February 23, 2007
Daddy-O’s and Babies: Listen up. This ain’t no “Swingers” film revival, this is the real thing, straight up, with a side of Cab Calloway to bust your conk.
Bridget Foy’s Restaurant (at 2nd & South) plays host to a throwback party/show this Saturday night in their “secret” upstairs lounge the Monkey Bar. Appropriately entitled “Monkey Bar Nights”, local showman Brian Adoff presents an evening of sophistication and booze as he recreates a 1940′s-era Nightclub complete with showgirls, singers, a live jazz band and old-time cocktails. Not to mention complimentary hors d’oeuvres and a camera girl that takes souvenir photographs for each person to take home with them.
Here’s a chance to look sharp and be a part of a new “café society” scene in Philadelphia. Space is super-limited but discounted “uwishunu” tickets are available for online purchase here, or call 347.423.3560.
October 24, 2006
Philadelphia’s best small music venue recently opened and there’s a good chance you didn’t hear about it. Johnny Brenda’s is a long-time watering hole with the reputation of being the “cool” bar in the equally “about to be cool” neighborhood of Fishtown. With one of the better selection of craft beers and a very affordable dinner menu, JB’s was/is the hot spot for younger Philadelphians. Open since the 1960′s, and now under new ownership (William Reed and Paul Kimport from The Standard Tap), the bar’s second floor has been recently renovated to welcome local and national bands from all genres of music. This is a very good thing.
The room features a brand new balcony (complete with hand-crafted iron railing), perfect sight lines to the stage, plenty of bartenders and servers (never a long wait for a drink), cheap door prices and what is shaping up to be one of the best lineups in Philadelphia. It’s already the new favorite place to play for many bands. You should stop by for an evening and “get in on the ground floor” (the second floor) before the lines at JB’s stretch down the block! Get the latest show information at JB’s MySpace page before you head over to Girard and Frankford. [Full disclosure: My company, R5 Productions, handles some of the booking for Johnny Brenda's, but I'd still rave about the place even if that wasn't true.]
Johnny Brenda’s
1201 N. Frankford Ave
Philadelphia, PA 19125
215-739-9684
Photo courtesy of phillyskyline.com.
