Google Analytics

Tuesday, May 31, 2011

From Craigslist - Philadelphia Nightlife Writers Get Paid

Saw this posted in Philadelphia's Writing Gigs the other day:

http://philadelphia.craigslist.org/wrg/2406362550.html

Quoted from Craigslist:
We are in need of bloggers for reviews and suggestions on the area's nightlife. Also accepting those who are just learning or trying to cross-promote their personal blogs. We pay $2/100 words. Please submit a bio along with a sample of your writing. Thank you.

I sincerely wish them the best of luck! Paying writers is the way to go.

In case anyone's wondering, the Fifty Star Owl blog rate is $50 for a 500 word first-person account.

Being in business is a blast.

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Triumph Brewing Company WrittenHouse Show

And now our second report! Last Friday writer Christina Larkins visited the WrittenHouse show at the Old City location of Triumph Brewing Company. I'd never realized it was a music venue in addition to the food and drinks. Read on for her first-person account...

WrittenHouse
Friday, May 20 at Triumph Brewing Company (10PM)

Report by: Christina Larkins

I’ve stopped in Triumph Brewery a few times for a quick beer after work, dinner with girlfriends, or just to catch a Phillies game, but I’d never been there for a live show before.

I was really interested to see how they were going to pull that off, and I must say, I was very impressed.

I walked in and was immediately greeted by a friendly hostess, and paid my $5.00 fee for the show (which is ridiculously cheap). The performers were a local rap group called WrittenHouse, who have received very critical acclaim and are currently slated to perform with Snoop Dog at the House of Blues in AC this weekend.

I was surprised to find that the crowd was a nice eclectic mix of all ages and races. Usually when you hear of “breweries” in Old City, you immediately think yuppies and college kids. There was a group of 50-something patrons enjoying appetizers and beers, sitting next to 20-something “hipsters” doing the same. Everyone was laughing and having a great time. The bar (which is HUGE) was packed, but the bartender was very quick, friendly and made sure my glass was always full. There was an enormous beer menu which, (for a non-beer aficionado like myself), was a little bit intimidating. But the bartender took the time out to explain the differences in the various choices and was very helpful in navigating through the sea of drafts.

The stage was perfectly set up in the back area of the bar; Large enough to give the performers space and lighting to really put on a good show, but not so large as to interfere with the dining or bar area.

The lighting and sound were terrific. Because this was such an intimate setting, you could literally stand about 2 feet away from the stage (which I did) and just soak up all the enthusiasm and good vibes live music always delivers. There was none of that static from the speakers, or obnoxiously loud microphones that you sometimes suffer through at these types of shows.

The crowd was a small but very dedicated group of fans. Most of them were jumping along with the band, and singing all the lyrics right along with them. The group had VERY good interaction with the crowd, and even if you weren’t a fan, you found yourself at least tapping your foot along with the beats. It felt like you were in your living room with a room full of the coolest people you know, enjoying an amazing band. It was THAT personal.

I would definitely go again to see ANY live music that was being performed here.

They have a nice little outdoor area, where I sat in for a little bit after the show ended, just to people watch. I have to say all in all, it was a beautiful event and a great evening.

One last note, the bathrooms there have GOT to be some of the nicest and cleanest I’ve EVER seen in a Philadelphia bar. You can just tell a lot of pride and hard work goes into the upkeep of this place. I really have to give a big hand to all of the managers and employees there.

Links about Writtenhouse:
WrittenHouse performing the song “Cloud City”.
Facebook page

--

Christina Larkins

Monday, May 23, 2011

Elena's The Gender Sticker Film Preview and Dance Party

I am happy to report that the behind-the-scenes work here at Fifty Star Owl is starting to show fruit. From West Philadelphia, Emily Currier brings this report about a dance party held at Elena's Soul Lounge this past Saturday.-Adam


Gender Sticker Film Project Preview and Dance Party
Saturday May 21st at Elena's Soul Lounge


Report By: Emily Currier

Approaching Elena's, I'm afraid I've mixed up the location of RAGE's dance party. Well-dressed neighborhood patrons linger outside the bar smoking cigarettes and the slow throb of soul can be heard through the front window. A burly bouncer checks my I.D then immediately informs me that the dance party is on the second floor. I obviously looked a little out-of-place compared to the regulars dining on seafood, who watched me as I squeezed my way through the crowd to the stairs.

Members of RAGE, Riders Against Gender Exclusion, stand at the top of the stairs taking suggested donations that go towards their cause of removing the gender stickers on SEPTA trans passes. By the time I've arrived, I already missed the preview showing of the 'Gender Sticker Film Project,' which highlights RAGE's activism efforts against what they view as gender exclusion. With the good deeds out of the way, guests are left to engage in drunken dance floor debauchery.

Roughly 40 people are crammed onto the sweaty dance floor, dancing to the offerings of Djs DuiJi 13 and precolumbian. The music was surprisingly mainstream: the typical Lady GaGa, rap songs, 80s mash-ups heard in just about any club on a Saturday night. There was a decided lack of grinding, thankfully, with most people so hammered at that point they were content to fling their limbs about and call it dancing- an activity I participated in with a lot of gusto and a stomach full of a mixture of white wine, PBR, and an unfortunate whiskey shot.

The crowd was a laid-back West Philly hippie group, though, that made you feel comfortable to brush off dance moves like the lawnmower and fishing pole. It seemed like a tight-knit group of, according to the Facebook invite, “transgender/ genderqueer activists.” Everyone, even the upscale patrons downstairs, seemed content to live and let live- androgynous couples happily smooching on the dance floor, guys unironically wearing women's shirts, and a vast variety of glitter and animal prints.

I wasn't on the dance floor very long, though, before I already felt like I was dripping in sweat. When I stepped outside for fresh air, I unfortunately realized the window of opportunity for catching a trolley was dwindling and I already had to leave. A fairly tame night, at least for someone removed from the drama of the West Philly inner circle, I still enjoyed a chance to unabashedly dance to Top 40 hits and not worry about being looked down on.

--
Emily Currier

http://twitter.com/chimneytulip
http://culturemob.com/blog/philadelphia

Monday, May 16, 2011

Ranstead Room - A sweet surprise hidden in a back-alley

Doors are full of drama.

Think of all the things you might want to do or places you may want to go, but that are thwarted by a locked door. And that frustration leads to imagination, conjuring all the wonders that lie just on the other side. The revelation, if the day comes, of what's on the other side may thrill you, or it may disappoint you, but there's no question that getting there is interesting.

My life is frequently hectic. Yours may be too. It feels to me some days that there are too many things to do. Too many people to communicate with. Too many flashing lights. Too many jarring sounds.

And so on those days when the "too much" of life becomes tiresome, I search the little gray cells and consider places where I may retire to a little peace and quiet. And I've found that even a profoundly unbalanced day can be rescued with a little moment of peace to restore my equanimity. A half hour gardening, or a long walk at lunch.

Or, should the mood strike between 7:00 PM to 2:00 AM, perhaps a visit to Philadelphia nightlife's most mysterious doors, dropped between 20th and 21st on Ranstead Street. First one door, then an antechamber where a host may or may not be able to let you in-it's a small space, and standing is not permitted-and finally the eponymous Room itself.

The treasures inside?

I didn't go today. So I'm going to have to direct to other reports, such as these at Yelp, or the awesome enterprise of Bar For the Course.

Contact Email for the $50 / Post Writing Gig in Philadelphia

If you read the posts below and are interested, email me here: fiftystarowl@hotmail.com

Thanks!

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

You do not have to be a Blockhead

Today I read in Slate some sage advice: Don't Write for Free. Slate buttresses the point with Samuel Johnson's immortal line "No man but a blockhead ever wrote, except for money".

And I agree. Good prose should be paid for. (Poetry, sadly, may have to remain for the moment an amateur sport of devoted hobbyists.) If I had the capital, I'd be buying that prose and publishing it on this very website because my gut instinct is that in the end it'll have value. For now, even with the little dollars at my disposal, I will still intend to start it, though I may have to draft the Missus for start-up help.

Over the past week or so I've considered various models for getting the stories I want. Currently my plan is:

1. Post Gig to Craigslist
2. Review the solicitations of interest
3. Meet with promising candidates
4. Explain the warranties I'll ask for
5. Give assignment
6. Review report
7. Purchase the report
8. Edit the report
9. Post the report
10. Profit

Now, if you've landed at this page, you may wonder what warranty I'm talking about.

It will say:

I, <> promise that this report is true to the best of my knowledge. It is my own work. I have no undisclosed relationship with any venue, promoter, or owner.

Then, after I've read the report, I'll offer to buy it with a contract that reads:

I, <> hereby sell to Fifty Star Owl, for good and valuable consideration of $50 cash, all rights to the report I have made of my review of <> on the date of <> except that I will retain my attribution line and the right to use the published report for my portfolio so long as the use is noted as "By Permission of Fifty Star Owl."

After I own the report, I will review it, edit it as I see fit, attach links with abandon, and then wait.

So all that above is my business plan, more or less.

I should point out though that although I want to make money doing this, I also am eager to learn what people have to say about their nightlife experiences.

As luck had it, last week PhillyChitChat.com went to G Lounge's RAW Natural Born Artists party. For more information about RAW, see the link. It's a great article because it tells me about that the evening was like. That's the kind of information I want to know about.

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Other Sites with Info

As I continue to search for writers interested in taking on the difficult task of preparing first-person accounts of Philadelphia nightlife, I'm also looking at sources of news and information.

Philly2Night has long been one of my favorite sites for looking up where to go. Lots of information about upcoming promotions. And, while it's rare to get an in-depth discussion of how the night went, it does often have photographs. This is extremely helpful for getting a sense of the crowd to expect when one goes out. This is its helpful listing of nightclubs.

Heyphilly.com is another site with a good list. Perhaps particularly of interest to me, they also do include editorial content. They also prominently have videos to watch and sweepstakes to enter.


A less helpful site is Clubzone, for instance, which seems to be mostly a list of locations.

Sunday, May 1, 2011

Saturday's Report

Ironically, a lack of stamina did me in today.

After a truly excellent meal at Kanella, the plan was to check out the PIFA street fair.

Starting out from 10th and Spruce towards Broad, it immediately became clear that the fickle April clime was going thwart my plans. The sun was poking through the clouds, certainly, but not enough to warm the Missus, who found the chilling wind far too strong.

Once we made it to Broad, the crowds were awesome, but, still crowds, with all the frustration that implies. Generally heading north we wended our way through the crowds, passing a number of stalls. Some were selling food, such as a Parc stand with little pans of quiche for $4. I also saw a shoe stand from Aerosoles. We also passed by a face-painting stand, where little children were getting adorably dolled up.

We passed by a acrobatic demonstration, a short dancing bear, and a stage with musicians playing what sounded like Caribbean-influenced jazz.

Unfortunately, here the combination of crowds and chill sapped our will to investigate further. A shame, really, as I had hoped to take in the view from the Ferris Wheel, and catch the big acrobatic show intended for 7:30. But there is wisdom in knowing one's limits.

So on we proceeded, first to Macy's, and then, after establishing that they now have a Sunglass Hut, rather than their own sunglass brands for sale, to Liberty Place. There we took advantage of the food court for a light snack and a chance to rest our weary feet in peace.