A Member Appreciation Free At Noon Triple-Header
FEATURING - GLEN HANSARD, ARTIST TO WATCH MICHAEL KIWANUKA, AND MARY CHAPIN CARPENTER!
Listen to this week's Live Friday Free At Noon and other Live Shows in the
Concert Archive
Five time Grammy award winner and Princeton, NJ native Mary Chapin Carpenter has been producing country/folk/rock standards for nearly 25 years. She has earned fans and accolades for her ten studio albums and countless live performances. Carpenter grew up on the likes of The Mamas & the Papas and Judy Collins. After graduating from Brown in 1981, Carpenter decided to keep music as a hobby and focus on a career. That changed quickly after a few job interviews, and was signed to a deal with Columbia a short while afterwards.
Having already found success as the vocalist/guitarist for the Irish band The Frames and as half of the folk rock duo The Swell Season, musician Glen Hansard is venturing out as a solo artist. His debut album, Rhythm and Repose, is slated for a June 19th American release on the ANTI record label. The album, Hansard's first since The Swell Season's 2009 Strict Joy, was recorded over the past year and a half in New York City.
Although Michael Kiwanuka, born to Ugandan parents in North London, first started out in music as a session guitarist, it is his soulful voice and emotional songwriting that have made him one of Britain's up and coming singer-songwriters. His voice and style tap into vibes reminiscent of artists like Bill Withers and Otis Redding, the later whom Kiwanuka credits along with Bob Dylan as inspiring his folk-inflected soul music. After spending time recording guitar for rap and R&B acts and doing some small jam shows, Kiwanuka realized he had much more to express in musically and decided to try his hand at songwriting. When friends fell in love with his demo tapes, Kiwanuka realized he had found his calling.
Shawn's new album and memoir are due out June 5. She plays a full show at World Cafe Live on June 30, and will be here for an XPN Free At Noon on June 8!
The six-piece, Nashville based Kopecky Family Band play MilkBoy Philly on Friday night June 1 and they'll be the same day for an XPN Free At Noon!
Grammy Award winner Rodney Crowell and New York Times Best Selling author Mary Karr are scheduled to release Kin: Songs of Mary Karr & Rodney Crowell
A twenty-plus piece choral rock band, The Polyphonic Spree return to Philly to play the TLA on Friday night, May 25, and will be here that afternoon for an XPN Free At Noon!
Finishing out this Live Friday perfomance is another XPN favorite, the fabulously invigorating folk collective Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. Breaking out in 2009, riding the strength of their catchy single 'Home', the currently 11-person outfit revolves around vocalist Alex Ebert. Ebert started ES and the MZ after creating a fictional, messianic character named Edward Sharpe while dealing with addiction and life changes. The result is mesmerizing--from their school bus converted to a tour bus, back-porch and improvised acoustics, and big communal folk sound, ES and the MZ has quickly become something of a worldwide sensation. Their sound calls to mind influences such as Polyphonic Spree and Bob Marley, but it's hard to pin a single genre on their psychedelic rocking bluegrass-y neo-folk.
ES and the MZ are on the cusp of releasing their follow-up to their breakout album, 2009's "Up from Below". Fresh off appearances with Mumford & Sons and Old Crow Medicine Show, ES and the MZ played the new release, entitled "Here", in Santa Monica in April. It doesn't disappoint--"Here" is a product of a group that know how to collaborate, how to live together, and how to share a musical, utopian vision in the most believeable of ways. From the quiet whistling in "All Wash Out" to the energizing, rock-based "Man on Fire", this is an album that will help solidify ES and the MS' appeal.
Don't miss out on this special Free at Noon performance--three great artists in two locations. What better way to start the weekend?
Free At Noon Setlist
Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros - Archived Concert
1. I Don’t Wanna Pray
2. 40 Day Dream
3. Fiya Wata
4. Man On Fire
5. Child
6. Home
Website: edwardsharpeandthemagneticzeros.com/
MySpace: myspace.com/edwardsharpe
Facebook: facebook.com/themagneticzeros
Recent Release: Here
Release Date: May 29, 2012
Label: Rough Trade Records
Origin: Los Angeles, CA
Spirtualized is the neo-psychedelic outfit with Jason Pierce (J. Spaceman) at the center. Formed out of the ashes of Pierce's previous group, Spaceman 3, Spiritualized has been creating grand, lush panoramas of space rock, deeply influenced by soul, gospel, and all things Velvet Underground. Following a dramatic initial release in 1990, Spiritualized has since gone through numerous line-up changes, released seven full-lengths that evince an evolving sound (think perhaps shoegaze to blues to pop), and pushed the boundaries of live performance. Pierce has done everything from shooting a video on an erupting volcano to performing 114 stories in the air to sharing a stage with Depeche Mode.
Free At Noon Setlist
Spiritualized will be archived at NPR.org/Music
1. Hey Jane
2. Mary
3. Lord Let It Rain On Me
4. I Am What I Am
5. Come Together
Website: spiritualized.com/
Myspace: myspace.com/spiritualized
Facebook: facebook.com/Spiritualized
Recent Release: Sweet Heart Sweet Light
Release Date: April 17, 2012
Label: Double Six Records
Hometown: Rugby, England
One of our favorites in this triple-header is long-time XPN listener favorite, folk songstress Dar Williams. Dar Williams will play XPN's Free At Noon at World Cafe Live at the Queen in Wilmington at 12:30pm.
Free At Noon Setlist
Dar Williams Performance will be available here
1. The Light and the Sea
2. I Am the One Who Will Remember Everything
3. You Will Ride With Me Tonight
4. Babysitter
5. Are You Out There
6. I Have Been Around the World
Website: darwilliams.com/
Myspace: myspace.com/darwilliams
Facebook: facebook.com/DarWilliamsOfficial
Recent Release: In the Time of Gods
Release Date: April 17, 2012
Label: Razor & Ties
Hometown: Mount Kisco, NY
The Walkmen's sound has been compared to The Strokes, and called "Bob Dylan meets the Velvet Underground" by NPR. Their rock is characterized by its simplicity-- energetic, repetitive guitar hooks, driving drums, and of course, the voice of front man, Hamilton Leithauser, who seems to bellow, howl and croon simultaneously. They've released six albums, including a cover album of Harry Nilsson and John Lennon's "Pussy Cats" in its entirety. The Walkmen return to Philly with the upcoming release of their seventh album approaching to play an XPN Free At Noon at World Cafe Live on Friday, May 4. The Walkmen will tour this summer in support of the album, Heaven including a string of shows with Florence and the Machine.
Well known as ambassadors of reggae, Third World is a Jamaican outfit that came together in the 1970s and has since become something of an institution. They've had 35 years of experience. Despite several line-up changes over the years, their sound has remained just as fresh and inspiring over the decades. Incorporating Jamaican folk music as well as pop, R&B, rap, soul, and classical music influences, Third World has changed the face of reggae.
The band received rave reviews at SXSW this year; they also played the XPN Radio Day Stage from SXSW

The Press Announcement can be Found Here
What is the connection between the Wilco/The Avett Brothers/Dr. Dog show and the XPoNential Music Festival?
The XPoNential Music Festival presented by Subaru, now in its 8th year at Wiggins Park on the Camden Waterfront, regularly features an eclectic lineup of established stars and emerging artists on two stages over three days. This year, we’re excited to expand our festival grounds into the Susquehanna Bank Center as part of the festival on Saturday, July 21 for all of our 3-Day Pass holders. Every 3-Day Pass to the XPoNential Music Festival presented by Subaru includes one lawn seat admission to the Wilco/The Avett Brothers/Dr. Dog show on Saturday, July 21 at Susquehanna Bank Center.
If I purchase a ticket to the Wilco/The Avett Brothers/Dr. Dog show, can I get into the XPoNential Music Festival presented by Subaru?
No. For admission to the Festival, you must purchase either a 3-Day Pass that includes lawn seat admission to the Wilco/The Avett Brothers/Dr. Dog show or purchase a Saturday ticket to the Festival. Single day tickets do not include admission to the SBC show.
When do tickets go on sale for the Wilco/The Avett Brothers/Dr. Dog show and how do I get them?
For reserved tickets: Beginning at 10am on March 31st, reserved tickets only will be available at Ticketmaster.com. XPN listeners will be able to purchase tickets starting March 29 through a special presale link at XPN.org.
For lawn seats: Lawn seat admission will included with the purchase of a 3-Day Pass to the XPoNential Music Festival presented by Subaru starting May 1st at XPN.org. Lawn seat tickets may be purchased individually through Ticketmaster.com but do NOT include admission to the XPoNential Music Festival presented by Subaru.
What if I want to buy reserved (seated) tickets for Wilco/The Avett Brothers/Dr. Dog at the Susquehanna Bank Center, but also want to come to the XPoNential Music Festival presented by Subaru at Wiggins Park on Saturday?
You will need to purchase reserved tickets to the Wilco/The Avett Brothers/Dr. Dog show through Ticketmaster.com (available through presale link at XPN.org starting March 29). For Festival admission, you will also need to purchase either a 3-Day Festival Pass or a Saturday ticket to the XPoNential Music Festival presented by Subaru once they become available at XPN.org on May 1st.
What time does the show start at the Susquehanna Bank Center? I don’t want to miss any of the XPN Festival.
Dr. Dog will take the stage at SBC starting at 7:15pm. The last act on the Festival River Stage will end at 6:45pm. Festival goers will use a special entrance to move from the Festival site to SBC at 6:45pm.
If I buy a Saturday ticket to the XPoNential Music Festival presented by Subaru, will my ticket allow me to get in to the Wilco/The Avett Brothers/Dr. Dog show at Susquehanna Bank Center?
If you purchase a Saturday ticket to the XPoNenetial Music Festival presented by Subaru, you must purchase a separate ticket (lawn or reserved) for the Wilco/The Avett Brothers/Dr. Dog show through Ticketmaster . Only 3-Day Passes for the XPoNential Music Festival presented by Subaru include admission to the show.
If I purchase a lawn seat ticket for the Wilco/The Avett Brothers/Dr. Dog show at Susquehanna Bank and later decide to get a 3-Day Pass to the XPoNential Music Festival, can I get a refund on my lawn seat ticket or a discount on my 3-Day Festival Pass?
No. Tickets to the Wilco/The Avett Brothers/Dr. Dog show are non-refundable and cannot be applied as credit toward the purchase of a 3-Day Pass to the XPoNential Music Festival presented by Subaru.
What are the ticket prices for the Wilco/The Avett Brothers/Dr. Dog show at Susquehanna Bank Center?
Reserved tickets are $55 and are available through Ticketmaster.com. Lawn seat admission to the show at Susquehanna Bank Center is included with a 3-Day Pass to the XPoNential Music Festival presented by Subaru, and may be purchased starting May 1 at XPN.org (see pricing below). Lawn seat tickets will also be available for purchase separately for $35 through Ticketmaster.com.
What are the ticket prices for the XPoNential Music Festival presented by Subaru at Wiggins Park?
XPN MEMBER Prices:
3-Day Pass: $45 (before 7/9) | $55 (after 7/9)
Daily Ticket: $18 (before 7/9) | $25 (after 7/9)
GENERAL PUBLIC Prices:
3-Day Pass: $90 (before 7/9) | $110 (after 7/9)
Daily Ticket: $36 (before 7/9) | $50 (after 7/9)
Child (ages 2-12): $5 at all times
Good Old War is an indie-folk trio consisting of three Philly natives. Pulling from each of their surnames to create the band's moniker, these three friends and collaborators have created a great chemistry on stage and a knack for mesmerizing three-part harmonies.