Yet again, the peeps at Communion brought a festival sized lineup to Underground Arts for the monthly club series. With a mix of local, national, and international bands, the tour brought a diverse line-up to the masses. Let's take a look at some of the highlights:
Brisbane, Australia natives Cub Sport made their first Philadelphia stop a memorable one as the four-piece band played tracks from both of their EP's Paradise and Told You So. The quirky medley of "Independent Women", "Jumpin Jumpin," and "Crazy In Love, " a little Destiny's Child/Beyoncé covers mix certainly was notable, although perhaps it was the irony of Tim Nelson doing the vocals for "Independent Women" rather than Zoe Davis, that made it stand out. "Pool," an ode to one particular swimming pool they liked to take late-night hops into, was flashback to my own risky youth. Whether ironic cover or relateable lyric, from over half the world away they certainly made a connection with the Philly crowd.
Joey Sweeney & The Long Hair Arkestra was next. It's awesome that a guy who has been making music for as long as some of the other performers on the bill have been alive (Don't worry Joey, I'm older too). The cool thing is Joey Sweeney will continue to be new. Even more so, he will continue to deserve to be discovered. The large but scattered crowd was easily convinced to come up and enjoy the six-piece band. Similar to the skill of a Jedi master using a mind trick, Joey Sweeney knows how to draw in the attention of the crowd and make a connection with them which other bands could take a few lessons from. Joey Sweeney was accompanied by a fab two-piece horn section, elevating his songs in a comforting, somewhat Jeff Tweedy/not too flashy way. The set capped with a Sam Cooke cover that did not disappoint!
Our Griffins ended the showcase and what a treat it was. For the fans that braved the lengthy evening staying until well after midnight, they heard a mix of the best of Michael Boyd and some brand new, freshly unveiled songs. DJ Brown is an easy the focal point with his great vocals, but in these louder & bigger shows it stands out more just how much Travis Hobbie, Alex Luquet, and John Kimock add to the intensity. Never out playing the song, they work seamlessly as a unit. At the same time giving you four divergent pieces to affix to.
Be absolutely sure to come back for the June Communion Philadelphia tour stop at Underground Arts on June 5th. The line-up already looks incredible and there are more bands to be announced.
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