If you like your rock n’ roll to freak you out and transport you somewhere strange (yet familiar), Slomo Sapiens are just the ticket. The mind-bending Philly psych rockers call to mind any number of genre forebearers — in this searing Key Studio Sessions Set alone, we can hear echoes of Santana in the Latin rhythms and dueling guitar licks on “Stone Bones”; we hear a touch of early Tame Impala on the pulsing groove of “Tongues ii”; we hear the scorched-Earth ragas of Brian Jonestown Massacre on the grand finale “Rē.”
In short, this performance sounds heady and enthralling while showcasing cuts from the band’s most recent LP, 2024’s The Holy Babble. Founded by singer-guitarist Ceallaigh Corbishley, bassist Greg Geiger, and drummer Jon Pritchard in 2017 and making a splash on the inaugural Philly Music Fest lineup that year, Slomo Sapiens has expanded its ranks to include Fishtown scene friends like guitarist Will Donnelly, multi-instrumentalist Michael Sanzo, and percussionist Jarae Lewis.
This spring, Slomo Sapiens plays one of their biggest hometown shows yet: a co-headlining appearance at Underground Arts on Thursday, April 10th where they share the stage with the classic rock-fueled singer-songwriter Owen Stewart. Get tickets and more information on that show at WXPN’s Concert Calendar, watch Slomo Sapiens’ full Key Studio Sessions performance above, and see more photos from the taping down below.