Dispatch from Around the Globe – Summer Quarantine Edition
“Soaked in Bud Light and regret,” Andorra consists of Kevin McCall, Jordan Petrellis, Michael Trycieckyj, and Dante DiLoreto. The band officially formed in 2010, hailing from Philadelphia, PA and named themselves after the respective city suburb (not the country.) The band’s newest release, Family Tree, is available to stream!
What’s your favorite song that reminds you of summertime?
Kevin: “American Girl” is the perfect way to end every summer night.
Jordan & Dante: Queens of The Stone Age – Make It Wit Chu. Whenever the Andorra guys all go the shore (which is as often as possible), we always play this as we get closer to the beach.
We are always looking for new film and television to check out. What’s your favorite thing you’ve watched over the past few months?
Kevin: Went back and revisited 30 Rock and Community. “I want to go to there.” – Tina Fey. Reality TV, Jersey Shore (TRASH, I know). As far as serious dramas go, the Sopranos, Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul are must see TV. I was also happy to watch the Phillies over the weekend. Finally! Sports!!
Jordan: Just recently started re-watching Community from the start. Cool cool cool.
Michael: I’m pretty much always cycling through some rotation of Community, The Office, and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. I’ve also been listening to podcasts like “Dissect” which features a season-long serialized analyses of a single album. I started out quarantine listening through deep dives of Kendrick Lamar’s “To Pimp a Butterfly” and “DAMN.” There’s so much to unpack in Kendrick’s writing and in the overall concepts of both of these albums. The podcast is thought-provoking and an entertaining listen too.
Dante: Finished Peaky Blinders and Narcos Mexico. Similar vibes of gangs and organized crime, both need to be watched with subtitles because one is in Spanish and the other is in English… but like London English so the slang is whack.
Your vacation plans probably got thwarted due to the global pandemic. Where had you hoped to travel to this summer? Where are you planning to do some fun, summer things this year instead?
Kevin: Jordan and I were planning a trip to London slated for May of this year, but it obviously fell through. Planned a Beatles landmark tour.
Jordan: Two trips unfortunately, one to London and another to Alberta, CA. Hoping to reschedule both in the future. Now that I’ve been pent up in an apartment for so long though I think I’ll try for Iceland as soon as its feasible. I went last summer, been hooked ever since.
Michael: As I’m writing this, my calendar says I should be hiking Yellowstone National Park right now. Thankfully we were able to push it back to next year instead. So my travels this summer have been to my backyard, basement, or the Jersey shore.
Dante: Was hoping to hit the Jersey shore a bunch. Luckily we have been able to once already as a group, but had it been a normal summer I’m sure it would have been way more times by now.
Can you recommend a local Black owned business that we should check out?
Kevin: Always have been a huge fan of Amalgam Comics & Coffee House in Kensington. Ariell Johnson runs the joint.
Dante: Back when concerts were a thing, Gerald Veasley hosted a weekly series at South Jazz Kitchen and Parlor. He is a phenomenal bass player and works really hard to bring in high quality touring jazz acts. South is located in North Philly just a block up from Spring Garden on Broad St.
What’s your favorite shore town?
Kevin: B-R-I-G-A-N-T-I-N-E also Ventnor, NJ.
Jordan: The Wildwood Crest as that’s where I grew up going. But also because roller coasters.
Michael: I’ve spent pretty much every summer in North Wildwood so I’m pretty partial to it.
Dante: Wildwood. Staying in the Crest is nice and quiet, plenty to do in Central and North Wildwood, great bars, and a decent, small golf course just outside of town.
Lots of people have been releasing music over quarantine. What’s your favorite release that has come out since March?
Kevin: “Women In Music Pt. III” from Haim and “Jump Rope Gazer,” from the Beths. The newer Rolling Stones demos have been really fun too.
Jordan: I’ve had Hayley William’s “Petals for Armor” on repeat. “Dead Horse” makes a great addition to any summer driving playlist.
Michael: Two of my favorites have been the futuristic, dystopian radio-themed EP “PHILLY POP” by mỹ tâm and “Transition Period” by my good friend Archpalatine and Danny Newport.
Dante: Dawes just released a single, “Who Do You Think You’re Talking To?” from their forthcoming record Good Luck With Whatever. Haven’t stopped playing it. Also Pearl Jam’s new record is a lot of fun.
What’s your favorite summertime tradition?
Kevin: Don’t Call Me Francis at the Golden Nugget, Memories in Margate, Volunteering at XPN Fest, Molestice, Bad Habits Fest. Also just sitting around my parent’s kitchen table in Brigantine, talkin’ s#$t.
Jordan: Washing my car before driving down to the shore. Don’t know why. Don’t even have that nice of a car.
Dante: I must sound like a broken record about the shore, but that really is one of the best summer traditions – sitting on the beach, BBQ, drinking outside all day and night, meeting with friends, getting tan, volleyball or cornhole, etc. Plenty to do but also perfectly relaxing.
What’s your favorite summertime treat?
Kevin: I’ve been enjoying a weekly water ice from Chloe’s Corner in Manayunk. Lemon and Mango does the trick right after BBQ from the Goat’s Beard.
Jordan: Bells Oberon. Official beer of summer, for me.
Michael: Kohr Brother’s vanilla soft serve in a waffle cone with rainbow sprinkles. Don’t @ me.
Dante: Mojitos.
You’ve probably sharpened your cooking skills since quarantine began. What’s your favorite thing to make for a meal these days?
Kevin: I leave the cooking to my wonderful, Italian fiancée.
Jordan: My meal making skills are still fairly…collegic. I recently found a super easy recipe for Chicken Fried Rice with Saracha and honey though. Been loving that. I definitely leaned more into cocktails than food over quarantine.
Michael: I’ve made it a point to find recipes online and try them on Friday nights. Most of them have actually been pretty great but some highlights are fajitas, tofu ramen, and many many variations on eggs.
Dante: I was given a George Foreman style small grill before quarantine and have been using that a lot. Mostly just chicken and burgers, but being able to make those easily and quickly is awesome.
Best summer concert you’ve ever seen? What’s your favorite venue to see a summer concert in?
Kevin: Nathaniel Ratcliff at the Mann, QOTSA at Festival Pier.
Jordan: I’m sure Michael and I are writing the same answer for this one. Florence and the Machine in 2016 was the most mind blowing experience of my life. It was already an incredible day for our band, we opened Alt 1045’s birthday show, and to end it with such an insane performance from Florence was just on another level. That show was at the BB&T Pavilion (if it’s still called that) but my favorite summer venue was probably Festival Pier.
Michael: Yeah…I saw Florence and the Machine in 2016 and they completed blew me away. Florence’s stage presence felt like she came from another world, the production of the show was captivating, and the band was equal parts beautiful and larger than life.
Dante: Best summer show was Royal Blood opening up for Queens of the Stone Age. Festival Pier was such an awesome venue for Spring or Summer shows, and I can’t think of a more rockin’ duo to see.
Favorite Philly bands right now?
Kevin: Always Jamie & the Guarded. I miss gigging with Daddylap. Greg Sover Band, The Tisburys, Kennel Club, Coleman Rigg & the Ridge Runners, Riverby, Lia Menaker, Resilient.
Jordan: The End of America. I don’t usually gravitate towards folk-rock, but I’ve been into these guys for a number of years now. They recently came up again on a Spotify shuffle and I’ve been re-hooked ever since. @Sean Timmons.
Michael: mỹ tâm, Archpalatine, Ali Awan, At Best, Aquatic Ape Theory, Tommy Leahy, to name a few.
Dante: The Dead Flowers put out a new EP that I play a lot, and Alright Junior are about to drop new music that I’m stoked for.
Favorite non-Philly bands right now?
Kevin: Queen, Foo’s, QOTSA, Tom Petty, The Stones…the classics of course.
Jordan: The Dear Hunter. Been using quarantine to listen back through their 5 Act albums.
Dante: Been getting into alt country a lot during quarantine and haven’t stopped playing Chris Stapleton’s Traveller. Highly recommend:
Favorite Summer Blockbuster(s)? Did you see it in the theater?
Kevin: A modern jam was the King of Staten Island with Pete Davidson. I’ve also been making my way through Martin Scorsese’s catalogue. The last summer blockbuster I remember seeing in theaters was the Sam Raimi Spider-man movies with Michael.
Jordan: I’ve mostly been rewatching movies this summer, since not a ton has been released. I did recently see Ford V Ferrari. Highly recommended.
Dante: 2 or 3 summers ago my friend and I saw the third of the new Planet of the Apes trilogy, and it was amazing. The trilogy as a whole is fantastic, and the third was a very satisfying end. Big time sleeper trilogy.
Current summer reading? All time favorite summer read?
Kevin: Started reading this Foo Fighters book called “7 Corners.” Apparently the band has been trying to record this song (of the same name) since 1997, but could never seem to get it right. The book tracks that process. They finally released it in 2015 and renamed it “The Neverending Sigh.” [Lol.]
Jordan: Not much of a reader.
Michael: I just finished Ben Folds’ memoir, “A Dream About Lightning Bugs.” Instead of a drawn-out life story, Folds writes about the experiences and life lessons he’s learned across his career in the form of vignettes. He’s such an interesting personality and an eclectic artist, so I liked hearing his takes on songwriting and pursuing his interests. His writing style in the book was also very him which made it a fun read.
Dante: Currently finishing Daniel Okrent’s Last Call: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition, burned through IT a few summers back, and that was a ton of fun.
What’s your favorite summer jawn?’
Kevin: Favorite summer Jawn is Jaws.
Jordan: Usually? Summer rock shows, whether my own or someone elses. For this summer quarantine though? Doordash.
Michael: At this very moment, air conditioning.
Dante: Current favorite summer “jawn” has been mangin’ on a cheese plate with some wine and having a cigar with Kev.
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