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Music
Don't know what to do tonight? Don't worry, we've got you covered.
'Cause he's from Philly, and when's the last time you saw a rapper at Johnny Brenda's?
Mon., May 15, 8 p.m., $12, Johnny Brenda's, Frankford & Girard aves., 215-739-9684, johnnybrendas.com.
Don't know what to do tonight? Don't worry, we've got you covered.
The Baltimore purveyors of manic, manic, maaaaanic rock that are influenced by video games in a way that's similar to how Dan Deacon is also influenced by them, but not quite as overtly as he is are at the Electric Factory tonight. Expect lots of strange lighting effects and songs from their albums Strawberry Jam and the Merriweather Post Pavilion. (The latter, by the way, is named after a big-ass, Susquehanna Center-esque venue near their hometown. Weird, right?)
Tue., May 12, 8pm, $20, Electric Factory, 421 N. 7th St., 215-627-1332, electricfactory.info.
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| PEX Summer Festival |
| Click to enlarge. |
For those of you who have been obsessively checking pexsummerfestival.com since word dropped that a Philadelphia Experiment-run music/arts/DJs bonanza would be going down this summer, I have good news: The lineup has been posted. It's definitely more Burning Man than Bonnaroo there'll be lots of fire breathers, yoga workshops and drum circles, and not so many big-name bands (Dr. Dog, I was crossing my fingers for you!). But still, pool parties every day, a giant fire on July 4 and a sexploratorium. Whatever the hell that is. Be there or be square.
Don't know what to do tonight? Don't worry , we've got you covered.
If, for some crazy reason, you don't like giant bonfires, Swedish hot dogs (that's right, not meatballs, folks) and good times, and therefore won't be attending the Valborgsmässoafton Celebration tonight, there's always the Tom Waits Tribute Night. Which is pretty good, too. Andrew Lipke, Paper Masques, Cheap Dinosaurs, Grimace Federation and about 20 other folks will be singing from Waits' oeuvre, and attempting to replicate a voice that one critic described as "soaked in a vat of bourbon, left hanging in the smokehouse for a few months and then taken outside and run over with a car." Yep. Oh yeah, and then swallowed by the smoke monster and spat back out.
Thu., April 30, 9 p.m., $7, Fire, 412 W. Girard Ave., 267-671-9298, iourecords.com.
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| Mundie Art |
Other than some Bastille Days here and a few Meet-the-Prisoner events there, the Eastern State Penitentiary is like that aunt of yours you see her on one holiday (in ESP's case, Halloween; in your aunt's case, Christmas, Passover or another somesuch thing), and then she's gone for the rest of the year. Which is a real damn shame. Cause, when I saw Philly-area composers perform at ESP this Friday as part of the Chamber Music Now! series, it ruled.
The acoustics were great. The exhibits that decorated the space including one that featured cat sculptures and another that held tiny installations revealing lesser-known facts about ESP were a nice touch, and entertaining to look at during the intermission. Surrounded by cement and brick, it was freezing (on Friday, when it was bloody hot outside), meaning that AC costs would be nil during the summer. And, best of all, it was creepy as hell. As I was listening to a super-high pitched soprano sing about going mad in solitary confinement (many of the works were inspired by past ESP residents), I sat next to a completely dark cell, which meant I had an adrenaline-filled panic attack every five seconds. So, I'm asking you ESP: Can you hold more performances here? Like book Bjork or Portishead maybe? I feel they'd fit the space well. Or hold a dance party? Don't let those Making Time kids come, though. God knows what terrible things they'll do in the empty cells.
Oh yeah, and FYI: There are two more CMN! events taking place at ESP on May 1 & 3, at 8 p.m.
Don't know what to do tonight? Don't worry, we've got you covered.
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| howartandmusiccanchangetheworld |
| David & Jean, the happy duo/artists/ musicians. |
Talk about an optimistic statement David Lester and Jean Smith think that art and music can change the world as we know it. Part of the lit pop group Mecca Normal, they've been traveling the country to convince people of their starry-eyed beliefs. Through PowerPoint, speech and performance, they'll discuss how their art has created social change, what it means to be D.I.Y. performers and the nitty gritty of collaboration. Here's a sample of what they'll be discussing:
"In our early years I spoke from the stage," Jean says. "Between fairly literal songs about feminism, poverty and housing issues, to encourage women to start bands with other women, as opposed to being audience members. The social movement known as Riot Grrrl began and its founding members cited Mecca Normal as an inspiration to its inception. We connected with audiences who were encouraged to, in this case, focus on feminist concerns using music and culture. This direct linearity of events inspired us to address the idea that it is not possible to change the world. We did change the world."
Call 'em naive if you want, but in this climate I call it refreshing.
Wed., April 22, 8 p.m., $8, NEXUS/Foundation for Today's Art, 1400 N. American St., 215-684-1946, nexusphiladelphia.org.
Don't know what to do tonight? Don't worry, we've got you covered.
Yo Night Movers and Shakers have you given love to (or, more accurately, been loved by) the "Do It Today" feature on our site yet? No? Get on it. It's like Night Moves times three. OK, now you've seen it and you still want more? Fine, fine. This one's for the Shakers especially dance/electro/Cursive-but-way-happier band The Faint will be at the Troc, along with Ladytron. I'm far more excited about the latter performers, who somehow make ethereal, very pretty music that I actually want to dance to (as opposed to lie in bed to). Or you could do this. Or this. Or this.
Mon., April 14, 7 p.m., $21.50-$23, the Troc, 1003 Arch St., 215-922-5483, thetroc.com.
Don't know what to do tonight? Don't worry, we've got you covered.
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| For some reason, they didn't have a flier for tonight's event. But this one is cool enough to feature twice, no? |
Feeling a bit interdisciplinary? Scatterbrained? Like one event won't satisfy you, but maybe a hodge-podge of a few will? Me too. Which is why I'll be heading to Copabanana's twice-monthly event, The Exchange, tonight. Its title is literal it features a bunch of musicians, spoken word artists, comedians, live painters and dramatists getting together to do their thing and swap ideas. The folks over at the Community Cultural Exchange, which put this on, suggest bringing your own talent with you, whether it be improv or knitting. The latter, we worry, may be a bit too quaint for such an overstimulating event.
Tue., April 7, 7 p.m., free, Upstairs at The Copabanana , Fourth & South sts, 215-923-6180, communityculturalexchange.org
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| soundoflife.net |
Don't know what to do tonight? Don't worry, we've got you covered.
Back in February, we told you about the Rosenbach's funky, interdisciplinary Web site celebrating Abe Lincoln's 200th birthday. In addition to amassing all sorts of weird interpretations of the president that exist today, like a "Rose of Lincoln" ringtone and a Lincoln E-card, the museum is putting on a slew of 16th President-inspired events.
Tonight's is especially neat Bryce Dessner of The National, a band that's influenced by Dylan, Petty and post-punk, and is the sort of group you'd like to see outdoors at a festival while drinking an ale, is collaborating with other instrumentalists to create the "Lincoln Shuffle." It's a piece of work that reflects the music from Lincoln's time, including songs inspired by his inaugural address and his favorite song "Dixie." Hopefully the event's coordinators will also show guests what a "Lincoln Shuffle" is, exactly it has to be a dance move or a type of beard, right?
Thu., April 2, 6:30 p.m., $12-$20, Rosenbach Museum & Library, 2008 Delancey Place, 215-732-1600, 21stcenturyabe.com.
Don't know what to do tonight? Don't worry, we've got you covered.
Contrary to what its hippie-dippie name suggests, the Flower Travellin' Band does not perform shitty classic rock covers in Allentown. Oh, no. It's a '70s psych-rock band from Japan actually, it's the '70s psych-rock band from Japan. Imagine if Led Zeppelin reuinted (and John Bonham never died), and the members decided to play in a tiny ass venue, and you'll begin to understand how enthusiastic you should be that the Flower Travellin' Band is performing at JB's. Think that psych-rock is only for burnt-out Phish fans? The Japenese do it quite differently. Unlike, say, Pink Floyd or Grateful Dead, which are brilliant but often mopey and mellow, the Flower Travellin' Band is feverish and strongly influenced by early metal. As Grace Slick might say, it's like American psych-rock being shot through a cannon.
Mon., March 16, 9 p.m., $13-$16, Johnny Brenda's, 1201 N. Frankford Ave., 215-739-9684, johnnybrendas.com
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