opening will be special guest The Nodd

$5 Cover

Doors Open at 7:30pm

John Conahan

As a singer/songwriter, John Conahan follows the tradition of thoughtful, piano-rooted songwriting. With bombastic vocals and exciting, beautiful piano playing, he is capable of introspective, sincere (yet angular) ballads, as well as the danceable and festive rockers.

He’s shared the stage with folks like Jeffrey Gaines, Dispatch, Los Lobos and Rachael Sage. John is well known for his witty stage banter and amiable, festive persona. John has been featured on radio broadcasts throughout the world and noted in trade publications as an exceptional and unique American songwriter.

$TBD Cover

Doors Open at 7:30pm