The fifth annual West Philly Porchfest will take place on Saturday, June 5, from 12-6 p.m.

The DIY music festival was cancelled last summer because of COVID but this year it’s returning with a bang! This year’s event features more than 125 porches hosting over 260 acts including groups playing R&B, funk, rock, jazz, disco, bluegrass, rap, folk, classical, emo, EDM, and metal. International music fans will be treated with sounds from Brazilian samba to Jamaican reggae to Korean drumming to Bulgarian folk songs, and more.

An online map of porch shows (see image below) and the list of performers are available at westphillyporchfest.com. It should be noted that the festival has been gradually expanding its boundaries west and southwest outside of the University City area. Continue Reading

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

West Philly community members will have a chance to see legendary female rap and hip-hop group Salt-N-Pepa perform at the annual Neighborhood-to-Neighborhood (N2N) Festival. This year’s festival celebrates women in hip-hop and will take place at 50th and Baltimore next Saturday, Sept. 7.

Salt-N-Pepa, who have broken barriers and opened doors that were once closed to women in hip-hop, are set to headline the 2019 N2N Festival, performing their hit songs. MC Lyte, one of hip-hop’s pioneer feminists, and Angie Stone who rose to fame as member of the hip hop trio The Sequence before starting her solo career are also performing. There will also be live performances by local Philadelphia artists.

The free festival will be hosted by legendary radio host Lady B from Classix 107.9 FM, and comedian, Skeet. More than 5,000 people from across the region will enjoy the free festival throughout the day.  Continue Reading

This year’s free Lancaster Avenue Jazz & Arts Festival offers a family-friendly Jazz showcase featuring the “Hometown Sound of Philadelphia Jazz.” Philadelphia Tenor saxophonists Bootsie Barnes and Sam Reed will headline the 2019 Festival on Saturday, July 20. The event takes place starting at noon in Penn Presbyterian Medical Center’s Saunders Park Greene, 39th and Powelton Avenue.

Hosted by People’s Emergency Center (PEC) and PEC Community Development Corporation (PECCDC), this marks the 13th year that this annual event has taken place, which has grown from a few hundred attendees to 4,000.

The Producer’s Guild of Philadelphia has curated an exceptional lineup of jazz musicians performing on the Lancaster Avenue Jazz & Arts Festival stage. In addition to Barnes and Reed, this year’s lineup includes jazz performers Jamal Jones & the Bureau of Sonic Wonderland Jazz Orchestra, Glenn Bryan & Friends, Geraldine Oliver, Chris Oatts, and Jonathan Michel. The Universal African Dance and Drum Ensemble will also be back by popular demand.  Continue Reading

Friday Night Jazz in Cedar Park will continue until August 2nd, and here’s another West Philly park that has been hosting free live jazz performances this summer. The Jazz Heritage Series is held every other Thursday at 7 p.m. at Malcolm X Park (52nd and Pine). The series is hosted by Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell and Friends of Malcolm X Park. The next performance is this Thursday (July 4) by vocalist Shirley Lites.

Here’s a full schedule of performances through September 12:  Continue Reading

The 40th Street Summer Concert Series returns Saturday, June 15 with a free performance by Philly rock group Stargazer Lily and opener Ashley Phillips. The event also includes kid-friendly activities, and free samples of Ben & Jerry’s (while supplies last)!

Before heading to the show, which begins at 6 p.m., check out the map. Due to construction near 40th and Walnut, the event will now be held at 39th and Walnut Streets, just near Locust Walk.  Continue Reading