Liz de Lise

Location (Philly Neighbourhood): West Philly

Hometown: Ambler, PA

Current Project(s):  Lizdelise // David Dorfman Dance // La Medea by Yara Travieso // Liz Charky Dance -- I write for and/or perform in the bands for the companies. (Sometimes they pick me up and spin me around.)

Past Project(s):  Howlish // Camp

Instrument(s) you play: Guitar/Vox/bit o' piano/can still kinda play violin

What else do you do in the Philly music scene?: 

Just started working with the BK/Boston based music collective, Odd Gift Records, to help them expand to Philly. They're all about making shows feel cozy and safe, and of course having rad bands. It feels like their mission is a great fit for Philly and I hope we'll be able to work with the DIY scene to keep that affordable, diverse, community thing going and growing at shows!

I suppose it's not really "in the scene," but I teach art to kids at the Philly Art Center and am starting up private guitar lessons again. And I really want to start hosting shows again, intimate things that raise money for local organizations supporting the things that need supporting. 

Location of Photo(s): In the Jimmy (my car)/ home

What do those location(s) mean to you?: 

After my lease was up last summer, I semi-moved in with my mom. But I spent so much time in the Jimmy, -- from summer, through our big fall tour, through the Brooklyn stint, until moving back to Philly in February-- it became a home that gets terrible gas mileage. It's such a mess of a car, an airbag-less, metal box-on-wheels. It rumbles and squeaks. I hate it so much, and love it so dearly. I'm starting to get back into the rhythm of sedentary life again, but the Jimmy has been a source of comfort in these last unsure months. I'm also so darn proud of that thing. We put over 6,000 miles on it last fall. She was recently stripped of her radio, but she's stronger than ever. The Jimmy feels like a perfectly ridiculous, ridiculously perfect, vehicular self-representation. 

Aside from the Jimmy, sort of on the opposite end of things, I love having a home and being in it...pretty much all of the time. Definitely trying to un-hermit as the weather gets warmer, but it's hard to leave with a fluffy cat hanging around and my bed. 

Favourite Place in Philly: atop the Ben Franklin Bridge, I make that drive a lot

Favourite Watering Hole/Coffee Spot: The Institute/Milk + Honey (west philly)

Favourite Restaurant: Mood Cafe

Favourite Cheesesteak Place: Just got back into the meat game, so anywhere right now! But lately I've been eating way too many chicken cheese steaks from Wawa. I'm not proud, but I'm also not sorry. 

Favourite Pizza Spot: on sale supreme frozen pizza

Favourite Philly Record Shop: Repo Records

Favourite Philly Venue: Boot+Saddle

Favourite Philly Band(s): Snake Boy Gang and Thin Lips !

Best show you’ve seen in Philly: Andy Shauf at Boot + Saddle

What are you listening to now: St. Vincent, Andy Shauf, Podcasts on Podcasts ("Women of the Hour" and "Sooo Many White Guys" are the best!)

If you could sum up in one sentence what Philly / Philly music scene means to you, what would it be? cornucopia, or, horn of plenty

Life motto: Most things are funny

Random Fun Fact: I'm pretty sure that when babies are born, all of their senses are interrelated, so they hear colors, things like that. They can't differentiate between themselves and other people, everything is connected and just an extension of their body and experience….I'm not sure if any of that's true, but I really want it to be, so I'm not going to look it up. 

Childhood Dream Job: Marine Biologist/Underwater photographer

Pets: Bella (cat, shout out to my dad and step mom for taking care of her) and Fitz (she's not really mine, but I love her like my own)

Future plans: Add the synth we just got to the Lizdelise set up. Also use it to write really dramatic pop music, for this or another project. 

It would be incredible to have a sustainable performing career where touring happens consistently throughout the year…hopefully in a sturdier car than the Jimmy, bless her heart. Definitely want to keep performing in lots of different capacities. I want to keep stretching how and what I write! 

Not to move so much.