The utter desecration of World Cafe Live since the retirement of founder Hal Real has been difficult to watch. In fact, we're working on another post about it right now for January. ICYMI - Real's successor, Joseph Callahan (who has zero experience running a music venue), unjustly terminated a large portion of the staff for protesting during a show back in June. The walkout occurred after staff members made multiple attempts to discuss issues (including missing pay) with leadership, only to be ignored. Many of the employees who were fired had been with World Cafe Live for years, absolutely loved their jobs, and believed wholeheartedly in the venue's mission to provide emerging artists with a stage.

Following the near immediate backlash, Callahan doubled down, even going so far as to threaten to involve the Department of Justice (?), before realizing the extent of the PR nightmare he had created. After a tense Town Hall, World Cafe Live promised to rehire the employees who were unjustly terminated and promised to work with the staff who'd recently unionized. Nothing has happened. Last month, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that World Cafe Live had lost its liquor license at the end of October, and radio station WXPN (who own the license to the "World Cafe" name and whose studios occupy the same building) moved their popular Free at Noon weekly concert series from WCL to Ardmore Music Hall.

Yesterday, a concert benefitting displaced World Cafe Live employees was announced for January 11, 2026 at Johnny Brenda's. The show, organized by Philly musicians in conjunction with the Philadelphia chapter of UMAW (United Musicians & Allied Workers), will feature sets from Carsie Blanton, Ray Drezner, Izzy True, and Sad13 (the solo project of Speedy Ortiz's Sadie Dupuis). All proceeds from the event will go directly to support World Cafe Live employees who were unfairly terminated by the venue this past summer.

Tickets are $20 (plus fees) and are available through the Johnny Brenda's website or at this link.