The Felice Brothers

I'm kinda kicking myself for missing the Felice Brothers show here in Philadelphia a couple of weeks ago, especially after hearing from a few folks that the group's soulful blend of early Dylan and the Band was better and more magical than nearly all the other approximately 19 bazillion artists aping Dylan and the Band nowadays. Formed just a couple of years ago in the Catskill Mountains of upstate New York, the three Felice brothers (Simone, Ian, and James) recorded songs in a chicken coop, then lugged their acoustic guitars, accordions, drums, and rough-but-immensely-appealing voices to Manhattan, where they busked in subways until Conor Oberst came a-callin' and signed them to his Team Love label. Expanding to a quintet, the Felice Brothers brought fiddles, banjo, and organ to their newest songs—scruffy, boozy, sentimental tunes straight from hobo campfires and backwoods drinking shacks.
Sat., Oct. 25, 9 p.m., 2008