Last week’s things to do in Philly were pretty awesome – I should know, since I locomoted my ass out of the house to see more than half of them!
Here’s another week of personally endorsed activities around Philadelphia. Let me know if you’re headed out to one, and maybe I’ll come too! And, don’t forget about my two upcoming shows:
Wednesday 9/8
What: Askew indie rock
Who: Dirty Projectors w/Owen Pallett
Where: 7:30pm, Trocadero, $15 adv / $17 dos
Why: I resisted Dirty Projectors when they appeared on best-of-year lists, but there is something undeniable about their lilting and sometimes atonal acoustic indie pop. This show is a steal, which you can definitely afford since you probably downloaded their CD from p2p.
Friday 9/10
What: Dozens of Philly songwriters in one room
Who: Song Shuffle
Where: 7:30pm, World Cafe Live, $27 / $5 for students & under 25
Why: Want a crash course in Philly songwriters? See an almighty slew of them play one song each, which will likely yield some huge hits and unusual collaborations.
Rocking my curly hair and an outfit from Sazz Vintage this January.
Friday 9/10 – Monday 9/13
What: Crazy-cheap vintage clothes
Who: Sazz Vintage Warehouse weekend sale!
Where: Fri 4-8pm, Sat-Mon 12-6pm, 2438 Coral St., 19125
Why: Want to bulk up on your vintage 60s, 70s, and 80s clothing? This weekend Sazz will unlock their warehouse for a repeat of the sale that reinvigorated my blazer collection and helped me costume a period piece of theatre for under $200.
Saturday 9/11
What: A pair of standout Philly female songwriters
Who: Adrien Reju, Suzie Brown, and Barnaby Bright
Where: 8pm, Burlap & Bean in Newtown Square, $10 / $12 at door
Why: If you insist on skipping our Collingswood gig, Adrien and Suzie are two of the most stunning songwriters Philly has to offer, not to mention adept performers and complete sweet-hearts. A bill with the both of them is not to be missed (unless you’re seeing us).
Saturday 9/11 & Sunday 9/12
What: Crash course in glass pulling
Who: Hudson Beach Glass
Where: 12-5pm by appointment, 26 South Strawberry St., 19106
Why: Hudson is a pretty cool place to visit to begin with, but this weekend they’ll let you get hands on with the hot glass to pull your own glass flower (with the help of a trained glassblower).
Sunday 9/12
What: Freak folkers strut their songs
Who: Bike Philly party w/Spinning Leaves & Ben Sollee
Where: 9pm, Johnny Brenda’s, $12
Why: Spinning Leaves are like some crazy bizarro ultra-folk version of Arcati Crisis (they actually resemble us, in reverse!), pairing freak-on lyrics with perfect-blend harmonies. Meanwhile, Ben Sollee is on tour with his cello on a bicycle!
Monday 9/13
What: Live storytelling
Who: First Person StorySlam
Where: 8:30pm, World Cafe Live, $10
Why: Whether you’re there to watch or tell a tale, First Person StorySlam runs the gamut from hilarity.
Wednesday 9/15
What: James Brown’s reincarnated ghost from the future
Who: Of Montreal w/Janelle Monae
Where: 9pm, Electric Factory, $25 / $28 @ door
Why: Forget perennial hipster darlings Of Montreal – every time Janelle Monae plays in Philly my entire social switchboard lights up like a Christmas tree about how freaking awesome she was. Observe:
Did I catch the event you’re headed to or capture your favorite band? If not, leave a comment to let me know what I’m missing out on.