World Cafe Live - What's Up

A month after the World Cafe Live Town Hall - they're out of the news cycle, public radio is impacted with cuts and an up and coming act plays Free at Noon sparking a decision

A few days after the disastrous July 11, 2025 World Cafe Live “Town Hall”, I wrote a follow up to my “World Cafe Live, I Love You But You’re Bringing Me Down” from 6/22/2025.

World Cafe Live: The Saga Continues

I remember being fired up for a few weeks after that “Town Hall”. During the first night of the 2-night Phish run at The Mann Music Center on 7/15/2025, I spent a good portion pre-show telling the folks at the Waterwheel Foundation table about the “Town Hall” and what had transpired at World Cafe Live starting in June and saying the only song I want Phish to play over the next 2 days was “Ass Handed” and I want it dedicated to Joseph Callahan, current CEO of World Cafe Live.

Since the “Town Hall”, other issues have gotten more press and attention like SEPTA (South Eastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority for the non-Philly area people) budget cuts to public transportation impacting EVERYONE in the area or fucked up ICE Raids (which are happening everywhere it seems). There hasn’t been any follow up articles by Dan DeLuca or Victor Fiorillo regarding World Cafe Live.

Was I wrong about Philly? Did Callahan get what he wanted? Do we just move on at this point?

(Linda Perry voice:) What’s Going On?!?!

Over a month has passed since the World Cafe Live “Town Hall” and things have been pretty quiet. As I understand, there are currently negotiations on-going with the Union for the workers of World Cafe Live. That’s progress from the “Town Hall”.

The Saveworldcafelive account posted the following on 7/28/2025 to their Instagram Stories:

I can only assume that this post is made as a result of a number of concerts being cancelled and/or rescheduled from World Cafe Live to other Philly venues. In previous articles that I wrote about this World Cafe Live situation, I mentioned a few events upcoming that I either had tickets or was planning on buying tickets.

• The NPR Tiny Desk on the Road 7/14/25 concert at World Cafe Live with Sheer Mag was moved to The Foundry. I didn’t attend this concert more because I had a busy weeks of concerts with Phish, Wu-Tang and Weird Al.

• The Baseball Project 9/24/25 World Cafe Live concert was cancelled and rescheduled for the same date at Milkboy Philly. I had already gotten a ticket for the White Eagle Hall Baseball Project show on 9/22/2025 but I also jumped on getting tickets for this rescheduled show which will be the smallest venue of the tour.

• The Philly Music Festival showcase with Matt Quinn of Mt. Joy, Archawah, Grace Gardner, and Black Butterfly scheduled for 10/16/2025 at World Cafe Live was cancelled and rescheduled at Underground Arts. I have a conflict with this show (David Byrne at The Met) and was not going to be able to attend but happy to see it found a new home at Underground Arts.

However, these cancellation and rescheduled concerts appear to be only ones. The WXPN Homegrown Live! free series with Philly MC Reef the Lost Cauze and Owner Stewart scheduled for 6/28/2025 was postponed and it is now rescheduled for 8/20/2025 still at World Cafe Live upstairs in the Lounge but with Ben Arnold joining Reef the Lost Cauze now instead of Owen Stewart. Previously shows booked by ex-WCL booking manager Helen (now booking for Rising Sun Productions) including The Feelies 9/13/2024, James McMurtry 9/19/2025, Aaron Lee Tasjan 10/10/2025 and S.G. Goodman 10/30/2025 all appear to continue as scheduled.

Just Announced at World Cafe Live

In Dan DeLuca’s Philadelphia Inquirer previous article or interview he posted, he mentioned Joseph Callahan would act as Booking Manager for World Cafe Live moving forward until one was hired. I guess someone who loves live music more than ANYONE would have the connections and knowledge of bands to bring in new and exciting artists to generate money for World Cafe Live.

Well, let’s see what new and exciting acts both global and local have been booked so far at World Cafe Live by the biggest fan of live music Joseph Callahan:

• Warren Montgomery & the Derailed Gang 8/23/25

• The Jazz Room Presented by Fever 8/28/25, 9/21/25, and 10/5/25

• The Jazzmen Experience 9/11/2025

• The Runarounds 9/18/2025

• The California Guitar Trio 10/9/2025

• Joe Conklin & the City Rhythm Orchestra 11/19/2025

• Terrian 11/20/2025

Outside of The California Guitar Trio (who I saw earlier this year at City Winery in Pittsburgh) and Joe Conklin, I know nothing about any of the other acts. The Jazz Room Presented by Fever seems to be a monthly residency similar to the one that was free presented by Orrin Evans.

Corporation for Public Broadcasting Defunded (7/18/2025)

As I stated in my initial “World Cafe Live I Love You But You’re Bringing Me Down” article, I cancelled my sustaining WXPN Membership I had since 2007 due to lack of action on WXPN.

Maybe that was an overreaction and false expectation to have WXPN do what I THOUGHT THEY NEEDED TO DO. Emotion definitely played a part in the decision but times and my headspace have changed.

This was never about WXPN it was about World Cafe Live and their leadership. After the United States current administration decided to make cuts affecting public radio impacting WXPN, I decided to step back in and become a member. I want WXPN to survive more than I want World Cafe Live leadership to fail. Anything that I can do to assist for now in helping WXPN keep up its programming I will do that and increase when I can.

Just because I wasn’t a member of WXPN didn’t mean I wasn’t paying attention to what was going on there with the Free at Noons. Since the World Cafe Live incident started these have been the WXPN Free at Noons (through 8/8/2025):

• 6/13/2025 Mo Lowda & the Humble

• 6/20/2025 Lilly Hiatt (solo)

• 6/27/2025 The Bug Club

• 7/4/2025 No FAN

• 7/11/2025 The Tisburys

• 7/18/2025 Greg Freeman

• 7/25/2025 BRONCHO

• 8/1/2025 Curtis Harding

• 8/8/2025 Lord Huron

At the Wilco concert at The Met on 8/5/2025, I walked to my seat in the mezzanine to see Roob and Louis talking and smiling as I walked up. I think it was Roob who said “Do you want to tell him?”. “Goose will be playing a Free at Noon in a few weeks. You have 10 days to decide it you want to go”.

The Decision: WXPN Free at Noons

I thought about it and heard from a few people saying that they didn’t see a problem going but just stick to the Free at Noon and nothing paid to World Cafe Live. I also remember how I felt after the Town Hall a month earlier. I definitely felt conflicted in my decision.

Ultimately, I decided to go. It’s not that I’m the biggest Goose fan. I have enjoyed seeing their meteoric rise to where they are now. Its a show I know I would kick myself for missing (like I did with the finale at Newport).

It does seem that life and attention on what happened at World Cafe Live has dwindled. Maybe Joseph Callahan does something to change that and I change my Free at Noon decision. But for now, I have decided to just attend the Free at Noons as I had before.

I will still continue to avoid all paid shows at World Cafe Live. I’m not going to the Homegrown Live show because of The Tisburys Haddon Park show next week but I don’t think I would go to that yet either even though its free.

Goose 8/15/2025 WXPN Free at Noon

I couldn’t pick a Free at Noon to return to that was THAT CROWDED THAT EARLY. There was a line starting as early as 830 I heard. Security was tight for the GA line and the line at Donor Alley, where I was lucky to go with Roob.

I will have to go back and look at other Free at Noons (not Non-Comm) that were as crowded inside as the Goose Free at Noon. The immediate ones that I attended that immediately come to mind were Dr. Dog 2009, The Pretenders 2016, Graham Nash 2016, Claypool Lennon Delirium 2019, and Pigeons Playing Ping Pong 2020.

Got a spot in front of Pete and got to see him maneuver around his rig probably for the first time up close. He’s definitely talented as hell even if he looks like a narc, he knows what he’s doing and definitely is the glue of the band (although Roob said ‘I didn’t know Frank Zappa was playing keys midset” to which I also had to agree).

Those darn mic stands are always in the way of a good shot. Rick’s playing has grown on me over time. I remember thinking he was too robotic and didn’t have any feel outside of what he knew but time, experience and PRACTICE as Iverson would say helps.

My biggest gripe of the set was I couldn’t see Cotter’s face since he was buried behind the kit and cymbals from my viewpoint.

Three out of the 8 songs in the hour set were off their surprise release “Chain Your Dragon”. They played “Royal” for the first time live as well as “Madalena” and (shocker) “Rockdale”. Rockdale wasn’t on the setlist but was squeezed in to close the set. I have nothing against the song but I seem to always get it. It get why they play it to new crowds, its catchy but I’d rather hear something else.

Goose is always down for a choice cover during their sets and I was surprised to see them throw one in for this Free at Noon set. They played Prince’s “I Would Die 4 U” at the Free at Noon. See below for a snippet.

Overall, I kept all World Cafe Live visuals out of my line of sight during the performance and just locked in to the performance. Surprisingly, very few talkers during the set which I appreciated. Good job Goose fans.

Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da

I’m taking things one day at a time with World Cafe Live still. They are out of the news for now. Perhaps they will make their way back up top. I can’t stress out on what they do next.

I kind of feel the same way I felt after the Arcade Fire NonComm set earlier in the year. (Google ‘Win Butler’ I don’t have time to explain)

• Was it wrong to be there? Maybe.

• Was I there? Yes.

• Did I enjoy it? Yes.

• Does it make me less of a person because I changed my hardline stance with WCL? Maybe. I guess life goes on though.

Maybe I’ll be at the next Free at Noon (Deep Sea Diver) but for now I know I STILL won’t be at any of the paid shows Until the next update!