CONCERT REVIEW: Stoplight Party at World Café Live 1/20

The Web site for the award-winning alternative weekly, the Philadelphia City Paper.

options

CONCERT REVIEW: Stoplight Party at World Café Live 1/20

POSTED: Friday, January 21, 2011, 10:30 PM

Filed Under: Music Concert Review

In our agenda section this week we wrote about the Stoplight Party at World Café Live , a matchmaking/music show hosted by HYPE. One of our writers, Massimo Pulcini, was so intrigued he went to check it out for himself. Did he wind up with a date? Read on ...

Photo | Massimo Pulcini

Aaron Hehl

Being a sophomore in college, I can say I've been to my fair share of stoplight parties. They're a great way to meet people, get a few drinks in your system, and maybe get lucky with a fine young lady. For those of you who haven't been to such a gathering, the rules are simple: Wear green if you're single, yellow if it's no questions asked, and red if you're taken. Easy enough, right? Well take these rules, add a couple of Philadelphia's finest up-and-coming musicians, and throw it all into an intimate setting at World Café Live and you have what went down at HYPE!'s Thursday Night Stoplight Party. Though not many people followed through with the color scheme — there were too many chicks wearing red and WAY too many dudes clad in green — the music was impressive. Here are the acts that stood out to me:

Photo | Massimo Pulcini

Parachuting Apostles: Up-and-coming Philly rock band Parachuting Apostles (pictured right) rocked the house with a blend of light and sound. The saxophone wielding lead singer stated in the beginning of the set that he had slipped everyone's drink with LSD and by the middle of their performance I almost believed him. The light show and solos skewed my senses and brought me to a different state of consciousness. Their song titled "To Me" was almost Pink Floyd-esque with psychedelic sounds resonating in my ear drums all night long. Sarah Flynn: This beautiful and talented singer-songwriter left every single guy in the audience wanting more, as she graced the crowd with her softly-sung songs and guitar. Her rendition of Radiohead's classic "High and Dry" was a pleasant surprise. If only she was wearing green ...

Photo | Massimo Pulcini

BAM!: The four-piece jam band BAM! (pictured right) opened with a cover of the "Kill Bill" theme song and continued with guitar solos, and head-spinning tempo changes and breaks. Definitely the most energetic of all the acts, BAM! impressed with a mastery of their instruments, and kept it entertaining with humor and stage presence that made them seem larger that life. Almost like a funk/fusion hybrid with a little Rush thrown in, I would recommend seeing these guys if you get the chance. Aaron Hehl: South Jersey singer-songwriter Aaron Hehl brought his own charming brand of acoustic music . A regular at the venue's open mic nights, Hehl warmed the hearts of the audience with his sappy and super-catchy set. He had the crowd swaying and singing along and received enormous applause after each tune. I asked Aaron about his thoughts on the show afterward: "The whole concept of the show was a great idea," he said, "It was a great way for people to meet each other and introduce them to new local music." With regards to his fans and support, Aaron was keen on expressing his gratitude. "The crowd response was amazing; you could really tell everyone had a great time." His cover of a Simon and Garfunkel classic summed up his performance ... Very groovy. Overall, the Stoplight Party sadly didn't get me any girls or numbers (I did buy a green tee specifically for the event), but it was a great show with tons of talented local acts.

Posted 2011-01-22 17:10:08

This show was amazing, though it seems that you didn't stay for the entire event.  The final headliner of the evening, Brady and the Bear, was absolutely the high point of the show.  Combining incredibly inciteful lyric and a mountain groove that got the whole place dancin from the moment they took the stage, this band really stole the show.  Maybe next time you're going to review a show, you should make sure you take in all the acts.  Oh well, your loss.

Michael

Posted 2011-01-22 17:13:32

With all due respect, this smells like the "acts that stood out to you" are really the only acts you stayed to see. Both Boy Wonder and Brady and the Bear were on their game, and were the absolute highlights of the show. As much as I appreciate your foray into journalism, please, take your assignments more seriously in the future. City Paper suffers from hack-y writing as it is. Please, don't be another blight on the face of what could be a paper that truly has it's finger on the pulse of the culture and nightlife of Philadelphia. In the future, take your time, take in everything you can, and write an objective, thoughtful piece. That's all I have. 

Thank you.

Posted 2011-01-22 20:28:17

I'd have to agree with the previous two people.

To ignore Brady and the Bear is a mistake, to ignore Boy Wonder is an even bigger one considering he put the whole show together. 

It was a pretty sick show all around, I had an awesome time and met a cute girl in a green necklace...to each his own I guess

Jenny

Posted 2011-01-23 20:30:00

It was a great show. All the show's Boywonder put on seem to have a great flow and are very ecelctic. All the acts were really good for their individual styles. The color concept was new to me, but a fun idea. The headliner Brady and the Bear really got the crowd going the most. Everyone was singing and dancing and having a good old time. I got their free handout cd (wrapped in a sleeve made from recycled magazines) and having been singing the songs since. It was a good night for local music!

Posted 2011-01-23 21:50:01

I absolutely agree, how the f do you leave the best 2 bands of the night out of your review? Did your parents give you a curfew? Brady and the Bear were absolutely eclectic and Boy Wonder was a wonderful rockin surprise for me.

Posted by Massimo Pulcini @ 10:30 PM Permalink | Post a comment

Comments (0)

Q&A with SHARI SOLANIS: "The goal isn't pornography"
What we're trying to do this weekend
SEXY TIME Q&A: I've never had an orgasm during sex with a man — and I'm 30!
NOW SEE THIS: Transit cop arrests marijuana activist for alleged disorderly conduct.
CONCERT REVIEW: Primus (3D & quadraphonic sound) @ The Tower 10/17
Q&A with Tony Goldwyn: "Life is gray, and relationships are, too"
ICEPACK ILLUSTRATED: The Archbishop meets the Geator, the Mayor goes suit shopping, Le Bec Fin fin.
ICEPACK ILLUSTRATED: Indian fare rules, Dunder Mifflin lives on, Tom Jones is a god
Q&A with Goon’s Seann William Scott
SWIMMING HOLES: Some of our favorite places to get wet

About this blog

Featuring everything from event roundups to concert reviews and sex talk, City Paper's Critical Mass is a space for off-the-wall coverage of Philly's A&E scene.

Follow Critical Mass editors Patrick Rapa and Emily Guendelsberger on Twitter:

@mission2denmark | @emilygee

Search this blog:

Topics:

Blog archives:

May
April
March

February
January

Past Archives: