Local Band Review
There are so many great reasons to be in Philly right now. One reason, without a doubt, is that it’s the up-and-coming music city on the East Coast, if not in the entire country. Deeply rooted in Philadelphia is the DIY noise/punk scene, which includes talented acts like Fight Amp. If the Melvins and Nirvana were smokestacks in the industrialized Philly skyline, Fight Amp would be the ashes falling from the sky.
Left to right: Jon Dehart and Mike McGinnis of Fight Amp./Justin Helm
Fight Amp was founded by Mike McGinnis, guitar and backing vocals, and Jon DeHart, vocals and bass, just over the river in West Deptford, NJ. Fueled by political outrage, DeHart began venting nihilistic, anti-government poetry through a thick sonic scape of guitars and bass cabs, tense, layered backing vocals by McGinnis and thundering drums. The band now rehearses in the Riverwards and plays to audiences across the East Coast.
As I sat in Fight Amp’s practice space at The Artisans Colony in Port Richmond, one thing became abundantly clear to me: This is a band that loves good sound and sticks with what works. Sporting a huge Kustom 3-15 bass cab and beautiful drums built by the late Athon of Black Tusk, it’s no wonder that their new record, Constantly Off, sounds so rich and delightful.
When asked how they have managed to fine-tune their production over the years, McGinnis and DeHart explained that they work out as many demos as possible when recording and then go through “stockpiled” lyrics to see how to fit them into songs. This songwriting process makes completing a song no easy task, as some songs have taken years to complete.
You can check out Fight Amp at Kung Fu Necktie (1250 North Front St.) on February 27th with Uxo, Grizzlor and Humanshapes to see and hear what all the noise is about.
Local Concert Preview
If you’re looking to snap your thumbs to classic Hip-Hop sounds with some heart and swag, Kool Keith is just your man. With a ridiculously intriguing personality, you never quite know what you will get with the “Original Black Elvis.” A king of fables and master of turntable scratching, Keith constantly keeps things fresh by assuming a plethora of oddball characters (like Dr. Octagon and Dr. Dooom) each spitting out villainous rhyme schemes.
Kool Keith.
“Time? Astonishing!”, Kool Keith’s latest effort with renowned producer L’orange, has proven that Keith deserves a proper seat within today’s Hip-Hop community. The album features a continued affection for outer space, slick, layered samples, classic drums and plenty of adlibs. The album features stellar guest appearances by the likes of J-Live, Mr. Lif, Open Mike Eagle, Blue, MC Paul Barman and Minds One. Keith has produced much of his own material since releasing Black Elvis/Lost in Space in 1999.
Citizens of Earth can travel through space and time with Kool Keith at Kung Fu Necktie on Friday Feb 19th. Doors are at 8, 21+.
Want your band or a local band you love to be spotlighted on Music Row? Shoot us an email at news@spiritnews.org with the subject line “Music Row.”
