Archive: September, 2010

JUST DO IT: Get A Haircut For Charity

POSTED: Wednesday, September 22, 2010, 10:37 PM

Filed Under: Critical Mass | Just Do It Fashion

Photo | fastcompany.com

You could clean the Gulf with that

Looking for a new fall do? Well, we know how you can get snipped at one of Philly's sexiest salons without paying a dime. Yea, you heard right. This weekend Salon Vanity is holding their annual Locks of Love Day. Guests can swing by to get a free cut if they opt to donate their fallen tresses to Locks of Love, a non-profit that provides hair pieces to financially disadvantaged kids suffering from disease-induced hair loss. Four stylists will be on duty pampering each customer like they would any other paying client. Besides a cut, they'll provide washes, blow outs and even style your new coiffure. Any gratuity you decide to leave will also be donated to Locks of Love. Salon Manager Amy Lamberson says the client typically needs to sacrifice at least ten inches to make a relevant donation, so come ready for drastic change. She says walk-ins are welcome but appointments are highly suggested. The books are apparently filling up fast, which means you may be passing more short-haired girls on the street soon. A new fall trend? We hope so. Sun., Sept. 26, 10 a.m.-4 p.m., free, Salon Vanity, 1701 Walnut St., 4th Floor, 215-925-2211, vanityphilly.com.

kwpang

Posted 2010-09-22 21:31:11

I don't mind getting a hair cut for charity, but 10 inches is a bit too long isn't it?

Josh

Posted 2010-09-22 22:37:09

I agree, kwpang, but that's what they told me. I have a feeling they'd accept any amount of hair they can get. Give it a try!

EvaL

Posted 2010-09-23 09:30:43

It's a great charity!!! Can't wait !! 
I do believe 10 inches is min. to make a hairpiece
Read below  
http://www.locksoflove.org

Josh Middleton

Posted 2010-09-23 15:07:42

Good info, EvaL. Thanks!

Posted by Josh Middleton @ 10:37 PM Permalink | Post a comment

TICKET GIVEAWAY: Chrissie Hynde at the Keswick tomorrow night!

POSTED: Wednesday, September 22, 2010, 6:10 PM

Filed Under: Music

Just call me Angel of the Afternoon: If you wanna win a pair of tickets to see the great pretender herself Chrissie Hynde at the Keswick tomorrow, all you gotta do is be one of the first three commenters on this post. No haiku contests, no clever jokes, just a mad dash to victory. Tomorrow night: JP, Chrissie & the Fairground Boys (featuring Chrissie Hynde and JP Jones), with Amy Correia, Keswick Theatre, 291 N. Keswick Ave., Glenside, 215-572-7650, keswicktheatre.com. UPDATE: Congrats Greg, Christina and Danny!

Greg Pitkoff

Posted 2010-09-22 13:14:31

Just another night in my veins.

christina Thompson

Posted 2010-09-22 13:15:17

A true legend and amazing performer. I have loved Chrissie for years and love her new project JP Chrissie and the Fairground Boys!

christina Thompson

Posted 2010-09-22 13:17:02

"TICKET GIVEAWAY: Chrissie Hynde at the Keswick tomorrow night!"

Danny D

Posted 2010-09-22 13:45:29

I hope CityPaper will "stand by me" and give me some tix!

Pete LaVerghetta

Posted 2010-09-22 13:51:37

Three? Outstanding!

kristen

Posted 2010-09-22 14:00:56

being number 4 is no run ;(

Talk of the Town

Posted 2010-09-22 14:03:55

Still alive at Number 5 ???

Cathy

Posted 2010-09-22 20:46:38

Can't wait to see the godess of rock & roll

Barbara

Posted 2010-09-23 03:03:47

might as well give it a try....

Posted by Patrick Rapa @ 6:10 PM Permalink | Post a comment

CURATOR: Bye, Bye CafÃ© Metro

POSTED: Tuesday, September 21, 2010, 4:41 PM

Filed Under: Music The Curator

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

Photo | www.timesleader.com

The now defunct CafÃ© Metropolis

Everyone welcome our newest curator, Sean. Fourteen years ago and about two hours north on the northeast extension in a small town called Wilkes-Barre, a club called CafÃ© Metropolis opened its doors. For years it was the home of Northeastern PA's underground music scene and served as its own kind of highway between the Northeast and Philly. It gave bands from the northeast like Title Fight, The Menzingers, and An Albatross their start before most made the inevitable migration to Philly. This past Saturday, to the dismay of many of the venue's patrons, CafÃ© Metro closed its doors. Many kids growing up in Wilkes-Barre, like myself, remember a much different downtown scene — when CafÃ© Metro was at its prime. There were abandoned buildings, parking lots full of empty Hurricane bottles and the only surrounding businesses were a skate shop and strip club. In a town with so little to do, Metro, for many kids, was the only reason to come to downtown. Now a Barnes and Noble, a movie theater and a few restaurants line the streets, providing evidence of the years-old city beautification initiative meant to stimulate the local economy that's been stagnant since the 70's. With new business comes an increased cost in rent. And for a place that's barely been able to break even for 14 years, the outlook for Metro became grim. Though many patrons have long since moved on from Metro, it's still sad to see it go. Here's to some good times.

Lily

Posted 2010-09-22 16:06:36

rip metro. i will never forget all of the bad things we did in the parking lot

ERIK

Posted 2010-09-24 12:20:57

The heartbeat of the city has now flatlined

Posted by Sean Kearney @ 4:41 PM Permalink | Post a comment

ON THE FRINGE: It's so hard to say goodbye

POSTED: Monday, September 20, 2010, 7:00 PM

The cool fall days that follow the culmination of the Live Arts/Fringe Fest always feel a little weird, like the moments that come after the mad dash to open presents on Christmas morning. It's all over, and it's a total bummer. My eyes feel less tired, sure, and I get to go home after work and not leave again till the next morning if I want to.

Photo | Neal Santos

The cast of my favorite 2010 Live Arts show, Cankerblossom

But of the 17 shows I saw this year, so many are still fresh in my mind and I don't want to lose my Fringe buzz just yet. Here are my top three shows of the year:

CANKERBLOSSOM >> I saved what ended up being my best show for last. Whimsical, hilarious, moving, silly, serious, totally magical. I was in love with all the characters, but Hinako Arao's whacked-out performance style kinda steals the show.
ETTY >> To be honest I wasn't exactly expecting to love ETTY, the story of a twentysomething Jewish woman living in Amsterdam during the Nazi takeover of Holland. But Susan Stein's performance was absolutely mesmerizing, heartbreaking, gorgeous.
THE SUN ALSO RISES >> If you can hold my attention for three-and-a-half hours (and I don't think I'm alone here), you've succeeded. I'd seen Gatz two years ago, and was just as impressed with the Elevator Repair Service's take on Hemingway as I was with their seven-hour Fitzgerald retelling.

What were your favorite Live Arts/Fringe shows? Share in the comments if you, like me, aren't ready to say goodbye. P.S. If the withdrawal is just too painful to bear, there are a few shows still going on post-Fringe. Among them: Titus Andronicus. Check it out here, or visit citypaper.net/fringe to read reviews of the 71 shows we saw over the last two weeks.

Posted by Carolyn Huckabay @ 7:00 PM Permalink | Post a comment

THE SHOWDOWN: A jolt of psychedelic fizz

POSTED: Monday, September 20, 2010, 6:00 PM

Filed Under: Music The Showdown

Monday: If you thought that LA's No Age were just another blip in the 2008 two-piece trend, let their forthcoming new album, Everything In Between, reassure you that they're the real deal. Dean Spunt and Randy Randall have made good on the promise shown on last year's Losing Feeling EP with an album packed with aggressive yet engaging rockers. Be sure to arrive early to catch a set from up-and-coming local weirdos Grandchildren, whose debut is due out later this year. w/ Small Black, 7:30 p.m., $13, First Unitarian Church, 2125 Chestnut St., 215-563-3980. Tuesday: A flash of new wave and a jolt of psychedelic fizz. That's what you get from Chicago's Unicycle Loves You. The trio's music is inspired by countless bands from pop music's storied history, though they've managed to make their material fresh and bubbly. The harmony- and fuzz-laden tunes found on their new album, Mirror Mirror, are certain to make for an evening of bop-along fun. Don't forget your brightly-colored everythings! w/ The Minimalist & Kinch, 8 p.m., $15, North Star Bar, 2639 Poplar St. 215-787-0488. Wednesday: After lying low for several years, Mark Oliver Everett recently resurrected eels with a trilogy of albums. The recently-released conclusion, Tomorrow Morning, is far and away the finest of the set, hearkening back to eels' beat-heavy heyday. Everett also has a reputation for putting together an unpredictable spectacle of a live show. Given the wildly varied material he's released since his last visit to Philadelphia, Everett will have a lot to catch us up on. w/ Jesca Hoop, 8 p.m., $33 - $50, World Cafe Live, 30th St. & Walnut St., 215-222-1400. Thursday: The double bill is the concert goer's dream. Pinch yourself and head over to see local heroes Free Energy take on Jersey's Titus Andronicus in a musical history-off. Free Energy will naturally provide the hooky anthems found on their debut album, Stuck On Nothing, while Titus will tear through the Civil War-referencing epics of The Monitor. Whose rock will reign supreme? Who cares, it's gonna be one heck of a show! w/ The Tough Shits, 7:30 p.m., $13, First Unitarian Church, 2125 Chestnut St., 215-563-3980. Friday: Believe the hype. LCD Soundsystem's summer-concluding shindig will indeed be the happening that nearly all of the Making Time crew has been working so hard to create. It doesn't hurt that James Murphy has put out one of the year's finest albums (unfortunately purported to be this project's last). Regrettably, this event has sold out, but odds are you're one of the countless people going. Oh, and for those getting there in time to see Sleigh Bells, here's a simple suggestion: Ear. Plugs. w/ Making Time DJs, 9 p.m., Sold Out, The Naval Cruise Terminal at the Philadelphia Naval Yard, 5100 S. Broad St., 215.609.4049. Saturday: To celebrate the venerable venue's 20^th anniversary, the folks at Chris' Jazz CafÃ© have assembled an all star band to perform four sets over two nights. The group is highlighted by a rotating trio of saxophonists, Eric Alexander, Bootsie Barnes & Larry McKenna, with the rhythm section of guitarist Peter Bernstein, organist Dan Kostelnik and drummer Rodney Green holding everything together. 8 & 10 p.m., $25, Chris' Jazz Cafe, 1421 Sansom St. 215-568-3131 Sunday: M.I.A. hasn't exactly had the best year. Still, the live stage is one place she can always redeem herself. Her messy new album, /\/\ /\ Y /\, might not have been what fans of "Boyz" and "Paper Planes" expected, but M.I.A. hasn't lost her artistic flair. Also, she's sure to put on a provocative, entertaining and thought-provoking show. Never mind her latest work's reception, just go and remind Maya that you're still listening. She could use the good news. w/ Rye Rye, 8 p.m., $45.10, Electric Factory, 421 N. 7th St., 215-627-1332.

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

ART PHAG: Gayborhood Games Winners

POSTED: Monday, September 20, 2010, 4:40 PM

Filed Under: LGBTQ Art Phag

Photo | Neal Santos

Drag performance

Art Phag is back, bitches! On Saturday the Gayborhood Games kicked off to a packed house at Voyeur Nightclub (1221 St. James St., 215-735-5772). The event's creator Bruce Yelk says up to 35 singers, comedians, bakers and bartenders competed, but in the end only seven of those bad boys and girls walked away with the top prize. The next time you're in the Gayborhood, keep your eyes peeled for performances, treats and cocktails from this list of winning contenders:

Best Drag Act: Brenda Dharling

Outstanding Comedian: Di Hargrove

Outstanding Vocalist: Chat D

Outstanding Chef: More Than Just Ice Cream (1119 Locust St., 215-574-0586)

Outstanding Bartender: Kyle Stoudnour from Tavern on Camac (243 S. Camac St., 215-545-0900)

Outstanding Men's Salon: Charlie Salon (203 S. 12th St., 215-923-3123)

Outstanding Female Salon: L'etoile (4360 Main St., 215-483-2500)

Related:

Posted by Josh Middleton @ 4:40 PM Permalink | Post a comment

TONIGHT: Echo Orbiter plays its first show in nine years!

POSTED: Saturday, September 18, 2010, 7:21 PM

Filed Under: Critical Mass

Back in the late '90s/early 2000s, Echo Orbiter was a frequent sight on Philly stages. Thanks to their out-there lyrics and inventive noisiness, they were often branded as psychedelic, but in truth they were (and are) a lot more interesting than that. Echo stopped playing in 2001 — for reasons you can read about next week in City Paper — but now they're back. Whether it's just for tonight is TBD. What took them so long to get the band back together? Frontman Justin Emerle sums it up thusly:

Resilient as we are, we had to come, back nine years on. We're like cicadas. We had to wait until the time was right to emerge.

Echo Orbiter plays tonight, Sat., Sept. 18, 9:30 p.m., $10, with Joe Jack Talcum and Circadian Rhythms, Johnny Brenda's, 1201 N. Frankford Ave., 877-435-9849, johnnybrendas.com.

Tara Brown

Posted 2010-09-19 10:27:09

They rocked the house man! Can't wait to see them again!

Posted by Patrick Rapa @ 7:21 PM Permalink | Post a comment

Pavement @ The Mann 9/17

POSTED: Saturday, September 18, 2010, 5:37 AM

Filed Under: Music concert photos

Get the flash player here: http://www.adobe.com/flashplayer

justjoshfunk1

Posted 2010-09-18 09:54:03

Great shots. Wow!

Posted by Patrick Rapa @ 5:37 AM Permalink | Post a comment

ICE CUBE: Egypt-ian revival

POSTED: Friday, September 17, 2010, 10:03 PM

Filed Under: Ice Cubes

Ice Cubes are all the juicy details A.D. Amorosi couldn't cram into Icepack. Read on to get yer gossip on. Now that the LiveArts/Fringe Fest has summoned the beast that was Egypt — DelAve's premier indoor deeeesco of the late '80s and '90s — for its nightly Festival Bar, some of the cleverer dicks from a bygone era decided to go further, harder and with so many more BPMs. Egypt was owned and operated (then) by Joe Grasso, Larry Cohen and Barry Gutin, who have all gone on to tonier projects — Union Trust, Cuba Libre amongst them — so some of the original crew got Gutin's blessing and will hold a reunion at KatManDu Trenton tonight, Sept. 17 (katmandutrenton.com). Robbie Tronco, Chuck Addis, Jeff Rice and Yaman Coskun are involved, and KatManDu's publicist, George Polgar, is in on the fun, too. "This is somewhat of a history lesson of course since back in the early '90s we were all in fierce but friendly competition," says Polgar, who reminds Delaware Avenue friends that KatManDu in Philly ended in 2002. Since opening in 1997 in Trenton under the ownership of Chicago financier Steve Hirsh, it has kept the big dance club vibe going, along with a steady dining and huge catering and banquet business. The only thing bigger than that vibe was the one at Egypt — high ceilings, high hair, high times. Polgar reminds me that in three weeks KatManDu Trenton will be reborn with the Peter Cooper Ironworks Pub named for the historic register building it occupies. (The "KatManDu" identity will remain, with an indoor and outdoor portion rechristened Peter Cooper.) But tonight, in the breeze, everything will be lit in cheap neon and bathed in brassy house music a la Club Egypt. Behold.

Jackie Milo

Posted 2010-09-17 17:12:07

Just Remodel my Bathroom By http://www.cabathroomremodeling.com . Quality work, great company! 
They were prompt, courteous, and very customer-friendly service. They did amazing job with our bathroom. My family and I were enjoying it. Quality of work and fair priced. Highly recommended to all!

Posted by A.D. Amorosi @ 10:03 PM Permalink | Post a comment

JUST DO IT: Bario-Neal Grand Opening

POSTED: Friday, September 17, 2010, 8:25 PM

Filed Under: Just Do It

Photo | Bario-Neal

Jewelry in recycled glass bottle packaging

Have you noticed the transformation that's taking place on the corner of Sixth and Bainbridge in Bella Vista? It's kind of hard to miss. The loud, orange and blue storefront that once housed the Skateboard Shop is no more. Taking its place is Bario-Neal, a toned-down, chic purveyor of jewelry made locally from 100% reclaimed precious metals. Passersby can take their first chance to peek inside tomorrow when owners and designers Anna Bario and Page Neal throw their grand opening hoopla. Bario says the festivities will feature beer, wine and an assortment of snacks; and their collection of bling will be available for purchase. All of their pieces are created through a low-impact, environmentally-friendly process using reclaimed metals and ethically-sourced stones. The casual pieces (bracelets, necklaces, trinkets) range from $15 to $220, while their upscale goods (engagement rings, wedding bands) can cost anywhere from $150 to $10K. This is their very first retail location, so pop in to congratulate them on their pretty new space and welcome them to the neighborhood. Oh, and while you're at it, can you pick us up something shiny and gorgeous? Sat., Sept. 18th, 5 p.m., free, Bario-Neal, 700 S. 16th St., 215.454.2164, bario-neal.com

Posted by Josh Middleton @ 8:25 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
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.
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.

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@mission2denmark | @emilygee

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