The features blog of The Temple News
Tuesday
March 2015
COMMENTS
Written by Tim Mulhern, Posted in Arts & Entertainment, Music
Spoken Soul 215 is hosting its monthly Open Mic at World Cafe Live on March 11. Spoken Soul 215 is a collection of artists, singers and poets that performs in the Philadelphia area. Open Mic performance slots are based on a first come, first served basis.
Doors open at 7 p.m. and the event begins at 7:30 p.m.
Tuesday
February 2015
COMMENTS
Written by Tim Mulhern, Posted in Arts & Entertainment, Music
Opera Philadelphia will host the East Coast premiere of “Oscar” at The Academy of Music on select dates starting Feb. 6 through Feb. 15. The opera follows the downfall of writer and poet Oscar Wilde as he is charged and sent to prison for his relationship with Lord Alfred Douglas. Events will take place around the showing of the opera, including a special event on Feb. 13 that focuses on LGBT issues around the time of Wilde’s life.
Tickets for the opera start at $19.
Tuesday
January 2015
COMMENTS
Written by Albert Hong, Posted in Arts & Entertainment, Music
Starting from last November, WXPN’s The Key has been holding free concerts during the RiverRink Winterfest every month, featuring two different local artists. On Jan. 17, Son Little and Dirty Dollhouse will perform in a free and all-ages concert.
Son Little, who was formerly known as Aaron Livingston, has collaborated with The Roots and RJD2. He’s now a solo singer-songwriter who blends acoustic blues, soul and hip-hop into his own kind of music.
Dirty Dollhouse is a trio of gals featuring Temple alumna Chelsea Mitchell, Vanessa Winters of the Lawsuits and Amber Twait, who released a debut EP, 25 Shades, last month.
Saturday
January 2015
COMMENTS
Written by Tim Mulhern, Posted in Arts & Entertainment, Music
WXPN, in partnership with The Key and Blue Cross Riverbank Winterfest, is presenting the last two Fireside Sessions of the winter season on Jan. 17 and Feb. 21. The sessions have featured homegrown talent, starting with Milton and Man About a Horse on Nov. 28. Boyer student Chelsea Reed led her throwback jazz group, the Fairweather Five, alongside Rockers Galore on Dec. 13. Son Little and Dirty Dollhouse hit Winterfest on Jan. 17, and Brielle and Paper Hearts close out the season of sessions on Feb. 17.
The free, all-ages shows run from 8-10 p.m.
Monday
November 2014
COMMENTS
Written by Paige Gross, Posted in Arts & Entertainment, Music
The Painted Bride Art Center will hold a live concert on Oct. 30 in celebration of Halloween. The “Monster Mash-Up” will feature two clashing musical acts of different genres to bring forth a night infused with horrific frenzy. “Worldtown Sound System” is an eclectic band which uses typical instruments to compose blaring sound combinations ranging from house and classic funk to techno and Latin rhythms, whereas “Cask & Co.,” a recently formed band, generates booms of the 1950s rock and roll. The concert will commence at 9 p.m. and general admission is $15.
Monday
November 2014
COMMENTS
Written by Emily Rolen, Posted in Arts & Entertainment, Music
Guests of all ages are invited to WXPN’s “Free At Noon” sessions. Every Friday at noon WXPN and World Cafe Live hosts free concerts. Past acts include Derek Trucks Band, Peter Bjorn & John, Marianne Faithfull, Indigo Girls & Shemekia Copeland, Dr. Dog, Adele and John Legend. Seats are limited, but guests can RSVP. This week, World Cafe Live is hosting a double header, featuring Sylvan Esso and Kindness. Both bands are electro-pop groups and will perform until 1 p.m. Sylan Esso will also perform at the local venue, Union Transfer, on Oct. 24. The show opens with Psychic Twin, doors open at 8 p.m. and the show starts at 8:30 p.m. Tickets are $15-17. The show is open to fans of all ages.
Monday
November 2014
COMMENTS
Written by Jeanie Davey, Posted in Art, Arts & Entertainment, Music, Theater
The romantic fairytale opera “Iolanta” will be playing at the Curtis Opera Theater this weekend. The event will take place from Thursday until Sunday, with multiple showings each day. The opera, which is performed in Russian with English supertitles, will be in accompaniment with the Curtis Symphony Orchestra. The story involves a protected princess, unaware of her royalty and beauty due to being blind. All of that changes when a knight finds her secret garden opens up her world to light and color. The one act lyric opera by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky shows the triumph of love over prejudice. Admission is free.
Tuesday
March 2014
COMMENTS
Sunday
March 2014
COMMENTS
Written by Samantha Tighe, Posted in Arts & Entertainment, Music
3/18 The War on Drugs
Union Transfer
Doors at 8:00, Show at 8:30
$18
All Ages
Hometown rockers The War on Drugs have been enjoying a great deal of attention as of late. Their forthcoming record, “Lost in the Dream”, which is due out March 18, is currently streaming online via The Guardian, and displays a brazen showing of working class rock’n’roll pride with vocals that pay tribute to The Boss and lyrics that are deeply introspective. The Philly boys are looking to spread the good word of “Lost in the Dream” via a tour that’ll take them both through the states and Canada. Conveniently enough for the former Kurt Vile associates, their romp kicks off in their very own backyard at Union Transfer.
3/23 Solids, Cassavetes
Kung Fu Necktie
8:00
$10
21+
Straddling the line between delicate and dissonant, harsh and melodic, and bummed out and effervescent are two-piece emo act Solids. Thus far they’ve been flying a bit under the radar, but the release of a stellar 2014 LP entitled “Blame Confusion” may change that. The Montreal noise punk duo will be schlepping back to the great white north after paying Austin a visit for an extended stay at SXSW, and en route is a stop at Philadelphia’s Kung Fu Necktie.
3/24 Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.
Union Transfer
Doors at 8:00, Show at 8:30
$15
All Ages
Relentless upbeat and aggressively catchy electro indie pop from…Detroit? Yup. Despite gloomy surroundings, the Motor City duo finds plenty to be optimistic about, and channel this through an infectious blend of groove-friendly beats, fluttering synths, and shimmering guitar riffs. In support of their latest release, a full length entitled “The Speed of Things”, DEJJ are in the midst of a month and a half long full US tour.
Sunday
March 2014
COMMENTS
Written by Emily Rolen, Posted in Arts & Entertainment, Music, Theater
Free Flamenco master classes are being held at The Annenberg Center for The Performing Arts from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. on March 14 and at Drexel University in the 418 dance studio from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. on March 15 with Flamenco expert Pastora Galván. The classes are part the 2014 Philadelphia Flamenco Festival that started in February.
