Philly Music Venue: Bond Villain

Tucked away in the “New Kensington” section of Philadelphia is a great venue for live music that you’ve probably never heard of. It’s called Bond Villain and it’s located on 7th Street just north of Girard. Bond Villain is the brainchild of a local environmental lawyer and music fan named Logan.

Logan bought the three-story building earlier this year and decided to gut the first floor and turn it into a DIY music space. I got a chance to check it out earlier this week when I wanted to catch a performance by local musicians Driftwood Soldier. If you haven’t seen/heard Driftwood Soldier, the duo does good stuff.

Bond Villain has been doing monthly shows since January. They don’t charge a cover, but accept donations for the bands. I would think $5 would be the minimum donation. Anything less is a stone Violation. They don’t serve any food or drinks, but there is a clean, newer fridge if you wanted to bring your own grub, etc.

The vibe at Bond Villain is a friendly and welcoming. People were all introducing themselves to one another. Some brought their dogs. Actually, dogs were playing fetch while some of the bands played.

They provide folding chair seating for about twenty people. The rest of the space is standing room only. They haven’t done much for decor, but what they’ve done works. Christmas lights provide a great ambiance on the stage along with comfortable chairs. Bikes and industrial pieces hang on the walls and ceiling. The sound is rock solid for a space with little to soften the sound against the exposed bricks.

Keep an eye out for future shows. It’s guaranteed to be a chill, fun night out in a friendly, welcoming space.

Peep them out on Facebook and check out the photos below:

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Here’s a bit of Driftwood Soldier’s performance: