Ashley Hans: Philly Music Vocalizer
Bio
Indie music lovers pride themselves on having an eclectic taste in music; so do I. But there are two differences between the pretentious masses and me. One, my taste is better. Two, I'm not pretentious.
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Stories (25/0)
Indie Music Madness: A Seven-Song Playlist of January Jams | Philly Music Vocalizer
Another year come, another year gone. Time is a cruel master and waits for no one. It moves forward mercilessly and measuredly like a marching metronome. But that's cool with me because I like metronomes. 'Nome what I mean? I also like synthesizers, digital loops, and reverb-heavy vocals. Chances are you do too or else you wouldn't be here. Throw in some jingly jangly instrumentation and we've got ourselves seven juicy jaunts for this January presentation.
By Ashley Hans: Philly Music Vocalizer3 months ago in Beat
Indie Music Madness: A Seven-Song Playlist for Fall Festivities | Philly Music Vocalizer
I love fall so much that every year one of my friends or I throw a "Fall Festivities" party. It's kind of like a New Year's party, except it's for fall. My friends and I do fun things like bobbing for rum-soaked apples, adult-themed pumpkin carving contests, and roasting marshmallows as we sit around a bonfire and BS in one of our backyards. During this party, of course, I put on one of my carefully curated playlists. Here are some fallish frolics I'll be playing at this weekend's fall festivities.
By Ashley Hans: Philly Music Vocalizer5 months ago in Beat
Indie Music Madness: A Seven-Song Sweaty Heatwave Playlist
Well, here we are Philadelphia. Stuck in the middle of a sweaty heatwave. Just like my ass to this chair. Or, my glutes would be glued, that is, if I wasn't blasting my house's A.C. at max power. And didn't have two small desk fans on both sides of my computer aimed at my face. As well as an industrial-sized mega fan behind me blowing my back. And I wasn't wearing two frozen pea bags bandanaed around my face as if I had the mumps. I don't have the mumps.
By Ashley Hans: Philly Music Vocalizer8 months ago in Beat
POLICA (Concert Review) | Philly Music Vocalizer
What's old is new again. That's true not just of my personal experience with the Minneapolis-based synth-pop band POLIÇA — who performed recently just a couple of Fridays ago (on Friday, June 17th, 2022) —at The Foundry at The Fillmore Philadelphia. It's also true of the venue itself, The Fillmore Philly.
By Ashley Hans: Philly Music Vocalizer9 months ago in Beat
Melissa Ferrick (Concert Review) | Philly Music Vocalizer
When I attended a Melissa Ferrick show some years ago at World Café Live downstairs, I had no idea I'd be in for such a storytelling treat. But not only was her storytelling a treat, it was also a feat. Ultimately, Melissa Ferrick's skills as a storyteller became the standard for which I would subsequently assess all other singer-songwriters.
By Ashley Hans: Philly Music Vocalizer10 months ago in Beat
Indie Music Madness: A Seven-Song Playlist of Mayday, May Day Music Gems | Philly Music Vocalizer
I'm sending out a Mayday to the universe. That's because April showers bring May flowers. And May flowers bring… uh... your current Indie Music Madness hour playlist? That may be lame; I admit. But you want to know what's even more lame? The fact that this past April was the fastest month of my life. It's like I blinked and then it was gone. However, there's nothing like healing music for us contemplative creatures to throw out a Hail (or Heal?) Mary into the ether to actually sit down and enjoy our lives.
By Ashley Hans: Philly Music Vocalizer10 months ago in Beat
Hot Chip (Concert Review) | Philly Music Vocalizer
Synthpop party stars Hot Chip performed at Brooklyn Bowl Philadelphia this past Wednesday (on May 11th, 2022). Not only was it my first time at Brooklyn Bowl Philly (which just opened at the end of last year in fall of 2021), and my first time at Brooklyn Bowl with fantastic photog Queen McLean, it was my first time ever experiencing a crowd so uniquely and unabashedly their own. When I go to a show, I'm just as interested in the people at the show as the show itself. I'm interested in not just what the concert sounds like, but what the concert feels like. In other words, I want to know about the experience, as well as the experiencers.
By Ashley Hans: Philly Music Vocalizer10 months ago in Beat
Indie Music Madness: A Seven-Song Playlist for Following Your Path
There's nothing more beautiful than following your path. It's the one and only road to self-actualization. But how do you know what you're meant to do? You know because when you're doing the thing you're supposed to be doing, it feels right. The feeling is quite literal, a vague and sweeping warmth that grows in and from your solar plexus, the center of your being.
By Ashley Hans: Philly Music Vocalizer11 months ago in Beat
Madi Diaz (Concert Review)
"Don't call it a comeback…." That's the first thing I said right before a Madi Diaz show when I met back up with, and was subsequently cut off by, the fabunomenous Queen McLean. Lauren McLean is both my friend and photographer; a friendtographer, Lauren has a knack for saying the exact right thing at the exact right time. Instead of allowing me to carry on with a hackneyed LL Cool J song quote, which I was saying to welcome Lauren back for her return to Philadelphia after she lived in Texas for seven years, Lauren nipped my lameness in the bud with a witty retort of her own. Lauren replied, "Call it a welcomeback." More than a retort, though, Lauren's quip was a report. Queen McLean's reportmanteau was prescient because she was reporting back on what, at the time, hadn't yet happened. This past Monday night in Philadelphia was a welcoming back to the future. This statement is not just true of Lauren and I as individuals, and the two of us as a pair, but more importantly it was true of Madi Diaz at her recent and redonkulously rad Union Transfer show.
By Ashley Hans: Philly Music Vocalizer11 months ago in Beat
Spring Cleaning Your Messy Music Files
Now that spring is well underway, I hope you've taken some time to do some spring cleaning. There is nothing more liberating than letting go of junk, removing the unnecessary, and saying "Sayonara!" to suckers of energy. Getting rid of clutter is one of the best ways to find freedom and clarity. And what better place to declutter than your computer?
By Ashley Hans: Philly Music Vocalizer12 months ago in Beat
Black Rebel Motorcycle Club (Concert Review)
When I saw Black Rebel Motorcycle Club perform live, it was a spectral Sunday. However, the stars didn't align just for me, but for all of Philadelphia. First, there was the Broad Street Run in the morning. Next, there was the Equality Forum at the Piazza in the afternoon. And finally, there was the Black Rebel Motorcycle Club (BRMC) rock concert later that night. Add perfect weather to the mix, stir it around with a couple of highly saturated Seven and Sevens, and enjoy both with an amazing-photographer-slash-phenomenal-friend combo, and you've got yourself a life that just doesn't get any better.
By Ashley Hans: Philly Music Vocalizer12 months ago in Beat
Indie Music Madness: A Seven-Song Playlist of Spring Stompers
Spring has officially sprung! What better way to celebrate the changing of the seasons than with these seven springtime songs? They're a helpful reminder about life and how fast it moves. Remember to take advantage of your time while you still have it. Resolve to slow things down a bit, to savor each day for the beautifully delicious treat that it is.
By Ashley Hans: Philly Music Vocalizerabout a year ago in Beat
