Curtis Cooper

Location: West Philly

Hometown: South and Northwest Philly

Current Projects: Curtis Cooper, SIDENAIL

Past Projects: Community Service

Instruments I Play: Guitar and drums are my good ones, and I mess around with banjo, mandolin and keys

What else do I do in the Philly Scene?: I'm living at the All Night Diner in West Philly right now and we run a ton of shows, although at this point I'm not doing much booking (just a show or two a month TOPS and usually not even at our house). Besides that I just try to go to as many shows as I can to support the scene. All the money from the shows go to the touring bands and to benefits around the city with an emphasis on causes that support trans people and people of color. 

Fav watering hole / coffee spot: My front porch or Satellite Cafe. Sometimes the Bar(n)

Fav restaurant: Cafe Viet Huong if I'm broke, Fogo De Chao if I'm celebrating something really really  special. 

Fav Pizza spot: Penn's cafe

Fav record shop: Sit & Spin Records

Favorite Philly venue: I really like my house haha! All Night Diner, although I liked it before I moved in as well, Will Kennedy has been running some ridiculously good shows.  If I had to pick a non-DIY spot tho it'd be Johnny Brenda's. 

Recording space: I do demos in my room with Reaper, but for real stuff I record with Scott Stitzer and Nick Barnes who run Stolen Studios in Kensington.

Fav Philly Bands: Snake Boy Gang, Witch H(c)unt, Ganou, Liz De Lise, Mannequin Pussy, Abi Reimold, Blue Smiley, Vita and the Wolf, Woven In, Brandon Can't Dance, Soul Glo...the list just goes on, we're in a very special place right now in Philly. 

Best show I've seen in Philly: Subhumans with Mischeif Brew at Voltage and I got a setlist from each band, but if I'm going more recently, Vita and the Wolf with Abi Reimold and Queen of Jeans at Bourbon and Branch was amazing...and I saw Loone play at our house and that was hands down one of the best sets I've ever seen. 

If I could sum up in one sentence what Philly / Philly music scene means  to me, what would it be?  I believe that the Philly scene is very progressive when it comes to including women and trans-gendered people into the scene, but is still very racially segregated. 

What am I listening to now:  Michelle Blades (Ataraxia), Leonard Cohen (We Want It Darker), Erykah Badu (Baduizm), Mannequin Pussy (Romantic), and Amy Winehouse (Lioness) are the albums I have downloaded onto my phone right now. Also Blonde Redhead (Melody of Certain Damaged Lemons).

Life Motto: Watch your head

Random Fun Fact: I LOVE traveling. I work as a gardener so I get Winters off and try to go somewhere new every year. 

Childhood Dream Job: Arborist (I've always loved heights and climbing). 

Pets: Living with a cat named Molly who's the bestest but I don't own any pets myself. 

Future Plans: See as much of the world as I can.