Saturday, March 24th. 7pm. Members of Grimace Federation, Philadelphia Slick, and Drake will combine their unique sounds this Friday at F.U.E.L. Collection for the Across The Sea exhibit, creating an ambient groove session infused with acid jazz, classic hip-hop, and funk-laden rhythms. This masterful ensemble comprising three of Philadelphia's crown jewels in independent music will deliver extraordinary live performances that will push the audience's perception of musical dexterity to new levels.

With influences ranging from Talking Heads to Madlib to Kraftwerk, Grimace Federation is a sextet that belts out a boom of sound packed with odd meters, psyched out tones, and beautifully spooky melodies. Their loyal fan base of jam band kids, hip-hop heads, and experimental music enthusiasts has helped Grimace sell-out recent concerts at World Cafe Live and the Electric Factory, where they've consistently left audiences wanting more. Their new release, Tasted by Chemists, is an exploration through experimental hip-hop and jazz instrumentation and features guests Aesop Rock and Antibalas Horns.

Philadelphia Slick, recent winners of the Philly Sound Clash battle of the bands, has quickly gained notable recognition among the city's critical indie-music community. Emcee Noasis spits lively lyrics and memorable hooks over funky, upbeat rhythms provided by a stellar line-up of instrumentalists, creating a true-school sound reminiscent of the golden age of 90s hip-hop. Slick has rocked stages around Philly for the past few years, including the TLA, Word Cafe Live, the Rotunda, and North Star Bar, leaving audiences blown away after every set.

Described as live sophisticated modern music, Drake was born in the jazz lectures at Temple University, where its members met just three years ago. Drake combines elements of traditional jazz with an innovative hip-hop feel to produce a truly original sound. Their live performances, at such venues as World Cafe Live, Cafe Habana, and Tritone, always supply a one-of-a-kind experience, and often break into dynamic improvisational sessions that feature freestyle rhymes by their resident emcee, Transmute. Drake's debut album releases this month.

Grimace Federation and Philadelphia Slick will support Drake at their album release party on March 23rd at North Star Bar. You can sample some of the music below...