PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — In 20 years, World Cafe Live has seen the likes of Adele and Billie Eilish take its stage before their global superstardom. But more than that, the storied independent music venue has become a staple in the Philly music scene and a launch point for up-and-coming artists near and far.
When World Cafe Live board member David Bradley first heard from co-founder Hal Real about the idea for the independent music venue in University City, he said he loved everything about it.
“I know no place like World Cafe Live, it’s an independent music venue that thinks about social impact, that thinks about kids, that thinks about nurturing local artists and thinks about building communities,” Bradley said.
It’s built music education communities at the schools it reaches every year with programming, local artist and musician communities among those that come and perform at its weekly free shows, and even a national community during the pandemic.
“This is a venue that has been a leader in what independent music can mean in a city,” Bradley said.
And, in celebration of the countless memories the music venue has created for millions of fans over the last two decades, a massive party rang out Friday night.
“I know there’s so many great concerts that are coming in, we always talk about the names that have graced our stages, but those things would not happen without the people who work behind the scenes,” said World Cafe Live Board Chair Paralee Knight.