Penn Museum Summer Night Concert Series

Philadelphia, PA 2014—Wednesday nights throughout the summer are synonymous with two things at the Penn Museum, 3260 South Street in University City—eclectic live music and laid-back fun. Now in its fifth year, the popularSummer Nights Concert Series, presented by Dogfish Head Brewery, runs Wednesdays from 5:00 to 8:00 pm, June 18 through September 3, 2014. Concerts are held in the Museum’s outdoor Stoner Courtyard, replete with fountains, gardens, and a lawn. General admission for guests ages 6 and up is just $10 (and includes Museum admission). The program is free for children under 6, Museum members, PennCard holders, and Penn Health System employees.

This year’s lineup features a diverse mix of bands and musicians—offering lively Samba, raucous Turkish fusion, rhythmic Afro-Cuban jazz, and more—as well as American-influenced music drawing from blues, zydeco, and old-fashioned rock n’ roll. The Penn Museum’s international galleries remain open, with an optional, docent-led mini-tour in between music sets at 6:30 pm. Outside, guests of all ages can explore ancient Rome via touchable (and even wearable) artifacts at a Cartifact station.

The Museum’s Pepper Mill Café sets up a garden bar, with drinks (including a special cocktail of the week, a Dogfish Head brew option, and non-alcoholic beverages) and regionally-themed light fare available for purchase. Guests can opt to sit at outdoor tables, stage-front seating, or lawn seating to enjoy the performances. Concerts move inside in the event of rain.

June 18
El Caribefunk
This band from Colombia kicks off the summer series with a powerful rhythm and energy all their own. Their fun, upbeat style brings together funk, salsa, and elements of Caribbean music, including calypso, zouk, and Haitian compas, and gets audiences on their feet and dancing from the first note.

June 25
Barakka
This Philadelphia-based, multi-ethnic group specializes in Turkish folk-rock with a mix of eastern and western instrumentation, including guitar, oud, drums, bass, darbuka, and keyboards. Their performance features original pieces by Baris Kaya, as well as innovative interpretations of traditional Turkish folk music.

July 2
Philly Songwriters
The Philadelphia Songwriters Project showcases up-and-coming musicians, with a diverse array of sounds that enraptures audiences with their lyrical and musical nuance. This performance features all four winners of their ninth annual songwriting contest: Casey Alvarez, Ben Kessler, Andrea Nardello, and Reed Kendall.

July 9
Zydeco-A-Go-Go
With Creole Zydeco and Cajun 2-steps, this group combines funky New Orleans rhythm and blues and vintage Louisiana rock and roll into a spicy gumbo of irresistible dance music.

July 16
Trinidelphia
Trinidelphia has been pleasing local audiences since 2005 with a perfect combination of American and Caribbean styles. Fusing Trinidadian soca and calypso with Latin jazz, reggae, salsa, and American top 40, they have developed a sound all their own. Their unique and rhythmic arrangements of jazz and popular songs cast the steelpan in fresh new light, pushing the stylistic and artistic boundaries of an often-typecast instrument.

July 23
M’oudswing
M’oudswing’s eclectic sound allows Arabic music and jazz to coexist in harmony while still retaining their respective musical origins. This “Moroccan fusion” band layers oud and modal jazz improvisation over North African grooves.

July 30
West Philadelphia Orchestra
An eclectic ensemble made up of Philly’s finest and wildest musicians, the West Philadelphia Orchestra gets the crowd moving with the poignant melodies and the frenetic, propulsive rhythms of Eastern Europe.

August 6
Newspaper Taxis
This award-winning local group celebrates the spirit of The Beatles with an energetic live show that’s sure to keep the audience dancing all evening long.

August 13
Leana Song
This Philadelphia-based drum and music ensemble specializing in Afro-Cuban and West African drumming combines traditional call-and-response patterned Yoruba songs with modern folk and jazz instruments and harmony.

August 20
Minas
Celebrating 30 years since moving from Rio de Janeiro to the Philadelphia area, Minas’s innovative yet timeless sound blends north and south for magical music that hints at folk, blues, jazz, scat, and samba, with a unique combination of Brazilian and American roots.

August 27
Jimmy Pritchard Band
This International Blues Challenge semi-finalist band has a sharp sound that respects the tradition of blues while pushing its contemporary boundaries, with an electrifying style that reaches your soul and keeps your body moving.

September 3
Animus
Bill Koutsouros’ internationally acclaimed ensemble provides the summer series finale, offering an exciting fusion of ancient and modern music with traditional elements of Greek, Rock, Middle Eastern, Blues, Indian, Jazz, and African music.
 

This year’s Summer Nights Concert Series is presented by Dogfish Head Brewery.

The Penn Museum (the University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology) is dedicated to the study and understanding of human history and diversity. Founded in 1887, the Museum has sent more than 300 archaeological and anthropological expeditions to all the inhabited continents of the world. With an active exhibition schedule and educational programming for children and adults, the Museum offers the public an opportunity to share in the ongoing discovery of humankind’s collective heritage.

The Penn Museum is located at 3260 South Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104 (on Penn’s campus, across from Franklin Field). Public transportation to the Museum is available via SEPTA’s Regional Rail Line at University City Station; the Market-Frankford Subway Line at 34th Street Station; trolley routes 11, 13, 34, and 36; and bus routes 21, 30, 40, and 42. Museum hours are Tuesday through Sunday, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm, and first Wednesdays of each month until 8:00 pm. Open select holiday Mondays. Regular Museum admission donation is $15 for adults; $13 for senior citizens (65 and above); free for U.S. Military; $10 for children and full-time students with ID; free to Penn Museum Members, PennCard holders, and children 5 and younger. The Penn Museum can be found on the web at www.penn.museum. For general information call 215.898.4000. For group tour information call 215.746.8183.