December 4, 2007
In our never-ending efforts to keep our readers ahead of the hip-couture curve, we here at DigPhilly are implementing a new feature today: Dig! Today’s inaugural edition brings you the Sex Mob, turntables and karaoke that doesn't suck.
Comprised of a roundup of concerts, activities and assorted events recommended to enhance your existence in our fair city, the Weekly Dig! will appear on this page every Monday.
The remainder of the weekdays will feature the Daily Dig! which is designed to offer more in-depth descriptions of suggested evening exploits.
Armed with the inherent understanding that the weekends are really where it’s at, we’ll school you with the Weekend Dig! every Friday, laying out the hip happenings and can’t-miss concerts that should rule your weekend.
Think of Dig! as the cooler companion to your Weekly Planner and you’re getting close.
Now that we’ve been formally introduced, let’s get on with the program, shall we?
Tuesday:
Sex Mob
9 p.m. $15. With Billy Martin, Calvin Weston + Andrew D’Angelo Trio. Johnny Brenda’s, 1201 Frankford Ave. 215.739.9684. www.johnnybrendas.com
A wise man once told me, “Jazz will always be there – just waiting until you’re ready.” Well, friends, this gig is a perfect example of that sagely advice. Not your grandfather’s jazz by any means, the music that Sex Mob grinds out is aggressive, skronky and incredibly vital. Eschewing the “cool” emanated by early Miles Davis and the aloof arrogance that pervades too many jazzbo recordings to mention, Sex Mob gets down and dirty, never afraid to blur the lines between punk rock and jazz.
Bandleader Steven Bernstein wields his trombone as if it was a Stratocaster, leading the Mob through fiery movements that owe as much to John Lydon as they do to John Coltrane. Simply put, Sex Mob makes jazz fun again. Joining in on the fun, the opening duo of local drummer G. Calvin Weston and world renowned percussionist Billy Martin (Medeski, Martin & Wood), will start things off with a literal bang. These guys are both top-notch beatmeisters. To miss them would border on criminal.
Wednesday:
Marina Rosenfeld
5:30 p.m. $3-$6 (free with Penn ID). Institute of Contemporary Art, 118 S. 36th St. 215.898.7108
(Photograph courtesy of Stefano Giovannini)
It’s pretty easy to classify turntablists in the “non-musician” category. Seriously – who do these cats think they’re fooling? They’re basically making money by spinning the fruits of the artistic labors of those who came before. Is it blatant robbery or subtle stealing? Either way, these heathens must be stopped in their literal tracks, right? Perhaps.
What about Marina Rosenfeld? An avant garde jazz turntablist in the coolest sense, Rosenfeld quotes – through her vinyl, mind you – everyone from ‘Trane to Marclay to Sonic Youth. It’s an interesting query, really, as Rosenfeld imparts such a world of knowledge upon her listeners that her piracy automatically eradicates any qualms of indiscretion and immediately propagates theories of rebirth through the remix. While she continues to “get away with it,” Rosenfeld succeeds in extending her craft and exposing more and more of the general public to its beauty. As her swath widens, Rosenfeld's scope expands. This is a good thing. Just as DJ Shadow ensures that backpackers are schooled in the Stax catalog, Rosenfeld dictates that jazzbos and art snobs alike know what it’s like to hear the world through John Zorn’s ears.
Thursday:
Karaoke Obscura
9 p.m. Free. 12 Steps Down, 831 Christian St. 215.238.0379. www.myspace.com/karaokeobscura
(Photograph courtesy of www.myspace.com/karaokeobscura)
Finally, a karaoke night that doesn’t suck. Karaoke Obscura is specifically designed for the hipsters who always wanted to get drunk and embarrass themselves in front of friends and strangers alike but somehow deemed the usual fare of available karaoke tunes to be “undignified.” Fear not, my postmodern PBR-pounding poseurs, for the kids at 12 Steps Down are totally in your corner. Sporting an unbelievably comprehensive selection of Pitchfork-approved songs, Karaoke Obscura takes over the downstairs den of iniquity that is 12 Steps Down every first Thursday, offering suds-slurping scenesters the chance to challenge their clueless contemporaries’ entries in the “I can’t BELIEVE I did that last night” sweepstakes. Take a gander at the song list HERE and prepare to get your shoegaze on in front of a crowd filled with trucker caps, leggings and unapologetic irony.
That’s about it for now, gang. Be sure to check in every day for updates, additions and more detailed reports on what’s happening in this chill little city of ours.
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