Posts by Matt Hoffman

Before the private jets, the billion-dollar hospitality empire, and the globally recognized shorthand for coastal escapism, Jimmy Buffett was, in the words of guitarist Roger Bartlett, “a mere mortal.” Bartlett was the first-ever member of the Coral Reefer Band, and he is one of many past Buffett collaborators to speak in Occupational Hazard: The First […]

In the improvisational circuit, the rhythm section is often the foundation upon which others build their dreams. But on the self-titled debut from Animonic, bassist Chris DeAngelis and drummer Adrian Tramontano step out from the supporting roles they’ve played in powerhouses like Kung Fu, The Breakfast, and Reprise to build something entirely for themselves. The […]

Philadelphia is a city that prides itself on family, a sentiment that was turned up to 11 last night at a packed house Johnny Brenda’s. The “Hardcore Friends Show,” presented by Matt DiMaio for his 9th annual birthday benefit, was every bit a living retrospective of a twenty-year friendship with some of the artists who […]

What do you get when you cross Smell the Glove-era Spinal Tap with a load of 1975 Ted Nugent, a henry of early ‘70s Lemmy Kilmister, and an 8 ball of mid-‘80s Tommy Lee, then dress the band up in peak “Macho Man” Randy Savage garb, surround them with alluring ballerinas, and give them all […]

On October 16th, David Byrne brought his Who Is the Sky? concert tour to Philadelphia’s Metropolitan Opera House (for the first of three shows), beautifully restored in 2018, and the perfect stage for the legendary 73-year-old polymath to present his latest live multimedia experience. Who Is the Sky? marks Byrne’s first album of new music […]

It feels reasonable to say that millions of people know Mike Viola’s music and could recite a lot of his lyrics but have no idea that he wrote it or who he even is. (I’ll unpack that in a moment.) But on October 15th, at the legendary John & Peter’s in New Hope, Pennsylvania, songwriter […]

Ballad of a Starving Artist, the debut LP from New Jersey’s The Modbeats, serves both as a love letter to the early days of rock and roll and a candid reflection on modern life in the business. On Friday, October 10th, at Kung Fu Necktie, in Philadelphia’s Fishtown neighborhood, the Asbury Park-based quartet delivered a […]

A lot has changed since 2008, the last time Rilo Kiley played Philadelphia before what would turn out to be a nearly two-decade-long hiatus from performing together. Back then, the oldest member of the band was 35; now he’s eligible to make catch-up contributions to his 401(k). (Boy, I hope musicians have defined contribution plans!) […]

For over a decade, Philadelphia’s Muscle Tough, the self-described “futuristic funk fusion trio” of Ross Bellenoit (guitar), Jonathan Colman (bass), and Joe Baldacci (drums/synth), has been carving out a unique sonic space. Known for their instrumental jazz/funkadelic that echoes the likes of Living Colour, Lotus, and the Wayne Krantz trio, they deliver “out there” grooves […]

There can be artistry in constructing an evening of music, similar to how a band might approach building a setlist, where the structure of the night functions as a conductor directing an orchestra. This premise underlies Dual Pathways, a Philly festival that held its second annual iteration on Saturday, May 17th. It touted more than […]