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Tags: Philadelphia-Music-Venues / Best-Music-Venues-in-the-US / Music Travel / Live Music / → All Tags

Philly Music Venue: Johnny Brenda's

We told you a couple of years back about how popular Philadelphia tavern Johnny Brenda's was getting in the music game, and less than two years later, this place has firmly established itself as one of Philly's prime live music venues.

The Fishtown bar converted the second floor of a 19th Century building into an intimate live venue that brings out exuberant crowds for an almost-every-night schedule of indie bands. The focus is on local acts, but on occasion they bring in bigger bands (they've featured The National, Grizzly Bear and The Walkmen since opening). With a capacity of just 300, Johnny Brenda's is one of the most intimate venues many of these bands play.

For pre- and post-show fun, the ground floor bar serves hand-pumped local brews and a surprisingly upscale menu (think Littleneck clams; goat cheese, arugula, and watermelon salad).

Related Stories:
· Johnny Brenda's [Official Site]
· PhillyStyle: Drinks, Music & Eye Candy at Johnny Brenda's [Jaunted]
· Philadelphia Music Venues Map [Jaunted]
· Philadelphia Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Johnny Brenda's]

Tags: Philadelphia / Coffee Shops / Starbucks Alternatives / → All Tags

Starbucks Alternatives: Canvas Coffee Company

We hate to make a "daily grind" joke in a piece about coffee shops, but sometimes it's not just Starbucks that gets old, but the whole hoity-toity coffee shop vibe, whether it's a Starbucks or not. We're talking about the downtown places that attract people who think that $7.00 for a coffee beverage (not coffee, coffee beverage) is reasonable. These are the sort of folks who know nothing about jazz, but they sure do want to listen to it while drinking their coffee.

That's why we like Canvas Coffee Company (their website appears dead) in Philadelphia. It's off the downtown-suit path (and is, in fact, very close to Penn Treaty Park on the Delaware River, as you can see above), and it's just...a coffee shop. Really. It's not stuffy, nor is it hipster pretentious, the sort of place you'll get a sneer if you don't get soymilk. We recommend getting a baked good while you're there too. They're dense and rich and certainly not healthy enough for every day consumption. However, they're certainly better than whatever you usually get during the daily grind (zing!).

Related Stories:
Canvas Coffee Company [Philadelphia City Paper]
Coffee Shops Coverage [Jaunted]

Tags: Philadelphia Field Trip / Bars / Drinking / Music / Live Music / → All Tags

PhillyStyle: Drinks, Music & Eye Candy at Johnny Brenda's

At behest and via the courtesy of the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation, Jaunted spent the weekend in 6th Borough for a sleepover and tour--meaning this trip was on Ben Franklin, Rocky, and Boyz II Men--or something like that. Our thoughts are scattered below. Enjoy.

Johnny Brenda's has been known as a popular tavern in Philly for a while, but it's just starting out as a venue for live music. Despite the newness of its club space, which opened in September, JB's is pulling in the choice bookings like it's a piece of cake. Philebrity calls the new live space "a long-in-coming home" for the surrounding Fishtown and Northern Liberties neighborhoods.

Johnny Brenda's isn't the only option for shows in the Fishtown area, but it may be the nicest. The live space, which is housed on the second and third floors of the tavern building (the namesake bar is on the first), features a balcony and, thanks to that, an extra-high ceiling from the second floor. It's not too big for the small rock shows, but doesn't feel like a shoebox. While it's been done up nicely, it still retains some of the bar's grungy charm. Start your night out with a snack and drink at the bar, and move upstairs for the music (and more drinks if you wish). Bonus: keep an eye out for hottie co-owner William Reed--hey, we never said this was gonna be deep.

Related Stories:
· Philadelphia Field Trip coverage [Jaunted]