FRED'S MOBILE HOMES (Philadelphia bluegrass institution)
TEN SPIDERS (Psychedelic banjo funk)
Saturday, November 8 at 7:30 pm Calvary United Methodist Church, 48th Street and Baltimore Ave.
Tickets $10, $15 for special supporters, $5 for kids, students, seniors, low income.
November 8th could have been a disaster: two shows featuring similar music only a few blocks apart. Instead, Crossroads Music and the new Mill Creek Tavern have joined forces to create the West Philly Folk Fest. Starting at 7:30 at Calvary Church (48th Street and Baltimore Avenue), the Philadelphia Crossroads series will present an all-ages show featuring Fred's Mobile Homes, a institution on the Philadelphia bluegrass scene, and Ten Spiders, a psychedelic jam band fronted by a banjo player who shared a teacher with Bela Fleck. Afterwards, head over to the new Mill Creek Tavern at 42nd and Chester for folk, bluegrass, and more with Full Frontal Folk, the Acoustic League of Justice, and Psych-a-billy starting at 10:00. Admission to the Crossroads event is on a $10-5-15 sliding scale, which includes a one dollar discount on the $6 cover charge for the Mill Creek Tavern. Crossroads tickets are available online at www.crossroads.calvary-center.org, from House of Our Own Books at 3
925 Spruce Street, and at the event starting at 6:30.
Fred's Mobile Homes delivers great three-part harmonies, innovative arrangements, and a sophisticated blend of traditional and contemporary bluegrass, folk, and country music. Their debut CD, "Homes Sweet Homes" received high praise in Bluegrass Unlimited and Sing Out magazine. Bass player Larry Cohen is well known for his pioneering work with Tony Trischka and Skyline, and Silk City. He is simply one of the finest electric bass players in bluegrass today. Guitarist Peter Lorch possesses a fine bluegrass tenor voice, plays rock-solid rhythm guitar and writes great original tunes. Banjoist Beth Mead is a thoughtful and inventive musician and a student of Alan Munde. She has an excellent voice, and brings the sound of the Southwest to the band. Beth has released a solo CD, titled "Big Bandjo", featuring banjo arrangements of big band and swing classics. Mandolinist and guitarist George Abramson incorporates elements of jazz and folk music into his playing, as well as smoot
h baritone and lead vocals, ala Gordon Lightfoot and Tony Rice. The vocal blend of Peter, Beth, and George borders on the magical. Combine that with a great selection of original and traditional material, spirited instrumental work, and Larry Cohen’s bass, and you have a highly entertaining and appealing group.
"Lately I’ve been laughing out loud during shows, just for pure joy," says Maria Cahill, the banjo-slinging frontwoman for the psychedelic folk quartet Ten Spiders. "I think anyone who’s willing to listen to the music, we can win them over." That’s a big claim for a Philadelphia band whose newest member only joined a few months ago. But it says a lot about the keen vision that’s kept the group’s genre-busting mix of traditional and exploratory elements so fresh and innovative. Over the last three and a half years, through extended tours and the recording of two well received CDs, Maria and her bassist husband Steve have perfected a style they call "Americosmic Bluejam." And now, with John Gannon on drums and Steven Zulli on guitar, they can conjure the magic at will. Imagine a sound that’s equal parts Phish and bluegrass master Bill Monroe. Then throw in some sly funk and the kind of smart Americana Tracy Chapman does so well. Swirl it around with a fearless sense of communal
adventure and cut loose. Ten Spiders is in the house. More information on Ten Spiders (including high resolution photos) is available at http:// www.tenspiders.com.
About Crossroads Music
West Philadelphia's newest venue for live traditional, international, ethnic, and related noncommercial music carries on the traditions of three neighborhood institutions, the original Crossroads Music Series, the former Cherry Tree Music Co-op, and the Folklife Center, formerly a resident program of International House. Monthly Philadelphia Crossroads concerts feature contrasting but related music from two different Philadelphia communities. Root and Branch concerts continue the Cherry Tree’s Sunday night concerts by nationally-known touring artists from primarily North American and British Isles musical traditions. And beginning in 2004, the Folklife Center will curate a third series, Nada Brahma (Sanskrit for "The World is Sound") which will present locally-based and national and international touring artists from culturally-specific traditions around the world.
All events take place at 7:30 pm in the historic Calvary United Methodist Church. Oak paneling, red carpets, and a horseshoe balcony make the room feel more like an intimate theater than a church. Seating is in comfortable chairs (not pews) and no seat is more than 35 feet from the stage. Calvary is located at 48th Street and Baltimore Avenue. The 34 subway-surface trolley stops at the door, and a free, well-lit, and city-maintained parking lot is located on the block. Dinner and refreshments are available at the concerts and at excellent restaurants nearby.
Upcoming Events
12/4/03 Johnny Cunningham & Susan McKeown with Aidan Brennan
12/13/03 To be announced
1/10/04 Erik Petersen and Kim and Reggie Harris
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