Philadelphia is known for many things, but one is their music. In the city, you will find many venues, both small and large, dedicated to many different types of music. If you go into certain venues, you may catch more than just a concert - you may see a play, comedy act, or even a sporting event!
In addition to local venues, there is local music. All around the city you will find bands trying to get their names out there. Most of them start in small bars and sometimes end up in some of the small theaters throughout the city. The band Understatement, for example, is a small band of long-time childhood friends who still play together. They began in high school and still play today in their early 20s (I know all of this because my brother is the bassist). A lot of local bands begin this same way, and it is great to see them succeed. Some good venues to catch local music are the Khyber, Whiskey Tango, and the TLA (the TLA is awesome because it is so small, giving you a good view no matter where you are!) Other venues, such as the Troc, Electric Factory, and even North Star Bar play local music as well as nationally known bands (like the TLA, the North Star is small enough so that no matter where you are, there isn't a bad seat). What is unique about the North Star is the fact that it is a regular corner bar - pool tables, regular customers, somewhere you could go just to hang - but it has the extra room where concerts, both of local musicans as well as well-known bands, can put on an awesome show! Even though a lot of these places seem to be dumpy, it really is a cool experience to be able to go check out a band and hear some music that has never been heard. Even if you go to see a local band that you regularly support, there are always other gigs with them, opening your ears to another new type of music. So Stop looking for shows only at that large, well-known places - stop in for a drink and a show!
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