Open Thread - What do you want to see?

Welcome, readers. I know it's been a while since I've posted more material, but I've still been watching with interest Philadelphia's nightlife. If anyone has any suggestions for places to review, or for that matter websites I may have missed that do a better job of telling the story of "what happened" then I'd love to hear from you. Please post a comment below. -Adam

Union Transfer October 18

And another report from Christina Larkins. Fans, I appreciate all of your interest in these accounts, and I hope to keep them coming at a steadier rate. The delay in getting this report posted is entirely mine. -Adam



Union Transfer 1026 Spring Garden Street
October 18, 8 pm (Tuesday)
Little Dragon, Tycho and DJ QUESTLOVE
$15.00

Report by: Christina Larkins

I never had the pleasure of eating at the Spaghetti Warehouse when it was here, but with all due respect, I have no idea how this building could ever have masqueraded as anything other than the amazing music venue that it is.

I mean, everything about this location is a concert goers dream.

Ample street parking, (most free after 10, but please be sure to read the signs, no need to end up on Parking Wars). And just in case you have a few tickets already and don’t want to risk the street, there was a lot available for the night of the show for only $10 right around the block.

I walked in and was immediately in awe of not only the building itself, but the fact that DJ Questlove was already spinning when doors opened at 8. The sound system was incredible. You could literally feel the music in any part of the building you walk. Clear. Clean. Crisp beats. Not one hint of static or feedback.

You enter through the little “snack/giveaway/promo” lobby, which has a few benches (just in case you need a break from all the chaos during the night) and reasonably priced bottled water and chips. (beware of the stale pretzels.) Beyond the doors you arrive upon this huge floorspace. Just massive. The stage was simplistically set, but whoever was doing the lighting that evening, gets so much credit. The lights were incredible. Moving in perfect tandem with the music. And setting the mood for the whole show all night.
At the back of the huge standing room space was a bar, sectioned off to make sure all liquor stayed in that area, which I, who seemingly have a target on my clothes that says “please, spill your wine here” really appreciated. To the left and the right were seating areas. And if that wasn’t enough, there were balcony’s above full of people. All areas secured with at least one guard. It was the safest I ever felt out at an event.

The show was phenomenal. This isn’t going to turn into a music review, but I have to say I was a really impressed with Little Dragon (who I’d never heard of until the Roots Picnic this year) and of course, anything Questlove is involved with, is pretty much a guaranteed good time. But I digress.

The crowd was mixed. Dancing. Happy. And not the least bit pretentious. Everyone was truly enjoying themselves.

There were ample stalls in the bathroom. The air conditioning actually worked…ALL NIGHT. I mean, this was just a dream venue.

As the night went on, more and more people filled in, but I never got the sense of being cramped, or feeling claustrophobic. There was just an old world grandeur about the place. With so many little seating areas, alcoves and spaces to wander into, you never felt “trapped.”

This is by far, is my new favorite place in the city to see live music, and I can’t wait until the next concert.



--

Christina Larkins

G Lounge - Saturday October 8

A new report from Christina Larkins - Adam



G Lounge 111 S 17th St
Saturday October 8, 11 pm
$20 cover



If you’d like a nice place to go just to hear a few light pop songs, grab a drink and look at pretty women, or clean cut men in suits, then I highly suggest this place. But don’t expect to be blown away by anything. Its like the Kim Kardashian of clubs. All looks. No substance. And highly overpriced.

The one word that keeps coming to my mind when I think of the G Lounge is safe. Very nice. Very clean. Very proper. And very safe.

The craziest part of this club is the ridiculous “Studio 54” like line outside. Lots of pushing waiting to get in, lots of “hey I’m on this list” etc etc. But once I got past all of the fluffery, I walked down stairs to get in and heard Whitney Houston “I wanna dance with somebody” playing. In 2011. And I knew it was safe. The type of lounge you might actually bring your boss to after her nasty divorce. Very….yuppie. Safe. Corporate. But, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. I did end up having one of the best nights out in the city in a long time, In spite of myself. It’s hard not to have fun there.

The club is visually beautiful. Huge VIP areas with leather couches, and cool lighting. There was a huge back bar, and a little “mini” bar on the dance floor. (I suggest using the back bar, the poor girl was getting totally slammed at the mini bar.) Mirrors were all around, which actually made me think the place was huge, at first glance. But no, It seems that most of the space was given to the “lounging” part. So if you actually want to dance you have a little space in the back by the DJ, or you can utilize any of the super skinny aisle. Which, I would highly recommend staying OUT of the aisle. Have you ever been on a subway during rush hour ? That’s pretty much equivalent to standing still in the main aisle at G Lounge.

I must admit, although the DJ was ridiculously generic, spinning the same mindless top 40 “radio friendly” jams you hear all day long, he DID keep the crowd going. It also helped that there were some amazingly beautiful dancers on boxes all night that were awe inspiring. Even if you didn’t like the music, you liked THEM liking the music lol.

The crowd was mixed, but all seemed to be of a certain class level. Not too many struggling artists types around this place. Everyone was very well dressed and for the most part friendly. And, seeing as how this is one of the only clubs in Philly were celebs are actually spotted at, I’m sure most of them were hoping to “casually” run into some D-List celeb. You know. But I appreciate good fashion so I wont judge their motives.

The drinks were very well made and after a few of them, even I felt safe enough to take my rhythmically challenged self to the dance floor for a bit.
The bathrooms were clean but small. And well maintained. And the attendant is probably the funniest woman in the world. She should really have her own show.
The staff (bouncers, bartenders, managers) were all very friendly and helpful throughout the night.

All in all it was a good time.

Dress spiffy. No sneakers or tees. And bring some cash. Those nicely made drinks add up. Shot of tequila was appx $15. Jack & Ginger was $10.

--

Christina Larkins

Sing Your Life Karaoke at Tabu Thursday October 13

And now it is agains my pleasure to present a new report from another first-time correspondent, Christopher McJetters. -Adam

Sing Your Life Karaoke at Tabu Lounge and Sports Bar
Thursday, October 13, 2011 10:30 PM


The theme this week is Hall and Oates. So really quick – what Hall and Oates songs can you name off the top of your head? Nothing? What about “Private Eyes”? “I Can’t Go for That”? “Maneater”?! Do you even know who Hall and Oates are?

Sigh…Philistines.

Assuming that you were alive on this planet before the year 1989, I’ll give you a temporary pass and forget that you don’t know who sang any of those super awesome songs. Fortunately for you, knowing the theme isn’t a prerequisite for participating in Sing Your Life Karaoke.

DJ Sara Sherr spins the hits five nights a week, and last Thursday, we had the pleasure of joining the fun on the upper floor of Tabu, located at 12th and Walnut. We arrived at around 10:30 expecting that the party would be in full swing and we would never get a chance at going up to bat. However, the karaoke crew was only moderately active. So it turns out we were in luck.

Since karaoke DJs generally get invited back to their venues based on the number of drinks purchased, we decided to shell out a few hard-earned rubles for a couple of rounds. Prepared for a cash-raping session from you’re your standard, stuck-up muscle jock, we were shocked to find the bartenders to be laid-back, friendly, and entertaining. Also to be noted, the drinks are cheap!

Pocketbooks intact, we headed over to the “stage” area in order to snag a book. At least three of them were floating around in different areas and the patrons seemed pretty generous about making sure they stayed circulated.

Be advised that it’s easy to become overwhelmed upon initial inspection. So far as song selections go, this book is epic. And printed neatly inside each cover are the rules (note: the DJ can only guarantee three songs a night maximum, unless it’s horrendously slow) and a brief statement that even if the song you want isn’t available, she will do her best to make it available as soon as possible.

DJ Sara isn’t much on flashy presentation. She mostly sits quietly at a table, neatly stacking the dozens of requests she receives in order. But for seasoned karaoke-goers, lengthy intros and grandstanding isn’t on tap. She’s friendly, fast, courteous, and efficient – which minimizes downtime in between sets and speeds up the whole night like you wouldn’t believe. Despite the size of the crowd, both my partner and I were singing within a half hour of showing up.

In between songs, I was able to have a brief conversation with DJ Sara. Without missing a beat in the rotation, she was able to give us two golden rules of maximizing your microphone time: 1.) The least busy night is Monday, and 2.) The least busy time is the first half hour.

Of course now that I’ve told you that, I’ve ruined it for myself. But there you are.

Since she’s a moving target, the schedule is as follows:

Sunday at Bob and Barbara’s, Mondays and Thursdays are Upstairs at Tabu, Tuesdays at 12 Steps Down, and Wednesdays at The Little Bar. The times for all nights are 9pm-2am (except for Wednesdays, which are 10pm-2am).

Obviously since our great experience was at Tabu, we’ll probably head back to that one. But definitely check out all the other neighborhoods too. If you let me know you’re coming, I’ll save you a song. Just remember to bring some hand sanitizer…you might be hard-pressed to find soap in the Tabu bathroom.


Christopher McJetters

The LasT WorD ROCKS! at Moonstone Arts Center

The LasT WorD ROCKS!
Moonstone Arts Center
Thursday, September 15


Report by: Bryant Nnadi


The LasT WorD is ground zero for the “Movement for a DoPeR PhiLLy.” It is an all-ages monthly open mic/performance art fiasco orchestrated by Saint Skribbly LaCroix and featuring the top readings and performances by the most eclectic performing artists in the Tri-State area.

I would have to agree with Skribbly's description, but let me add that this art fiasco is more than just a great place for wanderers to find poetry and live open performance art. The Last word is also ideal for young budding artists who need a stage to practice some of their in-progress work. Since I've been going to these episodes/ shows I've been getting the vibe that I'm in a practice hall, lightly critiquing my friends work in the library. It doesn't hurt that the lovely people who organized the event, cater including wine and an assortment of baked goods. I feel as if I had joined a private membership that fills a certain void inside.

The ambiance was subtle and still. I wished there were more women present, making the droves of masculine energy walking through the door and into the room more balanced, but like I said before; it's a good thing they serve wine here. One of my favorite bursts of energy at this event is when the host messes up the introduction of the next artist to the stage. First the host breaks out into his speech, which goes "The next Performer is going to leave nothing home,.." and then the crowd finishes "But he's going to leave it on all the stage." Now if Skribbly forgets how to finish this sequence, all of a sudden the audience starts to bombard him with barrage after barrage of Yo Momma jokes. It's one of the bravest acts and creative ways to keep the crowd engaged in a show. The whole place erupted in laughter when all of a sudden one joke made it to the stage in clarity going, "Yo Mama so freaky, she could suck peanut butter through a coffee straw." There was also a championship battle for Swag on the Mike between Mike joseph Johnson and Reem GameFace Hall. Both poets offered their own styles and think tanks for the audience to connect but in the end GameFace would emerge as the victor in a three part series, which lasted the whole first half of the night.

The performances were ok but I would be lying if I said that they were ground breaking or amazing. I didn’t even stay for the whole event after the first intermission. I had enough of the event for the first hour and felt like it was the perfect time to wander off into the night. I still recommend to giving the last word a shot. If not for the poetry, go for the drinks and baked goods. So if you looking for a relaxed environment where you can get a simple drink and listen to some poetry I would say hit up The Last Word every third Thursday of the month at Moonstone Book store. I placed the address below. Till next time, I’ll give you my adventures in the Philly nights.


Bryant Nnadi
Vanache on Twitter as @vanache_vida
facebook.com/vanache
http://www.vanache.us

MEGA Opening and Dance Party at Goldilock's Gallery

See correction and note on the presenting artists per the comments.-Adam 9/9/11



MEGA Opening and Dance Party at Goldilock's Gallery
Friday, September 2nd


By Emily Currier


In the warehouse space formerly housing the non-profit Basekamp, Goldilock's Gallery has opened up its glass door to the public this past Friday night, September 2nd. Oddly situated above the fancy pants restaurant Morimoto, the space is a sprawling warehouse that could promise to house interesting exhibits. Another perk of their location situates the gallery several blocks from Old City and its First Friday fare, creating an easy pool of exhibit attendees- if Goldilocks can get its act together.

As a new venue, Goldilock's Gallery will benefit from establishing a unique identity in the gallery and music venue soaked city of Philadelphia. Though it vaguely draws its name from both a fairy tale and an astronomical term, Goldilocks doesn’t feature any obvious allusions to either. Instead, the space is still crawling out of the ashes of the estranged non-profit Basekamp and struggling with organization along the way.

For their first official gallery opening, Goldilocks advertised the start time as 7pm on Facebook and as 8pm on their flyers. In the past, events at the space haven’t started up until 10pm, to avoid disturbing the neighbors, which seemed to discourage any early birds. The lack of attendees turned out to be a mixed blessing, though, as there was construction, complete with loud drilling noise and loose nails, happening in the space’s shop area until around 9:30pm. The first show featured work by a few of Goldilocks’ resident artists and was also primarily attended by the residents.

The event started to pick up around 10pm with a mixture of 20somethings touting their own six packs and wine bottles. Around 11pm, DJ Osagie started playing soul, funk, and rock vinyl for the sparsely populated dance floor. Many party attendees still milled around the exhibit space or poked their noises into residents’ studios. The majority of the party, though, ended up on the space’s expansive roof to enjoy a cigarette, the scenic view, and fresh night air. For a new space, Goldilocks relied on the 20something residents bringing in friends to the event, though they’ll have to put more effort than that to sustain themselves in the Philadelphia art scene.

Emily Currier

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

Movie Monday at the Troc August 22 - Beavis and Butthead Do America

Movie Mondays at The Troc, Monday August 22
“Beavis and Butthead Do America”


by Emily Currier


Being a girly girl during my adolescence, I missed out on the whole phenomenon of “Beavis and Butthead” (I eventually got on board with the spin-off of “Daria”). But when a friend invited me out on a Monday night for a $3 big-screen movie, I felt I couldn’t resist. We made sure to show up before 7pm to make those three dollars really count- for the movie, a free beer and popcorn, and towards $3 at the bar. Basically, the night turned into a cheap drunk.


Armed with our free beers and popcorn, Jon and I took a seat in the small bar area upstairs at The Troc. There was some sort of delay on the movie, so they kept the early birds satiated by showing episodes of “Beavis and Butthead” on the TVs in the bar. With our spot right next to the blaring speakers, our attempts at conversation were drowned out by early ‘90s punk music videos and punctuated chuckling. So, instead of dwelling on catching up with an old college friend, we continued to drink PBRs. Being clever, poor, and an alcoholic, I figured out we could pool together our $3 tokens towards a $10 bucket of four PBRs. Three beers for $2, not bad, Troc.


A slow stream of tattooed punk types filtered into the bar and added their chatter to the deafening noises of Beavis and Butthead’s nasal dialogue. Instead of seeming like an atypical event, Movie Mondays at the Troc are an apparent regulars’ hang out, regardless of the movie playing. The bar was packed by the time the doors to the big screen were finally opened up around 8:15. The movie screen drops down the Troc’s main stage and audience members sit on cushioned rows in the balcony. Unlike in expensive, stifled (and sober) movie theaters, audience members were loosened up to laugh out loud and hoot-n-holler along with the movie. The stupid, stupid movie.

Emily Currier

Walnut Room Friday July 8

I'm pleased to present another report from Christina Larkins, with another take on Walnut Room. -Adam


Walnut Room, Friday July 8, 2011 at 10pm


Located above Alfa restaurant, the door would have been easy to miss, if there wasn’t a gathering of well dressed, very attractive people lingering out front. Walking up to the door, you get the idea that you’re about to enter a very selective, hidden, “speakeasy” type of place.

The cover was $5 (before 11), and the girls were friendly. A few people caught some slack for inappropriate footwear (no flip flops, which, by the way, you should never wear to a club in the first place.) My advice for anyone going out in this city, if you’re unsure of a clubs dress code, its always better to be overdressed, then under. Leave the beach wear at the Jersey Shore.

Once you walk up the stairs, the place is bigger than you would guess. There are two bars, and plenty of seating. I’d suggest ordering drinks from the back bar. It’s a little quieter back there, and not nearly as crowded. I used it as a little “escape” room from the madness of the main bar area. They even have leather seating, and dimmer lighting. I suppose this is used when you find a hot girl/guy and you want to “get away and talk for a little bit…”

The music was the real treat of the night. The DJ was brought in from Boston, BREK.ONE and he was playing a great combo of classic R&B and Hip Hop dance hits from the 90’s and today. And equal mix of Beyonce to get the ladies dancing, and Notorious BIG to get the fellas to join in. Perfect mix for the crowd. He effortlessly went from one song to the next, each one getting more and more people out their seats and on the floor. This is definitely a place to go and dance.

The crowd was very mixed. A great representation of different styles (men in three piece suits, mixed with girls with Mohawk’s and cut off jean shorts.) The common thread was that everyone there seemed to be around mid-20’s-early 30’s.

As I’m a bathroom snob, this one was ehhh. Although I did enjoy the full length mirror that made me look a little bit thinner lol.

The drinks were decently priced. Jameson and Gingerale was the expect $9 a pop. No special “deals” or anything like that. And definitely NOT a bar to go to if you’re a beer snob. Not many choices there. But the bartenders were extremely courteous, fast and the drinks were delicious.

The later it got, the bigger the crowd got. I left around 1ish. Would definitely suggest getting there early. I can imagine that place reaches capacity pretty quickly. It’s big but not THAT big.

All in all it was a great party. Highly recommend this venue for future events.

--

Christina Larkins

Rockers! In July at the Tritone July 27

I hope you've been having a great summer. Here for the readers is a report that's been simmering on the stove a while, but now it's ready! Enjoy-Adam

Rockers! In July at Tritone

Wednesday July 27, 2011

Report by: Bryant Nnadi

Hope this summer has be providing spectacular adventures for you as much as they have for me. Let me tell you about this party I went to at the Tritone.

I followed a gang of my friends to the Tritone for a coveted Wednesday night party that I've been growing hip to called Rockers. Rockers is apart of a growing collective of young artists, musicians, and trendsetters that embrace the attitude of getting down to business and having fun. Last night's party (Rockers! in July) featured Throwdown Syndicate, Revolution I Love You, Mighty Paradocs, and Dj Maggy Thump. The master of ceremonies for the evening was Skribbly La Croix from The Last Word open mic series; whose voice and magnetic persona was perfect for coaxing party goers into each musical odyssey. On a regular night at Rockers, one could expect to see interesting bands, a lot of dancing and diversity, and tons of sex appeal. It's a rock party!

Last night I wasn't so much in the Rockers mood due to an extensive travel schedule that had me subjected to over 8 hours of moving back and forth between Washington D.C., New York, and Philadelphia. You can imagine that my wings were more than exhausted, but I had intended to make an appearance to the show and I couldn't disappoint myself. Fortunately, Rockers wasn't your typical night out on a Wednesday. I was delighted when I arrived at the venue and I saw a relatively packed house sitting at their tables gawking at the stages performers not doing much jumping around. "Revolution I love you!"--thats what the awkwardly cute girl behind me is screaming out loud as she throws back her PBR. I'm also noticing that there are more chairs and tables out then usual. On a regular night where I haven't been traveling I would want more out of a party, but at my low energy level the slow start of the night was perfect!

Revolution I love you were awesome too. The group consisted of two guys with guitars that would accompany themselves with laptops, keyboards, and all kinds of guitar pedals. Their overall sound was funky with influences of light hearted punk. Perfect for jumping around or sitting and savoring.

As the the night meandered on, that awkwardly cute girl I mentioned earlier walked up to me to strike a conversation. Coincidently, I've met this girl before and it just happened to be tonight that we run across each other again. She had glasses and medium wavy reddish brown hair that came a little past her shoulders. Thin pouty lips, shorts and a flowery blouse. I wouldn't be doing her justice if I didn't describe her body. She had fairly nice breasts and her butt was of a nice proportion, but it was her legs that stole the show. It was obvious that she put some time into working out in the gym, running, or simply dancing at all her favorite parties. We talked for quite a while about various subjects like work, life, food, and play. We even had a few drinks together and watched the few people that dared to mosh on the dance floor for their sweet release. All of a sudden Revolution I love you finished their set and Skribbly La Croix bolted on stage to introduce the next act coming straight from Washington D.C. They call themselves the Throwdown Syndicate. I wasn't too involved into their set, but they had a 90's hiphop spymob groove. So think rock with a dreaded up front man. The final act to hit the stage was The Mighty Paradocs. In the band you have two lead female singers who have spunk, attitude, and raw sex appeal. The duo's charismatic stage presence is guaranteed to have you floored with excitement. When The Mighty Paradocs got into their electric set of songs, the audiences energy level went from 0 to 60 in 2 seconds. I couldn't help but get involved in the fiasco when my cute friend asked me if I wanted to dance. Of course I do!

When the night was over, outside the venue was the happening spot to exchange numbers and reconnect with friends. I met a few strange characters but I appreciate where the night took me. I wish I had more energy to enjoy everything, but I like how my whole night turned out.

Rockers is every 4th Wednesday at the Tritone for $5, and on Sunday, Aug 21st they will be debuting ROCKERS SUMMER VACATION!; a weekend extravaganza of bands, kick ball, body painting and more for 3 days. For more information about the Rockers visit Superdefstar.blogspot.com.

Bryant Nnadi

Benefit Show at L’Etage Sunday July 24

Benefit Show at L’Etage
Featuring The Tough Shits and DJ Opal Rock
Sunday July 24th, 2011

Report By: Emily Currier

It’s always sweet when hipsters come out to support one of their own, sweet and usually a lot of fun. On Sunday night at L’Etage, a benefit show was thrown for a Creperie Beaumonde’s (on which L’Etage piggybacks) waitress who was involved in a hit-and-run on her bicycle. For a reasonable $5 donation at the door, guests were given access to a silent auction, a show by The Tough Shits, and DJ Opal playing late into the night. Based on the crowd that came out, hopefully a lot of money was raised to help pay off the waitress’s medical bills.

While the Facebook invite said the event kicked off at 7:30pm, those in the know didn’t meander in until around 9:30pm. For us early birds (suckers), we had plenty of time to peruse the silent auction before The Tough Shit’s set at 10pm. The silent auction, something I haven’t been treated to since elementary school, featured very generous gift certificates and goodies from local businesses including Philly Aids Thrift and the folks behind those cute plant terrariums. For a buck guests could also purchase a raffle ticket for a chance to win a painting by a local artist.

There were a few stray people in attendance, but in general the attendees were comprised of friends of the waitress and/ or fans of band. The crowd was in uniform by sex: the boys with tattoo sleeves and the girls in summer dresses and chunky heels. The boys were somewhat at odds with the classy, dimly lit décor of L’Etage but they didn’t seem to notice. I’ve had run-ins with this clique at a number of events but still don’t feel accepted into the fold; when my friends abandoned me for a smoke, I sat at the bar nursing my drink and making occasional awkward eye contact with the band members.

The music is worth the awkward wait, though. The Tough Shits always put on a high energy, really fun show. When asked to describe their music, my friend said “fun times Rock n’ Roll,” a completely accurate description. When he didn’t have a guitar in his hand, the lead singer jumped around the stage, kicked up his heels, wandered into the audience, and took swigs of beer. The music was reminiscent of pioneer rock without feeling stale, instead the band members pumped energy into every short, loud song. Their short set ended with the lead singer carrying the lead guitarist into the audience on his shoulders- and he still managed to sing. They’re not called The Tough Shits for nothin’.

Emily Currier

Solo Doctor Zero Show Copabanana South Street July 12

The latest exciting report from writer Emily Currier, about a hot night on South Street -Adam


Solo Doctor Zero Show at Copabanana South Street, Tuesday July 12
Report By: Emily Currier


Even on a sweltering hot Tuesday night in July, South Street’s cheap drink specials and interesting people watching are able to draw a modest (yet scantily-clad) crowd. Without having to contend with hordes of Jersey tweens, even locals make an appearance on the “so over” street, as attested to by the turn out at Tuesday’s Solo Doctor Zero Show at Copabanana.

Despite the stifling heat and unusual venue, rock band Solo Doctor Zero and their guests attracted a large group of people who clustered in one of the Copabanana’s second floor’s three rooms (who knew?). The lure of a free show was clearly not the only factor in the turn out, as most of the audience seemed to be friends or acquaintances of the performers.

Sponsored by the Community Cultural Exchange, the night’s billing was the diverse collection of Stiofan Moriarity, Lora Bloom of Radio Eris, the band Invincible, along with the headliners. In addition to enjoying live music, the audience was supplied with paper, crayons, markers, and even Cray-Pas to add their own contribution of art to the night (being unable to find a pen, I scrawled my notes about the show in giant red Crayola).

As my friend sucked down the last of her Pina Colada, we missed the opening act and walked in during a spoken word performance (possibly by Lora Bloom?). The performer spoke of insanity and sex, topics that lacked the hoped-for shock value in a bar filled with tattooed locals. Solo Doctor Zero came on as a tall, thin woman with green and pink hair backed by three older men. With the woman churning out a dark bass line, the other bandmates kept up the energy. Occasionally the music sounded overly muddy but with a crowd of people out for a good time on a Tuesday, Solo Doctor Zero was easily forgiven.


Emily Currier

At Fifty Star Owl even the Ads are Great

While various writers are considering various venues, I have been firing up the FiftyStarOwl twitter account to find out what's being talked about here in Philadelphia. Currently I am only using it to announce new full-blown articles here at the website.

Full of the pride of ownership, I looked at my site a few minutes ago, and saw a fascinating ad: for Icelandic Nightlife. I like to imagine that it's very chic, blonde, and eager to enjoy hydrothermal energy. I can't click on it (clicking on your own website's ads is a no-no), so I do a little search and up it pops here: http://www.reykjavikrocks.is/ I like to think that if someone was visiting Philadelphia, (or perhaps is a Philadelphia expat pining for home) that my website here would give them a little reminder.

New articles are on the way. Until then, perhaps you'd like to revisit a night at the Walnut Room.

People who present pictures

As regular readers have undoubtedly noticed here at the Fifty Star Owl, this web site doesn't have any pictures.

This is by design.

Even though a fellow denizen of the night might be fairly well described by one of the authors, it's still not as clear as a picture. I look forward to sending intrepid writers into burlesque shows and gentleman's clubs, but pictures might be too racy for my little operation here.

But, as you may have noticed with yesterday's post, I have no such concern about linking to other people's work, such as the great galleries at http://philly.cities2night.com/ As you'll see, they do great work.

Other Sites with Info - Swellco & Swellco

When word comes from the artists at Swellco & Swellco that they plan on putting together another party here in Philadelphia, I am hopeful that I can get a report. In the meantime, I am heartened to learn that their plan for world-domination is proceeding apace. [Please Note, the images you may see may disturb you should you click to their site, and at the very least I ought to warn you that they are not safe for workplace viewing.]

Fifty Star Owl Business Update

So, Fifty Star Owl, my website devoted to paying writers for first-hand reports of Philadelphia nightlife, has now been in operation for about a month.

As a result, I want to thank all of the readers who have taken the time to read the stories it's been my privilege to bring to you. And of course the writers too, who each have contributed exciting stories I've been proud to bring to you.

Something I've personally found very interesting are all of the international visits. I would never have realized how much interest is out there yearning to learn more about Philadelphia's nightlife. Indonesia, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, India, the Philippines and even Azerbaijan have all stopped by to read about what it's like to go out here. I hope you can come visit and see all the city has to offer, but until then, I hope you enjoy reading about the part of the world I call home.

Regardless of where you are reading from, I want to invite you to comment on or hit the +1 button at the bottom of this (or any other) post you find interesting. Don't be discouraged if your're the first one to comment, at every party someone has to break the ice.

I also wanted to bring the new twitter feed to your attention: it's at the very bottom of the page. So far I've only used it to let people know when new posts are up.

Finally, as a very junior entrepreneur, I know of no good way to convey how amazing it is to watch the advertising revenue come in. Thank you considering the advertising messages you see around you. I genuinely appreciate your support.

Adam

Electric Butter at the Walnut Room

A fresh new report from Bryant Nnadi, reporting on a night at the stylish Walnut Room. -Adam

Electric Butter at the Walnut Room, Thursday June 30

Report by: Bryant Nnadi

Last night I went to a party called Electric Butter created by Philadelphia's resident DJ, DJ PHSH (pronounced "fish") at the Walnut Room. The event featured an artist/MC named Buddy Leezle and guest performer Charlie (former drummer for the Philly Hip Hop Group Subliminal Orphans).

The music was a combination of Electro and Dub Step with a twist of live drum & bass. Charlie played off of an electronic drum set, and he would overlap the drums to various tracks that DJ PHSH spun. The performance was amazing, because you got to watch a live remixing of popular songs like SBTRKT ft. Little Dragon - Wildfire (RMX ft. Drake).

During the intermission, Buddy Leezle performed some of his material but it wasn't that good. In fact, it killed the party a little bit. His constant use of the word "bitch" turned the majority of the female crowd away from the stage. After a quick switch up though by DJ PHSH the party was rejuvenated with life and the festivities continued.

As for the crowd is was predominately women. Attractive Women!

I was fortunate enough to snag a dancing session with a rather energetic hipster Asian chic who, for the purposes of confidentiality we'll call "Sasha".

Sasha was the secret star of the party. Of all the many dancers and breakers that fluttered about, Sasha had the attentions of practically everyone in the club-including myself. What brought her to the forefront of everyone’s attention was when she dropped to the floor and performed a dance called the "Body Roll". I never heard of this dance until I saw it in action last night, but when Sasha dropped, time stopped.

If your wondering what the Body Roll looks like, let me draw a mental picture for you.

Imagine someone falling to the ground and landing on his or her knees almost in prayer position. Then imagine the dancer leaning to the floor as if they were going for the title of lowest limbo. Now the next part of this dance is when the dogs come out. After the dancer's back is parallel to the floor, he or she starts to gyrate their hips in a slow winding circular motion. Or, if you can’t imagine this, here's youtube, where there's tons of examples. But keep in mind none of those videos will ever match the real thing in person. I wasn’t as skilled on the dance floor as Sasha was, but I had a good time talking and doing the same old two-step. It’s a good thing that not all dances go out of style.

I never thought I'd walk into a party and I would be a part of an endangered populous.

Although there were a few other men at the party, I could literally count them on my fingers and foot.

Otherwise the demographic was multicultural and stylish. After talking to a few folks, I got a feel for what everyone at the party was into. A lot of people were into Hip Hop and House music, while the rest preferred a varied selection of songs. It was honestly a great time, and I'm not surprised that it was at the Walnut Room.

Electric Butter is held every last Thursday of the month, from 10pm - 2am. So if you're into an upbeat party with great looking people and music Electric Butter is the spot to be.

Bryant Nnadi

Monk’s Café - June 21 Visit

And now a new report from P. Thatcher on a recent visit to Monk's Cafe. - Adam

Monk’s Café Belgian Beer and Emporium and Restaurant, June 21 7:15PM – 9:00PM

Report By: P. Thatcher

I had never been to Monk’s before, although I’ve passed by it many times. When a visiting friend (VF) suggested it as an alternative to the fully booked Barbuzo it seemed like a fine suggestion, so we agreed to meet up there for dinner.

As it happened work was slow Tuesday so I stayed home. My hot date and I took the bus together from stately Thatcher manor and made excellent time to the restaurant. We arrived at about 7:10, and there we hit upon an unexpected flaw in my planning: Monk’s will not seat you until your whole party has arrived. Since the actual planned meet-up time with VF was 7:30, I and the luscious hot date (LHD) had to wait. Now, this would not have seemed so bad except that it was hot in there, and the bar was packed. Not a seat in the house available, so LHD and I had to stand.

While I managed to maintain my stoic calm, I could tell that LHD was very annoyed at the wait and lack of seating. For those of you unfamiliar with women, this is a bad omen for the rest of the evening. On the other hand, I got a good look at a Dyson fan, which was interesting to see in operation. Alien technology or no, it was still outmatched by the heat in the room, but it helped when it blew right at me.

So I and LHD spent some time looking at the room. The bar was filled almost exclusively with men during the time we were waiting. I did see some mussel pots delivered to them as well, so eating at the bar is an option.

Eventually, VF arrived, and very quickly our black-clad feline hostess got us to a very cute three seat alcove. Now things started to improve significantly. [I later learned that the semi-private nook made the LHD very happy, and much inclined to visit again.] Waters arrived, and I started reviewing the incredibly long and helpful beer menu.

So, I don’t know much about beer. I blame society. And advertising. So I’m sitting there and looking at one of Philadelphia’s greatest beer lists and I have no idea what I ought to drink. Sure I want it to taste good, but it would also be nice to impress VF and LHD.

So, I review the beer list, and I realize there’s a whole section on fruit beers. [Wikipedia later teaches me more about the lambics.] And so, grasping at straws, I tell feline hostess, I’d like something with cherry.

Here, friends, is what it means to live in civilization: she starts to actually help me! My rough guess is that the beer list has something like 200 entries on it, from all over the whole planet. And she is able to immediately begin narrowing down options (“do you like it sweeter, or more tart”) to identify which beer I should try. It’s amazing. VF applauds the hostess’s obvious beer knowledge. And soon arrives in my hands one of the most astonishing beers I’ve ever had.

If you can imagine a wondrous beer version of sour cherry soda, then that is the beer I had. Specifically a bottle of Lindemans Kriek. It was $12 and they brought the bottle and the appropriate glassware. I was stunned.

You want to know what VF and LHD drank? Best as I recall giddy on the bubbles…nothing. And with uncharacteristic restraint, I decided to slow-go it to keep up with the ladies.

Noise level in the room was low enough that all three of us could talk comfortably. I greatly appreciated that.

You know what I also greatly appreciate? Hamburgers. I had their Ardennes hamburger with the pommes frites on the sides, cooked medium. It was great, and definitely filled me up. The LHD had eaten a late lunch, so she opted for dessert for dinner. The hostess gracefully brought out the desert tray, and the LHD went for the buttermilk blueberry tart.

VF ordered the classic Belgian dish: Mussels. It was the small, but even so I don’t think she managed to eat all of them. Her dish included bread at the side to sop up the broth and a side of the pommes frites.

We ate and talked. In the end it was a wonderful time.

The bill arrived quickly when we asked for it, the total was reasonable, and by this point, about 9 o’clock, the room had started to clear and the bar now had free seats available.

As we stepped out into the summer evening, the LHD shared that other than the long wait to get seated she had really enjoyed the evening. So I avoided the perdition’s flames of an angry woman, and call the evening a success.

P. Thatcher

G Lounge - June 3 Visit

And now comes another long-awaited report, from another new writer, Ebony Knight. -Adam

G Lounge, Friday June 3

Report by: Ebony Knight

As a busy wife, mother, and prelaw student, I covet the rare opportunities I get to let my hair down and just be ME! Imagine my disappointment when, after finally finding an outfit that didn’t scream “soccer-mom”, getting all six of my little angels settled with the sitter (yes, I said SIX!), and breaking a few traffic laws to find the G Lounge and a place to park in downtown Philadelphia early enough to get in free, I ended up being turned away at the door because I didn’t have proper ID. After the initial shock of being “carded”, my husband and I made the trek back to the parking garage to retrieve my driver’s license from my purse. Of course we ended up having to pay full price since the bouncer claimed it was after 10:00pm already.

The atmosphere outside the G Lounge leads one to believe that they are about to enter an upscale establishment. The bouncer who asks you if you’re “on the list”, the pic of Snoop Dogg on their website, and the inscription you read when you walk in “sophisticated nightlife” all contribute to the ambiance of exclusivity. However, upon entering the G Lounge, I found it to be more like a boring house party in someone’s basement.

After going down a few stairs and through a couple doors you’re met by an ex (or aspiring) pimp whom I assume was watching either the register, the girl on the register, or both. I am not exaggerating when I say he looked like a wanna-be-pimp: mismatched polyester suit, hat, gold rings and all! Proceeding past this unexpected source of comic relief, we entered the G Lounge and ordered a drink at one of their three bars. Unfortunately, we only ordered one drink since my request for something “cute and slushy” couldn’t be fulfilled because they don’t have blenders in their establishment. What kind of bar doesn’t have a blender!?!?!?! Anyway, the one drink we did order cost us a whopping $15 bucks!

It wasn’t hard to find a place to sit since the place was virtually empty besides a few stragglers here and there who were enjoying drinks quietly. There was also a group of young guys who seemed to be doing a pretty good job entertaining themselves in what was supposed to be the VIP section of the club. Note: this “VIP” area consists of an unenclosed, elevated strip of the room with one girl dancing at the entrance of the room for everyone to see. Sadly, this wasn’t even a perk since neither of the two girls who took turns dancing had any rhythm. I guess the big guy blocking the entrance of the landing makes it “VIP”.

The lounge/basement was decorated very comfortably with some sections of it actually looking like a living room, complete with flat screen televisions on the wall. We were bored out of our minds for the first hour we were there. We actually got out hands stamped and left for a while just to walk around the city and grab a quick bite to eat with hopes that the party would start poppin by the time we returned. After window shopping and enjoying a free doughnut from Krispy Kreme for doughnut day, we returned to find that a few more people had shown up, but the party was far from poppin. Maybe it was the house/techno music that I couldn’t quite get with or the boring movie that kept catching my attention and on the flat screen televisions, but I couldn’t stop yawning and after another hour or so I finally decided to retire to life as usual…Until next time!

Ebony Knight

Tavern on Camac Karaoke

And now a new writer, Bryant Nnadi, describing a recent evening of karaoke at Tavern on Camac -Adam


Karaoke Night, Tavern on Camac on Tuesday, June 14th
Report by: Bryant Nnadi


Last Night I went to a bar called Tavern (short for Tavern on Camac) that is located off a hidden block called Camac St (near the intersection with Spruce).

I was out with one of my female friends and she is a die hard karaoke freak. In fact her love of karaoke has introduced me to a new scene in Philadelphia that is starting to make some headway. They call themselves the "The Karaoke Night Lifers". This scene consists of mainly after work professionals and artists, but the crowd is rich in personality and, surprisingly, talent.

When I arrived at the bar with my friend, I honestly didn't know what to expect. From the way that television depicts Karaoke, it didn't seem that exciting or much of an adventure to sit around and listen to people ruin your favorite song. Instead I was greeted with a lush atmosphere, reminiscent of what the days when the folks used to party at Studio 54. The lights and decor were lavishly modern and minimalist. At the bar, my first conversation of the night garnered a a good number of people that were all pretty attractive. There weren't that many women in to enjoy the night with, but there were some pretty interesting characters that easily stole the night.

One person (who for confidentiality purposes we'll call Steve) found my friend very interesting and asked her to perform a number of duets with him, from Rent, Cats, & Les Miserables to Showtunes. A part of me felt like he was trying to steal my friend away from me, but another half just couldn't get over how entertaining the whole night was becoming. After a few long winded solos on my part, some friendly Stoli representatives came by and handed out free drinks which made Singing in front of a crowd of complete strangers even more appealing.

By the end of the night, I made new friends, learned a thing or two about Karaoke, and got to enjoy a night at a totally new venue.

I can't wait to see where I end up tonight.

Bryant Nnadi

Ranstead Room - Shelter from the Sun (and Center City Sips)

And now, from P. Thatcher, a report I have long been waiting to read. -Adam

Yesterday I stepped out of work and decided that it was a good day for a cocktail. Amuse came to mind as an alternative, but my gut was to try Ranstead Room first. Along the way I noticed several big crowds out, included a loud party over at 19th and Market. I was surprised for a moment wondering at big crowds on a Wednesday night. But comprehension soon dawned as I remembered that Center City Sips has started a couple of weeks ago.

Walking through the late afternoon sunshine, it was about 5:30 when I reached the Ranstead Room. I pushed open the first door and really was blind for a moment in the relative darkness. But I adjusted quickly-must be all the carrots I eat.

So it was that I managed to be one of the first folks in for the evening. David, standing nattily attired and ready to deliver, was the bartender this evening. I took a front-row seat at the soft bar to watch him do his work.

After asking me a few questions about my interests for the evening, he began preparing my drink. First off was a Toronto Cocktail. It was a magical paintbrush of a drink, and set the world even righter.

As I sat and sipped, I observed other folks starting to walk in. First a young man waiting for his date, then another couple who also took on a bit of the bar.

I had to decide what to do next, and decided upon grapefruit as the touchstone of my next drink. Again, the good wizard was ready with a drink, this time the Hemingway Daiquiri.

Now the world was expending, and I could ponder upon all that was right with the world. Including my having to read A Farewell to Arms long ago in high school.

By now I was getting hungry, and so I tried the cheese plate. I can say definitively the blue cheese and goat cheese were excellent. They were washed with a bit of a margarita-style drink I'd requested on the wild hare idea of a liquid General Tso's.

Finally I was ready to return to the outside world. By this time the sun had kindly chosen to dim a bit and I could continue on with my night.

If you have ever been frustrated getting a seat, going early is an excellent strategy. I was dressed business casual, and felt I blended in fine. But in general it's a good place to dress up. The service is excellent. The prices are reasonable for what's being provided.