Archive: April, 2010

BREAKING: Jeff Tweedy to headline Folk Fest

POSTED: Thursday, April 22, 2010, 2:25 PM

Filed Under: Critical Mass | Events | Music | Now Hear This Show

Hot on the heels of Wilco's rapidly selling out, three hour epic appearance at the Electric Factory this spring, frontman Jeff Tweedy will return to the region in August to headline Philadelphia Folk Festival, organizers announced this morning. The festival takes place Aug. 20, 21 and 22 at Old Pool Farm near Schwenksville, Montgomery County; Tweedy's solo acoustic set will be the afternoon centerpiece concert on Sat. Aug. 21. Whether you're a Wilco-zealot or not, there's no denying they're one of today's hardest-working rock bands. Likewise, Tweedy's acoustic appearances are things of warmth, humor and so, so many songs; back-catalogue visits as well workshopped new material. This is going to be huge.

The Folk Fest lineup writ large is equally exciting â A.A.Bondy, Bonnie "Prince" Billy (Friday night concert), Erin McKeown, Richard Thompson (Sunday night concert), The Spinning Leaves, Taj Majal. Seriously, this festival keeps getting bigger and better each year. More at FolkFest.org.

Posted by john vettese @ 2:25 PM Permalink | Post a comment

NEIGHBORHOOD WATCH: Madonna + Rihanna = Ridonna

POSTED: Wednesday, April 21, 2010, 9:51 PM

Neighborhood Watch finds fashionable folk all across the city.

If you saw Angela M. (21) walking down the street, would you think of Rihanna? We wouldn't, but that's who she says influences her style most. Have you never heard of '80s Madonna, girlfriend? We guess, like art, fashion is just as interpretive, so if we look hard enough we can see a little badass RiRi peeping through in the heavy duty knee high boots, the cropped 'do and ice on her wrist. But to back up our position we only need three words: lace, denim and pearls. Let's just settle on Ridonna hits South Street for a cheesesteak.

We found Evan M. (29) strolling the city with Lily C. (30) after her flight to Warsaw was canceled because of that huge volcano fart in Iceland. She says she looks to Stevie Nicks for fashion ideas although she confesses that on this way no one would know it. True enough. What we saw was Anna Wintour with extensions and a smile. Evan, on the otherhand, pulls off a more literal interpretation of his influence: the military. He says he picked up the jacket in an army surplus store and that fantastic hat, which Lily says always draws attention on the street, beckoned him from a thrift store window. Even though it was toasty out, he took a second to show us how it converts to an awesome, Star Wars-looking helmet.

We're proud to say that we've helped Joe C. (22) inch a little closer to his "minor life goal" of being featured on The Sartorialist. His mom would also take pride, considering she's the one who suggested that successful fashion starts with "a good pair of shoes and fitted jeans." This LA born UArts student prefers style on the east side because of the weather, which allows him to throw on a scarf, hat and sweater. We're curious to see how his fashion will evolve when the face melting city heat arrives. Show us some leg!

When Larry B. (37) gets dressed in the morning he says he starts with a simple idea and goes from there. Underneath it all he's wearing a pair of jeans and a flannel, but then threw on a hoodie, blazer and a circle scarf to create his look. We like his style, but it's his music that landed him on City Paper's (web) pages before. We introduced him as Larry B., but most may recognize him as the singing, guitar plucking Grey Reverend. When asking this Brooklyn songster how he compares Philly fashion to his own hipster habitat, he says that Philly has a more conservative, almost rural look as opposed to what he calls Brooklyn's contemporary fashion scene. Before you get your panties in a bunch, Larry made it clear that he wasn't trying to hate on Philly fashion. It was a mere observation. Thanks, Larry.

Posted by Julia West @ 9:51 PM Permalink | Post a comment

IDOL HANDS: American Idol, Inspiration!

POSTED: Wednesday, April 21, 2010, 8:17 PM

Filed Under: Music | TV Idol Hands

We like American Idol. Too much. Molly Eichel: Inspiration? Gag me with a spoon and then pull my innards out of my nostrils, please. Last night's show was anything but. Tommy Button: I dunno. If you're thinking about jumping off an overpass into oncoming traffic, it just might give you the edge of inspiration you need to do the deed. ME: I was disappointed in mentor Alicia Keyes, who just seemed like a plastic PR machine. I'm gonna give her credit though, she was probably just thinking, "I've listened to these glorified Coca Cola advertisements fuck with my songs for years." Her payback was to pick up the phone, dial in some warm platitudes and say some stuff about helping other people to pimp Idol Gives Back, which airs tonight (egads! She has me doing it too!). Let's start from the very beginning, a very good place to start. TB: Casey James opened up the show with "Don't Stop Thinking About Tomorrow." If Fleetwood Mac worked for Bill Clinton, why not Casey James? ME: Because Clinton had balls, that's why. If the great Daniel Desario once posited that rock 'n' roll comes from your crotch, then Casey's performance demonstrated that he's a Ken doll with no angle to his dangle. There was no heart, no soul, no burning sexiness that even Lindsey fuckin' Buckinham has. Despite his luxurious Robert Plant locks, this performance proved that Casey is the frontman for a band where the drummer or something can go screw the kinky groupie Casey is too afraid of. Someone needs to do it. And I think that someone just might be Lee Dewyze at this point. TB: Lee Dewyze is inspiring the way Chicken Soup For The Soul is inspiring. I bet some fat chicks were crying out there during this one. ME: Singing Simon & Garfunkel's "The Boxer," Lee's confidence keeps growing — it's deserved, in part because this was one of his better showings. But, with that little date rape smirk, my inner ratio of wanting to throw a drink in his face as opposed to giving him a hug telling him it'll all gonna be okay is sincerely out of whack. Keep it in check Lee. Still, the best thing Lee did of the evening was make Tim Urban look even worse. TB: Tim had a few weeks of shots in the dark but he's back to his shitty self. 'Bout time. If you thought the Goo Goo Dolls could be any lamer, boy, were you wrong. ME: The Goo Goo Dolls ... Ha! So apt. Just like Tim Urban: All-style, no substance with unmerited designs on being more than just haircut. At least he didn't sing "Iris." My head would have exploded from sheer frustration. Kind of like it did last night with Aaron Kelly. Like Casey's song, this was just a dickless version of the "I Believe I Can Fly." Maybe Aaron just needs to pee on a few underage girls to get the chops necessary to sing this song. TB: First off, if you're gonna pick something from the Space Jam soundtrack, stick with the Quad City DJs. It was good to see him out-perform the likes of Tim Urban. And of course, A. Kelly was inspiring. Youth are always inspiring. ME: Continuing in the vein of soundtracks was Siobhan Magnus with that horrid song from The Prince of Egypt. TB: Siobhan's dress looked like that shitty Crazytown video. And her performance was also shitty like that Crazytown video. Or anything about Crazytown. ME: I suspected this was gone be cracked but then thought, maybe just maybe, the combined craziness of Mariah and Whitney had created a golem of divadom that became Siobhan. This was not correct. Instead, it was the song the heroine of musical sings in right before intermission that gets reprised again in the final love scene. Translation: Nicely sung, totally Broadway. But I guess that's better then a nicely sun canceled out by the fact that it was originally sung by Nickelback. TB: Big Mike was already voted off once so I hope he's built up some sort of emotional wall to help him cope getting kicked off a second time. ME: This was not the song to save yourself on BM. I'm worried for ya boy. Which brings us to the only reason I can still stomach watching this show without being heavily medicated. TB: Jesus, Powerox. Just, fucking Jesus. ME: That's pretty much all you can say. She gets a pass every week from us for being so good but that was beyond. Still, the best part was her dad, decked out in a motorcycle hat and sunglasses, he looked like he was leaving a leather bar. And that something as beautiful and earth shattering as Crystal Bowersox came out of that Village People-looking motherfucker is inspiring enough as it is.

Lindsey

Posted 2010-04-21 17:04:28

Least inspiring show about inspiration ever. And I love the Daniel Desario shout out, Molly (it was my away message for about 3 years. so glad you made me remember it now)!

Posted by Molly Eichel @ 8:17 PM Permalink | Post a comment

Be on The Ellen Show today

POSTED: Wednesday, April 21, 2010, 6:28 PM

Filed Under: TV

A Tribute to Bjork: Ellen's Earth Day outfit?

The Ellen Show, hosted by America's fave lady lover/mediocre American Idol host Ellen DeGeneres is filming a segment of the show at 5th & Market today. They are asking people to show up in crazy, recycled outfits for an Earth Day show. We don't have much more info — there's nothing on her site about an Earth Day show except for a preview of Wanda Sykes and gold medalist/Dancing with the Stars contestant Evan Lysacek (connection? Uh, they recycle?). But Bicycle Therapy (2211 South St.) confirmed they did Ellen a favor and constructed some Specialized Bicycles for the segment. Big E probably won't be there, she has Idol Gives Back tonight. But if you throw together an Ode to Composting outfit, you could possibly get some mid-afternoon television face time, or at least get a good look at the Ellen acolytes who followed her Twitter commands. RELATED >> Word to your Mother: Earth Day events RELATED >> Idol Hands: American Idol recaps

Posted by Molly Eichel @ 6:28 PM Permalink | Post a comment

DVD REVIEW: Frank Zappa: The Freak-Out List

POSTED: Wednesday, April 21, 2010, 4:18 PM

Filed Under: Movies Movie Review

The secondary title of this DVD — The Freak-Out List (88 min., $19.95)— pulls its name from the liner notes of the debut album from Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention. Aptly titled Freak Out!, the record contained the aforementioned list in which Zappa extended a debt of gratitude to his influences. The list itself weaves its way through different genres — mainly classical, doo-wop and jazz — to form a tangible map beginning with Zappa's influencers and ending with his own catalogue of sounds. The DVD, which was released yesterday from Sexy Intellectual, opens with tie-dyed shots of Zappa, the sound of his music and music historian Alan Clayson explaining how Zappa was far beyond his peers due his eclectic taste in music. It's a powerhouse opening and you expect the rest of the "rockumentary" to keep up to speed with the aesthetic. It doesn't take long, though, before a "classical and avant-garde scholar" (yes, that was really his title appearing on the bottom of the screen) is talking about a few dead white guys who changed music: composers Richard Wagner, Arnold Schoenberg, Igor Stravinsky and Edgar VarÃ¨se. Similar comparisons continue when a classical piece is played, followed by one of Frankie's song, allowing viewers to draw their own comparisons. But psychedelic liquid drops are laid over images of landscapes felt like a desperate attempt to keep viewers interested/give them an acid flashback. Stoners looking to project this film on their dorm room wall will just end up being put to sleep. Rather, it's for the music geeks who get excited-in-the-pants over musical lineage.

Posted by Julia West @ 4:18 PM Permalink | Post a comment

TRAILER(S)!: High School and Splice

POSTED: Wednesday, April 21, 2010, 12:23 AM

Filed Under: Movies trailer!

I got all — groan — high and mighty earlier today, saying I was gonna ignore the whole 4/20-thing, but I'm only going by marketing gimmick on this one. Check out the crazy on Adrien Brody, discussing the various things he's fucked, complete with gross-out pink eye. High School is about a valedictorian (played by relative newcomer Matt Bush) who gets baked with a local stoner right before a mandatory drug test taht will mess with his goody-two-shoes cred. There's no Philly release date yet, although a vague fall opening has been floating around.

Considering the way Brody is costumed and his Christian Bale Batman Brogue, all signs point to this movie being awesome. But what I'm most interested in his choice of movies this year. Before High School is released comes the creepy-as-fuck Splice, that Sam Adams totally dug at Sundance. It comes out June 4.

Posted by Molly Eichel @ 12:23 AM Permalink | Post a comment

TOO PERFECT: Kumar robbed on 4/20

POSTED: Tuesday, April 20, 2010, 7:21 PM

Filed Under: Movies

Penn, as Kumar, with buddy Kumar (John Cho) behind bars from Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay.

We were gonna skip the 4/20 humor today because weeds jokes aren't particularly funny while sober, but how can we resist? Kal Penn, the former Penn adjunct professor and actor known for playing the latter stoner in the Harold and Kumar movies, was held up at gunpoint early this morning in his D.C. neighborhood. Penn's alright, the robber only got his wallet and "personal possessions" (ahem ... stash? Naw, probably something lame like an iPod , Penn doesn't partake). Poor guy, no one would give a shit if he hadn't help make two friends' quest for tiny hamburgers famous. But the jokes will keep on comin' at Penn for a little while more: A Very Harold and Kumar Christmas is in production and set for a 2011 release. RELATED >> Getting stoned with the Inquirer RELATED >> Happy Holidays, you witless stoners!

Khalid Al Mansour

Posted 2010-05-02 07:48:09

Kal Penn was Obama's boytoy passed over and thrown out of the Whitehouse for current "bodyman" Reggie Love... the holdup was a message.

Posted by Molly Eichel @ 7:21 PM Permalink | Post a comment

THE CURATOR: Coked-out chairs, Foursquare etiquette and vomitting gifs

POSTED: Tuesday, April 20, 2010, 6:02 PM

This could have been avoided if Alex Forrest had just checked in.

Every Tuesday, Critical Mass pokes around the art blog world so you don't have to. — Hopefully it's safe to say we're out of the doom-and-gloom naysaying portion of the recession and onto the "I may just be gainfully employed in the next three months" part. Philebrity's got some good news to bolster spirits. Local art orgs like First Person Arts and Peoples Light have received grants of $75,000. On a sadder note, the hot guy on my Puma Stock Exchange app is less naked these days. — Design-Phan's digging Emeco's new Coke chair. While numerous conceptions may be floating around that imagination of yours â this chair is not made of cans Gorilla-glued together, nor is it a place for the ambitious snorter to get his fix â rather it's a pretty standard four-legged sitting contraption composed of recycled Coke bottles. Coming soon to Design Within Reach. — Fatal Attraction would be a totally different movie had it been set in today's world. Shmitten Kitten's Phil has the lowdown on Foursquare etiquette while on a date. Hint: If you want to "check-in" and not look like a disinterested jerk, show up early. Problem solved. — Chris Zak of Pistola Press caught up with Kurt Vile at this weekend's Record Story Day . Turns out the Vilester was a big NOFX and Candyskins fan in his youth. Which just goes to show that poor taste is a bit like herpes: Not there all the time, but can affect anyone â even accomplished musicians. — Life is too short not to make light of other people's misfortunes. Used Wigs has got an animated gif to help put a smile on any previously-disgusted Philly fan's face, made complete with some party projectile vomit. Go Phils!

Posted by Kristen Humbert @ 6:02 PM Permalink | Post a comment

IN MEMORIAM: Dede Allen, 1923-2010

POSTED: Tuesday, April 20, 2010, 12:04 AM

Filed Under: In Memoriam | Movies

Any movie fan knows the work of film editor Dede Allen, who died on Saturday at the age of 86. The first editor to be given her own screen credit, Allen worked on such films as Bonnie and Clyde, The Hustler and Dog Day Afternoon. But more those classics, Allen helped changed the landscape of American film. So, what exactly, did Allen do that shown a spotlight on the art of film editing? The L.A. Times' Claudia Luther sums up Allen's contribution perfectly:

Allen departed from the standard Hollywood way of cutting -- making smooth transitions starting with wide shots establishing place and characters and going on to medium shots and finally close-ups -- by beginning with close-ups or jump cuts. Although these editing methods had been pioneered by the French new wave and some British directors, Allen is generally credited with being the first to use and shape them in American film.

(Luther's obit is highly recommended. She explains film editing without getting bogged down in film vocab. Other obits to check out: S.T. Vanairsdale further illuminates Allen's contribution to cinema by discussing five of her most iconic clips at Movieline.com, Inquirer Carrie Rickey has some nice anecdotes up on her Flick Grrl blog and Matt Zoller Seitz talks about the soul of Allen's work at Salon.) Allen's most fortuitous collaboration was with Philadelphia's own Arthur Penn. The Bonnie and Clyde director worked with Allen six times, and told the L.A. Times she was "not an editor, but a constructionist." In college, one of my film studies professors went through Bonnie and Clyde scene-by-scene and essentially taught us what editing was. I've got a lot of Allen favorites: Odds Against Tomorrow, Slap Shot, The Hustler and, of course, Bonnie and Clyde. What's your fave?

M. Carlson

Posted 2010-04-21 02:48:47

Dede Allen was not the first film editor to receive her own screen credit.
Have you never watched movies? Look at silent films and see the editor's credit. Allen did get an opening credit in Bonnie & Clyde, which is believed to be a first for an editor, but let's get real...

Posted by Molly Eichel @ 12:04 AM Permalink | Post a comment

Frasier and Ed Snider team up because Fox News is too liberal

POSTED: Monday, April 19, 2010, 10:26 PM

Filed Under: TV


Dr. Frasier Crane/Grammer	Grammer's BFF = Snider

The New York Daily News is finalizing reports of a kind that we only dared to fear: Actor Kelsey Grammer and Comcast-Spectacor Charmain Ed Snider are but two of the names behind The RightNetwork, a new Republican friendly on-demand cable operation that, as Grammer says, is "targeted at Americans who are looking for content that reflects and reinforces their perspective and world-view." Worse than FOX? Worse than Fox.

So says Snider to the DN:

"We're creating a welcome place for millions and millions of Americans who've been looking for an entertainment network and media channel that reflects their point-of-view," Ed Snider, chairman of Comcast-Spectacor, said in a statement on the site. "RightNetwork will be the perfect platform to entertain, inform and Connect with the American majority about what's right in the world."

Don't get your panties in a twist boy and girls. Snider, who owns the soon-to-blow Wachovia Spectrum and the replacement entertainment complex extravaganza Philly Live, is making a personal investment. So don't get excited that Kabletown ... I mean Xfinity ... I mean the Comcast network is involved. (Comcast swiftly released a statement denying their involvement.)

On tap? A reality show called Running, featuring six political newbies throwing their hate into their local races and Evan Sayet's Right 2 Laugh, a comedy show that, as Grammer says, "proves funny people and funny things come from both sides of the aisle."

Shudder.

Conservative Guy

Posted 2010-04-20 18:59:05

One whole comment, and that was SPAM.  Popular website ya got here.

We will take the House and Senate in 2010.

FEAR US!

shirley shaner

Posted 2010-05-10 10:54:34

what chanel isw this politcal stuff going to be on just the facts no o  pinion  please unless ed snider himself will partcipate

Posted by A.D. Amorosi @ 10:26 PM Permalink | Post a comment

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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!
Coming soon to Philly: Two cockamamie movie promotion schemes
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.
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NOW SEE THIS: Tim and Eric direct Terry Crews for Old Spice

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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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