THE JAWNSTOWNE STANDARD

Allentown’s Jawnstowne Standard may be one of the newer bands to emerge in the Lehigh Valley, but the four members have plenty of experience playing playing punk rock in the area (Twin 55, The Road Sodas). The Jawnstowne Standard delivers melodic punk with plenty of lyrics about life’s ups and downs to shout along to. The session was recorded in August 2020 on the Flatiron Building in South Bethlehem.

Hairdo

The bass/drum/synth attack of Kutztown’s Hairdo isn’t like most bands playing in eastern PA. With a love of post-punk, soul music, and the generally weird corners of any record store’s collection, Hairdo have crafted an explosive, head-turning sound. Bassist/vocalist Martha and keyboardist/vocalist Lee are joined by Poor Luther’s Bones drummer Sydney. The session was recorded in August 2020 and was Tape Swap’s first session on the Flatiron Building in Bethlehem.

Run from the Radio

In 2019, the Easton alternative/punk hybrid has already released their first single, “Desperate Times,” with eyes on a full-length debut album by the end of the year. Run from the Radio seems poised to reach beyond the basements of Easton, and the band’s blend of pop-punk energy and melodic hooks is sure to seduce fellow lovers of bands like Green Day and My Chemical Romance, both of which the band cites as influences. They joined us for a Rooftop Session in June 2019.

We’re from Antarctica

The five members of this indie pop band come from different areas throughout the Lehigh Valley. The band performed this set in June 2019 as they were finishing the recording of their second album, The People We Knew, which is due to be released in July 2019. All of the songs they performed will be on the new album.

THE ROAD SODAS

This four-piece hardcore punk disaster from Nazareth, PA blazed through a set of five songs for our final Rooftop Session of 2018. The band’s most recent EP, Down with the Ship, was released in late 2018 and was recorded by Tape Swap's Matt Molchany at Shards in Bethlehem.

RUNHIDEFIGHT

The Philadelphia garage rockers were in Allentown in late October 2018 to perform a show at Muhleberg College. They joined us on the roof of the Cigar Factory earlier in the afternoon. The four members have roots that run deep into the 90’s garage rock scenes of Philadelphia and the Lehigh Valley.

UNDER THE CLOTHESLINE

With members spread out between NEPA and the Lehigh Valley, Under the Clothesline have been making waves in both areas of Pennsylvania over the last couple years with their brand of sleazy garage psych rock.

BROTHER JT

Easton psych/garage rock musician Brother JT brought his band to the Cigar Factory roof in June 2018 to play songs off of his new album Tornado Juice on Thrill Jockey Records.

TILE

Allentown noise rock/punk band Tile joined us for a Rooftop Session in June 2018 as they prepared to release their new album Come On Home, Stranger on Limited Appeal Records.

DOGHOUSE CHARLIE & THE BUCK KNIFE

This Wilkes-Barre psych rock/lo-fi collective has been on our radar since 2016 after becoming a surprise crowd favorite at our events. We finally caught up with them for this Rooftop Session on a cold spring day in April 2018.

The Insidious Rays

The Bethlehem punk/surf/funk band joined us in September 2017 to play a collection of new songs that the band plans to release on their new album in 2018.

This Way to the Egress

The Bethlehem gypsy/rock/vaudeville troop joined us for the inaugural Rooftop Session in July 2017 as they were preparing to release their new album, Onward! Up a Frightening Creek.

"Rooftop Sessions a new way to see a concert"
The Morning Call -- July 13, 2017