{"id":52223,"date":"2023-04-29T09:02:43","date_gmt":"2023-04-29T13:02:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/?p=52223"},"modified":"2023-04-29T09:02:46","modified_gmt":"2023-04-29T13:02:46","slug":"on-stage-extra-phoneboy-comes-to-the-foundry-at-fillmore","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/?p=52223","title":{"rendered":"On Stage Extra: Phoneboy comes to the Foundry at Fillmore"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff<\/strong>, Entertainment Editor, The Times<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"

Phoneboy<\/p><\/div>\n

In the early 1980s, there was a British ska-pop-punk band called Fun Boy Three which was actually a trio of singers and percussionists performing along with\u00a0a six-piece backing group that included a\u00a0cellist\u00a0and a\u00a0trombone\u00a0player. One of their UK hits was “Our Lips Are Sealed,” which was a chart song for The Go-Go\u2019s in the states.<\/p>\n

Now in the early 2020, there is an American Gen-Z\u00a0indie-pop trio\u00a0called Phoneboy \u2013 a group that is actually a three-piece band. On April 29, Phoneboy will make a return visit to Philadelphia to headline a show at The Foundry at Fillmore Philadelphia (1100 Canal Street, Philadelphia, www.thefillmorephilly.com<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Phoneboy is Wyn Barnum and Ricky Dana \u2013 both on vocals and guitars \u2013 and James Fusco on bass.<\/p>\n

The band released its self-titled debut album in April 2021. On April 28 this year, Phoneboy released its sophomore album, \u201cMoving Out.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe wrote a lot of the new album in the summer of 2021,\u201d said Barnum, during a phone interview earlier this week as the band was travelling to a gig in Cleveland. \u201cWe recorded it in early 2022.\u201d<\/p>\n

The band\u2019s roots go back more than a decade when they were students at Stevens Institute of Technology.<\/p>\n

\u201cRicky and I were going to Stevens College in Hoboken,\u201d said Barnum. \u201cThe next year, James came over. He was going to Fordham. We needed a good bassist.<\/p>\n

\u201cJames and I are from the (San Francisco) Bay Area. I grew up mostly in the East Bay area. We met when we were 11 or 12. A little while later, we started playing in bands together.\u201d<\/p>\n

A few years ago, the three musicians\u2019 paths crossed at Stevens and a new entity was born \u2013 a pop-punk-rock band with bits of surf rock influence.<\/p>\n

\u201cI chose Stevens because they gave me money,\u201d said Dana. “I majored in quantitative finance.\u201d<\/p>\n

Fusco said, \u201cI majored in math and economics.\u201d<\/p>\n

Only Barnum had music in the picture.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was a music major,\u201d said Barnum. \u201cMusic and technology.\u201d<\/p>\n

Phoneboy took a major step forward with the release of its self-titled album in 2012.<\/p>\n

Fusco said, \u201cWe write a lot of music inspired by pop punk. One person musically comes to the table and then we all work around it<\/p>\n

Phoneboy\u2019s two albums are very different.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe didn\u2019t record the first album in one cohesive setting,\u201d said Dana. \u201cThe songs were written over the course of a couple years. We look at it more as a mix tape than an album. We released a ton of singles.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe second album is more of a proper album. It was more electronic \u2013 Phoneboy found a synth. Our influences were the Strokes and Blink 182. Our music now is electronic sounds with a rock feel.\u201d<\/p>\n

Barnum said, \u201cWe know what sound we like, and we just go for it. It\u2019s just us making music. Fortunately, people like it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for Phoneboy \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/ZgjrvhZq-nE<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show on April 29 at The Foundry will start at 8 p.m.<\/p>\n

Tickets are $18.<\/p>\n

\"\"

The Steel Wheels<\/p><\/div>\n

When the Steel Wheels formed almost 20 years ago, they were a bluegrass band in every way \u2013 an acoustic band featuring a trio of \u00a0singers\/multi-instrumentalists.<\/p>\n

That trio is still the core of the band which will be performing on April 30 at City Winery (990 Filbert Street, Philadelphia, www.citywinery.com<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Trent Wagler is lead vocalist, mountain banjo player, guitarist and the band\u2019s primary songwriter. Jay Lapp plays mandolin, guitar, electric guitar and sings. Eric Brubaker plays fiddle and sings.<\/p>\n

Formed by Wagler in Harrisonburg, Virginia, they released several albums under Wagler\u2019s moniker, before officially adopting The Steel Wheels name with the 2010 release of\u00a0\u201cRed Wing.\u201d They have released six studio albums since \u2013 the most recent of which is \u201cOver The Trees,\u201d which was released in 2019 on their own label \u2013 Big Ring Records.<\/p>\n

\u201cI came to Harrisonburg to attend James Madison University in 1997 and then stuck around,\u201d said Wagler, during a phone interview last week from his Virginia home.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was born in southern Indiana in Bean Blossom, which is a hub of bluegrass. I grew up with bluegrass.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne the good things about going to school here in Virginia was that I got a chance to see Doc Watson playing in Lexington. He was just amazing.<\/p>\n

\u201cDoc Watson was always an influence along with Townes Van Zandt and that Texas vibe stuff. I was always into songwriters.<\/p>\n

\u201cI was also into Pearl Jam and Nirvana. I was somewhere in the middle between that and singers such as Gillian Welch, Jason Isbell and Brandi Carlile. I was always drawn to bluegrass \u2013 especially the harmonies.\u201d<\/p>\n

At one point in his college career, Wagler got away from the Virginia mountains \u2013 but not away from acoustic music.<\/p>\n

\u201cI took a year off from college and did volunteer work,\u201d said Wagler. \u201cI spent a year teaching English in the Gaza Strip.<\/p>\n

\u201cI really gravitated toward folk music and roots stuff. I got into oud music when I was in the Middle East.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I came back to Virginia, it made me realize how much I liked acoustic pared-down music.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis band began very acoustically. We spent a lot of earlier days with a lot of different influences \u2013 acoustic influences. Now, we\u2019ve grown into a bigger sound.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Steel Wheels have a bigger sound \u2013 and a bigger band.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe core of this band has been together playing shows every year since 2005,\u201d said Wagler. \u201cOn our last three studio albums and through the pandemic, we were really pushing more.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe hired a drummer in the studio and on the road. Kevin Garcia has been our drummer since 2019 and Jeremy Darrow has been our bass player for over a year.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe just recorded a new record and we\u2019ll be releasing it next year. We\u2019re already playing some of the songs live.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Steel Wheels have long been at home in the creative space between tradition and innovation, informed by the familiar sounds of the Virginia mountains where the band was formed, but always moving forward with insightful lyrics and an evolving sound. Newest member Jeremy Darrow rounds out the rhythm section and grounds the band as they continue to explore deeply rooted yet fresh folk rock sounds.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe drums are more present,\u201d said Wagler. \u201cThere\u2019s been a shift. I like it when we\u2019re able to grow and evolve. It\u2019s kind of a hard thing to communicate that we\u2019re not still that same band playing around a single mic. We\u2019ve embraced taking a folk-rock moniker.\u201d<\/p>\n

One way of putting it is that the Steel Wheels now play \u201cbluegrass with balls.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for The Steel Wheels \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/8E3Eh3lvdjU<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show on April 30 at City Winery will start at 7:30 p.m.<\/p>\n

Tickets are $25.<\/p>\n

Earlier this month, City Winery hosted a concert by Rachael Sage \u2013 a show that was part of a two-week, seven-show tour with\u00a0Annalyse & Ryan.<\/p>\n

Now, Sage and her band are doing a show at a new concert venue just west of Chester County — Zoetropolis Cinema Stillhouse (112 North Water Street, Lancaster, zoetropolis.com<\/a>).<\/p>\n

The show, which is scheduled for April 30 at 6:30 p.m. is billed as \u201cSongwriters in the Raw with Rachael Sage, Katie Dahl, and Jessica Smucker<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sage\u00a0and The Sequins started their Spring Tour at\u00a0SXSW and made a stop later for a taping of\u00a0NPR\u2019s Mountain Stage. The band features Kelly Halloran (violin), Andy Mac (drums), Ward Williams (cello) and Trina Hamlin (harmonica).<\/p>\n

Sage and her Hudson Valley neighbors\u00a0Annalyse & Ryan\u00a0are on the road together for the\u00a0\u201cOut Of The Valley Tour,\u201d which began March 26 at the Towne Crier in their hometown Beacon, New york.<\/p>\n

The tour will end on April 30 and then, three weeks later, Sage will head across the Atlantic for a three-week tour that will take her all around the U.K. — including a showcase event at The Plesantry in London.<\/p>\n

In addition to her ambitious touring, Sage is putting the finishing touches on her brand-new album, \u201cThe Other Side.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhistle Blow,\u201d the first single from \u201cThe Other Side,\u201d will officially be released tomorrow (April 21).<\/p>\n

Sage has released 15 studio albums \u2013 starting with \u201cMorbid Romantic\u201d in 1996. She released her sixth album, \u201cBallads & Burlesque\u201d in 2006 and then has faithfully released a new album every two years (on even years) since then \u2013 until COVID hit. Her two most recent LPs are Myopia\u201d in 2018 and \u201cCharacter\u201d in 2020.<\/p>\n

Sage is like a modern-day Renaissance woman \u2014 singer-songwriter, ballerina, pianist, poet, record label owner, actress, organist, writer and record producer. Currently, she is focused on being a performer.<\/p>\n

Sage has developed a loyal international following for her dynamic piano playing, delicate guitar work, and improvisational audience interaction. A six-time Independent Music Award winner, Sage has toured with an eclectic list of artists including Howard Jones, Beth Hart, Ani DiFranco, and Grammy\u00ae winners Shawn Colvin and Judy Collins \u2013 with whom she also recorded a critically-acclaimed duet of Neil Young’s \u201cHelpless.\u201d<\/p>\n

Since founding her own label MPress Records two decades ago, NYC-based alt-pop artist\u00a0Rachael Sage\u00a0has steadily released a slew of vibrant, dynamic albums with poetic lyrics spanning subjects as wide as her inspirations. She has toured with an eclectic list of artists including\u00a0Ani DiFranco, Beth Hart, Sarah McLachlan, Judy Collins\u00a0and\u00a0Howard Jones.<\/p>\n

Sage also continues to significantly grow her visibility via her many song placements \u2013 including many on top reality show,\u00a0\u201cDance Moms,\u201d which translated into over\u00a010 million YouTube hits.<\/p>\n

Annalyse & Ryan are a NY-based Americana duo. Their sound and songs take listeners on a soulful, rootsy journey. The sweetness and severity in their music echoes a cross between The Civil Wars and Tedeschi Trucks Band. Their music has been featured on CBS, BBC, and in multiple documentaries.<\/p>\n

Video link for Rachael Sage \u2013\u00a0https:\/\/youtu.be\/IDk5HWy1pgM<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show, which is scheduled for April 30 at Zoetropolis Cinema Stillhouse, will start at 6:30 p.m.<\/p>\n

Tickets are $25.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times In the early 1980s, there was a British ska-pop-punk band called Fun Boy Three which was actually a trio of singers and percussionists performing along with\u00a0a six-piece backing group that included a\u00a0cellist\u00a0and a\u00a0trombone\u00a0player. One of their UK hits was “Our Lips Are Sealed,” which was a chart song […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":52221,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[7426,15098,15099],"class_list":["post-52223","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-featured","tag-phoneboy","tag-the-steel-wheels"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52223","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=52223"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52223\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":52224,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52223\/revisions\/52224"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/52221"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=52223"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=52223"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=52223"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}