Over the next three days, the musical fulcrum will largely focus on XPoNential Music Fest. A balanced assemblage of established and emerging talent from near and far settle onto the waterfront. Unfortunately, inclement weather may wash over Hurry’s set. However, Friday still has plenty on its tab – the encompassing reverberating power/ease of Angel Olsen coupled with the emotionally-exposed, energy-expelling rock of Hop Along and the stellar storytelling of Conor Oberst and Wilco. Saturday will culminate with local stalwart Amos Lee digging in with Preservation Hall Jazz Band. However, the meditative reverie of The Dove & The Wolf usher in the day, while Strand of Oaks roots itself in earnest, endearing narratives that blossom and flourish, gathering anthemic reach. On Sunday, the genre-melding hip-hop collective of Hardwork Movement and the Americana trio of No Good Sister help shape the day, reinforced by the bright Americana of Hurray For The Riff Raff and the rugged alt-country of Drive By Truckers. – Michael Colavita

More places to chill out this weekend…

Johnny Brenda’s (1201 N. Frankford Ave.) FRI DJ Lainedee, SAT DJ Emynd, Bo Bliz, SUN Power Animal, Telepathic, Queen Jesus

Boot & Saddle (1131 S. Broad St.) FRI Dark Thoughts, SAT Jo Kusy, Illiminati Sequence

Kung Fu Necktie (1250 N. Front St.) FRI Oso/Grimace Federation, Tektonic, Crouse, SAT Crazy Bull/Stateschoolgirl, Ultraviolet, SUN The Lot/Geniverse

PhilaMOCA (531 N. 12^th St.) SAT On The Water, Geb the Great Cackler, SUN Boosegumps

Underground Arts (1200 Callowhill St.) SAT Violent Society

Bourbon & Branch (705 N. 2^nd St.) SAT The Chris Paterno Band, The Last Generation On Film

Electric Factory (421 N. 7^th St.) This Is Hardcore: FRI Eaten Alive, SAT Jesus Piece, Year of the Knife, SUN Activate

World Café Live (3025 Walnut St.) FRI Breakwater, SAT (Upstairs) Don McAvoy & the Great Whatever, Germany Hill/(Downstairs) The Core, Brown Sugar

The Fire (412 W. Girard Ave.) FRI Blasphemous, SUN Sunchoke

MilkBoy Philly (1100 Chestnut St.) FRI Carroll

Ortlieb’s Lounge (847 N. 3^rd  St.) SUN Mark Lanky (Record Release), Sad Actor,  White Lighters

The Barbary (951 Frankford Ave.) FRI Final Showcase, SUN Resilient, Alright Junior

Silk City (435 Spring Garden St.) SAT DJ Deejay, SUN Juice Wax (Album Release), Cookie Rabinowitz

Fergie’s (1214 Sansom St.) SUN Rusty Cadillac

Connie’s Ric Rac (1132 S. 9^th St.) FRI No One You Know, Jason Jeffries and the Tall Trees, Rootsetters

Morgan’s Pier (221 N. Columbus Boulevard) FRI DJ Beatstreet, SAT DJ Jason Weiss, SUN Thomas Curtis

The Grape Room (105 Grape St.) FRI Knightlife, Andorra, The Stone Eye, Shots Called, Mike Nappi, SAT Brendan Johnson, Kate Says

Ardmore Music Hall (23 E. Lancaster Ave.) SAT Splintered Sunlight, Steal Your Peach

The Pharmacy (1300 S. 18^th St.) FRI Man Like Machine, Something Like A Monument, Dweeb, SAT Honeytiger, Mavis The Dog

Trash House (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) SAT CMBC, Soft Idiot, Who Loves You

All Night Diner (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) FRI Abi Reimold, Tutlie, Curtis Cooper

The Sound Hole (Please contact one of the acts or venue for more info.) Sun Organ

Camden Waterfront (2 Riverside Dr.) Xponential Fest: FRI Hop Along, Hurry, Swift Technique, SAT Amos Lee, Strand of Oaks, Dave Hause & The Mermaid, The Dove & The Wolf, Cliff Hillis, SUN No Good Sister, Hardwork Movement

This year's XPoNential Music Fest was one of the most crowded (if not the most crowded) ever, which is not surprising since it teamed up with Americanarama featuring the likes of heavy-hitters Bob Dylan, Wilco and My Morning Jacket. Unfortunately, the weather didn't play in our favor with the skies pouring down biblical amounts of precipitation on its final day causing the non-Americanarama section of the weekend to get rained out during Justin Townes Earle's set cancelling Dawes' performance. While most ran for cover, others made the best of it by playing Slip n' Slide on the muddy hills. Overall, the atmosphere was very peaceful with the exception of John Butler Trio dragging in the frat-boy-meets-'90's-tribal-tattoo element. Philly's own DRGN KING and The Fleeting Ends provided the more rockin' sets of the weekend, while high schoolers The Districts continued to impress with a moving, emotional performance. You can check out some of our photos from last weekend HERE. (Photo by Brandi Lukas)

Between the larger scale version of the Mad Decent Block Party, which unfortunately, you have to pay to get in now, as well as a crazy after party at Morgan’s Pier, and an impressive XPoNential Festival lineup that has teamed up with the likes of Bob Dylan and Wilco, you have plenty of reason to get your fest on this weekend. But it’s the impressive Americanarama portion of the XPoNential Fest and a key headlining spot for Dr. Dog before they officially release their next album B Room over the fall that has us sold on giving XPN’s annual festival top Weekend Warrior billing. And while both nights inside the Susquehanna Bank Center (which also features My Morning Jacket and the Lumineers) will be fun, catching locals like The Districts and DRGN KING as they share billing with notable artists such as Phosphorescent and Dr. John inside Wiggins Park is another thing that makes this event worth taking a ride on PATCO or a ferry. Wiggins Park and Susquehanna Bank Center, 1 Market St, Camden, New Jersey, (7/26 – 7/28) 5pm - 10pm, $25-125, All Ages - Bill McThrill