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Archive: November, 2012
We have way too much fun with our Instagram account (follow us @phillycitypaper!), but City Paper staff photographer Neal Santos (@nealsantos) is the real deal when it comes to snapping gorgeous shots of people and places around the City of Brotherly Love. Every Friday, in this space, he shares a handful of his week's favorites.
A dance party with context? Why not? It’s kind of like adding Sriracha to your eggs — you would eat them regardless, but it’s seriously better with it. A lot of it. At this culturally rich gathering trombonist Dan Blacksberg aims to give Philadelphians a chance to be a part of what he describes as a connection to history and community that the tradition of Yiddish dance and klezmer music has to offer. He wants others to experience what he has—excitement and joy for being a part of such a celebratory event. For those interested in more than just the dance party, there are also two workshops earlier in the day at 2 and 4 p.m.—one focusing on dance, and the other on music.
Sun., Nov. 18, 7 p.m., free, The Rotunda, 4014 Walnut St., 215-573-3234, therotunda.org.
The force is strong with this one. In case you somehow haven’t heard, George Lucas sold the Star Wars franchise to Disney, who announced new films are on the way. The guys at Locust Moon Comics are pretty pumped and are celebrating the announcement with a full-on extravaganza. Attendees can fulfill their longest-held wish with Drexel’s own Dragon Jedi — a choreography group that uses light sabers and stage combat — who will be hosting an introductory lesson (“So you want to be a Jedi?”), and performing. Star Wars films will be showing in the Locust Moon Theater and anyone who comes in costume is promised to leave with “something cool.” If that isn’t enough, how about enjoying it all while sipping on some Obi Wan Kenobieers (National Bohemian) or a Jedi Mind Trick (Bacardi 151, Kahlua, Grenadine)?
Fri., Nov. 16, 7 p.m., free, Locust Moon Comics, 34 S. 40th St., 267-403-2856, locustmoon.wordpress.com.
For our second Instagram contest ever, we're giving away a pair of tickets to the Of Montreal show on Thu., Dec. 13 at the Trocadero. And as an added bonus, we'll throw in the group's latest rarities release, Daughter of Cloud, on vinyl.
To play, stop by our Instagram profile, @phillycitypaper. We'll pick a winner on Tue., Dec. 11.
Check out these links to vids by out-of-town sketch groups, and then see them perform live at the fifth annual Philly Sketch Fest at the Prince Music Theater (1412 Chestnut St.), tonight and Saturday. For time and ticket info, click here.
Onassis (NYC) — "Pushing Rod Stewart"
A twisted sketch recorded live at Upright Citizen's Brigade Theatre in New York. It's about pushing Rod Stewart — literally. Onassis performs tonight at 9 p.m.
Brick Penguin (D.C.) — "Put It In My Mouth"
This is a ransom-negotiation scene between a kidnapper and his wealthy, weird hostage. Brick Penguin performs tonight at 10:30 p.m.
Friends of Gertrude (Boston) — "The Origin of Party in the USA"
A dramatic re-telling of how Miley Cyrus's hit single came to be. Sat., Nov. 17, 7 p.m.
Boosh Kla-Klau (NYC) — "Sex In The City For Dudes"
What if the HBO hit had a different demographic? Sat., Nov. 17, 9 p.m.
Missin Earl (NYC) — "The Ballad of O.J. Simpson"
A Bill Brasky-style musical tribute to O.J. Simpson. Sat., Nov. 17, 10:30 p.m.
I don’t care much about basketball, but I’ve always gotten a kick out of the Holding Court podcast — mainly because hosts Gregg Gethard and Aaron Hertzog make it more about comedy than sports. So it’s a shame that, after this week, Holding Court will adjourn since Hertzog is moving to Los Angeles in pursuit of bigger comedy dreams. The good news is that the show will go out in style, with its first (and last) ever live show. In fact, this Sunday night at Connie’s Ric-Rac is a two-fer, as Gethard is also reviving his Bedtime Stories comedy show. It's only five bucks at the door, and the money goes to help out a Hurricane Sandy victim. I caught up with Gethard over Facebook to shoot a few.
City Paper: So, Aaron Hertzog is moving to L.A.? Philly’s losing a funny, funny guy.
Gregg Gethard: Yes, my co-host Aaron is indeed moving to LA. I cannot stress enough how those of us in comedy will miss him. And it’s doubly that for me, personally. I tell this to Aaron all the time: No one has improved more than he has in comedy from the time he started until now. He has the rare combination of being ridiculously talented while also working harder than anyone in Philly at comedy. On top of it, Aaron is also the single nicest person I know. One of his favorite things to do every year is go Christmas caroling. How awesome is that?
CP: Tell me about Bedtime Stories.
GG: I started Bedtime Stories about six years ago. Every month, I come up with a different theme. All of the performers then have to do some sort of bit regarding that theme. The show’s been on hiatus for about two years but I decided to restart it again since I missed performing was more than I thought I would. This month’s theme is REVENGE.
CP: As for Holding Court, have you figured out the logistics for doing a live podcast?
GG: In true Holding Court Podcast form, we have no idea of the logistics of that sort of thing. When we started the podcast, we tried to plan the topics to talk about. But then we just went off topic as soon as we started. So, we stopped planning for the podcast. We also had very “lo-fi” technical equipment, too — a microphone and a laptop precariously balanced on Aaron’s windowsill.
If you’re even thinking about that second casino license, the application deadline is due now, Nov. 15, to the Pennsylvania Gaming Board by the end of the business day. So far, Bart Blatstein and his friends at Hard Rock gaming, Wynn Resorts, Penn National Gaming and the Goldenberg Group are supposed to be ready to drop $50 million to the Gaming Board if they get the license. We’re guessing these boys have the loot. But do they have the pencils to fill in the dots by today?
Philly big media week: Oyyyyyyy, c’mon now. First Arthur Kade got a new vocation (“celebrity interviewer”) on Extra for having interviewed Gen. David Petraeus’ m-m-mistress Paula Broadwell on his self-named blog. (Two things here: First, I think he calls himself that and second, how come the one day in nine years I’m not watching premium cable do I have to see Kade? KAAAAAAAADE.) Then Celebrity Boxing promoter Damon Feldman, who we love but he’s straining the bromance here, got hit upon by Radar for trying to get back the diamond ring he “engaged” Octomom Nadya Suleman with when she fought for him in Feb. 2012. The pricey publicity stunt gone bad — 1.5 carats, a $7,500 diamond ring marriage proposal now unrequited — got filed this week with the Marple Township Police Dept.
The first Philadelphia Annual Philadelphia Dog Fashion Show is back for year two this weekend at the Hyatt at the Bellevue, Nov. 16, and the whole event from the cocktail reception to the pooch runway walk to the Philadelphia Boys Choir performance benefits the PSPCA Humane Law Enforcement. Not only will your door charge purchase the HLE Team new bullet proof vests, you’ll get to see Philly DA Seth Williams, the dog show’s honorary chairman, model on the catwalk. I mean dog walk.
View gallery
Genius is probably too weak a word to describe Kaki King’s guitar playing. She transcends conceivability. Her playing is almost supernatural — she is a sorceress. Each of her guitars is like a different magic wand that she uses to cast sonic spells that transfix her audiences and baffle other guitarists.
Last night Kaki King took the stage at World Cafe Live (downstairs) with five guitars and mesmerized the audience with a set comprised mostly of songs from her new album Glow. She did perform a few older tunes, including “Magazine,” “Doing the Wrong Thing” and “Carmine Street.” Among her arsenal of magic guitars were a Griffin (a small twelve-string guitar with a high tuning), a seven-string guitar, a koto guitar (a guitar modified with a small piece of wood — in this case a kitchen utensil — that forms a bridge at the 16th fret and gives the guitar the sound of a koto, a Japanese harp-like instrument), a Moog Synthesizer guitar, and her usual Ovation Adamas.
Kaki King’s new album features ETHEL, a New York-based string quartet. The collaboration created a multilayering of string and guitar spells that works really organically and deepens the overall sorcery. Her performance at World Cafe Live was solo, but if you hadn’t heard the new album with the strings you may not have missed them. King really fills a lot of musical space by herself and even added some percussion, whether it was tapping the body of a guitar, thumping her foot on a wooden box, or wearing a percussive bracelet around her ankle.
Not much compares to seeing Kaki King live. That said, the new record may have to do (not a bad consolation) if you missed the show.
More photos at davetavani.com.
System peripherals like Kinect are changing the way we play video games while our xBoxes are turning into home entertainment hubs, it’s hard deny that video games aren’t just for gamers these days. They’re not even just for play, as programmers are developing games to train teachers and help children with Cerebral Palsy. Kudo Tsunoda — former creative director of Kinect for Xbox 360 and designer of such games like EA Sports’ “Fight Night” — will be discussing the directions new game technology is taking. As someone who has developed innovative game features including “Army Men: Air Attack’s” Winch Mechanic and “Fight Night’s” Total Punch Control system, Tsunoda has an unique and knowledgeable perspective of the changes in systems and technology and how these changes will affect gamers and non-gamers alike.
Thu., Nov. 15, 6:30 p.m., free, Bossone Research Center, 3140 Market St., 215-895-2000, drexel.edu.
After the success of last year’s Bob Dylan songfest, UPenn’s Kelly Writers House is putting together a night dedicated to The Boss. Al Filreis, Greg Djanikian and Anthony DeCurtis (who is also a contributing editor at Rolling Stone), along with students and guests like New York Times music critic (and former City Paper jazz writer) Nate Chinen, will be on hand to dissect and analyze the lyrics of Bruce Springsteen. The tracks discussed will come from a wide range of Springsteen albums, including this year’s Wrecking Ball and 1982 classic Nebraska. There will be a reception afterwards for those who don’t feel like immediately heading back to the streets of Philadelphia.
TONIGHT, Thu., Nov. 15, 6 p.m., free, Kelly Writers House, 3805 Locust Walk, 215-746-7636, writing.upenn.edu/wh.
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