Everyone might have dreamed of having their favorite band play a concert in their own living room. You’d get to sit on your own couch, have snacks and drinks at the ready. It would be awesome. Unfortunately, unless you win one some kind of sweepstakes contest, it’s probably not going to happen for you. But not to fear, there is a pretty decent alternative right here in our fair city. Down on 12th and Spring Garden Streets there sits the Philadelphia Mausoleum of Contemporary Art. The venue is about as close to a living room show as you are going to get and it held the passionate up and coming Philly punk band Beach Slang July 27.

Tucked away on a street just a few blocks away from the well-known Union Transfer, PhilaMOCA is in a great spot. Once you walk in, the band is playing right there next to you. Then you’re faced with a tough decision, do you want to stand one foot away from the band or about fifteen. It’s a tight space. If you get a chance to see another Philly punk band, Hurry, you better be right up in front. The three-piece group delivered a great opening set, featuring an awesome cover of the forgotten one hit wonder “Whole Wide World” by Wreckless Eric. Any band that gives their take on a classic like that is fine by me. They even had embroidered band hats for sale!

Soon enough, Beach Slang took the stage as the intimate venue filled up. Lead singer and guitarist James Alex addressed the crowd early and often with some banter. The band has only released a handful of songs but their debut album is coming out this October. With two EPs under their belt, you knew that the set was going to be short but Beach Slang still packs quite a punch. Songs like “Dirty Cigarettes” and “American Girls and French Kisses” are special to hear live where half the people in attendance shout out the lyrics in time with Alex. Beach Slang has a great edgy, punk, in-your-face kind of vibe that translates well from their records to the live performance. Alex’s vocals are almost reminiscent of the Goo Goo Dolls but I don’t think that band rocks out half as much as Beach Slang.

Alex and his two band mates gave those gathered a special treat as they played three songs from their yet-unreleased album. All three sounded pretty good, the new album should be a welcomed addition to the Beach Slang discography. Seeing Alex flail around and sing into his mic mere feet away is a real sight to behold. Beach Slang puts on a great live show, so be sure to check it out next time they play in Philly.

It’s great to have bands like Hurry and Beach Slang making waves in the Philly music scene. Hurry is doing some touring with the British band Yuck, and Beach Slang is coming out with their debut album this fall. Better get in on the ground floor with these two bands because July 27 may have been the last time they’ll be playing in someone’s living room.

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The XPoNential Music Festival presented by Subaru might not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of “summer music festival.” Competing with bigger events like Firefly in Delaware and Governors Ball in New York, the much smaller festival in Camden, New Jersey’s beautiful Wiggins Park might go overlooked. But for those who have gone to any of the 22 consecutive summer music festival events put on local radio station WXPN, they will know that XPN Fest is a real treat for all who attend.

Starting off as WXPN Singer-Songwriter weekend way back in 1994, the event expanded to its current three-day format in 2004 and moved across the Delaware River to Ulysses Wiggins Waterfront Park. Through a partnership with Live Nation and Susquehanna Bank Center, the festival expanded in 2012 to include two nights of concerts at SBC, located adjacent to Wiggins Park. In its current state, XPN Fest is a fantastic way to spend a weekend enjoying some great live music.

The River Stage, which served as the main Wiggins Park venue, was located right on the banks of the Delaware, as the name suggests. The Philadelphia skyline was visible behind the stage, creating an awesome backdrop for the artists as they played. This stage was where the bigger names of the festival played, including Lord Huron, First Aid Kit and Indigo Girls.

Courtney Barnett plays July 26 at XPN Fest. Shane O’Connor The Triangle

The final day of the festival, July 26, had some of the strongest River Stage performances. Louisiana’s Buckwheat Zydeco had the most fun of anyone on stage as he brought the crowd to their feet with his accordion and zydeco music. It was a great atmosphere that had people dancing and clapping — just having a great time. While Buck was a tough act to follow, Lone Bellow was up to the task. The trio’s incredible harmonies and passionate vocals were on full display. Lead vocalist and guitarist Zach Williams kept spurring on the crowd until the entire place was in a near frenzy. Just when you thought it couldn’t get any better, Courtney Barnett and her two band mates took the stage. One of the hottest commodities in music these days, Barnett delivered an incredible set that everyone was rocking out to.

The Marina Stage was home to the lesser known acts, many of which have gotten exposure from being played on WXPN 88.5. Coming into the festival, I didn’t know a single band on the Marina Stage’s bill. But I trusted WXPN to select some great bands and they did not disappoint. Standouts on the second day of the festival included the soulful Son Little, the throwback rockers Fly Golden Eagle and Latin sensation Gina Chavez. Chavez turned the intimate Marina Stage into a real fiesta with her upbeat Latin music and top-notch band. Her cover of Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive” even led to some spontaneous salsa dancing right in front of the stage. It was an experience unlike any other.

Jim James of My Morning Jacket performs at XPN Fest. Shane O’Connor The Triangle

Marina Stage action on July 26 did not disappoint either. Local band Cheerleader played some great indie pop numbers, closing with the title track of their debut LP “The Sunshine of Your Youth.” But it was Bombino who stole the show. Hailing all the way from Niger, Bombino is a masterful guitar player who’s 2013, The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach-produced album “Nomad” garnered widespread praise. Bombino and his four band mates delivered a truly awesome performance that had the audience dancing while at the same time gawking at Bombino’s guitar playing. His fingers danced across the strings as Bombino himself did a little jig around the stage. He and his band had looks of unbridled joy on their faces and many in the audience were feeling the same way.

St. Vincent plays at XPN Fest. Shane O’Connor The Triangle

The SBC held the festival’s biggest names for two great nights of shows July 25 and 26. Featuring acts like My Morning Jacket, The Wailers and George Ezra, it was a great way to cap off a full day at Wiggins Park. For my money, it was St. Vincent who stole the show July 25. Combine her robotic choreography, unique wardrobe and incredible music together and you get a performance spectacle unlike any you have ever seen.

Bombino and his band mate play July 26 at XPN Fest. Shane O’Connor The Triangle

Besides all the awesome live music, it’s the great atmosphere that makes XPN Fest so special. People lined up well before the gates opened so that they could get in early to set up their chairs and blankets close to either stage or in some of the prime shaded real estate. As the first act kicked off the day at noon, there was a rainbow sea of lawn chairs and blankets stretching across the entire park. By mid-afternoon, some people had dozed off and others were walking out to check out some of the vendor and sponsor tents. The age demographic skewed a bit older and plenty of parents brought their young kids out to see the music. Of course, the WXPN membership was out in force, many discussing who they were excited see after hearing the artists being played on the radio. The picture-perfect weather sure didn’t hurt the weekend’s festivities either.

I cannot recommend going to the XPN Music Festival highly enough. It takes place right in Philly’s backyard. The people and atmosphere are great and the live acts were even better. After a fun-filled weekend of music, WXPN proved that at the end of the day, it is really all about the music.

Courtney Barnett and her band play at the River Stage with the Philadelphia skyline in the background. Shane O’Connor The Triangle

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Shane O’Connor The Triangle

As I made my way across the river and over Camden July 13, I considered going to a Foo Fighters show as just a way to cross something off the bucket list, a way of accomplishing something my seventh-grade self only dreamed of doing. Walking in and seeing a crowd composed of mainly older adults, I was suddenly struck by the thought, “Are the Foo Fighters not cool anymore?”

Usually the older folks only showed up for bands like The Who and Bruce Springsteen, not the Foo Fighters. But then I realized I was in the lower section whose tickets prices can be afforded only by those with disposable income. A quick walk back to lawn revealed all my fellow twenty-somethings. Then, as soon as the opening riff of “Everlong” rang out I realized all my worries were for naught. I’m an idiot. The Foo Fighters will always be the rock ‘n’ roll demigods I’d imagined them to be, cool as ever and right for rock ‘n’ roll fans of all ages.

Before Dave Grohl and the gang took the stage, the British rockers Royal Blood came out with “99 Problems” by Jay Z being piped in through the venue’s speakers. The duo from Brighton, England created a tremendous amount of noise with only a bass guitar and drums. Although to call their instruments by their names alone is doing them a disservice. Mike Kerr’s bass guitar is fed through what has to be one of the most complex effects pedal configurations I’ve ever seen. They somehow made his bass guitar sound like an electric guitar and everything in between. The setup is a bit unorthodox but it most definitely got the jobs done. Not to be left out, Ben Thatcher’s drum kit is outfitted with numerous crash cymbals and what looked like two snare drums.

Together Kerr and Thatcher created this often times sinister sounding hard rock that slammed you right in the chest. Decked out in all black with his low slung bass, Kerr repeatedly spurred the crowd onwards before going back to jam in front of Thatcher drum set. The last song, “Out of the Black,” was a display of sheer power as they pounded through it — the crowd loved every minute of the track. Kerr even ended going up on the drum riser to bash on the cymbals with Thatcher at the end. It was a great way to end their emphatic ten song set. Royal Blood is definitely a band you should to keep an eye on in the future.

This being their second time around at the Susquehanna Bank Center, everyone was well aware of Grohl’s now famous guitar-laser throne that he sits atop of ever since he broke his leg after falling off a stage during a concert in Sweden. With his broken leg propped up, Grohl flailed around like a man possessed as his played guitar and screamed into the microphone. The contraption even moved back and forth on stage, taking Grohl out onto a catwalk right in the middle of the pit section. It was quite a site to see and almost made me want to grab one of the “Break a leg” T-shirts sold at the merchandise stand.

The opening salvo of “Everlong,” “Monkey Wrench” and “Learn to Fly” set the tone for the entire night. Masterfully controlling the energy of the set list, the band sandwiched hits like “The Pretender” and “All My Life” around a nice acoustic break featuring “My Hero” and “Times Like These.”

There was also a plethora of covers, something you don’t see too often nowadays. Grohl jokingly referred to the band as “the highest paid cover band in the world” and it turned out to be pretty accurate. Featuring covers of David Bowie and Queen’s “Under Pressure” and Tom Petty’s “Breakdown,” among others, the guys did not disappoint in the cover department.

All in all, it was a fantastic show from a band that’s established themselves as one of the premier arena rock bands. Seeing the Foo Fighters celebrate their 20th anniversary, you get the feeling that they have no intentions of stopping any time soon and for that, we can all be thankful.

Shane O’Connor The Triangle

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Shane O’Connor The Triangle

The year is 2015 and Taylor Swift is the biggest pop star in the world. By the ripe old age of 25, the Pennsylvania-native has completed her meteoric rise from country music prodigy to global pop icon with the release of her latest album “1989.” Chock full of chart-topping singles like “Shake It Off” and “Blank Space,” Swift has expanded her fan base to include practically anyone with a pulse. With her “1989” World Tour in full swing, Swift is moving steadily from sold-out stadium to sold-out stadium, including a special two-night stand in her adopted home town, Philadelphia.

The buzz around Lincoln Financial Field was palpable June 12, as concertgoers streamed towards the stadium’s gates. Girls with specially decorated T-shirts mingled with parents holding their children’s handmade posters as they all waited in line to ascend the venue’s steps to enter Taylor Swift heaven.

A massive stage complete with huge screens and a runway leading into the middle of the floor seats stood on the Philadelphia Eagles’ home field as people streamed in, heading to their seats.

Opening acts Sam Mendes and Vance Joy had the daunting task of entertaining a crowd full of Swift devotees bubbling with excitement. Joy put on a solid set that culminated with everyone’s favorite song that name checks Michelle Pfeiffer, “Riptide.”

After Joy’s set, the crowd was getting antsy. Parents worked to stifle their children who were clamoring for Swift’s arrival. Some ordered some pre-emptive beers to help them get through the barrage of pop music spectacles to come. Others started the wave to keep busy while behind-the-scenes videos from the making of Swift’s albums played on the video screens.

As darkness fell the crowd could sense that Swift was near, and she did not waste much more time. Coming out to the opening synth notes of “Welcome to New York,” Swift stood at the foot of the stage and basked in the roar of the crowd and the glowing lights coming from the wristbands everyone was given upon entrance. It was quite the scene.

Going right into “New Romantics,” Swift was bounding all over the stage. Going through choreography with her cadre of backup dancers, she sprinted down the runaway all while the crowd sang every word along with her. Stopping only to encourage the 50,000 people in attendance to sing louder, Swift was on mission.

Coming into this show I had no idea of the sheer scale of the modern pop concert. You have the teams of dancers and backup singers, props, scene and costume changes to go along with the video and light cues and even an elevated, rotating catwalk. It’s a production unlike most any other concerts you’ll ever see. At times, it boggles the mind.

During Swift’s clothing changes the video screen played testimonial videos from some of her famous friends, including Lena Dunham, Selena Gomez, the Haim sisters and Victoria Secret model Karlie Kloss. In a way, they were an attempt to humanize Swift, to assure concertgoers that she is indeed a mortal instead of a pop-deity. As a special surprise, Swift invited her friends Echosmith on stage to play their hit song, “Cool Kids.” Two more of Swift’s pals, “Law and Order: Special Victims Unit” star Mariska Hargitay and model-actress Cara Delevingne, later came out on the catwalk to join Swift during her performance of “Style.”

The music of Taylor Swift obviously means a lot to people far and wide. Concertgoers were in tears as they took pictures, recorded videos and snap-chatted everyone in their contact list to prove that they were one of the lucky ones who snagged a ticket to a sold-out Taylor Swift concert.

As the show closed with “Shake It Off,” fireworks shot off into the air while Swift and company danced and sang and sang and danced on the big spinning catwalk. It’s hard to imagine the show ending in a less spectacular fashion. Whether she wanted it or not, Swift has become the ideal pop-star and we are all just along for the ride.

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The Districts — June 6 at PhilaMOCA

Philadelphia’s own The Districts are playing what is surely going to be their most intimate show of the year at PhilaMOCA June 6. Proceeds from the concert will go toward helping those affected by the tragic earthquake in Nepal. While the show has sold-out, you are going to want to be at this show no matter what it takes. Come out for a good cause and hear one of the best live acts around do their thing.

Courtney Barnett — June 15 at Union Transfer

All the way from Australia, singer-songwriter extraordinaire Courtney Barnett is coming to Union Transfer June 15. Touring in support of her spectacular album “Sometimes I Sit and Think, and Sometimes I Just Sit,” Barnett brings a unique brand of guitar-oriented rock. Featuring wordy, rambling lyrics with blues guitar riffs, Barnett’s catchy story-songs will draw you in for sure. Check out “Elevator Operator,” “Depreston” and the epic “Kim’s Caravan.” The show is sold-out so good luck trying to get a ticket, try whatever means necessary!

Unknown Mortal Orchestra — June 16-17 at Boot & Saddle

Started by guitarist, singer and songwriter Ruban Nielson, Unknown Mortal Orchestra has really burst onto the scene with their third studio album, “Multi-Love.” A departure from the group’s previous work, “Multi-Love” has a more focused sound with soul and rhythm and blues influences felt throughout. Give the title track and “Can’t Keep Checking My Phone” a listen. It will be great to see these guys on the intimate Boot & Saddle stage so try and get over there for one or both of their shows.

Mac DeMarco and Parquet Courts — June 20 at Union Transfer

Philadelphia Eagles’ linebacker Connor Barwin is hosting his second annual Make The World Better Benefit concert June 20 at Union Transfer. While last year’s featured Philly’s own Kurt Vile as well as The Districts, this year the bill is stacked with pitchfork-darlings Mac DeMarco and Parquet Courts. Tickets are only $20 and go toward providing Philadelphia’s youth with safe and fun places for artistic and athletic development. Be sure to come out to a great show for an even better cause.

Ben Lee — June 27 at World Cafe Live

Ten albums in and Australian singer-songwriter Ben Lee keeps coming up with the goods. His latest work, “Love is the Great Rebellion,” features some stand-out tracks like “Big Love” and “Forgiveness.” Lee will probably break out some older tracks like “Catch My Disease” and “We’re All in This Together” as well. Come on out to World Cafe Live’s intimate downstairs stage, it’s practically on campus!

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Shane O’Connor – The Triangle

If there is ever a band to go see after you’ve left your wallet in the backseat of a taxi, it’s Tennis. Their airy, upbeat indie pop numbers proved to be the perfect remedy for me as I wallowed in the sorrow I felt for my lost belongings. From the dimly lit yet extremely intimate MilkBoy stage, Tennis delivered a fantastic performance with an incredible energy that few shows these days can create.

Tennis tours as a five-piece band but the heart of the band is the husband-wife duo of Alaina Moore (vocals, keyboards) and Patrick Riley (guitar, keyboards). The two of them have come a long way from their 2011 debut album “Cape Dory.” Their most recent record, “Ritual in Repeat,” shows just how far the group’s sound has come. With help from producers such as Richard Swift and the Black Keys’ Patrick Carney, Tennis now has a really polished and mature sound while still maintaining some remnants of their vintage pop influences.

As Riley and the other members of the band tuned their instruments, Moore meandered her way through the sold-out crowd as she made her way up to the stage. After all the gear and monitors were squared away, the band opened with “Never Work For Free” from “Ritual in Repeat.” It really got the crowd moving inside of the tiny venue.

It was invigorating to have the floor packed with devoted Tennis fans who knew almost every song, and Moore indicated that she felt the same way in between songs saying, “I don’t pander. I genuinely love you guys.” Later in the band’s set, she even gave one energetic fan in the front row a shaker to play during “My Better Self,” jokingly calling him “auxiliary percussion.” It was refreshing to see a band interact with its fans like that, showing signs of genuinely wanting to be there instead of just going through the motions.

But enough about the crowd, let’s talk about the music. With three albums and an EP to draw from, the set list had plenty of variety. Tracks from the latest album like “Needle and A Knife” and the slinky “I’m Callin’” sounded great and both packed a lot more oomph than the album versions. Then there were older songs like “Marathon” from “Cape Dory” and “Origins” from “Young & Old.” The latter was simply amazing to hear live. Tennis has really honed that track into a real tour de force that got the entire crowd moving and culminated with an awesome extended jam at the end.

With nowhere to go before the encore, Moore and company went right into their final song, a rare performance of the demo version of “Bad Girls” off “Ritual in Repeat.” It was a beautiful version of the song to hear because it stripped Tennis down to what makes them so great, the chemistry between Moore and Riley. Moore’s mesmerizing vocals commanded everyone’s attention while Riley accompanied her on his Telecaster. It was the perfect way to end the show.

If you have a chance to see Tennis live, be sure to take it. If you have a chance to see a band you like at MilkBoy, be sure to take it. The combination of a spectacular band in that neat little venue provides a concert-going experience that is hard to beat.

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Ryan Miller and Brian Rosenworcel of Guster play at the TLA April 24.
Shane O’Connor – The Triangle

Some friends of mine have a hard time understanding the unabashed love that I have for the band Guster. I’m not sure I fully understand it myself. A friend of mine gave me copies of their albums “Lost and Gone Forever” and “Keep It Together” freshman year of high school. With all the wisdom and worldliness that a 14-year-old could summon he said, “These are both incredible, but ‘Lost and Gone Forever’ is one of the greatest records I’ve ever heard.”

For a kid whose musical interests were just starting to branch out past the 1970s, these albums were a game changer; because as it turns out, getting exposed to Guster during your formative years can have quite an effect, not unlike polio. So when one of your favorite bands of all time comes to town for two nights of shows, you make sure to get tickets to both.

Guster has been together as a band for 24 years, “24 f-cking years” as Ryan Miller phrased it to the crowd at the Theatre of the Living Arts April 24. The band formed back at Tufts University in 1992 as Adam Garner, Brian Rosenworcel and Miller met during their freshman year. So if there’s any Drexel University freshmen forming a band out there, make sure to grab your acoustic guitars and bongos!

As such a prolific and long-lasting band, their fan base is pretty diverse and was well represented at both of their soldout shows during what I am christening, “Guster Weekend.” Parents with their tweens in tow were rubbing shoulders with 30 and 20-somethings who eagerly awaited the band’s arrival on stage.

Violinist extraordinaire Kishi Bashi opened for Guster both nights and he put on quite a show. He recorded little snippets of violin and his vocals and looped them on top of each other to create these rich orchestral-like arrangements all by himself. It was extremely impressive. “The Ballad of Mr. Steak” had a great dance-y beat that many a parent took advantage of to embarrass their kids with some old-school moves (my mom included!) during his set at Union Transfer April 25.

Guster has a real reputation for putting on some incredibly engaging live shows and both shows had their shares of weird and wonderful moments that could only be found at a Guster concert. The TLA set featured Miller reading an email that brought an audience member and her boyfriend on stage so that she could ask him to the prom in front of the whole crowd. Miller quipped, “Guster really is for lovers!” The band then played a cover of Bryan Adams’ “(Everything I Do) I Do It for You” featuring a rare appearance by the Thundergod himself on vocals. The power ballad was right in Rosenworcel’s wheelhouse and was definitely the highlight of the show. Although, a rare playing (second time the whole tour!) of one of my all-time favorite songs, “Two Points for Honesty” really hit home for me. Walking out of the TLA onto to South Street with my tour poster in hand, I was stoked. Little did I know that the next night’s concert at the Union Transfer would be the Guster show to end all Guster shows.

Packed to the rafters, the Union Transfer crowd roared their approval as Guster took the stage and opened with “Long Night,” off of their latest album “Evermotion.” A fan close to the stage donated an afghan blanket to add to the band’s already impressive collection, many of which covered microphone stands and instruments, including one of Gardner’s guitars.

After a few songs, Miller said how special it was to be in Philly and gave the crowd an opportunity to pick the next song. Miller asked the crowd to pick between two cult/extremely rarely played favorites from their first album, “Parachute” and “Happy Frappy.” It’s like when King Solomon asked those two ladies which half of the baby they wanted, you can’t pick just one, you really want both. I may have misremembered that story a bit. Anyways, it ended up being “Happy Frappy,” which was a real treat to hear live.

The night was full of fun, Guster-esque moments. I was surprised that “Ruby Falls” from “Ganging Up On The Sun” really kicked a lot more ass live than what I remembered of it from the record. Kishi Bashi tumbled around Union Transfer crowd surfing during “Simple Machine” from “Evermotion.” “Never Coming Down,” a song from “Evermotion” with a real beach-y vibe featured Gardner on trumpet and Rosenworcel on trombone. Every song was heightened by the dazzling lighting arrangements, which really took the performance to another level.

After closing with “This Could All Be Yours” from “Easy Wonderful,” the band eschewed the normal encore procedure by instead staying on stage and standing under the blanket that was thrown on stage earlier. They then “returned” for the encore, which included the classic “Amsterdam.”

In a shocking turn of events, the crowd chanting “One more song, one more song!” actually worked. Guster came back out to a deafening roar before playing “Parachute.” That song is very near and dear to me and is played about as often as Drexel University lowers tuition. After its completion, the band looked ready to leave the stage for good, but the Thundergod intervened, encouraging the guys to stay and play an unplugged version of “Jesus on the Radio.” Standing at the foot of the stage, the atmosphere was incredible as they played while the crowd sang along in almost a whisper, as to not drown out the band. It was a perfect way to end the night.

It was incredible to have Guster in town for back-to-back nights. With such a deep catalog of music to draw from, on top of a stellar new album, the band brought out all the stops. There were plenty of fun and wacky moments that you’d expect at a Guster concert, and with the addition of some great new songs and the dusting off of some older ones, Guster Weekend was most definitely a success.

Adam Gardner of Guster rocks an afghan-covered guitar at the TLA April 24.
Shane O’Connor – The Triangle

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In Pittsburgh, also known as the Steel City , there’s no room for slacking off, so Brad Hammer, Matt Majot and Myles Mahoney hustle as the band, the Daily Grind. Hammer and Majot began combining their talents in 2012 with Hammer featured on the guitar and Majot playing the bass. The two men worked together and found a music style that fit them well. They played together for a year and then started getting some gigs as openers before they really began to pick up traction.

When asked where they draw influence from, Majot replied, “The Red Hot Chili Peppers are our spirit animal.” After listening to a few of their tracks, it’s pretty easy to group them in with other alternative bands like the Artic Monkeys and Coldplay. However, the Daily Grind definitely has a unique style unlike any other.

When it comes to playing music, they are nothing if not passionate. Mahoney has played the guitar since he was a kid. He used to bring his guitar to his high school every day. He would even carry it in a trash bag on days that it rained. When Majot and Hammer first met Mahoney, Majot played bass with another band. Since guitar was his true passion, Mahoney was glad to take the lead guitar spot.

Their favorite place to jam out is the Legendary Dobbs on South Street. It was in the greenroom on the third floor that the band realized they were starting to get big. A bunch of the artists that have performed there later signed their signatures on the wall and when the Daily Grind saw their names next to legends like Nirvana, Pearl Jam and Green Day, they knew they would someday be legendary.

At first sight it may seem like three guys learned guitar to pick up girls, but instead they decided to collaborate on something that represents all three of their unique personas. Every day these guys are progressing on the path to renowned success. But when it all comes down to it, the Daily Grind is living the life of their dreams playing the music they love for fans that love them.

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Photo Courtesy: John Shearer/Getty Images

As the outside world has frozen around us, the Oscars are supposed to provide a glimmer of hope, a safe refuge from the bitter cold for just one Sunday evening. Being broadcast live from sunny Los Angeles in glorious high definition, with hours of red carpet coverage before the actual ceremony begins, the Oscars are there to make an otherwise commonplace February Sunday into something memorable. This year that would not be the case. This year I just couldn’t wait for the 87th Academy Awards to be over.

I’m mad at you, Neil Patrick Harris. How dare you try to bring your Tony Awards-esque sh-t to the Oscars. People go to the movies because plays, musicals and the rest of their ilk are unbearable. No one watches the Tony Awards for a reason, Neil! Joke after joke, bit after bit, pun after pun, all bombed so horribly I mistakenly thought Ted Kaczynski had taken over hosting duties. Alas, it was just Harris, eroding away at the foundation of good will that he had previously built up with the television- and movie-watching folk of America.

J.K. Simmons (voice of the yellow M&M, also featured in “Whiplash”) unsurprisingly brought home the award for best supporting actor and then gave a real nice speech encouraging everyone to contact their parents and, “Tell them you love them, and thank them, and listen to them for as long as they want to talk to you.” I quickly texted my mom, “J.K. Simmons told me to tell you I love you!” She immediately responded with a brisk, “He said call.” Got me there mom! I am a terrible listener.

A fellow poor listener is Pawel Pawlikowski, Polish director of the best foreign film, “Ida.” A true hero, Pawlikowski continued to deliver his acceptance speech though a solid minute and a half of the much despised orchestral send-off music. I thought that the orchestra would have cut him a little slack with English not being his first language and all. Either way, “Ida” may have made it onto Netflix queues all across the nation after the big speech.

As the night dragged on, I kept waiting for something, anything to happen. Last year’s proceedings had Ellen DeGeneres giving out pizzas and taking selfies. This year there was awkward chitchat with “seat fillers,” you know, regular people like you and me! Why do they get the privilege to fill seats at the Academy Awards while I can only fill my stomach with Trader Joe’s brand popcorn and weep for an evening lost? They must be well-connected, those seat fillers. Like everyone at Drexel tells you, it really does all come down to networking!

Patricia Arquette was rightfully crowned as best supporting actress for her work in “Boyhood.” She got up on stage, whipped out a printed out speech and soap box, and proceeded to stump for equal rights and pay for women. I applaud her efforts, but it is a bit hard to take a wage equality talk from someone holding a gold-plated statue while getting cheered on by multi-millionaires like Meryl Streep.

This year the best animated film category garnered some controversy by failing to nominate the oh-so-popular “Lego Movie.” I didn’t really care at the time, but after seeing Tegan and Sara, the Lonely Island, Questlove and Mark Mothersbaugh (among others) perform the track “Everything is Awesome” from the “Lego Movie” soundtrack, I began to understand. They handed out Lego Oscars (where is the box set? I need it!) to celebs like Steve Carrell and Oprah mid-performance; it was so cool. Anyways, “Big Hero 6” walked away with the best animated film prize. What can you say, another year, another Oscars win for a big white guy.

“Glory” from the movie “Selma” was awarded best original song by Idina Menzel, who managed to continue her presentation after John Travolta grabbed her face a bunch of times. Great job by her just to let it go. The stirring speech by the co-writers of the song, John Stephens (also known as John Legend!) and Lonnie Lynn (the rapper Common!), brought the crowd to its feet and many a star (and reportedly even the fake baby from “American Sniper”) to tears. Luckily, the camera caught the tears dripping down Chris Pine’s face in what has to be the greatest performance of his acting career.

As 11 o’clock rolled around, not much else had been accomplished. The Academy recognized the genius of Wes Anderson by giving “The Grand Budapest Hotel” all of the awards no one really cares about. Joan Rivers and Harold Ramis were somehow left out of the “in memoriam” section of the evening. However, everything changed with a sudden celebration of the 50th anniversary of “The Sound of Music.” Lady Gaga, wearing a regular dress in lieu of cold cuts, sang a pleasant medley of tunes from the film. Then, the crowd roared to its feet when that lady from “The Prince Diaries: Royal Engagement” came on stage! Turns out she was the main nun and singing lady in “The Sound of Music!” Who would have guessed!

Thirty-going-on-13-year-old Eddie Redmayne stole the best actor Oscar away from Michael Keaton. It was one of two awards that I deeply cared about and the outcome did not please me in the least. The immense displeasure I felt was almost immediately compounded by a terrible NPH bit with a magic locked suitcase. I swear, if his performance isn’t the sort of thing to drive a man to live out the rest of his life in a secluded wooden cabin deep in the Minnesotan wilderness, I don’t know what is. But then the Academy plunged a knife into my movie-loving heart as “Birdman” beat out my precious “Boyhood” for best picture. The faint, flickering flame of hope that I had for Richard Linklater’s groundbreaking film to pull through were snuffed out by award presenter Sean Penn of all people.

Sometime after midnight, I groggily turned off my Oscars online stream, and retired to bed a weary and defeated man. The 87th Academy Awards were the biggest film-related disappointment I have experienced all year, and I saw “Wild” in theaters.

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With less than a week to the 87th Academy Awards, it’s time for some semi-qualified Oscars predictions. It is time to make some high stakes decisions in order to predict, among a few other awards, Feb. 22’s biggest honor — best picture.

Let’s get the lesser, but still important categories out of the way first. Cinematography is an interesting category to examine. In case you were wondering, Google tells me that the cinematographer oversees the camera and lighting departments while working very closely with the director. So it’s a real neat job! I think that this year, it’s a two-horse race between Emmanuel Lubezki’s work on “Birdman” and Robert Yeoman’s work on “The Grand Budapest Hotel.” I’m picking Lubezki as best cinematographer after viewing his work on “Gravity” last year. I usually like the underdog, but Lubezki and Alejandro Inarritu’s seamless Steadicam filming technique was a true marvel to watch. For short film (live action), I have got to go with “Boogaloo and Graham.” I mean, the word “Boogaloo” is in the title — its victory is all but assured!

Moving quickly onto the writing categories, I’ll go with “Whiplash” for best adapted screenplay and “Boyhood” for best original screenplay. The former selection is based solely on my unabashed affection for the film. The latter is also based on my unabashed affection for the film. I’m not afraid to pick with my heart when nothing is on the line, folks.

Enough messing around, it’s time to tackle the category you all have been waiting for — best picture. It’s a category that is a bit tough to get a read on because there are eight nominees. I did my best to try and watch all of the best picture contestants but I still couldn’t see “Selma,” “The Imitation Game” and “The Theory of Everything,” so they are all eliminated from my consideration. Bam.

Now the field is narrowed to “American Sniper,” “Boyhood,” “The Grand Budapest Hotel,” “Whiplash” and “Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance).” “American Sniper” has stirred up too much controversy to still be a contender. While Bradley Cooper gave an incredible performance, the man that the character is based on — Chris Kyle — has been under scrutiny regarding the veracity of his exploits. Next to be voted out of this category is “The Grand Budapest Hotel.” While Wes Anderson’s work is near and dear to me, this film just didn’t do it for me. All the best to Wes for creating a tight, interesting narrative that has finally reached a broad audience. Unfortunately, I don’t think this is his year for the Big One. Maybe he’ll get a token best original screenplay Oscar as a parting gift.
OK, down to the last three! “Whiplash,” while an incredible film from both a viewing and technical standpoint, is simply outmatched this year by the two remaining movies. Now to the final showdown, “Birdman” versus “Boyhood.” Both are truly innovative films. “Birdman” weaves an engaging and surreal story with a unique visual style, making the entire movie feel like a single take gives the film a great sense of pace and movement.

On the other hand, “Boyhood” is a cinematic event that has never been seen before. Filmed over the course of 12 years, all with the same actors, “Boyhood” is truly a sight to behold. Director Richard Linklater (known for his insightful “Before” series) filmed a bit of the film every year, writing the script for each year’s shooting as he went. It’s unbelievable how well this movie came together and I think that Linklater should earn the best director Oscar for all his work. You would think that the disjointed filming would lead to a patchwork film but it really is smooth and close to perfect. I cannot commend “Boyhood” enough. It is a tremendous film and the best movie that I have seen this year. “Boyhood” deserves to win best picture Feb. 22.

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