Blip Festival New York is upon us and between May 25th and the 27th, the Gramercy Theatre is going to be full of 8-bit artists from around the world to show off their circuit bent wares and a musical and visual masterpieces. Organized by 8BitPeoples since 2006, Blip Festival shows off the latest and greatest that the chip tune community has to offer.

Philly is familiar with the retro sounds of 8-bit music and because of 8 Static, this city has become a veritable breeding ground for a new brand of musicians using old Nintendos and a bit of ingenuity to create some groundbreaking sounds. Three local artists in particular have been invited to perform at this auspicious event.

Chipocrite can be found all over Philadelphia writing intricate compositions with a gameboy and a bass for the likes of 8 Static, GameStop ads, and Lebowskifest Philadelphia. We also love him because he was kind enough to cover a rockin’ version of the Game of Thrones theme for the first annual Philly Geek Awards. He’ll be sure to treat the New York chip tune scene to some incredible songs.

“Beauty from corruption, destruction from chrominance” is that mantra of Chromacle, a digital and video artist who can sometimes be found here in philly delighting eyeballs at the monthly 8 Static over at Philly MOCA. His clever amalgamation of shapes, colors, and lights adds incredible depth to 8 bit sounds coming from vintage gameboys and the odd NES.

Enso is another visual artist lending some lights to the sounds of Blip Festival. His low-res atmospheric shows are a hit here in Philadelphia and will be sure to dazzle everyone at the Gramercy Theater and possibly put them in a psychedelic trance.

Our home grown 8 Static veterans will be sure to blast the roof off of the Gramercy and it would be a shame for you to miss out on their audible exploits.

Tickets range from one day passes to the full three day shebang. You can snag them here. Also make sure to check out the schedule so you can go cheer on our local 8-bit extraordinaires!

Photo by Beau Roulette

Back in high school, a few friends and I painstakingly taught ourselves how to play Pardon Me and Drive on acoustic guitars, in attempts to impress girls. I mean, why else do you pick up an acoustic guitar? Ten years later, and I’m still listening to (and poorly playing) songs by Incubus.

So needless to say, I was pretty thrilled that I had a chance to ask Brandon Boyd, the lead singer of Incubus, a couple of questions. They just toured through the area (some of you might have caught them at Penn’s Landing) and are playing in Camden tonight.

Fun fact, Brandon not only spends a lot of his time writing music, but he also paints and writes books. And as a serious book and publishing geek, I asked him some questions about his literary and artistic pursuits.

So along with your music career, you paint, you’re into photography, you’ve written books… how do you manage to find a way to balance all of your passions?

I like to follow muse wherever she goes! Sometimes she wanders into bookish moods, sometimes into noise and I am compelled to organize notes and words into song, then occasionally she will sing to me from the backside of a camera. I made it sound a lot more esoteric than it actually is; I just really enjoy making things. Pulling thoughts, moods and landscapes out of the ether! There I go, back to the esoteric.

Speaking of those books, what are some of your major literary influences? How have they affected your writing?

A few of my favorites are Henry Miller, Tom Robbins, Robert Anton Wilson, Kurt Vonnegut, and William Burroughs to name just a few. (more…)

Time stopped for a few minutes on May 4^th last week when word spread that Adam Yauch, better known as MCA of the iconic band The Beastie Boys, had died. Only 47 years old, he had been fighting a courageous battle against cancer since 2009 and leaves behind an impressive legacy of music and fighting to bring freedom to Tibet.

In honor of Yauch and his work, The Awesome Fest and the Trocadero are holding a special screening of the Beastie Boys concert film “Awesome; I F*ckin’ Shot That!” on this Thursday, May 17th. The 2006 film was directed by Yauch and was filmed by giving camcorders to 50 members of the audience at the band’s show at Madison Square Garden.

The event is a 21 and over, free event with a charitable donation of $5 to go toward a charity of the Yauch family’s choosing. The doors open at 7:00 and the movie begins at 8:00 with a DJ and an anthology of Beastie Boys videos before the movie.

So head down to the Troc this Thursday to celebrate the life and work of someone who was truly a unique voice in music.

Awesome; I F*ckin’ Shot That @ The Trocadero
Thursday, May 17th, 2012
http://www.thetroc.com/

Sonar Love by Doug LaRocca of the Autumn Society

The Holy Trinity of hated animals are bats, snakes and rats. But don’t you think it’s time we give the winged mammals a break? After all, living in Philly means that your chances of having a nasty horror movie-styled run-in with the flying beasties isn’t exactly too high. Besides, they could really use your help.

Currently, several bat species are suffering from White Nose Syndrome — a fungal disease that was first identified in 2006. Since then, it has killed millions of bats throughout North America and continues to threaten countless more. With no cure in sight as of yet, the best tool seems to be raising awareness… and funds.

Thus, the Bat Conservation International organization has dedicated itself to “conducting and supporting science-based conservation efforts” in order to “ensure bats will be helping to maintain healthy environments and human economies into the future.”

Impressed by the work that the outfit is doing, local artists Ryann Casey, Jeanne D’Angelo and Michael Murkowski (all of whom are members of BCI) have organized this week’s Empty Night Skies art opening and sale at South Philly’s Grindcore House. Featuring bat-themed works from over 25 area artists, the ambitious show aims to raise funds so that BCI can help combat White Nose Syndrome.

Even if you still loathe bats, you should check it out to support your friends and neighbors who have gathered together to ensure that these creatures of the night stick around.

Empty Night Skies: A Show to Benefit Bat Conservation International
Friday, April 20th, 2012 7pm-10pm.

Grindcore House
1515 S. 4th Street, Philadelphia, PA
www.grindcorehouse.com

Geeks and the outdoors have long considered to mix like oil and water. That is to say, our pasty skin and sometimes questionable physical conditioning often means that we find ourselves enjoying the wonders of the great indoors more often than those of mother nature.

This week’s Kickstarter, The Switched-On Garden, aims to change all that. In fact, this is the team at Data Garden’s second go-round on this particular project. Last year’s event at Bartram’s Garden was a smashing success, with over 700 people attending to check out the unique blend of technology and nature. This year’s event is sure to be even more awesome:

Data Garden seeks to engage people to explore the relationship between plants music and technology with an outdoor arts festival, The Switched-On Garden on October 14, 2012. Attendees will connect with their natural environment through live music, performance and sculpture that blurs the distinction between biological and digital worlds. Site-specific art installations will be highly interactive and educational.

The first Switched-On Garden took place on 10/16/2011 at Philadelphia’s Bartram’s Garden and was attended by over 700 people of all ages and backgrounds. Your investment will help us make this event possible, attract leading international artists, expand public interaction with urban green space and keep the event free and open to the public.

We understand that not everyone who supports this event will be able to attend. With that in mind, we’re offering special edition memorabilia and audio documentation that will allow you to be part of The Switched-On Garden wherever you are in the world.

That special edition memorabilia they mention? Some of you may end up with a sweet plantable album. I’m not really sure how that works, but it sounds awesome.

The Project: The Switched-On Garden 002

Creator: Data Garden

The Sweet Spot: $10 gets you the plantable album of sounds and performances from the event, $50 nets you a limited edition poster and t-shirt to go with it. Big spenders can get the VIP treatment and special access at higher donation levels.

Funding Deadline: April 24th, 2012

More Info: Check out the main Kickstarter page, Data Garden’s website, and their social channels for details and updates.

Every Monday Geekadelphia features a Kickstarter created by locals. Check ‘em out and support our local geek scene. If you have a project that you’d like featured on site, contact geekadelphia@gmail.com

The chip tune impresarios are back again this month with a fantastic line up of artists to soothe your aching digital auditory inputs. Last month was 8 static’s pulse pounding debut at their new venue and now they’ve decided to dial it back a notch or two on the old hacked and soldered sound board.

Trash80 will be exhibiting his very own brand of melodic and decidedly danceable auditory delights. You’ll have your feet moving to some of the most jazzy chip tunes you’ll find. Occasionally eschewing a purely 8-bit auditory aesthetic, Trash80 really knows how to seamlessly bring together the 8-bit and analog world.

Shawnphase will mix up the mood with an ensemble of ambient electro-metal band goodness. Adding some traditional instruments to the usual menagerie of 8-bit hardware really provides some extra depth to the music.

Disassembler is going to be there to delight you with some Nanoloop grooves. If you’ve been in attendance before, you’ll know that he’s been to a few of the open mics and knows how to keep people moving on the dance floor.

Visualicious will also be there to lull your eyes into a trance with some gorgeous visuals. As always, there will be a fascinating workshop going on before the show. This month, Dino Lionetti from Cheap Dinosaurs will be talking about odd time signatures and how to craft a song using them.

All of you budding chip tune artists out there better listen up! You can sign up for the open mic, but slots fill up quickly and it is best to register as soon as you can!

This month is a show that will probably be talked about for a long time to come, so it would be best to experience it first hand rather than have someone describe all of the music to you in words. It just isn’t the same as hearing it with your own auditory receptors. For more information, visit 8static’s official website.

8static
Saturday, April 14th, 2012, 7pm
$7-10

PhilaMOCA
531 North 12th St.
Philadelphia, PA 19123

You’ve probably heard of AC/DC. Back in Black, Dirty Deeds. You know, those guys. But what about OCD/C? They’re kind of the same thing, except that they’ve only had one song in the last twenty years. But it’s perfect, you guys. And now, they’re getting their own mockumentary.

Ben Mills and Mike Robinson have written a hilarious mockumentary film about a band called OCD/C. This band’s been together for twenty years, they only have ONE song… but it’s perfect. The perfect song.

The film tells the story of the band entering its’ twentieth year together. It documents their complete and total tweeking out about the most minor details of the COMPLETION of their ONLY song. The film crew visits and interviews them at their studio/rehearsal space, as well as, follows them after they get some major news.

Mills and Robinson are about to “give birth” to this film but need your financial support. Kickstarter is an all or nothing approach to fund raising: you donate whatever you can to our project and if we meet 100% of our goal then this story “comes to life”. If we don’t meet our goal of $5000, then we get nothing, your money goes back to you, and we film this story on my iPhone and it looks like sh..

Your contribution will help us cover production and equipment rental costs. Your support will be rewarded in several ways from OCD/C t-shirts, to producer credits on the film, to the two of us spotlessly cleaning your home (OCD style) when you handsomely contribute to our project.

We are passionate about music, comedy, and film and have been creating performance-based art for many years. Please help us and our highly talented film crew and cast deliver this “baby” into the realm of….manifestation.

A segment of OCD/C’s only song can be heard at the end of the video. Lyrics:

Every single thing in this world has a place to call its own, I feel it just might be my calling to put these things in their place, My obsessions keep me stalling, A dusty shelf is just appalling, And can you say you’d rather have it good than get it right?

Two things, everyone. First, the last 20 seconds or so of their video is probably the funniest thing you’ll see this week. Second, They’ll clean your house for you. Win. The film (and fake band) is made by a who’s who of local comedy talent – show ‘em some love.

The Project: OCD/C Mockumentary

Creator: Mike Robinson and Ben Mills

The Sweet Spot: $25 gets you some social media love and a sweet digital behind-the-scenes booklet, but $300 gets you all of that, early access to the film, an invitation to a live performance, a download of the song, and some sweet OCD-style cleaning action.

Funding Deadline: April 18th, 2012

More Info: Check out more info on Kickstarter.

Every Monday Geekadelphia features a Kickstarter created by locals. Check ‘em out and support our local geek scene. If you have a project that you’d like featured on site, contact geekadelphia@gmail.com

Brat Productions is a Philadelphia based theater company known for their unconventional and thrilling performances. Their latest series is entitled Rock & Awe, an epic collision of theater, cabaret and rock. Spearheaded by resident Jess Conda (who also ran a successful kickstarter), Rock & Awe began with a tribute to David Bowie and glam rock entitled Eternal Glamnation and continues this month with Let’s Start a War.

This play in the series will feature punk legends The Dead Kennedys in addition to music by Fear, Iggy Pop, Billy Bragg and Tom Waits. Directed by John Greenbaum and starring Conda, Let’s Start A War will delight the eyes and ears!

Geekadelphia had the chance to chat with Barrymore-nominated Jess Conda about Let’s Start A War and more!

Tell me about Let’s Start a War, this month’s installment of Rock & Awe? Dead Kennedy’s inspired theater sounds awesome!

Jess Conda: The whole Rock and Awe series is an exploration of a narrative style of cabaret–that is using the cabaret genre to tell a theatrical story. I’m interested in mixing the storytelling of the theater world with the energy of the rock and roll world.

I’m super excited about this Let’s Start a War! I really like the raw intensity of the DK’s music, and also their use of punk as political satire. They are such a smart and kick ass band. I set this show as a fictional-government sponsored cocktail party–the party that you hear in the lounged-out beginning of the DK tune “California Uber Alles”.

I see a whole world in that song and want to flesh it out and put it on stage. I’m looking at combining lounge music with traditional punk styles for this show. I also want the show to be an immersive experience for the audience– maybe not just a show where they sit and watch, but where the audience becomes a part of the story.

What is the biggest piece of advice you would give to someone starting their own Kickstarter campaign?

Jess Conda: I actually just blogged about this for the brat website. If I had to just say something really short, I’d say: Be passionate, be specific, and be meticulous about calculating your time and money needs.

Name some of your fave places in Philly?

Jess Conda: Silk City and Honeys are my SPOTS, especially since they are in the neighborhood of the RUBA Club, the venue where my cabaret series is being performed. I also love Quigs Pub on top of Plays and Players Theater, which is a social club whose niche members are mostly members of the theater community (so I can network AND drink– artists always have to MULTITASK!). My shift drink at Fergie’s Pub is always a good one too–I love working there, and a beer after a long, busy night can be a beautiful thing.

Agreed on all of the above! Besides tweaking the ideas of normal theater, what else do you geek out to?

Jess Conda: I’m kind of a cooking geek, specifically a homemade soup geek. I’ll set up shop for a weekend in my house, make a bunch of batches, then freeze them for on the go eating the rest of the month. My speciality: curried cauliflower and coconut milk soup!!!!

Rock & Awe: Let’s Start A War will be at the Ruba Club in Northern Liberties March 29th – 31st and is for a 21+ audience. You can get your tickets here.

One of my all-time favorite Japanese punk trios Guitar Wolf will be coming to Philadelphia’s very own Johnny Brenda’s on Sunday, April 1st.  Guitar Wolf are probably best known for starring in the 2000 film Wild Zero, where armed with the power of ROCK AND ROLL they defeated an army of zombies and saved the planet.

Since then the band has become well-known for its almost constant world touring. In anticipation for their gig (which you can still buy tickets for here) Seiji the Guitar Wolf himself was nice enough to answer a few questions for the Geekadelphia readers. (more…)

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Space.

The final frontier.

These are the voyages of – wait, no. That’s something else. This is the story of one local guy making an experimental album based on our solar system, with each song representing a planet. Yes, even on-again off-again planetoid Pluto. This isn’t just any guy, though. This is Nicholas Reed, member of local favorite Robots and Racecars (who successfully raised funds for their last album using Kickstarter).

How I Became Invisible is Nicholas’ other other joint, but this album will be a solo project. With songs written from the perspective of the planets. And Dr. Who references. I mean, c’mon.

Hi, I’m Nicholas, and I’m the driving force and songwriter behind How I Became Invisible! HIBI is a power pop band that I front, though for the most part it’s acoustic based live. There is a full band lineup, but it’s usually just me. You might’ve heard of my other band Robots and Racecars, who successfully ran a Kickstarter campaign to record our last album, Rage Quit.

I would like to raise the funds to record a 10 track solo album. This album would be a concept album about the solar system, with each track representing a planet (plus Pluto and a free preorder/donation-only song). Each song would be from the point of view of its respective namesake, and each would be in a slightly different musical style (pop punk, retro indie, alt-rock, metal, techno, etc.)

I would record this at a local studio, Overlook Studios, using various musicians I know for the instruments I can’t play myself. The album would then be released on Bandcamp, possibly iTunes and Amazon.mp3 if I can make the proper arrangements, and in physical CD form.

Basically, this is going to be the culmination of the last few years of songwriting for me, all leading up to this massive display of nerdiness and hubris. Please, support this endeavor, and I guarantee you will enjoy the dickens out of the resulting album!

Nerdiness and hubris. Are there any better reasons to do anything?

The Project: How I Became Invisible Full Length Studio Album!

Creator: Nicholas Reed

The Sweet Spot: A mere $1 will get you a digital copy of the first single from the album, but if you do the right thing and pony up $20 you’ll get the full album and a Kickstarter exclusive bonus track. For those with more discerning tastes and fellas on the hook for dropping the ball on Valentine’s Day, $100 will get you a custom song about the subject of your choosing, along with all the album goodies.

Funding Deadline: March 26th, 2012

More Info: Check out the official Kickstarter page, Nicholas’ Twitter, or How I Became Invisible over on Bandcamp.

Every Monday Geekadelphia features a Kickstarter created by locals. Check ‘em out and support our local geek scene. If you have a project that you’d like featured on site, contact geekadelphia@gmail.com

8 Static returns this weekend at Studio 34. The chip-tune guru’s have quite a show planned for this month with a lineup that will have you dancing like a Dalek. They do the Brisbane Shuffle inside their tin can skirt.

If you like your chip-tunes a bit more experimental with songs like “My Girlfriend Left Me For a Tentacle Monster,” then be sure to catch SKGB. Their latest album “CondomTune” is being sold via digital download code printed on packages of multicolored glow-in-the-dark condoms. Hopefully they have enough for the tentacle monster if he shows is his ugly mug.

Rounding out the bill is a quirky duo called D&D Sluggers. Armed with a Super Nintendo, a keyboard with a strap, and a guitar, these guys are able to turn out some unbearably catchy songs. They were recently at Raleigh’s Hopscotch Festival, alongside acts like The Flaming Lips and Drive-By Truckers.

Philly’s own Animal Style is back in the seat behind the projector to delight your eyes and compliment the melodies pouring out of that old video game hardware. Warning, welding goggles might be necessary cause Animal Style’s visuals are so hot they might scorch your corneas.

To top it all off, Kitsch Bend has kindly offered up for raffle some sweet bits and bobs for the budding chip-tune composer/fan. They also have some incredible gear up for sale on their site like some custom GameBoy Advance and custom circuit cases.

Sadly, after three years of rocking West Philly, 8 Static is moving out of Studio 34. Lets be sure to pack the house for this stellar lineup and give the place a sendoff like it’s never heard before! Be sure to RSVP because this show is sure to be one the geeks will talk about for ages.

As always, tickets are $8 and $5 with and RSVP. The raffle tickets are going for $1 for 1 ticket, $5 for 8 tickets, $10 for 14 tickets.

Stay tuned and we’ll keep up to date with whats going on with 8 Static and where the next show will be.

I love the Indie Humble Bundles. When it comes to picking up games off Steam for my Netbook, those discount packages are my go-to for scoring discount titles. And hey, proceeds go towards charity. You get games, help out some kids, everybody wins.

Well, thanks to local entrepreneur JP Toto, I found out about the Game Music Bundle, which is currently on its second package… and features a Philly based game!

Right now you can score the epic orchestral soundtrack to Jamestown: Legend of the Lost Colony, an award winning title from Philadelphia’s Final Form Games. You can pay-what-you-want for five awesome soundtracks (including Sword & Sworcery!), or pay $10 and pick up ten more soundtracks. TEN.

Definitely check it out, and donate what you can. A portion of the revenue goes towards the American Cancer Society.