INQUIRER: A North Philadelphia man was killed in a hail of gunfire late last night in the city’s Crescentville section, police said. Ari Weston, 19, was shot multiple times in the chest about 11:15 p.m. near Tacony Creek Park. Police found Weston’s bullet-ridden body at the intersection of Rising Sun and Olney Avenues. Weston was taken to Einstein University Hospital where he was pronounced dead just before midnight. Police have made no arrests and the motive for the shooting is unknown.
TODAY I SAW: Hope In The Ruins
BY JEFF DEENEY Chester is the archetypal once-thriving small American city left to die in the post-industrial flux of globalization. The steel industry, ship building and other manufacturing that used to fuel the local economy have long since evaporated, the city’s population halved since its 1950s heyday. Chester today is largely black and extremely poor. Its economic decline is readily apparent to even the casual surveyor of its housing stock; boarded up, abandoned buildings and vacant store fronts with faded marquees dot the downtown streets. Some homes were neglected for so long that their roofs eventually caved in, causing the […]
We Know It’s Only Rock N’ Roll But We Like It
JOCKO HOMO: Devo, Festival Pier, Last Night 1. Prophets are easily mistaken for jesters or fools, or worse. Understood by a precious few in their day, and largely dismissed as a novelty act by the general public, even by many who bought their records, Devo’s core message was in fact deadly serious: It’s the end of the world as we know it. And we laughed. Thirty years later, Al Gore said the same thing and they gave him the Nobel Peace Prize. 2. Waiting for Devo to come on Saturday night, a friend asked why they were on tour now, […]
THE HOLD STEADY: The Swish
FYI: They go on at 6 PM at the Festival Pier today; Devo goes on at 9:30
We Know It’s Only Rock N’ Roll But We Like It
FINE PRINT: Times New Viking, JB’s Last Night [Photo by TIFFANY YOON] BY SIMONE SECCI FOREIGN CORRESPONDENT I have to admit that I was suckered at this one. Fooled as many people by a fake press release, that displayed Times New Viking as a supergroup including former Pavement bass player Mark Ibold, I went to Johnny Brenda’s thinking that I would find a bunch of aged indie rockers in front of me. Instead I found this heterogeneous trio of twenty somethings from Columbus, Ohio. But Let’s start from the beginning: First on stage Fnu Ronnies local band I believe, devoted […]
EARLY WORD: Pretty On The Inside
Due to health issues, Public Record has canceled. Doors and DJ’s at 9, Novenas on at 11, Rarebirds on at 11:45. Cover is now just $5.
MINISTRY OF SECRET JOKES INSTRUCTIONAL VIDEO #1: How To Dress Mysteriously
WARNING: Some ‘dirty’ words included. [via COMIC VS AUDIENCE]
DEVOLUTION FOR DUMMIES: Q&A With Mark Mothersbaugh, Composer, Painter, DEVO-lutionist
[As told to JONATHAN VALANIA/Illustration by Alex Fine] Phawker: Let’s start with ancient history, I want to know about the evolution of the Devo idea, I’ve read conflicting things — that it was started sort of as a joke in the late 60s and then the shootings at Kent State radicalized you guys, tell me about that whole time. Mark Mothersbaugh: OK, I don’t know what you read, but I’m sure there’s plenty of people putting false information out there and this is the true story: The band happened, when I met Gerald Casale at Kent State, we were both […]
AD BUST: City Cracks Down On Malt ‘Murketing’
NBC10: Philadelphia is famous for its mural arts program. But some groups said that some specific murals need to be scrubbed out. Philly’s “Mural Arts Program” has painted 2,700 murals. But while most of the murals are about life, energy and color, some murals in Fishtown are all about malt liquor, Colt 45. Pabst Beer paid local businesses for some of their wall space. But the city said the quasi-murals are illegal because a permit is needed. NBC 10 called Pabst and they are not commenting on the issue. The city is still trying to see if any local advertising […]
KILLADELPHIA: Cop Shooter Gets Hard Time
INQUIRER: Earlier in court, Common Pleas Judge Glenn Bronson sentenced Antonio Coulter to 36 to 72 years in state prison for the shooting and for his attempt to escape afterward. Officer Decoatsworth told reporters he was “very pleased with the decision the judge made. That young man’s life is over now. He’s going to have to find some way to get used to his new home. I’m sure the guys up there [in state prison] can’t wait to meet him. So we’re all excited about that.” Last month, Coulter pleaded guilty to attempted murder, aggravated assault, burglary, weapons charges and […]
HEAR YE: Dr. Dog Fate
Now playing on Phawker Radio! Why? Because WE let the Dog out!
IN 1987: I Saw An X-Ray Of A Girl Passing Gas
BY JONATHAN VALANIA First thing you should know is that what I am about to tell you violates a solemn pact that was made by all involved: Whatever happens in 1987 stays in 1987. I grew up in Pennsyltucky — Allentown, PA, to be exact — and by the time I was getting to the be the age where you just WANNA GET THE FUCK OUT OF DODGE, a shiny new superhighway literally appeared out of thin air, connecting the hinterlands of the Keystone State to New York City with a directness and efficiency that was heretofore unimaginable. You could […]