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Archive: May, 2012
Chris Brown digs into our listings bin and pulls out a little something-something to do every day of the week. This time around? Get electrocuted at the Wagner Institute, drink for ART/GAGE and our Ultimate Summer Fun Guide's out this week!
Start off the week with your thinking cap on as the Wagner presents yet another edition of their "Weeknights" series. Tonight, Dr. Aaron Wunsch delves into the work it took to get this town lit with electricity. Wed., May 23, 5:30 p.m., Wagner Free Institute of Science, 1700 W. Montgomery Ave., 215-763-6529, wagnerfreeinstitute.org.
After finding out some dark secrets about her hometown, the flying city of Amperstam, heroine Ashe has a decision to make: either put her life at risk by releasing the information to the public, or keep her lips sealed so the city leaders' thugs and assassins will finally leave her alone. In this classic whistleblower's dilemna, Ashe's information might help uncover the mystery of why Amperstam is able to soar high above the world.
Following the success of their Fables of the Flying City Podcast, Philly authors/illustrators Jared Axelrod and Steve Walker present a feature-length graphic novel about the city so many have come to love. With all the raucaus mischief of Tank Girl and the bravery of Mad Max, The Battle of Blood and Ink is the ultimate steampunk fantasy about one girl's dedication to spreading the truth. Catch a free reading of it tomorrow (May 24) at 6 p.m. at Penn Bookstore (3601 Walnut St.).
After a weekend leak that found unlikely performers such as D’Angelo on its list, the real true official Made in America Sept. 1-2 weekend bill is out and it’s good, very good. Rihanna would make it great. Animal Collective, one of Jay Z’s notable faves would make it great. So would Hova’s wife, Beyonce.
None of them will play with co-headliner/host Jay Z. But grunge gods Pearl Jam will. Having the legendarily reclusive soul man D’Angelo play ALONE makes it worth attending.
Same with Drake who is playing in Camden on June 9 and Philly’s Santigold who I interviewed before her recent Troc gig.
Dubstep hairdon’t Skrillex, funky DJ Afrojack, wack hip-hoppers Odd Future, electro-mavens Miike Snow, The Knocks and Passion Pit, punk veterans X (wow, X!), pop electronicist Calvin Harris (who I’ll see tonight at Springle Ball), soul futurist Janelle Monae, indie skronkers Dirty Projectors, UK songstress Rita Ora, Latin lover Prince Royce, and the unholy hip-hop union of Wale, Rick Ross and Meek Mill hit the Parkway, as will The Roots.
Bruce Springsteen and his band are in town that same weekend.
Bet your Made in America dollars (tickets, including a $99 two-day pass option, go on sale Wednesday) that the Boss shows for Eddie V and Jay Z. Expect another Mike Nutter rap whether you want it or not.
View galleryFor 15 years, Damien Jurado built a solid reputation as a no-frills folk-rocker. However, 2010’s Saint Bartlett marked a shift, continued in the most recent Maraqopa, towards songs with varied instrumentation and rich atmosphere. It’s safe to assume that this sea change has a lot to do with Richard Swift. Although Swift is credited as a producer on Jurado’s most recent albums, his role is closer to that of a collaborator. Jurado’s Americana vocals and guitar tones remain, but they are now complemented by Swift’s backup croons and keyboard flourishes. So when I saw Jurado take Johnny Brenda’s stage with a backing band that did not include Swift, I became a little worried.
Boy were my fears misplaced. Jurado and his touring band played a lively set with a looseness that can only be attained by the most practiced musicians.
Every Monday, Brittany Thomas rounds up the week's sure-bet live shows. This week: Black Dice, DJ EBG iii and Madison Violet.
Monday: East Londoners Crystal Fighters are a Basque folk gone electro-rock band, and co-headliners Is Tropical has a bit more of a lo-fi thing going. But both groups get heavy at times, still maintaining an equally smooth, intoxicating vibe that will surely make for an unusually lively Monday night dance party. 8:30 p.m., $12, Union Transfer, 1024 Spring Garden St., 215-232-2100.
On Friday, I got word that there was this big biker party called Skate and Ride down at the FDR Skate Park, so I quick hopped on my bike and went down to get some photos.
Photos by Brittany Thomas
Instead of taking regular crowd shots, I zeroed in on the hotties in the crowd at Saturday's Rittenhouse Row Spring Festival. Ouch!
Photos by Josh Middleton
This weekend (May 18-20), the Schuylkill River Trail, from Fairmount Water Works to Bartram's Garden, will transform into Art in the Open, a mile-long art space where 21 jury-selected artists will work in a variety of mediums outside and on site. Drawing inspiration from the city and the waterways that help define it, many artists will employ an art-making process that is environmentally based and interactive, from leaf chalk drawings and natural material sculptures to lawn chair webbing. In addition to seeing and helping juried artists, there are also informal programs set up for impromptu art making: Printing in the Open is a station where artists create designs inspired by the plant life found at Bartram's Garden and print them on T-shirts, tote bags or bandanas, and Drawing Together, in the Sculpture Garden at Philadelphia Museum of Art, will provide classes on-hand art teacher. After it’s all said and done, an exhibit of selected works created during Art in the Open will be hosted by the Independence Seaport Museum and be open to the public, starting June 14.
Every Friday, Ryan Carey covers the people and events that are giving Philly the giggles.
We had a fun chat with internet-sensation/Conan-regular Reggie Watts about eating pot brownies on live TV, his Thom Yorke impression and how he feels about being a psychedelic comedian. He’ll be performing his unique brand of improvisational music-comedy tomorrow night at the Troc (click here for tickets).
City Paper: What's your favorite question to be asked in an interview?
Reggie Watts: Uh, maybe "Where are you right now?"
CP: Noted. Least favorite?
RW: "How would you describe your act?" I mean, I know it's a necessary question, but ...
CP: How do you like coming to Philly?
RW: I've been there a few times … to the clubs back in the day when the whole neo-soul thing was going on, and The Roots and everything. I played with Soulive at the TLA and got booed off the stage by the audience, which is fun. I've tried ... a Philly cheesesteak ... and thought, "I might be having a heart attack."
CP: You've said the root of your show is about being in the moment with absurdity. Would you call your style "psychedelic comedy"?
RW: Yeah, I've actually started using that exact phrase. I've been thinking about that idea, and about all the guys I know who do that kind of "out there" comedy, like Jon Dore and Rory Scovel. It's cool that the term is already out there.
Damien Jurado plays Sun., May 20, 8 p.m., $12, with JBM and Marc Wolfson Pinansky, Johnny Brenda's, 1201 N. Frankford Ave., 877-435-9849, johnnybrendas.com.
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