Archawah and Kulfi Girls play a Free At Noon double header for Philly Music Fest

It’s Philly Music Fest week, and the nonprofit music education charity has taken over our concert calendar. We caught two nights of Dr. Dog at Ardmore Music Hall, Greg Mendez’s headlining set at Johnny Brenda’s, Mt. Joy’s Matt Quinn at Underground Arts, and today’s Free At Noon featuring Archawah (of the band Illinois) and Kulfi Girls. The two acts split the noon hour with sets of original music from their recent releases.

Archawah’s latest album, The Great Big Beat, dropped in May and includes two songs featured in the Netflix series Tires “No big deal,” songwriter Christopher Archibald joked from the stage. Archibald is a Free At Noon veteran, having last performed with Illinois back in 2007 and 2009.

Kulfi Girls brought the afternoon’s punk energy. While they’re newer to the scene than Archawah, they’re already familiar faces at XPN, with a 2025 Key Studio Session to their name. That instrument played by lead vocalist Abi Natesh? It’s a South Indian Saraswati veena, traditionally revered for its association with the Hindu goddess of arts and learning, now reimagined by Kulfi Girls for thrashing protest music.

Archawah’s Philly Music Fest set has already passed, and Kulfi Girls’ show is sold out. However, tickets remain available for multiple shows during the festival’s remaining nights. Visit their website for full details, and check back here at xpn.org for show recaps and photo galleries.