The Music Lover’s Information to Philadelphia

Repo Information

506 South Road, Philadelphia, PA, 19147

When you’re visiting Philadelphia, likelihood is you’re already planning on migrating down South Road, a busy thoroughfare lined with impartial companies, scrumptious eating places and mosaicked artwork courtesy Isaiah Zagar’s public murals. So why not try one other piece of current Philly historical past? Repo Information opened in 1986 as the spot for indie and punk tapes and LPs in Wayne, PA earlier than migrating to South Road in 1998, and that legacy stays intact right now. The choice has turn out to be extra eclectic as time has gone on, however the spirit of the place lives on.

Creep Information

608 N 2nd Road, Philadelphia, PA 19123

North of heart metropolis, within the improbably cool Northern Liberties neighborhood, is Creep Information. It’s a really enjoyable and relaxed document retailer that shares new and used vinyl in addition to, like, pipes and 420-friendly memorabilia. Best of all: Creep routinely holds in-store performances, making it each an incredible place to buy and catch an intimate gig.

Lengthy within the Tooth

2027 Sansom Road, Philadelphia, PA 19103

If it’s the standard document retailer expertise you’re after, look no additional than the delightfully no-frills Lengthy within the Tooth. (With that identify, is asking it “old fashioned” too on-the-nose?) The home windows are few, the aisles are lengthy, and the workers is equal elements completely educated, geeky and intimidatingly cool. You’ll go away with some rarity you didn’t even know existed earlier than strolling by their doorways.

Brewerytown Beats

1517 N Bailey Road, Philadelphia, PA 19121

Brewerytown Beats has every part, however for those who’re not diving deep into their funk, soul, R&B, reggae and hip-hop sections, you’re lacking out — these genres are the beating coronary heart of this place, and the Brewerytown neighborhood normally.

Philadelphia File Trade

1524 Frankford Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19125

If further factors will be given to a document retailer for having essentially the most charming exterior, the house that homes Philadelphia File Trade would obtain all of them. However when you’re carried out admiring the skin, head on in to expertise a few of Philly’s best used information, CDs and cassette tapes assortment. They purchase, promote and commerce, too, in case you’re trying to offload an outdated assortment (to make room for a brand new one, after all.) It’s the best place for the broad music fan.

Union Switch

1026 Spring Backyard Road, Philadelphia, PA 19123

In 1889, Union Switch housed the Spring Backyard Farmer’s Market — an indication for its unique use stays on the grounds of this beautiful, 1200-capacity room. After that, within the first half of the 1900s, it served as an outdated trolley barn for the Union Switch Baggage Categorical Co., and later, and undoubtedly most infamously, a Spaghetti Warehouse restaurant. In 2011, it grew to become Union Switch, one of many best-sounding rooms in all of Philly (nay, the nation, when you think about its dimension — might these classic wooden partitions be the perpetrator?) It’s the place you’ll see the most important mid-size indie acts, all-star comedy and, in case you are a Japanese Breakfast fan, a coat test named after the JB musician Michelle Zauner, who labored there earlier than turning into a number one drive in impartial music and releasing a New York Instances best-selling guide.

First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia

2125 Chestnut Road, Philadelphia, PA 19103

Attending a live performance in a church basement ought to be thought of a ceremony of passage, and no church does it higher — or extra constantly — than Philly’s First Unitarian. Bonus factors: the venue, in contrast to most official venues in america, is just not owned or booked by Reside Nation. It’s true blue impartial reserving, and that freedom mirrors the no-nonsense spirit of Philadelphia.

Johnny Brenda’s

1201 Frankford Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19125

Within the coronary heart of the hip Fishtown neighborhood sits Johnny Brenda’s, the proper brunch spot/date evening bar/music venue hybrid — the sort of place each metropolis claims to have however all of them sort of suck in their very own manner. JB’s (because it’s recognized to locals) is the proper stability of all the above. (And enjoyable truth: When you’ve seen the film Creed, that is the venue the place Tessa Thompson’s character has a residency — and the spot the place Michael B. Jordan makes googly eyes at her. If solely all of us might be so fortunate.)

World Café Reside

3025 Walnut Road, Philadelphia, PA 19104

In West Philly, on the College of Pennsylvania and in partnership with its station WXPN, sits World Café Reside, a music venue devoted to showcasing each nice native expertise and supporting acts of appreciable dimension. And due to the radio affiliation, it’s a unbelievable sound system — artists will usually launch “dwell at World Café Reside” recordings for that motive.

Ukie Membership

847 N Franklin Road, Philadelphia, PA 19123

North Philly’s Ukrainian American Residents’ Affiliation has turn out to be an sudden dwelling for a number of the best younger touring musicians — nevertheless it’s additionally the spot the place you’re probably to catch the Philly acts on the cusp of breaking massive, just like the Avant-rock shoegaze rockers They Are Gutting A Physique of Water. It’s a DIY city, in spite of everything.

Mario Lanza Institute

1214 Reed Road, Philadelphia, PA 19147

As said within the intro, it may be a problem to find landmarks devoted to Philly’s wealthy music historical past, however the metropolis has carried out proper by opera singer Mario Lanza, who has a mini museum devoted to his legacy in South Philly’s bustling Passyunk Sq. neighborhood. However for those who weren’t in search of it, you’d miss it. So, don’t!

Nationwide Marian Anderson Museum

762 S. Martin Road, Philadelphia, PA 19146

You’ve obtained at hand it to the opera followers for conserving the legacy of their music alive. On the opposite facet of Broad Road and some minutes north from the Mario Lanza Institute is the Nationwide Marian Anderson Museum, an area devoted to the legacy of the contralto recognized for turning into the primary African American singer to carry out on the Met Opera. And that’s solely scratching the floor of her legacy and the way she combated racial prejudice within the performing arts!

Nonetheless, after dealing with a devastating flood, the museum’s excursions will stay digital for almost all of 2023. Verify again on their web site for extra, and assist them the place you may.

Uptown Theater

2240 N Broad Road, Philadelphia, PA 19132

Only a few of Philadelphia’s historic theaters stay, and Uptown Theater is without doubt one of the most iconic. Miles Davis, James Brown and Ray Charles all carried out there; within the 20^th century, the venue was a part of the “Chitlin Circuit,” areas the place Black performers would hit the stage. You possibly can take a tour of the historic web site by calling the group conserving it up and operating.

Lee Cultural Middle

4328 Haverford Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19104

Think about: the 12 months is 1967. Nina Simone is in live performance at Philly’s Lee Cultural Middle, a mecca for musicians, artists, writers, photographers, theatrical performances, sculptors and the Arthur Corridor Afro-American Dance Ensemble. Since its inception, the spot has been a beacon for Philly music historical past, and a spot that’s unafraid to vary with the occasions. Now that it’s a leisure heart (the place younger folks can nonetheless study concerning the arts) you’ve obtained to understand the evolution.