Locally-curated compilations by Port Lucian and others celebrate trans musicians and West Philly’s house scene.
One of the main objectives of a staged, live music-less pandemic has been to get as much recorded music into our collective systems as possible. It is no wonder, then, that streaming outlets and vinyl sales have risen astronomically during the quarantine of C-19. Music must be had. And we’ll find ways of having it.
During March alone, two new multi-act, many-banded, joyful genre jumbling compilations based out of Philadelphia have been released (there are more. I’ll get to them) both thrilling in their regard to the sonic scope and the capturing of both vibe and scene.
The West Philadelphia house show is as valuable and long-standing as the aged homes in which they are held. Coming up through a high school in the area as well as work at the area’s universities – and with few commercial venues allowing non-drinking, underage kids in – a house with a keg and a sweat, wet walled basement was the only place to be.
West Philly’s Luigi’s Mansion has been but one of the more recent additions to that storied scene, and one – of course, kinda-sorta shuttered by Covid. Ingeniously, the keepers of Luigi’s castle crafted Instagram live streams (available on YouTube) then frequent Luigi.TV Twitch streams, and now a series of ‘bootleg’ cassettes available HERE…
Utilizing used, and already-recorded-on cassettes for the sake of the environment (very cool), the way-cheap Luigi tapes – so far – capture raw, live sessions with performances by Mansion regular Cheem, Yeah It Is What We Have, and Stand and Wave.
Here’s hoping more is in store.
Then there is the benefit cassette compilation for Trans Lifeline compiled by local musician Port Lucian, Trans Musicians & Allies for Change.
Though Trans Musicians & Allies for Change cobbles together artists local and national, its activist focus is clear, and uniquely Philadelphian: the trans community must be heard and tended to. Philly artists such as AllegrA, Bellows, Carly Cosgrove, 2nd Grade Harmony Woods, Highnoon, Buddie and Swim Camp and others from around the United States fill the 21 tunes here in support of the hotline, a necessary service considering the mental health concerns of quarantine, to say nothing of the usual emotions surrounding transitioning.
Buy that HERE.
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