It’s marathon weekend in Philly, which means you’re either really excited to lace up and run the course, or you might be feeling guilty about not being one of the 30,000-plus participants. Read up on where to stake out the best spectating zones here and then study all the after-hours events hitting Philly this weekend below. Whether you’re after a night of dancing or just want to catch your favorite band on stage, there’s no reason even the non-runners in our ranks can’t go the distance.
Thursday, Nov. 19
My Morning Jacket released their seventh album in April and the intensely lyrical
"The Waterfall" is no doubt a late-career highlight for the troupe. WXPN is hosting the band at Tower Theatre in Upper Darby for an early show, and given the venue’s history and great-sounding space, it’s hard to imagine a better place to hear the new music played out. The show is general admission, so get there early for a good spot.
Doors 7 p.m., Show 8 p.m., $45
Friday, Nov. 20
Travi$ Scott has had a big year: a Kanye West co-sign helped propel his album "Rodeo" up the charts, rumors of his dating Rihanna filled tabloids, and he’s just been featured prominently on Justin Bieber’s latest album. Scott’s live shows are fabled and both Bryson Tiller and Skepta have churned up their own similarly fervent buzz. Expect an excited crowd.
Doors 8 p.m., general admission sold out, limited resale available via StubHub
In September, after suffering kidney failure and undergoing emergency dialysis, Freeway was forced to cancel his headlining post at his first-ever Freefest. Now that he’s recovered, the veteran Philly emcee is putting on a new show and he’s raising awareness (and money) for The National Kidney Foundation in the process. A 10-piece band and some of Freeway’s familiar collaborators — Young Chris, Neef, Oschino—will be in tow.
Doors 8 p.m., Show 9 p.m., $20
Silk City’s third Fridays Workout! party is back this weekend with sets from trusty deejays Bo Bliz and Low Beezy. The theme? Hip-hop anthems, "dutty wine" dancehall, bounce, and just about anything else that will keep the dance floor freaky. The best part? Get to Silk City on time (at 10 p.m.) and enjoy some $1 Pabst while supplies last, then switch over to the $5
citywide (a Pabst and a shot of Jim Beam) from there.
10 p.m.-2 a.m., $5
Dame Luz is giving dancers another installment of an ambitiously fun themed party called Holy Trinity this weekend. Together with Wassup Gina, Luz will offer Dolphin Tavern partiers a jaunt through some of the most important music from our current pop saviors: Beyonce, Rihanna and Nicki Minaj. You won’t hear anything but music from those three, and really, do you need anything else from a Friday night than a little “Drunk In Love,” “Umbrella,” and “Anaconda”? Probably not.
9 p.m.-2 a.m., $5
Have you seen "Clueless?" Then you know the Flamin’ Groovies’ music. Kinda. The four-piece band from San Francisco made waves in the late 1960s and early ‘70s, and decades later, their “Shake Some Action” single was covered by Cracker (that’s the Clueless version). The original though is better: rambunctious, swelling, and poppy with beautiful guitar work. You might not have listened to the album to which it belongs (which is also called "Shake Some Action" and was reissued in 2005), but trust us: it’s one of the best guitar pop gems you’ve never heard. Hurry up and grab tickets as supplies are low.
Doors 7 p.m., Show 8 p.m., $20
Saturday, Nov. 21
Greta Kline, more commonly known as Frankie Cosmos, a name that doubles for her three-piece band, has just released a new EP of music, a compact, more electronic follow-up to last year’s splendid full-length "Zentropy." The new set of songs,
"Fit Me In," is the catalyst for a short tour that hits the First Unitarian Church on Saturday. Kline and company will play "Fit Me In" all the way through, which should leave plenty of time for the band to dig back through their other recent music.
Doors 8 p.m., Show 8:30 p.m., $10 (all ages)
Aunt Dracula is kinda weird: synths crash together unexpectedly; sometimes the music is industrial, sometimes it’s psychedelic, sometimes it’s psychotic. The brainchild of Philly’s Scott Daly, Aunt Dracula's record release show goes down this Saturday at PhilaMOCA. Philly’s instrumental duo Hallowed Bells, Beat Jams, and Whoopsydaisy will all support the main act.
Doors 7:30 p.m., Show 8- 11:30 p.m., $7-$10 sliding scale
Philly trio Ground Up are capping off their “Seventeen Eleven Tour” with a hometown bash at Union Transfer this Saturday. The guys — Azar, Malakai, Bij Lincs—released an album of the same name last month—grab it
here—and have been on the road ever since. Fast-rising local emcee Armani White and battle rapper Rone, who’s just released his own latest album, "
Committed," are scheduled to open.
Doors 8 p.m., Show 8:30 p.m., $16-20 (all ages)
