South Side
Pigeon Kings – My wife and a friend caught these guys last night and said they were good. Their Celtic rock sound is the perfect set to start getting you in the mood for Celticfest. They play at 7pm at Americaplatz.
Head to their site for a listen.
North Side
RFA – Stripped down, straight forward rock n’ roll reminiscent of The Strokes. This four piece out of Philly released a really great self-titled album at a release party at PhilaMOCA earlier in the year. Hear it live on Main Street at 3pm.
Kalo – Wailing, blues-laden rock that’s all thanks to singer and guitarist Bat-or Kalo. Her bio says she sounds like “Howlin’ Wolf or Muddy Waters on steroids” and that’s quite the accurate description. They take the stage at 5pm at Liederplatz
Nik Greeley and the Operators – I’ve caught this group a bunch, and they always put on a good set. Last year they played a late night show and it was a straight up party. They’ve got a ton of energy, and their horn infused blues rock is just what the doctor ordered for a Friday night show. They play at Plaza Tropical at 7:30pm.
The New Respects – I’ve been really digging their single “Trouble,” a bass-heavy, loud heartfelt rock song. I watched a few videos of them performing live at venues like Red Rocks and they sound even better live. They take the stage at Plaza Tropical at 9:30pm.
And finally, here’s today’s fest playlist all neatly packaged in Spotify for your listening pleasure: