Au Revoir

Many Culture Vulture apologies for my less than regular postings this summer, but I've been preparing to move. After graduating, I decided to do a year of service and I've taken a job with a non-profit in Raleigh, North Carolina. Needless to say, my arts pursuit will not end with my move, but I must take a leave of absence from this blog until I've returned to the City of Brotherly Love. I can hardly post about Philly from the South! In the meantime, I will have another blog documenting my service experience, with particular focus on the simple lifestyle. The address will be posted when it's up and running. Thanks to everyone for your readership, and stay cultural, Philadelphia!

Wild

The Rosenbach Museum, one of Philadelphia's most underutilized gems, is displaying a can't-miss exhibit called There's a Mystery There: Sendak on Sendak on famed children's author and artist Maurice Sendak. Most famous for Where the Wild Things Are, Sendak changed the nature of children's books forever by riding the new wave of child psychology that recognized the complex and sometimes scary emotions children experience.

Exhibit aside, the Rosenbach is a museum worthy of a visit in its own right. The literary collection contains original manuscripts of Pickwick Papers, Ulysses, and Lord Jim, as well as Herman Melville's bookcase complete with its small library (particularly interesting to one Culture Vulture who just spent an entire semester researching Melville). The Rosenbach always gets hype around Bloomsday, when it hosts a full-day tribute to Joyce's Ulysses, but this event tends to overshadow the worthy, ongoing work of the museum. I would resommend a visit to anyone with an interest in literature, not just scholars. The museum sets an accessible tone, and its unassuming location on Delancey Street and personal, inviting staff make each visitor feel like a VIP getting the back-door experience.

The current Sendak exhibit strikes a perfect balance between appealing to adults and children. Sendak donated over 10,000 drawings and manuscripts to the museum, so the museum had a lot to work with. The Rosenbach took full advantage of his delightful illustrations and memorable quotes by colorfully adorning the rooms with them. This exhibit will be changing over the next several months (inviting repeat visitors), but the current display focuses on Sendak's background, influences, and beliefs about child psychology.

It was very refreshing to see children's literature getting the seldom-delivered respect it deserves. In books like In the Night Kitchen, and Outside Over There Sendak did not simple come up with a "nice story," but created a catharsis for the confusing emotions children deal with. He incorporated in his books influential events from the collective culture, such as the Holocaust and the kidnapping of the Lindbergh baby. Sendak recognized that adults weren't the only ones affected by these events, and that children also had to come to terms with them. The exhibit was engrossing, and more than one fellow attendant felt compelled to comment on how Sendak's books had affected their lives, both as children and as they re-read the books to their own children. For anyone who has had the pleasure of reading one of Sendak's books (and few among us have not), this exhibit is more than worthwhile. General admission to the Rosenbach is $10, and it's $5 for students. For museum hours and a full list of events connected with the exhibit visit www.rosenbach.org.

Groovin'

After the success of last weeks Global Grooves event, I thought I'd post about the rest of the schedule, beginning tonight with Pistolera. They are a Latin-alt quartet with traditional Mexican influences, and they're reputed to create a kicking dance beat. Pistolera performs at 7:30 p.m. in the Perelman Theater. Next Thursday, the 24th, the Boban i Marko Markovic Orkestar brings its Balkan brass sound to the stage, and on August 21st (if you can wait that long) there will be an African tribute to James Brown called "Still Black, Still Proud." Tickets are $20-25 and can be purchased at the Kimmel Center box office, or online at http://www.kimmelcenter.org/.

The Casbah Rocks

Rachid Taha is nothing else if not a performer. On Thursday night at the Kimmel Center he turned the usually refined Perelman Theater into a slamming dance party. Taha's style of music, called rai, is a form of traditional Algerian folk music, but his sound was far from my concept of folk. His music - and image - has much more in common with punk.

Taha's persona, more so even than his excellent music, dominated the stage Thursday. In his bright red suit and white sneakers, with the occasional trademark fedora and sunglasses, he reminded me of an era when stage presence and personality were prerequisites for performers. Perhaps I've seen too many stiff-necked indie bands, but I think before you even consider taking your music public you need to develope some pizazz. Either that or join the pit orchestra, cause then we don't have to look at you.

Now, that said, Taha was such a ham that at times I almost felt a little uncomfortable. I was right in front by the stage, but when my roommate suggested we try to grab his hand I pulled back. He was so overtly sexual that I didn't want to get too close. At one point during the night he invited a bunch of people on stage and tried to make out with a (fortunately reluctant) 14-year-old girl, so my fears were well founded. And although I found his banter between sets a little difficult to understand (he spoke in a mixture of French, Arabic, and English), I definitely understood when he yelled, "I want some sex tonight!" Let's just say I inched back a little further from the stage.

Despite these seemingly un-Kimmel Center moments, however, Taha's performance stood alone. He danced around stage, gyrating those eager hips and caressing the microphone, his energy lighting up the audience. He drew a very mixed crowd - old, young, American, French, Middle Eastern - but everybody danced. I was sandwiched between a very rythmic mother with her two young girls, and a couple of headbanging college guys. Behind me was an elderly couple partners-dancing. Clearly Taha is a unifier. I have to say, my favorite number was definitely his Clash cover, "Rock el Casbah" (very difficult to translate). Taha has a new "Best of" cd out, and you can check out his music at rachidtaha.artistes.universalmusic.fr.

Also, a heads-up that this Tuesday at 9 p.m. the Lawn Chair Drive-In (lawnchairdrivein.com) is showing Gold Diggers of 1933, a depression-era over the top musical. So if last week's depressing modernist French piece wasn't your cup of tea, this is a real turn-around.

A Capital Fourth

This Fourth of July seemed more packed with events than any in recent years. Philadelphia's only getting better at making this the city for celebrating our nation's birth (Chris Satullo's suggestions to abstain aside). Here are just a few highlights from Culture Vulture's experience this week:

Yo-Yo Ma visited Philadelphia on Monday night to kick off the Philadelphia Orchestra's summer program. Although not officially related to Independence Day, the fact that Mr. Ma, as I like to call him, appeared with our very own orchestra and that the fates conspired to make it a lovely evening for this open air event at the Mann Center made me proud to be not only an American, but a Philadelphian. He only played one song - Saint-Saens' Cello Concerto No. 1 - but he made it count. His fingers were all over that cello neck, and he made it seem almost effortless. But what I was most impressed by was his humility. You would think an international star like Yo-Yo Ma would have an ego the size of Texas, but he redirected all of the applause to the conductor, Rossen Milanov, and the whole orchestra. Now that's true star quality.

On the actual Fourth, I eshewed the crowds of the city for the traditional-style Southampton Days celebration in the Philadelphia suburbs. The parade had just about every fire engine in Bucks County present, but it also had flavor. The bands were on point, and the floats creative. I was also pleased to see the Democrats - Patrick Murphy among them - represented for once, although appalled at the silence of the Republican crowd. One Culture Vulture, however, managed to make up for the quiet of others. The parade was followed by special events at the carnival (cow chip bingo, anyone?), and a complete fireworks display at nightfall. Sometimes it's nice to get out of the city and have a real down-home holiday.

I couldn't stay away from Philly for too long, though, and I found myself lured yesterday by the Super Scooper all-you-can-eat ice cream festival at Penn's Landing. The $5 proceeds went to the Joshua Kahan fund, and in case that wasn't incentive enough, there were representatives from all of the major ice cream producers - local, national, and international. The only problem, however, was that it was a mob scene. There was a very long line to even get in, and once inside only the aggressive ate ice cream. Culture Vulture went into take-no-prisoners gear, and boy, we ate ice cream. I must say, Bassett's is still my favorite (and apparently also has the highest fat content, according to a recent documentary), but we have a lovely selection of ice cream here in Philadelphia.

Finally, a heads-up about some events Culture Vulture will be attending during the post-Fourth recoup week:

First, Tuesday night there will be a free outdoor screening of Orpheus in the Liberty Lands Park (3rd and Poplar) at 8 p.m. This is the 1950s, psychological version, with the setting transplanted to France just after World War II. Because who couldn't use a little Greek tragedy to ward off the mid-week slump?

Secondly, and I am very excited about this, the Kimmel Center is kicking off its Global Grooves series on Thursday night with Algerian musician Rachid Taha performing at 7:30 p.m. in the Perelman Theater. Going on throughout the summer, Global Grooves is a series of peformances by world musicians with the Perelman transformed into a dance club with a cash bar. So no more quiet finger drumming at the Kimmel when you really want to be shaking it (it has been a problem for me in the past). Tickets are $20 and available at www.kimmelcenter.org. And with Taha self-decsribed as "Clash meets Cramps meets Egyptian strings back beat," I don't think anyone will want to miss this starter.

Americana

I'm going to admit something here. Ready? When it comes to classical music, I can be unsophisticated. Okay, that wasn't so hard. Now I can unclench my stomache. So why, you ask, would the author or a cultural blog admit to simple taste? Because sometimes simple can be good.

Take Thursday night's Philadelphia Orchestra performance, for example. Called "American Postcards," the bill featured only pieces by composers from the grand old U. S. of A. Now I know several of you officianados are probably choking on your palate cleansers right now. "What?" you cry, "No Russians?!" But hear me out. Sometimes - or most times - pieces have mass appeal for a reason: because they're moving and accesible. Thursday night's performance at the Kimmel Center highlighted this fact, often overlooked in salon circles.

The program opened with Berstein's Overture to Candide. We all know it. We all love it. But does that mean hearing a well-executed rendition of it is trite? Quite the opposite. It's deliciously satisfying. The same goes for Gershwin's Porgy and Bess. Honestly I could listen to it from this moment until my last breath and never grow tired. So I may be a little biased. (My friend and I actually got into a fight during the concert over which one of us Gershwin would be more likely to date were he alive today. Totally me.) But let's be honest - he's a crowd-pleaser, and with good reason.

For their final piece, the orchestra performed Sousa's "Star and Stripes Forever." Hold your cringes, you purests. This is a damn good piece of music, and Thursday night's was honestly the best performance of it I've ever heard. The Kimmel Center's occasionally stuffy audiences were actually clapping to the beat enthusiastically and gave a standing ovation. And can I just say a word for Sousa? So marching bands have become uncool (unless your Nick Cannon, who was cool even while appearing in Drumline, but lost it when he married Mariah Carrey). But this stuff is America. My Grandpop still talks about how moved he was going to watch Sousa perform live at Willow Grove Park. Sousa is American music history, and guess what? He's also pretty cool to listen to. members of the classical inner circle. I'm not even too proud to clap along. Take that, members of the classical inner circle.

But before you unsubscribe to my blog, don't worry. Tomorrow I'll be reviewing Yo-Yo Ma.

Summer in the City

It took me a full day to recover from the Kimmel Center's Summer Solstice festivities - a full day! But when a celebration lasts from 3 in the afternoon until 6 a.m. the next morning, it tends to hit your pretty hard. But it is so worth it.

There were events for everyone from toddlers to yuppies to octogenarians. Funny how I find my interests falling into all three categories. I'll just provide a few highlights. The Swaray African Safari Ensemble performed in the Kimmel Center lobby with impressive energy. Few people could resist the urge to move to their music. The only strange aspect of their performance was that I looked away one moment and the next moment they had African dancers on stage in Vegas showgirl outfits. African dancers? Yes. Gaudy sequined bikinis? No. Next time don't distract from the theme, guys.

Philly native rock band The Brakes seemed thrilled to be performing in the impressive space of Verizon Hall, and they played with the ingenuity and enthusiasm to prove it. It was refreshing to see such a humble group of guys perform in a big-time concert hall, and the acoustics certainly did their indie/blues sound justice. Culture Vulture will definitely be keeping her eyes on these guys for future performances.

There was also a Guitar Hero death match, er, competition in Verizon Hall. The fact that it looked incongruous on the same stage as the Philadelphia Orchestra made it a little bizarre, but no less fun. Let me tell you, too, this competition was fierce. I saw a 12-year-old boy break a grown man with the flick of a wrist. Tensions ran high, but luckily there were no hard feelings.

On the Hamilton Rooftop Garden, which you have to visit if you've never gotten that close to the Kimmel Center's skylight ceiling, the incredibly strong women who comprise Shofuso Taiko performed traditional Japanese drumming. It was almost a dance as well as a musical performance, and the women were all in perfect unison. After the performance they offered a brief taiko workshop, in which I participated. Taiko is just a little bit harder than I anticipated. Let's just say I may have been singled out for extra help by the instructor.

Into the night, DJ Spinderella of Salt-N-Peppa fame (yes, as in, "Let's Talk About Sex") span dance tunes in the Perelman theater-turned-club. It was a little awkward at first grooving to hip hop in the same space where I usually listen to cello soloists, but I quickly adjusted, and judging from the packed room so did everyone else.

Although I didn't quite make it to the drum circle at dawn (I was going to improvise and somehow play my body), I definitely feel I got my money's worth out of the event. With my longest day of the year well-spent and the pagan worship checked off my to-do list, I feel entirely satisfied.

Overload

Culture Vulture has been on vacation for a few weeks, but fortunately I'm back in time for this culture-packed weekend. Here's a weekend preview - I dare you to pack it all in.

Tonight, and every Thursday night for that matter, at 8 pm Good Dog Bar (http://www.gooddogbar.com/dogbar.com/) has their Quizzo competition with Johnny Goodtimes. Here's your big challenge: see if you can beat Culture Vulture's team. It's really hard, seeing as we came in second to last place last time. And yet we keep going back, because that's how strong the pull is. Tonight we're shooting for third to last.

Friday night should be an exceptionally good Art After 5 at the Philadelphia Museum of Art (www.philamuseum.org/artafter5). Amina Figarova, whose cross-cultural influences have made him one of the best jazz pianists of our time, will perform from 5-9 pm tomorrow. Of course there will be the usual wine and gallery wandering, but somehow I imagine it will be difficult for many to tear themselves away from the performance.

Also starting Friday is the Popped! Philadelphia Music Festival (http://www.poppedphiladelphia.org/), with the Kickoff Party starting at 8 pm at the Trocadero. Vampire Weekend, a new if somewhat over-hyped band for whom I have a soft spot, is headlining on Saturday at Drexel, and the line-up continues on Sunday at World Cafe. This festival is only in its second year, but hopefully with support it will become a permanent part of the Philadelphia festival scene.

Last, but certainly not least, is this Saturday's Summer Solstice Celebration (www.kimmelcenter.org/solstice), one of the Kimmel Center's biggest events of the year. This is an all-day, all-night affair, with events ranging from live music and dance to a guitar hero competition to a drag show. At dawn there will be a drum circle, but it's BYOD (bring your own drum), so come prepared. Because honestly, what Summer Solstice would be complete without a little pagan ritual?

Dance, Parade, and Sing

Weekend Preview:

Tonight, the ever popular Making Time dance party is celebrating it's 8th anniversary at Pure (http://www.purephilly.com/) from 9 p.m. - 3:30 a.m. Cut Copy, Black Kids, and Mobius Band will be performing live, and there's an open bar from 9-11 p.m. It's $12 at the door. Be prepared to dance well into the night.

This weekend is the Philadelphia Book Festival (libwww.freelibrary.org/bookfestival/), with a packed schedule of author appearances, including Barbara Walters and Bernadette Peters (if you can call them authors). It's kicking off on Saturday with the Story Book Parade at 11:30 a.m., where you'll have the opportunity to see all your favorite childhood characters.

The Walnut Street Theatre (www.walnutstreettheatre.org) is also previewing its production of Les Miserables starting this weekend through next week. The production will continue through August 3rd, so there will be plenty of opportunities to catch this classic musical about hard times and lovers torn apart in France.

Black is the New Black

Philadanco's program this weekend, entitled "In the Black Tradition," showcased the versatile company's range on the stage of the Perelman Theater. The Philadelphia-based company is known for their athleticism, and particularly their two world premieres reinforced their reputation.

I enjoyed watching the first two pieces in Philadanco's program, but I wasn't floored (I think my standards have gone up after Alvin Ailey). I was starting to wonder if the company I had heard raved about so often could be a bit overrated. "Ritornello," choreographed to the music of Johann Sebastion Bach was technically on point but seemed too traditinal for the company's style. "Such Sweet Morning," choreographed to Duke Ellington's song of that title, illustrated the company's musicality, because the jazziness of the piece made for a very irregular beat.

The whole tone of the performance changed, however, in the second act - from technical prowess to exuberant fun. "From Dawn 'til Dusk" was a world premiere about women's empowerment. The all-female set of dancers seemed almost moved by an exterior force as they flung themselves about the stage powerfully in their burnt umber dresses. As they raised themselves off the floor again and again with the effortlessness only dancers can pull off the audience began mumuring and finally crying out their approval. The final piece, "Commitments" was also a world premiere, and it was very erotic. The stage opened with a set of male dangers in long skirts performing almost ritualistic dance, and then a set of women in showgirl-like outfits and feathers emerged to irreverently seduce them. One dancer actually threw herself across the stage, landing atop a male dancer's shoulders and wrapping her legs around his neck. The dancers were having so much fun in this piece, and it really showed. Philadanco did live up to their reputation after all.

Yo Mamma

This Sunday is Mother's Day, and there's no better repayment for nine hours of labor than the knowledge that her progeny believes in the power of strong women. Fortunately for Philadelphians, two such strong women will be gracing us with their presence.

Tomorrow afternoon at 3:30, PBS's Washington Week (www.pbs.org/weta/washingtonweek) visits the University of Pennsylvania. Washington Week's host Gwen Ifill was a trailblazor in the journalism industry for not just women, but African Americans, as well. At this point she's a legend. The show will be filmed live and the panel, with representatives from POLITICO, TIME Magazine, and NBC News, will be discussing the presidential primary. Although even I, a self-diagnosed political junky, am growing weary of the election coverage, Ifill could make anything fresh.

Another strong woman making her presence known this week is Joan Myers Brown, Artistic Director of Philadanco (http://www.philadanco.org/), the Philadelphia-based dance company known for their athleticism and edginess. Brown has revolutionized the dance world from the many arts positions she has held. Tonight through Sunday Philadanco will be performing at the Kimmel Center (http://www.kimmelcenter.org/), and there will be two world premiers on the program.

Ooo...Feisty

Indie princess Feist performed at the Academy of Music on Sunday night to a very diverse and somewhat confused crowd. Audience members ranged from eye-liner wearing 80s punk rock hangovers to bald 50-somethings in creased slacks. The crowd was united, however, by a love for quirky Feist.

Feist's opening act was Hayden, an awkward-is-awesome Canadian singer/songwriter. Although the crowd was very polite and encouraging, Hayden didn't seem to understand the number rule of opening acts - keep it short. He played for over an hour, filling the space between his songs with long, though mildly entertaining, antecdotes. As a lone man with an acoustic guitar it was tough for him to adjust to the expansive space of the Academy, and the end of his set began to lag.

Feist, with her full band, looked less lonely on stage. She utilized unusual visuals to make the show unique to her. She first appeared on stage behind a lit silk screen, so that only her silhouette was visible, and also returned behind the screen later in the show. Throughout her performance there were also artists onstage orchestrating a vintage-style projection show, which depicted birds, flowers, and hands engaging in various tasks to accompany Feist's lyrics. Dressed in head to toes white, Feist resembled nothing more than a precocious mod fairy as she flitted about the stage.

Although less so than Hayden, Feist also struggled with the space of the Academy. She specifically requested to perform there because she fell in love with the venue after opening there for Bright Eyes, but it did not seem suited to her style. She performed best on her more upbeat songs, like "My Moon My Man" and the popular "1234," when she made use of the stage and engaged the audience more. Feist did her best to reach her whole audience - even invoking each balcony to sing a different note, creating a venue-wide harmony. With the majority of her mellow numbers, however, she seemed to be drowning in the space. Feist's style is much better suited to an intimate space. Next time she visits Philly I'd much prefer to see her at the Tin Angel, or at least the Perelman Theater.

Jubilee

The only plausible explanation for Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's performance last night is that their dancers are not subject to the laws of gravity. I have never more longed for a performance to continue long after the final curtain went down. It is the 50th anniversary of Ailey's company, and the show they put on celebrated it with a bang.

The bill opened with a short film recounting Ailey's life and career and the history of his company, followed by a reinterpretation of Maurice Bejart's Firebird. Although the performance was innovative, with militaristic, Soviet-esque undertones, the cutting edge dancers seemed somehow incongruous dancing to Stravinsky. It wasn't until the explosion of Love Stories hit the stage that their full range became apparent.

These dancers are beyond athletes. There was not an undeveloped muscle in any of their bodies, and the sweat was flying off of them visibly as they performed. But they were having a blast! In Love Stories, danced to Stevie Wonder, they simulated dance in its organic form, in the way dancers free style before class or on the street. Their breakaways became increasingly incredible, with impossible flexibility and the ability to leap from a prone position to six feet in the air instantaneously. All this with Ailey's voice incorporated into the music, as he spoke about dance. Love Stories was followed by Reflections in D, a short, solo piece danced to Duke Ellington. Glenn Allen Sims really shone in this piece, which displayed his musicality beautifully.

The culmination of the evening, however, was Ailey's most famous piece - Revelations. I studied Ailey in a class on the history of American dance, and I remember being floored by the video I saw of Revelations. That was nothing compared to last night. Ailey used the southern African American experience as his inspiration for Revelations, which is danced to gospel music. In "Pilgrim of Sorrow," the duet danced to "Fix Me, Jesus" by Alicia J. Graf and Jamar Roberts was thoroughly moving. In the famous baptismal scene in "Take Me to the Water" Renee Robinson was brimming with energy and vitality.

During the final part, "Move, Members, Move," the audience could barely keep still. The dancers donned their "church clothes," the women in bright orange dresses, wide-brimmed hats, and carrying matching fans, and the men in ties and vests. Everyone was clapping, and the dancers faces revealed how much fun they were having, as well. The audience gave the company a standing ovation, with many calling "encore," and after their bows the dancers launched right back into their moves. If only "Rocka My Soul in the Bosom of Abraham" could have coninued long into the night.

If you would like an idea of what Revelations looks like visit this link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l9uEq9Sjefg. And for that matter, check out Love Stories, which was my favortie, too: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vu9dQcefHSc. And never pass up an opportunity to see this company live.

TGIF

There are many fabulous events coming up in the next several days, so I want to make sure everybody is in the know:

The Academy of Music is pretty much on fire this weekend. The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater company will be performing at the Kimmel Center tonight and tomorrow night at 8 pm, as well as tomorrow afternoon at 2 pm. Among the pieces they'll be performing is a reinterpretation of Maurice Béjart's difficult and passionate ballet Firebird. Ailey contributed to the American dance world in boundless ways, so I am absolutely psyched to see they way the company uses his technique.

Also, unless you've been living under a rock for the past several weeks, you must know that Feist will be performing at the Academy on Sunday night at 8 pm. Yes, that would be that buzzing sound that you've heard recently but, as anyone who has listened to her album The Reminder will know, with Feist the hype is definitely well-founded. Her soprano is an intriguing combination of haunting, mellow, and angelic that only she could pull off with such flourish. I can't wait to see her live, and you can be certain that a review will follow. Tickets for both performances can be purchased at http://www.kimmelcenter.org/.

Also, for the community-arts-oriented, this Sunday from 2-6 pm is the Fairmount Arts Crawl. Artists, poets, and musicians take to the streets in the Fairmount area to engage the public. A list of events can be found on the event website: http://www.fairmountartscrawl.org/.

Spiked Punch

The infamous Spike Lee is going to be in town this weekend, and the opportunity to hear this film legend speak should not be missed. Lee will MC the evening at the Kimmel Center, which will give a retrospective of his film career to the accompaniment of Terence Blanchard's Quintet and a 20-piece orchestra. The event is Saturday night in Verizon Hall at 8 pm, and tickets can be purchased at http://www.kimmelcenter.org/.

Now it's that time of year again (that's right, thesis time), and Culture Vulture has been a bit lax in her reports the past two weeks. But to recap on the Philadelphia Film Festival, Mrs. Radcliffe's Revolution was hilarious. It followed a communist British family that defected to East Germany in the 1960s and didn't get quite what they expected. Richie Ashburn: A Life was also very satisfying, but in a completely different way. I can't tell you how many people I told I was going to see the Richie Ashburn documentary who responded with, "Who's Richie Ashburn?" What is this city coming to! Ashburn was one of the Whiz Kids that took the Phillies to the World Series in 1950, and this centerfielder stayed in his adopted city announcing at the stadium with Harry until he passed away. His biggest achievment: everyone in Philadelphia loved him his whole career. I can't think of any other Philadelphia player who can claim the same. The film was thorough, and both moving and funny. It's definitely worth checking out if you have any interest in the Phillies.

Finally, Culture Vulture had the immense opportunity (thank you, thank you, thank you, David!) to attend The Colbert Report live on Steven Colbert's first stint in Philadelphia. It was definitely worth all the waiting in line with - dare I say it - Penn students. Steven (we are on a first name basis now) had a question and answer session before the show where members of the audience were allowed to ask anything. One guy through away his questions on "Do you prefer French or Ranch dressing?" Obviously a Penn student.

If you'll notice, Steven is giving the thumbs up sarcastically while he wears the Penn sweatership. In the next photo in the series he is lighting the sweatshirt on fire.

Steven had Benjamin Franklin on his show, who ate Doritos as a shout-out to Steven's sponsor. Incidentally, the man who plays Ben believes he really is the founding father. You still can't help but love him, though. Mayor Nutter also made an appearance, and actually held his own against Colbert when discussing gun control. And Chris Matthews came on and would not confirm or deny his intention to run for Specter's seat in Congress. My favorite moment, however, was when Colbert sang The Star-Spangled Banner in harmony with John Legend. They even switched parts halfway through. Oh, Steven, why can't you stay in Philadelphia forever?

Really Got Me

When Ray Davies sang "Where Have all the Good Times Gone" on Saturday night at the Tower, I wanted to repond, "They're right here, Ray." As the front man and - let's face it - genius behind The Kinks, Davies made greater contributions to the music world than he's given credit for.

Sadly, although The Kinks are one of the few great classic rock bands with all members still living, they have sadly been unable to reconcile their differences to reunite the band. Davies's brother is a fellow bandmate and even they won't play together (Ray's brother still refers to him as "asshole"). Barring a reunion, however, Davies solo is the next best thing.

Ray Davies was the most down-to-earth rock legend I've seen. He was incredibly gracious. He thanked his band endlessly (the guitarist of which was fabulous), and had an entirely manageable ego-level. Davies stopped to talk to members of the audience and even took requests. He's also in amazing shape for a 63-year-old. Unlike other aging rockers whose fondness for heroine has ravaged their bodies (*cough* Mick), Davies is fit as a fiddle. He danced, jumped, and kicked his way through the performance, and all with nary a wheeze.

The audience was loving Davies. At times, he would simply stop singing in the middle of a song and the entire theater would carry it. Davies did three encores! Even after the lights came on the audience wouldn't leave. My personal favorite was "Please Don't Keep Me Waiting." Let's hoping Davies won't before he returns to the Philadelphia area again.

In other news, Culture Vulture is hitting up another Film Festival selection this afternoon at the Ritz East. Expect a review of Mrs. Radcliff's Revolution, a film about an idealistic British family who defects to East Germany, shortly.

Bloody Brothers

The Philadelphia Film Festival's In the Arms of My Enemy (French title Voleurs de Chevaux) was not quite the Gypsy revival I anticipated, but nonetheless a very affecting film. Although the Ritz East suffered from some technical difficulties with the film, which ended up being projected in mostly sepia color and with the actors speaking in what I hope were uncharacteristically warped high voices, the beauty of the filming shown through.

The setting is an unidentified part of eastern Europe. The first part, entitled "Us," follows two brothers, Jakub and Vladi, apparently orphans, who enlist with the Cossacks in an effort to avoid hunger. From the moment they join, they are treated with cruelty and contempt, both by their superiors and peers. Jakub, the elder and stronger of the two, shows a fierce determination which earns him grudging respect, but does not make his life easier. He protects Vladi, who is sensitive and does not want to stay with the Cossacks. Vladi is mercilessly hazed by the other recruits, and dragged from his bed during the night when Jakub isn't present to protect him. When Jakub discovers another recruit, Gregori, raping his brother, he kills him, snapping his neck on the spot. (Neck-snapping is to become a theme in this film.) Jakub is thrown into "the hole" without food, water, or protection from the cold winds for days, but beyond that he is not punished for the killing. Both Jakub and Vladi eventually emerge from training as Cossacks, with horses, gear, and rank that they have truly earned after the brutal experience.

The second part of the film, "Them," introduces a pair of gypsy brothers, Roman and Elias, who are horse thieves. While Jakub and Vladi bath in a river, Elias and Roman sneak up and steal their horses. The Cossacks, who have a reputation for being superior horsemen, instructed their recruits to highly value their horses, treating them better than they do themselves, so this loss is a serious blow to Jakub's and Vladi's livelihood. Jakub challenges the gypsies to return and fight like men, and Roman attacks him. When Vladi rushes to defend his brother, Roman drags him from his galloping horse and then snaps his neck (neck-snapping number 2). Jakub is left injured and clutching his dead brother's body.

As Roman and Elias make off with the horses they ride through a Cossack defended area and encounter gunshots. A shot hits one of their horses, and Elias, the younger brother, who seems to have an uncanny ability with animals, becomes irrationally enraged. He cries over the horse and yells curse after curse at the shooter, calling him a horse killer and promising to slaughter him. Roman, who seems more father than brother to Elias, drags him off, and they go to a nearby town to sell the remaining horse. They have a night of drinking in the tavern, and Elias has a liason with his girl, whom Roman later visits, warning her to stay away from him. The gypsies never stay too long in one place, always returning to their hideout, an underground dugout in the woods.

Meanwhile, Jakub quits the Cossacks, vowing to avenge his brother's death. With quiet resolve, he tracks Roman and Elias to the town where they sold the horse. Jakub encounters Elias in the tavern, not recogizing him, and becomes friendly with him. When Elias is leaving, someone trips him, making fun of his crippled leg, an injury he received in his childhood. Roman enters the scene and snaps the neck of the man who tripped his brother (neck-snapping number 3), and Jakub recognizes him immediately. This is the runing point in the film, when "The Chase," the third part, truly begins.

The rest of the film is a series of attempt by Jakub and Roman to kill each other, while Elias stands by and patiently attends to their wounds. There is more ax and saber handling in this section then I can normally handle. It almost borders on the absurd as day after day Jakub and Roman hack at each, despite their own growing numbers of wounds. No matter how badly they are hurt, as they lay writhing in pain on the ground, they still find the strength for one last stab of the knife at their opponent. I won't give away who lives in the end, so you'll have to see for yourself.

Director Micha Wald tries to throw in some hope at the very end, but the overwhelming tone of the film is dark. The theme of brotherhood is overshadowed by the omnipresent cruelty and violence. The strength of the film is that, despite the "Us" and "Them" titles, Wald does nor take sides. One can easily identify with the gypsies, the cossacks, or both. If you're in the mood for a bloody, but beautifully filmed movie about survival and revenge, In the Arms of My Enemy will be showing at the Ritz East on Wendesday, April 9th, at 2:30 (www.phillyfests.com).

Brightness in the Future

Some upcoming events worth mentioning:

Phil Kline will be performing Zippo Songs at the Kimmel Center on Saturday night. You'll remember him as the organizer of the boombox parade in Philly this past summer. Zippo Songs has a particularly interesting origin, because Kline used the words GIs scratched into their Zippo lighters during Vietnam to create the song cycle. Kline is considered one of the most innovative composers alive, and I'm sure this performance will live up to his reputation.

Also, Culture Vulture is going to be sampling some of the goods at the Philadelphia Film Festival in the next few weeks, with the first viewing taking place tomorrow. In the Arms of My Enemy is a French language period drama, but don't let that fool you. This film has the two elements that automatically make any movie a masterpiece: gypsies and cossacks. And if you attend the 4:30 showing at the Ritz East you just might spot Culture Vulture in the audience.

The Rite Stuff

The opening of Ballet X's Rite to Spring, choreographed by co-artistic director Matthew Neenan, is perfectly timed. The piece is constructed around the range of emotions that the coming of spring evokes, and Philadelphia is precisely in that transitional period.

The creativity and the execution of Rite, which is very removed from Stravinsky's work, are stunning. As the audience enters the theater, the dancers are on stage, underneath a carpet of gauze. One lone female figure lies atop the gauze, motionless, while the others move slowly beneath the surface. Then, like the awaking of the earth, they emerge.

The ballet is performed with members of band Lake Trout (www.laketrout.com) onstage accompanying. Matthew Pierce composed the music for Rite, which is by turns wistful and playful. Some aspects of the composition reminded me of Badly Drawn Boy's The Hour of Bewilderbeast.

Neenan's choreography experiments with the gradual awakening of spring, then transitions into its joyful excitment. A theme of fertility runs throughout the piece - not raw sexuality, but the playful flirtation of youth. It is this element that makes Neenan's work fresh. This playfulness especially emerges in the latter part of the performance, when the dancers emerge in the floral dresses and bright button-ups of an outdoor wedding. A few dancers play spin the bottle to the side of the stage.

One thing I can't figure out is if they planned Christine Cox's pregnancy to coincide with the performances. She romps around the stage with all all the benevolence of a fertility goddess. She even gives a flower to one of the audience members, starting a chain reaction among the other dancers.

Among the dancers, I am always impressed with Meredith Rainey, whose power is only outdone by his grace. Emily Wagner, too, commands attention on the stage. You can't take your eyes off of her, and her sinewy extension is amazing. All of these dancers are pure athletes - more rippling muscles than frail delicacy. It's so refreshing.

Next up for Ballet X (www.balletx.org) is an all-female performance this summer choreographed by Cox. We wonder if she'll maintain her fertility goddess role for this role.

Odd, but not Fresh

The problem with success is that it's hard to follow, and that's precisely the trouble with the Walnut Street Theatre's current production of Neil Simon's The Odd Couple, playing through April 27th (walnutstreettheatre.org). The Odd Couple is a play that comes with a lot of baggage. I saw a production of it years ago in the female version, and this seems to be the only way to avoid the audience expectations. When parts are as closely identified with actors as Oscar and Felix are with Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau, no other actors will ever be truly satisfying.

It's a shame for Avi Hoffman (Oscar) and Gary Marachek (Felix), too, because they do their best to fill the very large shoes. Hoffman, especially, is very believable, while Marachek at times borders on caricature. Incidentally, I saw the two of them on the street the other day, and they seem to just wear their own clothes as costumes. I felt like I was transported from 2008 Philadelphia into 1960s New York.

The English sisters in the play, played by Madi Distefano and Leah Walton, have far fewer audience expectations to contend with, and consequently steal the show. They play the absurdity of the feather-brained British floosies to a tee, and garner more laughs than any of the men on stage.

Unfortunately, despite the actors' best efforts, this Odd Couple disappoints both older and younger audience members. The older audience members want Lemmon and Matthau. The younger audience members (me among them) are put off by the 60s-era sexism present in the show. The Walnut's production proves that it's too soon for a modern version of this play to become a vintage revival - it just seems dated.

Now a plug for another current performance: Ballet X's Rite to Spring is playing now through Sunday at the Wilma Theater. I was thoroughly impressed with their innovative performance in the fall, so I'm psyched to see Matthew Neenan's new piece this weekend. Anyone who's interested in dance should not miss this show. The music for it was composed by indie band Lake Trout's Matthew Pierce, and he'll be playing onstage with other members of the band. I'll be posting a full review this weekend.

Shaken, Not Stirred

Last night was Pink Martini's debut at the Kimmel Center, and they brought down the house. I have never seen a Kimmel crowd so responsive. It was like the scene in In & Out where Kevin Kline's character is desperately trying not to dance to prove he's straight, but can't stop himself from busting a move. Everyone's shoulders were swaying and heads were bobbing - and this was an audience of very mixed ages and backgrounds. A few people in the front jumped up and free styled for multiple songs. And during the encore number, "Brazil," the hall errupted. People were salsa dancing in the isles.

Pink Martini performs more songs in other languages than English, but their tone transcends cultural barriers. Watching them perform is like experiencing a large-scale French cabaret. The musicians in this small orchestra are extremely talented, and many classicaly trained. China Forbes and Thomas M. Lauderdale met and shared musical tastes at Harvard before they decided to form Pink Martini. Lauderdale plays piano and Forbes sings in full diva-style. Among the other musicians there were many amazing solos, but the stand-outs were Gavin Bondy on trumpet, Robert Taylor on trambone, and Nicholas Crosa on violin. It was refreshing to see such talented musicians perform with playfulness instead of angst.

I had several favorite songs from the evening. "Sympathique," a French original, has the delightful chorus "I don't want to work / I don't want to lunch / I only want to forget / and so I smoke." "Hang on Little Tomatoe" was inspired by a vintage Heinz ketchup advertisement. The subject of "Dosvedanya Mio Bombino" is a man who is half Russian and half Italian but cannot settle on which to call home. On their latest album, the title song "Hey Eugene" is a revenge against a guy Forbes met at a party who asked for her number and never called.

Pink Martini's next stop is Long Island University in New York, and they are actually worth the road trip. To learn more about this innovative group visit http://www.pinkmartini.com/.

German Humor - It does Exist

Looking for a good German comedy to address the issue of reason versus faith while throwing in a ton of high art literary references? I thought so! Then the Arden Theatre Company's Wittenberg is your play.

Wittenberg, a new play by David Davalos, is set at the University of Wittenberg in the 16th century, a time when, theoretically, John Faustus, Martin Luther, and Prince Hamlet could all have been involved in academic life there. Hamlet, characteristically indecisive, is an undeclared senior at the university. Faustus, a professor of philosophy, and Luther, a theologian, compete with each other to influence him. The play illustrates the age-old debate between humanism and religion.

Despite what could be seen as stark subject matter, Wittenberg is very funny. The play does not condescend to its audience members, but expects them to understand its fast, wry humor. Scott Greer positively steals the show as Dr. Faustus. I expecially enjoyed his rendition of "Bad Case of Loving You." Shawn Fagan, too, had a very amusing scene when Hamlet played Laertes in a tennis match.

The one complaint I have of Wittenberg is this: despite a very non-elitist tone, the play can only appeal to a very select audience. Most of the jokes hinge on an understanding of the plays Hamlet and Faust, and an understanding of the Protestant Reformation. If you do qualify as someone, however, with a knowledge of these subjects, do go. Wittenberg has the qualities of both eliciting laughs and making one think, making it a rarity in the contemporary theater world. For information about the extended dates of this performance visit the Arden website at http://www.ardentheatre.org/.

Everything is Illuminated

The Bryn Mawr College Library is currently holding an exhibit in its special collections on medieval manucripts. Entitled Intimate Devotions: The Book of Hours in Medieval Religious Practice, it focuses on the role of the prayer book in individual's lives during the middle ages, with some surprising results.

The exhibit displays a number of beautiful illuminated manuscripts, and illustrates the interactive and personal nature of the Book of Hours. Individuals inserted prayers of their choosing, wrote in the margins, and had the pages illuminated with relevant themes. Particularly interesting is the exhibit's focus on borders featuring non-traditional (read: un-Christian) figures. I was suprised to see monkey-like humans as well as mythical characters gracing the pages of a Christian prayer book.

The exhibit is informative and not overwhelming, and the manuscripts are beautiful. Viewings are free and open to the public through May30th. Visit the special collections website to learn more ( www.brynmawr.edu/library/exhibitions).

The Jazz Age

Rembrandt's is a lovely restaurant in the Fairmount neighborhood (23rd & Aspen St) worthy of attention for its food alone. Though the restaurant side is slightly outside of the culture vulture's price range, the margherita pizza and crepe appetizer on the tavern side are delicious. Now, however, there is another reason to step out to Rembrandt's - music. Every Thursday night there is live jazz in the tavern, beginning at 8:30. There's no cover, the setting is intimate, and the bands are excellent. This past Thursday the band formerly known as At Last performed such classics as "Love For Sale" and "I Get a Kick Out of You." You just can't go wrong with Cope Porter. Thursday the 29th the Heath Allen Trio will perform, and they're definitely worth checking out. The full music schedule can be found on the restaurant website (http://www.rembrandts.com/).

Also, a plug for an upcoming performance: Pink Martini is coming to the Kimmel Center on March 4th. The 12-piece ensemble is described as "somewhere between a 1930s Cuban dance orchestra, a classical chamber music ensemble, a Brazilian marching street band, and Japanese film noir." Now I don't know how you can actually combine all of those elements, but I'm certainly going to enjoy the attempt. Samples of their music are available at www.kimmelcenter.org/events/special/kcp/player/ with keyword Martini, and tickets can be purchased at the Kimmel Center website.

The Nose Knows

I usually prefer comedies to dramas when it comes to opera. The standard mass suicides at the end tend to leave me a little unsettled. But no comedy could compare to the tragedy of the Opera Company of Philadelphia's east coast premiere of Cyrano. Never have I been so moved by an opera. I sat riveted, and cried silently.

Cyrano is the quintessential French hero - full of wit and bravado, but sadly lacking in looks. His generously propotioned schnoz undermines his confidence in pursuing the woman he loves, his cousin Roxanne. Roxanne admires Cyrano's cleverness, but instead falls for the handsome but stupid Christian from afar. In effort to make Rozanne happy, Cyrano sacrifices his own desires by feeding Christian lines and writing letters to Roxanne for him. Cyrano wants Roxanne to have her ideal man - one with the physique of Christian and the intelligence of Cyrano. In an act of selfless love, he keeps up the charade for years.

Cyrano is a French opera, but the Philadelphia Opera Company (http://www.philadelphiaopera.org/) provides subtitles (purists beware!). Even without the translation, however, the company performs so expressively that the meaning transcends language. Marion Pop wonderfully captures the nuance's of Cyrano's outward confidence and inner insecurity.

I could not recommend Cyrano more highly. If you are going to see just one opera in your life, this should be it. Just make sure you bring tissues.

It's a Schorr Thing

NPR senior news analyst Daniel Schorr claims that his title means little more than "sitting down a lot." But sitting or standing, when he spoke at the Philadelphia Free Library on Tuesday night he proved sharp as a tack - even at 92. He stopped in Philadelphia on his tour to promote his new book, Come to Think of It: Notes on the Turn of the Millennium. Relecting on his career, Schorr remembered names and dates without hesitation. As his familiar radio voice filled the auditorium, he demonstrated experience, intelligence, and sense of humor, truly living up to his reputation as a living news legend.

Schorr spoke extemporaneously and without pomposity about dinners with Henry Kissinger and making Richard Nixon's enemy list. His wit shone through his easy storytelling ability. Only once during the night did his tone take on a weary note: when he spoke of the evolution - or devolution - of journalism. His disappointment with the contemporary media's conflict obsession was evident. Schorr is from the generation of detached, fair journalists that is now out of vogue. He spoke with disgust about news analysts' eagerness for controversy in the presidential debates. He did not dwell on the negative, however, and soon had us laughing again with the story of his first lead, a suicide he witnessed at age twelve.

Schorr revealed the best advice he received as a budding journalist: "The secret to success in the news world is sincerity - if you can fake that, you've got it made." Somehow, I doubt that he's faking it.

Feel the Bern

The Philadelphia Orchestra's tribute to Leonard Bernstein is the amalgamation of the three key elements of any musical performance - tradition, innovation, and humor. I have never seen a better performance at the Kimmel Center.

Last night's Bernstein Festival program had a Romeo and Juliet theme. The first piece was Tchaikovsky's Fantasy-Overture, Rome and Juliet, easily recognizable from the scores of many a cheesy romance film. Working against the cliche, the Philadelphia Orchestra made the piece new. For the first time I noticed the pervading sense of doom throughout. It was like watching a Greek tragedy. Every time Romeo and Juliet's romantic movement appeared it was followed by violence and despair. They don't play that part in the movies.

The next piece was my favorite in the program: Bernstein's Symphonic Dances from West Side Story. I have never seen the orchestra handle a work with such playfulness! During the Prologue - the opening scene in the movie with chases and street dance-fighting - the musicians surprised the audience by snapping their fingers at the appropriate moments. During the Latin movemtn they collectively yelled "Mambo!" The orchestra had more energy than I've seen in a long time. Conductor Chritsoph Eschenbach was practically doing the cha-cha around his stand! I was thoroughly impressed. The performance also enabled me for the first time to appreciate the score to West Side Story as a stand-alone piece. Those repeated forced viewings of the movie in grade school art class made me hate that music, but last night made me love it. The sharp contrast between Tony and Maria's innocent love, and the gangs' corruptive violence was never clearer.

The second act began with the debut performance of composer Jennifer Higdon's Concerto 4-3, performed by the orchestra with string trio Time For Three, all graduates of the Curtis Institute. Although I hardly gravitate towards contemporary, abstract compositions, I can honestly say that I liked this piece. My enjoyment was due partly to the innovative ways in which the trio used their instruments, but mostly to their style. The members of Time For Three were the most physically expressive classical musicians I've ever encountered. They swayed, they bopped, and they kicked. I could hardly look directly at cellist Ranaan Meyer for fear of an outburst of mirth. It was almost music/dance fusion. Meyer particularly took on the look of the musically possessed, grinning fiendishly and bobbing his head near off his shoulders. These young men know how to perform.

The program finished with another Tchaikovsky composition - Francesca da Rimini. The only flaw to the evening was that it came after the dramatic Higdon number, making it seem anti-climatic. The orchestra did beautifully with this piece, which has plenty of its own drama, but I almost felt that the program should be reordered so that the second act began with Tchaikovsky rather than ending with it.

The orchestra is in rare form for the Bernstein Festival (www.philorch.org/bernstein/), which continues through February 8th. Student rush tickets are available before performances for $8 at the Kimmel Center box office. The orchestra also has a special program called Access, designed for young people who are new to the classical music scene. On January 24th they are performing the Symphonic Dances from West Side Story, followed by a free Mambo lesson by the Society Hill Dance Academy. I won't be missing that.

Vinyl Odyssey

Today my brother, Phil, and I took a journey to find the best record stores in Philadelphia, and we found some treasures. My generous co-worker, Catherine, gave me a base list, and we started off at A.K.A. Music (www.myspace.com/aka_music) on 2nd St. They have an extensive and well-organized selection of cds, and the staff is completely unpretentious and willing to answer questions. One of A.K.A.'s unique festures is that they educate you while you shop. The walls are lined with displays explaining different musical movements and the major influences behind them. I found an interesting early blues recordings cd. Their record selection was somewhat unimpressive, however, without many rarities.

On our way to South St we picked up two of our friends, Zack and Marissa, and formed a veritable musical pilgrimage group. Our next stop was Relapse Records (www.myspace.com/relapseretail) on 4th St. I was psyched to buy surcharge-free tickets to the Vampire Weekend (http://www.vampireweekend.com/) show at the First Unitarian Church on February 7th. They're XPN's artist to watch, and I love their sound. Just listen to "APunk" or "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa" to see what all the hype is about. Now, aside from my ticket purchases, Relapse was a disappointment. They're slection is limited to hard core and metal, which is not my scene.

Our next stop was Repo Records (http://www.reporecords.de/). They had a good collection of indie music, with lost of opportunities to listen to anything you wanted. There also was a basement filled with vinyl. Again, though there were more records than in A.K.A., the records were of a fairly common variety. The vinyl organization, too, was half-hazard, making searching through them almost overwhelming.

Spaceboy Music, a block away, was supposed to be next, but it apparently closed a few months ago. Its replacement - a linen store. Clearly, there is no justice.

We hiked over to Passyunk Ave next for a fulfilling conclusion to our journey. There we found two amazing vinyl stores that made the whole expedition worthwhile. Beautiful World Syndicate (http://www.myspace.com/beautifulworldsyndicate) is hands down the best vinyl store I've ever seen, inside or outside of Philadelphia. Records are the focus, and everything else is secondary. They have a great many rare finds available, and you can even listen to your selections on turntables before you buy them. My brother was thrilled to discover a rare Badfinger record there.

Across the street is Sweet Jane (http://www.myspace.com/ilovesweetjane) , a very unusal store that combines the sale of vintage records and clothing. They only carry vinyl, so this is a store for purists. The clothing contains many quirky pieces, as well. I picked up a red pinstriped ruffled blouse that was very unusual. This is a store I will surely revisit. The owner told me that they are having an event for First Friday in February. She'll have a professional DJ on the store's turntable and her friend will be selling vintage clothing that's usually only available online.

From my experiences today, I would recommend A.K.A. or Repo for cds, but if you're as hardcore as my brother is abut vinyl you should skip Old City and South St and head over to Passyunk. Beautiful World Syndicate and Sweet Jane both should not be missed.

From France to South Africa

I've finally followed through with my desire to join the Philadelphia Art Museum (philamuseum.org). For students it's only $35 for a year, and the benefits far outweigh the meager price. Every member gets not only total access to the permanent galleries, but also free tickets to the temporary exhibits. I was able to catch the tail end of the Renior exhibit, and although it's too late for the rest of you to visit (unless you really hurry over there today), I thought it was still worth mentioning.

The Renoir Landscapes exhibit takes a look, not at the figure paintings for which he's famous, but at his work with natural and street scenes. I had heard negative things about the execution of the exhibit, but I found them to be unfounded. Although it wasn't groundbreaking, the simplicity of the presentation was refreshing. I'm no art afficianado, but I could easily follow the development of Renoir's early technique into full-blown impressionism. That was part of what I liked about it - the exhibit was accessible. Particularly interesting was the focus on the connection between Renoir and Monet, who often painted the same scenes side by side, but with very different results. Monet even appears in one of the paintings on exhibit. There was also a great deal of interesting information about the social change in France during Renoir's life - the rise of the middle class and increase in leisure time - that assisted the viewer in understanding the scenes depicted. I had planned to skip the Renoir exhibit entirely, but I was very pleasantly surprised and pleased that I was able to attend.


In addition, I visited the Museum on Friday evening, so after I finished wandering the Renoir exhibit I participated in Art After 5. It's the combination of live music, good drinks, and galleries open late that happens every friday night at the Art Museum. Usually jazz musicians play, but the first Friday of the month is reserved for world music. My Mom and I thoroughly enjoyed listening to Bakithi Kumalo (http://www.bakithikumalo.com/), a South African bassist. He and his band had great energy and even got people to dance. The drinks are a little pricey ($8 for a glass of Chardonnay), but it's worth it to hear a free concert and wander the galleries into the evening. Next Friday Maria Schneider's big band will play, and I'm definitely going to check it out again.

Finally, an alert to an event this week. Tuesday night at 8 pm author Dave Eggers will be reading from his latest work, What is the What, at the Free Library of Philadelphia (www.library.phila.gov). What is the What was chosen as the One Book, One Philadelphia book of 2008. It's the story of a Sudanese refugee, and it's gotten great reviews. The event is free, and sure to be interesting. I'll definitely follow up after Tuesday.