Archive: November, 2012

FAVORITE SONGS OF 2012: Meek Mill (with Drake) “Amen” [NSFW]

POSTED: Saturday, December 1, 2012, 12:00 AM

Filed Under: Music | Night Watch

Assuming I don’t run out, I’ll be posting some of the best songs/videos of the year every night at midnight. Or my favorites, anyway. Some might be great songs with awful videos. Or vice versa. Some could just be hipster bullshit. Hopefully you’ll discover something you like. I'd rather see Philly rap wunderkind Meek Mill trading slow, filthy/sacrilegious metaphors with a cupcake like Drake than buzzmarketing with Rick Ross. I'm betting this song in particular is the one that set that preacher off.

Posted by Patrick Rapa @ 12:00 AM Permalink | Post a comment

CONCERT REVIEW/PHOTOS: Passion Pit @ Electric Factory 11/29

POSTED: Friday, November 30, 2012, 3:00 PM

Filed Under: Music | Concert Review concert photos

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The Electric Factory was probably an appropriate place for Passion Pit to play last night — at least in name. The band's performance was, itself, electrifying. And of course, the band is often categorized as "electropop." From the moment the band took the stage, lead singer Michael Angelakos channeled all the electro-chemical impulses in his body and fused them with the electronic admixture of synthetic and acoustic instruments to create an extremely energetic set.

Posted by Dave Tavani @ 3:00 PM Permalink | Post a comment

CONCERT PHOTOS: Neil Young/Patti Smith/Everest @ Wells Fargo Center 11/29

POSTED: Friday, November 30, 2012, 1:51 PM

Filed Under: Music concert photos

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Posted by Chris Sikich @ 1:51 PM Permalink | Post a comment

FAVORITE SONGS OF 2012: Dirty Ghosts, “Ropes That Way”

POSTED: Friday, November 30, 2012, 12:00 AM

Filed Under: Music | Night Watch

Assuming I don’t run out, I’ll be posting some of the best songs/videos of the year every night at midnight. Or my favorites, anyway. Some might be great songs with awful videos. Or vice versa. Some could just be hipster bullshit. Hopefully you’ll discover something you like. I first saw The Dirty Ghosts in a basement in Austin and I was smitten with the way they rocked the room as if there wasn't a portapotty 10 feet from the stage.

Posted by Patrick Rapa @ 12:00 AM Permalink | Post a comment

ICEPACK ILLUSTRATED: Miley & MilkBoy, Schoolly & Chuck D, Maria V & Papi Chulo

POSTED: Thursday, November 29, 2012, 3:00 PM

Filed Under: Icepack Illustrated

Sorry that I keep letting you know this in drips-and-drabs, but it’s funner this way — for me. So you’ll want to catch up with the Paranoia film crew as soon as you can the next few weeks. Mostly, Robert Lukatic and co. are filming indoors throughout Center City and off-South Street, Greater Philly Film org doyenne Sharon Pinkenson told me that the stars and the production crew should be leaving town right before Christmas. Can someone get Han Solo and Commissioner Gordon a holiday tray from Tashan quick? And what about our city’s other kinda-sorta Para-visitor Miley Cyrus? She recorded several tracks for her Dirty South-influenced new CD at MilkBoy Studio on Seventh Street when she was here visiting Liam Hemsworth during those sweltering summer months. The studio’s owners (hey Tom Joyner) say that the tracks’ producers aren’t scheduled yet to return for last minute edits and cutting new vocal tracks but anything is possible.

Remember that old school rap attack Schoolly D/Public Enemy hook up I told you about a few weeks ago? That teaming gets its first date together at the Liacouras Center this weekend, Dec 1. Plus PE’s Chuck D is going to release the new Schoolly record Chocolate Spider on the online label HipHopGods soon with a hard CD and vinyl release on Goldminded Records.

I don’t know if our friends at the PMA made the cut (I’m looking at you, Norman Keyes and Gigi Lamm) but there’s a cool video of the Philadelphia Museum of Art’s peeps doing the PSY “Gangnam Style” dance here.

Speaking of oddball museum fun, CA Conrad is doing one of his famous (Soma)tic Poetry Exercises this Wed., Dec. 5, commissioned by/at the Wagner Museum of Science, one of this city’s most loved but least appreciated museums at 1700 West Montgomery Ave. Details here.

My longtime DJ gal pal Maria V brings back her hot-n-heavy Papi Chulo dance jamboree to the Gayhood’s ICandy spot on S. 12th Street every last Thursday starting tonight, Nov. 29. Be there for bracing thrills.

Speaking of hot and bracing, Philly’s been-away-awhile rap mistress Eve has a new naughty cut “She Bad Bad” out in the universe with a new album due for a 2013 debut. Check the video here.

Anybody who recalls the heady days of the much-missed Five Spot’s Black Lily nights or was too young to be a part of the Roots-driven experience can get a feel for the funk on Nov. 30 at Scribe Video Center as they unveil Leaked Night at the Five Spot, filmmakers Mike Dennis and Daryl DeBrest’s look at Mercedes Martinez and Tracey Moore (Jazzyfatnastees) gal bash which ran from 2000-2005 starring Floetry, Kindred The Family Soul, Lady Alma and Jaguar Wright. Alma will be on board to do a live vibing presentation that night.

Busy week for DJ D24K. On Nov. 30, he kicks off his night at Frankford Avenue’s Barbarella, for a little party called Fever then, on Dec. 5, D2’s part of The Shakedown presents Red Bull Public Assembly #3 with Osunlade, King Britt, Lady Alma (again!), Rob Paine, Willyum and Dirty at Underground Arts.

Philly scribe Sasha Issenberg just got the nod from Politico.com as one of this year’s top 10 newbie news writers for his work at Slate and his stellar authorship of The Victory Lab: The Secret Science of Winning Campaigns. Congrats.

If you’re not too busy boozing it up or watching the go-go girls, may I remind you that the Trestle Inn has food. Fiiiiiiiine food too. They’ll dress up a new menu starting Dec 5 with all the pomp-and-circumstance it does its dancers.

Another DJ night starts Thu., Nov. 29, a deep bluesy one at South Street’s newest swanky bar from Bill “Copa” Curry and his family: Redwoods. Wild blues DJ Kitty Crumb is the girlfriend of Redwood’s retro pompadour-ed bartender Dorian DeTappan. Go, cats.

WHOWHATWHERE: Last week, we caught Stephen Starr at the Philly Style Men’s Issue party at his Barclay Prime then at the second anniversary of his Granite Hill/Starr Catering association with the Philadelphia Museum of Art. This week, we see that he’s caught the eye of one of CNBC’s money management programs. Before her big sold out shoe at the Wells Fargo Center, country cutie Carrie Underwood stopped by Ryan Seacrest’s Foundation venue at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. When director Judd Apatow stopped into the Ritz 5 to discuss This Is 40 with one of the film’s co-stars Ian Laperriere of the Flyers, by his side, the auteur managed to make time to mange at Marc Vetri’s North Broad Street nosheria, Osteria. When Tommy Up opened his swellegantt dark high-end porn-named cocktail boite Emmanuelle in back of PYT at the Piazza, the ready-to-open Concrete Blonde mistress of Top Chef, Jennifer Carroll, was on board to help pop its top. Hey Dr. J, what-you out so late: Julius Erving hit up Zee Bar late last Friday night. Marky Ramone showed off his Brooklyn Made sauce and signed drum heads (not a euphemism for the hairy skulls of percussionists) at last weekend’s Not Just Rock Expo in da suburbs, along with meeting up with Led Zep expert Denny Somach. Megan and Liz and on-air Q102 DJ Maxwell did a ribbon cutting for Blue Cross River Rink and a free Q102 Jingle Ball preview gig with Katie Fehlinger from CBS3 and Rinky — the spot’s mascot — on board. The rootsy and the rocking Gaslight Anthem made a visit to Radio 104.5’s iHeart Radio Performance Theater in Bala Cynwyd. Long Island medium Theresa Caputo visited Aerosmith backstage before the Boston bruisers bashed it out at Revel in Atlantic City last Friday night. She even got a side-of-the-stage hug from Nicki Minaj basher Steven Tyler. Also, good on Aerosmith: The band met with a group of Hurricane Sandy first-responders from the Atlantic City and Brigantine areas and applauded their recovery efforts. Good on them all.

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Posted by A.D. Amorosi @ 3:00 PM Permalink | Post a comment

KICKSTART MY ART: Give a little $$ to Weathervane Music

POSTED: Thursday, November 29, 2012, 12:00 PM

Filed Under: Music

Weathervane Music is a Philly-based nonprofit that gives independent artists a boost while building community and releasing great new music. Shaking Through is their kickass documentary video series wherein we watch the songs sprout and bloom. Uh. The video explains it better. Right now they're raising money for Volume 4. They could use your support.

Posted by Patrick Rapa @ 12:00 PM Permalink | Post a comment

FAVORITE SONGS OF 2012: Bob Mould, “The Descent”

POSTED: Thursday, November 29, 2012, 12:00 AM

Filed Under: Music | Night Watch

Assuming I don’t run out, I’ll be posting some of the best songs/videos of the year every night at midnight. Or my favorites, anyway. Some might be great songs with awful videos. Or vice versa. Some could just be hipster bullshit. Hopefully you’ll discover something you like. Bob Mould, formerly of Sugar and Hüsker Dü, put out an excellent album this year, Silver Age. It's his most Sugary stuff in years, and is best played loud and often.

Posted by Patrick Rapa @ 12:00 AM Permalink | Post a comment

TONIGHT: House of Exotic Women @ International House

POSTED: Wednesday, November 28, 2012, 10:00 AM

Filed Under: Movies

As the rabid turnout for Exhumed Films’ annual 24-Hour Horrorthon exemplifies, nostalgia plays a huge role in horror fanatics’ adoration of even the dreckiest films from their younger days. In her new book, House of Psychotic Women, film programmer and journalist Kier-La Janisse explores the idea of female neurosis in horror films through an autobiographical look at her own fright-flick-obsessed youth. The title comes from a 1973 Spanish film starring unlikely horror idol Paul Naschy as a drifter who dreams of strangling women (the film is also known as Blue Eyes of the Broken Doll – if only Euro-sleaze filmmakers were as adept at pacing and coherent storytelling as they were at devising baroque titles). Exhumed’s Joseph A. Gervasi will present an evening with both Houses, featuring a screening of an uncut video print with an introduction and discussion by Janisse.

Wed., Nov. 28, 8 p.m., $8, PhilaMOCA, 531 N. 12th St., www.philamoca.org.

(@shaundbrady)

Posted by Shaun Brady @ 10:00 AM Permalink | Post a comment

FAVORITE SONGS OF 2012: Hop Along, “Tibetan Pop Stars”

POSTED: Wednesday, November 28, 2012, 12:00 AM

Filed Under: Music | Night Watch

Assuming I don’t run out, I’ll be posting some of the best songs/videos of the year every night at midnight. Or my favorites, anyway. Some of these might be great songs with awful videos. Or vice versa. Some could just be hipster bullshit. Hopefully you’ll see something you like. This might be my favorite song of the year. Ignoring the snobby eagle in the beginning, it’s a pretty kickass video. Plus, they’re totally a Philly band.

Posted by Patrick Rapa @ 12:00 AM Permalink | Post a comment

A sure-fire dating test for movie lovers

POSTED: Tuesday, November 27, 2012, 10:00 AM

Filed Under: Movies

I'll be the first to admit I’m a total movie snob. I mean, it’s a rare breed that devotes its spare time to watching Jacques Tati movies and salivating over new Criterion releases. What’s tougher to admit, though, is the fact that my boyfriend is so not one of those people. Maybe I should have screened him better before I went and got all emotionally attached and sentimental. That’s why I’m here today, to provide my fellow film buffs a movies-they-must-have-seen test to use when dating so they can avoid having to sit through another Fast & Furious marathon (hopefully few can relate to this example). If the guy or girl hasn’t seen at least three of the following flicks, pay that check and run in the other direction!

Citizen Kane: This one is a biggie, especially since most of today's filmmakers cut their reel teeth on the techniques Orson Welles pioneered in Kane. To the average viewer, it may not seem like a huge deal—but deep focus, narrative complexity and even aging effects (to name a few) were revolutionary at the time. Regardless of whether or not you think it deserves the “Best Film of All Time” stamp, the film’s ingenuity is undeniable, and if your partner wants to learn about film, they might as well start with this classic groundbreaker.

The Thin Red Line: Out of Malick’s small repertoire of films, this one really showcases the director's fully bloomed style, without bordering on self-parody like some of his later flicks. After making Days of Heaven in 1978, Malick moved to Paris to teach before coming back 20 years later to make what has become one of the greatest war films. Thin Red is not only gorgeous and filled with a million mind-blowing revelations (thank you, Jim Caviezel’s voiceover), but it also features one wildly diverse cast — everyone from John C. Reilly to Nick Nolte to Jared Leto.

Blue Velvet: David Lynch has an incredible ability to create a outrageously disturbing aesthetic that truly affects viewers, even if it’s in a negative way. After seeing Blue Velvet for the first as a teen I spent three days in an uncomfortable haze of distress, which, funny enough, is one of the reasons I love it so much — that and the fact that within Lynch’s bizarre and almost-campy world, there’s also such cinematic beauty thanks to his attention to detail, unusual camerawork and the striking color pallet. If that's not enough to convince you, consider Dennis Hopper’s insane performance. That definitely pushes this movie into the “must-watch” category.

Philadelphia Story: I fear that the great comedies of the past are becoming obsolete as we cascade into a bizarre and unfortunate Hangover generation. Jimmy Stewart, Cary Grant, and Katharine Hepburn in one ridiculous and powerful romantic comedy? AND it’s set in Philadelphia? Come on! The acting is spot on (Stewart may give the greatest “drunk” performance of all-time) and the dialogue is so witty that you can’t help but yearn to go back to a time when people talked like that.

Psycho: This may be the most important one of all — and not just because it’s my personal favorite or that I think it's one of Hitchcock's best. What’s remarkable about this movie is that it transcends its own clichéd moments (shower scene!), and still manages to be beautiful, provoking and creepy today. If your significant other is unfamiliar with “the master of suspense” this is a great way to introduce them—and hey, it’ll prep them for the upcoming biopic Hitchcock, which focuses on the making of Psycho. Check out Shaun Brady's review in this Thursday's paper.

(catherine.haas@citypaper.net) (@kittycatzzz)

Posted by Catherine Haas @ 10:00 AM Permalink | Post a comment

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

Q&A with SHARI SOLANIS: "The goal isn't pornography"
SEXY TIME Q&A: I've never had an orgasm during sex with a man — and I'm 30!
NOW SEE THIS: Transit cop arrests marijuana activist for alleged disorderly conduct.
What we're trying to do this weekend
CONCERT REVIEW: Primus (3D & quadraphonic sound) @ The Tower 10/17
Q&A with Tony Goldwyn: "Life is gray, and relationships are, too"
ICEPACK ILLUSTRATED: Indian fare rules, Dunder Mifflin lives on, Tom Jones is a god
Bradley Cooper promises he's not an asshole
Q&A with Goon’s Seann William Scott
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.

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

@mission2denmark | @emilygee

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