F/M Fest

If you plan it right, you'll have a long weekend ahead of you.

by Eric Schuman

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Published: Sep 21, 2010

A Sunny Day in Glasgow

The best kinds of festivals are ones that take over a city, the ones that can't be contained by a couple locations. More accurately described as a citywide happening, The Philadelphia Film & Music Festival — "F/M" to the kids — spans four days (Sept. 23-26) and inhabits just about every space where a stage and sound system can be constructed. Many of the featured musical performers are local, household names if you're paying attention, though plenty of out-of-towners are migrating for the weekend. You can spring for a few different ticket packages, but here are some suggested scenarios:

Thursday

Let's ease into the festival by starting off at a few familiar spots. Johnny Brenda's will kick things off with A Sunny Day in Glasgow, whose new album is currently available for free download at asunnydayinglasgow.com (read: what are you waiting for?). Also at JB's is indie-poppers East Hundred , one of a number of bands making multiple appearances throughout the festival. If you'd rather spend your Fishtown evening at Kung Fu Necktie, you'll be met with the eclectic rock of Univox , the breezy pop of The Homophones and the garage fuzz of Hair Rocket .

Ian West Field Music Uzuhi (CLICK IMAGE FOR LARGER VERSION)

Friday

You'll need a little creativity, and maybe a helicopter, to make it to all of Friday's finest offerings, but it'll be worth it. Let's say you slept over at Johnny Brenda's on Thursday night and wake up around 9:30 p.m. You'll find yourself knee-deep in sets by Philly's Creeping Weeds and Blood Feathers, with the U.K.'s purveyors of precise guitar rock, Field Music, rounding out the evening. Across town at the North Star is another roots-n-rock affair, with cowpunk Bobby Bare Jr. getting support from Adam And Dave's Bloodline and Frog Holler. Venture over to Silk City for a quick jolt from Busses and Gildon Works before catching a late-night showcase at Tritone featuring New York's Uzuhi (originally hailing from Japan), which employs carnivalesque shifts to create a kooky brand of punk rock. Speaking of kooky, one of the F/M Festival's bigger shows features Philadelphia's favorite satirical punk band, The Dead Milkmen, alongside the ever-entertaining Black Landlord at World Café Live. The Milkmen have been testing out a lot of new material over the past few years, so expect some of those future classics to make their way into the set of regular classics.

Saturday

The F/M Festival is also home to several smaller, daylong festivals. The first day of music at Crane Arts features an assortment of local favorites, from the revival-tent twang of Toy Soldiers to The Swimmers' bright new wave. Three separate stages on Girard Avenue between Front and Fourth streets will play host to more than 20 acts, including Brazilian jazz guitarist Pedro Moraes, the sunspot-stricken psychedelia of The Armchairs and Turning Violet Violet's charming chamber pop. A few blocks away and a few hours later at Bookspace, The Silence Kit and Ghosts in the Valley will cap off a night of bookshelf-shaking rock 'n' roll. And, as long as you're in the neighborhood, head back to Johnny Brenda's for a set from hazy dream-popsters Asobi Seksu.

Saturday

Crane Arts' second day ropes in even more diverse sounds, with Hezekiah Jones and Papertrees bringing the warm folk tones, and Kaylin Lee Clinton and The Hoppin' John Orchestra providing two very different takes on modern jazz. Two alt-rock icons will make appearances on Sunday night, as well, with The Lemonheads' Evan Dando playing a solo set at the North Star, and Grant Hart of Hüsker Dü showcasing his artistic passions at World Café Live. OK, now go get some sleep.

(eric.schuman@citypaper.net)

For complete listings of bands, venues, times and prices, see phillyfmfest.com.

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