Photo Courtesy Danny North
English indie rock band Bombay Bicycle Club (pictured) is composed of Jack Steadman, Jamie MacColl, Suren de Saram and Ed Nash. The group is touring in support of their latest album, “So Long, See You Tomorrow.”

English indie rock band Bombay Bicycle Club recently announced they would be embarking on a tour to support their new and highly anticipated album, “So Long, See You Tomorrow.” The band consists of Jack Steadman (lead vocals, guitar and piano), Jamie MacColl (guitar), Suren de Saram (drums), and Ed Nash (bass). The band has released four albums that all experiment in several different genres of music such as acoustic, rock, electronic and more.

With the tour scheduled to reach Philadelphia May 7 at Union Transfer, we were able to chat with drummer Suren de Saram about their new album, inspirations on and off stage, and what fans can expect from the tour.

The Triangle: There was a large gap between “A Different Kind of Fix” and “So Long, See You Tomorrow.” How do you feel about the latest album? How does it differ from previous ones?

Suren de Saram: I think you’re naturally always going to connect most with your latest piece of work. We spent so long making sure the album was just how we wanted it and that it made sense as a complete package. We ended up cutting some strong songs from the album because we felt they didn’t quite fit in with the record as a whole. Once the album was finished we put a lot of care into working out how we’d play the songs live. [Toward] the end of touring “A Different Kind of Fix,” it inevitably started to feel a bit stale after having played the same songs for a couple of years, so we’re excited about the injection of energy [that] a bunch of new songs [bring] to the live set.

I say the new album is our most dance influenced because it definitely has some of the biggest “hands in the air” type moments that we’ve ever written. You could see one or two of the songs being played in a club and not being out of place. In fact, when recording “Carry Me,” our reference was exactly that — it needed to sound like something you’d hear “in da club.” The whole album isn’t one big dance-fest though. There are some quieter moments such as “Eyes Off You,” which make the album more of a dynamic journey. That’s something that’s always been important to us. You need the peaks and troughs to keep things interesting.

TT: You have a very dynamic sound. There are a handful of these kind of recurring themes, but not one single common theme that is present throughout all of your songs and records, but somehow the albums are not random and still fit together. Can you talk about this? How does your sound evolve?

SS: One of the biggest elements that ties our different albums together is Jack’s voice — it’s pretty distinctive and easily recognizable. Starting out as a guitar-driven indie band, we tried to sidestep the difficult second album by making a second album that was completely different than our first — an intimate acoustic album. For our third album we went back to electric guitars but as a whole it was more groove-based and less “rock” than our first album. We started adding electronics and sampling, which we’ve developed further for our latest album.

TT: What other artists inspire your writing and onstage performance?

SS: It was bands like Broken Social Scene, Pavement, Sonic Youth and Yo La Tengo that brought us together at the beginning. Our folk-inspired second album was heavily influenced by people like Joni Mitchell, John Martyn, Joanna Newsom and Nick Drake. Although it wasn’t until our third album that the electronic influence started to come through, we’ve always been into that kind of music — people like Aphex Twin, Boards of Canada, Four Tet and Bibio. The sampling aspect of hip hop has become a big influence more recently as well. J Dilla is a big inspiration in that sense.

Performance-wise we’re quite inspired by groups like Broken Social Scene, Arcade Fire and Animal Collective — bands where the membership is fluid and it’s about various musicians getting together and having fun. The four of us in the band have remained constant but we’ve toured with a live keyboard and electronics player and various female vocalists over the past few years. When possible we like to get other musicians involved; brass and percussion players for example. There’s quite a lot going on sonically on the new album in particular so everyone on stage is busy.

TT: What are your favorite songs to play live?

SS: I’m very much enjoying playing a song off the new album called “Overdone.” It’s got a huge hip hop inspired groove. In fact, when we were working on it, the working title was “Hindustanye West” — reference to the Bollywood strings sample that it features and also the fact that before Jack added vocals to it, we could see the instrumental being the backing track for a Kanye West tune. It’s basically the closest I’ve ever come to feeling like a hip hop drummer.

Also, the ending to “So Long, See You Tomorrow” is good fun to play live. It’s this sort of psychedelic freak-out for which we bring another mini drum kit on stage so Jack can jam along with me.

TT: What are the biggest lessons you’ve learned from being a band?

SS: You shouldn’t be scared to take risks. We’ve done things in quite an unconventional way by making albums that have been very different [from] one another. Some people have had their doubts along the way, but I think it has paid off in the long term. Deciding to self-produce this latest album was also a risk, but we gave it our best shot and are really happy with how it turned out. You just need to have the confidence to go ahead with things.

Something I also like about being in a band is being sent things by fans, whether it’s a letter or something they’ve made. We don’t get sent a huge amount, but when we do get something it makes me realize how we’re affecting individual people. If you lose sight of what you’re doing for whatever reason, or if you’re playing a big show and it just seems like you’re playing to a sea of people, hearing about how your music has helped a single person puts things in perspective somehow. Every person coming to see us has their own connection to the band and that makes everything that bit more worthwhile.

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You might have heard of Kevin Devine through his side project with Manchester Orchestra and Bad Books. What you might not know is that Devine actually releases his own music.

In October, Devine released his two newest albums, “Bubblegum” (produced by Jesse Lacey of Brand New) and “Bulldozer” (produced by Rob Schnapf), with the help of funds donated by his fans via Kickstarter. After the 45-day time period expired, Devine had raised over two times the amount he asked for, bringing in an astounding $114,805.

To promote the two albums, Kevin Devine and The G–d— Band set out on a U.S. tour with a United Kingdom tour to follow. Supporting bands on the U.S. shows are Harrison Hudson and Now, Now. In fact, the tour is hitting Philly Nov. 21.

Although Devine has been busy on tour, he put aside a few minutes to answer questions via email about Kickstarter, Jesse Lacey, Rob Schnapf and touring in general:

The Triangle: Tell me about your Kickstarter experience; what is your perspective on Kickstarter?

Kevin Devine: I think Kickstarter is a great way to enable musicians in my position to create a direct relationship with their audience and cut out the middleman. I wasn’t sure we would reach our goal, but I was obviously humbled and shocked when it did what it did.

TT: Why did you decide to release two records at the same time?

KD: I thought it was a neat and different way to utilize the fundraising medium, something I might be uniquely positioned to use since I make a few different kinds of music under my name.

TT: You’ve worked a lot with Jesse Lacey and Rob Schnapf. Have they made an impact on your music at all? If so, how?

KD: They both have; anyone you work with does if you’re open to being impacted. Jesse was enthusiastic and creative in a very exciting way. Rob [taught] me a lot about musicality and arrangement. I feel like I got better in different ways through each experience.

TT: What is your favorite song off either of the albums and why?

KD: I feel like that changes every night. Today I’ll say “Safe” from “Bulldozer” and “Bloodhound” from “Bubblegum” because I like how they feel when I sing them.

TT: You are currently on tour with Now, Now and Harrison Hudson. What’s that like?

KD: It’s cool, really fun and smooth and successful. I’ve been friends with Harrison a while and really liked the last Now, Now album, so I asked them out and they said yes — every boy’s dream.

TT: Why did you start writing music?

KD: My mom got me into music. She is a big fan, and I’m sure that’s part of what got me into writing, too. In terms of bands, my mom’s [Bob] Dylan and Beatles records begat Guns N’ Roses begat Nirvana begat indie rock and punk rock begat Elliott Smith begat my own Dylan and Beatles, etc., rediscovery.

TT: Looking back on everything, has all of the hard work been worth it?

KD: It’s all very much worth it; it’s a life’s work. I do my best to keep present so my favorite moment is being where I am — on my better days, at least.

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Ajon Brodie, The Triangle – Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros performed at WXPN’s XPoNential Festival Friday July 26 at the Wiggins Park at the Camden Waterfront. The festival featured bands like The Lumineers, Dr. Dog, The Last Bison and DRGN KING. Additional performances were held at the Susquehanna Bank Center.

WXPN, a public radio station operated by the University of Pennsylvania, hosted a sold-out XPoNential Festival at Wiggins Park July 26-28 sponsored by Subaru and Xfinity.

On the first night of the festival, all eyes were on Wiggins Park, where artists such as Aaron & the Spell, Red Baraat, and Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros kicked off the festival.

The tone was set the next day, when the Fleeting Ends captivated the crowd with their catchy, upbeat tunes. The harmonies coming from their drummer, Matt Amadio, made their sound unique and memorable. Later, indie folk band The Last Bison covered “Midnight City” by M83, leaving the crowd covered in goosebumps. Wiggins Park closed up the day with John Butler Trio, who performed an amazing guitar piece, “Ocean.”

The party moved over to the Susquehanna Bank Center after John Butler Trio’s set, where WXPN set aside a special section in the lawn for Dr. Dog and The Lumineers to perform. On a smaller stage beside the Susquehanna Bank Center, WXPN hosted sets by Hey Marseilles and Polica. Dr. Dog pleased fans with favorites such as “Hang On” and attracted new fans with songs off the band’s upcoming album, “The Truth.” After a rather long intermission, The Lumineers took the stage. Almost every person in the crowd broke out into song when they performed songs such as “Charlie Boy,” “Ho Hey” and “Stubborn Love.” Fortunately for WXPN fans, The Lumineers made their way to the lawn halfway through their set for a few songs. Toward the end of the show, they seemed to be losing interest from the crowd, so frontman Wesley Schultz asked if everyone could put their cell phones away and just enjoy the moment. Although some fans claimed to have preferred Dr. Dog’s set over The Lumineers, I still think that their lyrics and live sound were an excellent closure to day 2 of WXPN’s XPoNential Festival.

Sunday opened up at Wiggins Park with local band DRGN KING. Unfortunately, Lianne La Havas had to cancel her appearance due to sickness. The crowd didn’t seem too disappointed when Kopecky Family Band offered to fill in for a second set later in the day. Around 3:30 p.m., it seemed as if the sky opened up over Justin Townes Earle’s set as it began to rain, leading to a cancellation of the Dawes headlining set. While WXPN staff members and security attempted to move thousands of people into shelter, festivalgoers decided it would be more fun to create mudslides inside the Wiggins Park festival grounds.

Although the rain soaked everyone from head to toe, it didn’t stop people from migrating over to AmericanaramA, a festival at the Susquehanna Bank Center featuring Bob Dylan, Wilco and My Morning Jacket. Before the show, I was warned that Dylan’s voice wasn’t the same as it used to be and that I might be shocked when he stepped onstage. But for 72, Dylan pulled off a spectacular performance, although I was a little disappointed when he played a majority of new songs off his latest LPs.

WXPN outdid itself by providing everyone with an excellent festival that brought back the old favorites of music but also introduced the area to fresh new music and artists. Although the festival is over for now, WXPN plans to bring the festival back with even better artists next year.

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The Vans Warped Tour rolled through the Susquehanna Bank Center in Camden, N.J., July 12. Founded by Kevin Lyman, Warped Tour has become one of the largest touring music festivals in the world. Skateboard shoe manufacturer Vans has sponsored the tour every year since its start in 1995.

Photo Courtesy Orlando Sentinel. The Vans Warped Tour made a stop in Philly at the Susquehanna Bank Center July 12. In its 19th year, the music festival featured a mixed-genre lineup with bands like Reel Big Fish, The Used and Story of the Year.

The 2013 lineup featured various artists such as The Summer Set, Big D and the Kids Table, Memphis May Fire, Reel Big Fish, The Used, and Story of the Year. This year, the mixed-genre festival brought great artists and vendors to SBC and also brought the rain.

Almost the entire festival was watching when indie-alternative-rock group and MAD Dragon Records collaborator Motion City Soundtrack took the Kia Forte Stage, which was conveniently under cover on the Susquehanna Bank Center stage. The band kept it old school throughout the entire set, playing mostly fan favorites such as “This Is For Real,” “The Future Freaks Me Out” and “Everything Is Alright.” Although their newest album, “Go,” was overlooked when creating the set list, the crowd was able to belt every lyric back to lead singer Justin Pierre.

Drexel University made another appearance at Warped Tour this year when Philly’s The Wonder Years took the stage. The band is comprised of lead singer Dan “Soupy” Campbell, guitarist Matt Brasch, keyboardist and guitarist Nick Steinborn, bassist Joshua Martin, drummer Michael Kennedy, and Drexel graduate and guitarist Casey Cavaliere. The band opened its set with “Passing Through a Screen Door” from its newest album, “The Greatest Generation.” From there, The Wonder Years continued to perform songs off older albums “The Upsides” and “Suburbia I’ve Given You All and Now I’m Nothing.” They could not stop expressing how excited they were to return home and to be featured on the main stage.

Although Lyman made a few out-of-place additions to the lineup like Allstar Weekend and Action Item, it was evident that there was at least one artist for every music taste at the festival. Those simple additions drew a diverse crowd of people to attend this year’s festival. At first thought of these additions, fans were a little unsure as to how things would pan out with Lyman drawing in new Warped Tour attendees. But in the end, Lyman even proved me wrong. At the end of the day, it was clear that all concertgoers had the “Best Day Ever.”

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Local band The Wonder Years released its third album, “The Greatest Generation,” May 14 via Hopeless Records.

Punk band The Wonder Years released their new album, “The Greatest Generation,” May 14. The Lansdale, PA group admits that “Generation” features their most powerful and heartfelt work to date. The album includes trakcs like “There, There.”

The band consists of Dan “Soupy” Campbell (lead vocals), Casey Cavaliere (guitarist), Matt Brasch (guitarist), Nick Steinborn (keyboardist and guitarist), Joshua Martin (bassist) and Michael Kennedy (drummer). Although they started out as a joke, they definitely proved themselves with their newest record.

The first song on the record, “There, There,” starts out calming but leads into the normal almost-yell from Campbell. This song not only shows the new, polished side of The Wonder Years but also connects the song to each person who listens to it with its intense and meaningful lyrics. This song quickly became my favorite.

In the album’s first single, “Passing Through a Screen Door,” we return to the pop-punk band fans know and love from “The Upsides” and “Suburbia I’ve Given You All and Now I’m Nothing.” This song is a perfect example of how the band can take everything great from its previous material and bring it to a newer and greater level.

The album continues with other favorites such as “We Could Die Like This” and “Cul-de-sac,” both of which have catchy riffs and killer lyrics to prove that pop-punk isn’t going stale.

Although the album is indeed excellent, I think it would have done best without the stripped down and acoustic “Madelyn.” The lyrics are beautiful, but it was quite difficult to stay focused enough to listen to the song fully because it lacked something musically.

The album ends with “I Just Want To Sell Out My Funeral.” This song brings the entire album together seamlessly by playing clips of each song and giving listeners the entire story of “The Greatest Generation.” This song gives the album the absolute perfect close with the final lyrics, “We all want to be great men. There’s nothing romantic about it. I just want to know that I did all I could with what I was given.”

I think the band put it best by stating, “We know that this is unequivocally our strongest, most honest and most heartfelt work to date. We can’t wait to show everyone what we have in store.”

If you’re interested in seeing what The Wonder Years have coming in the near future, check out the album on iTunes and make sure you stop by the main stage for their set during Warped Tour 2013 as it rolls through Camden, N.J., July 12.

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London natives Daughter passed through Philadelphia May 3 in support of their newest album, “If You Leave.” The show was set to take place at the First Unitarian Church but was moved to Union Transfer in order to release more tickets due to the quick sellout.

The indie folk London-based group Daughter performed at Union Transfer May 3 to promote their new album “If You Leave.” The band consists of singer Elena Tonra, guitarist Igor Haefeli, and drummer Remi Aguilella.

The show opened with contemporary folk band Wilsen. Although the band was new to Philadelphia, it stunned the crowd. Leading lady Tamsin Wilson featured haunting vocals accompanied by lyrics that can lift you up but send you crashing in the next verse. The band performed several songs off its newest record, “Sirens,” which was released silently in April. Overall, Wilsen complemented the show with incredible and peaceful music that is extremely worth listening to.

After waiting a while between sets, Daughter finally appeared onstage. With “If You Leave” being released April 30 in North America, the band focused a lot on new songs from this album, such as “Tomorrow” and “Amsterdam.” But of course, they didn’t forget about the old favorites like “Candles” and “Landfill.” I still cannot get over the cuteness of vocalist Elena Tonra, who couldn’t help but thank the crowd several times between each song. Between Tonra and guitarist Igor Haefeli, they couldn’t stop expressing their gratitude toward the crowd. I have never witnessed such genuinely grateful musicians onstage before.

Toward the end of the show, the generally quiet crowd couldn’t help but erupt with cheer and song when Daughter performed its most popular song, “Youth.” This powerfully raw song left the people surrounding me with tears streaming down their faces.

Daughter is set to finish up its headlining North American tour near the end of May, closing with two sold-out shows in Los Angeles and a few music festivals. In August they will jump on tour with The National for a short run and follow with a headlining tour in the United Kingdom.

With Philadelphia being the first city the band performed in when coming to North America back in 2012, Daughter has made a great impact on the City of Brotherly Love. If this is your first time hearing of Daughter, I highly suggest you take a listen and take the chance to see the band live while you can. You will not regret it.

You can find a full list of where to find Daughter’s music on the band’s Facebook page.

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Drexel University’s music industry program is at it again. Sophomore Anna Greenwald could possibly be the next big thing for Drexel and the entertainment business as a whole.

Photo Courtesy – Anna Greenwald:  Sophomore music industry major Anna Greenwald is an artist to look out for in the future. The singer discovered her passion for music at the age of 10. Her music style is a mix of blues-rock, folk and pop.

For Greenwald, it all started when she was 10 years old. After a few years of training herself classically, she transferred to a boarding school for performing and visual arts where she studied opera. At this school, Greenwald also learned how to play the guitar and piano. During her freshman year at Drexel, Greenwald met Kosta Johnson through classes in the music industry program.

“Kosta and me [sic] began collaborating on music the spring term of 2012 and had plans to crack down this fall,” Greenwald said.

In September 2012 the duo met music industry student and guitarist Jake Fabian through a mutual friend, and they have been playing with him ever since. And to top it off, bassist Mike Morrongiello joined the band this past month.

Since collaborating with Johnson, Fabian and Morrongiello, Greenwald’s singer-songwriter tune has transformed into a hard-to-pinpoint fusion of blues, rock, folk and pop inspired by musicians like Regina Spektor, Bonnie Raitt and Sara Bareilles.

The band recently released a cover of “Thrift Shop” by Macklemore on its YouTube page. After their first cover of “Roses” by OutKast barely reached 1,000 views in two months, they weren’t expecting much of a response from this video. But to their surprise, the cover received over 10,000 views in less than three weeks. You can expect their next video, a drum-and-bass cover of “Stay” by Rihanna, to be released within the next few weeks.

Overall, despite the amount of attention she and her band have been receiving on YouTube, Greenwald’s most exciting moment as a musician has been the collaboration she’s been able to experience with the band.

“All of our different musical styles and experiences together have turned my ideas that I record in my room on GarageBand to full, kickass songs,” Greenwald said.

In the upcoming months, you can expect to see a lot more from Greenwald and her band.

“We are hoping to start playing around now that our set is ready,” Greenwald said. The band is making its first live debut March 15 at the MADKo concert at Flux with Triceratopolis, Spots and Case Closed. You can expect the band to kick off the show with one of Greenwald’s favorite songs, “Riverbed Blues.”

“Our whole set is really high-energy and fun, but ‘Riverbed Blues’ has an awesome opening, a rippin’ guitar solo and tight harmonies. It’s a very interesting mixture of all our musical tastes, and it’s a great way to kick off a show,” Greenwald said.

During the past few months, the band has also been working hard on its first EP, which is set to be released in mid-April.

For updated information on shows, new music and more, keep an eye on the band’s Facebook page.