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[Chris Huber]

Friends – gather around for one helluva two week run jam of music in the Philadelphia jam scene in recent memory. Sure it’s bananas when Phish comes to town, but PARTYBOY here always appreciates a cornucopia of bands, skills, actions and diversity. That’s exactly what’s happening over the next 10 days.  Let’s start with Friday 12/12. Reality Check Experiment is back at it this weekend, but with two Zapp tests. First time ever – double header (or what I like to call a Doobie-header).

One Zapp Friday, one Zapp Saturday, to celebrate separate birthdays of loyal band – aides on each night. Night one of the Zapp Test Doobie-el feature celebrates “Matt the Light Guy”. The one and only @matchagram – Matt Sickonic – with his new lighting rig and all – is celebrating is 40th birthday Friday night – and we are getting Zapped doing it at 2525 W Girard Ave. What shall we do o ye faithful – bring him a bottle of Captains and pretend he’s 18? Bring him some blunts to enjoy during the psychedelic 40 festi? Both? Neither? Either way it’s going to be a Scenesberry.

Saturday is Zapp redux birthday weekend /night two doobie header festi. One of the band’s friends – @only1_dani – is turning 21. So while the Friday night is the psychedelic homage to Matt and his new light rig – an appropriate send off for Matt into his 4th decade on Earth – Saturday is the disco night, featuring covers, gags, funk – and more captain’s. Basically the way you’d want shit to go down on your 21st, just like the nigh prior is the same way you’d want shit to go down on your 40th. 

Info below: https://www.instagram.com/p/DSBfKjwEQGN/?igsh=MWV6aHh1dDZmanlsNw==

Saturday night in Ardmore – Home for the MF’ing Holidays with Tom Hamilton 

If you’re looking for a bigger blowout – rather than an intimate get together – might I interest you in door number two? Apparently Tom Hamilton decided to get some of his best musical buddies together and throw a pre-christmas party he’s calling “Home for the Holidays” Sat. Dec. 13th at the Ardmore Music Hall. It’s also apparently the 20th anniversary of Brothers Past’s most commercially successful album – This Feeling’s Called Goodbye – which (insanely) is the only Brothers Past album available on iTunes.  Hamilton is bringing his friends to boot – Joey Russo (yeah – the guy from JRAD), Tom McKee (Keyboardist of Brothers Past), Clay Parnell (bassist – Brothers Past), Aaron Magner (Disco Biscuits), Nick Bockrath (Cage the Elephant), and more…  Are you freaking kidding me?!? This is going to be insane.  Bizarrely, Brothers Past (at least in these Philly parts) is the white whale of jam bands. 

Everyone you ask – fucking everyone – who is your favorite jam band? The most common answer – without a doubt – Brothers Past.  Also bizarrely, it’s hard to find good live recordings of their existence.  Yes, there are many shows available on archive.org – and I’m starting to dig into the old tapes – but many don’t seem to have great sound quality.  You know what always comes through clear as day? A loud and fired up crowd — every single show. They have some unique mish-mash of greatful dead, techno, jamtronica going on – a style somewhat reflective of the Disco Biscuits. But while the recent Biscuits are very much dance music, Brothers Past seems to mix in more psychedelia / disco era Dead sound than the Disco Biscuits.  It’s no surprise that Hamilton ended up leading JRAD with the style he perfected with Brothers Past. 

Nowadays, with the popularity of dance and EDM, and festivals like Hulaween and Electric Forrest marrying EDM with JAM, many of the big jam outtifs want to achieve this type of sound Brothers Past (along with the New Deal, STS9, and obviously Disco Biscuits) perfected 20 years ago. Its short-lived nature has certainly given the band a cult-like status. For Hamilton to basically get the old band back-together, add some crazy special guests – like Joey Russo, Magner, and the lead guitarist of Cage the Elephant – Nick Bockrath – you have some world class musicians. All in a tiny ass room. For 33 dollars. and it’s not sold out yet? You kidding me? Playoffs? 

https://youtube.com/watch?v=NK3Jx2yvtVE&si=JhEmyp8cmS5QwO-Z 

Previewing Next Week

well like I said it was an epic two week run didn’t I? I wasn’t lying. I’m not going deems-mented like our president (but I do love me some Deems – I’m a total alternate for the  the 92 Deems Team – just call me Hakeem the Deems – but I digress). Next week – Thursday night at Underground Arts (12/18) – Consider the Source opening for Worldtown Soundsystem.  Also Thursday night – night one of a FOURSKI with Dogs in a Pile. Dogs in a Pile traded in their normal holiday show in Asbury Park to do a residency in Ardmore this Holiday season (and no one knows quite the reason). The Dogs have scheduled four (4) two set nights – no repeats – also some incredible guests / specially curated music – including night 1 – jazz side project “Cats in a Stack” feat. Jeremy Kaplan (keys, bass, flute / trumpet), Sam Lucid (bass, keys), Joey Babick (drums); Eli Winderman (night two) doing a “late night” dj set (included in tickets), DJ Greenie (Mike Greenfield of Lotus – who drums along as a “DJ”) doing the same thing / late night on night 3; night 4 feat. an acoustic set by “Murray’s Law” (Brian Murray and Jimmy Law – lead guitarists of the Dogs) with Steve Kimock.  It’s going to be insanity. Sure Fire Scenesberry. Definitely Partyboy approved. I haven’t seen this much excitement since Gards defeated Moser at arm wrestling to determine who had to stay sober to drive to Lockn from Stony Jr’s bachelor party. 

Seriously though what’s up with Rising Sun Production double booking Considering the Source at Underground Arts same as Night One Dogs in a Pile at Ardmore??? Rising Sun does production at both venues. I’m pretty ticked about this. I’m going to have to choose between Consider the Source and Dogs in a Pile. Making matters ever worse this Worldtown Soundsystem group that is headlining for Consider the Source sounds really awesome too and I’ve never seen them live.  Why is the same production company booking the same night in the same city at affiliated venues when there is clearly overlap in the fan base??? I’m going to have to bust some ass like busta bust getting called Tracy Morgan by some snot nosed LA rich kid content creator. Show some respect to Busta Bust:  https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTrQJDQnX/

And show some respect to PArtyBoy – come on Rising Sun!!! I am a paying customer …what’s up with making me do a Sophie’s Choice over here … and unlike Meryl I’m not winning an Oscar for having to marry / kill Dogs in a Pile or Consider the Source … oof…

• This topic was modified 2 months, 2 weeks ago by Chris Huber. Reason: fixed structure.... it may not feel like it but things are actually underway to be finally working perfectly arund here