Kimmel Center Blog - Pop Archives

"Pop" archive

Friday 20 June

Summer Solstice Celebration 2008 (15:45) - I barely know where to start about Solstice 2008. Tomorrow, starting at 3pm (2:30pm, for the outdoor street festival) the Kimmel Center celebrates the longest day of the year. Take a look at the schedule for more information about... | 0 Comments

Friday 25 April

Feist (16:41) - Feist returns to the Academy tonight special guest Hayden. The last time Feist played the Academy, she was relatively unknown and opening for Bright Eyes. Now, she's winding up a huge year with The Reminder and the enormous hit "1-2-3-4."... | 0 Comments

Sunday 13 April

Jerry Blavat's Doo Wop Reunion (15:30) - The Geator is back for a evening of street corner memories. Little Anthony and the Imperials, Johnny Maestro and the Brooklyn Bridge, and Kenny Vance and the Planotones reprise their soulful hits. Due to illness, Harvey Fuqua of the Moonglows... | 5 Comments

Tuesday 4 March

Pink Martini (14:36) - "Like a romantic Hollywood musical of the 1940s or 50s—but with a global perspective that is modern . . . " That's Thomas Lauderdale describing the ensemble he founded, Pink Martini (above photo by Sherri Diteman). Based in Portland,... | 1 Comments

Saturday 1 March

Jazz Up Close: Richard Bona Band (16:00) - Richard Bona Band makes its Kimmel Center debut tonight along with special guest Lionel Loueke. Dubbed "The African Sting," Bona blends global jazz, African spirit, and Anglo-Saxon pop harmonies with lyrical storytelling. Hope you'll tell us what you thought... | 0 Comments

Sunday 20 January

Ladysmith Black Mambazo (12:00) - This South African a cappella group has become a world music sensation. Ladysmith Black Mambazo returns to the Kimmel Center on the heels of their incredibly successful, and Grammy-nominated, album Long Walk to Freedom. They also completed a collaboration... | 0 Comments

Monday 17 December

Hall and Oates, Home for Christmas (15:49) - Daryl Hall and John Oates met forty years ago at the Adelphi Ballroom in Philadelphia, and now they're back in Philly to support their latest album, Home for Christmas. To hear more of the holiday songs on that album, you... | 1 Comments

Tuesday 20 November

Youssou N'Dour and the Super Etoile de Dakar (15:13) - Youssou N'Dour is a Senegalese singer who popularized mbalax, a blend of the country's traditional griot percussion and praise-singing with Afro-Cuban arrangements and flavors. The Super Etoile de Dakar is N'Dour's ensemble, first formed in 1979. Youssou is probably best... | 1 Comments

Sunday 16 September

Johnny Mathis, September 16, 2007 (15:00) - In the house of my childhood, Johnny Mathis is sacred. "The Twelfth of Never" is my parents' song, and his version of the "Hallelujah" chorus kicks off the holidays first thing on Friday morning after Thanksgiving. Mathis is currently celebrating... | 28 Comments

Tuesday 21 August

Boston Pops, August 21st (16:40) - Tonight is the Boston Pops debut at the Kimmel Center. "A Tribute to Oscar and Tony" celebrates the award-winning music of Hollywood and Broadway. Keith Lockhart leads the Pops and is joined by soloists Marin Mazzie and Jason Danieley, who... | 0 Comments

Tuesday 19 June

Summer Solstice Celebration, June 23, 2007 (17:14) - The Kimmel Center's Summer Solstice Celebration is back, starting at 3 p.m. on Saturday and going strong until sunrise, early Sunday morning. View the schedule online to plan your night, links to the artists' sites are included. In addition to... | 6 Comments

Saturday 5 May

Organ Family concert, May 5, 2007 (09:26) - This morning is Kimmel Center Presents second Organ Family concert. Alan Morrison, one of the organists from last season's recital marathon, returns to Verizon Hall along with the Rodney Mack Philadelphia Big Brass. The program for this morning features classical... | 0 Comments

Sunday 15 April

Jerry Blavat's Doo Wop Reunion, April 15, 2007 (17:20) - The Geator is back at the Kimmel Center. This time, he's bringing seven memorable Doo Wop acts from the fifties and sixties. These are the groups responsible for hits like "Sixteen Candles," "You Belong to Me," "Just to Be with... | 4 Comments

Saturday 7 April

Art Garfunkel, April 7, 2007 (18:00) - Art Garfunkel spent the first half of his career as part of the legendary Simon & Garfunkel. His post-Simon & Garfunkel achievements include a successful film career, a published book of poetry, plus continuing his solo singing and songwriting career.... | 1 Comments

Sunday 25 March

Leahy, March 25, 2007 (11:18) - From Lakefield, Ontario, the Leahy family performs traditional Irish music and step-dance in Verizon today. The Leahys grew up with music as a part of their daily lives on the family farm. This afternoon is their Kimmel Center debut. What... | 1 Comments

Tuesday 20 March

Spamalot, March 20–April 6, 2007 (15:52) - If you've ever seen the film version of Monty Python and the Holy Grail, you've probably been quoting it ever since (my personal favorite is "Help! Help! I'm bein' oppressed!"). Tonight, the musical "lovingly ripped off" from the film opens... | 2 Comments

Monday 19 March

Barbara Cook and Audra McDonald, March 18th (09:04) - Two of Broadway's most memorable voices brought classic songbook favorites to life on Sunday when they performed in Verizon Hall. Miss Cook has more than fifty years experience charming audiences, and Ms. McDonald is a major star of stage, screen,... | 3 Comments

Friday 26 January

A Prairie Home Companion: Live Broadcast!, Saturday, Jan. 27 (16:03) - It's been sold-out for months, but finally, it's time for A Prairie Home Companion's live broadcast from the Kimmel Center. If you didn't get a ticket, be sure to tune in to WHYY-91FM to hear the show. Then, come back... | 2 Comments

Sunday 5 November

Sweet Honey in the Rock, November 5th (12:33) - This renowned African American female a cappella group has contributed to the changing of nations with songs like "We Shall Not Be Moved" and "Biko." Sweet Honey in the Rock uses their powerful voices to advocate activism and to draw... | 0 Comments

Monday 16 October

Emmylou Harris with Teddy Thompson, October 15th (09:32) - Emmylou Harris is a twelve-time Grammy winner. She's contributed to the recent bluegrass revival, and she has performed with artists like Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Pete Seeger and Judy Collins. She's also just released a CD of duets with Mark... | 3 Comments

Tuesday 10 October

Indigo Girls, October 10th (17:43) - Amy Ray and Emily Saliers have been singing together for twenty years. With a new CD, Despite Our Differences, they're touring, and tonight, they're playing Verizon Hall. What did you think of the show tonight?... | 4 Comments

Thursday 5 October

Riders Done Right (15:17) - If you know anything about sound, lighting and/or hosting performers at a venue, there's a good chance you won't agree with me that this is a concert rider done right. The Smoking Gun is well known for getting a hold... | 1 Comments

Wednesday 27 September

I Can't Stop Loving You, September 26-October 1 (09:03) - Premiering in Philadelphia after a successful run in London's West End, this musical celebration of Ray Charles' legacy is rocking the Academy of Music this week. If you're a fan of Ray, or you made it to the show, please... | 0 Comments

Friday 25 August

OTC (musical ramblings) (09:26) - OTC (On the Card) That’s where it resides ‘til I own it, right? On the credit card? I try to pay cash, but that’s not always possible. Especially with last weeks purchase—Keb Mo’s Suitcase, T Bone Burnett’s The True... | 0 Comments

Wednesday 19 July

50 Most Influential Albums (11:34) - This list was created by the U.K. paper, The Observer, to celebrate fifty years of the album chart. The list is mostly concerned with albums that changed pop music history. It might be the only time Miles Davis and the... | 4 Comments

Sunday 25 June

Summer Solstice Celebration, June 24th (09:00) - After 19 hours of music, dance, food, face painting, yoga and even juggling, Kimmel Center guests celebrated the return of Summer (and the return of the Solstice celebration). Be sure to check out the Kimmel Center's flickr page for photos... | 2 Comments

Saturday 3 June

Peter, Paul & Mary, June 3rd (15:00) - This influential and beloved trio returns to the Kimmel Center to delight their fans, young and old. Now in their fifth decade performing together, Peter, Paul and Mary have won Grammys, produced 13 Top 40 hits and had eight gold... | 3 Comments

Wednesday 12 April

Cesaria Evora and Keren Ann, April 12th (16:21) - The Cape Verde islands, in the North Atlantic, off the coast of Senegal, were colonized by Portugal in the fifteenth century. Part of the legacy of that colonization is the sublime, softly burred voice of Cesaria Evora. With her successful... | 0 Comments

Friday 7 April

Medeski, Martin & Wood, April 7 (14:34) - Better known as MMW, this instrumental trio returns to the Kimmel Center tonight for an evening of hip-hop trance-funk. They've backed Iggy Pop, shared stages with The Roots, Beck, and A Tribe Called Quest. Tonight, local phenomenon Slo-Mo will open... | 1 Comments

Monday 27 March

Jamie Cullum, March 27th (15:49) - This young British star comes to the Kimmel Center tonight having sold more than two million copies of his worldwide debut album Twentysomething and having just released his second album Catching Tales. Opening the show tonight is Brandie Carlile.... | 3 Comments

Sunday 12 March

The Chieftains, March 12th (12:11) - They've been making music together for 42 years; they've won an Academy award and six Grammys. The Chieftains are one of Ireland's greatest exports. The Kimmel Center has been lucky enough to present these amazing musicians every year, right around... | 0 Comments

Saturday 11 March

Mavis Staples and Taj Mahal (17:02) - She's a legend; she was included on VH1's 100 Greatest Women of Rock and Roll; and she's appeared alongside Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King to Bill Cosby to Jimmy Carter to Bill Clinton. Joining her tonight is another legendary performer,... | 0 Comments

Saturday 4 March

Oscar music (15:31) - I get crazy at Oscar time. The need to see as many of the movies on the Oscars list is overwhelming ... and this year I've done especially well. In the past week alone, I've seen Junebug, Transamerica, Goodnight &... | 7 Comments

Tuesday 14 February

Sylvia McNair, Valentine's Day Special, February 14th (15:18) - Sylvia McNair has sung everything from Mozart arias to Harold Arlen's "Come Rain or Come Shine." Her repertoire encompasses cabaret music from the past 75 years as well as opera. McNair has even sung, by special invitation, for former... | 2 Comments

Monday 23 January

Cullum at the Kimmel?! (16:42) - Ladies and Gentlemen! Six simple words for you: Jamie Cullum at the Kimmel Center! When you might ask? March 27, 2005 Time? 8:30pm Where? Verizon Hall Tickets? On Sale Now! This 26-year-old crooning prodigy from Great Britain has been... | 1 Comments

Tuesday 3 January

Revisiting Raabe (16:32) - We just can't get enough of Max Raabe around here! Everyones fav German big band leader recently spoke with WRTI's Jill Pasternak about his past, his future and his music. Click here to find out about the man Marilyn...

Thursday 22 December

A Very Geator Christmas, December 22nd (13:00) - Jerry Blavat hosts his first holiday concert at the Kimmel Center. The performance kicks off early with a dance party in Commonwealth Plaza--DJed by the Geator himself! The show opens with Jimmy Beaumont and the Skyliners and Johnny Maestro and... | 1 Comments

Thursday 1 December

Max Raabe and Palast Orchester, Thursday, December 1st (17:00) - Listening to this ensemble, you would never guess that they're currently touring and making records. They have the romantic sound of a dance hall band, the kind from Fred Astaire movies. Take a look at their website, and you can... | 4 Comments

Monday 21 November

Apples to Oranges (10:11) - The Bad Plus have posted an invitational on their blog, comparing bands to writers. The first 61 are from the band's recent train ride in Ireland, and they're welcoming submissions from their readers. I love the reasoning for this one:... | 0 Comments

Saturday 19 November

Bright Eyes with Feist and The Magic Numbers, November 19th (17:00) - Bright Eyes is one of the most recognizeable faces of indie music. Soon to be just as familiar if the reaction in our offices is any indication is Feist. I couldn't stop listening to her CD Let it Die, especially... | 3 Comments

Sunday 13 November

A Woman's Heart, November 13th (12:00) - Mary Black has been one of Ireland's top singers for more than 20 years; Maura O'Connell was the lead vocalist for De Danaan and appeared in Martin Scorsese's The Gangs of New York; Cara Dillon has appeared in Australia and... | 2 Comments

Friday 4 November

Richard Smallwood and Vision with The Dixie Hummingbirds, November 4th (17:00) - Washington, D.C. has already hosted two "Richard Smallwood Days." Richard Smallwood has been honored with Grammys, a Dove award and has been inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame. His music has been recorded by Destiny's Child, Whitney Houston... | 8 Comments

Saturday 15 October

Kiki and Herb, October 15th (15:00) - Nearly from their first meeting in the Eerie Children's Institute in Western Pennsylvania, Kiki and Herb have been performing. Now, the "Completely Insane Miss Kiki DuRane" and her enabling accompanist Herb have brought their "freak show for the post-modern set"... | 1 Comments

Thursday 22 September

From Tony Bennett to The Roots in 24 hours (00:00) - Having spent most of my career marketing classical music, this past weekend was a double introduction for me to both Tony Bennett and The Roots. And while I have heard recordings of Bennett over the years, I had never seen... | 1 Comments

Tuesday 20 September

Roots music & Nawlins (11:01) - Before The Roots paraded into Verizon Hall second line style Friday night, I was not 110% on board with physically rebuilding the city of New Orleans. I know that sounds like something a conservative congressman said recently, but witnessing the... | 0 Comments

Saturday 17 September

Solomon Burke with MFSB Band, September 17th (18:00) - King Solomon started building his legacy at age 7! How did he do tonight? Doesn't he make you wish you had your own throne? Were you singing along with MFSB--reliving your glory days in front of Soul Train?... | 1 Comments

Friday 16 September

The Roots and Friends, September 16th (18:00) - The Roots have come a long way from the principal's office at CAPA--all the way to Verizon Hall. How was it seeing them perform with Jill Scott? Did you stick around for the dance party with guest DJ ?uestlove? And... | 9 Comments
The Roots Put Philly (& Me) On the Map (13:59) - My introduction to The Roots came when my college roomate, Nate, a self-proclaimed "musical expert" from outside of Boston, burst into our dorm room with a copy of "Organix" (their first album) in his hand, threw it into the CD... | 1 Comments

Wednesday 14 September

Free Is Good (01:45) - Did someone say FREE ??!? TV On The Radio has a brand new internet-only single called Dry Drunk Emperor and it's very much worth checking out before their performance on Friday night. You can grab some free Deerhoof mp3s at... | 0 Comments

Tuesday 13 September

The Kimmel Center Just Classical? Pashaw..... (08:53) - Like most college-age students across America, the last two years of my college career were spent answering the almost daily question (especially from my parents) about my plans after graduation. As a public relations major and music minor, my answer... | 2 Comments

Monday 12 September

Feist aka "On learning new music at the Kimmel Center" (12:00) - One of the great things about working here at the Kimmel Center is the extraordinarily diverse range of artists on our stages. I say that, not so much as an employee of the Kimmel Center, but as someone who has... | 1 Comments

Sunday 11 September

Opening Week 2005-06: Hurricane Relief (23:59) - In the wake of the devastation and destruction of Katrina, the only things that kept me from throwing up my hands in despair were stories like this – ordinary people just doing the right thing to help out their neighbors... | 2 Comments