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ICEPACK ILLUSTRATED: Erika Schiff, Vick, Tashan, Reading Rainbow, Trees and Feastival
Feastival 2011 at Pier 9 on Columbus Boulevard was a fabulous hit and a sweaty mess as thousands gathered wearing far too much clothing to celebrate/charity-ate the Philadelphia Live Arts Festival and Philly Fringe. Lots of aerials from Brian Sanders' crew and circus folk from Montreal's 7 Fingers mingled with hosts Stephen Starr, Michael Solomonov, Audrey Claire Taichman and the night's arts honoree Edward G. Rendell for his role in Philly's cultural community. As for the food and drink, we loved ?uest Loves Food's fried chicken, the voluminous array of pates (those faux "cherries" dipped in pistachio crumbs were the bomb) and the smoked tequila martini. Or three. You bring that tequila back next year and I'll fund Nick Stuccio on any thing he wants.
ICEPACK ILLUSTRATED: Erika Schiff, Vick, Tashan, Reading Rainbow, Trees and Feastival
Feastival 2011 at Pier 9 on Columbus Boulevard was a fabulous hit and a sweaty mess as thousands gathered wearing far too much clothing to celebrate/charity-ate the Philadelphia Live Arts Festival and Philly Fringe. Lots of aerials from Brian Sanders’ crew and circus folk from Montreal’s 7 Fingers mingled with hosts Stephen Starr, Michael Solomonov, Audrey Claire Taichman and the night’s arts honoree Edward G. Rendell for his role in Philly’s cultural community. As for the food and drink, we loved ?uest Loves Food’s fried chicken, the voluminous array of pates (those faux “cherries” dipped in pistachio crumbs were the bomb) and the smoked tequila martini. Or three. You bring that tequila back next year and I’ll fund Nick Stuccio on any thing he wants.
Philadelphia live hip-hop trio The Trees — really, the most effervescent positive gospel-tinged thing — just got a big boost for their just out eponymous CD. Erykah Badu got a copy rom Tree branch Stone Kawala’s ex-girlfriend (Badu’s dog sitter — life is weird, huh) and was wildly enthusiastic. “The Trees are very talented and I love this album,” Badu was heard to have said.
Hit the friends-and-fam opening of Tashan, the greatly anticipated new Indian restaurant and very spacious lounge over the weekend. Why do we love Munish Narula’s 777 S. Broad hot spot? One reason is that I’ve never witnessed such elegant modern use of black and deep dark brown woods so beautifully. The lounge is separate and spacious, perfect for hanging and listening to DJs. Plus the zestful mod Indian fare — lamb shanks, scallops, crab dishes and pork tenderloins delicately cooked and with Indian sauces on the side of each dish — honestly it was just perfect. Wow.
One-time Main Line dweller David Koechner (well, he spent time here filming Tenure) is doing stand up this weekend at Helium Comedy Club (Sept. 15-17). If you don’t know him from that little seen film, he’s the bald character actor/comedian in Anchorman and other rude fare. Like the just out A Good, Old Fashioned Orgy.
Speaking of comedians coming here, Curb Your Enthusiasm’s Richard Lewis will appear Sept. 22 at the Crystal Tea Room for the benefit of drug and alcohol programs. More info here.
I don’t do a lot of birthday mentions ’round these parts but I wanted to say hey-b-day to the singularly named North Star honcho Sloan — the creator of Philly’s first big BBS, Clockwork. Ah memories. Stop by North Star tonight, Sept. 15, and catch the sassy femme-pop AlleyCat. Bring gems for the gals and cake for Sloan.
Poet Aja Beech will be just one of the readers at City Hall on Fri., Sept. 16, at a rally, from 4:30-6 p.m., against the execution of Troy Davis. Read about the case in The Nation. Next up for Beech and the movement is World Cafe Live on Oct. 25.
SouthWest Philly isn’t just for strip shows, junk yards and big refrigerators. The area in which I grew up in will hold an open call (courtesy Heery Casting) on Sept. 17 for Bradley Cooper’s David O. Russell-directed Silver Linings Playbook which starts its Philly-area shoot second week of October. Heery wants men and women, ages 20-65, all ethnicities, with guys of Southeast Asian/Indian nationality a plus. See you after 10 a.m. at 6900 Lindbergh Blvd.
Ever want to call the shots at a concert? “Hey I think you should do this tune at this point in the show?” Well, Denise King is coming to Art After 5 and she’s part of the Philadelphia Art Museum’s “By Your Request” night — wherein audience members can vote on the set list via Facebook and the winning jazz standards will be performed by the good lady King. Info here and here.
Philly’s mawkish pop heads Reading Rainbow like that Pixelvision provision on their vid cams. Or at least director Taryn Jones does, what from the look of their new video for “Dead End.” Ask them about the Pixi-shoot Sept. 28 at Johnny Brenda’s.
You like windows. And you feel “eh” about Old City. Why not put them together, the Old City Business Collective launches the third edition of Old City Windows, a design-inspired window competition and exhibit celebrating innovative thinking and visual inspiration from students, artists, and professionals The OCBC’s event kicks off First Friday in Old City, Oct. 7. Runs through Oct 23. Apply at here or here.
If you missed seeing the newly rehabilitated and looking great Carnivolution performer Jelly Boy at the Tiberino Museum last week, he’ll surely be at Sept. 16’s Goddess event with Lora Bloom, Ursula Rucker and more.
Part of building its own space at the base of Front and Race means getting cash. And this week two local organizations — the Live Arts/Fringe and The Reinvestment Fund — received grants supporting creative place-making from the private-public collaboration, ArtPlace. As part of ArtPlace’s initiative to tie the arts to economic development and community revitalization, the Fringe was awarded a $350,000 grant to support the development of a permanent contemporary performing arts center. That means raw hard cash for the old pumping station and its tony design so to keep up appearances with the James Corner-designed Race Street Pier Park.
Philly Rhythm & Blues gets its due on 40th and Market with The Partnership CDC to a Community and Housing Development organization Sept. 17 featuring Julie Dexter, N’dambi and Lady Alma. Get there by noon.
WHOWHATWHERE: When Michael Vick isn’t busy killing animals or making too much cash after having slaughtered dogs he can be found talking to his own Bleacher Creature Doll at Aloft Philadelphia Airport Hotel and hanging with his fiancé Kijafa Frink at Simon “One Punch” Carr’s birthday party at G Lounge. Philly singer/actress Erika Schiff appeared in I Married a Mobster and got crazy acclaim as well as an NYC red carpet premier with Dina Lohan showing up at SoHo’s Lair club along with Love Majewski (Schiff’s character as well as the inspiration to Angelina Jolie’s character and story in Gone In 60 Seconds). Director Kevin Kauffman is already promising Schiff a role in his next project and she’ll host her own b-day party Oct. 8 with a Mobster screening at Rogue’s Gallery with Mob Wives’ Andrea Giovino and Cheryl Caruso stopping by.
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