ANVIL! THE STORY OF ANVIL (2009, directed by Sacha Gervasi, 90 minutes, U.S.) X-MEN ORIGINS: THE WOLVERINE (2009, directed by Gavin Hood, 107 minutes, U.S.) BY DAN BUSKIRK FILM CRITIC Audiences seem torn between laughter and admiration when introduced to the Canadian metal band Anvil, the unlikely stars of this critically acclaimed new documentary. In the early 80’s the band briefly ran with giants like Metallica and Bon Jovi. Where many bands around them climbed the highest peaks of success, Anvil has soldiered on through a couple of decades of unbroken decline, still playing regularly at sports bars and weddings, […]
CONCERT REVIEW: As Emo As They Wanna Be
BY KYLEE MESSNER & DIANCA POTTS Taking the stage of the sold out Troc, Denver trio Single File subjected early show goers to subpar pop rock comprised of catchy cliché backbeats and worn out breakdowns. Would be stand-ins for emo all-stars Saves the Day, Warminster four piece the Traded Series served up a set of energetic anthems, complete with tone deaf vocals, power chords and leftover teenage angst. Prefacing their exit with a bit of self-advertising, the Traded Series’ “Let Go” failed to wow the crowd but managed to stir up a nostalgic throwback to high school basement shows and […]
HEADS UP: You Have Just One Hour Left To Talk On Your Cellphone While Mowing Down Pedestrians
INQUIRER: At 4 p.m. today Mayor Nutter is slated to sign a bill that would ban the use of hand-held cellphones while driving, as well as bicycling or skating. First-time offenders would get hit up with a $150 fine, with a $300 fine for second offenses. The law will go into effect immediately, but the city will delay enforcement while it launches an information campaign of unspecified duration, a spokeswoman said. Citing a Harvard University study, the National Safety Council estimates that drivers using cell phones are about four times more likely to get into a wreck. Five states, including […]
THE KILLS: U R A Fever
At the TLA Friday. Sweet.
PAPERBOY: Slow-Jamming The Alt-Weeklies
BY DAVE ALLEN Like time, news waits for no man. Keeping up with the funny papers has always been an all-day job, even in the pre-Internets era. These days, however, it’s a two-man job. That’s right, these days you need someone to do your reading for you, or risk falling hopelessly behind and, as a result, increasing your chances of dying lonely and somewhat bitter. That’s why every week, PAPERBOY does your alt-weekly reading for you. We pore over those time-consuming cover stories and give you the takeaway, suss out the cover art, warn you off the ink-wasters and steer […]
CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR: Pew Poll Says Majority Of Philadelphians Actually Want Casinos
PHILLY CLOUT: A poll by the Pew Charitable Trusts shows that city residents support bringing casinos to Philadelphia by a margin of 53 percent to 41 percent. In addition, 60 percent support the current proposal to locate one of the two casinos planned for the city on the Delaware riverfront while 35 percent oppose that. The plan to place the second casino on East Market Street was not so popular, with just 39 percent of the respondents in favor while 57 percent are against it. MORE
EARLY WORD: The British Invasion (Of South Philly)
[Click flyer to activate Internets] Reportedly, Shep Fairey will be striking a blow for us Yanks with an 8 X 8 wheatpaste installation outside the T&P. Not sure exactly what that means, but you can check it out for yourself and let us know.
CONCERT REVIEW: Born Again In The USA
DAN DELUCA: Bruce Springsteen may well have miscalculated earlier this year when he released Working On A Dream, one of the most hopeful and downright happy sounding albums of his career just as a cratering economy was rendering the songs of struggle and strife that are his stock in trade more resonant than they have sounded in years. But like a canny coach able to make necessary adjustments at halftime, Springsteen has headed out on the road – where he and the E Street Band arrived in South Philadelphia on Tuesday for the first of back to back shows at […]
Sen. Arlen Specter To Switch Parties; Could Give Democrats Filibuster-Proof Congressional Majority
WASHINGTON POST: Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter [pictured above, with Cookie Monster] will switch his party affiliation from Republican to Democrat and announced today that he will run in 2010 as a Democrat, according to a statement he released this morning. Specter’s decision would give Democrats a 60 seat filibuster proof majority in the Senate assuming Democrat Al Franken is eventually sworn in as the next senator from Minnesota. (Former senator Norm Coleman is appealing Franken’s victory in the state Supreme Court.) “I have decided to run for re-election in 2010 in the Democratic primary,” said Specter in a statement. “I […]
NPR FOR THE DEAF: We Hear It Even When You Can’t
FRESH AIR In his new documentary, called simply Tyson, filmmaker James Toback turns his camera on Mike Tyson — the controversial former heavyweight boxing champion. Tyson, infamous for taking a bite out of Evander Holyfield’s ear in 1997 — and for his 1992 rape conviction — talks directly to Toback’s camera, telling his own story in between excerpts of archival footage from his life and career. Toback, the screenwriter behind Bugsy and director of films including Two Girls and a Guy, has been Tyson’s friend since the boxer was 19 years old; Tyson premiered in 2008 at the Cannes Film […]
THE MAN WHO WASN’T THERE: Captain Janks Will NOT Be Getting You High Tonight (Or Tomorrow)
DAN GROSS: North Wales’ Tom Cipriano, better known to fans of Howard Stern as Capt. Janks spent the weekend in jail. He was arrested Thursday by Plymouth Township Police for allegedly taking a deposit of $350 in December from the Old Mansion House in Conshohocken to host an event there in March for which he never appeared, according to Detective-Sergeant Karen Mabry of Plymouth Township. The prank phone caller is also alleged to have taken a $350 deposit from the Edge Hill Tavern in Glenside in December for an appearance Feb. 22, which he did not show up for, according […]
TONY CONRAD Q&A: Minimalism Is Less Than Zero
BY JONATHAN VALANIA In 1965 Tony Conrad moved out of his New York City apartment, and like many people moving out he left behind a few items, one of which was a book. This is notable for three reasons: First, his roommate was John Cale, a classically-trained violist with a taste for the avant garde who, like Conrad, was a member of the Theater Of Eternal Music, a downtown collective of music-makers exploring infinite drone, endless improvisation and multi-media freakouts. Second, when Conrad moved out, Lou Reed moved in. Third, the book he left behind was a smutty S&M novel […]
WEEKEND UPDATE: The Good News Flower Hour
The Good News Flower Hour #18 Oh noes!