The Lawsuits/Former Belle/Foxtrot and the Get Down atThe Foundry
Story and Photos by Dan Drago
My cab driver couldnât find The Fillmore, Philadelphiaâs newest and shiniest music venue. The problem was, neither could I. Both of us were staring at our phones, trying to figure out which unmarked alleyway led to a club owned by a Fortune 500 corporation (#61 at last estimate, I believe). After a couple of circles around (meter running, of course), he let me off at a random corner and I managed to find the place on foot. Crossing under the IÂ95 overpass, amidst deserted parking lots and shuttered warehouses, I finally found it. People go on and on about how Fishtown is fully gentrified, and might as well be Center City these days. These people have never navigated through the semiÂ-abandoned, poorly lit urban jungle that eventually leads you to The Fillmoreâs entrance.
Once I got into The Foundry (the more intimate, clubÂ-like room upstairs), I was fortunate enough to catch the nightâs opener. Foxtrot and the Get Down blazed through a tight set of blues rock, with the practiced air of a band thatâs definitely gotten in some serious stage time this year. Â
Frontman Colin Budny is the center point to the bandâs steadyÂasÂsheÂgoes riffage, and the vocal harmonies from keyboardist Erica Ruiz add that soul that so often goes missing from younger rootsÂrock bands. Â
In front of a blazing red curtain, Former Belle took the stage. Bruno Catrambone, with his long hair hanging in his face, spoke to the crowd like they were all old friends. The crowd enthusiastically responded.
Bruno plays guitar in the Philly indieÂpop band Cruisr, and while his Former Belle material is very different than the fourÂonÂtheÂfloor anthems of his other day job, he has an intensity on stage that can garner the same reaction as a 3Â minute floor filler. Former Belleâs new EP, Foreign Bed (Randm Records), is a stripped down, OberstÂstyle folk record on the surface.
Bruno is known to play the material solo often, and his hushed singingÂstyle causes you to lean in so as to not miss a word. But when he hit the stage with the other three members of the band (Josh Miller, Kyle Sheva and Tim Bostwick), he turned the songs into rockers, believe it or not.
Heâs at home as much on a Fender as he is on an acoustic guitar, and the bandâs dynamic presence on stage had the crowd on their feet, pressed up to the rail, even singing along. And the recordâs only been out a month.
The Lawsuits followed their tour mates with a set building on the energy of the night. Since making a name for themselves in 2012, The Lawsuits continue to put on a live show that will make you a devoted fan if youâre not already. They continue to glam up the countryÂfolkÂrock style that weâve been living through for the past decade. Maybe itâs Brian Dale Allen Strouseâs countryÂboy looks and demeanor matched with Vanessa Winterâs powerful voice. Maybe itâs the drumming tornado that is Josh Friedman, anchored by bassist Brendan Cunningham, all the while guitarist Joe Bisirri doling out powerful riffs and ethereal atmosphere. Itâs probably all those things, and more. Iâve been seeing The Lawsuits for a few years now, and while I can never pin them down (and have long stopped trying), Iâm always engaged with what theyâre doing. Equal parts Opry and Roxy, they sneak in under the guise of traditional altÂfolkÂcountry, but end up giving you something layered and sophisticated as well.
Their new album, Moon Son, will be out on Randm Records on May 13th (you can preview a track at thelawsuitsband.com), and if the live performances of the new tunes are any indication, this oneâs gonna be something.
Iâve been avoiding the Fillmore/Foundry complex since it opened. Another bigÂbox venue is not at all my idea of a good time, and I bristle whenever I hear of corporate entertainment groups getting into the small venue racket. However, if they keep the upstairs jumping with talent like this show, I could be seen to soften up my haterÂesque stance a bit. The place is pristine, the sound is excellent, and if you can find the entrance, youâre in for a good night.
Dan Drago is a writer, engineer, and former touring musician. He resides in Philadelphia where he produces and hosts the podcast â25 OâClockâ. Visit him on the web at 25oclockpod.com.











