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ISSUE . October 29th 2009

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Cover Story

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The Milkmen Cometh

From the barely edited journals of Rodney Anonymous

by Rodney Anonymous

When we heard that the Dead Milkmen were officially back in the picture — playing shows, making new music — and blowing it out with a big Halloween bash at the Troc, we gave frontman Rodney Anonymous a word count and set him free.

Opinion

Loose Canon:

Everybody's Market

Steinke made a move of breathtaking political dexterity.

by Bruce Schimmel

The market sees more than 100,000 shoppers weekly. As the site of their first dates and the foundation of their feasts, many feel they've got a stake in the old place. A stake, if you will, they'd drive through Steinke's heart, should he upset their particular applecart.

Feedback:

Letters to the Editor

What You Say

"What we have here is a failure to communicate."

Editor's Letter:

Anonymously Yours

"The holiday used to be all about the children — you know, sacrificing them."

by Brian Howard

We'd been itching to set Rodney loose on something longer; telling the inside story of the return to active duty of The Dead Milkmen as they prepare for their big Trocadero Halloween gig seemed like just the thing.

News

Go West, Young Man

Our writer traverses Pennsylvania on bicycle, and (barely) lives to tell the tale.

by Isaiah Thompson

Finally I do it: I announce my vacation, pack up the bike, and start pedaling the 380 miles to Pittsburgh with the notion of seeing something of this "Pennsylvania."

Sports:

Know Your Enemy

You, NewFan, have got problems.

by E. James Beale

Unlike last year, when the Phillies faced the undeniably annoying (cow bells? Rayhawks?) but ultimately unimposing Tampa Bay Rays, the 2009 Phils are facing off against the most despicable professional franchise this side of the Dallas Cowboys — the New York Yankees.

A Million Stories

If you've lived here long enough, you've probably heard this story before.

by Carolyn Huckabay

Instead of calling 911 I spent the evening combing the streets of South Philly in a PhillyCarShare car with my supportive but annoyed boyfriend. This is so ridiculous, he said. This city is so screwed up, I said.

Man Overboard!:

666

There's slightly demonic stuff everywhere you look.

by Isaiah Thompson

The microwave started beeping. And with each beep — and I swear this is true — a "6" appeared on the screen: "6," it beeped. "6." "666." The numbers wouldn't clear. I tried again; same thing. So Satan controls my microwave, big whup.

The Bell Curve

City Paper's Quality-o-Life-o-Meter

When news breaks in Philadelphia, we make jokes.

Icepack

Amorosi on the news, nightlife, gossip and bitchiness beats.

by A.D. Amorosi

I neither like nor read Nick Hornby. If I wanna know about bad things the '80s gave us, I have a diary and a shattered nervous system to reference.

Arts

Theater Review:

Great Migration

THEATER REVIEW: Coming Home

by Mark Cofta

Arthur Miller once quipped, "The structure of a play is always the story of how the birds came home to roost." It's an idea that takes flight in the Wilma Theater's affecting production of Athol Fugard's new drama, Coming Home.

Arts Picks:

Save the Deli

Tue., Nov. 3, 7:30 p.m., free, Free Library, Central Branch, 1901 Vine St., 215-567-4341, freelibrary.org.

by Carolyn Wyman

David Sax celebrates Jewish food and chronicles his visits to more than 140 surviving Jewish delicatessens in six countries and 16 states in Save the Deli.

The Good Puppet of Szechwan

Nov. 4-22, $16, Walking Fish Theatre, 2509 Frankford Ave., 215-427-9255, walkingfishtheatre.com.

by Lauren Seibert

Not all puppets are innocent — but Walking Fish hopes you can trust them anyway.

Philadelphia Jewish Film Festival

Through Nov. 14, $10-$12, Gershman Y, 401 S. Broad St., 215-545-4400, pjff.org.

by Shaun Brady

Leave it to a Jewish festival to shoulder the burdens of the world before allowing itself to enjoy a little pleasure.

The Weir

Through Nov. 20, $10-$15, Curio Theatre Co. at Calvary Center, 4740 Baltimore Ave., 215-525-1350, curiotheatre.org.

by Mark Cofta

The Weir is "a play about people in a room telling stories that have affected them to the core and shaped them, for good or bad, as the adults they are now."

Kaleidoscope

TV Casualty | The Batman Vault | The Perfect Square | Overnight

Dance:

On Pointe

CP Dance Reviews: BodyVox, Pennsylvania Ballet

Arts Picks:

New Edge Mix

Fri.-Sat., Nov. 6-7, 8 p.m.; Sun., Nov. 8, 3 p.m.; $12, Community Education Center, 3500 Lancaster Ave., 215-387-1911, cecarts.org.

by Deni Kasrel

Like punch at a prep-school party, this mixer's most definitely spiked.

Movies

Strutter

Filmmaker Tom Quinn brings his film, The New Year Parade, to the Ritz.

by Mark Maurer

The story of The New Year Parade is loosely based on oral histories Quinn conducted with friends who have divorced parents and reflects one year in the life of the McMonogul family, whose patriarch leaves his adulterous wife. The McMonogul family and the Mummers' tales examine how tradition functions in times of struggle.

Antichrist

City Paper Grade: B+

by Sam Adams

Born out of Lars von Trier's bout with clinical depression (which, to judge from recent interviews, he's not quite over), this harrowing two-hander is an ordeal by design.

Repertory Film

Your weekly guide to local film events, festivals and under-the-radar screenings.

Send repertory film listings to molly.eichel@citypaper.net.

Music

One Track Mind:

Helen Money

"In Tune"

by Patrick Rapa

The cello's already a moody piece of work, but in Chicago solo artist Helen Money's hands, the supposedly classical instrument is all over the mental map.

Music Picks:

The Very Best

Tue., Nov. 3, 9 p.m., $10 ($22 includes signed CD), with Javelin, Johnny Brenda's, 1201 N. Frankford Ave., 866-468-7619, johnnybrendas.com.

by K. Ross Hoffman

Very best album you'll hear all year? Highly probable.

Islands/Jemina Pearl

Tue., Nov. 3, 8 p.m., $12-$13, with Tori Y Moi, First Unitarian Church, 2125 Chestnut St., 866-468-7619, r5productions.com.

by A.D. Amorosi

Jamie Thompson and Nick Diamonds' new Vapours is all rich anthemic pop hooks, mood-swinging attitude and drum machines.

Fuck Buttons

Tue., Nov. 3, 8 p.m., $10, with Growing, Kung Fu Necktie, 1250 N. Front St., 215-291-4919, kungfunecktie.com.

by K. Ross Hoffman

Fuck Buttons have a way with paradox, an uncanny aptitude for smoothing over uncomfortable juxtapositions.

Herman Dune

Wed., Nov. 4, 8 p.m., $9-$11, with Julie Doiron, World Café Live, 3025 Walnut St., 215-222-1400, worldcafelive.com.

by K. Ross Hoffman

Ostensibly, this Parisian outfit (yeah, it's a duo, not a person; weird, right?) plays anti-folk, but that's pretty much the only thing "anti-" about them.

Hang The DJ:

The Devil Made Me Do It

Miranda Lambert and Marduk

by J. Edward Keyes

The point's been made many times and in many ways already, but we'll spell it out for you: Miranda Lambert likes guns.

Music Picks:

Making Time Halloween

Sat., Oct. 31, 8 p.m., $25-$30 (includes open bar), with Simian Mobile Disco, Skybox/2424 Studios, 2424 E. York St., 866-468-7619, r5productions.com.

by Patrick Rapa

My fraidy sense isn't tingling at all about this weekend's big huge Halloween monstrosity.

Network for New Music

Sun., Nov. 1, 3 p.m., $20-$25, Settlement Music School, 416 Queen St., 215-848-7647, networkfornewmusic.org.

by Peter Burwasser

In the quarter-century since Network for New Music has emerged as a world-class ensemble, they've attracted many world-class composers.

Dethklok/Mastodon

Sun., Nov. 1, 6:30 p.m., $34.50, with Converge and High on Fire, Electric Factory, 421 N. Seventh St., 215-336-2000, ticketmaster.com.

by A.D. Amorosi

Gods of hellfire, fans of Viking helmets and crunching prog-metal-ites, unite!

King Khan & BBQ Show

Sun., Nov. 1, 5 p.m., $12, with Dum Dum Girls and Teenage Whore Moans, Kung Fu Necktie, 1250 N. Front St., 866-468-7619, r5productions.com.

by A.D. Amorosi

Doo-wop garage rock with a little bit of soul.

Food

Firing Blanks

A lack of focus is holding Avril back.

by Trey Popp

When not hampered by lapses in execution, Gatti's cooking is full of fresh ideas.

Burn Notice

Fuel

by David Snyder

A menu that offers no dish exceeding 500 calories sounds more like part of a sadistic Top Chef challenge than the centerpiece of a real-life restaurant — especially when said restaurant is owned and run by a radio DJ.

What's Cooking

Get Out!

by Erin Mae Szrankowski

Dia De Los Muertos Menu at Xochitl | Giro in Abruzzo: Le VirtuSlow Food Philly | Home Brew Event at Mémé | Edible World: Foobooz Burger Cruise | Blackfish Guest Chef Series: Ideas in Food

Feeding Frenzy

Restaurants opening, closing and pending

by Drew Lazor

Chew Man Chu | Bella Sera Café | Beck's Cajun Café

Agenda

Agenda Lead:

Playing Dead

Don't know what to do this Halloween? Why don't you start with zombie hunting?

by Lauren Seibert and Holly Otterbein

Shopping Spree

Fashion > Forward

by Felicia D'Ambrosio

As I surveyed the selection, Tricia Fleishman, who owns the business with her husband, Stanley, approached. "If you have time, I have a thousand more costumes on the third floor." Say what? How many?

Agenda Picks:

UniverSoul Circus

Runs through Nov. 15, $12-$28, Mann Center for the Performing Arts, 52nd Street and Parkside Avenue, 800-316-7439, universoulcircus.com.

by Lauren Seibert

Along with the traditional circus lineup of clowns, tigers, acrobatics and magic, UniverSoul features hip-hop dance, the "Soul Train Line" and ringmaster Aunt Maggie's gospel music.

Philadelphia Comedy Festival

Wed.-Sun., Nov. 4-8, various times, $15-$25, Laff House, 221 South St., 215-440-4242, laffhouse.com.

by Kristen Humbert

In addition to showcasing brand-name comics like Paul Mooney, Michael Blackson and Teddy Carpenter, the fest will also hold a "New Faces of Comedy" competition, whose winner will receive a trip to Jamaica.

Afro-Punk Festival

Fri., Oct. 30, 9 p.m., $18-$21, all ages, Theatre of the Living Arts, 334 South St., 215-922-2599, afropunk.com.

by Nicole Saylor

This music/literature/sometimes sports tour, which promotes a more diverse interpretation of the word "punk," is touching down in Philly for the first time ever.

Michael & Michael Have Issues

~~Thu., Oct. 29, 8 p.m., $24, with Kumail Nanjiani, Trocadero, 1003 Arch St., 215-922-6888, thetroc.com.~~ Postponed until Feb. 2010

by Scott Yorko

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