Tilted Presents; Music for Neighbors
Nancy Strong, Curse Reverser, Nadafinger
Ortlieb's
847 N 3rd St.
Philadelphia
Aug 5, 2026
In an attempt to culture a strong local audience surrounding the bar, Ortlieb's has teamed up with Nico Trevizo of Tilted to bring us far more bang than buck with $1 shows. The event series "Music for Neighbors" will feature three to four local DIY scene bands once a month; the hope is to create a relaxed, low stakes, neighborly vibe inside Ortlieb's. This Wednesday kicked off the series with a banger. Nancy Strong, Curse Reverser, and Nadafinger all brought local spirit, each with unique hooks making for a memorable live show.
Nancy Strong is the main creative vehicle for Nate Grandbois and has been ongoing for 11 or 12 years at this point. His dense, clustered electronic psyched-out pop utilizes a cadre of friends and co-conspirators for the music and also artwork and videos. The current lineup includes Nick Shadle on bass; Lindsay Gambone on synth/keys; and Emily Kaldenbaugh on guitar. Live, Nancy has a full band sound but also uses heavy electronic samples, effects, beats, backing vocals, etc. The effect overall is a large, all-encompassing sound so emotionally evocative it borders on overwhelming. There are all kinds of ornamental flourishes achieved through sampling instruments, backing harmonies and adding synthetic sounds. The samples — along with the live instrumentation — make for a complex listen. Your ear wants to locate or pick up what sound you're hearing, but the blending and processing is dense. There is a warbling, or flanging quality and at times I heard hints of electronic crackle and burn. Stylistically I can hear many different influences coming through: pretty baroque dream-pop, sometimes goth, jangle, even '60s vocal groups. There is an undeniable shoegaze influence but it doesn't feel like it's buried in it. The big live sound is slightly reminisced of Loveless, but in a refreshing, more effervescent way. The last two songs had an epic feeling that visibly moved the crowd. They ended on a cover of Nico and The Velvet's "All Tomorrows Parties," putting a thick dreamy spin on the well known song. It took me a couple minutes to realize what they were even playing. Strong came off both familiar yet also exotic and complex.
Curse Reverser came on next and ramped up the jubilant atmosphere. Curse seems to be the songwriting vehicle for Sean Clark. His lineup band included Luk from Gripper on second guitar, Ed Halliday on bass and Buck Bauer on drums. The band had a loose jangly feel and really could gather steam during instrumental breakdowns. Live they came out sounding '90s indie. There was some interesting tension and contrast between Sean and Luk's guitar lines in texture as they both picked their way through songs together. Both the bass and drums drove the power of the band during some good instrumental moments.
You may know from previous articles about my fanaticism for Nadafinger; this show did nothing to lessen my opinion. Jon, Carla, and Johnny were back to being a three-piece after a stint with an extra guitarist. They seemed even more set in their ability to go absolutely bananas live and to pull off noise catastrophes. The band's enthusiasm had the crowd careening, and and at one point two folks in front of me were face to face, grabbing and shaking the shit out of each other.
The money saved on the door fee looks like it went to the drink tabs, and most people spent a little extra on High Lifes.
