Shows This Week: July 26 – Aug 1, 2010

Jul 26 2010 Drink Up Buttercup – The Earl (Atlanta, GA)

Jul 27 2010 Cheers Elephant – The Pourhouse (Trumansburg, NY)
Jul 27 2010 Drink Up Buttercup – The Village Tavern (Mount Pleasant, SC)

Jul 28 2010 JD Malone – Puck (Doylestown, PA)
Jul 28 2010 Carsie Blanton – Jammin Java (Vienna, VA)
Jul 28 2010 Drink Up Buttercup – Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar (Charlottesville, VA)
Jul 28 2010 Cheers Elephant – Lucky Dog Music Hall (Worcester, MA)
Jul 28 2010 Box Five – Bloc 11 (Somerville, MA)

Jul 29 2010 The Great Unknown – Strand Capitol Performing Arts Center (York, PA)
Jul 29 2010 Drink Up Buttercup – Night Cat (Easton, MD)
Jul 29 2010 Carsie Blanton – Gibson Guitar Artist Showroom (Washington, DC)

Jul 30 2010 Laura Shay – The Grape Room (Philadelpia, PA)
Jul 30 2010 IKE *Johy Faye solo* – Steel City Coffee House (Phoenixville, PA)
Jul 30 2010 The Great Unknown – Doo Wop Mansion (Pittsburgh, PA)
Jul 30 2010 Cheers Elephant – Caravan (Belgrade Lakes, ME)

Jul 31 2010 Laura Shay – Seven Stones Cafe (Media, PA)

Aug 1 2010 The Great Unknown – The Purple Fiddle (Thomas, WV)

See you at a show!

It was great to see Eastern Conference Champions in Philly again. ECC opened their set with “Bloody Bells” Thursday night at Johnny Brenda’s. The video above is live footage taken at the show. Needless to say, ECC delivered a marvelous performance. If I get the time I might upload some more video.

Busses was the opening band that filled the room with interesting ambient soundscapes and experimental music. I can’t recall if I’ve seen that band before but they were good.

Shows This Week: July 19 – July 25, 2010

Jul 19 2010 Drink Up Buttercup – Soda Bar (San Diego, CA)

Jul 20 2010 Ben Arnold, Cowmuddy – The Grape Room (Philadelphia, PA)
Jul 20 2010 Eastern Conference Champions – Piano’s (New York, NY)
Jul 20 2010 Birdie Busch – The Listening Room (Richmond, VA)
Jul 20 2010 Drink Up Buttercup – Club Congress (Tuscon, AZ)

Jul 21 2010 Adrien Reju, Chris Kasper – World Cafe Live (Philadelphia, PA)

Jul 22 2010 Eastern Conference Champions – Johnny Brenda’s (Philadelphia, PA)
Jul 22 2010 The Great Unknown – Appalachian Brewing Company (Harrisburg, PA)
Jul 22 2010 Mammal of Paradise – Cake Shop (New York, NY)
Jul 22 2010 Drink Up Buttercup – The Mohawk (Austin, TX)

Jul 23 2010 Spirit and Dust – Green Line Cafe (Philadelphia, PA)
Jul 23 2010 Alright, Junior. – The Grape Room (Philadelphia, PA)
Jul 23 2010 Meeting in the Aisle – The Khyber (Philadelphia, PA)
Jul 23 2010 Mason Porter – Brickette Lounge (West Chester, PA)
Jul 23 2010 Eastern Conference Champions – Big Heads Town & Country (Hatboro, PA)
Jul 23 2010 Pawnshop Roses – Ringer’s (Schwenksville, PA)
Jul 23 2010 Drink Up Buttercup – Mango’s (Houston, TX)

Jul 24 2010 Hezekiah Jones, Sisters 3 – North Star Bar (Philadelphia, PA)
Jul 24 2010 Laura Shay – Expresso Yourself (Philadelphia, PA)
Jul 24 2010 JD Malone – Craft Ale House (Limerick, PA)
Jul 24 2010 Mason Porter – Splash Summer Concert Series (York, PA)
Jul 24 2010 Pawnshop Roses – Whitpain Tavern (Blue Bell, PA)
Jul 24 2010 Box Five – Caffe Vivaldi (New York, NY)
Jul 24 2010 Cheers Elephant – Harborfest (Oswego, NY)
Jul 24 2010 Jim Boggia – Parker Playhouse (Ft Lauderdale, FL)
Jul 24 2010 Drink Up Buttercup – Spanish Moon (Baton Rouge, LA)

Jul 25 2010 Cheers Elephant – Harborfest (Oswego, NY)
Jul 25 2010 Carsie Blanton – Mountain Stage (Charleston, WV)
Jul 25 2010 IKE – Piedmont Park (Atlanta, GA)

See you at a show!

Eastern Conference Champions back in Philly – I’m so excited!

Eastern Conference Champions (ECC) is an indie-rock trio with a unique style that is unreal.  Members include: Joshua Ostrander (vocals, guitar), Greg Lyons (drums), and newest member, Melissa Dougherty (bass).  Ostrander’s voice is distinctive with an absolutely beautiful tone that sings truly heartfelt lyrics.  On any given day you might find me rockin’ out to an iTunes playlist of nothing but ECC’s music covering The Southampton Collection (EP), Ameritown, and Santa Fe (EP).  By the way, their upcoming album, Speak-ahh, might see a Fall 2010 release – get excited!

My first memory of Eastern Conference Champions was seeing them open for Black Rebel Motorcycle Club (BRMC) at the Theatre of Living Arts (TLA) in Philadelphia, PA back on February 19, 2006.  I was there to see BRMC but ECC’s opening set was incredible.  I immediately purchased The Southampton Collection (EP) after their set.  Since that wonderful night in 2006 I’ve been a fan of Eastern Conference Champions.  I’d seen them a few times in the past with the last time being their “Ameritown” CD Release Party at The Khyber on July 20, 2007.

Eastern Conference Champions relocated to the Los Angeles, CA so they don’t get to play the Philly area as frequently.   Well, I was SO EXCITED to find out that ECC will be back in the Philly area next week.  When it comes to amazing music and incredible live shows ECC is a must-see band and come highly recommended by me.  This is your chance to see them live so please don’t pass up the opportunity.

EASTERN CONFERENCE CHAMPIONS: East Coast Dates
Jul 20 2010 – Piano’s (New York, NY)
Jul 22 2010 – Johnny Brenda’s (Philadelphia, PA)
Jul 23 2010 – Big Heads Town & Country (Hatboro, PA)

[LISTEN] A favorite of mine, “Bloody Bells” from their most recent release Santa Fe (EP)

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Eastern Conference Champions: website | Facebook | MySpace | Twitter

Shows This Week: July 12 – July 18, 2010

Jul 13 2010 Birdie Busch, Andrew Lipke – Atkinson Park (Sewell, NJ)
Jul 13 2010 Drink Up Buttercup – Doug Fir Lounge (Portland, OR)

Jul 14 2010 The Spinning Leaves, Hezekiah Jones, Chris Kasper, Andrew Lipke – Penn Treaty Park (Philadelphia, PA)
Jul 14 2010 Johnny Miles – Sundown Music Series (Haddon Heights, NJ)
Jul 14 2010 Peasant – Rockwood Music Hall (New York, NY)

Jul 15 2010 Peasant – Kung Fu Necktie (Philadelphia, PA)
Jul 15 2010 Tim Butler – Chaplins Music Cafe (Spring City, PA)
Jul 15 2010 Drink Up Buttercup – Vera Project (Seattle, WA)

Jul 16 2010 Sleet Walker – Medusa Lounge (Philadelphia, PA)
Jul 16 2010 Johnny Miles – Rose Tree Media Summer Concert Series (Media, PA)
Jul 16 2010 Mason Porter – The Note (West Chester, PA)
Jul 16 2010 Ben Arnold, Dutch – WXPN: Xponential Music Festival (Camden, NJ)

Jul 17 2010 Sleet Walker – The Institute (Philadelphia, PA)
Jul 17 2010 Overlook – The Grape Room (Philadelphia, PA)
Jul 17 2010 Marc Silver & The Stonethrowers – Lu’s Hootenanny (Plymouth Meeting, PA)
Jul 17 2010 Chris Kasper, The Spinning Leaves – Steel City Coffeehouse (Phoenixville, PA)
Jul 17 2010 Mason Porter – Blue Mountain Summit (Andreas, PA)
Jul 17 2010 Pawnshop Roses – Sportsters Bar & Grille (Pottstown, PA)
Jul 17 2010 Christina Ward – Rat Gallery | “Soir Du Femme” (Gardenville, PA)
Jul 17 2010 Birdie Busch – WXPN: XPoNential Music Festival (Camden, NJ)
Jul 17 2010 Laura Shay – Sharrott Winery (Winslow, NJ)
Jul 17 2010 JD Malone – Sourland Music Fest (Hillsborough, NJ)
Jul 17 2010 Jim Boggia – Westhampton Beach (Westhampton, NY)
Jul 17 2010 Drink Up Buttercup – Thee Parkside (San Francisco, CA)

Jul 18 2010 Cheers Elephant – School of Rock (Downingtown, PA)
Jul 18 2010 The Great Unknown – WXPN: XPonential Music Festival (Camden, NJ)
Jul 18 2010 Drink Up Buttercup – Spaceland (Los Angeles, CA)

See you at a show!

This year WXPN’s annual summer music festival, 2010 XPoNential Music Festival presented by Subaru, takes place Friday, July 16^th to Sunday, July 18^th at Wiggins Park on the Camden Waterfront.  The XPoNential festival is in its 17^th year and its 6^th year being held at Wiggins Park. The festival will feature artists: Alejandro Escovedo, Grace Potter & the Nocturnals, Nicole Atkins, The Felice Brothers, The Walkmen, Dawes, Dr. Dog, and Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros along with Philly artists and One Fan at a Time favorites: Ben Arnold, Dutch (featuring Liz Fullerton), Birdie Busch, The Great Unknown – and many more.  Plus enjoy family friendly music and exhibits available in the Kids Corner Garden.

Gates open at 5 p.m. on Friday, July 16; and noon on Saturday and Sunday, July 17 and 18. The Kids Corner Area will be open from noon to 6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

I had so much fun last year at the 2009 XPoNential Music Festival that I will definitely return this year.  Wiggins Park on the Camden Waterfront in the summertime is a very beautiful place and a very short commute from Philadelphia, PA.  I loved going back and forth between the Camden County River Stage and the Jersey.com Marina Stage trying to see all the acts.  Best of all WXPN really does a great job of selecting a diverse group of established and new artists that really represent the eclectic and unique genres/styles that you can hear on the radio station on any given day.

3 Days | 3 Stages | 40+ Acts

Tickets & Details: xpn.org/festival

Shows This Week: July 5 – July 11, 2010

Jul 06 2010 Ben Arnold – The Grape Room (Philadelphia, PA)
Jul 06 2010 Drink Up Buttercup – Firebird (St Louis, MO)

Jul 07 2010 Psalmships, Allison Polans – Trocadero (Philadelphia, PA)
Jul 07 2010 Drink Up Buttercup – Slowdown (Omaha, NE)
Jul 07 2010 Peasant – Tractor Tavern (Seattle, WA)

Jul 08 2010 Ross Bellenoit, Hollus – The Grape Room (Philadelphia, PA)
Jul 08 2010 Berry Jones – The Fire (Philadelphia, PA)
Jul 08 2010 The Great Unknown – World Cafe Live (Philadelphia, PA)
Jul 08 2010 JD Malone – Cedar Hollow Inn (Malvern, PA)
Jul 08 2010 Peasant – The Woods (Portland, OR)

Jul 09 2010 Adrien Reju – American Folk Art Museum (New York, NY)
Jul 09 2010 Box Five – The Underground Lounge (New York, NY)
Jul 09 2010 Sisters 3 – Blissfest Fest *July 9-11, 2010* (Harbor Springs, MI)
Jul 09 2010 Drink Up Buttercup – Marquis Theatre (Denver, CO)
Jul 09 2010 Peasant – Fivepoints Arthouse (San Francisco, CA)

Jul 10 2010 Box Five – Naked Chocolate Cafe (Philadelphia, PA)
Jul 10 2010 Marc Silver & The Stonethrowers – Ruth’s Backyard (Philadelphia, PA)
Jul 10 2010 Mason Porter – Phoenixville Farmers Market (Phoenixville, PA)
Jul 10 2010 IKE – Sellersville Theater (Sellersville, PA)
Jul 10 2010 Laura Shay – Club Cafe (Pittsburgh, PA)
Jul 10 2010 Cheers Elephant – Connexions (Easton, PA)
Jul 10 2010 JD Malone – Pizza Time Saloon (West Point, PA)
Jul 10 2010 Drink Up Buttercup – The Black Sheep (Colorado Springs, CO)
Jul 10 2010 Peasant – Sophia’s Thai Kitchen (Davis, CA)

Jul 11 2010 Adrien Reju – The Fire (Philadelphia, PA)
Jul 11 2010 Drink Up Buttercup – Kilby Court (Salt Lake City, UT)
Jul 11 2010 Peasant – Space 15 Twenty (Los Angeles, CA) & Hotel Cafe (Los Angeles, CA)

See you at a show!