Petty Bunco Presents: Emily Robb and The ER Band with Walnut Brain
Solar Myth
1131 S Broad St.
Philadelphia
Jan. 31, 2026
A word on Petty Bunco, a Philly record label. Petty Bunco is the brainchild of Richie Charles. Richie has been integral/involved in Philadelphia's music scene going back to the mid 2000s, playing in bands like Clockcleaner, Watery Love, and Astute Palate, to name a few. He also operated the label Richie Records (ca. 2006 - 2017) and now oversees Petty Bunco (ca. 2019 - present) which released the soundtrack to the film The Space Between Attack and Decay (composed by Charles’ partner, Emily Robb) as well as Walnut Brain’s latest album, Weird Wire.
This gig at Solar Myth (the old Boot & Saddle location) included a film screening of The Space Between Attack and Decay as well as performances by Emily Robb and Walnut Brain. The film is an intriguing sci-fi short that was shot here in Philly, directed by photographer Jessica Kourkounis and starring Boris McGiver. I must admit upfront that I missed the movie — but that made me able to focus my attention on the bands.
Walnut Brain is an experimental duo consisting of Steven Heise on electric guitar and Alina Josan playing an amplified diddley bow (a handmade single-stringed instrument that is intertwined with the history of blues music). The duo played with a repetitive, hypnotic style that had a delicate yet direct effect, reminiscent of experimental/Americana recordings by Henry Flint from the '60s and ‘70s. The percussive guitar work was strummed and picked in small melodic phrases matched by the diddley bow (struck with a stick and sometimes bowed) in energy and tonal resonance. The music had its own internal logic and was at points mesmerizing, conveying depth through an unencumbered straightforwardness. The last song became even more percussive as Steve literally smacked out his guitar lines with a drum stick, much to the delight of the crowd.
Typically Em Robb live is a solo effort. She usually plays bold, stripped-down experimental psych/blues improv guitar statements. The "ER Band" accompanying her tonight, however, was a crew of old friends, assembled for the gig, all of them accomplished musicians themselves who have played in the past with Robb in one form or another. There was Richie Charles on drums, Dan Provenzano (Astute Palate) on bass, and Dustin Burrows (Heavenly Bodies) accompanying on guitar. The familiarity and comfort afforded to her by the solidity of the crew definitely gave the performance a lifted ride that had a new shine to it.
The show started out in a very different manner, with Emily Robb playing a trumpet reminiscent of the first track on her soundtrack To The Space Between Attack And Decay. The band then stepped forward with a steady rock groove that had the feel of driving towards a flat horizon. Within a few minutes of this plateaued ride, things began to elevate through focused soloing. Soon the band had hit peak rock-n-roll and Robb was bowing her guitar like a cross between Jimmy Page and La Monte Young, loud and exuberant but flowing through overtones and octaves. There was no lag in the performance; the group's pacing was just right. The band ventured into some new areas I don’t typically see from Robb, including a brief use of keyboards and vocals.
The show felt like proof that Emily Robb has been coming into her own. The release of The Space Between Attack and Decay shows she can successfully write music in an entirely different format from her other work. She had a good amount of attention afforded to her by positive reviews of the new soundtrack. All this culminated in the gig. She showed herself easily adapting to and leading the full band and, ostensibly confident in her performance.
In the audience was a large network of friends and co-conspirators, many of who usually come out to support the experimental rock scene here in Philly, particularly surrounding Petty Bunco. The show, however, was a slightly bigger affair than a Century Bar gig you might typically catch Robb at, which gave the evening a mark of gravity. People were energized by this and milled around late at the bar well after the show, chattering with excitement.
After most Em Robb shows, you can still feel the reverberation of the music in your body in the days following. If you live in town and are looking for a show that's a sure bet, I suggest you catch her next gig with the ER band later this February (Saturday, Jan. 21 at Jerry's on Front Street with Gerard Cosloy and Cartoon). All Petty Bunco Presents shows come highly recommended.
