Milo 2.0 includes bar, view, patio and some world-class live performances.
Ah, now this feels right. Chef Craig Wilson’s new Milo restaurant – just a hop, skip & a jump up Germantown Avenue – is a great venue where his artful vegan food can really shine. No hating on the Falls, but wow this new vibrant new space is a huge step up from that narrow little dining room on Conrad. Congratulations are certainly in order.
Hats off, too, to Milo’s ambitious concert schedule. The place came with a full stage — seemed a crime not to use it. Craig was shocked at how quickly performers signed up, once word got out his space was available. “I think we’ve booked a hundred acts, we’re filled for like a year,” he told us while we waited for one of these shows to begin – a full-hearted tribute to Nina Simone with a 6-piece string ensemble accompanying a pianist/vocalist whose singing basically blew several audience member’s heads off (including mine). These videos don’t quite pack the punch of the live experience, of course, but they’ll give you an idea…
Drea d’Nur is the real deal, folks, she had the room captivated the instant she opened her mouth. And Juliette Jones on lead violin — when she started strumming her fiddle like a guitar, people’s jaws dropped. Chills!
Weeks after the event, people are still talking about what a fantastic show it was. Powerful music, but also supremely entertaining. These were talents at the top of their game, playing off each other and uplifting classic songs with modern energy. True Story: Drea D’Nur has been producing/performing orchestral Nina Simone tributes in her hometown of Buffalo, NY since 2016. This show first came to Rittenhouse Soundworks last spring as part of David Rose’s “Singing Nina” seminar (and returned this fall by popular demand).
As a performance venue, Milo’s has lots to offer: a roomy stage, generous seating/dance area, great food, table service, full bar (with more than a dozen local brews)… there’s even a big patio/sideyard where you can duck out to make a call or sneak a smoke. Support Live music! Follow @RestMilo on Facebook and @milothemeetinghouse on Instagram for updates on who’s rocking the house next.
And keep your eyes peeled for the next Nina Simone tribute headed our way — or anything, really, that Drea d’Nur and/or Juliette Jones want to play. Hopefully, won’t be long before we welcome them back to NW Philly again.
“Germantown has a great energy. I met some wonderful people and would love to return when I’m not working to absorb more of the culture. Best 💙” — Drea d’Nur (via Facebook)
Contact Drea d’Nur thru her website, officialdreadnur.com, where you can read about her work as a performer, producer and community worker fighting hunger and human trafficking.
Juliette Jones (with her production company, Rootstock Republic) strives to push the envelope of contemporary performance through dynamic, collaborative partnerships and plenty of #rootmagick. Connect at roostockrepublic.com for more info.
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