Fun around town, for $10 or less: Of Course It’s Free: "Neither Red nor Blue: The Libertarian Party in 2008 Election" featuring Bob Barr and the Cato Institute's David Boaz at the National Constitution Center (525 Arch), 6:30PM. $9 Calmer: Intro to Buddhist psychology and meditation presented by the Menlha Buddhist Center at the Ethical Humanist Society of Philadelphia (1906 S. Rittenhouse Sq), 7PM. $10 Buried: Buried Beds, These United States, and The Mural and......

Dear Business Week: I'm really pleased—no, really— that you've decided, in your recent Up-and-Coming Neighborhoods feature that my neighborhood, Northern Liberties, belongs on the list. It's a great neighborhood, and in the few months since I've moved there, I've really grown to love it. But did you really have to use a picture of Finnegan's Wake (featured above) to illustrate your point? Finnegan's is technically in NoLibs. This I know. But most of the......

For those of you who were lucky enough to catch Rachael Yamagata last year during her three nights of residency shows at Johnny Brenda's, you probably already have your tickets for tomorrow night. And for those of you who have only heard Rachael's gorgeous voice on CD or on the radio, find a way to beg, borrow or steal yourself a ticket to her sold out Johnny Brenda's show to see her perform live. It's......

A couple of pretty cool psych rock bands are going to be playing Johnny Brenda's tomorrow night. We're talking about Thrill Jockey label mates Arbouretum and Pontiak. Pontiak is made up of three brothers from the Blue Ridge farm country of Virginia. Pontiak's latest and second full length release, Sun on Sun, was literally recorded in a log cabin, and alternates between eerie, groovy, guitar-driven rock and atmospheric instrumentals. Also, there's an organ! Arbouretum is......

Ah, what a wonderful night for a concert! As I set out on the 40-minute drive from Norristown to Fishtown, where English power-pop duo The Ting Tings were playing Johnny Brenda’s with opening act Pattern Is Movement, the rains were absolutely torrential. There was pretty much zero visibility on the Schuylkill Expressway, where people continued to speed and generally drive like maniacs despite the treacherous conditions and half of the road being torn up. Upon......

English duo The Ting Tings have blasted onto the scene this year with an energetic brand of '80s-reminiscent dance-punk. Their debut album, We Started Nothing, debuted at Number 1 on the UK albums chart, while their song “That’s Not My Name” also reached the top spot on the trend-setting nation’s list of best-selling singles. However, the band should not be taken as an overnight sensation. Singer-guitarist Katie White was part of a defunct girl group......

You think the Fourth of July party stops on the 5th? Hell no! You got a whole weekend’s worth of patriotism to work through… not to mention food… Saturday: If you haven’t shaken those pesky kiddies off yet, you could take them back to Franklin Square, or change it up and get their faces painted and energy expended on Independence Mall from 10AM to 1PM. When you get hungry, head to the Great Plaza on......

Everyone has a story. Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson, who plays Johnny Brenda's tonight, has a story that reads like a film. His name alone is a mouthful. Then we read some clips. Another singer whose self-destruction was somehow wrapped up in his musical talent, therefore making it okay for his implosion to be public rather than private? Boring. Yet his music transcends the hard-luck hype. His voice is contemplative, yet playful. His descent into darkness......

Nobody in the five-piece English indie rock band The Long Blondes is blonde. You may remember them from the controversy they kicked up a while back when they said, "We do not listen to The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Jimi Hendrix, The Doors, or Bob Dylan. We chose an instrument each and learnt to play it." Their point was that music had gotten derivative and they were trying to do something new. In fact,......

This is not fair. This weather only exacerbates an already ominous-looking Monday. INDIAN JEWELRY AT JOHNNY BRENDA'S Apparently, they're known for their "droning vision music and seizure-inducing stage show". Sounds like Monday music to us! The Sounds of Kaleidescope and Lesser Known Neutrinos join them. WHO: 21+ WHERE: Johnny Brenda's, 1201 Frankford Avenue (map) WHEN: 8pm HOW MUCH: $8. Get 'em at the door, starting at 8pm, or here. ANATOMY OF THE FACE AND FACIAL......

We know, we know: we're late. Well, today is the express version of your favorite evening guidebook, so strap in and please, be forgiving: sometimes we need to step back from the computer for a moment and, you know, work. SALSA LESSON AND DANCE FOR BEGINNERS Go to Brasil's Nightclub (site is borderline NSFW, trust us) tonight and get a lesson in how to dance. Looking like you're desperate not to trip over nothing......

Two more days, two more days, two more days. As repetitive hopeful phrases go it may not be "There's no place like home...," but it gives us the same sense that life is, in fact, worth living. At least for two more days. SHECKY'S GIRLS NIGHT OUT This one is for the ladies. And the men who wear ladies' clothing sometimes. One Phillyist bore witness as droves of Center City females descended upon the......

If Philly Beer Week had a queen, it would no doubt be Suzanne Woods. Sly Fox Brewing Company’s director of sales and general “beer lass” is also the founding president of In Pursuit of Ale (IPA), a women’s-only beer drinking group recently featured on the front page of msn.com. We caught up with Suzanne at the Sly Fox brewer meet-and-greet at Johnny Brenda’s on Tuesday to talk about her favorite subject, so listen up ladies......

Bon Iver is the lyrics and music of Justin Vernon. As last night's opening act for Black Mountain, Vernon and his band set an introspective tone. The first thing I thought of when they started playing was, Dude meditates or spends a lot of time alone and quiet, or he could never write such insightful, unembellished lyrics, or create exquisite music stripped down to its barest, most natural, yet beautiful state. It's like he was......

Maybe you're all indie'd out and you're tired of the minimalist, navel gazing shite that got you through this bi-polar winter. Maybe you're tired of smacking yourself in the head, realizing that you could've seen a kick-ass band in the cozy comfort of Johnny Brenda's rather than the hips-to-asses crappy acoustics Electric Factory a year from now. Or maybe, it's Wednesday night and you want to tie one on and rock the hell out like......

Every weekday of December (except for December 25, that is), Phillyist will be counting down to 2008 with our highlights from the past year and our predictions for the next. If you have a list you'd like to submit, let us know! Quite a few of my favorite concert memories came from festivals that weren't in Philly—Austin City Limits and Virgin Fest—but next year, it looks like we might have our own sick festival to......

Rachael Yamagata, singer/songwriter, is headed to the Johnny Brenda's tonight. If you can't make it tonight, you can see her on Tuesday, July 24th or Tuesday, July 31st. Yep, that's right - she is playing three times in Philly, a short residency of sorts. Yamagata is known for her dark, raspy alto voice and being highlighted on numerous TV shows and movies. Recently, she contributed a song to Mandy Moore's new CD, Wild Hope. On......

To be honest, I can't decide whether or not I liked Headlight's concert. Not that they aren't talented, fun, or entertaining, but I just can't decide. I waited to write my review so I could think a bit more clearly on it, but frankly it's not coming to me. I will say that their recent release, Kill Me With Kindness, is one of my favorite albums right now. I even went to iTunes and bought......

We know, it's snowing (or something like it) and yes it's still April, but we have a great band for you to go see tonight. Some of you won't want to venture out tonight, but we definitely think it will be worth it. Screw the snow/slush/rain and come out tonight to see the Headlights perform in the middle of two other bands, Page France and The Trolleyvox. All three bands are a mix of infallible......