Last year, a house demolished on the 1400 block of Howard Street in Fishtown contained a piece of Philly music history. “That was ground zero for my musical life in Philly,” says Adam Granduciel, the frontman of the iconic Philly-born rock band The War on Drugs. “That’s where [Philly rocker] Kurt Vile and I would make recordings.”
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For nearly 15 years, Granduciel not only lived in that house — with “probably 50 different roommates,” he says — but also wrote songs there with Vile and the rest of War on Drugs, including their 2014 album Lost in a Dream. In fact, the cover of the album features an image of the house.
Despite now living in Los Angeles, Granduciel says fans reached out to him about preserving a memento from the building as it was torn down. Someone on Instagram said they’d saved him a brick. Another person, a woodworker, took the discarded door and offered to refinish it — so that, eventually, the band could hang it in one of their studios or homes. All of the outreach reminded Granduciel of how much Philly can bring people together in beautiful — and at times, odd — ways.
“The Philadelphia community is so special, man,” he says. “That neighborhood, for basically as long as I lived in Philly, was my whole world.”
The War on Drugs will be returning to Fishtown in December in order to give back to the city where it all began. After a two-year hiatus, the band announced today that they’ll be playing for three consecutive nights (December 18-20) at Johnny Brenda’s — marking the return of Drugcember to Remember, a benefit concert series they began in 2018. All ticket proceeds will go to the Fund for the School District of Philadelphia. (Tickets will go on sale here on November 21, but the band will also have a donation option on their website for those who can’t be there.)
“For all of us in the band, especially with the families we come from, we feel that fostering education in children is just the most important thing in life,” says Granduciel.
“The Philadelphia community is so special, man. That neighborhood, for basically as long as I lived in Philly, was my whole world.” — Adam Granduciel
This year’s homecoming will feature elements that are familiar to fans of previous Drugcember to Remember performances. There will be special appearances on stage, raffles, and other bounties that are created in partnership with local organizations. For example, Elixr Coffee is making a special blend for sale at the concerts this year, one of several vendors who’ll raise additional money for schools through the sale of exclusive items at the event. Also, there will be plenty of music — familiar songs from the band’s catalog, along with some never-before-heard tracks and covers.
Unlike past years, the band has been performing infrequently, so this will be the first time they’ve played three nights in a row, together, in a while. But Granduciel already knows that the time at Johnny Brenda’s will be one of the highlights of the year — because it always is.
“We don’t get to spend that much time together these days, so it’s a great opportunity for us to just reconnect as friends, which is perfect for the holiday season,” he says.
The Citizen caught up with Granduciel by phone to talk about the band’s December showcase, and what Philly — and Fishtown — means to them. This interview has been condensed and edited for clarity.
What can you tell me about how this year’s shows will be the same or different compared to previous Drugcembers?
You can count on the band being there. You can count on some friends coming up to play some songs with us. You know, it’s always been very loose — which is part of what makes it fun. We’re still putting some of the pieces together. Stuff is always unfolding until the time we go on stage. This year, it’s cool because there will be a link on our website where you can basically donate to the Philadelphia school system, even if you’re not at the show. I’ve been making a record for the last couple years, so I’d like to play a bunch of new songs. We’ll just have fun with it.
How did your relationship with the Philadelphia School District begin?
We really love and respect the community we came out of, in Philly, and we want to keep fostering that relationship. When we started doing Drugcember, we had a friend who worked at the Fund for the School District of Philadelphia. We liked knowing that we could really see where the money was getting distributed. I think the first year we did it, we ended up finding out that the money bought all these basketball uniforms for a school. So we formed a great relationship with the fund, and it just seems like a no-brainer to support giving money to educating our youth and making sure that kids have as many resources as humanly possible to get an education.
What’s stopped you from doing the concerts the past few years?
It’s just scheduling. Two Decembers ago, I think we were in India while we were still touring a lot. And sometimes when we are gone, it’s tricky to schedule it around the holidays with our families and stuff. We don’t get to do this every year, but whenever we do, it’s a real highlight for all of us. So we’re grateful that we could find the time this year to get everyone together.
You used to live just a few blocks from Johnny Brenda’s. What does that part of the city specifically mean to you?
We used to go to Johnny Brenda’s a couple nights a week when they were a little corner bar. That was our spot. And then, did you know that we were technically the first band to play upstairs?
I did not know that!
There was a thing in 2007, right when they opened the upstairs, a show for this great Philadelphia artist who had hurt his foot. He broke his foot, so they were putting on a fundraiser for him, because he was out of work. They got these great bands to play this benefit. We were the first band on stage. There was also Jack Rose, Meg Baird, and Bardo Pond — so it was a legendary trio of Philadelphia acts. And us, of course.
That neighborhood. I mean, I worked at a coffee shop on Girard and Front. I lived in that neighborhood for as long as I lived in Philly [around 15 years]. So all I have is memories from that time, in that place. It’s also just a great time to be in Philly, around the holidays. By then, the Eagles will be 11-2!
Do you have any particular advice for people who will want to get tickets, knowing they will sell out?
The ticket sales all go to charity, so it’s money well spent.
What if you’re too late?
You know, there are always other ways of getting people in the door, like attending a rehearsal. I’ll just say, there are other ways.
Tickets will drop on November 21 at 10am for the three shows on December 18-20. For up-to-date information on the shows, visit the band’s website here.
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