The sublime as the index of aesthetic experience is a perennially hot topic. In art, transcendent feelings inspired by nature, as well as by scale and certain types of abstraction, are sometimes called sublime. We have examples of all these this summer. In addition, local venues, like Eastern State Penitentiary (opened in 1829, around the time the Hudson River School of painting was taking off), offer contrasting but intense perspectives, including two shows about prison life.

Mural Arts Program's Saturday Trolley Tours

Saturdays, starting at 11 a.m., departing from the Independence Visitor Center, Sixth and Market sts., 215-683-3654, $13

Tours leave from the Visitor Center and return two hours later. Routes vary, but each guarantees a sampling of the best and brightest of the city's 2,000-plus painted walls.

Pure: Eight Philadelphia Painters

Through Aug. 16, Philadelphia Museum of Jewish Art, Congregation Rodeph Shalom, 615 N. Broad St., 215-627-6747

"Pure painting" is all about paint on a two-dimensional surface. "Pure: Eight Philadelphia Painters" was organized by Bruce Pollock (also in the show) and Matthew F. Singer. Participants -- all first-class -- include Charles Burwell, Neysa Grassi and Anne Seidman.

Prisoners of Age

Through Nov. 10, Eastern State Penitentiary, 22nd St. and Fairmount Ave., 215-236-3300

Eastern State's summer installations are by local artists Michael Grothusen, Nicholas Kripal, Ilan Sandler, Ian Vail and Erin Weckerle. Ron Levine and Michael Wou's "Prisoners of Age," first exhibited on Alcatraz Island, juxtaposes photographs of enfeebled elderly male prisoners with quotations from prisoners and guards. It raises questions about the consequences of increasingly popular mandatory life sentences.

Encounters: Daily Life at Sugamo Prison, Tokyo, 1945-52

The Art Alliance's prison show by Bill Barrette presents records of imprisoned Japanese war criminals in the period following World War II. It includes videotaped interviews with surviving prisoners, as well as drawings and hand-crafted objects, many given to American guards as gifts, and even haiku written by condemned men the night before their executions.

Also at the Art Alliance (through July 7) are two local artists. Martin Bromirski shows works on paper influenced by contemporary Japanese culture. Lauren Olitski, daughter of field painter Jules Olitski, shows layered, glittery abstracted paintings.

New Art from Oaxaca

For 14 years, Indigo Arts has exhibited the work of Oaxacan artists, who draw on Indian culture and imbue the everyday with wit, mischief and not a little surrealism. Included in "New Art from Oaxaca," Rodolfo Morales passed away last year, but Francisco Toledo is still active, and a new generation has made itself known. It may look like "folk art," folks, but this work is sophisticated.

American Sublime: Epic Landscapes of Our Nation, 1820-1880

June 15-Aug. 25, Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, 118 N. Broad St., 215-972-7600

This has to be the summer's blockbuster show. With our vast skies, unspoiled plains and magnificent mountains a century and a half ago, who could doubt that God had laid his hand on the American landscape? London's Tate Britain organized this show about the Hudson River School. Includes major works by Albert Bierstadt, Frederic Church and founder Thomas Cole -- along with precursors such as J.M.W. Turner.

Juhsz-Alvarado

July 12-Aug. 16, Fabric Workshop and Museum, 1315 Cherry St., fifth floor, 215-568-1111

Juhász-Alvarado's Jardín de Frutos Prohibidos/ZONA FRANCA (The Garden of the Forbidden Fruit/DUTY FREE) was made in collaboration with the Fabric Workshop and Museum. First shown as the Puerto Rican exhibit at the 2002 Sao Paulo Biennial, this semblance of an airport lounge includes fabrics covered with encrypted images of Puerto Rican flora and fauna and electronic billboards. There will even be a "duty-free" souvenir shop.

DANCE

Come summertime, dancers tend toward spontaneity. Meaning, they’ll present a show on short notice. This season, though, a fair amount was planned ahead. Should you wish to keep abreast of late-breaking dance performance, check out the event calendar on the Philadelphia Dance Alliance site,

MOXIE

The postmodern dance collective that deigns to entertain offers pieces ranging from playful to surreal to abstract. Selections include "Fashion Is a Vampire," described as bordering "on the edge of a dance schizophrenia," and "Kisses of Fire," a comedic duet done to tunes by She-Haw.

Home Is Where I Am

Tania Isaac, a former Urban Bush Woman, sets off on her own with a semiautobiographical dance-theater show about memory and cultural identity. Isaac draws on elements of her native West Indies in a piece that promises to be both emotional and eloquent.

Philly Dance Africa

Philly Dance Africa joins the Odunde street festival. Drummers plus spirited movers and shakers -- Kormassa Bobo, Ione Nash Dance Ensemble, Kariamu & Co., and more -- represent assorted aspects of the African diaspora.

Rodin, Mis en Vie

June 12-16, Pennsylvania Ballet, Merriam Theater, 250 S. Broad St., 215-551-7000

An artful program with the PAB premiere of Rodin, Mis en Vie, where dancers bring works by sculptor Auguste Rodin to life, plus "Dancing with Monet (Gathering at Argenteuil)," a romantic work set to music by Claude Debussy.

Kulu Mele African-American Dance Co.

Kulu Mele, which also performs at Odunde, gets the full spotlight to show off its multiculti dance repertoire, flush with steps from Africa, Brazil and Haiti.

Dances for Imaginary Places

June 14 and 28, Anne-Marie Mulgrew and Dancers Co., Dilworth Plaza, City Hall, 15th and Market sts., 215-462-7720

Mulgrew & Co. stage another segment of its meditative, site-specific Dances for Imaginary Places. As usual, performers dress in white and carry white umbrellas while walking amid whomever happens to come along. Mulgrew says that the work is meant to evoke a sense of spirits of the past. But since they'll be outside City Hall, he says, some "may wonder, ŒAre they a cult? Are they protesters?' -- the ambiguity is kind of cool."

Shut Up and Dance

June 28, Mann Center for the Performing Arts, 52nd St. and Parkside Ave., 215-893-1999

The popular AIDS benefit show of original works by members of Pennsylvania Ballet moves to the Mann, where there's plenty of room, plus the moon and the stars. Afterward, it's time to boogie at the post-show dance party, held in Memorial Hall, hosted by Henri David.

Noche Flamenca

Noche Flamenca delivers exquisite execution of traditional Spanish flamenco. Body temperatures are sure to rise with this sizzling showcase of soulful sensuality.

D/2

Philadanco's apprentice company normally appears at schools and community centers, but here they play the prestigious Perelman Theater, with an eclectic program of African-American, jazz, classical, modern and urban styles. Some of these folks may one day join 'Danco's touring company, so this is an opportunity to catch a rising star.

Illadelph Hip Hop Legends

Philly phat cat Rennie Harris gives props to others who've made major contributions to hip-hop culture. The crew of dancers, DJs and rappers includes Crazy Legs, Crutch Master, Electric Boogaloos, Kemistry and Nucleus. A bring-down-the-house gig.

Theater

Whatever happened to summer stock, where young actors got their feet wet and old actors found work? Whatever happened to plays in tent theaters where women teetered across the grass in spike heels? They may be gone, but summertime theater is not. Besides the continuing season-end shows, here’s what’s cookin’ in the heat:

Cinderella

Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival

Also: Complt Wks of Wm Shkspr (through June 30); 2 Gentleman of Verona (July 16-Aug. 3); and The Emperor's New Clothes (through Aug. 3), a new adaptation of the old favorite about pretension, intimidation and fashion statements that proves that "out of the mouths of babes"."

The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe

Through June 30, Cape May Stage, Welcome Center, Bank and Lafayette sts., Cape May, N.J., 609-884-1341

Poe's Own Twilight Zone

June 6-23, Lucidity Suitcase, Christ Church Annex, Second and Church sts., 215-413-2036

Cock Healer

Aida

The Elton John/Tim Rice/Disney smash-hit spectacle that won a bunch of Broadway prizes has hit the road.

Porgy and Bess

Lysistrata

H.M.S. Pinafore

June 18, The Mann Center for the Performing Arts, 52nd St. and Parkside Ave., 215-893-1999

National Showcase of New Plays

June 20-30, The Adrienne, 2030 Sansom St. and The Theatre, 2111 Sansom St., 215-568-8077

Camping with Henry and Tom

June 26-July 28, People’s Light and Theatre Co., 39 Conestoga Rd., Malvern, 610-647-1900

Blast!

A macho musical of fancy footwork, military music, lots of guys, lots of drums --what's not to like?

Shut Eye

July 25-27, Pig Iron Theatre Co., Wilma Theater, Broad and Spruce sts., 215-627-1883

MUSIC

This summer is ripe with live jazz, rock, hip-hop and some pretty hot festivals (and a couple silly ones, too.) Go get your calendar.

Eddie Gomez-Mark Kramer Trio

Kramer is a prodigious, self-taught pianist with deep roots in Philly; Gomez is one of the most distinctive acoustic bassists of the last 40 years. They're joined here by flutist Jeremy Steig, whose illustrious jazz-rock resumé also includes work with Gary Peacock and Paul Bley.

The Bangs

Loud punk guitars try to bury the pretty melodies, but it just can't be done! There's no denying that these Olympia, Wash., women are writing pop songs. So don't be scared. The Bangs are not yelling at you -- you're supposed to yelling along with them.

Pyramid String Quartet

They're not to be confused with Roy Campbell's Pyramid Trio -- even though both ensembles tread aesthetic territory first claimed by Cecil Taylor. This group, a literal string quartet, features the formidable bassist Dominic Duval and inventive violinist Jason Kao Hwang.

Mellon Jazz Festival

This year's Mellon Fest climaxes on June 22 with an enormous outdoor concert at the Mann. Other venues include the Clef Club, the Painted Bride and Zanzibar Blue. Stay tuned for our top picks.

Fred Hersch

June 21, Philadelphia Museum of Art, 26th St. and the Ben Franklin Parkway, 215-763-8100

Pianist Fred Hersch has repeatedly demonstrated his gift of lyrical nuance in any given format; his latest three-disc set, Songs Without Words (Nonesuch), features both group and solo settings. He adopts the latter instrumentation here, in what promises to be a can't-miss event.

Funk-n-Groove Festival

Celebrate the Summer Solstice and help keep a hilly little stretch of West Philly in shape. The lineup is all over the board, from world music to blues to rock: One, Iré, Páramo, Fandango, Todd Young and His Rock Band, K-Floor, Sola, Metagroove, Pepper's Ghost. Food, a flea market and other family stuff will be going on, too.

Tony Malaby Trio

He's no stranger to these parts, but tenor saxophonist Tony Malaby has never played Philly fronting a band of his own. This one features bassist Michael Formanek and drummer Tom Rainey, both of whom played on Sabino (Arabesque), Malaby's smart debut.

Jewel

In a way, despite those pretentious books of poetry and skanky videos and bad movies, isn't she still just the ultra-hot Aryan underdog folk-pop princess who lives in a van down by the river?

John Benitez Quartet

Since his New York arrival a decade ago, this Puerto Rican bassist has become a ubiquitous presence -- playing with the likes of David Sanchez, Antonio Hart and Eddie Palmieri. His own group, which debuted last year with Descarga in New York (Khaeon World Music), plays Afro-Cuban jazz with grit.

The Proclaimers

Their big Benny and Joon hit was a simple but sincere song of love and dedication. It can be summed up thusly: "I will only do the following things in your presence: wake up, go out, get drunk, haver, work, get rich and grow old. If I'm lonely, that's because of you. On top of that, I would walk exactly 1,000 miles to you, even though I will likely collapse when I get there. Ba da da pa!"

George Colligan Quartet

Colligan is a chameleon with chops to spare; on a recent gig with David Gilmore, he made short work of a Fender Rhodes. Here he leads a quartet featuring Gary Thomas, a tenor saxophonist with similarly prodigious technique.

Down From the Mountain

June 29, Mann Center for the Performing Arts, 52nd St. and Parkside Ave., 215-893-1999

All the biggest no-names (plus Emmylou Harris and Alison Krauss) in bluegrass/folk/ Appalachia/ Americana are still out there keeping Kenny Rogers Roasters in business and putting on a musical showcase as old as this country. O, brother who are these people? Chris Thomas King, Norman Blake, The Cox Family, The Fairfield Four, Colin Linden, The Peasall Sisters, Ralph Stanley, Dan Tyminski, The Whites. I'm still waiting for a tour inspired by the The Man Who Wasn't There.

The Get Up Kids/Superchunk

Forget Green Day supporting blink-182, the biggest pop-punk travesty this summer is Superchunk opening for The Get Up Kids. I mean, the Kids are all right, but 'Chunk invented those non-metal, loud, rock-chord changes. Long before "Ten Minute Mile" there was "Slack Motherfucker." I'm not saying the Get Ups don't know their history -- it's you people! God, I'm getting old.

Atom and His Package

The latest disc from the boy and his sequencer, the homemade five-song Hamburgers EP (File 13), leans more toward new wave and pop, but Atom is punk's next evolutionary step -- rocking but kinda danceable, smart and smartass at the same time. There really is no other artist like him on the planet, and we should feel lucky he calls Philly home.

Poison/Cinderella/Winger/ Faster Pussycat

Look what the cat dragged back in. You might be thinking: "Hell, who will go to this show? Irony's not worth the trek out to Upper Darby, and besides, of these four bands, only Poison was big enough to have its pathetic, alcoholic downfall recapped by VH1." To which I reply, "Jersey is a very big place, my friend."

Ozzfest

It'll be interesting to see what happens to this popular metal madhouse tour now that the whole world has seen the doddering ol' Ozzman puzzleth over his TV remote. He might have lost some of his "prince of fucking darkness" mystique, but the return of his squealing No More Tears guitarist Zakk Wylde should remind you of scarier times. And if not, surely the asshole idiot bands who comprise the remainder of the lineup can bring the requisite pain: System of a Down, Hatebreed, Meshuggah, Rob Zombie and, wait, P.O.D.?! How'd a Christian band get in there?

Los Hombres Calientes

Ace trumpeter Irvin Mayfield and acclaimed percussionist Bill Summers go big and easy with a Cuban groove. Here's hoping they'll appear with drummer Horacio "El Negro" Hernandez, who single-handedly made New Congo Square, Vol. 3 (Basin Street) their strongest effort yet.

Metal Edge Rock Fest

Dokken, Ratt and L.A. Guns were undeniable staples of the badass patched-denim-jacket industry in the '80s, but what are they doing touring with ball-less, non-metal, wussy stupid asses like Warrant and Firehouse? But maybe I'm splitting teased hairs here.

Garth Hudson

Following the recent re-release of The Last Waltz soundtrack and movie, Garth Hudson, the bearded keyboard player of The Band, is hitting the road to play some intimate solo shows. Although he did put out a record of his own last year, you can expect him to dust off plenty of recognizable tunes from his old Band's discography.

Area2

OK, here's how it's going to go down: David Bowie will strut, rehash and try to make you forget his Nine Inch Nails phase. Busta Rhymes will bark and try to wrestle with Bowie, possibly injuring him. Irish power-punks Ash will play while everybody buys a $30 bottle of warm spring water and some misplaced indie kid thinks of an "Ash Bowie" joke but has no one to say it to. Then The Avalanches will try all kinds of mixing and sampling, as if dancing won't kill a couple of people sweating to death on the back lawn. And Moby will sound a little like all of the above.

Smokin' Grooves

It's been three years since the last Smokin' Grooves tour, but there's no dust on this hip-hop lineup: mad rappers Outkast, West Coast spitters Jurassic 5, refugee all-star Lauryn Hill and, of course, hometown heroes The Roots. Keeping the Philly flavor for a few dates (including this one), Smokin' will also put on a little Black Lily showcase. No guarantees, but it's a real possibility that ol' Five Spot regulars like Jaguar, Jazzyfatnastees and Co. will show up to get some time on the big, big stage.

The Breeders

The Deal sisters and their new band succeeded where the boys of Weezer failed, coming back from an extended hiatus to rock exactly like we remembered them. The Breeders' show at the North Star was fierce and fun, with Kim smiling at Kelley as if to say, "I'm having such a good time, I suddenly don't want to punch you in the teeth very much." Now that Title TK is out, we can all sing along.

Gonzalo Rubalcaba

A recent turn on Charlie Haden's Nocturne (Verve) proved once and for all that this Cuban piano phenom has heart to go along with his hands. Chances are that he'll wax both poetic and pyrotechnic on this solo piano gig.

Sonic Youth

Every time these influential rockers/experimental distortion peddlers put out a new record, somebody calls it a comeback, even though this band never went away for a second. That said, Murray Street (Geffen) is surprisingly catchy and 100 percent fun. Their live shows can be kind of a gamble, depending on how much method they decide to put into their noisy madness on any given night. But when they're on, they're on.

Oasis

Besides witnessing firsthand the guilty pleasures of their Beatle-mantras, there's an even better reason to check out this band of British brothers when they stagger into town: the chance to witness history! See, one day, Noel will try to kill Liam (or maybe it'll be vice versa), and, given their predilection toward ego-driven theatricality, there's a good chance it will happen on stage. If you miss it, you will never forgive yourself. Don't look back in anger.

The Drummonds

The Drummonds is and isn't a family affair; while Ray and Billy Drummond aren't related, the latter is married to pianist Renee Rosnes (who is, therefore, technically a Drummond). Their vibe together is straight-up-with-a-twist.

Unlimited Sunshine

This summer tour is sort of the heir apparent to Lollapalooza -- a truly eclectic lineup of respectable artists who have never needed the radio to make an impact (or maybe I'm forgetting what a corporate machine Lolla was). Among the little big names you'll catch when Sunshine comes to town: horny poppers Cake, experimental shapeshifters The Flaming Lips, philosophical rappers De La Soul and mathematically inclined indie rockers Modest Mouse.

Steve Slagle and Friends

Slagle's an alto saxophonist with a bracing, upfront style and a heavy rep among musicians in the know. He plays here with four such musicians: trumpeter Tim Hagans, vibist Tony Miceli, bassist Tony Marino, and drummer Tom Whaley.

Kenny Werner Quartet

His recent trio gig at Chris' was a gas, so it stands to reason that this quartet concert -- with a fourth member as-yet unknown -- will fare well. Werner's pianistic whimsy, on a good night, makes for one of the great experiences in modern jazz.

MOVIES

Seeing the most promising thing on the summer blockbuster schedule is the Powerpuff Girls movie (and that’s no small praise, but it’s a steep slope from there on down), it’s a good time to take advantage of what’s turning out to be an unusually busy summer for repertory film. It’s either that or Scooby-Doo, folks.

The Lawn Chair Drive-In returns on June 24, with a 10-week schedule and an expanded lists of locations, with screenings Monday nights in Liberty Lands park (Third and Poplar sts.), Tuesdays on the Promenade in Burlington, N.J., and Wednesdays in West Chester's Marshall Square Park. (Dates listed are for Liberty Lands screenings.) Starting at dusk, the Lawn Chair folks will be showing everything from Hollywood classics like Bye Bye Birdie (June 25) to cherished cult favorites like the overlooked Matinee (Aug. 6). Highlights include Breakin' (July 9), with its opportunities for poppin' and lockin' under the stars; the tragically underseen Ed Wood (July 30), and the kinetic madness of Who Framed Roger Rabbit? (Aug. 27). The rest of the schedule: the 1963 The Haunting (July 2), Midnight Cowboy (July 16), Cabin in the Sky (July 23), I Am a Fugitive from a Chain Gang (Aug. 13) and Strictly Ballroom (Aug. 20). As always, bring your own chairs, blankets or all-weather ottomans.

Speaking of open-air entertainment, the Secret Cinema takes a crack with weekly screenings at Penn's 40th Street Field, east of 40th between Walnut and Locust sts. Thursdays at 9 p.m., Jay Schwartz will delve into his 16mm treasure chest, pulling out such forgotten maybe-not classics as Tarantula (June 6) and Hot Rods to Hell (Aug. 1). Two special treats stand out: Jean Renoir's Diary of a Chambermaid (July 25), and Buster Keaton's Seven Chances (July 11), with live accompaniment by SC mainstay Don Kinnier. Each screening will be preceded by an installment of the vintage serial Dick Tracy's G-Men, with the remaining segments closing out the series on Aug. 8. (You've already missed the first, but something tells me you'll be able to pick up the plot.) And beginning in August, Scribe Video Center will be launching its sixth season of Street Movies, taking independent film and video to the masses with outdoor screenings everywhere from Diamond Park in North Philly (Aug. 2) to South Philly's DiSilvestro Park Playground (Aug. 16).

Summer programming returns to International House with a vengeance. After this Friday's screening of Band of Outsiders (see Screen Picks p. 55), the festivities get under way in earnest at the end of June, with "Forces in Motion: The New Wave in Jazz on Film." Thu., June 27 pairs Charlotte Zwerin's Thelonious Monk: Straight, No Chaser with Shirley Clarke's The Connection, a 1961 drama. Friday features documentary portraits Mingus and David, Charles and Ornette: The Ornette Coleman Trio 1966, along with a pair of tributes to urban spaceman Sun Ra: Ed English's Spaceways and a rare collection of home movies and performance footage from the Arkestra's archives. The rest of the summer brings a trio of themed programs: a collection of films from experimental filmmaker Chris Marker on July 20, including but not limited to the 12 Monkeys-inspiring La Jetée; a quartet of Italian classics on July 27, including The Bicycle Thief and Rome, Open City; and a mixed program including works from Kenneth Anger, Stan Brakhage, Jack Smith and others on Aug. 3. Closing out the summer, there's Elvis: That's the Way It Is!, presented on Aug. 16, the 25th anniversary of the King's passing. Everybody cue your copy of Bucky Fellini up to "Going to Graceland."

Features at the Five returns Monday nights at the Five Spot. See Screen Picks for the first film in the five-week series. And coming up for Film at the Prince is a re-issue of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars (late July) as well as the Oscar-nominated documentary Promises (August), along with a series devoted to movies inspired by, drawn from and otherwise related to comic books (still being programmed, but likely contenders include the CQ-influencing Modesty Blaise and Barbarella). Summer's end will also see the unveiling of the winner of the Prince's "Dream Double Feature" contest, which has been narrowed down to a handful of finalists, several of which are almost too tantalizing to be true. Keep your fingers crossed.

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May 8, 2003
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