Photo from Sofar Sounds’ Facebook page.

Sofar Sounds has made it to West Philly! This is immersive experience that offers secret gigs and live, intimate concerts around the world, including neighborhoods all over Philadelphia. And now it is going to hold West Philly gigs a few times a month.

Sofar events feature three acts (most shows are music but some are poetry/comedy) and guests do not know who is performing until they arrive at the show.

Guests purchase tickets to the event based on which neighborhood they choose, and they find out the exact location of the show by email the day before. Ticket prices range from $15-$20.

This month, there will be some shows celebrating women and Women’s History Month. Here’s what’s happening in West Philly and University City:

Thursday, March 5
Sofar Philadelphia show in University City
Theme: Women Take The Stage 
Ticket link: https://www.sofarsounds.com/cities/philadelphia/events/33233

Friday, March 6
Sofar Philadelphia show in Spruce Hill
Ticket link: https://www.sofarsounds.com/cities/philadelphia/events/32882

Friday, March 20 
Sofar Philadelphia show in University City
Theme: Comedy show 
Ticket link: https://www.sofarsounds.com/cities/philadelphia/events/33557

University City District (UCD) has announced the return of their signature summer events this summer, including Baltimore Avenue Dollar Stroll and 40th Street Summer Concert Series. UCD has released their 2018 “Summer in University City” event schedule, so check out what’s happening this spring, summer and early fall:

40th Street Summer Series

The 40th Street Summer Series, co-produced by University City District, the University of Pennsylvania, and The Rotunda, returns to the green area behind the Walnut Street Library at 40th Street with free monthly concerts and
performances. This year’s programming offers a wide array of musical styles and performers and will run on five Saturdays from May through September.  Continue Reading

Sanhita Nandi
(Photo via CrossroadsConcerts.org)

Crossroads Music, a local concert promoter that invites great musicians from all parts of the world to perform at the Calvary Center for Culture and Community (48th & Baltimore), is presenting free monthly pre-concert events for our little neighbors this fall. These children’s concerts feature many of the same world-class artists as the adult concert series.

The concerts kick off tomorrow (Oct 20) with a performance by Indian musician Sanhita Nandi. Also this fall: Balkan brass with the West Philadelphia orchestra and Argentine tango with Héctor del Curto. All children’s concerts begin at 6 p.m. (adult concerts start at 7:30 p.m.) Visit the Crossroads Music website for more information.

Here are more details on the upcoming free performances:

Sunday, October 20, 2013
Sanhita Nandi
Classical music from Northern India

Sunday, November 10 2013
West Philadelphia Orchestra
Philly’s Balkan village band

Sunday, December 8, 2013
Hector del Curto Trio
Argentine tango

P.M. @ Penn Museum, the popular summer outdoor concert series that brings great live music performances and laid back atmosphere to the museum lawns every Wednesday night, from 5 to 8 p.m., is returning June 19. This year, the concerts, which cost only $5 and also include admission to the museum galleries, will run through mid-September and feature a colorful blend of global music performances – from gentle Latin folk to raucous Turkish fusion, to rhythmic Afro-Cuban jazz. American-influenced music will be also well represented, with bluegrass, swing, and good, old-fashioned rock n’ roll performances. See the full line-up here and check out the Events Calendar for upcoming concerts.

The P.M. @ Penn Museum series is specifically aimed at those who want to unwind after a long day at work. This summer the museum’s outdoor Stoner Courtyard will offer a relaxed outdoor locale for the concerts and the Pepper Mill Cafe’s garden bar will serve drinks and light fare. Please note that in case of rain concerts move inside.

This Wednesday, Bill Koutsouros’ internationally acclaimed ensemble, Animus, kicks off the series, offering an exciting fusion of ancient and modern music with traditional elements of Greek, rock, Middle Eastern, blues, Indian, jazz, and African music. On June 26, P.M. @ Penn Museum is hosting Philadelphia-based, multi-ethnic group Barakka, which specializes in Turkish folk-rock with a mix of eastern and western instrumentation.

Animus will kick off the P.M. @ Penn Museum concert series on Wednesday, June 19. (Photos courtesy Penn Museum)

Popular summer after-work happy hour and entertainment destination, PM @ Penn Museum Summer Nights series returns this Wednesday, June 20, at 5 p.m. Summer Nights features weekly international music performances at the lush garden setting at Penn Museum (3260 South Street). It is also a good opportunity to visit the museum. Tickets are only $5 and include museum admission.

The series kicks off with a performance by Barakka, a Philadelphia-based group with Turkish roots. Barakka will present Middle Eastern folk and rock fusion sounds.

All Summer Nights performances take place in the Penn Museum’s Stoner Courtyard and occur rain or shine. Food and drinks are available for purchase at the venue. The series will run until August 29. For more information, go here.

Check out the full performance lineup (from www.penn.museum).

June 20 – Barakka
The series kicks off with this Philadelphia-based, multi-ethnic group specializing in Turkish folk-rock with a mix of eastern and western instrumentation including guitar, oud, drums, bass, darbuka, and keyboards. www.myspace.com/bariskaya

June 27 – Tres Compadres
This modern flamenco ensemble combines jazz and Latin influences with spirited dance rhythms for a vibrant live performance, with special appearances from flamenco dancer Inez del Mar, vocalist Farah Siraj, and jazz flutist Tim Shay. www.trescompadresband.com

July 11 – Zydeco-A-Go-Go
With Creole Zydeco and Cajun 2steps, this group combines funky New Orleans rhythm and blues and vintage Louisiana rock and roll into a spicy gumbo of irresistible dance music. www.wix.com/petegumbo/zaggwood

July 18 – Klingon Klez
Prepare for warp drive! This eclectic band plays good old-fashioned, heartwarming, rompin’, stompin’ fun-for-the-whole-family klezmer/funk fusion from other planets! www.klingonklezmer.com

July 25 – Magdaliz and Her Trio Crisol
This Latin ensemble is dedicated to the interpretation of folk and traditional music from all over Latin America and the Caribbean, using Puerto Rican boleros, Cuban sones, Mexican mariachi music, Colombian cumbias, Dominican merengues, and much more. www.triocrisol.com

August 1 – Incendio
A Latin world fusion group from Los Angeles, Incendio balances romantic Spanish guitar with rock-style energy and inspired on-stage improvisation. www.incendioband.com

August 8 – Minas
Presenting originals from their CD collection, as well as Brazilian classics, this duo displays multiple talents as vocalists, instrumentalists, and composers with an impressive grasp of awide range of Brazilian musical idioms. www.minasmusic.com

August 15 – La Pequeña Marimba Internacional
This family band focuses on Guatemalan folk music, but also include a smattering of international music like cumbria, merengue, bolero and more.

August 22 – Animus
This internationally acclaimed ensemble, led by Bill Koutsouros, offers an exciting fusion of ancient and modern music with traditional elements of Greek, Rock, Middle Eastern, Blues, Indian, Jazz, African, and more. www.animusmusic.com

August 29 – West Philadelphia Orchestra
An eclectic ensemble made up of Philly’s finest and wildest musicians, this group gets listeners moving with the poignant melodies and the frenetic, propulsive rhythms of Eastern Europe. www.westphiladelphiaorchestra.com

As we head into the weekend our thoughts and prayers are still with our neighbors who were victims of the devastating fire this week and its aftermath. We will continue to post any efforts we hear about  to help those folks.

Meanwhile, here are some things going on this weekend:

• Philadelphia Youth Poetry Movement (PYPM) and Friends at The Rotunda (4014 Walnut St.) on Saturday at 7 p.m. This is part of the PYPM Dream Big Literary Arts Festival. This is about youth using their voices and their talent to make positive change in our community. If you can’t get behind that, then what can you get behind? Tickets are $7. The Dream Big festival is going on all weekend with several events at the International House (3701 Chestnut) in addition to this one at The Rotunda. See the schedule here. Here is an artist you will see around, Safiya:

• The Five Minute Follies is tonight (Friday) at The Rotunda (4014 Walnut St.) at 8:30 p.m. This should be kind of wild – a bunch of wacky and cool five-minute acts. Organizers bill it as a “live, onstage variety extravaganza.” Among the performers will be Philly’s Queen of Rockabilly Kathia Jane. A $5 donation at the door is suggested, but no one will be turned away for lack of funds. Organizers warn that some material may not be suitable for all audiences.

• If  “A girl like you” likes acts that are maybe a little more polished (and a lot more expensive) then 80s rockers The Smithereens are playing at World Cafe Live (3025 Walnut St.) on Friday. The doors open at 7 p.m. and the show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $30.50 to $40.50.

• idiosynCrazy Productions presents Flatland 2010 on Saturday at the Annenberg Center for Performing Arts‘ Harold Prince Theater at 8 p.m. The Annenberg Center (3680 Walnut St.) explains that the production: “is a physical theatre work that examines contemporary human (mis-)communication. This diverse cast of 11 athletic performers explores what happens to human relationships in a ‘flattened’ world of abbreviation and oversimplification, where the sound bite supersedes substance and the instant message overpowers the intellectual one. The great news on this one is that it is part of the West Philly Rush Hour program, which means people that live in 19104, 19131, 19139, 19142, 19143, 19151, 19153 and can prove it get in for $10.