Rise of Johnny Brenda’s

Music Row
By Brian Rademaekers

While the usual Music Row fodder consists of the sometimes impossible task of picking the best local show of the week, the fast-approaching New Year begs for a little reflection.
It’s been a hell of a year with tons of bands — new and old alike — coming out with some incredible fresh music. Here in Philly, that equated to a hearty schedule of must-see live shows — enough to keep these pages chock full and a certain writer’s wallet in a constant state of hardship. And as robust as the music scene was citywide, a particular venue jumps out for consistently hosting some of 2007’s hottest shows.
We’re talking about Fishtown’s own: Johnny Brenda’s.
Having celebrated its one-year anniversary in September, the upstairs venue at the neighborhood tavern has made a stunningly quick ascension and can easily be considered one of the most essential rock joints in the city.
That status was abundantly clear on Sunday night as a sell-out crowd packed in to see RRIICCEE, featuring Vincent Gallo and Hole guitarist Eric Erlandson.
It was an ugly night, cold and rainy, but that didn’t stop the scruffy set of music lovers from coming out to see the ultra-rare performance in an intimate setting.
Such is the appeal of Johnny Brenda’s.
The conversion from tavern to stellar venue came three years after owners Paul Kimport and William Reed bought the aging bar from the family of former boxer and Jack Frost tough Johnny Imbrenda. For three years, Johnny Brenda’s did just fine, establishing itself as a stylish place to get locally brewed beer and good, cheap food.
But in 2005, with encouragement from patrons, the owners decided to convert the upper floors to a live-performance space. The result was a spacious concert hall above the restaurant and bar that features a large raised stage, a balcony and a fully loaded bar. As beautiful as the faded Victorian space may be, this last year witnessed enough stunning music and sellout shows to make that irrelevant.
Like Gene Ween’s sellout show last March. Or the Fishtown appearance of folk icons like Vashti Bunyan and Bert Jansch. Then there are the hordes of shows featuring some of the city’s most promising homegrown talent, ranging from the wispy Birdie Busch to the rocking A Sides to the rhymes of the Philly hip-hop outfit Gang.
In its first full year, Johnny Brenda’s has become a destination known equally as a venue where fans could catch world-class acts as well as the best local musicians.
It drew enough attention, in fact, to end up as the sole club named in a Philly-centered article in the October edition of Rolling Stone magazine.
Some of the success can be attributed to the healthy population of well-known musicians who populate the surrounding neighborhoods, using Johnny Brenda’s as a watering hole and a forum to show off their latest work.
Fishtown and Northern Liberties also have their share of arts-inclined folks and young professionals hip to the latest bands, and at a capacity of 250 people, Johnny Brenda’s venue is by far the biggest in the riverwards.
Beyond the large stage and supportive location, Kimport credits the club’s success to the hard work of booking agent Brandy Hartley. And a quick look at the schedule indicates that things will get even better when it comes to live music in Fishtown.
Tonight, Brooklyn’s White Magic will take the stage following a performance by local folk chanteuse Fern Knight.
White Magic’s Mira Billotte recently gained heaps of national praise for her treatment of Bob Dylan’s As I Went Out One Morning on the film biopic I’m Not There, and the band is often hailed as a jewel in the New Folk movement.
Also look for performances from greats like Adam Arcuragi, Brown Recluse Sings, and Trolleyvox in the coming weeks.
For New Year’s Eve, the club will host the Old City burlesque troupe Peek-a-boo Revue and rockers Full Blown Cherry. ••