Archive: February, 2011

CURATOR: Would you give Hitler a jetpack?

POSTED: Wednesday, February 9, 2011, 4:00 PM

Every Wednesday, Critical Mass pokes around the blog world so you don't have to.

â¤ Tool alert via Philebrity: In what may be City Councilman Jim Kenney's most recent conversation with Satan, he decided it might be a good idea to give the PPA legal domain to check business licenses. This recent move falls on Kenny's resume, which also includes trying to sue the internet for causing a snowball fight and making bike fines similar to those incurred from bad driving. As Philebrity notes, this bit of legislation requires us to trust the PPA, something that simply goes against any sort of logic. It only took one trip to the PPA when I was 20 to know I shouldn't trust them, and the further from their Big Brother-like grasp I could be, the better. It would be one thing if they did their jobs well, but when I accidentally show my voter registration card and they say it checks out as car registration, do we really want them to have more power? Would you give Hitler a jetpack? I don't think you would. â¤ So much of what makes a memorable Super Bowl has to do with the quality of the commercials. With a game that never really felt that close until the end, and not to mention a clusterfuck of a halftime show, the ads become more important than ever. This week, Phawker provides a nice wrap-up of the evening's best and worst commercials on a 1-to-10 scale. I've got to say I wasn't very entertained this time around. It's possible a claymation Eminem trying to look hard for Brisk was enough to ruin everything that followed it. â¤ Lastly, we've got a new track from the pretty new Philly band Work Drugs via Phrequency and Soundcloud. Besides confusing my Google search into thinking I was trying to figure out "how drugs work," Work Drugs provides a nice reminder of some of the lazy pop that came out this past summer. "Rad Racer" reminds me of a less-lazy Philly-version of a Small Black song. With surely at least one good snow storm left in this winter, some summer tunes may help. Wanna find out about artsy haps around town? Check the Galleries listings in our events database.

Posted by Sean Kearney @ 4:00 PM Permalink | Post a comment

JUST DO IT: Superheroes for Black History Month

POSTED: Wednesday, February 9, 2011, 3:00 PM

Filed Under: Critical Mass | Just Do It


	Save The Day Productions
	Gerard Joseph as T'Challa a.k.a The Black Panther

You can always expect a culturally relevant lineup of comic book shenanigans from Save the Day Production's signature series, Super Heroes Who are Super! And February â Black History Month â is no exception.

At Plays & Players on Saturday, Feb. 12, an all-African-American cast will perform a play about the first black super hero in a comic, T'Challa — also known as the Black Panther. When he returns to Wakanda (yes, that's a fictional African kingdom) following his time in America with the Fantastic Four, "The Man Called Kill-Monger!" has taken over and must be stopped. Sound action-packed, enough? Wait until the bluesy American babe steps into the picture. In case you're unacquainted with Super Heroes Who are Super!, it's all straight out of the muscled Marvel characters and soap-operatic scripts of the '60s and '70s. Aided by not-so-state-of-the-art effects (we're talking water guns), the cast reads and performs the entire comic. Featuring Gerard Joseph and narrator Joe Turner, who runs Atomic City Comics on South Street, they will indulge in the racy melodrama of the Panther's Rage at 10:30 p.m., Plays & Players Third Floor Skinner Studio, $12-15, 1714 Delancey Place,savethedayproductions.org.

Posted by Will Stone @ 3:00 PM Permalink | Post a comment

NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH: Accessories take basic to beautiful

POSTED: Tuesday, February 8, 2011, 9:00 PM

Filed Under: Critical Mass | Shopping Fashion

Neighborhood Watch looks for Philly's most fashionable. This week, Kala catches up with a pair of Philly friends who use chic, funky accessories to add pizazz to their looks.

Photo | Kala Jamison

West Philly's Laura Bouchard (21) is a dedicated fan of neutral colors and "standard" pieces like simple jeans and sweaters. The lively aspects of her outfits aren't her clothes, but her accessories.

She wears a chain with a letter 'L' charm and a bead from New Mexico every day, but likes to accompany her necklace with dangly earrings, bold rings and colorful scarves. Bouchard purchased her red ceramic ring at Dandelion jewelry store in Philly, and her earrings from Stella & Dot. She also likes the Havertown jewelry supply store, The Bead Garden. A friend handmade her multicolored scarf, which she layers over simple pieces from Anne Taylor, Old Navy, and Manayunk consignment store Worn Yesterday. Her metallic silver bag is from Macy's Style & Co. line. "I use that bag pretty much every day," she says. "I even put my binders in it for class." Fashion and function — gotta love it.

Photo | Kala Jamison

Christine Burke (21), also from West Philly, favors more colorful prints and patterns in her wardrobe, but compliments her clothing with standout jewelry, belts, and bags. Her white and gold cocktail ring and red, pink, and orange beaded earrings are from Silpada , and her black slouchy bag with silver accents is from Lucky Brand.

She likes to carry the large bag during the day, but says her Macy's clutch is easier to carry for nights out. Like Bouchard, she pretty much sticks to one or two bags instead of many in constant rotation. She believes the trick is to find one bag that works as an accessory to many outfits. Over her Merona top and American Eagle sweater, she wears a braided brown leather belt from Gap. She laughs that her black pants are simply stretchy yoga pants from City Sports, but pairing them with the right tops and shoes (like her Minnetonka moccasins) keep her from looking like she just came from the gym. It's easy to throw on a pair of jeans and a tee and call it a day. Luckily, it's also easy to spice up an everyday outfit with a few simple, eye-catching pieces. While basic tank tops and sweaters can come and go from a wardrobe, accessories and jewelry tend to stick around. One can wear a scarf or bag many days in a row, and timeless, meaningful pieces of jewelry can be paired with almost any outfit. The best part is that most accessories can be worn during any season, and most pieces come relatively cheap. If you work at it long enough, the art of accessorizing is one that's easily mastered To find out where to get the best deals on outfit-amplifying accessories, check the Shopping/Style page of our events database.

Posted 2011-02-09 17:17:14

THAT GIRL IS A FOX AND A DEMON IN THE SACK!!!! ;)

Posted by Kala Jamison @ 9:00 PM Permalink | Post a comment

CONCERT REVIEW: The Machine tributes Floyd @ Collingswood's Scottish Rite Theatre

POSTED: Tuesday, February 8, 2011, 7:00 PM

Filed Under: Music Concert Review

The lasers and the moving lights It takes a certain type of savant to attend a Pink Floyd tribute show and audit every note, tempo, timbre, and sibilance. It takes an even more maniacal enthusiast to confirm which songs would have been embellished into improvisational sub-genres, and for how long. Finally, it would have taken a miracle for a nit-picky jerk like this to be impressed. Well, I admit that I probably would have had a good time as long as the dudes were just having fun playing Floyd. But I wouldn't have given them a four-star rating for anything less than an loving and technically impossible recreation of the Pink Floyd experience. But that's what I got. And that's what I've always got every time I've seen The Machine. Not to draw comparisons, but you might have seen their grand scale counterpart — Australian Floyd. If A.F. represents Floyd's Wall-era big-production arena showcase, then The Machine — whose biggest show I've attended is their epic annual Keswick theatre residency (where they've been known to play Dark Side through, with The Wizard of Oz in the background) — represents their Live in Pompeii style intimacy (except of course, with no skimping on the greatest hits). With The Machine, it's always atmosphere. Just the right amount of video on the big circle, a gentle touch on the fog. The lasers and moving lights — while different from venue to venue — always add and never distract. It's the kind of thoroughly sensitive psychedelic rock experience that makes this 28 year old really feel okay with being born in the wrong decade. I think the thing I like most about The Machine is that, unlike with A.F., it's never "I'll just close my eyes and pretend it's really Floyd." Even though the solo's are note-for-note identical and The Machine's Joe Pascarell can modulate his vox to imitate a 1980s post-traumatic stress disorder Roger Waters or early seventies self-exploring David Gilmour to pitch-perfect emotional frequency, these guys aren't trying to throw shadows on the wall. I'm not sure whether it's through their frequent smiling or between-song-banter, or the obvious rush of excitement when it's time for an improv, but you always feel like you're guests in their basement with them. They are a personal conduit to the gods, rather than a god facade. I'll break down some setlist highlights: They opened with Have a Cigar, the satirical anthem revealing higher-level bullshit of the music industry. Then they fire up all twelve flawless minutes of Shine On You Crazy Diamond (which some say is Pink Floyd's best work, but that's a discussion for a later time). A mandatory visit to Breathe and Time, which are arguably the only two radio tracks that never age. From there we pop around the discography, stopping at The Final Cut for Your Possible Pasts, Division Bell for Sorrow, and Momentary Lapse for a truly chilling and standing-o rendition of On the Turning Away. A couple more hits and then a 20 minute intermission. Next we got some sweet rarities and a couple of real tight jams: Young Lust with a funky disco-rock solo, If with a Ry Cooder/Wilco-esque string-jam, and Let There Be More Light with the unique touch of rockin snare-hits to accompany the regularly spaced-out psychedelia. After some more hits, and a scorching Sheep to close the main set. The encore finished with a mesmerizing rendition of The Trial, which did something for me that most Machine performances do at least once during their show: It made me re-evaluate my usually static lineup of Floyd album priorities. I figured myself all up to speed on appreciating The Wall back in 11th grade — wrongo. To see who else is playing in town this week, check the Music listings in our events database.

Posted by Ryan Carey @ 7:00 PM Permalink | Post a comment

BOOKISH: What can you do with a birdhouse, a femme fatale and the 17th prez?

POSTED: Tuesday, February 8, 2011, 5:00 PM

Filed Under: Critical Mass Books

Each Wednesday Critical Mass puts together a rundown of book-centric events that'll keep you "lit" all week long. Tuesday: Abe Lincoln has been making headlines since the mid 19th century, but his successor, Andrew Johnson, hasn't enjoyed the same limelight. Pulitzer-prize winning author and professor at New York Law School, Annette Gordon-Reed, has now given the 17th president his due. Her newest addition to the presidential series details the difficult tasks facing Johnson when he took office, including an unruly congress — sound familiar? Gordon-Reed has authored The Hemingses of Monticello, which won her the National Book Award, as well as Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings: An American Controversy. Catch her talk at the Philadelphia Free Library tonight. Tues, Feb. 8, 7:30 p.m., $7â$15, Central Library, 901 Vine Street, 215-686-5322. Wednesday: Get your fill of crime, intrigue and maybe even some seduction with crime writer and Private Eye CiCi McNair. McNair's newest non-fiction work, Never Flirt With A Femme Fatale, which comes straight out of her own sleuthing experiences with dangerous ladies. While the tales of crime take place in Manhattan, McNair is a fixture in Philly as head of the investigative firm Green Star Investigations, and author of Detectives Don't Wear Seatbelts. Hosted by The Friends of the Free Library, the reading will happen at The Next Page Bookstore. Wed., Feb. 9, 5:30 p.m., free, The Next Page, 722 Chestnut St., 215-925-0722. Thursday: Elementary school projects are not generally the stuff of psychological thrillers. And that's all the more reason to check out Kelly Simmons' newest novel, The Bird House. Through the voice of Ann Biddle, a grandmother whose dementia threatens to erode the dark memories of her family, the novel weaves together an intergenerational family drama. A local, Simmons was noticed for her first novel, Standing Still. If you can make it out to West Chester for Simmons' reading and discussion, it'll be worth the trip. Thurs., Feb. 10, 7 p.m., free, Chester County Book and Music Co, 975 Paoli Pike, West Chester, 610-696-1661. Friday: Inside the mind of Osama Bin Laden is not a place most us want to go. That said, somebody has got to do it. From 1996 to 1999, Michael Scheuer was that guy. Former chief of the CIA's Osama bin Laden Unit, Scheuer has written several books, including Imperial Hubris, which he authored anonymously and criticized many of the United States' anti-insurgency policies. His new biography delivers a portrait of bin Laden based on interviews and previously untranslated sources. He'll be at the Penn Bookstore. Fri., Feb. 11, 5:00 p.m., free, University of Pennsylvania Bookstore, 3601 Walnut Street, 215-898-7595. Saturday: Switch up your bookish tour with some poetics at the Moonstone Arts Center. Presented by Women's Writing & Spoken Word Series, Joan Hanna, local poet and managing editor for Poet's Quarterly, will join UPenn's Angel Hogan, a First Person Arts storytelling champ and West Philly resident. Sat., Feb. 12, 7 p.m., $5, Moonstone Arts Center, 110 S. 13th St., 215-735-9598.

To stay abreast of other author appearances in Philadelphia, check the Readings/Signings page of our events database.

Posted by Will Stone @ 5:00 PM Permalink | Post a comment

I AM WOMAN: Drunk on Sudafed and Oscar Wilde

POSTED: Tuesday, February 8, 2011, 3:00 PM

Filed Under: I Am Woman

In contrast to our weekly dude column Man Cave, I Am Woman adds a feminine touch by chronicling the weekend adventures of a single Philadelphia socialite:

I have become a philosopher: This weekend I took some "me" time to reevaluate my life and reflect on my past actions. I cannot, however, take all of the credit for my new-found wisdom, my prophetic thoughts mostly stemmed from the Sudafed I took every four to six hours. To top it off, I had elephantine proportions of homework to do, part of which included one of my favorite poets, Oscar Wilde. I fell in love with Wilde's eccentric way of seeing the world during my first year of high school. So like any nerd propelled by the momentum of wanting to know more, I bought books — any book that talked about Wilde, no matter who the author. Later, as I divulged deeper into my readings, my mind started to drift. I play this game with myself which may seem a little strange, and it happens often enough that I refer to is as the "What-Ifs." I literally sit down and imagine if all the decisions I had made in that day or week had been the opposite. For example, "What if I had missed that train by five minutes, would I have met my Valentine?" After playing the "What-Ifs" through two more doses of Sudafed, I came to the conclusion that I am not perfect but content with myself in ways that allow me to be happy every day. Mentally worn out, the following day my friends came over with a care package that included soups, more Sudafed, cough drops, movies, Cosmo mags, and juice. I fell asleep somewhere in the middle of Dear John, a movie all about what ifs, and woke up to surprise brownies. Spending all day with good friends like these only reinforces the good decisions I have made. Oscar Wilde once said, "But what is the good of friendship if one cannot say exactly what one means? Anybody can say charming things and try to please and to flatter, but a true friend always says unpleasant things, and does not mind giving pain. Indeed, if he is a really true friend he prefers it, for he knows that then he is doing good." I couldn't agree more.

Posted by Jillian Weir-Reeves @ 3:00 PM Permalink | Post a comment

ART REVIEW: Wilmington's Art Loop

POSTED: Monday, February 7, 2011, 8:00 PM

Filed Under: Arts | Critical Mass | Arts Events Visual Art

NWAA.org

The NWAA invited viewers to an open workspace.

Perhaps, like me, you've always thought of Wilmington as Philly's little sibling: why go there when you've got your own big city? A few recent trips across the border, however, helped me realize what I've been missing—particularly when it comes to the arts scene. Wilmington's slogan is "a place to be somebody." The city is just the right size to live up to the phrase: it's small enough to give its artists a voice and large enough to give them an audience. This weekend I headed to Wilmington's Art Loop, the city's version of First Friday. Within a few blocks of each other were an impressive number of galleries, including the Delaware College of Art and Design, the live-in Shipley Lofts, and the New Wilmington Art Association. The latter two organizations have emerged in just the past few years. Many of the artists greeting visitors at the galleries knew each other well. It was clearly a tight-knit community, but not an insular one: a wide variety of people, from first-time visitors to art connoisseurs, were inspecting the pieces on display. The atmosphere was welcoming and unpretentious.

My first stop was Shipley Lofts (right), which provides living, working, and exhibition spaces for artists. Its Chris White gallery hosted works by Kevin Bielicki, whose work focused on wood. Many of his pieces featured painted tiles whose steel frames were part of the work; also on display were sculptures including Kayak, a curvy wooden frame with burlap stretched across it. In the midst of the exhibit was a release party for local musicians' CDs. Next I visited the New Wilmington Art Association, which gave visitors a chance to see artists' work in progress. In one corner stood a horse constructed of strip lights spread with colored cloth; in another was an interactive electronic piece. It called on viewers to stand on a platform which operated a wheel attached to a number of strings. The strings dipped weights into cups filled with liquid at various heights across the walls (the video here makes it clearer). Another piece featured painted Tyvek—a material made by Wilmington's own DuPont. The open-studio space, said artist Jane Chesson, provides "the opportunity to do something I couldn't do elsewhere." Directly across the street was a reception for the annual student exhibition at the Delaware College of Art and Design. The quality of the student work here—and its sheer volume—was impressive. On display was two-dimensional art, including drawing, painting, photography typography, cartoons, housing designs; three-dimensional pieces, including sculptures made of marble, wood, and cardboard; video, animation, and more. The large gallery was so packed with artwork that I at first assumed the water cooler was part of the exhibit. I ended my night at the Film Brothers' Co-Op, just down the street, which was hosting an after-party with an incredible amount of free food: gourmet pizzas appeared to keep spontaneously spawning on the tables. I'd seen a lot without paying a cent—but it was only a fraction of the works on show.

Mark J.

Posted 2011-02-07 02:17:48

Great summary; have been to Wilmington a few times, but never heard about these events til now. Sounds like they could use a longer piece in City Paper.

Michael Kalmbach

Posted 2011-02-08 00:11:33

see this piece that was in the artblog for everything you need to know about the Wilmington art scene:
http://theartblog.org/2010/04/artist-friendly-wilmington-michael-kalmbach-helps-it-happen/

Posted by Matt Cantor @ 8:00 PM Permalink | Post a comment

REVIEW: Boobs and Wing Bowl 19

POSTED: Monday, February 7, 2011, 7:00 PM

Filed Under: Been There, Done That

Photo | Massimo Pulcini

I'm quite certain I died and went to heaven. No, not one with pearly gates, angels, and maidens feeding me grapes as I lounge on a cloud, but one with beer, rock music and strippers heaving endless plates of hot wings at men who are larger than life. Where can someone find such a paradise, you may ask? I found it at SportsRadio 610 WIP's Wing Bowl 19, the national amateur hot wing-eating completion held in Philly every year.

Photo | Massimo Pulcini

On Friday before the Super Bowl, 20,000 (usually wasted) "fans" crowd into the Wells Fargo Center in South Philly at 6 a.m. to watch a celebration of gluttony and pole dancers. Yes, the Wing Bowl is as much a food competition as it is a stripper showcase, with more boob exposure per second than anywhere else on the planet. The rules are simple — 26 eaters square off in a three-round tournament that requires they put down as many wings as possible. The first two rounds are 15-minutes-long and eaters with the smallest number of wings consumed are eliminated after each round is up. The final round is a wing-off where the top competitors face each other in a two-minute lightning round that proves wing eating supremacy. Where do the strippers come in? When each eater is announced, they parade around the floor in a float accompanied by an entourage of barely dressed "Wingettes" representing local strip joints (Delilah's, Cheerleaders, etc.). Think of it as an XXX Thanksgiving Day Parade. These lovely young ladies cheer on their competitor as they stuff their face with hot sauce smothered poultry delights.

Photo | Massimo Pulcini

This year's competition included the Ice Man, who came out in giant igloo, Wild Turkey, who busted out of his coop, and the legendary El Wingador, who was received with thunderous applause. After all the eaters are announced and seated, the competition begins. Each eater has their own distinct style and strategy: some use the corn-on-the-cob method, some rip the wing into two halves and eat, and some just devour the entire morsel and remove a bare bone from their mouth. As the morning went on, competitors dropped like flies until only two remained, and in the closest Wing Bowl ever, defending champ Super Sqiubb from Berlin, N.J. defeated the 5-time champ and Wing Bowl Hall of Famer, El Wingador by a single wing. Though the Wing Bowl comes across as a simple eating competition, it is so much larger than that: It's a spectacle. The energy in the stadium is so high. Maybe it's the booze flowing in 99.9% of the fans blood, but the people get super hyped for the event. Several "celebrities" were also present at the, most notably adult film stars Ron Jeremy, Mary Carey, Katie Morgan, and pro eating king, Kobayashi (who, in an eating stunt of his own, finished an entire cheesesteak in 24.3 seconds). There was also a live band playing all sorts of classic rock covers, a mechanical bull that gave some between-round entertainment, and more streamers, confetti, and beads than Mardi Gras. And then, the boobs — SO MANY BOOBS. I saw so many nip slips that even TMZ would be jealous. Both the hired strippers and a large amount of intoxicated women in the crowd bared all, and there was enough girl-on-girl Kiss-Cam scenes on the Jumbotron to put most soft-core stag films to shame. In true American fashion, this wasn't simply a celebration of hot wings, but the personification of America's favorite deadly sins. While some may look at the Wing Bowl as everything that's wrong with society — obesity, indecent exposure and excessive intoxication — I hope most can see what the event is really about: fun. This was my first Wing Bowl experience and I can easily say it was one of the most enjoyable experiences in my life. The sheer absurdity and oddity of what went on around me that morning was so awe inducing. Maybe it was all the boobs, but I had a smile on my face the whole time. I highly encourage people to see what all the fuss is about by going to at least one Wing Bowl. I know I'll be back for seconds next year.

Photo | Massimo Pulcini

Posted by Massimo Pulcini @ 7:00 PM Permalink | Post a comment

THE SHOWDOWN: A music lover's spectacle

POSTED: Monday, February 7, 2011, 6:00 PM

Filed Under: Music The Showdown

Monday: It's odd to think about it, but other cities have local bands, too. I know, right? One of Nashvile's hometown favorites, Pujol, recently got into the studio with one Jack White. The resulting 7" single shows off leader Daniel Pujol's rather endearing brand of bluesy rock. Pujol's emphatic delivery and gritty, primal arrangements make for a giddy, retro sound. Playing to a sweaty crowd in an industrial warehouse should come quite easily to these guys. w/ Monotonix, Federation X & Da Comrade!, 8 p.m., $10, The Ox, 1652 N. 2nd St. Tuesday: When it comes to bleak, poetic music of North America, no two songwriters captured the disillusionment of the '60s and '70s better than Leonard Cohen and Lou Reed. Part of a week-long music festival at the Fire, this showcase of some of the city's finest roots groups and singer-songwriters will take on the celebrated songbooks of these two legends. Make sure you come properly prepared with black clothing and heavy, heavy feelings. Featuring Brad Hinton, Small Houses, Chris Kasper, Louis Elliot, Brian Flanagan, Hezekiah Jones, Ron Gallo, Phil D'Agostino, Johnny Miles, Matt Helm & Matt Landis, 9 p.m., $8, The Fire, 412 W. Girard Ave., 267-671-9298. Wednesday: Yee-freakin' haw! One of Crescent City's swampiest rockers, Fred LeBlanc, brings his two bands, the bayou-thumping Cowboy Mouth and the cow-punkin' Dash Rip Rock, together to one stage. When LeBlanc formed Cowboy Mouth in 1990, Dash Rip Rock carried on without him, and has ever since. Both bands have recently-released material, but it's each band's beloved back catalogue that's likely to steal the show. That, or the uncanny blend of Mardi Gras jubilation and rodeo ruckus. 8 p.m., $25, Sellersville Theater, 24 West Temple Ave., 215-257-5808. Thursday: A favorite among coffeehouse dwellers and public broadcasting-supporters (and all those who fall into both categories), Josh Ritter returns to present songs from last year's So Runs The World Away. Blossoming from the sparser sounds of his earlier albums, So Runs The World is a lush, baroque offering whose songs will be brought to life by Ritter's immensely versatile Royal City Band. Old favorites will get the flourishes, too, bringing Ritter's past along for the ride into his second decade of music making. w/ Scott Hutchison, 8 p.m., $21 - $24, Trocadero, 10th St. & Arch St., 215-922-6888. Friday: One of the latest folk-rock groups to catch the eye of the masses, The David Wax Museum brings the music of their new album, Everything Is Saved, to the cozy walls of the Tin Angel. Sometimes they weave delicate, pastoral odes, other times the feel is far more rollicking. Come see what all the folky fuss is about, you'll be very glad you did. Oh, and don't worry, this Wax Museum isn't creepy like the ones you've probably avoided visiting. 10:30 p.m., $10, Tin Angel, 20 S. 2nd St., 215-928-0770. Saturday: Here's one for the whole family. Keller Williams, hero of one-man acoustic music, recently released an album for kids, very aptly titled Kids. In addition to a matinee show, he'll do a 'regular' performance which, if you're familiar with "K-Dub's" live show, you know is anything but. Wrangling uncanny cover versions along with his super catchy originals, Williams puts on a music lover's spectacle. A special offer includes tickets to both shows and a meet and greet, where you can introduce your kids to a bona-fide human jukebox. w/ Potential Drum (matinee only), 3:30 p.m. & 9 p.m., $23 - $34.75 ($42 for both shows/meet and greet), TLA, 334 South St., 215-922-1011. Sunday: Baths is the unusual project of one very unusual guy. The solo sensation even has a mild-mannered alter-ego name: Will Wiesenfeld, but he's not the one you'll see onstage. When Baths takes over, it's all mind-twisting, genre-crossing, freaked-out pop from then on. A party like this calls for no ordinary spaceball outfit: it's a DJ, it's a band, no, it's Baths! w/ Braids & Star Slinger, 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

COUCH POTATO: S, S, S and M, M, M ...

POSTED: Monday, February 7, 2011, 5:00 PM

Filed Under: Critical Mass | TV Couch Potato

Rihanna's new music video rivals Lady GaGa for overt sexuality and eye-grabbing costumes (That polka dot dress is to die for). It's uniquely RiRi though, who's softer and more playful with an urban flair. And, oh boy, do we love the kink. Anyone who expresses offense is decidedly lame and unsexy, and should probably stick to board games. S&M is reportedly banned on YouTube in 11 countries (mostly southeast Asia). But it's far more pleasing to the eye than the crotch. The pastel latex, Perez Hilton on a leash, pink popcorn, and bondage are all more fun and cute than raunchy. The song lyrics are pretty clever and so racy that BBC Radio 1 won't play it before 7 p.m. This is odd since there aren't any expletives or explicit sex acts in them. Was it the "Sticks and stones may break my bones/but chains and whips excite me" part? What happened to being afraid your kid would join a gang? If he or she is sophisticated enough to understand innuendo, it's time to curb your censorship and have that talk. Either that, or play Kidz Bop and leave the rest of us alone.

Posted by Bianca Brown @ 5:00 PM Permalink | Post a comment

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CONCERT REVIEW: The Rolling Stones @ Wells Fargo Center 6/18 || Ian McLagan @ Tin Angel 6/17
What we're trying to do this weekend
CONCERT REVIEW: The Postal Service @ The Mann 6/17
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Behind the scenes of local film A Man Full of Trouble
NOW SEE THIS: Salinger film trailer
ICEPACK ILLUSTRATED: Indian fare rules, Dunder Mifflin lives on, Tom Jones is a god
REVIEW: Archer Live! @ the TLA 1/11
CITY PAPER WRITING CONTEST 2013: Send stories! Send poetry!
CONCERT PHOTOS: The National/Dirty Projectors @ The Mann Center 6/7

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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