Archive: November, 2010

POSTED: Tuesday, November 30, 2010, 6:09 PM
Filed Under: Just Do It | Shopping Fashion
Craft Foundry
One of the many trinkets to be had at the Craft Foundry
It may sound like an event that should have the term "5K" in front of it, but Frankford Ave. Arts' Holiday Walk 2010 is actually more like a shopping bonanza. And while your contribution may not benefit cancer research or the local hunger epidemic, it will help support a street full of local artists who have shops on and around Frankford Avenue in Kensington and Fishtown. That's where the walking part comes in — you can stroll the avenue, taking advantage of special deals from shops like Black Vulture Gallery (208 E. Girard, 215-423-3666), two percent to glory (1807 Frankford Ave., 267-507-9250) and the Craft Foundry (701 Belgrade St., 267-977-8499). Everyone will have goods pulled out onto the sidewalks and there will be plenty of food from regional eateries to boot. One of our recent discoveries, and a participant in the walk, is the The Lola Bean (1325 Frankford Ave., 215-634-5652). Stop in and tell the girls hello. They make a mean-ass grilled veggie and hummus wrap, and if they're selling the vegan pumpkin cakes don't hesitate for a second to snatch one up. For a full list of participating businesses, check out this Google map outlining the entire course. Happy Fishtowning!
Posted by Josh Middleton @ 6:09 PM  Permalink | Post a comment
POSTED: Tuesday, November 30, 2010, 3:03 PM
Filed Under: Music | Win
eurweb.com
I'm waiting for you, Kaila!
The deadline to win Usher/Trey Songz tour tickets has passed, and we have a winner. Congratulations to Kaila, who won with the following haiku:
There goes my baby He's able to move mountains Enticed by his spell
Look for an email with ticket information soon. And thanks to everyone who played along.
Posted by Josh Middleton @ 3:03 PM  Permalink | Post a comment
POSTED: Monday, November 29, 2010, 6:00 PM
Filed Under: Music The Showdown
Monday: Though the bear the name of one of psychedelic pop's finest singles, Philly's Sunshine Superman are no Donovan wannabes. Instead, their classy orchestrations and charming arrangements blend a number of transcontinental genres. Italian-born leader Valentina Raffaelli is a modern chanteuse whose voice coos and soars (often in the same song). Her accompanying trio jumps between styles and tempos with each movement, always maintaining a strong footing no matter where they roam. w/ Alycat & Victoria Spaeth, 9 p.m., $10, Tritone, 1508 South St., 215–545–0475. Tuesday: If not done right, reggae can sound formulaic and shallow. Luckily, Spokey Speaky does reggae right. Covering reggae and reggae-rock classics from throughout the decades, the Wilmington quartet truly shines in a live setting. Expect a set of familiar jams interspersed with informed originals, and a fair amount of head bobbing. The fellas also have a new live album, recorded over the summer; the good vibes never have to end! w/ The Mad-Sweet Pangs, 8 p.m., $6, World Cafe Live, 30th St. & Walnut St., 215-222-1400. Wednesday: With thunderous sonic sludge, Birds Of Maya reign as one of Philadelphia's damn heaviest bands of the non-metal variety. Equally derived from the skuzzy fuzz of '60s blues rock and the deafening gloom of My Bloody Valentine, Birds Of Maya don't just rock the house, they shake it to its foundation. Earplugs are highly recommended, unless you're one of those gluttons for punishment I've heard so much about. w/ Taco Leg & Watery Love, 8 p.m., $6, Kung Fu Necktie, 1250 N. Front St., 215-291-4919. Thursday: Call it celebration or exploitation, but former Joy Division/New Order bassist Peter Hook is bringing Unknown Pleasures to town. To commemorate the 30th anniversary of JD frontman and iconic downer Ian Curtis, Hook and his current band (which features his son, Jack, on, you guessed it, bass) have been performing his first band's landmark debut in its entirety. Though Curtis was quite literally the voice and face of Joy Division, Hook's airy, melodic basslines were integral to their post-punk sound. I'm sure those basslines will be mixed very prominently at this show. 9 p.m., $15, Voyeur, 1221 St. James St., 215-735-5772. Friday: The Antlers released one of 2009's most idiosyncratic albums in the form of Hospice. A terminal tale about the relationship between caretaker and patient, the record's baroque-y folk sound offers a bounty of flourishes. Claustrophobically personal lyrics and dynamic song structures make for an engaging listen, over and over again. The group's penchant for instrument-juggling also highlights their performances, which are as enchanting and captivating as the songs themselves. w/ The Luyas, 7:30 p.m., $13, First Unitarian Church, 2125 Chestnut St., 215-563-3980. Saturday: Prepare to get in on the ground floor. With chiming, reverb-heavy guitars and earthy percussion, Great Elk are poised to become an indispensible part of the indie-folk community. Like a woodsy Calexico, Great Elk cultivates cinematic soundscapes to underpin Paul Basile's reassuring vocals. Rarely rising above a comforting simmer, Great Elk's debut EP features warm and welcoming songs to accompany the lengthening nights of winter. w/ Kevin Johnston, Motorcycle Maus & Pinelands, 9 p.m., $5 - $10, Danger Danger Gallery, 5013 Baltimore Ave. Sunday: Next time someone asks, "Anyone for tennis?" (because this happens all the time), immediately assume they're talking about the Denver pop couple. Tennis, another adorable husband-and-wife duo, are set to make their full-length debut early next year. They're already burning up the blogs with their shimmery, beachy melodies, and will surely help you stave off your December blues. Polo shirts and shorty-shorts are not required, nor are they recommended. w/ Family Portrait, 8 p.m., $10, Kung Fu Necktie, 1250 N. Front St., 215-291-4919.
Posted by Eric Schuman @ 6:00 PM  Permalink | Post a comment
POSTED: Thursday, November 25, 2010, 2:00 PM
Filed Under: Poetic License
Devoted poet/avid concert-goer/nerd-grrrl extraordinaire Jane Cassady's weekly horoscopes run in this space every Friday (or sometimes Thursday!) morning. Sagittarius (Nov. 23-Dec. 22): Happy Birthday Month! Your celebratory quote comes from Leonard Cohen: "Once your life is organized so beautifully that there's a table, and a chair, and a typewriter, that already is an incredible triumph." Capricorn (Dec. 23-Jan. 20): Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part One is pretty bleak, but you can enjoy it more by 1) enjoying all of the beautiful landscapes, and 2) remembering all of the badassery to come. Aquarius (Jan. 21-Feb. 19): Dear Lost Friend: I don't know if you still read these, but if you do: I still think of you every time I hear Belle and Sebastian's song, "Wrapped Up in Books," AKA the song on the set list that you didn't play. I still have the set list, too. Pisces (Feb. 20-March 20): A Scrabble Blessing: May you know all of your two-letter words, as well as the "q-with-no-u"s. May you never end up with all vowels or all consonants. May your seven letters spell one word, every time, and may you have someplace to put each one. Amen. Aries (March 21-April 18): When Liz Lemon experiences a small victory, she says that she's "high-fiving a million angels!" Prepare to have just that much to celebrate. Taurus (April 19-May 18): Make like the "Tons of Fucking Sequins" guy. (Google it.) Load up your arms with something decadent and swear exultantly about it for all to hear. Gemini (May 19-June 21): "You can get anything you want, at Alice's Restaurant/ Excepting Alice/ You can get anything you want, at Alice's Restaurant /Walk right in it's around the back/ Just a half a mile from the railroad track/You can get anything you want, at Alice's Restaurant." —Arlo Guthrie Cancer (June 22-July 23): Replace all of your self-portraits with cels from your favorite cartoons. You're almost a Care Bear anyway, so just go ahead and make the leap. Leo (July 24-Aug. 23: "If you have ever gone into the woods with me, I must love you very much."—Mary Oliver. Grab someone brilliant and beautiful and go watch the last leaves. Virgo (Aug. 24-Sept. 23): While everyone's out starting their holiday shopping, stay home and repair what you already have; sew buttons on neglected pants, dust hard-to-reach places, back up your files. Soon you'll need all of your energy for stringing lights. Libra (Sept. 24-Oct. 21): One of my favorite family-weekend traditions is after-dinner Mario Kart. Do something that makes you laugh hysterically and fall off imaginary rope bridges: 1! 2! 3! GO! Scorpio (Oct. 22-Nov. 22): "What a beautiful face/I have found in this place/That is circling all round' the sun/And when we meet on a cloud/I'll be laughing out loud/I'll be laughing with everyone I see/Can't believe how strange it is to be anything at all."—Neutral Milk Hotel
Posted by Jane Cassady @ 2:00 PM  Permalink | Post a comment
POSTED: Wednesday, November 24, 2010, 7:00 PM
photo | Sean Kearney
Star Death and White Dwarfs
And God, was it loud. Aussie psych four-piece Tame Impala have been buzzing about the music world since the release of their critically acclaimed album InnerSpeaker in May. After an extensive Australian and European tour, the guys from Perth finally made their way to the Church, their first time in Philly. And God, was it loud. Oklahoma City's Stardeath and White Dwarfs were a good choice to open the show. Clad in an Aztec patterned shirt and big white furry boots, Dennis Coyne (nephew of The Flaming Lips' Wayne Coyne) lead the set with a diverse collection of heavy psych reminiscent of early Sabbath while also moving into 12-string guitar pieces. One of the more interesting parts of the set were the exclusively drum and bass songs that took on a sort of heavy dance groove feel similar to Death From Above 1979. If anyone was going to set up Tame Impala's set, Stardeath were the dudes the call.
photo | Sean Kearney
Tame Impala
The most noticeable difference between Tame Impala recorded and Tame Impala live is the volume. When listening to InnerSpeaker, the sound is a subdued and pensive brand of psychedelic rock that rarely feels abrasive. Tame Impala live is loud. Very loud. Still, the noisiness never felt overindulgent or annoying, it only ever felt fitting. Even on more rhythmically catchy songs, such as "Lucidity", the wall of sound never compromised their catchy '60s revival tunes charm. Like the album, Tame Impala's performance could be described as solid. The only issue is that at times I got the feeling like I knew what to expect: once one loud psych song ended, I knew another would begin shortly after until the end of the show. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but if we're going to nitpick, I'll nitpick here. Tame Impala's got a lot going for them: A great first full-length to build off of, a huge string of tours over a lot of countries, and a solid live act.
Posted by Sean Kearney @ 7:00 PM  Permalink | Post a comment
POSTED: Wednesday, November 24, 2010, 5:00 PM
Filed Under: Ice Cubes
photo | Scott Weiner
El DeBarge performing a very intimate show in studio at WDAS, Nov. 19, 2010.
MAZDA2, blue-eyed soul stahhr Mayer Hawthorne (he's played in town a dozen times) and DJ Jazzy Jeff (last spied spinning behind MC Nutter at Mitchell & Ness' opening) just looped-and swooped over Mayer's "No Strings" — the Roller Boogie Remix. Get it here. Lil' Steph — Philadelphia-based burlesque performer and producer — is doing a gig with Miss Rose and calling it Bravissimo Burlesque every last Saturday of the month, starting Nov. 27. "Instead of wasting money going to see Burlesque, the movie, come see and give thanks to real, live, neo-burlesque performance," says Steph about her new deal with Monday Night Club host Needles Jones, Anastascia Beaverhousen of LiCK, and Grace Gotham. At WineO, 447 Poplar. Sculptress/cultural entrepreneur/craft mistress Candy Depew has things to do: Lecturing as part of Rit Row's Art Alliance series The Commonwealth on Dec. 9 and having a big Black Friday (and Saturday) sale at her CandyCoated Center in Old City (118 N. Third, fourth floor). WHOWHATWHERE: Can't stop won't stop: Jersey Shore-ex Angelina Pivarnick was whack drunk at Recess. She hit the Second Street spot after doing a promo spot at Jack's in Sewell NJ. Power 99 studios got a visit from El DeBarge en route to this Friday's hosting gig at The Chase Center in Wilmington DE (Nov. 26). Speaking of Delaware, that state's own Ryan Phillippe hit Art in the Age in Old City and bought t-shirts. Then again Toby Keith bought shirts from the Irish Pub in Atlantic City after his gig at Boardwalk Hall. Comic George Lopez hit Zee Bar and Union Trust during his run at the Kimmel Center. OK, during the show; before and after, you know? Who don't like lunch in South Philly? One-time homeboy Seth Green ate at Fitzwater Cafe on S. Seventh and comedian Dom Irrera hit the Saloon (750 S. 7th) for a quick lunch yesterday. When Ben Harper wasn't busy packing the Baptist Temple Performing Arts Center with Dhani Harrison (an amazing show, check out those photos) as Fistful of Mercy, he was spied in-and-around the Franklin Institute. Kanye West didn't make a promotional appearance at Sigma Sound Studios in Chinatown as discussed with Def Jam but the much-prettier Nikki Minaj hit the storied SSS in anticipation of her debut CD Black Friday. MC Talib Kweli made an on-stage appearance during lovely Philly-relocated nu-soul mistress Res' Sunday residency at Silk City. Progressive jazz-bos Anam Owili-Eger, Tim Motzer and Tom Spiker are in her band. Res welcomes other alternative female artists to the stage like Lady. Everyone hits North Bowl after Silk. Sweet. Not sweet — dog killing QB Michael Vick and his human brood hit North Bowl last week. Ugh. Corset presentations from Psydde Delicious, an operatic recitation from Katie Kat, some live gauzy goth-pop from Ego Likeness to say nothing of Victorian-inspired prose and films? If I can wear a brooch I'll hit Dorian's Parlor at the new Steampunk Lodge — the Doubletree Hotel — on Nov. 27. The Clef Club has a big tribute to legendary Philly bassist Charles Fambrough on Dec. 6 with Stanley Clarke, Lenny White, John Blake and Chappy Washington (definitely) and invited players Ruth Naomi Flloyd, Warren Oree and Pat Martino. Dec 6 is a good night for jazz.
photo | Scott Weiner
Fistful Of Mercy (Dhani Harrison, Joseph Arthur and Ben Harper), play Temple University, Nov. 20.
Posted by A.D. Amorosi @ 5:00 PM  Permalink | Post a comment
POSTED: Wednesday, November 24, 2010, 4:07 PM
Wednesday: Poet, novelist and educator Ruth A. Rouff grew up in South Jersey. Her latest book, Ida B. Wells: A Woman of Courage tells the story of a black journalist who wrote extensively about lynching in the early 20th century. For this Women's Writing and Spoken Word Series event, poet and life coach Renda Rose will be joining Rouff. Here's hoping that Rose's autobiography, Grace and Mercy Brought Me Home, will inspire more surges of motivation than rolls of the eye. Wed., Nov. 24, 7 p.m.-9 p.m., $5, Moonstone Arts Center, 110A S. 13th St., 215-735-9598. Thursday: Eat way too much turkey with people you love! Emerge sleepy-eyed and content. Friday: Recuperate. Have a lazy day with your family down at Big Jar Books, a used bookstore and café in Old City. Saturday: In 1861, John Wanamaker founded a department store in Philadelphia called Wanamaker's, famous for the bronze eagle statue that stood in the center. In Wanamaker's: Meet Me at the Eagle, local author Michael J. Lissickey nostalgically traces the story of the linchpin store, from its bright beginnings to the bittersweet end. Sat., Nov. 27, 12:30 p.m., free, Barnes and Noble, 1805 Walnut St., 215-665-0716. Sunday: Pick up Foreign Bodies, the latest novel by Cynthia Ozick. Ozick, who has always been obsessed with Henry James, uses this book to tell the story of James' Ambassadors in reverse. New York Times' Thomas Mallon praises "the witty, fierce way in which it goes about upending the whole theme and meaning and stylistic manner of its revered precursor." Monday: Here's where you have some choices to make up for the Thanksgiving break. Do one, do some, do all! a: Catch the tail end of the Chester County Library holiday book sale. Bring along a sturdy sack that you can fill with $.50 hardbacks, $0.25 paperbacks and $1 audio books, videos and DVDs. For $3, you can fill up a bag with anything you want. Go crazy! Mon., Nov. 29, 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Chester County Library, 450 Exton Square Pkwy, Exton, 731-989-4673 b: Support the Lenape High School media center by swinging by their book fair, where you can meet author Eli Kowalski and have him sign copies of his sports book Relive the Philadelphia Eagles 1960 Champion Season, or his new children's book Kushka: The Dog Named Cat about a dog who thinks she's a cat — a pretty poignant commentary on identity crisis, if you ask me — and a bonus: Kushka will be there in the furry flesh. Sun., Nov. 30, 6 p.m., Barnes and Noble, 1311 Nixon Dr., Moorestown, N.J., 856-608-1622 c: If you don't already, get to know the work of local playwrights through a free dramatic reading of their work by professional actors. InterAct Theatre company actors Amanda Schoonover, Zura Johnson, Keith Conallen, and Ames Adamso will be performing work by local playwrights Genne Murphy, Seth Bauer, Jackie Goldfinger, Mike Whistler and Quinn Eli. Mon., Nov. 29, 7 p.m., free, Kelly Writer's House, 3805 Locust Wk, 215-573-9748 Tuesday: Civil War expert, Columbia professor and award-winning historical author Eric Foner's latest work, The Fiery Trail: Abraham Lincoln & American Slavery, chronicles how Abraham Lincoln managed to abolish slavery in a bisected nation and change the landscape of American politics. Tues., Nov. 30, 7:30 p.m., $7-$10, Central Library, 1901 Vine St., 215-686-5322
Posted by Daniella Wexler @ 4:07 PM  Permalink | Post a comment
POSTED: Wednesday, November 24, 2010, 3:00 PM
Every week, Critical Mass pokes around the blog world so you don't have to.
theartblog.com
Anastasia Owell drawing at Nexus
- Sorry Philly Kinks fans, Ray Davies canceled the final show of his tour that was supposed to be at the Kimmel Center. Phawker gives us some help coping with a ton of classic Kinks footage. - Art Blog gives us a little walking tour of some of the gallery shows in Kensington right now. I'm partial to the Anastasia Owell drawing they posted from the Nexus gallery. - Philebrity's tired of Brooklyn-to-Philly transplants talking about how Philly's not like Brooklyn, and would like to make a friendly wager with you: how long before the transplant migration to Lancaster? - When good ideas meet more good ideas: Art in the Age reports that The Urban Tree Connection is transforming gnarly vacant lots into neat inner city farms.
Posted by Sean Kearney @ 3:00 PM  Permalink | Post a comment
POSTED: Tuesday, November 23, 2010, 7:00 PM
Filed Under: Critical Mass
Photo | Mark Stehle

Come out to play, let no one stay inside.

Singer-guitarist Dominic Angelella is a busy dude and all, but you might also call this the sound of him gettin' busy. When he got the profile treatment back in CP's Fall Music Issue, Angelella said that in addition to playing in at least three bands at any given time (Hop Along, Elevator Fight and Lithuania being his current squeezes), he's often at the lab with South Philly producer Ritz Reynolds working on Dragon King, which I described as the "Gorillaz-style pop flipside to [his] eclectic songwriting." Last night Reynolds blasted the news onto Twitter: the first Dragon King track was ready, and available for consumption:
I remember sitting upstairs at the Barbary, talking with Angelella over tacos and Tecate, when he handed me a pair of headphones to listen to a rough mix of this song. The beat and loop of that scaled-back version reminded me of a half-tempo "On Melancholy Hill," and I bobbed my head along. Hearing it now, wrapped up in robes of bubbling synthesizer, a sensual dancefloor bump and groovy heavenly harmonies (care of Hop Along's Frances Quinlan, Lithuania / Dr. Dog's Eric Slick, among others), it launches forth into stratospheric heights, bringing with it the many sides of the guy at the helm. We hear Angelella the rocker, raspy voice and dusty coat, strolling the sidewalks of Port Richmond with a tune in his head. We hear Angelella the dancefloor nut, back at Bouffant Bangout grooving in the middle of the crowd. We hear Angelella the studied composer, who knows a thing or two about chord changes and multi-textured harmonies and why they affect the human ear the way they do. It's dreamy, its poppy, its anthemic for sure. It's got the potential to cause a buzz among people who are going to label it "chillwave" or whatever, and it's got the hooks to break out of the microgenre niche music world. It makes me want to hear more. Make with the full record, dude! BONUS MATERIAL: also in the profile, Eric Slick told me (and by extension, the rest of y'all) that Angelella is "the most incredible freestyle rapper" in the city. I totally thought he was being facetious. Then I stumbled across this:
Now, I'm not saying the dude in the Falcon Ridge Folk Festival tank top would stand a chance freestyling up against Reef The Lost Cauze. But Slick obviously was at least partly serious in that quip. The more you know!
Posted by john vettese @ 7:00 PM  Permalink | Post a comment
POSTED: Tuesday, November 23, 2010, 5:45 PM
Filed Under: Music | Win
Usher's been having a pretty good 2010. His latest album, Raymond v. Raymond, debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart, and this past Sunday he took home two American Music Awards for Best Soul & R&B artist and album. So chances are when he rolls into Philly next month with Trey Songz for his OMG Tour, he'll put on quite a show — a show that one of you will see for free, because we have a pair of tickets to give away! If you're able to make it to the Wells Fargo Center on Wed., Dec. 16, and submit the best haiku about or inspired by Usher, the tickets are all yours. To give you plenty of time, we'll accept entries up until Monday at noon. At that point we'll put up a post about the winner and contact whomever that person is with their ticket information. So be sure to include the email address you access the most when you submit your haiku. Ok, go!
michael barmash
Posted 2010-11-23 13:22:58
Usher sings songs in
The style of r and b
So does trey songz yuuup
Jason Miller
Posted 2010-11-24 11:33:09
The dancefloor is packed / Disc jockey got us falling in love/ Uplifting beats with Usher's voice
Dorlisa
Posted 2010-11-28 12:29:43
He won't let us down
Live performing is his thing
"King" of R and B
Angie
Posted 2010-11-28 13:22:44
Gave us Confessions
Stood through media's attacks
Battle within him
Kaila
Posted 2010-11-28 17:16:02
There goes my baby
He's able to move mountains
Enticed by his spell
Denise
Posted 2010-11-28 21:26:19
Now at thirty two
Still puts out number one hits
He's beaten the odds
Posted 2010-11-29 17:38:23
Aww! How did I miss this contest h( only six entries too. Who ended up being the lucky winner?
Josh Middleton
Posted 2010-11-30 10:07:25
Sorry, Anonymous. We posted the winner today. Check it out!
Cristina Roman
Posted 2010-12-13 01:57:27
I love u so much i grow up around ur music... u made me realize the difference between life and love and i would really love 2 win this ticz love u Usher
Dani
Posted 2011-01-20 07:59:58
My good friend hayley loves you and your music playes your music all the time when she puts her iPod on your music is all I hear she dances to your music all the time it has been her dream since I can remember to meet you or go to one of your concerts I hooe she wins this it would be amazing for her 

Your amazing to everyone your music is amazing x x
Posted by Josh Middleton @ 5:45 PM  Permalink | Post a comment
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About this blog
Featuring everything from event roundups to concert reviews and sex talk, City Paper's Critical Mass is a space for off-the-wall coverage of Philly's A&E scene.

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@mission2denmark | @emilygee

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