Suburban Living seats itself comfortably among bands that are helping to define the modern day new wave/dream-pop sound, borrowing the upbeat, danceable rhythms from groups like The Cure and melding them with the textures and atmospherics associated with acts such as Cocteau Twins and Slowdive. Wielding these colorful influences alone leaves little to be desired for the average scenester or Captured Tracks junkie, but Suburban Living adds another distinct voice and flavor to the field of atmosphere-inclined, danceable pop. Instantly catchy, twinkling guitar melodies suspend themselves over a consistent, pulsing horizon of drums - all floating above a foundational bass progression that gives the song a firm anchor to the terrestrial. And you have the chance to experience it for yourself tonight at Ortlieb’s, where you can untether your mind from these analytical musings and concrete references, and start drifting through the ether with Suburban Living like you’re supposed to. They’ll be accompanied by Infinity Girl, who take a more jagged, fuzzy approach to the new dream-pop model, while still paying homage to The Cure’s knack for a funky, punctuative bass line contained within a no-nonsense, driving post-punk song. Psych-pop outfit Teen Men will round out the bill with DJ Jeff Zeigler on the wheels of steel throughout the night. Ortlieb’s, 847 N. 3rd St., 9pm, $10, 21+ (Photo by Melissa Tilley) - Bryce Woodcock
Other places to lose yourself this weekend…
Johnny Brenda’s (1201 N. Frankford Ave.) FRI The Goodbye Party, Residuels, SAT Spraynard, SUN Bondage & Discipline
The Boot & Saddle (1131 S. Broad St.) SAT Summer Fiction, Heyward Howkins, SUN The Extraordinaires
Kung Fu Necktie (1250 N. Front St.) FRI Starwood, Impressionist/Distressor, Audio Impulse, Chezwick/Jesse Tyler, SAT Katie Barbato, Caroline Reese/DJ PHSH, DJ Ferno, SUN Rumpelstiltskin Grinder/Alec Stewart, Evan Cory Levine, TJ Kong
PhilaMOCA (531 N. 12
th St.) SAT Aunt Dracula (Record Release), Hallowed Bells, Whoopsydaisy
Union Transfer (1026 Spring Garden St,) SAT Ground Up, Rone, Armani White
The Trocadero (1003 Arch St.) FRI Freeway & Friends, SAT Atley Moon & The Say Something Sound Machine, Rob Octane & the Old School Hustlers
World Café Live (3025 Walnut St.) FRI (Downstairs) The Ocean Blue, SAT (Upstairs) Angela Sheik, Arc Divers
Bourbon and Branch (705 N. 2
nd St.) FRI Needle Points, Air is Human, SAT 56 Men, Jawn Juan, SUN Stealing Fame, Zack Göebbel (Record Release), Brianna Nelson, Julia Mae Staley
The Fire (412 W. Girard Ave.)FRI (7pm) Mark Lanky/(9pm) Dirty Soap Blues Band’s 60’s Doo-Wop Tribute, SAT (7pm) Robert Trusko/(9pm) Looseleaf Trio, Community Center, SUN The Deadeyes, Gene Wildest
MilkBoy Philly (1100 Chestnut St.) FRI Reckless Dodgers, SAT Illinois, Prowler, The Fantastic Imagination, SUN Wild Rompit
Silk City (435 Spring Garden St.) FRI Bo Bliz, Low Budget, SAT DJ Deejay
Fergie’s (1214 Sansom St.) FRI New Pony, SAT (7pm) Red Cedar Strings, SUN Rusty Cadillac
Tin Angel (20 S. 2
nd St.) FRI Brian Flanagan, Kicking Down Doors, Silver Skies
Frankie Bradley’s (1320 Chancellor St.) FRI DJ Royale, Gun$ Garcia, SAT Ed Christof, SUN “Feathers & Follies”
Connie’s Ric Rac (1132 S. 9th St) FRI Red Martina, Kingsound Vibration, SAT The Griz Band, Rev. TJ McGlinchey, SUN Visoon
The Grape Room (105 Grape St.) FRI Gavilán, Borrowed Equipment, SAT Makhaira, Bruce Torres, Harlowe Jones
Ardmore Music Hall (23 E. Lancaster Ave.) SAT Tommy Conwell & The Young Rumblers, EBaz and The Warriors
West Kensington Ministry (2140 N. Hancock St.) SUN Humanshapes, Dirt Weed Revue
LAVA Space (Please contact one of the acts or venue more info.) FRI Phet Phet, Rubber
Girard Hall (Please contact one of the acts or venue more info.) FRI Pulling Punches, SAT Alien Dregs, Disjawn
Lacuna (Please contact one of the acts or venue more info.) SAT Weird Sisters
Venue Boy (Please contact one of the acts or venue more info.) SUN Krispy Kareem, Old Maybe, Line Leader
Hong Kong Garden (Please contact one of the acts or venue more info.) SAT Prince of Yeti Mantra, Lead Pipe, Sour Spririt
All Nite Diner (Please contact one of the acts or venue more info.) FRI Roof Doctor, Friendship, Traded
Mantua Yacht Club (Please contact one of the acts or venue more info.) SAT Square Peg Round Hole, W. C. Lindsay
Cha-Cha'Razzi (Please contact one of the acts or venue more info.) SAT Disinterest, Remote Control
Haus of Yarga (Please contact one of the acts or venue more info.) FRI Cool Points, The Pretty Greens
