Archive: February, 2011

TO-DO LIST: Events & Festivals, Feb. 16-23

POSTED: Wednesday, February 16, 2011, 3:00 PM

Filed Under: To-Do List

Each day we dig into a different category of our listings database to compile a to-do list of our favorite entries. Today: a week's worth of Events/Festivals.

Prison and Death Fast

28-DAY PRISON AND DEATH FAST Ex-convict and "Rest in Peace" memorial wall founder Michael Taíbon will lock himself in an outside jail cell for for an entire month in the attempt to dissuade young people from committing acts that could land them in prison. Every Sunday through February, FREE, "Rest in Peace" Memorial Wall, 1924 Hunting Park Ave., fromcant2can.com.

A GLOBAL EXPEDITION Award-winning PBS and National Geographic reporter Boyd Matson talks about his life as an adventure and expedition reporter. He'll talk about his extensive travels, including his climbs of Mt. Kilimanjaro. Wed., Feb. 16, 6:30 p.m., FREE, Drexel University, Bossone Research Center, 3128 Market St., 215-895-1275.

SNOW MOON AND S'MORES Under February's full moon nicknamed "Snow Moon" by American Indian cultures and alongside a blazing campfire with s'mores, educator Ehren Gross recounts stories and legends from around the world that honor the moon. For a closer look at that big orb in the night sky, you'll peek through the new telescope. Dress warmly and bring binoculars if you desire. Fri, Feb. 18, 7-8:30 p.m., $5, Briar Bush Nature Center, 1212 Edge Hill Rd., Abington, 215-887-9079.

DELAWARE WINTER ANTIQUE SHOW Dozens of the best antique and collectible dealers from the region offer a wide variety of merchandise, including vintage furniture, artifacts, jewelry, porcelain, ephemera, memorabilia, glassware, advertising, pottery, collectibles and toys. Sun, Feb. 20, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., $4-$10, Nur Shrine Temple, 198 S. Dupont Hwy., New Castle, DE, 302-328-6100.

Dalloway Reading

A MARATHON READING OF MRS. DALLOWAY A reading marathon (front to back) of Virginia Woolf's classic, Mrs. Dalloway. Guests are encouraged to dress in Dalloway-period attire and munch on dainty snacks like toffee and teacakes. Fri, Feb. 18, 12 p.m., FREE, Kelly Writers House, 3805 Locust Walk, 215-746-7636.

TRAVELS AT TWELVE: BOTANIZING IN THE ECUADORIAN ANDES Come on a birding and botanizing tour of the eastern Andes starting in the cloud forests around San Isidro at 6,500 feet; crossing over the summit of the Andes; viewing high alpine South American flora, and ending on the western slope in the Cordillera de Guacamayos. Curator for the Scott Arboretum, Andrew Bunting's weeklong trip explored many of the plant habitats represented in Ecuador. Space is limited to 100 people for this lecture. Thu, Feb. 17, 12-1 p.m., FREE, Scott Arboretum, 500 College Ave., Swarthmore, 610-328-7755.

TRENTON AVENUE ARTS FESTIVAL - OPEN CALL FOR ARTIST VENDORS The organizers of the Trenton Avenue Arts Festival, a showcase of local artists, musicians and eateries, is looking for vendors for their 2011 hoopla in May. If interested, email eknaartsfest@gmail.com or visit ekna.org. $30-$55, Trenton Avenue Arts Festival, trentonaveartsfest.blogspot.com. For more Events/Festivals listings, or to add some of your own, click HERE.

Posted by Bianca Brown @ 3:00 PM Permalink | Post a comment

THEATER REVIEW: Luna Theater Co.'s Blasted @ the Adrienne, 2/13

POSTED: Tuesday, February 15, 2011, 8:00 PM

Blasted is advertised as unsuitable for those under 18. It's bursting with vicious profanity, relentless violence, simulated rape and copious blood. It is more disturbing and uncomfortable than many horror films. It leaves you feeling turned completely inside-out, with a slick of anxious sweat on your forehead and your stomach in knots. In that way, it is one of the most enormously successful plays you might ever see. It's simply torturously brilliant. Sarah Kane's play is the story of Welsh journalist Ian (John Jezior) and his younger ex-lover, Cate (Haley McCormick). The two lock themselves in a small hotel room in Northern England, where they engage in physical, intellectual and emotional battles. Ian taunts, demeans and abuses Cate, and she wages an internal battle over whether to kill him or leave him. Jezior is absolutely perfect as the paranoid and sadistic Ian we watch him reduced from a roaring, vile Goliath to a simpering, starving invalid, and he hits every note with sickeningly convincing force. McCormick as Cate is the naïve, petrified and epileptic counterpart to Ian's monstrous persona, and she so heartbreakingly portrays this trapped, miserable girl that it's difficult not to run onstage to protect her. When a solider (Jerry Rudasill) storms into the hotel room as a result of the war raging outside, Blasted goes even further it becomes an exploration of the characters' (and perhaps, our own) humanity. Rudasill transforms the solider, who describes his torturous ways and performs them on Ian, into a more ferocious villain than Ian ever was. His few snarky lines are meant to be a twisted sort of comic relief, but every almost-laugh feels all wrong what sort of person can find humor here? In the end, Blasted is a stunning observation of the lengths to which humans will go to survive, relate to one another, and maintain their humanity. The play forces us to ask the deepest, most frightening questions of ourselves. It's vexing how any of the actors could have so astonishingly portrayed such broken people. What makes you ache, makes you almost ill to think of, is that any of us could be them; the capacity for complete ruin, even evil, is there in us all, somewhere just beneath the surface. Through March 5 (extended run), $12.50-$32, Upstairs at the Adrienne, 2030 Sansom St., 866-811-4111, lunatheater.org.

Mark Cofta

Posted 2011-02-15 16:43:26

I didn't find the violence itself disturbing. Some might make all sorts of nasty assumptions about my character (or, at least, my over-exposure to film and stage mayhem), but I think because Luna's production revealed the people behind it. What is easily assumed to be dehumanizing degradation actually stirred empathy in me because I understood that Cate, Ian, and even the soldier use (or, particularly in Cate's case, tolerate) violence and sex as a means to forge a connection with another person. This is certainly a play about violence, but I think it's also a play about lonliness. One might see the play's ending --which I'd rather not give away -- as almost hopeful: an unprecedented act of kindness, achieved at great cost, occurs. The ruin is not quite complete.

Posted by Kala Jamison @ 8:00 PM Permalink | Post a comment

POLL: Kris Vesrteeg can score but can he rap?

POSTED: Tuesday, February 15, 2011, 7:00 PM

Filed Under: Music Philly Bands

The Flyers' just traded for hot shot winger Kris Versteeg, because this is their year, people. And you may recall the name; Versteeg won the Cup last year with the Black Hawks. It's still painful to think how close the Flyers were. And I'm not entirely comfortable posting this clip from the victory celebration in Chicago, but I gotta ask you, readers: Does Versteeg have flow?

Jesse D

Posted 2011-02-16 12:27:01

No. No, he does not have flow.

jcbtaylor

Posted 2011-02-16 22:46:50

Versteeg just changed the words to an existing rap song for a bit of great fun during the celebration.  We laughed so hard, and were singing his version for some time after.  No, he can't really rap but he has a good time singing.  Enjoy this guy, Philadephia!  We wish he were still here in Chicago.

Posted by Patrick Rapa @ 7:00 PM Permalink | Post a comment

DJ NIGHTS BLOGGED: My House @ the Walnut Room TONIGHT!

POSTED: Tuesday, February 15, 2011, 6:00 PM

Filed Under: Music | DJ Nights Blogged DJs

WHO: Carl Michaels, Ben Arsenal, Red Richards, Bryon Stout, Jay Yo WHAT: Tuesdays seem to be catchin' steam in the Philly nightlife lately. To get on board, The Raven Lounge recently jumped off "Two Can Tuesdays" and the Walnut Room is settling into a nice groove with this new house soiree. They've got some of the city's top-notch house DJs holdin' down the beats with Harlan and Joe Heffe servin' up the drinks. A wide spectrum of house music is sure to be on deck, hitting styles such as deep, minimal, funky, progressive, jackin', and tech. WHEN & WHERE: Tue., Feb. 15, 9 p.m., free, Walnut Room, 1709 Walnut St., 215-751-0201, walnut-room.com. WHY: Wednesday's gonna suck anyway, so you might as well get your early-week slosh on!

Posted by Gair Marking @ 6:00 PM Permalink | Post a comment

DJ NIGHTS BLOGGED: My House @ the Walnut Room TONIGHT!

POSTED: Tuesday, February 15, 2011, 5:00 PM

Filed Under: Music | DJ Nights Blogged DJs

Posted by Gair Marking @ 5:00 PM Permalink | Post a comment

ICE CUBES: Audrina Patridge, Anna Kournikova and The Sitch

POSTED: Tuesday, February 15, 2011, 5:00 PM

Filed Under: Ice Cubes

Photo | Scott Weiner

The Situation and his sister, Melissa

As most of my family and my wife's family spent their formative years in Atlantic City, there's nothing I like more than occasionally popping into a casino for a show, some dinner, a party and the tables. Nothing sordid about the gambling. Nothing Leaving Las Vegas about the proceedings. Just a few gentlemanly tosses of the dice and several (dozen) spins on the roulette wheel. Vrrooom. Throw on my best Tom Ford Boardwalk Empire-inspired stripes no spats, please and we're set. This weekend, it was a bounce back and forth to The Pool at Harrahs and The Borgata for a few outings.

Photo | Scott Weiner

Harrahs' The Pool After Dark series twas all about the reality celebs. It's hard to imagine people showing up at a club just to be in the presence of a reality television personality save for one crucial element. Those who come to watch their faves standing on a tiny red carpet in front of a plastic logo-ed up backdrop, must somehow believe that they're one step removed from that similar possibility. As in "Hang on, wasn't that Ronnie guy just a neighborhood mook before MTV found him? Now he's doing Xenadrine commercials." This is my best guess. Why else would you go see a no-face like Audrina Patridge at Harrahs? I've only watched The Hills once and saw her mess up on Dancing with The Stars so I can't really comment, but she seemed/seems devoid of a personality or a signature look (other than a blank Stepford-ian stare) that I couldn't imagine anyone going in to a crowded bar to do shots of Cuervo in her name. FHM named her 2010's 16th sexiest woman? Really? Anyway, maybe Patridge's charms will be better revealed in her own VH1 reality series, Audrina, but I doubt it,

Then there was Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino of Jersey Shore fame. OK, so he's got a book under his weight belt and his own showing on Dancing with The Stars, but not much more. So why do I like The Sitch? Maybe because he's a paisan and I understand the struggle that so many of us Italian males have to go through. Sinatra had to get through Joey Bishop. Frankie Valli had his "Grease." Maybe it's because I have a four pack to his six pack. The Situation is okay by me. Anyway, we spied The Situation with his sister, Melissa at the Pool at Harrahs a rarity as the raven haired sis isn't often invited to the house in Seaside Heights. This brings me to the Borgata and my run-in with tennis bombshell Anna Kournikova. Whodathunk the long time paramour of Enrique Iglesias (that's who I was at the Borgata to see) would not only be at his gig but at the soundboard where I was standing? I could hardly hear Iglesias singing "Tonight I'm Fucking You" over her screams. C'man lady. Anyway, she wore a lot of black eyeshadow, a dark colored bra under a white top and the two of them were spied after his performance supping at Old Homestead for dinner and playing blackjack in the casino while I was rolling dice. Damn.

hillary

Posted 2011-02-15 12:50:16

I was at the show also   i thought it s---cked  it was such bad sounding  the people were really nasty  and the surprise of all i almost fainted when i saw ENRIQUE IGLESIAS LOOKING ANOREXIC THISN SKINNY!! my god  he looks sick!  and older looking really bad  wasnt happy i left with my boyfriend to go gambling.

craig

Posted 2011-02-15 16:23:36

I didnt even recognize anna kournikova wow she changed  and not for the better   audrina patridge is gorgeous!

gabriella

Posted 2011-02-15 22:46:19

I rally was such a bad show  and s--cked i couldnt hear and it was just a like a rambling zoo maybe if you were next to the stage  but who wants to be that close anyway    we went gambling and won!  we were there for  valentines day weekend my boyfriend and I.   enrique iglesias does look bad.

Lindsay

Posted 2011-02-17 18:50:37

I like Enrique, good person and good performer. Haters just want to nag at him, because he is successful:P. Congrats on Enrique for the 14 latin billboard nominations.

dina

Posted 2011-02-19 11:51:47

I dont think people are hating on him so much i think theyre talking about the show and maybe his performance at this particular place  i mean face it hes 35 years old not 25 years old things change and i think hes a little out of his league and looks a little ridiculous at times  i really like his spanish music i dont understand alot of it but most i do  and i think its better then what hes doing now  Latin Billboards nominations  dont think he will win all maybe 2 or 3  because of the collaboration he does with  juan luis guerra  he will win that like he did at LNP awards  otherwise he never won anything else unless a Latin award  and then sometimes he doesnt win those awards either  its very sad hes not recognized as a good singer, performer, artist in the USA  i know people that dont even know who he is  they say you mean JULIO IGLESIAS?  sad very sad

dina

Posted 2011-02-20 01:22:57

Its to bad learn how to speak the language   and act like human beings and not thugs i still say deport all of them   all they do is bring drugs to the USA!

Posted by A.D. Amorosi @ 5:00 PM Permalink | Post a comment

NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH: Rittenhouse fashionistas

POSTED: Tuesday, February 15, 2011, 3:00 PM

Filed Under: Critical Mass | Shopping Fashion

Neighborhood Watch looks for Philly's most fashionable. This week: Kala roamed one of Philly's chicest neighborhoods to talk to a few girls who work and shop there.

Rittenhouse Square is known for its shopping. From nationwide chain stores to cozy boutiques and vintage shops, any fashionable Philadelphian is guaranteed to be tempted to blow next month's rent on clothing, shoes, and accessories. One such patron, Hannah Elliott (21, above) studies at the Art Institute of Philadelphia and works at Arden B. but she says her favorite stores have to fall more within her price range. "H&M and Forever 21 really have my heart," she says. "They fit my budget." So many Philly shoppers tend to frequent those two stores in particular, which seem to carry pieces that translate seamlessly into anyone's style. Elliott's pants and tee are from Forever 21 and her jacket and bag are from H&M. Her black leather ankle boots are from Aldo, and her oversized gold earrings are from The Hair Store. She also enjoys British retail chain, Topshop. Elliott, who is a fashion student and hopes to work for the offbeat pop culture and fashion magazine Nylon, says that layers are "on trend" this winter, but she finds her own personal style is best reflected in spring and summer, when she can wear her favorite cutoff jeans and graphic tees in bright colors.

Alexandra Fishoff (21, left) and Dana Pershyn (29, right) both work and shop at Rittenhouse's Arcadia Boutique. Hailing from West Philly, Fishoff covets some of the unique designers the boutique features. One of her style rules is that she has to be comfy, and says that her long, hooded Prairie Underground coat fits the bill. Her brown leather boots with brass buttons are from Steve Madden, and her red chain link bag is from Arcadia. "They make really feminine stuff," she says. "They make great hoodies and use organic cotton." She also shops at nearby Anthropologie and Vagabond Boutique, and shared her knowledge of the Feral Childe fashion at Arcadia, which features hand-painted designs and intricate pleats on many of its dresses. She mentioned that Arcadia's Northern Liberties location often features local artist showcases. "You would see some characters there," she says. Northern Liberties' Pershyn says she's "not really a shopper," but her put-together and quirky look would indicate otherwise. Her two most standout pieces, her tie-dyed (ish) graphic-print blouse and huge amethyst ring, are both from Arcadia, and her jeans are simple Levi's. She says she bought her black leather and wooden-heel wedges at a shop in Las Vegas, and her necklace at a vintage flea market. Her favorite Arcadia lines are Lauren Moffatt and Melissa shoes. As far as online shopping, she loves Singer22.com and Shopbop.com. "It's like Mecca for shopping," she says of the latter. Good to know...

Posted by Kala Jamison @ 3:00 PM Permalink | Post a comment

CONCERT REVIEW: Dr. Dog @ Electric Factory 2/11

POSTED: Monday, February 14, 2011, 9:00 PM

Filed Under: Music | Concert Review | Philly Bands | Show concert photos

Photo | Massimo Pulcini

"We're all in this together now as we all fall apart, and we're swapping little pieces of out broken little hearts." With the crowd singing along, that was the final chorus that rang out at the end of local psychedelic rock band Dr. Dog's show last Friday night at the Electric Factory. West Philly's Dr. Dog played to a sold out crowd, a show that was a homecoming concert for them and an opportunity to give back to the city that has supported them since their humble beginning in 1999. Touring in support of their latest record, Shame, Shame, the band is a blend of classic psychedelic rock with folky intangibles, resulting in a truly unique sound. Bassist Toby Leaman and guitarist Scott McMicken lead the group in terms of singing and song writing, with Zach Miller (keyboards), Eric Slick (drums), and Frank McElroy (rhythm guitar) supporting with the band's trademark Beatles-esque harmonies.

Photo | Massimo Pulcini

The show started in an almost cult-like environment as the stage was adorned with abstract stain glass art that emitted a strange yet awe-inspiring light. As the band entered the stage, tribal hymns were piped through the sound system and the crowd greeted them with deafening applause. I felt as though I was entering the Temple of Dr. Dog and was about to take part in a right of passage or ritual into the band's world. The opening note was the monotone ring of Miller's organ as McMicken cried out the first line of "I Only Wear Blue," one of the more memorable tracks off the new record. It only got better from that point as Dr. Dog pleased the crowd with songs off all their records. The set featured a great balance of slower songs ("I Only Wear Blue," "Shadow People," and "The Breeze") and fast jams ("The Rabbit, the Bat, and the Reindeer," "Stranger," and "Mirror Mirror") that kept the entire venue swaying and jumping the entire night. Some memorable tunes were the band's cover of Architecture in Helsinki's "Heart It Races" (complete with an interpretive dance performance by a friend of the band), "The Ark," and "The Beach." The latter two songs are two more sinister tracks from the album Fate, and Leaman cried out every lyric with a fiery passion that filled up the entire building and ran down my spine like a serpent made of ice. At one point in the show Leaman's dad (pictured right) came out to sing a song with the group and afterward the entire Electric Factory sang "Happy Birthday" to the bassist's mother who was celebrating the next day. To close the night, the band brought their close friends and family onto the stage to sing "Jackie Wants a Black Eye." The real Jackie was present as McMicken strummed his banjo and led the building in song. He went on to say that these people were the real reasons he loves Philly. Overall, Dr. Dog put on one of the most remarkable shows I've ever witnessed in my life. Unlike some bands who sound nothing like they do on their albums, Dr. Dog was even better live. They extended certain songs with epic psychedelic jams and solos that seemingly lasted forever and sucked the audience into a trippy haze. The group did a great job sending across their own message and brand of psychadelia to the audience and helped the crowd see the show through acid washed eyes and ears. It was the passion that the band had for their music and their fans that really drew in the audience. Though the band was playing a relatively smaller venue, they were performing in a way that was larger than life, and each group member had a special connection with the crowd that brought the hometown energy through the roof. The band was also very relatable, making the crowd feel like they were a part of the Dr. Dog family.

Photo | Massimo Pulcini

Posted by Massimo Pulcini @ 9:00 PM Permalink | Post a comment

ICE CUBES: The sonic jewel

POSTED: Monday, February 14, 2011, 8:00 PM

Filed Under: Ice Cubes

Photo | A.D. Amorosi

Kate Egan, Leah Singer and Cort Day

As it is Valentine's Day and there are presents to be had (and certainly last minute baubles to be bought), I can think of no better sighting to share than the one I had at Egan Day (260 S. 16th Street) on Saturday. That's when Day, the fine handcraft jewelry retailer co-owned and curated by Kate Egan and Cort Day, held a reception for multimedia artist Leah Singer. The New York City-based artist showed off several pieces of her somewhat baroque textural art. Most importantly, though, Singer created a signed limited edition, silk-screen print entitled found object (01) to raise money for the beautification of Philadelphia's Arise Academy. The work itself is a depiction of a gift given to Singer by her husband and Sonic Youth guitarist, Lee Ranaldo. It depicts two links of thick web chain that symbolize love and resilience through the passage of time. Aw. Singer created the print specifically for Egan Day in a run of 25 individual pieces benefiting Arise Academy, Philadelphia's first public charter school created to offer support to youth in foster care placements. Egan Day is contemplative yet brightly lit, a perfect spot for an exhibit entitled "Finders Keepers" and an artist's talk and a private reception. In further Philadelphia/Sonic Youth-related news, Thurston Moore finally finished 12 String Meditations for Jack Rose, an acoustic album dedicated to Philly's late Jack Rose. Not to be confused with Moore's own vocal solo album on Matador, this part of the Vin Du Select Qualitite series of limited edition, vinyl-only albums from Swingset Magazine and Plastic Records. Moore was a fan of the Port Fishington guitar great (see my cover story) and played at his 2009 memorial service here.

Posted by A.D. Amorosi @ 8:00 PM Permalink | Post a comment

I AM WOMAN: Maybe kinda looking for a Valentine

POSTED: Monday, February 14, 2011, 7:00 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.

It's a little after midnight on Friday and my girlfriend Tori was working the door at Whisper (1712 Walnut St.). It was my first time there and it seemed like a club straight out of Vegas — with go-go dancers, strobe lights and a glass top bar. Tori bought the first round of shots. We went with Buttery Nipples which taste exactly like butterscotch. It's one of my favorites because it's sweet and you can hardly taste the liquor. I didn't want to admit it but I was secretly looking for a Valentine. I'm a firm believer that women don't need men to make them happy, but that doesn't mean I don't want a Happy Valentine's Day box of chocolates. So I wanted the shots to work as liquid courage, giving me the gumption to approach an attractive man. The time flew by after we started dancing; before I knew it, it almost closing time. A little disappointed I hadn't caught any man bait, I suggested we go somewhere else. It's times like these I'm thankful for Twitter. I can tweet, "WHAT'S STILL OPEN IN PHILLY?," and get a million responses. Someone tweeted Zee Bar (100 Spring Garden Plaza), which I heard was supposed to be invite-only, so I was a little apprehensive. Lady Luck was on our side, though, because as we stood in line a girlfriend of mine waved us to the front — apparently she was dating a girl inside with a lot of influence. Entering into Zee Bar was like going down the rabbit hole in Alice in Wonderland. It was strange and I'm almost certain everyone was on narcotics. I half expected to see Lindsay Lohan stalking out of the bathroom. We left after thirty minutes; it was an experience but not for us. Saturday afternoon I should have bought stock in American Apparel and Urban Outfitters for the amount of money I dropped there. My friends and I needed to recount the details of the previous night and find outfits to wear to VIP Lounge (38 19th St.) later that night. VIP has the typical leather white couch and curtains and, one of my favorite luxuries, bottle service. There were tons of guys inside. One of them, a cutie named Anthony, bought my friends and me two rounds of Jose Cuervo. The décor was sexy chic, making me feel flirtier than usual, so I gave him my number. Maybe he can be a potential Valentine ...?

Posted by Jillian Weir-Reeves @ 7:00 PM Permalink | Post a comment

« PREVIOUS | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | NEXT »

Q&A with SHARI SOLANIS: "The goal isn't pornography"
What we're trying to do this weekend
SEXY TIME Q&A: I've never had an orgasm during sex with a man — and I'm 30!
Q&A with Tony Goldwyn: "Life is gray, and relationships are, too"
ICE CUBE: In Memoriam: Joe Tartaglia
CONCERT REVIEW: Primus (3D & quadraphonic sound) @ The Tower 10/17
NOW SEE THIS: Transit cop arrests marijuana activist for alleged disorderly conduct.
Coming soon to Philly: Two cockamamie movie promotion schemes
ICEPACK ILLUSTRATED: The Archbishop meets the Geator, the Mayor goes suit shopping, Le Bec Fin fin.
NOW SEE THIS: Tim and Eric direct Terry Crews for Old Spice

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.

Follow Critical Mass editors Patrick Rapa and Emily Guendelsberger on Twitter:

@mission2denmark | @emilygee