Robbers on High Street Bring the Brass

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Robbers on High Street Bring the Brass

PHILADELPHIA: The NYC quartet bring their 'grand' rock'n'roll to Johnny Brenda's.

By Spin Staff 07.03.07 3:00 AM

While most Philadelphians have fled to the Jersey shore for Independence Day festivities, some of the city's artsy tastemakers stuck around to pack Johnny Brenda's for Robbers on High Street last night (July 2). With the Redwalls, and Baby Teeth in tow as openers, the jaunty NYC quartet lit up the retro-luxe dancehall with select cuts from their forthcoming effort, Grand Animals. Though singer Ben Trokan gave a nod to the holiday by dedicating "The Fatalist" to Liberty, the Robbers on High Street's hour-long set was tailored to wowing a typically unwowable audience of twenty-something creatives with carefully crafted songs. The jovial, piano-driven "Spanish Teeth," found on 2005's Tree City, really made the kids in the balcony stop leaning on their elbows and clap already. Who doesn't like it when a bassist -- in this case new member Morgan King -- rocks out on the brass? JAIMIE KREMS / PHOTOS BY MICHELLE SMITH

We asked: In honor of Robbers on High Street's new album Grand Animals, if you could be any animal in the animal kingdom, what would it be and why?

Name: Rob Bennett
Age: 28
Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
Occupation: Musician in Pepper's Ghost
"I'd be a crab because they're delicious."

Name: Doug Rumpf
Age: 30
Hometown: Farmingdale, NY
Occupation: Roadie
"An eagle so I could soar."

Name: Brittany Wesemann
Age: 21
Hometown: Lake Mary, FL
Occupation: Music promoter
"A penguin, is it even a question?"

Name: Scott Latyn
Age: 23
Hometown: Marlton, NJ
Occupation: Graphic designer
"A kangaroo because I'd have a sweet tail."

Name: Erin Kirker
Age: 22
Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
Occupation: Model/dancer
"A polar bear because then I'd never be cold."

Name: Adam Smith
Age: 23
Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
Occupation: Musician in Papertrigger
"A hyena because I'd have a great sense of humor."

Name: Julia Koprak
Age: 25
Hometown: Brooklyn, NY
Occupation: Photographer
"A panda because I'd enjoy myself by sitting on my ass, eating bamboo."

Name: Aaron Child
Age: 25
Hometown: Morristown, NJ
Occupation: Client services
"A sea otter because they have fun in the water all day."

Name: Nate Hopkins
Age: 21
Hometown: Philadelphia, PA
Occupation: Graphic designer
"I'd be a monkey because I think monkeys are CRAZY."