Secrets Don't Make Friends

Thanks a lot to the guys at First Unitarian for letting me into the WAY sold out Myspace Secret Show with Peter, Bjorn, & John. My dumbass decided to get to the venue 20 minutes into PB&J's set, but still managed to catch great renditions of "Objects of My Affection" and "Up Against the Wall." Of course, half of the faux-hipsters and children with 11pm curfews exited the venue after "Young Folks," but they know no better. But the song and video will always remain timeless.

It's good to see that Drink Up Buttercup scored a residency at The Fire for September. As I previously said, these guys have a ton of potential and it will be interesting to watch them progress and turn into a Philly favorite over the next few months. Their songs are still a little thin and could use some work structurally, but they're clearly on the right track. Although the band is still somewhat of a secret, my predictions are that by the time they play JB's in October they'll have a great local following.

I should have mentioned this earlier this week, but Braxton Parker's show at WCL this past weekend was great. Anyone who knows local music already knows this guys name, so I know I'm preaching to the choir here, but he just flat out fits the mold for pop music. I didn't think he's be able to pull off the live show flying solo, but I was proved wrong. Everything was looped perfectly and he worked his equipment flawlessly. However, a little too much reverb left something to be desired vocally. Even I can sound halfway decent if I load up on the reverb. I also got the feeling that he suffers from John Mayer syndrome; panty-peeler ballads like "Everything Changes" are what Braxton seems to have a good grasp on. But he still feels the need to prove to the audience that he knows how to rock out. Unfortunately, his more up-tempo songs seem a little dated and recycled. Stick to the ballads, Braxton; the writing's great.... and chicks man, chicks!