Concerts

St. Vincent and the Philly Pops Deliver a One-of-a-Kind Night at The Met

June 09, 2026 – Grammy Award-winning artist St. Vincent brought something truly special to a packed house at The Met Philadelphia on Thursday night, joining forces with the world-renowned Philly Pops for a unique performance unlike anything normally seen at the venue. Photography & Review by Steve Cerf @stevecerf The historic 1908 theater provided the […]

Modest Mouse Debuts An Eraser and a Maze Before Packed Starland Ballroom Crowd

June 05, 2026 – Indie alt-rock icons Modest Mouse played to a sold out crowd at Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, NJ on Friday night. The venue was packed shoulder-to-shoulder from the barricade to the back wall as fans gathered to celebrate the release of the band’s eighth studio album, An Eraser and a Maze, their […]

Em Beihold Showcases Debut Album Maybe Life Is Good at a Sold Out Foundry

May 28, 2026 – Em Beihold brought her Maybe Life Is Good Tour to a sold-out Foundry in Philadelphia on Friday night. The tour is in support of her debut album, Maybe Life Is Good. Known for blending indie, alternative, and pop influences, Beihold first gained widespread attention with her smash hit “Numb Little Bug.” […]

They Might Be Giants Blend Nostalgia and New Material During Sold-Out Philly Performance

May 15, 2026 – A line of fans wrapped around Union Transfer before doors even opened as They Might Be Giants returned to Philadelphia for the opening night of a hat trick of sold-out performances on THE BIGGER SHOW TOUR. The New York natives have been making music since 1982, but somehow they’ve never fit […]

Peaches n’ Kream Tour ’26 Brings The Black Keys Back to Their Raw Blues Roots

May 09, 2026 – Peaches n’ Kream World Tour ’26 rolled into Franklin Music Hall in Philadelphia Saturday night while fans packed the floor and balcony early waiting for The Black Keys to take the stage. The energy inside the venue was immediate, you could feel the heat building and then The Black Keys took […]

Sports

Villanova upsets previously unbeaten Lehigh to advance to FCS quarterfinals

[ by Rick Pettine ] December 6, 2025 – Bethlehem, PA — In a mutually defensive game, the Villanova Wildcats eventually pushed past the previously unbeaten Lehigh Mountain Hawks, 14-7, to advance to the FCS championship playoff quarterfinals against Tarleton State in Texas. Following a scoreless first half by both teams, Lehigh drove the field in a […]

Villanova advances in FCS Playoffs with dominant win over Harvard

[ by Rick Pettine ] November 29, 2025 – Villanova, PA — An Ivy League dream season turned into a nightmare for the Harvard Crimson when Villanova crushed them in round-1 of the FCS Championship Playoffs, 52-7. Harvard earned their first post-season appearance in 105 years – yep, since 1920 – after wining their 3rd straight Ivy […]

Villanova continues winning streak, beating Albany 29-16

[ by Rick Pettine ] October 25, 2025 – Villanova, PA — Villanova extended their winning streak to 5 after topping the Albany Great Danes, 29-16 in front of their homecoming crowd. Pat McQuaide threw for 203 total yards, including two touchdowns to wide receiver Luke Colella. Jack Barnum made field goals of 41, 23 and 44 […]

Hampton routed by the Wildcats, 56-14

[ by Rick Pettine ] October 18, 2025 – Villanova, PA — In a one-sided match, the FCS 15th ranked Villanova Wildcats dominated the Hampton Pirates at home 56-14. Nova’s QB Pat McQuaide passed for 166 yards and 5 TDs each to a different receiver. By the end of the first half, the rout was on with […]

Villanova holds on to defeat William & Mary

[ by Rick Pettine ] September 27, 2025 – Villanova, PA — The Villanova Wildcats pulled out a win on Family Weekend against the William & Mary Tribe, 31-24. The Wildcats struck first when David Avid (24) dove for the score after the offense drove 92 yards to set up the TD. But the Tribe scored 2 […]

Philadelphia Union edges out New England

[ by Rick Pettine ] September 20, 2025 – Chester, PA — The Union held onto a one goal lead to edge past their Eastern Conference opponent New England Revolution at Subaru Park. The first half was scoreless as both teams had their chances. However in the 70th minute in the second half, Bruno Damiani found the […]

Interviews

Cory Marks is Country Music With a Rock and Roll Attitude

[Edited Transcript: Abbreviated for length and clarity] Interview + Article By: Erin Hunter (@erinehunter) April 15th, 2025 – Cory Marks is a top-charting Country Rock artist from North Bay, Ontario, in Canada. From the day he was encouraged to perform open-mike at a bar, he was destined to sing, and he has become the first […]

Sierra Spirit: Feelings as the Heartbeat of a Song

[Edited Transcript: Abbreviated for length and clarity] Interview by Erin Hunter + Photos by Steve Cerf January 25h, 2025 – Sierra Spirit is an indigenous artist from Tulsa, Oklahoma. Born Sierra Spirit Kihega, storytelling was always a significant part of her culture, and her debut EP is a reflection of this innate part of indigenous […]

Jungle Giants Interview

[ Interview by Jen Strogatz ] [ Photos by Jen Strogatz ] Independent Philly: Where does the name ‘Jungle Giants’ come from? Who thought of it? Andrew Dooris: When we were first starting up the band, we all came up with a few names; I think The Jungle Giants was Sam’s. We handn’t formally decided […]

Interview with Nathan Willett of The Cold War Kids

[Interview by David J. Miller] The Cold War Kids are in the midst of a tour that brings them to the City of Brotherly Love on Friday, January 31st, 2020 at The Fillmore. Back in November, lead singer Nathan Willett spoke with us about the new album, their live show, the challenges of adapting to […]

Interview: Yesod Williams From Pepper

Ahead of their upcoming Step to the Local Motion Tour and their show at the TLA in Philadelphia on February 15th, Pepper’s drummer Yesod Williams took some time to speak with IndependentPhilly.com about their new album, Local Motion, the band’s history, his favorite thing about Philly, how much pot the 3 members of Pepper can all smoke […]

Interview with Ron Pope

Independent Philly recently had the opportunity to speak with Nashville-based singer-songwriter, Ron Pope. If you haven’t heard of Ron Pope, you might recognize his music from features on shows like like NBC’s “The Voice,” CW’s “Vampire Diaries,” “90210,” and multiple seasons of FOX’s “So You Think You Can Dance,” which sent two of his albums into […]

Local Spotlight

Big Fans, Bigger Night as Snacktime’s NYE Tradition Grows at Brooklyn Bowl Philly

December 31, 2025 – Snacktime’s third annual New Year’s Eve run at Brooklyn Bowl filled early, coats vanished into the void, and by the time the lights dropped, everyone already looked committed to staying up late and feeling it in the morning. Photos + Article by @a.j.kinney The crowd skewed older, and it showed in […]

No Rain, No Flowers, Nothing Held Back with The Black Keys at The Borgata

August 9, 2025 – As the lights dimmed, the Akron, Ohio duo of Dan Auerbach (lead vocals, guitar) and Patrick Carney (drums) kicked off the night with the gritty trifecta “Thickfreakness / The Breaks / I’ll Be Your Man,” setting the tone for what would be a raw and electric performance. The curtain lifted as […]

Glitterfox Set to Return to Philly with Emotional Firepower and Unflinching Joy

August 01, 2025 – Let’s get one thing out of the way: yes, World Cafe Live is still standing, and still under fire. After a bitter clash earlier this summer between venue ownership and a tight-knit crew of dedicated staffers many of whom were suddenly let go after raising concerns over a variety of issues; […]

Harmony in Motion, Duffy String Band’s Spectacular Showcase at the Mummers Parade

The Duffy String Band, a renowned participant in Philadelphia’s annual Mummer’s Parade, has long been celebrated for its vibrant and entertaining performances that captivate audiences and exemplify the rich tradition of Mummers in the city. The Mummers Parade, held annually on New Year’s Day, is a cherished Philadelphia tradition dating back to the 19th century, […]

Around Town

Modest Mouse Debuts An Eraser and a Maze Before Packed Starland Ballroom Crowd

June 05, 2026 – Indie alt-rock icons Modest Mouse played to a sold out crowd at Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, NJ on Friday night. The venue was packed shoulder-to-shoulder from the barricade to the back wall as fans gathered to celebrate the release of the band’s eighth studio album, An Eraser and a Maze, their […]

Perfume Genius Brings Stillness and a Deeply Personal Set to First Unitarian Church

April 01, 2026 – From the moment Perfume Genius took the stage at Philly’s First Unitarian Church, he commanded the room in a way few artists can. Backed by a second keyboard, the stripped-down setup kept the focus on his voice, moving effortlessly through the higher register before dropping down when needed. The performance felt […]

Caroline Jones Brings Stadium Sized Talent to 118 North

March 06, 2026 – From the corner buskers to the Honky Tonks to the writers’ showcases, Nashville is bleeding with talent. On any given day, the best of the best are tracking in studios on Music Row or loading up buses to take their songs around the world. Among this top-tier, one collection of players […]

Rising Star Syd Taylor Captivates Philadelphia Crowd

March 07, 2026 – The sold out First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia was packed as Syd Taylor walked onto the stage with the swagger and confidence of a superstar. I had the unique opportunity to cover an artist that is sure to rise to star status. Photography & Review by Steve Cerf @stevecerf Syd Taylor, […]

Moe. Begin Their Four Night Residency at ArdMOE Music Hall In Stride

March 4th, 2026 – The quiet stretch of Lancaster Avenue outside Ardmore Music Hall looked less like the Main Line and more like the parking lot of a traveling carnival. Tie dye in the cold night air. Old tour hoodies resurrected from closets. The soft murmur of fans swapping predictions about bust outs before the […]