Welshly Arms brought there No Place Is Home tour to Philadelphia on Saturday night!
I first discovered Welshly Arms when they opened for Missio earlier this year. You can read more about that show here:
I am a big advocate of always checking out the opening bands. I’ve discovered some great ones over the years, including Welshly Arms who is currently on their No Place Is Home tour.
This particular show featured two opening bands – Charming Liars and The Glorious Sons. Would it be worth seeing these opening bands? Would I discover new favorites, or be disappointed? Keep reading to find out!
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THE VENUE
The Foundry is the smaller room in The Fillmore entertainment complex. Holding only 450 people, it’s located on the second floor of the venue.
Tip #1: If there are two shows going on at the complex, there are always two separate lines. If you are heading to The Foundry, make sure you get in the right line. It’s usually much shorter and easier to get through.
The Fillmore is one of the best live music venues in Philadelphia.
The Foundry has a small stage, a large bar and comfortable seating areas around the perimeter. It’s a great venue, because there really isn’t a bad place in the room to see the show. Bathrooms are located in the back on the right (if you are standing in the front of the venue looking towards the back).
Tip #2: If there is any bad view in the room, it’s located around the bar area behind the two poles that are in the middle of the GA floor. While the poles aren’t big, they do make for a bit of a challenge if you end up behind one. You may have to do some dodging and weaving to get a full view of the stage.
The stage is a bit small, but it’s nice to be able to be so close no matter where you are in the room.
The bar serves drinks and a limited food menu. The food is supposedly by Wolfgang Puck, which to me normally means that you are paying for the name and not really getting anything special. That seems to be the case here. I’ve ordered chicken tenders and fries in the past. While they were decent, they weren’t worth the price (although that is pretty typical at any concert venue).
There is a large bar area in the back half of the room.
Tip #3: The Fillmore (The Foundry) is located in the up and coming Fishtown neighborhood. There are plenty of food options for grabbing a bite before the show. If you don’t mind walking a couple of blocks, there are plenty of options on Frankford Avenue including Frankford Hall (which serves German food and beer) or Fette Sau (which serves barbecue). If you want something a little less pricey and much more down to earth, grab a burger at Johnny Brenda’s. A Philadelphia institution itself, they also have live music regularly. There are also a couple of options in the entertainment complex itself, including Mad Rex Restaurant and Goose Island Brewery & Pub.
Tip #4: Parking near The Fillmore is easy. There are two lots located near the venue. The cost to park is typically $10-15. If your timing is good and you don’t mind walking a little further, you can typically find parking on Frankford Avenue or the surrounding neighborhood streets. Most of it is free, but be sure to read the signs to make sure you aren’t parked illegally. Also, be aware that the trolley comes down Frankford Avenue. I’ve seen people that haven’t parked close enough to the curb, and the trolley can’t get through. They will have your car towed if you are blocking the trolley route.
THE SHOW
CHARMING LIARS
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Charming Liars were formed in London and are now based out of Los Angeles. The band is made up of Kiliyan Maguire (vocals), Karnig Manoukian (guitar, production) and Mike Kruger (bass).
The beginnings of the band started with Manoukian and Kruger, who met while they were in their teens. The pair began writing music together and played in several different bands.
In 2013, the guys decided to move to Los Angeles. They had received a message on social media from songwriter and producer John Feldman, telling them to look him up to do a songwriting session if they were ever in L.A. Once in town, they met lead singer Kiliyan Maguire through a mutual friend, and Charming Liars was formed.
Charming Liars gained their first mainstream success in 2016 with the release of their song “Soul”, which reached #40 on the alternative radio charts. Their latest single – “Something Dark” – is out now.
THE PERFORMANCE
Charming Liars took the stage at 8:00 p.m. They played a short set, but it was full of energy.
Charming Liars played a short set, but kept the crowd entertained.
The band has a “pop” sound with a little bit of an edge to it. Their song “Ocean” is definitely radio friendly.
As they only had time to play a few songs, Charming Liars made sure they got in songs that would appeal to the crowd. They played “Soul”, which may have been familiar to some people since it did get some radio play.
They also played their latest single “Something Dark”, which is radio-friendly, but has a bit of an edge to it. Charming Liars wrapped up their set with “Like A Drug”, which I thought had a little Depeche Mode sound to it.
I really enjoyed Charming Liars. I see this band going somewhere!
Charming Liars did a great job of keeping the room engaged and involved in their set. I definitely see some good potential with this band.
Charming Liars are on the road supporting Welshly Arms through the end of October. You can find out more about them on their website at www.charmingliars.com.
THE GLORIOUS SONS
ABOUT THE ARTIST
The Glorious Sons are from Kingston, Ontario, Canada. The band is made up of Brett Emmons (vocals, guitar, harmonica, keys), Jay Emmons (guitar, vocals), Chris Koster (guitar, vocals), Adam Paquette (drums, vocals) and Chris Huot (bass).
The band formed in 2011 and released their first EP – Shapeless Art – in 2013. The EP contained the single “Mama”, which had some commercial success in Canada and resulted in the band signing with Black Box Music. After signing with the label, they re-released the EP and the single “White Noise”, which reached #2 on the Canadian rock charts.
The Glorious Sons released their first full length album – The Union – in 2014. The album was produced by John-Angus MacDonald of The Trews. Their second full length album – Young Beauties and Fools – was released in October of 2017. The album won the Juno Award for Rock Album of the Year.
THE PERFORMANCE
This is the third time I’ve seen The Glorious Sons live. They are quickly becoming one of my favorite live bands. I hear a lot of people saying that rock n’ roll music is dying. It’s not dying, it’s just hiding in Canada! Between The Glorious Sons and The Trews, rock music is alive in well in Canada.
The Glorious Sons took the stage at 8:45 p.m. to a packed room. They opened their set with the hard rocking “White Noise”, and then brought it down just a little with “My Poor Heart”.
The more mellow tone was only short-lived, as The Glorious Sons brought the house down with “Sawed Off Shotgun”, which is one of my personal favorites. The whole room was jumping and singing with the guys.
You must go see The Glorious Sons live! They are a true rock n’ roll band.
The Glorious Sons pulled out one of their first songs – “Ruby” – which also got a great reception from the crowd. Clearly, the room was full of fans. They wrapped up their set with a great version of “Kill The Lights”.
The band’s whole set was about 45 minutes, which was way too short. After they left the stage, the crowd kept chanting “one more song”! While Welshly Arms may have been the advertised “headliner”, about half the crowd cleared out after The Glorious Sons played.
At least half the crowd was at the show to see The Glorious Sons. Pretty impressive for the opening band.
This band has a huge future. Keep your eye on them!
You can find The Glorious Sons on the road with Welshly Arms throughout October, before they head to their native Canada for some dates in November. They head back to the states at the end of November for some shows with The Struts. That’s a show I wouldn’t want to miss! Check out their website at www.theglorioussons.com for more information.
WELSHLY ARMS
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Welshly Arms is from Cleveland, OH. Formed in 2013, the band consists of Sam Getz (lead vocals, guitar), Brett Lindemann (keyboard, vocals), Jimmy Weaver (bass, vocals), Mikey Gould (drums), Bri Bryant (vocals) and Jon Bryant (vocals).
The band not only originated in Cleveland, but they write, record and produce all their music there as well. They describe their musical influences as everything from Jimi Hendrix to The Temptations to Otis Redding.
Welshly Arms started when Sam Getz took a break from the road and invited friends over for some beers and burgers. The get together ended up turning into a jam session. That one jam session turned into a regular Sunday tradition, which eventually became Welshly Arms.
The band released their debut EP – Welcome – in 2013. That was followed by a second EP – Covers – in 2014. They released their debut self-titled album – Welshly Arms – in 2015. Their EP – Legendary – was released in 2017 and contained their break out single of the same name.
Their most recent release is a full-length album titled No Place Is Home. The album reflects the feeling Welshly Arms has after being on the road almost non-stop since 2013. The band rented a 19th century home in Cleveland, where they wrote and recorded the album. In the end, Welshly Arms feels that this album has move them up a level as a band, and they hope that comes through to their fans.
THE PERFORMANCE
Welshly Arms took the stage at 9:45 p.m. What I love about this band is their soulful sound. Getz’s voice is very soulful and back-up singers (and husband and wife) Bri and Jon Bryant give the music a sound reminiscent of some great R&B artists, while maintaining a rock edge. “Love In A Minor Key” is a perfect example of a rock song with a soulful edge.
While the room cleared out quite a bit after The Glorious Sons’ set, that didn’t hinder Welshly Arms’ energy. They put on a great show, and the Welshly Arms fans in the audience were singing along with all the songs.
Welshly Arms had a ton of energy! The three bands made for a great show.
Welshly Arms played “Sanctuary” off their new album, which Getz said was about rooms like this venue, where people from all walks of life come together. They continued through songs from their new album like “Indestructible” and “Down To The River”.
They also played Roy Orbison’s “You Got It”, which they had included on their “Covers” EP back in 2014. I really enjoyed their unique take on the song.
Welshly Arms wrapped their set at 11:00 p.m. with their biggest single – “Legendary”. I really enjoyed the show, but not quite as much as I enjoyed them the first time I saw them. This show was clearly more about getting the songs on their new album heard, and not as much about experimenting and playing with mash-ups of their songs. But, with the three bands together, this was a show well worth the price of admission!
Welshly Arms capped off a great nice of music!
Welshly Arms in on the road with their “No Place Is Home” tour through the end of October in the U.S., before they head over to Europe in November. You can see tour dates and buy tickets on their website at www.welshlyarms.com.
Have questions about seeing a show at The Foundry? Want to know more about Charming Liars, The Glorious Sons or Welshly Arms? Comment below or e-mail me at tips2livebywriter@gmail.com.
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