A year ago, Josh Grier of indie-rock band Tapes 'n Tapes had the perfect situation.

"I grew up on the beach diet," is not exactly what you'd usually expect (or like) to hear from an indie heroine who just released what you consider to be the year's cleverest album thus far.

he power behind the music of Crow Vs Lion is local artist Dan Gallagher. This singer/songwriter, a self-taught guitar, banjo, bass, and mandolin player just released his debut solo album Rest Your Bones.

here is a house in the wilds of West Philly- a few blocks past the University City area. In that unassuming three-story, eleven bedroom house lives Kickin' Bear. It is not the famous Native American. It is a six-piece rock band recently relocated to Philadelphia from sunny Ocean City, New Jersey. Their dog also lives there. So does a ghost.

ith the recent release of Diagonal Fields, Arc in Round has offered up a detailed look into a band with a new beginning. Before Arc in Round came to be, they were known as Relay, a regular in the Philly music scene. But due to legal difficulties with the common name, Relay was put to bed and the band re-emerged as Arc in Round.

Reed Kendall, founder of the eclectic Philly folk rock act, Up the Chain, has been strumming his acoustic six-string since you were just a kid (he was too, but he was playing the guitar at the time.)

Music lovers who enjoy well-crafted songs and dynamic live performances should take note of the John Salamone Band. Together for roughly two years, this quartet from the Philadelphia suburbs is poised to reach a broader audience.

Nestled comfortably on the Main Line, Haverford College epitomizes the liberal arts school. Its students are bright; its faculty is first-rate; and its facilities, from the playing fields to the labs, are state-of-the-art.

Ask a hipster to describe their perfect day, and you'd probably end up with something a lot like the upcoming 3rd Annual Pabst Blue Ribbon Crafting Challenge.