Philadelphia

When I first moved to Philadelphia I would frequent the First Unitarian Church on Sunday mornings, taking a pew in the back near a homeless woman and hoping that being around so many people would assuage my loneliness. Later, when I met people and began to have some semblance of a social life, I returned to the church—but this time, the building was a musical venue rather than a house of worship. R5 Productions, an independently run promotions agency that has an arrangement with First Unitarian (and several other locations), has attracted bands ranging from big names like Low and Cat Power to lesser known acts like Mono. An unlikely union perhaps, but R5’s goal is to provide Philly with no-hassle, allages, low-cost shows, and the church has been a part of it for several years now. If you like your religion politically correct and your music straight-up, you should drop in sometime.

Photo:  Ann O'Malley