No, that title is not an oxymoron. I dabble in the Indie scene myself, but God help me if I know the first names of any of the band members - let alone their last names - so I'm hardly hardcore. At the North Star Bar, however, I recently discovered an indie band that I could really get into.
They're called Holly Billaday (http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=179313701), which would have taken the award for best band name if the Tupper Werewolves weren't playing the same night. My friend Leah knows one of the band members, Pete. They're all Temple students and they seem very down-to-earth. Personalities aside, though, this band is worth a listen. They combine rock with old school big band influence. I especially loved "Loaded on Sunday." It made me feel like I was in New Orleans. The brass sound absolutely makes their music. The lead singer is also charmingly awkward. He wears 80s-style shades on stage not because he's too cool for school, but because he gets stage fright. He looks like a doppelganger for Ferris Bueller. Needless to say, Holly Billaday is worth a listen. Their next show is January 10th at the Millcreek Tavern.
Also, I would like to add that the North Star Bar (http://www.northstarbar.com/) in Brewerytown is an exceptionally great place to hear local music. It's a bit of a dive, but who doesn't love dives? There aren't many places anymore where you can hear four bands for eight bucks, and no one even hastles you to buy more drinks, but this is one of them. Check out their upcoming shows on their website.
