Archive: September, 2010

Philly F/M Festival: Having sex with a girl who looks exactly like Siouxsie Sioux

POSTED: Monday, September 27, 2010, 8:00 PM

Filed Under: Music Concert Review

Photo | Rachel Playe

The Cobbs

Day 1: The first lesson I learned at the Philly F/M Festival was a harsh one: These people are, like, responsible adults who start their shows on time. They must have kids or something. And, for me at least, that's a complete anomaly around here. So I arrived to see The Cobbs at Silk City around 9 p.m. — they were listed to go on at 8 — and dudes appeared to be halfway finished. Damnit. Ah well: I'm really into The Cobbs Sing the Death Capades, but the band just didn't live up its slick, clang-y psych-folk thing in person. It came off as ordinary rock 'n' roll and I guess I was just in the mood for something funkier. But I'm sure it's hard to achieve the eerie echo and well-produced sound that makes Death Capades so great in a live setting, huh?

Photo | Aaron Stella

The Dead Milkmen

Day 2: The Dead Milkmen played at World CafÃ© Live. I'm not sure what that means but it was definitely weird. 11-year-olds showed up with their parents, all clad in Milkmen tees and moshing together. Rodney Anonymous was self-aware about it, making jokes about how folk bands who sing about trees were usually in his shoes. They've definitely still got it; this show was by far the best performance I saw all weekend. Rodney went on a tirade about Ronald Reagan and "kids today" and how if you wanted to get laid when he was young, you had to have sex with a girl who looked exactly like Siouxsie Sioux. Then he just cussed for a few minutes straight with the intensity of someone who has both Tourettes and road rage and is also doing an impression of Lewis Black. And after all that, he still had a great singing/yelling voice.

Photo | Josh Rothstein

The Swimmers

Day 3: At this point, I decided I ought to see something I didn't know anything about, so I went for The Swimmers at Johnny Brenda's. They were good but every song sort of sounded the same. They'll be really great in a year or two, I think.

Photo | Josh Rothstein

Wow, that looks weird. This is Baby Flamehead sans faces.

Then I popped over to the Tritone because someone — maybe it was the Internet — told me to see Baby Flamehead. All I knew of the band was a few good songs and that cute picture of them all stuffed in the back of a car, so how could I resist? Eden Daniels sang really beautifully and Andy Bresnan played his giant bass like a motherfucker. When they asked for requests, someone young yelled out "The Cranberries!" Funny, but kinda a dick move, right?

Posted by Holly Otterbein @ 8:00 PM Permalink | Post a comment

JUST DO IT: Rapping with the Mid-Atlantic Vintage League

POSTED: Monday, September 27, 2010, 7:07 PM

Filed Under: Critical Mass | Just Do It

Photo | Mid-Atlantic Vintage League

You better steal that base

I'll admit it, I'm not a sports person. Sometimes I need an extra second to remember if the Phillies play hockey or basketball, but there is a sporty event coming up this week that may interest even the poorest of sports fans, especially if you have a knack for history. Captains and players of the Mid-Atlantic Vintage League are leading a discussion in Roxborough about the history of base ball (that's how it was spelled then), and how the game has changed since some of the first local leagues began to crop up in the 1860s. The great thing about them, however, is that they don't just teach about 19th century baseball techniques; they actually play. Decked out in authentic, period baseball uniforms, these guys have been hitting the fields since last August. The 14 teams that make up the Mid-Atlantic league boast being able to play the game like it was originally played. For instance, speed and curveballs will garner you a 25 cent fine, participants play without gloves and there is no dirt field — the game is played on an open plot of grass. They'll be leading their chat in full vintage regalia, so stop by and give these fellas a look and a listen. I hear they're also looking for extra players, but if playing isn't your thing, maybe you could suggest forming a vintage cheerleading squad. I'm sure they'll appreciate all the rah-rahs they can get when the 2010 Championship Tournament begins in Pennsville, N.J. on Sun., Oct. 3. Wed., Sept. 29, 8:15 p.m., free, Coyle's Cafe, 6080 Ridge Ave., 215-487-9914.

Posted by Josh Middleton @ 7:07 PM Permalink | Post a comment

THE SHOWDOWN: Stimulate your synapses

POSTED: Monday, September 27, 2010, 6:00 PM

Filed Under: Music The Showdown

Monday: When it comes to making something out of nothing, few people have done it better than Masami Akita, otherwise known as Merzbow. Since 1979, Akita's been one of the foremost purveyors of noise and ambient music, as well as an accomplished writer and activist. He also has an uncannily massive discography, including several released just this year. This tour also makes up for the one Akita cancelled last year out of concern of contracting the then-circulating swine flu. I'm pretty sure that it would take more than that to slow down this powerhouse of creativity. w/ Charles Cohen, 8 p.m., $15, International House, 3701 Chestnut St., 215-387-5125. Tuesday: You know when they refer to someone as being a "musicians' musician?" Well, they may as well be talking about Laura Mann. Mann, a Philly native, has worked with countless singer/songwriter brethren over the years, all the while creating a name for herself and her band The Lifeboys. This show doubles as a release party for Laura's latest, Bow Tie And Rose Tattoo. The liner notes alone are a who's who of folk and country musicians, producers and songwriters, meaning that Laura probably has a wealth of great stories to go along with each song. 7:30 p.m., $19 - $24, World Cafe Live, 30th St. & Walnut St., 215-222-1400. Wednesday: If you're feeling a little down in the dumps come midweek, allow The Books to set your mind at ease. The New York duo have established themselves over the last 10 years by crafting light and soothing melodies to accompany oddball found recordings. Their latest album, The Way Out, features a number of meditation and self-help snippets; enough to stimulate your synapses without becoming too esoteric. The best part about The Books' recordings is that the guys are clearly aware of how strange and sometimes silly their compositions can end up sounding. That knowingness makes their tunes a lot of heady fun. w/ The Black Heart Procession, 7:30 p.m., $18, Trocadero, 10th St. & Arch St., 215-922-6888. Thursday: Returning to the TLA for the second time this year, Midlake will again present songs from their somber February release, The Courage Of Others. Difference this time is that, aside from co-headlining with fellow pastoral emotion-havers Rogue Wave, Midlake's chilly madrigals will be appropriately accompanied by the changing seasons. Based on memories of their April show, expect the following: multiple flutes, ghostly harmonies, and cheers when songs from The Trials Of Van Occupanther come up in the set. w/ Peter Wolf Crier & Restorations, 7:30 p.m., $25, TLA, 334 South St., 215-922-1011. Friday: Like many of their Glaswegian contemporaries, Teenage Fanclub have flirted with success a number of times in their 20+ year career, yet remain favorites within a limited (albeit devoted) fanbase. As such, the band quietly released a pretty great new album this year, Shadows, which features some neat harmonies and hooks that'll make you do a little dance with your feet. Even more unique is TF's triple-songwriter/singer presentation, where each composing member gets his own time to lead the group. Pretty democratic, huh? w/ Radar Brothers, 9 p.m., $18.50 - $21, Trocadero, 10th St. & Arch St., 215-922-6888. Saturday: You don't need a weatherman to tell you that it's definitely still summertime. Don't let the recent wet spell fool you; between 90Ë days and the appearance of Brooklyn's Beach Fossils in town, there's plenty of time to get your summer lovin' on. Beach Fossils' reverb-heavy, sun-bleached pop is sure to make you ask for bug juice in exchange for your pumpkin ale. This show is part of a series that's limited to students of Haverford, Bryn Mawr, and Swarthmore colleges and three guests per student. If you don't fall into the former category, go befriend some freshmen. 10 p.m., free (for students; see above), Lunt Basement at Haverford College, 370 Lancaster Ave., 610-896-1000. Sunday: Let me see if I can figure this out: The Vaselines' delightful new album, Sex With An X, is their first release in about 20 years, meaning that their last Philly date was sometime around never ago. The new incarnation of The Vaselines also features members of Belle & Sebastian (who are noted acolytes). If you need more incentive to go to this show, consider this: at this rate, the next Vaselines album will arrive in 2030. Yikes. w/ Jeffery Lewis, 8 p.m., $18, First Unitarian Church, 2125 Chestnut St., 215-563-3980.

Posted by Eric Schuman @ 6:00 PM Permalink | Post a comment

ARTSFLASH: Philadelpha Film Festival Announces Line-Up

POSTED: Friday, September 24, 2010, 9:02 PM

Filed Under: Critical Mass | Movies Film Fest

Photo | Magnolia Pictures

Screenshot from Philadelphia director Tanya Hamilton's Night Catches Us

Well, your fall film festival planning just got all sorts of wonky. The Philadelphia Film Festival recently announced their 2010 schedule and it just so happens to coincide with the FirstGlance Film Festival. And if that isn't enough to get your calendar in a tizzy, throw in the Asian American Film Festival. It's running during the last four days of PFF. Good luck figuring that one out.

The bright side to this whole shenanigan, of course, is that each festival offers up it's own unique flavor. For its 19th go-round, PFF comes into the mix with a monstrous line-up of 216 screenings of domestic and international short films, documentaries and features. The festival will run from Oct. 14-24 in six venues around Philadelphia and at the Bryn Mawr Film Institute. You can find a complete list of selections after the jump, with East Coast premieres in bold. Galas:

127 Hours — Danny Boyle
Black Swan — Darren Aronofsky
Night Catches Us — Tanya Hamilton
Blue Valentine - Derek Cianfrance

Special Events Screenings:

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo — Niels Arden Oplev
The Girl Who Played with Fire — Niels Arden Oplev
The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest — Niels Arden Oplev
Carlos — Oliver Assayas
Rasberry Magic — Leena Pendharkar
The Page of Madness — Teinosuke Kinugasa
11/4/08 — Jeff Deutchman
Unbreakable — M. Night Shyamalan

From the Vaults:

For Your Height Only —Eddie Nicart
The Housemaid (1960) — Ki-Young Kim
The Room — Tommy Wiseau, U.S.
Secret Sunshine — Lee Chang-Dong

Spotlights:

Conviction — Tony Goldwyn
Everyday — Richard Levine
Fair Game — Doug Liman
Hesher — Spencer Susser
High School — John Stalberg, Jr.
I Love You Philip Morris — Glen Ficarra & John Requa
Peep World — Barry Blaustein
Trust — David Schwimmer
Welcome to the Rileys — Jake Scott

Masters of Cinema:

Certified Copy — Abbas Kiarostami
Film Socialism — Jean-Luc Goddard
Housemaid — Im Sang-Soo
Poetry — Lee Chang-Dong
Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives — Apichatpong Weerasethakul
White Material — Claire Denis

World Narratives:

The Actresses — Lee Je-Yong
Alamar — Pedro González-Rubio
Bailbo — Robert Connolly
Besouro — JoÄo Daniel Tikhomiroff
Bo — Hans Herbots
Carancho — Pablo Trapero
Dog Pound — Kim Chapiron
Easy Money — Daniel Espinosa
Four Lions — Christ Morris
The Four Times — Michaelangelo Frammartino
Heartbeats — Xavier Dolan
How I Ended This Summer — Alexei Popogrebsky
If I Want to Whistle, I'll Whistle — Florin Serban
Kawasaki's Rose — Jan Hrebejk
La Nostra Vita — Daniele Luchetti
London River — Rachio Bouchareb
The Man Next Door — Mariano Cohn & Gastón Duprat
The Man Who Will Come — Giorgio Diritti
Me Too — Alvaro Pastor & Antonia Naharro
My Brothers — Paul Fraser
Old Cats — Sebastian Silva & Pedro Peirano
Parade — Isao Yukisada
Puzzle — Natalia Smirnoff
Revolución — Rodrigo Pla
A Screaming Man — Mahamet-Saleh Haroun
Tender Son — KornÃ©l Mundruczó
We Are What We Are — Jorge Michel Grau

New French Film:

Copacabana — Marc Fitoussi
Largo Winch — Jerome Salle
Leaving — Catherine Corsini
The Princess of Pontpensier — Bertrand Tavernier
Silent Voice — Lea Fehner

American Independents:

Cold Weather — Aaron Katz
The Happy Poet — Paul Gordon
A Horrible Way to Die — Adam Wingard
The New Year — Brett Haley
Tiny Furniture — Lena Dunham
The Wolf Knife — Laurel Nakadate

Greater Filmadelphia:

CafÃ© — Marc Erlbaum
The Best and the Brightest — Josh Shelov
Lebanon, PA — Ben Hickernell
OC87: The Obsessive Compulsive, Major Depression, Bipolar, Asperger's Movie — Bud Clayman, et al.

Documentary Showcase:

Boxing Gym — Frederick Wiseman
The Canal Street Madam — Cameron Yates
Do No Harm — Rebecca Schanberg
Garbo — Edmon Roch
Gerrymandering — Jeff Reichert
How to Fold a Flag — Michael Tucker & Petra Epperlein
Kings of Pasty — Chris Hegedus & D.A. Pennebaker
Life 2.0 — Jason Spingarn-Koff
Louder Than a Bomb — Greg Jacobs & Jon Siskel
Make Believe — J. Clay Tweel
Marwencal — Jeff Malmberg
The Red Chapel — Mads BrÃ»gger
Richard Garriot: Man on a Mission — Mike Woolf
Waste Land — Lucy Walker
The Woodmans — C. Scott Willis

Sight & Soundtrack:

A Buddy Story — Marc Erlbaum
Do It Again — Robert Patton-Spruill
LennonNYC — Michael Epstein
Sound of Noise — Ola Simonsson & Johannes Stjare Nilsson

The Graveyard Shift:

The Last Circus — Alex De La Iglesia
Machete Maidens Unleashed — Mark Hartley
Mandrill — Ernesto Diaz Espinoza
Mutant Girls Squad — Noburu Iguchi, et al.
Outcast — Colm McCarthy
Outrage — Takeshi Kitano
Red Hill — Patrick Hughes
Rubber — Quentin Dupieux
The Serbian Film — Srdjan Spasojevic
True Legend — Yuen Woo Ping

Cinema of Sex:

Leap Year — Michael Rowe
The Orgasm Diaries — Ashley Horner
Room in Rome — Julio Medem
Sex Magic — Jonathan Schell & Eric Liebman

Joe H

Posted 2011-01-08 20:08:34

looking for "if i want to wistle" playing in the phila area in january or february 2011.

Posted by Josh Middleton @ 9:02 PM Permalink | Post a comment

POETIC LICENSE: Horoscopes, Sept. 24-30

POSTED: Friday, September 24, 2010, 2:00 PM

Filed Under: Poetic License

Critical Mass welcomes devoted poet/avid concert-goer/nerd-grrrl extraordinaire Jane Cassady to the fold; her weekly horoscopes will run in this space every Friday morning.

A Mini Tarot Reading (Note: If you enjoy made-up advice and pop-culture mysticism, come visit me at the Mount Airy Village Fair this Sunday, Sept.26! You can get a totally made-up Tarot reading, make September valentines and peruse my brand-new book of love poems, Adventures of A Lazy Polyamorist. XOXOXOX—Jane) Libra (Sept. 24-Oct. 21): Force: A fancy lady is grasping the lion's jaw. The lion looks kind of abashed. You are wearing infinity as a hat — grasp the application process, your bank balance, your forgotten novel, any untamable thing. Scorpio (Oct. 22-Nov. 22): The Sun: Your egg has hatched, your community garden is exploding with tomatoes and your tweets are retweeted to rival Rob Cordry's. Like Lady Gaga bringing her asked-and-told soldiers onto the red carpet and into the news cycle, use your weird voice for good. Sagittarius (Nov. 23-Dec. 22): Ten of Wands: If you're feeling overwhelmed, it might be a good time to remember that gold is heavy. Delegate some of your riches; pass it on like coins along the road. Capricorn (Dec. 23-Jan. 20): The Lovers: Your interloper might not be an arrow-wielding centaur, but nonetheless you need some element of hybridizing, some alchemy, even if it only means switching to half-decaf, making art in mixed media, or being a little two-faced. Aquarius (Jan. 21-Feb. 19): Five of Cups: Something you put a lot of stock in is starting to lose some of its meaning — that very well COULD be you in the spotlight, losing your religion. Be lost. Be a little at sea and see what floats by next. Pisces (Feb. 20-March 20): Wheel of Fortune: I married a woman who is excellent at making paper boats. I would advise you to do the same. It doesn't matter if you lose your crown or ascend to the seagulls; these temporary vessels keep you strangely grounded. Aries (March 21-April 18): The Moon: Once, when I was 20 or so, I stayed up all night painting The Moon card for Joe Prisco, a boyfriend of questionable value. He dumped me that very weekend, but a least I had the painting. Taurus (April 19-May 18): Five of Coins: In the words of LCD Soundsystem, "Drunk girls know that love is an astronaut. It comes back but it's never the same." Try again anyway. Gemini (May 19-June 21): Nine of Wands: Choose nine things you can't do anything about this week. Don't do anything about them. Cancer (June 22-July 23): Queen of Cups: According to heartthrob folk singer Peter Mulvey, "The trouble with shoes is they come untied. You might take a fall down the stairs. Then a poet might come along and say 'Isn't that just like life?' The trouble with poets is they see poetry everywhere." Be like that. Leo (July 24-Aug. 23): The Magician: Intuition isn't just blindly letting your feelings make your decisions. It's using the information already stored in your brain. Blink like Malcolm Gladwell, Leo, and trust your decisions. Virgo (Aug. 24-Sept. 23): Four of Cups: Gloria Steinem said, "Women have a terminal case of gratitude." I recently switched my Gratitude Journal to a Happiness List. I felt like being so grateful made me disappear and get taken for granted. Dial back the thank you notes, but still notice what you're given.

Posted by Jane Cassady @ 2:00 PM Permalink | Post a comment

FASHION WATCH: Philadelphia Collection 2010 Begins

POSTED: Thursday, September 23, 2010, 8:30 PM

Filed Under: Shopping Fashion

Photo | Josh Middleton

Melanie Johnson (center) flanked by models wearing local designs

Last night our beloved Shopping Spree columnist Julia West took me as her plus one to the swanky kick off party for Philadelphia Collection 2010. It was held on the 18th floor of 10 Rittenhouse Square in a gorgeous penthouse overlooking the park. The ten-day extravaganza is a celebration of Philadelphia style, so many of the city's fashion elite were in attendance. As we enjoyed complimentary wine and apps provided by Stephen Starr, we hobnobbed with designer Carmelita Martell, FBH Modeling Agency owner Kevin Parker and had a one-on-one chat with Melanie Johnson, the lady who started the whole affair. She told us how thrilled she is to be able to spotlight local fashion heavyweights like Nicole Miller, Boyds and Joan Shepp. Her goal is to boost business for local boutiques by proving that shoppers with an eye toward high fashion can find everything they need right here in Philadelphia. Now through Oct. 2nd, there will be nearly eighty Philadelphia Collection events happening around the city. Here's a list of goodies to consider this weekend:

Tonight at 6 p.m. host Kim Balaschak will be at Second Time Around (1728 Chestnut St.), teaching guests how to edit their closets to keep their wardrobe on par with current trends. I always heard if you haven't worn it in a year, throw it out. I wonder if Ms. Balaschak agrees?

Gents can get in on the mix on Fri., Sept. 24 when Duke & Winston's Seun Olubodun hosts a trunk show at Matthew Izzo (151 N. 3rd St.) at 5 p.m. I saw Olubodun at the party last night and, well, he's pretty damn easy on the eyes.

On Sat., Sept. 25, cruise down one of the city's newest fashion enclaves, East Passyunk Avenue. Metro Men's Clothing (1615 E. Passyunk Ave.) and 1600 Below Vintage (1600 E. Passyunk Ave.) are each holding open houses from 5-9 p.m. Treats and drinks will be served.

To take in a wider variety of local threads and accessories, stop by the Market at the Piazza (N. 2nd & Germantown Ave.) from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on Sun., Sept. 25. Several vendors, artists, crafters and clothing designers will be on site displaying some of their merch. Look out for jewelry by Elizabeth Bayu and goods by Rock N' Roll Clothing.

Check this week's Shopping Spree and the Philadelphia Collection 2010 website for a complete list of events. Have fun out there. And let us know if you see or do anything super amazing.

(L-R) FBH Model Lacora in Charles Jade from Kimberly Boutique & Designer Carmelita Martell in Carmelita Couture

Maureen

Posted 2010-09-24 09:00:00

I've seen better models than these. Yuk!

Josh Middleton

Posted 2010-09-24 12:41:06

Maureeeen!

Maureen Fan

Posted 2010-09-24 17:09:59

Oh Maureen I forgot that you were getting paid to know where good looks emulate from being as though Tyra Banks, D&G, and  Marc Jacobs beat down YOUR door for YOUR needed and oh so valued opinions.  Honey... go and check and make sure you fries are done in the back and wait on the next customer...Would you like fries with that...Hater...

Maureen Fan

Posted 2010-09-24 17:16:01

Oh, THAT'S YOUR FRIES, IN CASE YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING FUNNY ABOUT THAT :-p...JOSH, no worries Maureen is so Jealous..we love her anyway.. she was mad because she wasn't there...no she was making Wild Berry Smoothies for her guests..LOL...Smootches

Josh Middleton

Posted 2010-09-24 17:18:12

You're crackin' me up, Maureen. Y'all are fiesty!

Maureen Fan

Posted 2010-09-24 17:24:43

You Know that I'm right Josh...Maureen...don't hate..congratulate ;-)

Josh

Posted 2010-09-24 20:37:51

Wild Berry Smoothies!

Posted by Josh Middleton @ 8:30 PM Permalink | Post a comment

ICE CUBES: Wanda Sykes, RA Friedman and veal cheeks

POSTED: Thursday, September 23, 2010, 7:30 PM

Filed Under: Ice Cubes

photo | Scott Weiner

Uncle Nino Giaimo and Vinny Guadagnino pictured at the End Of Summer Bash with Vinny Guadagnino and MTV Realworld Brad Fiorenza at The Dizzy Bulldog in HOCKESSIN DE on Sept. 18.

If you've read Icepack, you know that I find our footballling Eagles one hard proposition to love. Andy Reid betrays his first string QB and all human dignity by making dog killing Michael Vick the season's starting quarterback because he had a good game. Yet on the nice side of the ledger (And I hate seeing anyone laid off) but the Eagles let go Hank Bassett WHICH IS ONLY OK BECAUSE IT MEANS WE'LL GET KENDRA THE FRIG OUT OF TOWN FASTER. My old block and my new block: The street I once lived on, Letitia in the OC, just opened PBR, Philadelphia Bar & Restaurant. That's bartenders Shawn Gormley and Nick Moore's gastro-pubbery spot at the Market/Letitia corner and I'm hearing the veal cheeks are sweet and succulent. Then there's the block I live on now — S. 10th Street. That block's captain Jonn Klein (from The Dive) has very sneakily worked on what's become Watkins Drinkery on the 1700 block. Starting this Friday, he'll have food on floor one (some of Modo Mio's old staff'll handle that) and dart boards, pool tables and Pac-Man video games on floor two. Did 10th Street just get its own 700 Club? I believe it did. Philly pinhole photographer RA Friedman is having a good week. After he caught an editor's eye for his role in NYC's Steampunk Saloon during the Dumbo Arts Festival. Now he's opening up a pop-up vintage photography space at 641 South St. on Sept 24. Get your photo taken. You liked it when Jay Schwartz screened The Jungle during at his usual Secret Cinema haunt. You'll love it when he, producer Harold Haskins and several members of the 12th and Oxford street gang that the film follows hit Scribe Video Center (4212 Chestnut) on Sept. 24 for a screening of the 1967 documentary that made it onto the Library of Congress' National Film Registry. WHOWHATWHERE: Wanda Sykes and her wife ate at Parc. That's cute. Elisabeth Shue hung at the Sofitel with her husband. But she's married to Davis Guggenheim who directed Waiting for Superman and An Inconvenient Truth. Has Sykes' wife saved the planet or fixed the school system? I bet not. Mayor Nutter hit Chris' Jazz CafÃ© and had the bbq chicken and mac-n-cheese, yes he did. Plus Nutter has proclaimed Oct. 25 Eddie Lang Day in honor of the Philly-fave guitarist who collaborated with legendary local violinist Joe Venuti. Speaking of Italians, while The Situation is sweating his way through Dancing with the Stars, Vinny G is hitting birthday parties in Delaware with his Uncle Nino like the one documented in photo-form above. And hey, that Delaware Funkey Monkey club event on Sept. 25 table flipping Teresa Guidice (Real Housewives of New Jersey) that we told you about two weeks ago has become a look-a-like contest. Same difference. Tucker Max signs Assholes Finish First at Borders on Sept. 30. Same difference. Phil Sumpter, newly-returned to Painted Bride (as director of marketing & communications) called and asked me "How's your salsa game?" And to that I say, how's yours, mang? Maybe he and I will face off Sept. 25 when the Bride opens its season with Salsa Caliente — a live Latin dance party series featuring area orquestas like Foto Rodriquez y Charanga la Unica, an event which dovetails nicely into Hispanic Heritage Month. Also in venue PR+marketing, the Kimmel's Dafni D. Comerota, has returned from pregnancy leave with a brand new baby Elise and a handful of new show initiatives like The XX (Oct. 4 at the Merriam) and Kathy Griffith (Nov. 5 at Academy of Music). The Philadelphia Collection — the Mayor's Fashion Week to you — starts Sept. 23 and where dovetailing is concerned nothing dips and slips nicer into autumnal sartorial splendor than a Rittenhouse Row Fall Gathering like Sept. 29's jawn at the Comcast Center. Where else can you find International Supersport DJ Schoolly D, Duke & Winston and Joan Shepp? No. Where. While my money is on the Univox screening of Conan with TJ Kong & The Atomic Bomb, (Sept. 23, KFN) and the Prophase label Notekillers/Kohoutek noise show (Sept. 23, M Room) at the start of the Philly Film + Music Fest, the head of the F/M Fest, Joe Lekkas has other ideas. "I'm super excited about the Dead Milkmen and Black Landlord pairing as I was a fan of both the DM and the Goats in my younger years," says Lekkas referring to Friday's World CafÃ© Live show. "I'm also digging the live scoring of Attack of the Giant Leeches at WCL and the Tribute-palooza at the Troc with Misstallica, Queen Diamond and Dirty Diamond. That should be fun as hell." Should be.

Posted by A.D. Amorosi @ 7:30 PM Permalink | Post a comment

JUST DO IT: Catfish directors to answer all your burning questions

POSTED: Thursday, September 23, 2010, 6:30 PM

We just got word that the directors of Catfish, that movie that's been kept such a secret that even Sam Adams' review is chock-full of spoilers, will be attending four Saturday screenings of their film at Ritz East and answering questions after the lights go up. Speaking of Sam, here's a clip from his review, which appears in today's paper:

Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman's documentary isn't exactly bombshell city, but there are enough hairpin turns in its narrative to make the surprises worth preserving. It starts innocently enough, with Schulman's brother Nev striking up an online relationship with a girl who admires his dance photography. But things get weird when her mother and sister move into the mix, and Nev's relationship with the latter grows romantic. Before long, he's involved in a passionate but largely virtual love affair, conducted by e-mail, IM and text as well as the occasional phone call. ... The movie itself is an invasion of privacy, as the constant sparring between the filmmakers and their increasingly reluctant subject reminds us.

Watch the (totally ambiguous, WTF) trailer below, and head to the Ritz this weekend to ask Henry Joost and Ariel Schulman what made them follow this social networking cautionary tale.

Screenings and directors Q&A, Sat., Sept. 25, 3:15, 5:30, 7:45 and 10 p.m., Ritz East, 125 S. Second St., landmarktheatres.com.

Posted by Carolyn Huckabay @ 6:30 PM Permalink | Post a comment

eels @ World Cafe Live 9/22

POSTED: Thursday, September 23, 2010, 5:30 PM

Filed Under: Music | Concert Review concert photos

Photo | Eric Schuman

EELS

Having seen the eels at the First Unitarian Church a few years ago, I knew how Mark Oliver Everett loves to put on a strange, strange show. This one was no different, from the PA's pre- and in between-set assortment of easy listening rock n' roll covers to Jersey ventriloquist John Pizzi serving as one of the openers, the concert was an odd one even before E and his group took the stage. Unlike that Church show, this one boasted a four-man support combo, three of which are longtime collaborators. Too often, E gets accused of being a perennial sadsack. Sure, many of his lyrics deal with intense emotions and personal loss, but he's also allowed himself to let loose every once in a while. His latest album, Tomorrow Morning, offers a bounty of such upbeat material, and it's no surprise that many of the new songs, notably "Looking Up" and "Spectacular Girl," made their way into set.

Photo | Eric Schuman

MARK OLIVER EVERETT

If you've kept up with E's strange journey over the last year or so, you're well aware of the trajectory of the three albums he's released in that time. First was Hombre Lobo, which also contributed a number of tunes to last night's show. The growling "Fresh Blood" and the primal stomp of "Prizefighter" were particularly enjoyable in the sea of red lights that flooded the stage. Few songs from the languid End Times were present, but it's just as well because that album's dour introspection hardly jives with where E's head is at these days. Along with the new songs were the favorites from the eels' songbook. Being the musical busybody he is, E wasn't content just to run through all his old tunes the same old way: "My Beloved Monster" got a rave-up makeover, "Mr. E's Beautiful Blues" was rearranged to the tune of "Twist And Shout" and the delicate "I Like Birds" was banged out as a punk rocker. "Souljacker Pt. I" and Dog Faced Boy" didn't need to be altered; they rock out loud anyway. A couple of seasonal covers were peppered in, too, namely "Summer In The City" and Gershwin's "Summertime," the latter tweaked to be a soul-funk workout. During "Summertime," E reached into a portable cooler at the back of the stage, produced a handful of Otter Pops and joyously dispensed the frozen treats into the audience. That simple expression of cheer sums up quite neatly what eels are about these days. Yeah, E can be overly dramatic sometimes, but he can also embody the child inside all of us. The beardy, white Dickies-wearing child.

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Andy

Posted 2010-09-24 18:35:46

I was at that show, it was great.  You got some really great pics there.  Who was in the line-up?  Knuckles on drums, Koool G Murder on bass, Chester on slide guitar/guitar, and the new guy ????

Eric Schuman

Posted 2010-09-24 20:15:00

E - lead vocals & guitar
The Chet - guitar, pedal steel & vocals
P-Brew (aka the new guy) - guitar & vocals
Koool G Murder - bass & vocals
Knuckles - drums & vocals

John Pizzi

Posted 2010-09-26 23:59:05

It was Odd for me too!
j

Posted by Eric Schuman @ 5:30 PM Permalink | Post a comment

IT'S A TRAP! Win tickets to see/meet Temper Trap on Sunday! DEADLINE EXTENDED

POSTED: Thursday, September 23, 2010, 4:42 PM

Filed Under: Music | Win

photo from 230 Publicity

This isn't our usual ticket giveaway situation. With this one you don't just see Australian rock band The Temper Trap play the Troc on Sunday, 9/26. You also get to meet them! And greet them! And, presumably, have an awkward photo taken with the band! Before the show!

This occasion does not call for our usual early comments/best haiku contest. No, no, no. You gotta work for this one. Here's the deal. Take the publicity shot from above (or download the hi rez version here) and photoshop/draw yourself into it. Send the results to pat @ citypaper.net by 4 p.m. EXTENDED TO FRIDAY, 10 a.m.!! Best two entries, as chosen by people who appreciate raw beauty, will win the tickets/meet-up thing. Get 'shopping!

Posted by Patrick Rapa @ 4:42 PM Permalink | Post a comment

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8

Q&A with SHARI SOLANIS: "The goal isn't pornography"
What we're trying to do this weekend
ICE CUBE: In Memoriam: Joe Tartaglia
Coming soon to Philly: Two cockamamie movie promotion schemes
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"
CONCERT REVIEW: Primus (3D & quadraphonic sound) @ The Tower 10/17
PHILLY LOVE NOTES: An ode to Spruce Street
CONCERT REVIEW & PHOTOS: James Blake @ TLA 5/11
ICEPACK ILLUSTRATED: The Archbishop meets the Geator, the Mayor goes suit shopping, Le Bec Fin fin.

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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@mission2denmark | @emilygee

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