Photo | Mark Stehle

It looked dire for the 941 Theater for awhile. The NoLibs movie theater/concert venue/weird-ass event space was shut down by L&I in October, making things like rent, bills and daily operative costs nearly impossible to cover. But the boys at 941 are picking themselves and holding a series of fundraisers. They’ve already raised $1000 via private donations. If they raise another grand, they have found an investor who will match the donations dollar-for-dollar.

The string of events kicks off tonight with a Mad Division DJ night featuring Joker, Nomad Subdivision Crew and more at the Mausoleum (12th and Spring Garden), where there will be a $2 suggested donation going to the 941. In fact, K. Ross Hoffman gave you the skinny on it in this week’s issue.

Without venues like 941, filmmakers, musicians and other artists lose an important avenue to present their work. Go out and support your local art scene! Click For More »

A sneak peek at the next episode of The Cleveland Show.

Wesley Willis, Chicago’s answer to Daniel Johnston, was a schizophrenic rock ‘n’ roll troubadour and outsider artist. His songs are simple, often just a drum machine or keyboard, all under Willis’ endearingly tone deaf voice. Incredibly prolific, Willis recorded over 50 albums. Filmed over the last four years of his life, the documentary Wesley Willis’ Joy Rides premiered at the 2008 Slamdance Film Festival (where Philly-set The New Year Parade took home top honors) and went on to the win the Gold Hugo for Chicago Award at the Chicago International Film Fest. The title refers to how Willis famously saw rock ‘n’ roll — as joy ride music.

In anticipation of Joy Rides‘ December 8 DVD release, National Mechanics will host a a free midnight screening of the doc on Monday, November 30. Trailer is above. What’s your fave Wesley Willis song? Nothing beats my frist experience with Willis, which was “Rock ‘n’ Roll McDonalds.” Enjoy.

 

Wesley Willis Joyrides, Mon., Nov. 30, midnight, free, National Mechanics, 22 S. Third St., 215-701-4883.

Lauren Seibert

Darryl “DMC” Daniels and Lupe Fiasco

Students poured into Penn’s Irvine Auditorium last night to see hip-hop star Lupe Fiasco, who—along with rapper Darryl “DMC” McDaniels of Run-DMC and producer Chris Moore (think American Pie and Good Will Hunting)—hosted a live performance and screening for upcoming doc The People Speak. Penn is the third stop on this college tour, which brings the film’s producers and cast members to eight universities across the country.

Lauren Seibert

Chris Moore and Fiasco

Directed by Tony Sacco and co-produced by Moore, Matt Damon, Anthony Arnove and historian Howard Zinn, The People Speak reveals an American history from the perspective of the people — the words of dissent and civil disobedience, focusing on the themes of class, women, race and war. Celebs, such as Josh Brolin, Viggo Mortensen, Don Cheadle, Kerry Washington and David Strathairn, read documents and speeches written by activists including Susan B. Anthony and Muhammad Ali. Interspersed between the spoken parts are musical performances by the likes of Bob Dylan and John Legend, hence Fiasco and DMC’s involvement.

Before the show I took part in a brief group interview with Fiasco and Moore, and the two talked a little about their reasons for getting involved. Fiasco said he had been invited to participate, and after reviewing the project and meeting Zinn, he was hooked. “You get to a point where it’s just like, oh, there was regular people in history,” said Fiasco. “It’s not all generals and politicians.”

The film is inspired by Howard Zinn’s two books, A People’s History of the United States and Voices of a People’s History (co-edited with Anthony Arnove). Moore said that when he first read Zinn’s book, he was amazed that it could be considered a textbook. Click For More »

Remember when BH told you about Ted Leo and friends’ Halloween Misfits cover show? Under the name TV Casualty — including Leo, Atom Goren (Armalite, Atom and his Package), Brian Sokel (AM/FM, Franklin), Andy Nelson (Paint it Black) and Chris Wilson (the Philly-based drummer for Ted Leo’s Pharmacists) — the boys rocked out for the People’s Emergency Center. Pitchfork has the whole show up, but take some time out of your busy schedule to watch the first part here:

Related: Dept. of Awesome: Ted Leo to lead Philly all-star band through Halloween Misfits cover show

Courtesy of Evangelicals

Don’t know what to do tonight? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.

— Why do some bands — like Evangelicals — give themselves names that make it nearly impossible for them to be searched online? (Girls is the ultimate abuser of this.) Contrary to what the image to the right suggests, Evangelicals makes hazy, upbeat pop with a lot of ever-building climaxes (evangelicals climaxing, hardy har!) It also strikes me as good coat weather music. They’re at Kung Fu Necktie (1250 N. Front St., 215-291-4919) at 8 p.m. for $8.

— And then you’ve got a few other options, depending on where your allegiances lie: There’s the Erotic Literary Salon at L’Etage (Sixth and Bainbridge streets, 215-592-0656) at 8:30 p.m. for $8-$10 if you’re hot under the collar; a touching reading by Say You’re One of Them author Uwem Akpan at the Free Library Central Branch (1901 Vine St., 215-686-5322) at 7:30 p.m. for free; and something about Fishtown jazz at 700 (Second and Fairmount streets, 215-413-3181) for free at 9 p.m. Align with who you will.

Not satisfied? Check out today’s listings for more and more and more events.

Cool Aggregator

Every Tuesday, Critical Mass sifts through the art blog world so you don’t have to.

— McJAWN gives us a peek of one of the pieces in “The Cosby Show,” a bad sweater-inspired exhibit up at CafĂ© Mocha (263 S. 10th St., 215-592-4303). Is it just me, or does the Temple grad look kinda smug in the illustration?

— Breast painting is an artistic endeavor pursuable only by those endowed enough to put bosom to canvas without smearing too much paint. PW Style finds out more from local breast artiste and Craigslist find, Ashley, in this odd yet stimulating interview. Can’t wait till the prick painter comes out of the woodwork.

— Phrequency offers a look at this past Friday’s Making Time, featuring The XX and the Phenomenal Handclap Band at Voyeur. Without being able to hear the music, it’s not at all like being there. But with the help of the photos, you can easily channel your inner awkwardly observational drunk. My favorites: Nos. 19, 34, 54, and 73.

— Ahh, Phooey posts Dilbert-esque irreverent comics on an infrequent but pleasurable basis. Not all are all that funny, but this one is.

— Weeks after its blowout annual event, Design Philadelphia is hosting a free lecture by designer Tord Boontje, who works with lace. His exhibit “Lace in Transition” at the Design Center puts all doilies to shame. Prepare to have your mind Boontjed.

Is no one else creeped out by how Jeff Bridges looks like the perfect combination of Waylon Jennings and Kris Kristofferson? Here, he plays Bad Blake, a once famous country singer who has fallen from grace and is trying to claw his way back up to relevancy. Maggie Gyllenhaal plays a young reporter who falls for our hero, despite the fact that he is freakishly older than she is. Robert Duvall gets a small trailer mention as Blake’s dear ol’ dad. But what’s crazy here is that Colin Farrell is slated to play the hot young thang country singer but he doesn’t get any type of billing here, not even trailer face time. What does that mean? Has he fallen from grace to the point where even his chiseled visage won’t attract theater goers? Or is his part simply so small that giving him a mention would be superfluous? Mos Def got tons of pimpage in the Next Day Air trailer and, while he was the best part of the movie, he’s in it for about ten minutes cumulatively.

What do you think the deal is?

I love movies about country music. Nashville, Tender Mercies, Sweet Dreams and my ultimate favorite: Coal Miner’s Daughter, about Loretta Lynn, played expertly by Sissy Spacek. I don’t know if it’s the music, the oft-alcohol soaked stories or the genre’s penchant for melodrama but I eat them up.

Crazy Heart is scheduled for a December 16, 2009 release.

This is our second set, like Phish.

Sunday night shows are always a tough sell, but the four-band bill including U.S. Girls (who we’ll be up front and cop to not getting to the club in time to see) was as can’t-miss a show for indie rockers of a certain age as you’ll find. A healthy crowd of 40 or so (in their 40s or so?) crammed into tiny Kung Fu Necktie and watched as New Zealand ex-pat/Clean vet Hamish Kilgour and Lisa Siegel led The Mad Scene through a set of murky Kiwi-style noise rockers rife with alternating strumming and distorted jabs. That’s the thing about New Zealand: even their poppier indie pop is prone, at any second, to spiral into fits of SY-style noise fests. Kilgour, who apparently had lost his guitar strap, spent the first few numbers seated on the floor at the side of the stage — largely invisible to all but the front row — with a microphone stand angled down toward him, creating a scenario where the vocals seemed to be emanating from nowhere. Siegel eventually lent the singer her bass strap and Kilgour finsihed the set standing erect.  Stu Kowowski of the legendary Axemen (who’d take the stage next), sat in on drums for the set and was joined by Adam Elliott, drummer for headliners Times New Viking, for a set-closing number where both drummers pounded on the kit.

Then came The Axemen, a New Zealand noise/punk outfit on their first tour of the U.S. despite first slithering from of the antipodean ooze in 1981 in protest of the South African rugby team’s tour of the islands. Led by an apparently intoxicated Steve McCabe, the four-piece chugged through a set of classics, including a few choice numbers from Scary! Pt. III (a 1989 cassette that’s been recently re-released on vinyl by Philly’s Siltbreeze). The band, rounded out by guitarist/singer Bob Brannigan and in this incarnation bassist Dragan Stojanovic (the band’s lineup aside from the three core members has been in constant flux), turned in a rough-around-the-edges set (thanks mostly to McCabe’s inspired/drunken flailing) that alternated between all-out chaos and more crafted blues-rock tigned numbers that created as many questions as it answered. What must it have been like to watch this unit over the years, and what were these grizzled vets like in their younger, angrier days? A newer song that might be titled “Do You Wanna Be My Slave,” suggests the band’s as ascerbic as ever.

Photo | Brian Howard

McCabe (left) and Brannigan of The Axemen.

Though The Axemen were indeed the rare treat that made this lineup a can’t-miss, Times New Viking was the main course. The Columbus-based trio have, since bursting on the scene with 2005’s Dig Yourself (which got the long-dormant Siltbreeze back in business) have honed a style that’s equal parts hooks cacophony, a slicing wail crossed with mistimed engine on overdrive. Keyboardist Beth Murphy’s vocals remain shouted and defiantly off key. Jared Phillips‘ guitar parts are piercing and devastating. Elliott’s drumming and singing are wound tight and delivered fast. They eschewed the typical set-encore structure for a two-set program that may have somehow crammed 30 songs into their hour on stage.  It was exhilirating, ear-spitting, and so life-affirming.

Perigee Trade, $19.95.

Don’t know what to do tonight? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.

— Everyone I know who runs regularly raaaaaves about its benefits (and yeah, I’ve tried it a few times, it’s pretty cool), so it’s great that the local nonprofit Back on My Feet gets the homeless doing it. Drink to raise money for the org at Brews for Philly, taking place at Triumph Brewing Co. (117-121 Chestnut St., 215-625-0855) at 7:30 p.m. Admission is free, but the more you drink, the more money you contribute to the good cause.

— Speaking of good causes: DJ Reenie Kane, a regular on the lez nightlife scene, suffered from a heart attack at last month’s LGBTQ Indigo Ball. The fundraiser tonight at 8 p.m. at the Voyuer Club (1221 St. James St., 215-735-5772) goes toward Kane’s medical bills, and costs $10. Who needs the public option when you have friends? (Very much JK.)

— Meal Ticket, Critical Mass’ sister blog, has been telling readers about The Naked Pint: An Unadulterated Guide to Craft Beer’s launch party since last week. Since there’s a book involved (A&E territory!), as well as beer and women who love such beer, we thought we’d remind you. It happens at 6:30 p.m. at Fork (308 Market St., 215-625-9425) for $55.

Not satisfied? Check out today’s listings for more and more and more events.