JJL
Please note: This article is published as an archive copy from Philadelphia City Paper. My City Paper is not affiliated with Philadelphia City Paper. Philadelphia City Paper was an alternative weekly newspaper in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The last edition was published on October 8, 2015.
[Jan. 11] The JJL power trio kills it every time, with a rhythm section that's buoyant and combines well with the souped-up, arena-worthy guitar-and-synth crunch.
Will someone please make Jay Laughlin into the mega-sensation that he should have been from the start (oy, the ’90s) and get him the fuck out of Philly? Nothing against the hometown team, mind you, but, whether it’s been with the glam-ish Like a Fox or the power pop-hobnobbing (and still legendary amongst the locals) Lenola, I’ve longed to hear him on a bigger stage, metaphorically speaking. Until that time comes, the JJL power trio kills it every time they play, with a rhythm section (Like a Fox’s Brian Wilkinson and Pete Girgenti) that’s buoyant and combines well with Laughlin’s souped-up, arena-worthy guitar-and-synth crunch. What sells the JJL show is Laughlin’s voice, a supple, soaring tone with a catch in his throat that would make poor old Johnnie Ray cry.
Sat., Jan. 11, 9 p.m., $10, with Gondola and Shitty Wizard, Boot & Saddle, 1131 S. Broad St., 267-639-4528, bootandsaddlephilly.com.
