Plain Parade strives to provide an alternative to the current live music offerings by putting together intimate events at a variety of venues in Philadelphia. It was founded by Maria Tessa Sciarrino and Sara Sherr in 2002, after a couple years of collaborating on events.
Featuring up and coming acts from around the globe as well as those found in Philadelphia, our programming spans the spectrum from indie to punk, to folk and pop, from book readings and film screenings, to dj nights and comedy.
Who We Are
SARA SHERR
Sara brings over 10 years of experience writing about the Philadelphia
music scene for local and national outlets. Her writing has appeared in various
spaces such as the Philadelphia Weekly, City Paper, and Village
Voice; currently she is a columnist for the Philadelphia Daily News.
When Sara sends out a press release, the entire world takes notice.
In her free time Sara enjoys Sunday night karaoke at the Locust Bar, perfoming with the Dumpsta Players, maintaining a badass wig collection and reminiscing about being raised by bees.
MARIA TESSA SCIARRINO
A photography graduate of the University of the Arts, Maria's work has
somehow graced many posters, magazines, CD packaging and Plain Parade's promotional
materials. She is also the organizer of the Philly Rock
Lotto and likes to torment
the general listening public on WPRB.
A bona-fide jack of all trades, Maria's can-do attitude often leads to her
working all hours of the night on many of the fine details that come with
Plain Parade events.
PRESS
Philadelphia City Paper, Oct 2004 »
Thanks to Pat Rapa, we are voted Best Dancing Bookers. We can now rest easy knowing our fine fine dancing skills have been recognized.
Philadelphia
City Paper, Oct 2003 »
We were voted Best Upstart Show Bookers. This allowed us to drink
lots of free alcohol at a snooty VIP lounge. Thanks Brian Howard!
Philadelphia
Weekly, Oct 2003 »
Feature article in the Fall Music Issue.
Philadelphia
Metro, August 2003 »
Most people recognized us from this piece more than from anything else.
Philadelphia
Weekly, March 2003 »
This is too cool. We were ranked #24!
Weekly
Press Article Jan 2003 »
You'll need Adobe
Acrobat to check this out.
City
Paper March 2002 »
A full-length feature on the eve of Sugar Town's one-year anniversary.
OUR HISTORY
2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006
2001
01-11 - Sugar Town - Sarah Dougher, Cynthia G Mason, Kara Lafty @ Balcony Bar
02-08 - Sugar Town - Gal Lombardo, Bilenky Cycle Works @ Balcony Bar
03-01 - Sugar Town - Undergirl, The Pearly Gates @ Balcony Bar
04-12 - Sugar Town - Palomar, Persons @ Balcony Bar
05-17 - Sugar Town - Ill Ease, Mary Prankster @ Balcony Bar
06-28 - Sugar Town - The Demolition Doll Rods, Fuckbomb @ Balcony Bar
07-26 - Sugar Town - The Operators, Winterbrief, The Winter Blanket @ Balcony Bar
08-30 - Sugar Town - Bionic Finger, KeN, Snow Fairies @ Balcony Bar
09-20 - Sugar Town - Cynthia G Mason, Kelly Slusher @ Balcony Bar
10-?? - Sugar Town - Boyracer, Rabbit In Red, Undergirl, Huon @ Balcony Bar
11-?? - Sugar Town - Crowns On 45, Thorazine @ Tritone
12-01 - Sugar Town - She Haw, The Dirty Triplets, Zia @ Balcony Bar
2002
01-05 - Sugar Town - Yeah Yeah Yeahs, The Jane Anchor, Riff Raff, The Minks @ Balcony Bar
02-15 - Sugar Town - Ari Up, Fursaxa, Pocahontas and the Ribs @ Balcony Bar
03-30 - Sugar Town - ST Mixtape Released - Jenny Toomey, KeN, The Dirty Triplets, Lisa Christ Superstar @ Balcony Bar
04-26 - Sugar Town - Lefty's Deceiver, O Mighty Isis, The Hissyfits, The Vexers @ Balcony Bar
05-18 - Sugar Town - The Day, Head, Sweetie @ Balcony Bar
06-07 - Sugar Town - Thorazine, Palymra Delran, The Harps, Anti Emz @ Balcony Bar
07-27 - Sugar Town - Hallelujah, April Disaster, South Side Yawning Company, DJ Silvia
08-07 - Sugar Town - Tribe 8, Bantam @ Balcony Bar
09-08 - Sugar Town - Ladyfest Benefit - Cynthia G Mason, Fursaxa, Navy, Sashimi, Undergirl, The Method & Result @ Balcony Bar
09-14 - Sugar Town - Seana Carmody, Emily Sparks, April Disaster @ Balcony Bar
11-19 - First Plain Parade show - Walkie Talkies, Beach Balls, The Minks
11-29 - Sugar Town - x's x's, ??? @ Balcony Bar
12-05 - Marianne Nowottny, Readings by Whitney Pastorek, Diane Vadino, Meredith Broussard, Samantha Barrow
12-06 - Colette Carter, Vertebrae, Tan As Fuck, Nimbus, DJ Daphne Carr
12-?? - Sara's 33 1/3 Birthday Party
12-12 - Dragon City, Lee, Hanged Up
12-13 - Lorelei, x's x's, The Tunics
2003
01-09 - Neon Hunk, Kites, Newton
01-10 - Trolleyvox, Anthemic Pop Wonder, Lee
01-16 - Rich Kaufmann and Primo Carnera, Cordalene, The Baird Sisters
01-17 - Chino, The University, Surround
01-23 - Palomar, Dragon City, Raccoon
01-24 - King Of Prussia, The Method and Result, The Caribbean
01-30 - R5 Collaboration - 90 Day Men, Boas, Apache Grip, Alkali Flats
01-31 - Hail Social, Tizzy, The Color Guard
02-07 - Sinister Luck Ensemble, Central Falls, Friends of the Library
02-08 - Sugar Town - Helen Back & the Str8 Razors, Needles Jones, Sisters Sugarillo, Lotsix @ Balcony Bar
02-13 - Crimson Sweet, Stiffed, Undergirl
02-14 - Boothby, Fingernail, The Needles
02-20 - April Disaster, The Teeth, Lee
02-27 - Hilliard, The Improbables, The Reputation
02-28 - The Jane Anchor, The English System, Apparatus Engine
03-07 - The Sand Family, Kiss Kiss Kill, American Altitude
03-08 - Raccoon, Holy Ghost, Surround
03-14 - The Sinners, Wide Right
03-20 - Ladyfest Philly - Victory At Sea, The Jane Anchor, Cynthia G Mason, Jen Hess
03-27 - The Teeth, Chet Delcampo, Bishop Allen
03-28 - This Radiant Boy, Val Emmich, Kilroy
04-30 - Holy Ghost, Ion Leaks, Hya Kcha
04-04 - We Ragazzi, Taking Pictures, The RTM
04-10 - King Of Prussia, Dragon City, Elefant, Motor
04-11 - The Trouble With Sweeney, Elk City, American Altitude, Cruel Summer DJs @ UACA
04-17 - April Disaster, Denison Witmer, Melon Galia
04-18 - Alkali Flats, Lee, Metropolitan, Awek
04-24 - Crimson Sweet, Dutchland Diesel, True If Destroyed
04-25 - Thee Minks, Mondo Topless, Buzz Sawyer
05-08 - R5 Collaboration - Alan Sparhawk (of Low), Bitter Bitter Weeks, Haley Bonar, ifthousands
05-09 - Helen Back & the Str8 Razors, MimiRock
05-16 - The Creatures of the Golden Dawn, The Graveyard School, The Cignal
05-22 - The Trolleyvox, Cordalene, Persona
05-23 - R5 Collaboration - Fog, Dosh, Kandywhales
05-29 - Azita, Brother JT, Everything Is Fine
05-30 - Walkie Talkies (Final Show), The Sand Family, Just Go No Texas, Lotsix
06-05 - Rex Hobart, Langhorne Slim, Joey Beltram
06-06 - Trouble Everyday, Surround, Dragon City
06-07 - Sugar Town - The Ssion, The Tunics, Falkor @ Balcony Bar
06-12 - Eli, Grand Fabric, Buddy, Thanksgiving
06-13 - KeN, Jukebox Zeros, Apache Grip, Mz. Pacman
06-20 - Karl Hendricks Trio, The Red & The Black, This Radiant Boy
06-22 - Booze Cruise - The Trouble with Sweeney, DJ Dave Pianka @ Captain Lucky's River Steamboat
06-26 - Hokkaido Concern, Antelope, Liars & Magicians
06-27 - Downbeat 5, Thee Minks, Kilroy
07-03 - The Teeth, Trolleyvox, Escargo-Go's, Bugs Eat Books
07-10 - Dragon City, The Long Lost, An Affinity Group, The Horns
07-11 - 215 Festival Benefit - The Wayward Wind, Iain Levison, Erik Bader, Michael Azreal-D
07-15 - Trouble Everyday, Persona, Illoin, Octopus Project @ Club 218 South
07-17 - R5 Collaboration - The Swords Project, Bishop Allen, Raccoon, Can/Am Connection
07-18 - Maria's Birthday Party - This Radiant Boy, The Caribbean, Cherry Coke! (Maria, Bucky from TRB & Joey Sweeney's Kinks cover band)
07-24 - Race For Titles, The Red & The Black, Late Night Television, Apple of Discord
07-25 - Lesser Birds of Paradise, American Altitude, Motor
07-31 - Snow Fairies, Lucky Dragons, El Boxeo
08-01 - Undergirl, The Bad Vibes, Spitting Cobras
08-06 - Our First Sold Out Show - The Lucksmiths, Via Tania, Tim Kinsellas, The Mosquitoes
08-07 - The Jane Anchor, Lefty's Deceiver, Grand Fabric
08-14 - Just Go No Texas, Plastron, The Charms
08-15 - Infamous "Pint Glass" Episode - Raccoon, Cordalene, Metropolitan
08-21 - R5 Collaboration - Cougars, Sovenskya, Young Vulgarians
08-22 - Ben Edwards Trio, Needles Jones, P.T. Lovecraft, David Smith
08-28 - Palomar, Overlord, Nixon's Head, The Anderson Council
08-30 - Sugar Town - Beretta 76, The Long Lost, Box Five, Mama Spell @ Balcony Bar
09-04 - Snow Fairies, Dear Nora, The Motherfucking Clash
09-11 - Kandywhales, Stars As Eyes, Lotsix
09-12 - My Pal God Records Night - Taking Pictures, Quick Fix Kills, Heroics, DJ Jon Solomon
09-18 - Aim of Conrad, Late Night Television, Pattern Is Movement
09-26 - "What I LIke About Jew"
09-27 - Black Eyed Snakes, Kid Dakota, Young People, The Teeth
10-02 - The Collapse, Miniband, IAmLoved
10-03 - Can/Am Connection, Relay, The Sems, Arkitekchur
10-09 - Trolleyvox (Record Release), The Sixth Great Lake, James Hindle
10-10 - "Huwavah Goodtime" - The Teeth, Raccoon, Buried Beds, Thaddeus Pekula, Pat Kelly
10-16 - Espers, Alasdair Roberts, Brother JT
10-17 - This Radiant Boy, Awek, Lee
10-19 - Cordalene, The Rosebuds, The A-Sides
10-23 - Low Skies, Relay, The Twin Atlas, Timonium
10-24 - "The Broken Hipsters" Preview - The Sand Family, Like Moving Insects, Todd Young, Lotsix
10-26 - Buried Beds, Carolynne McNeel, Snoozer, Cara Hyde
10-30 - The Sickidz, Jukebox Zeros, Edison Rocket Train, The Motherfucking Clash
10-31 - Dragon City, Young Vulgarians, [[[[VVRSSNN]]]], Dirty Projectors
11-03 - "Let America Laugh" Screening
11-06 - Cynthia G Mason, The Last Wave, Dear Nora
11-07 - Del Rey, The Vanishers, Zombi, Pattern Is Movement
11-13 - Alkali Flats, Natural History, Relay, Trouble Everyday
11-14 - The Method & Result, Be Careful Little Hands, Heavenly States, Goodmorning Valentine
11-21 - First Anniversary - Helen Back & The Str8 Razors, The Reflectors, MimiRock, Pink Steel
11-28 - Kilroy, Persona, Future Tips
11-29 - Sugar Town - Beretta 76, The Tights, JD & The Rocketbras, Buried Beds @ Balcony Bar
12-04 - My Favorite, The Last Wave, Collette Carter, Carolynne McNeel
12-05 - Sonic Liberation Front, Positron, Jungulungularity, DJ Dan Buskirk
12-11 - Pilot Round The Sun, Can/Am Connection, The Sw!ms
12-13 - Consonant, French Toast, South Congress
12-18 - Hilliard, Grandfabric, Hoy, Chris Dillon
12-23 - "What I Like About Jew" @ Tritone
12-26 - Plain Parade "Office Party" - The Trouble With Sweeney, Mama Spell, DJ Chatty Cathy
2004
01-15 - Sharron Kraus, Jack Rose, Curtis Eller's American Circus
01-16 - Sugar Town - The Tights, True If Destroyed, Carolynne McNeel
01-22 - The Teeth, Dragon City, Bishop Allen, The Weather
01-23 - The Creatures of The Golden Dawn, The A-Sides, Headquarters, The Sw!ms
01-29 - PA Muzzleloader, Clockcleaner, 1776
01-30 - This Radiant Boy, Lefty's Deceiver, National Eye, Future Tips
02-05 - First Appearance On CNN - Sex Workers Art Show
02-12 - "Quest For Sleep" (Superchunk documentary) Screening
02-13 - Anti-Valentine's Tribute To the Smiths - Dresden Dolls, Marc Spitz, Eric Bader, DJ Bethany Klein, Open "Top 5 Breakups" Reading
02-20 - Cordalene, Bitter Bitter Weeks, The Perfectionists
02-26 - Third Floor Re-Opening - One Star Hotel, Elevator Parade, Head of Femur, Impossible Shapes
02-27 - Jukebox Zeros, Beretta 76, Undergirl, Wide Right
03-04 - Trouble Everyday, Les Baton Rouge, Black Strip Withdrawal
03-05 - The Teeth, Like Moving Insects, Buried Beds, She Haw
03-11 - The Spinto Band, Doctor & Philip, The Donuts, The Sheep, DJ Scott Rodgers
03-12 - Dragon City, Motor, The Caribbean, Oxford Collapse, "Pop Mart" Dance Party
03-18 - Newton, Japanese Karaoke Afterlife Experience, Cotton Museum, Unicord Hard-On, Taiwan Deth, N-Tron
03-19 - Kandwhales, The Needles, Boyskout, "Supercrappy" Dance Party
03-25 - Aunt Jessica, Lucky Dragons, Greg Davis Group, Marumari
03-26 - Sugar Skulls, Sons & Daughters, The Jane Anchor
04-01 - Jack Rose, Ian Nagoski, Glenn Jones, Julia Vorontsova
04-02 - Final Plain Parade Show At Doc Watsons - Disassociated Writers Project Benefit - Relay, (The Sounds Of) Kaleidoscope, The Last Wave, Erron Olive, "Hot Lava" Dance Party
04-08 - Metal Urbain, Clockcleaner, Make A Rising, Pinataland @ Tritone
04-09 - Lefty's Deceiver, Del Rey, Blacksonny @ Millcreek Tavern
04-16 - Rock Lotto II - Blow Me Ian, Band #2, 1040 EZ, Recess! Recess!, $$$ @ Millcreek Tavern
04-22 - Motorist, Picastro, Cerebrus Shoal @ Tritone
04-29 - The Sw!ms, Doublehorse, Low Skies @ Millcreek Tavern
04-30 - Sugar Town - Thee Minks, The Motherfucking Clash, Whitney Pastorek @ Millcreek Tavern
05-03 - Sharron Kraus, Saint Joan, Baird Sisters @ Tritone
05-07 - The Quails, True If Destroyed, Kiss Kiss Kill @ Millcreek Tavern
05-08 - Helen Back & the Str8 Razors, Undergirl, DJ Roger Segal @ Tritone
05-13 - Narcissassy Party - The Motherfucking Clash @ Tritone
05-14 - The Nitelights, Midnite Grace, Sexton Ming, Chaz the Unloved @ Millcreek Tavern
05-22 - Sugar Town - Cynthia G Mason, Wanamaker, Trolleyvox @ Tritone
06-26 - Tall Boys, Beat Jamz, DJ Lisa Garrett @ Tritone
07-11 - V.I.P., Gravy Train!!!, Plastic Little, DJ Trishylicious @ Silk City 07-16 - This Radiant Boy (Record Release), Dragon City, Fivehead, Regina Hexaphone @ Tritone
07-19 - Snow Fairies, Bugs Eat Books @ Tritone
07-24 - Sugar Town - All Girl DJ Throwdown @ Tritone - DJ's Bethany Klein, Chatty Cathy, Trishylicious, MJ Fine, Stacie George, Kelly (of Songs About Fucking), Miss Meow, Julie G, Darshana & Chetana Borah, Maria T
07-25 - Vanishers, Canine 10, Notekillers, The Nein @ The Fire
08-02 - Casiotone For The Painfully Alone, Rifle Nice, Newspaper @ Tritone
08-20 - Like Moving Insects, Cynthia G Mason, The Winter Blanket, El Boxeo @ The Fire
08-23 - Jim Guthrie, Adam Arcuragi, Bret Tobias @ Tritone
09-03 - "Movies With Live Soundtracks" Screening @ The Fire
09-09 - Sugar Town - Frostiva, The Reflectors, Rifle Nice, Red Skate Red @ Pontiac Grille
09-22 - Heyday Entertainment Collaboration - Euphone, The Love of Everything, Shark Quest, Bombs @ The Khyber
10-08 - Heyday Entertainment Collaboration - Walkie Talkies, Lion Fever, Jukebox Zeros, Buy Star Bombs @ The Khyber
10-15 - Trouble Everyday, Medium Medium, Dragon City @ Tritone
10-22 - Buried Beds, Friends of the Library, The Method and Result, Saeta @ Tritone
10-29 - Sugar Town - Benefit for Axi Nue @ Tritone - DJ's Julia Factorial, Miss Meow, Pussy Galore, Stacie George, Trishylicious, Evile Mlle Memphis, Silvia La Chica Ye Ye, Darshana & Chetana Borah, Maria T
11-06 - The Jane Anchor (Record Release), Grandfabric, DJ Sara Sherr @ Indre Studios
11-12 - Lefty's Deceiver, Undergirl (Record Release), DJ Psydde Delicious @ Tritone
11-13 - The Teeth, National Eye, American Altitude, Low Skies @ Tritone
11-19 - Second Anniversary, First Artist Meltdown - Sympathizers, Greg Davis, Ariel Pink, Signer @ Tritone
11-20 - Plain Parade Second Anniversary Party @ Tritone
12-17 - Dragon City, Bitter Bitter Weeks, The Nein, Pattern Is Movement @ Silk City
12-31 - Plain Parade Rockin' New Years Eve @ Tritone
2005
01-10 - First Road Flare Thrown At Maria - Clockcleaner, Pissed Jeans, Yowie, Yes Collapse @ Silk City
01-21 - Northern Arms, Mr. Unloved @ Tritone
01-28 - The Spinto Band, Artanker Convoy, Golden Brown @ Tritone
02-05 - 7-11 Party @ Silk City - DJ's Laris Kreslins, Andrew Jeffrey Wright, Luis Mayo, Sara Sherr, Jesse Pearson, Maria T, Joey Sweeney, Kristaps Kreslins, Thom Lessner, Brendan Newnam
02-12 - American Altitude, Grandfabric, Low Skies, Roadside Graves @ Tritone
02-18 - Rarebirds (Record Release), Rainy River, Sea Snakes, The Winter Pageant @ Silk City
03-12 - The Perfection!sts, Dragon City (Split 7" Release Show), Fuck With The Bull Get The Horns, Yah Mos Def @ Tritone
04-02 - South Congress, Relay, Bellafea, Viva Voce @ Silk City
04-23 - Thrilladelphia Music Festival 2.0 - Golden Ball, Make A Rising, Joey Sweeney, Rarebirds @ Tritone
05-09 - Spoon "Gimme Fiction" Listening Party @ Silk City
05-16 - Rarebirds, Northern Arms, Canine 10, The Changes @ Silk City
05-27 - First Random Sufjan Stevens Sighting - Castanets, Creeping Weeds, Weird Weeds, Thunderlip @ M-Room
06-10 - Like Moving Insects, Lesser Birds of Paradise, Future Tips @ Tritone
06-17 - Doug Gillard, Bigger Lovers, The A-Sides @ Tritone
06-24 - Manishevitz, Trouble Everyday, ZZZZ @ Tritone
08-04 - Sympathizers (Record Release), Doctor & Philip, Eat Forever @ Silk City
08-13 - WOAR (Women Organized Against Rape) Benefit - KeN, The Jane Anchor, Beretta 76 @ Tritone
09-17 - Hockey Night (Cancelled), Yah Mos Def, Lee Jae-Won, DJ Julia Factorial @ M-Room
10-01 - National Eye, The Spinto Band, PAS/CAL, Illumina @ M-Room
10-08 - Nethers, Mike Wexler, Benjy Ferree @ Tritone
10-28 - Dirty Faces, The Strugglers, Buried Beds, Amy Pickard @ Tritone
10-29 - Best Use of A Half Pipe, Our First Warehouse Show - Dragon City, Jetpack, Foxymorons, Walker Lundee, Bishop Allen (Cancelled), Raisch-Hirsch, DJ's Doug Wallen, Nick Krill, Maria T @ 3233 Amber Street
11-11 - Kandywhales, Rifle Nice, Regina Hexaphone, Heston Rifle @ M-Room
11-19 - Third Anniversary Party @ Tritone
11-22 - "Songs From The Sixth Borough" is released
2006
02-10 - Edie Sedgwick, Porktamer, Hott Beat, Wang Newton @ Tritone
02-18 - Notekillers, Oxford Collapse, Aquila Rose, Centipede E'est @ M-Room
02-24 - The A-Sides, The Eames Era, Walker Lundee, Cordalene @ M-Room
03-04 - Unfaithful Servants, My Best Fiend, Chaz the Unloved @ Tritone
03-09 - Sugar Town - Sally Crewe & The Sudden Moves, Evil Janet, Surefire Broadcast @ Tritone
04-08 - Lynnee Breedlove, Kelly Beardsley, Kelli Dunham, Lotsix @ Tritone
04-15 - Audible (Record Release), The Capitol Years, DJ Joey Sweeney @ M-Room
05-06 - Most Money Raised At A Fundraiser - Dumpsta Player's "100 Proof" @ TYZ
06-15 - Tommy Keene, Grammar Debate, The Trolleyvox, Bullet Parade @ M-Room
07-01 - Bottom Lip, Pagoda, Panda Riot @ M-Room
07-15 - King Kong Ding Dong, Run Runner, Ill Ease, Collapsing Opposites @ M-Room
07-29 - The Teeth, Bishop Allen @ Tritone
08-03 - Brown Recluse Sings, The Carribbean, Jody Hamilton, The Very Hush Hush @ Tritone
08-26 - Rah Bras, Edie Sedgwick, Pony Pants, Red Rocket, The Freedom Party @ Danger!Danger! House
09-12 - Doctor & Philip, Dilly Dilly, Fence Kitchen @ Tritone
09-29 - Ex Models, Lee Jae-Won (Record Release), Red Rocket (Record Release), Voodoo Economics (Record Release), The Apes @ Surreal Sound Studios