There’s a reason it’s called “The City of Brotherly Love”

Philadelphia has a certain swagger to it that you won’t find in any other North American city. There’s a proud yet laid-back underdog mentality that is perhaps derivative of location; just 90 minutes south of New York. There’s also a comfort level you won’t find in a city like New York or LA. You can live in neighborhoods where rent isn’t outrageously expensive, and street parking is a cinch. There’s a bustling downtown in Center City – it is the 5th largest city in the US after all, but a lot of the real fun lies just beyond the beaten path. Perhaps the most exciting part of the city right now is South Philadelphia. Many of the area’s neighborhoods haven’t changed for generations, which is pretty refreshing these days. It’s like an old school east coast small town, but there’s a million people in it. Every corner has a hoagie shop, Italian restaurant, or dive bar, and most of the residents are working class.

That’s probably why Philly’s emerged as the home of my artist project, LA Parties. There aren’t a ton of nonsensical rules. It’s the perfect place for the LA Parties gang to let their hair down, be creative, and celebrate life. Sure, we’re in some ways “transplants”, but the narrative that locals blindly hate transplants is false. Natives only loathe the transplants who move into their neighborhoods, and instead of embracing the local culture, try to change it. At the end of the day we’re just small town kids making noise, and when you’re away from the hyper-modernized city center, Philadelphia is really just that.

Recently to celebrate the release of my new single “Russian Doll”, the gang got together to have a little party in South Philly and enjoy each other’s company for the weekend. All shots on Kodak 400 35mm film and Instax wide 300 polaroids.