November 1, 2012

November 1, 2012 34st.com

INTENSE MUSCLES MEET INTENSE MINDS

november 1

8

2012

3 HIGHBROW

the roundup, word on the street, overheards, true life

4 EGO

election movies

ego of the week, rock the vote, penn/princeton do's and don'ts

8 FILM

a cinematic guide, interview with "flight" director robert zemeckis, philly film fest

12 MUSIC

marvelous surroundings, album reviews

10 FEATURE striking a pose

6 FOOD

blind date, food lingo, say what? menus, secret menus

first friday

HURRICANE

FROMtheEDITOR

The candles were placed strategically around the room; the matches, ready to be lit. We were waiting with bated breath for the "ZAP!" that would herald a power outage.

And then…nothing.

Plenty of us were disappointed by the lack of atmosphere that would have really, really elevated our hurricane parties to the next level — myself included. But as the full extent of Sandy's destruction elsewhere unfolds, the fact that we were poppin' bottles and wishing it would have been worse seems more and more absurd. I can't be alone in looking back on the past few days with some embarrassment.

You give college students two days off school, scare them silly with a looming national disaster and tell them to stay in their houses, and

of course they're going to turn it into an event. There's something admirable about that — it's a refusal to buy into the doomsday paranoia being perpetuated by the news (and your parents). It's an assertion that even if everything goes up in flames (or waves), you're only young once, and you're going to have a good time while the world is falling to pieces.

But Sandy killed 39 people, and counting. It's time to shut up about what our weekends were or weren't, and stop focusing on how the storm affected us. Let's redirect our attention to the people who weren't so lucky.

10

17

14

16 ARTS

getting art.sy on the web, get up offa that thing, artist profile, thank god it's (first) friday, diy: post-halloweekend

18 LOWBROW

34TH STREET Magazine November 1, 2012

poke-candidates

2

legit soundtracks

penn student bodybuilders

Come in costume…we hear this year's hottest idea is "Sexy Mars Rover."

20 BACKPAGE

WRITERS' MEETING 4015 WALNUT 6:30 P.M.

polling places

34TH STREET MAGAZINE Elizabeth Horkley, Editor–In–Chief Joe Pinsker, Managing Editor Adrian Franco, Online Managing Editor Hilary Miller, Design Editor Chloe Bower, Newly–elected Mayor of Sweetgreen Sarah Tse, Photo Editor Laura Francis, Asst. Photo Inna Kofman, Asst. Design Stephanie Witt, Asst. Design Paige Rubin, Highbrow Zacchiaus Mckee, Highbrow Patrick Ford–Matz, Ego Sandra Rubinchik, Ego

Katie Giarla, Ego Patrick Del Valle, Food & Drink Isabel Oliveres, Food & Drink Abigail Koffler, Food & Drink Alex Hosenball, Music Ben Bernstein, Music Kiley Bense, Music Ben Lerner, Film Samantha Apfel, Film Megan Ruben, Arts Eillie Anzilotti, Arts Faryn Pearl, Lowbrow Lizzie Sivitz, Lowbrow Colette Bloom, Back Page Zeke Sexauer, Back Page

Julia Liebergall, Copy Mariam Mahbob, Copy Amanda Shulman, Copy Cover Photo: Sarah Tse Contributors: Alyssa Berlin, Emily Marcus, Lena Backe, Allie Bienenstock, Ryan Zahalka, Olivia Rutigliano, Jack Nessman, Michael Shostek, Nadine Zylberberg, Sophia Fischler-Gottfried, Marley Coyne

Contacting 34th Street Magazine: If you have questions, comments, complaints or letters to the editor, email Elizabeth Horkley, Editor––in–Chief, at horkley@34st.com. You can also call us at (215) 898–6585.

To place an ad, call (215) 898–6581.

VISIT OUR WEB SITE: www.34st.com "The only time I've been to the gym was to take pictures."

–S.T. ©2012 34th Street Magazine, The Daily Pennsylvanian, Inc. No part may be reproduced in whole or in part without the express, written consent of the editors (but I bet we will give you the a–okay.) All rights reserved. 34th Street Magazine is published by The Daily Pennsylvanian, Inc., 4015 Walnut St., Philadelphia, Pa., 19104, every Thursday.

TRUE LIFE: I WORK AT AMERICAN APPAREL

O

h my god, this is, like, so stressful.” The girl brandished a pair of shiny red pants ("The Disco Pant," $85, FYI), in my face. “I wanted to do these, but now I’m worried they’re not slutty enough.”

One of the fitting room doors opened, and a Theta walked out, leaving the remains of what looked liked like an attempt at a pumpkin costume strewn on the floor. The stressed girl barged in as I bent over to collect the orange tutu and surrounding green lycra off the floor.

Usually, unwanted clothes are handed to me in a jumble of inside– out spandex and mismatched hangers, so that was kind of a low (no pun intended). But she had more important things to worry about, and so did I. This was Halloween at American Apparel, and she had a costume to assemble for some

Zete party later that night, and I, well…I was the girl picking up her leftovers.

That’s the funny thing about being the only Penn kid on staff at the American Apparel at 37th and Walnut. Most of my co–workers go to UArts or do various hipster things around Philly. There’s a buffer zone between the store and where they spend most of their time, and if they overhear a conversation about Zete or Theos in the fitting room line, they’ll probably think they were some badly butchered versions of the names of Greek gods.

I know what they are, but most Penn students who come in the store don’t know that I know. And after this Halloween especially, I’m kind of glad of that. The store was a madhouse. We were running low on cat ears and the line for the reg-

CALM DOWN BEFORE THE STORM

isters (only one of which works) stretched to the door. And people were rude. My coworkers and I were surviving on way too much coffee from Wawa and sticky buns from Frogro. We were frazzled and stressed, mostly because of the hordes of students scrambling for last–minute costumes and stashing discarded bandeaus amidst the leggings (they do have different racks).

At work this past week, I felt more solidarity with my coworkers than with the school right across the street.

So my plan for this Halloween?

Even with my 50%–off discount, I wasn’t partying in my own American Apparel get–up with the rest of campus this year. I was sleeping.

Halloween used to be my favorite holiday, before I started working at American Apparel.

THEROUNDUP

at

Sexy cop: I love bobbing for apples, it’s like waterboarding except with prizes.

Girl: Maybe she should just eat pizza like the rest of us without boyfriends.

Sorority girl: I’m going to Huntsman to find my husband — bye!

Lanky engineer: That exam took me to a nice dinner. There was some foreplay, then it bent me over and fucked me.

Girl at Houston: Oh my god, you’re wearing the same shoes as Robobitch.

S

tanding on the corner of 43rd and Walnut with my weight in canned food sitting like a ton of steel inside my housemate’s hiking– sized megabackpack, my spine caving into an awful kind of inverted “U,” I truly began to understand the concept of the sophomore slump. It’s year two of my college career, it feels as though someone’s hammering a railroad spike into the base of my skull, I’ve got papers on papers to write and Armageddon in the form of Hurricane What’s–Her– Name (Sandy? Mandy? Ann Romney?) is barreling up the East Coast to bitch–slap my dilapidated old frat house and probably leave us with no option other than to pee in our dilapidated old garden.

The little ones probably see the coming natural disaster through the rose–colored glasses of freshman year as a romantic, exciting “Class of 2016 Memory!!” waiting to happen. Juniors are old and off–campus and probably already drunk. Seniors really just don’t give a shit about anything. But we sophomores, scattered all over Penn, on–campus and off, still adjusting to the weirdness of being back at Penn without the double–edged sword of college infancy in our belts, are definitely NOT ready to weather ANY storm. It’s hard enough to get our feet re–planted firmly in Ben Franklin’s pee–soaked (sorry, second urine mention) soil, and a gust of 70 mph wind is the last thing we need.

Being a sophomore means having to declare a major. It means having to finally forfeit freshman ignorance and raise our OCR binoculars toward this scary “real life” thing everyone’s talking about.

Sure, I know that juniors, and probably a lot of seniors, feel the same way, but at least they’ve gotten used to it. After a few blocks, that thousand–pound hiking bag of fruit snacks, water jugs and canned “chipotle peppers in adobo sauce” (My best friend is a Mexican/Armenian experimental chef. Ugh.) doesn’t feel so heavy anymore. The slump’s become a stable state of scoliosis and the awful burden fades into dull pain. But when you step out from Supreme Shop n Bag and heave your apocalypse–preparedness kit over your shoulder for the first time, it can seriously knock the wind out of you.

Whining about it (see: this column) will only get us so far. The only way to defeat the slump, if you ask me, is to accept the unnatural curvature all that pressure’s putting on your poor spine and to get walking. The storm’s gonna come no matter what, and we’re all gonna end up declaring Communications majors anyway (guilty). I guess our best bet for now is to just keep trudging along and hope the load starts to feel a little lighter along the way.

That or our shoulders go numb and our back snaps completely and we fall into the street, paralyzed and helpless and waiting for Sandy to strike us into oblivion.

34TH STREET Magazine November 1, 2012

So Hurricane Sandy kind of blew, huh? (Get it?) In our little nook of West Philly, it seems the worst damage was done to the livers of those who chose to drink their way through the storm. But let’s all take a moment of silence to remember the tree in front of Amy Gutmann’s house, shall we?

While we’re at it, let’s take another moment to highlight our favorite hurricane stories.

While some of campus got all panicky, some kids got creative. One house of SDTs, ChiOs and APhis didn’t lose power, but shut off the lights anyway. Why? They used electrical tape and flashlights to set up a game of foursquare — the playground kind, not the social media stalker’s–best–friend app. We have no words except AWESOME. Another house shut off their lights and got spooky. With Halloween just around the corner, they decided to light their emergency candles and have a seance for Heath Ledger. Who else? Here’s hoping they got him to explain his last movie, "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus," because seriously what the fuck.

Those of us who didn’t get panicky or creative got naked, apparently.

Highbrow received several reports of students streaking through the storm, everywhere from HamCo to Hill Field. We were cold just sitting pantsless in our living rooms, so we have to admit that we find anyone who took their bare ass out into the storm pretty impressive. But also… why?

Since we’re on the topic of people who probably have pneumonia right now, Highbrow hears Rodin and DuBois residents took advantage of the muddiness of highrise field and used it as a giant, natural Slip 'n Slide. Writhing around like an idiot in a puddle of freezing cold mud sounds terrible on the one hand, but strangely alluring on the other. Sigh, we’re so torn.

over heard PENN

BY PATRICK FORD–MATZ

highbrow ego food & drink film feature music arts lowbrow

wordonthestreet

HIGHBROW

3

highbrow ego food & drink film feature music arts lowbrow

EGO

EGOOF THE WEEK: SLOW DANCE CHUBBY Slow Dance Chubby, Penn’s all–senior, face–melting, frat–entertaining, self–proclaimed “flagship” rock band has probably sent you way more Facebook spam about their new EP than you can comfortably tolerate.

Street: Who came up with the band name?

Mark Kane: Uh, I don’t want my mom to know I came up with the band name. But we were all in Hill eating lunch just throwing around names.

We were almost Dead City Kicks.

Thomas Krane: I wanted girls to wear shirts that said, “I heart DCK.” Aaron Kirkbride: Then for our first show at Mar Bar we picked one name with no intention of keeping it, and they actually made promotional materials, and we told people about it and they came, and after that, it wasn’t like we decided it was the greatest band name, but…

Riley McCluskey: It shows us.

Street: What does it mean to you?

RM: I hate it. It means we were

idiots when we were freshmen.

TK: I like it because it shows we don’t take ourselves too seriously.

Street: Do you put Slow Dance Chubby on resumes?

RM: “SDC” AK: If they ask you say, “I’ll tell you what it means, but then you have to give me the job.”

TK: I always told them Slow Dance Chubby. I thought it was funny.

MK: I don’t have enough interviews for it to matter.

sums it up.

Street: Who is the band diva?

Emily Orrson: Riley is a little prince.

MK: No one is like, “I need my honey tea or I can’t go on!”

EO: That sounds like Riley to me.

RM: I actually said that exact line yesterday.

Street: What is your role on campus?

AK: Melting faces.

RM: Frat party entertainment.

TK: Flagship band.

RM: Facebook spammers.

Luben Li: That about

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Street: If you were shipwrecked on an island, who would you eat first because their instrument is musically unnecessary?

TK: Well the bass, because Riley can just play it!

MK: Yeah, I went abroad for six months and nobody noticed.

Street: If your band was a reality show, which would it be?

MK: I think of myself as something of a Kim. RM: I definitely see Luben as a Khloe.

LL: No, I am Lamar.

Street: Can you tell us about the newest member of Slow Dance Chubby?

MK: Last year, Emily’s previous band, Red Giants, “disbanded” — they all graduated — and we have keys now so we can play a ton more songs.

RM: We recorded this EP this summer and put a lot of keyboards on it just because we had time to. Then we realized we couldn’t really play any of the songs because we didn’t have a keyboard player. So it made sense for her to join.

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EOTW CONT.

We have political opinions, just like Snoop Dogg.

REASONS WE’RE VOTING FOR OBAMA: • His deadpan sass rivals that of any Without A Net–er.

• Dude can ball.

• He admits to trying drugs without any of that “but I didn’t inhale” BS. • He slow–jammed the news with Jimmy Fallon and danced with Ellen.

• Michelle Obama. Enough said.

• Bo Obama is probably the most adorable first pet ever.

Street: Is Emily the band’s Yoko Ono? Everyone: Yes. Street: What are your fans called?

AK: Chubby Chasers. They chase the chub.

Street: Tell us about the new album.

RM: We recorded with this guy named Raymond Richards who recorded the Local Natives album that I think we’re all pretty big fans of.

EO: So we can sue him if we’re not as successful!

RM: It’s awesome because we were working with this really legit producer.

TK: We only found out about him because we loved that album so much and so we were just like, what if we hit him up?

“We really want to do an album with you. 'Gorilla Manor' is awesome.” And he was down.

He really worked with us.

EO: Dreams become reality.

Street: There are two types of people at Penn…

EO: Dominant and diminished.

Street: What are you going to miss most about Penn?

RM: Being in Slow Dance Chubby.

TK: Definitely.

MK: Even if we continue to play music, the crowds won’t be as drunk and, you know, into it.

EO: Yeah, people won’t be forced to listen to us.

REASONS WE’RE NOT VOTING FOR OBAMA: REASONS WE’RE NOT VOTING FOR ROMNEY: • He’s too clingy; more emails a week than Career Services.

• He just seems kind of tired all the time.

• He confessed to eating doggie meat once as a kid.

• He already had a turn. Sharing is caring.

• He strapped his dog to the roof of his car. But, actually.

• He was DEFINITELY a huge douche in high school.

• He would’ve been in A’s.

• He might be a robot who is going to take over the world.

GUIDE TO THE PENN/PRINCETON GAME DO: •

Pee before you get on the bus.

•

BYO alc. Princeton is like…in the middle of nowhere.

•

Insta the shit of it.

•

Plan your outfit well in advance. This is a crucial event to SABS.

•

Find a Princeton slampiece.

DON’T: •

Care too much about the actual game. We’re all for school spirit, but our team name is the Quakers.

•

Puke on the eating club lawns. They look like Wisteria Lane, and if you tarnish them you shall be shunned.

•

Make constant references to Jewish summer camp. You’re not in Kansas anymore, Penn Jews! Princetonians prefer talk of Nantucket houses and Vineyard Vines.

34TH STREET Magazine November 1, 2012

Street: You guys have a new EP coming out, right?

RM: The EP is called "Sinkhole" and it turned out great.

We are releasing it November 5th on iTunes and Spotify.

REASONS WE’RE VOTING FOR ROMNEY: • He has a basketball team of children.

• His name backwards spells Wharton.

• His hair looks like it could single–handedly fix the economy.

• The man clearly knows how to SABS. • When we hear Bain Capital, all we can think of is Romney whispering, “When your assets are ashes, you have my permission to default.”

highbrow ego food & drink film feature music arts lowbrow

ROCKTHEVOTE

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highbrow ego food & drink film feature music arts lowbrow

FOOD&DRINK "oddpairings"e

dition

SAY WHAT! THEY SERVE ___HERE?!

Your campus haunts have a few surprises in store.

SECRETS, SECRETS ARE SO FUN

The cover’s already been blown on under–the–radar menu items at In–N–Out burger, but did you know you could also indulge in your own secret options nearby?

BY EMILY MARCUS

Pining for Pudding at Allegro's (3942 Spruce St.)

If you’re indecisive, Chipotle (39th and Walnut) is here to help. Order a "Quesarrito" and your regular burrito will be wrapped in a quesadilla. This makes for a cheesier, crispier version of the Chipotle classic.

Who knew they had dessert?

We all know Allegro’s has phenomenal white and barbecue chicken pizzas and exceptionally oily, cheesy and delicious chicken sandwiches. Now prepare yourself for the latest surprise: Allegro's sells dessert.

We got the chocolate cake ($3.50), carrot cake ($3.50) and rice pudding ($2.75). The chocolate cake was decent; we were served a large slice that tasted just like what you would expect at your local diner. The cake was not too dry but it was a little too sweet for my taste. The carrot cake was a stand out. It had a soft, dense texture and was not overly nutty. The cream cheese frosting complimented but did not overpower the cake. Again, the portion was large and we were able to savor every last bite. The rice pudding, though, was incredible. There was an ample amount of cinnamon, and the pudding was neither too hard nor too soggy. I hate raisins and was pleased to find the pudding was sweet and flavorful without the addition of the leathery, mushy texture of dried grapes.

Dessert at Allegro's should be overlooked no longer. The next time you stumble in at 1 a.m. or are placing an enormous Monday Night Football order, add a couple slices of cake or a helping of rice pudding.

— Allie Bienenstock Check out 34st.com for more

If you want a sweet caffeine fix but are sick of the caramel macchiatto at Starbucks, order a "café misto" with pumps of hazelnut and chocolate and a caramel drizzle; it’ll taste just like nutella. If you’re not a coffee drinker but still want to mix things up, get a vanilla bean Frappuccino with an extra pump of almond flavoring for some cake batter–y deliciousness.

If you’re heading back late one night and are sad about not getting any action, go to McDonald’s (40th and Walnut) and order the "McGangBang." It’s hard to believe that something with such an insensitive name even exists, but leave it to McDonald’s to wedge a McChicken sandwich inside a double cheeseburger. It’s the perfect drunken snack for those with a big stomach and a small wallet.

secrets about UCity dining!

34TH STREET Magazine November 1, 2012

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Continuing the theme of all things unlikely, we decided to send a seemingly unlikely pair on a blind date to the French–Sicilian fusion restaurant Monsu. James Fangmeyer: the kind–hearted, Catholic– schooled sophomore of 1 in 4. Marlie Winslow: an avid photographer and sophomore of Hype dance crew who made quilts in Africa this summer. Bottle of wine in hand (did we mention Monsu is a BYO?), James and Marlie ventured to the Italian market to enjoy big portions and small talk.

First Impressions James: Right away Marlie was fun to be with. It seemed like she was really excited about the night.

Marlie: James seemed like a really sweet, down–to–earth guy from the minute that I met him.

Instead of going for an awkward handshake, he went right in for a hug. One of the first things that he said to me was, “Were you really excited for this?!” He just seemed like a really friendly guy.

Atmosphere JF: Monsu was fancier than I was expecting, and it wasn’t very big. It was also entirely full of middle–aged people. Marlie and I were the youngest people there by far.

Food JF: The head waiter took our menus from us and said he

MW: Within minutes of receiving our menus, the owner of the restaurant approached us and asked whether we would prefer to let him decide. I had never done this before, but James and I both agreed. Let’s just say it was the best decision we could have made. First, they brought out an array of appetizers to share. Of the appetizers, my favorite was actually a snail dish (Lumache Ghiotta), which surprised me, since I had never dared to try it. Overall, the appetizers were all very unique and contained some really interesting flavors while also staying very true to traditional Sicilian food. Then, they brought out a selection of pastas, two of them being gnocchi. I absolutely love gnocchi.

My favorite was the Gnocculli, even though it seemed to be the more traditional pasta dish out of the three, I noticed that the dish actually is made with chocolate, cinnamon and rosemary.

Finally, they brought out two main entreés. I told the owner that I was a fan of salmon before he brought out the food, and it

felt like I was ranting about my undecided major. Our conversation ranged from Wharton, the quirks of Philly, funny travel stories and why we haven’t dated at Penn, to simply cracking up while people–watching in the restaurant. James nor I has ever dated anyone that goes to Penn, and we agreed that there’s no particular reason why this hasn’t happened yet — we just hadn’t stumbled upon anyone yet.

was awesome that he went out of his way to make sure that I tried some. The salmon was actually cooked in a puff pastry, so it reminded me almost of “chicken pot pie” when I first saw it. But after tasting it, I realized that it was much more flavorful than a pot pie. With the addition of almonds and dates, the dish also had a distinctly autumn feel to it.

cake.

Service

Conversation

JF: Service was fantastic. Several people checked in on us throughout the night. They seemed really excited to have us there and answered all of our questions about each dish.

JF: Our conversation was delightful and bounced between casual topics and more personal ones.

Would you go for seconds?

MW: James and I were surprisingly comfortable with each other given that it was a blind date. We ended up talking a lot about our families, since we realized that we both come from big families. It was refreshing to have a full informal conversation with someone, since I feel like there’s not enough time at Penn to have those. James had a great sense of humor and seemed like he really cared about his family. Although he’s a successful student in Wharton, he was extremely humble, had a relaxed perspective on life and was comfortable in his own skin. He was also a great listener and seemed engaged in what I was saying, even when I

MW: I will definitely be going back to Monsu for seconds. It was my first time in Philly’s Italian district, and it will definitely not be my last.

MW: The service was basically impeccable. From the minute we walked in, we were greeted personally by the owner of the restaurant. For the remainder of the night, he personally brought us our food to the table, while our waitress continually checked on us. Even when we only had a few bites left of a dish, the owner offered to box it up for us (I’m guessing that’s a part of the Silician culture).

Dessert JF: Dessert was sweet, but not too rich. I liked it a lot. We had piece of tiramisu cake and another of chocolate raspberry

MW: My favorite part of eating out is dessert, so obviously I was extremely excited to try some Sicilian desserts. As soon as I saw the flourless chocolate tart, I knew it was love at first sight.

I’m a sucker for anything that is unnecessarily and overly chocolate–y, so I was a huge fan of it. It was very rich, but I didn’t care — it was perfect.

JF: Yes.

We meant the date...

JF: Yes. I think we’ll make plans for dinner or dessert around campus soon.

MW: I would definitely hang out with James in the future.

He’s an all–around sweetheart.

To me, humility and a sense of humor about life are the most attractive features in a guy. In the least creepy way possible, James is going to be an amazing dad. Yeah, that’s totally creepy.

pretentious at your own risk. Not pretentious enough?

WEIRD FOOD WORDS Sound Check 34st.com for more lofty lingo. BY ALYSSA BERLIN Amuse Bouche: Translated from French to mean “to amuse one's mouth,” it means a small complimentary appetizer offered at some restaurants.

In action: "This amuse bouche is quite amusing to my palette; unfortunately, because of its tiny size, it hasn’t amused my stomach very much."

Ghee: Just another term for clarified butter. Definitely not something that would be considered diet–friendly and may send most of us to Pottruck for a few extra hours of intense cardio to burn it off.

In action: "In case you can't get enough of the fat in butter, ghee is a great easy way to make sure you have some extra–fatty, melted butter on hand at all times."

34TH STREET Magazine November 1, 2012

MW: Situated on a cozy corner, the restaurant looked busy, warm and inviting as soon as we hopped out of the cab. I was really glad that I decided to wear black, because the restaurant seemed to be mainly occupied by an older crowd of professionals. The interior was formal, but quaint, with several paintings decorating the walls and cloth napkins on the tables.

would bring us lots of different things to try. The food was delicious. There was only one dish we had that was average.

I thought the presentation of the dishes was really well done.

Each had great colors and flavors.

Monsu 901 Christian St. (215) 440–0495

highbrow ego food & drink film feature music arts lowbrow

BLIND DATE: "ODD PAIRING" EDITION

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highbrow ego food & drink film feature music arts lowbrow 34TH STREET Magazine November 1, 2012 8

FILM

ELECTION 2012: A CINEMATIC GUIDE One man will prove victorious in just five days. Check out Street’s favorite election–themed films and the lessons the candidates can learn from them.

BY BEN LERNER

THE CAMPAIGN (2012) Will Ferrell and Zach Galifinakis respectively star as an incumbent North Carolina congressman and his goofy, inexperienced challenger in this comedy from this past summer. This well–received satire even has a cameo from Uggie, canine star of “The Artist”!

The Lesson: The obvious candidate isn’t always the winner!

Super inspirational for Green Party candidate Jill Stein!

WAG THE DOG (1997) Dustin Hoffman is a Hollywood producer hired to construct a fake war between the United States and Albania by a Washington spin–doctor played by Robert De Niro.

It sounds far fetched, but in this Oscar–nominated dark comedy, it’s the logical distraction for the public when the sitting President is caught in a sex scandal.

The Lesson: The best way to cover up a scandal is hiring Kirsten Dunst to play a fake Albanian refugee.

THE IDES OF MARCH (2011) George Clooney is the Pennsylvania governor running for president. It’s not like there’s any chance he wouldn’t get elected (swoon), but Ryan Gosling is still on board as the junior campaign manager. Chaos and rumors plague the campaign and Gosling’s character questions his ethics in this political drama that Clooney directed himself.

Lesson: Screw political ethics, it’s Clooney and Gosling. They’ve got our vote.

PRIMARY COLORS (1998) This political drama is a roman a clef for Bill Clinton’s 1992 presidential campaign, based on a novel by journalist Joe Klein, who covered the real–life campaign. John Travolta and Emma Thompson are the Bill and Hill equivalents, with Kathy freakin’ Bates in an Oscar–nominated role as their PR rep.

The Lesson: Keep your campaign clean unless you want John Travolta playing you onscreen.

ELECTION (1999) Perhaps the most telling political film of all revolves around a simple high school student council election.

A pre–Elle Woods Reese Witherspoon is at her best as Tracy Flick, a precocious, competitive student who is desperate to be elected student body president. Matthew Broderick is the history teacher supervising the election and is not Tracy’s biggest fan.

The Lesson: It’s better to play fair like Elle Woods did in her murder case than to scheme ruthlessly like poor T–Flick.

GAME CHANGE (2012) No one thought Tina Fey’s uncanny “SNL” Sarah Palin impression could be topped, but Julianne Moore recently won an Emmy for her portrayal of John McCain’s 2008 running mate in this HBO political film.

Though Russian neighbor Sarah dismissed the movie as “false,” many have praised the accuracy (including the campaign’s senior strategist, Steve Schmidt, played onscreen by Woody Harrelson).

The Lesson: What’s the difference between a hockey mom and a pit bull? Julianne in Palin’s lipstick.

INTERVIEW: “FLIGHT” DIRECTOR ROBERT ZEMECKIS Street catches up with the Academy–Award winning director of “Forrest Gump” and “Back to the Future.”

BY BEN LERNER AND SAMANTHA APFEL

Street: What attracted you to the project, considering it had been a while since you’d done a live action film?

Robert Zemeckis: I love the complexity of the character, the moral ambiguity of everything –– I thought it was a really bold, clever unique piece that I hadn’t read in a really, really long time.

Street: Were you heavily involved in Denzel Washington’s preparation or do you have actors work on their own more?

RZ: It’s about having actors sit around a table just like this, having a discussion in detail about every

question you can think of about the character — deconstructing the character, and starting with large issues and getting down to specific things like what color socks he’s gonna wear, so when you get on set, there aren’t any surprises.

Street: Were the cinematic influences in the film 70s–inspired, such as the music choices and production design?

RZ: The music grew out of the John Goodman character. I think the thing that harkens back to the 70s more than anything is this idea of having an antihero, which you don’t see much these days.

Street: Denzel’s character is a functioning addict in the film. Was it hard to not turn him into a clichéd addict, as it's so different from how we usually see him?

RZ: I was aware of that, so I saw the character not as an addict, but I approached his substance abuse as a symptom of a bigger problem: he’s emotionally bankrupt and has no relationship with any Contin u other humans except for his online ed @ drug dealer.

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Street did Philly Film Festival so you didn't have to. Be sure to check out these flicks when they hit theaters.

DENZEL WASHINGTON SOARS IN “FLIGHT”

Adam Leon's “Gimme the Loot” follows two teenage graffiti artists out to tag a New York icon.

Shot guerilla–style and propelled by a cast of largely non–professional actors, the narrative is loose on plot but rich in atmosphere, offering audiences a laid–back, intimate encounter with the surprisingly endearing world of teenage crime. Though “Gimme the Loot” brushes against themes of race and class, it never bludgeons its viewers with social messages just because it can. Its characters aren’t tragic urban archetypes — they’re refreshingly normal teenagers whose adventures and romances just happen to be set against a backdrop of robbery and weed.

––Jack Nessman

^

Penn alum Adam Leon geeks out talking to Street: "People ask if [my cameos in the film are] an homage to Hitchcock, and I'm like, 'No, it's an homage to not having enough people around on set.'"

“A LATE QUARTET” MAKES SWEET MUSIC AND THAT'S ABOUT IT

Yaron Zilberman’s “A Late Quartet” follows the Fugue, a famed musical ensemble struggling to stay together after its revered cellist Peter Mitchell (Christopher Walken) is diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.

Between scenes of mesmerizing music and equally impressive acting from the likes of Catherine Keener and Philip Seymour Hoffman, Zilberman adds in an extra–marital affair, a battle of the egos and forbidden love, all of which drive the plot forward, but take away from what we truly want to see — or better yet, hear. These dramatic elements are necessary, but rather contrived. Once a violin is thrown in, scenes suddenly becomes genuine. The poignant opening and closing performances of “A Late Quartet” nearly make up for the sub–par scenes sprinkled throughout. As members of the audience, both of the Fugue and of the film, we wished to hear more.

––Nadine Zylberberg

Interviews @34st.com

^

Yaron Zilberman talks about making the leap from documentary to feature film directing with "A Late Quartet" and teaching Christopher Walken to lip-synch the cello "to perfection."

34TH STREET Magazine November 1, 2012

The opening scene of “Flight” commences the morning after a typical evening of drugs, booze and sex for Captain Whip Whitaker (Denzel Washington). Following a tormenting phone call from the ex–wife and a quick fix of cocaine, he’s ready to pilot SouthJet Airlines’ 9 a.m. flight from Orlando to Atlanta.

During the flight, the plane’s hydraulics fail, causing an uncontrollable nosedive and utter chaos among the passengers and crew.

In director Robert Zemeckis’ visually stunning sequence, the remarkably calm Whitaker miraculously orchestrates an unorthodox landing, saving the majority of those on the plane.

This half hour serves as the impetus behind the rest of the film, as a toxicology report from the day of Whitaker’s incredible landing soon reveals its hero’s troublesome secret: a blood alcohol concentration of .24. Ignoring advice to end his substance abuse, Washington’s character spirals out of control in the midst of an investigation as to why the plane really malfunctioned.

Throughout the film, it’s easy to root for Whitaker, but it’s hard to grasp his complex morality, which is at the core of Washington’s flawed character. The supporting cast’s roles are small and underdeveloped, though the comedic relief of his dealer (John Goodman) is entertaining and appropriate. Ultimately, when the credits roll, moviegoers will be praising the journey of “Flight" and Washington’s nuanced, emotionally powerful performance.

––Michael Shostek

“GIMME THE LOOT” IS TEENAGERS TAGGING THINGS

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COVERAGE

HIGHLIGHTS: OUR CONTINUED

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highbrow ego food & drink film feature music arts lowbrow

ment levels — some came into Mr. and Mrs. Penn knowing nothing about bodybuilding, whereas past competitors have included pros.

Anthony Balduzzi, Mr. Penn 2008 and 2010, participated in the 2011 Musclemania World Junior Championship. For pharmacology graduate student Jesse Carlin, this will be her seventh year of competition (she’s won four times). And since this is a natural, or steroid–free, competition, the contestants vary in how big each can actually get.

But no matter their background, everyone’s got a routine, a diet, a mental catalogue of calorie counts and goals they seem to monitor hourly, if not minute–by–minute.

If you ask one of these competitors why they do something — anything — they will almost certainly have an answer. And you can start with a question as simple, as, say, "why have that egg white sandwich for lunch?"

On a gray morning in mid– October, the egg white sandwich of interest belongs to Coach Tenisci. In the Pottruck lobby he points to his lunch as an example of what he considers "smart eating": ingredients you see completely, because they aren’t smothered in unhealthy cheeses, sauces or fats.

Tenisci’s preference for a “pure” diet is just one piece of advice he’s given to students over his past 27 years coaching at Penn. The idea for Mr. and Mrs. Penn came from a similar show put on at Washington State University, Tenisci’s alma mater, as a fundraiser for the track team. Since then, it’s been one of his yearly staples. “I never tire of it,” he says.

His tirelessness holds true not just across the years, but within each competition cycle. Tenisci is always running in and out of the gym, encouraging his athletes and sending them reminders to hydrate. And the way he talks about

students and their fitness gives him a Mr. Miyagi, guru–type vibe: for him the competition is about a “mental journey” and the possibility for the “very profound event” of personal change. He himself is no bodybuilder, despite working with contestants on every aspect of the show (as he puts it, “I live vicariously through their happiness”).

But he had friends who were into bodybuilding and was excited to share this aspect of fitness with students. “It has its own little world, the subculture of bodybuilding,” he says.

That subculture’s showmanship is on full display at a Tuesday night posing session taking place on Pottruck’s third floor. Tenisci stands before 18 young men and women who are having a hell of a time showcasing their rear ends.

“You have to have a butt for this, and then you can show it off,” he jokes. The contestants must learn up to seven official poses for the show, and Tenisci guides them through each move half like a trainer, half like a cheerful dance choreographer. Mostly dressed in gym clothes or jeans, his students keep their eyes locked on the wall mirror facing them, watching their bodies. They finally let out a few giggles when Tenisci starts humming his own soundtrack and free– styling a routine to demonstrate the importance of moving to the beat.

“Always do it to the bass,” he says.

Later, he instructively reminisces about a past contestant’s routine that made the most out of a song

by Nine Inch Nails.

Even amidst the enthusiasm and hard work, it’s tough to watch the competitive side of bodybuilding and not ask whether what it builds toward is vain, or at least image–obsessed. Penn Dental student Evan Rurak, who ultimately decided not to participate in the competition but is passionate about bodybuilding, concurs — with the caveat that what really matters is what he thinks fitness reveals about

someone’s character, particularly self–control. “It is slightly vain, but it has to be — you’re focusing on where you’re deficient, what could be improved, and you’re trying to improve it.”

The notions of “self–improvement” and “self–control” come up repeatedly among competitors as something that’s big for them — bigger than how working out makes them look. This year’s show will showcase 31 athletes total, 16 men and 15 women, ranging from soccer and lacrosse players to gymnasts, runners and all–around gym nuts. Kate Mulry, a Mr. and Mrs. Penn first–timer and post–grad architecture student studying environmental design, falls into that last category; she’s also spent less time in traditional sports and more on activities like break dancing and rock climbing. Like Pless, Mulry is laid–back in conversation, not at all immediately recognizable as the goal–obsessed type. Even so, she says that aspect of her personality always manages to come out. “Of all the comments anyone would make about me in my undergrad, if they knew me they’d be like, ‘Oh yeah, she’s completely self–motivated,’” Mulry says. “I always did my own thing and pushed myself to do better, even if nobody else was telling me to do it.”

For her fifth grade yearbook Mulry was asked what she was going to be in 10 years, and she said an architect. More than a decade later, she’s still on that path. But she is somewhat anomalous among architecture students, in that despite having had an average of 70 hours of weekly homework as an undergraduate, she’s never pulled an all–nighter. And she attributes that record to her insistence on careful scheduling, something familiar to other Mr. and Mrs. Penn contenders.

“My life is kind of like a routine — that’s a fact,” says College senior Chris Galeano, who, despite being soft–spoken, punctuates many

of his sentences by asserting that they are indeed facts. Nicknamed “Steroids” for his physique in high school, Galeano is a lifelong athlete and pretty hardcore planner, to a point he sometimes find frustrating. “I feel like everything I do has to have a purpose — I kind of wish I wouldn’t have that. It takes the fun out of things…you over– analyze everything, and you try to brush off things that won’t help you get to where you want to get to. I would change that aspect of it,” he says. “But I can’t. I literally can’t.”

Though he’s been lifting weights since the seventh grade, Galeano would not call himself a bodybuilder. Fitness as a whole has just always been a big deal in the Galeano household. “I come from a family of gym rats — that’s a fact,” he says. “My dad pushed me in the gym when I was back home, and it followed me here…I want to be stronger than my dad, and that’s the reason why I do it.” He and his brother both ran track in high school, and in addition to sharing a regular workout routine when they’re all home in California, the three Galeano men continually rib each other about their strength and speed.

This doesn’t exactly extinguish stereotypes about the nature of male competition, a point that also comes up with Pless. Regarding the physical comparisons of “who’s bigger” or “who’s stronger,” his opinion is straightforward. “That’s kind of a sub–context in all male interactions,” he says. To whatever extent this is true (and inevitably it will seem more so among men who commit to a bodybuilding competition) it puts another sense of purpose on the table — namely, the purpose of intimidating someone when you take your shirt off.

For Galeano, the only “someones” who really matter are his dad and brother. For the true male bodybuilder, “someone” might just be every other guy around.

While there’s no reason to believe women can’t be as competitive, Mulry does think the female side of this contest has taken a different tone. “It’s totally different. I don’t think we’re in it — maybe a few of us — but [generally] I don’t think we’re in it for the competitive nature. I think we’re just doing it ‘cause we’re in shape and we want to show off, if anything,” Mulry says, laughing. Though she describes bodybuilding as male– dominated, she sounds not one bit intimidated — if anything, she just sounds amused.

College sophomore and mid– distance runner Shakele Seaton's first foray into the world of Mr. and Mrs. Penn has been something of an empowering eye–opener.

Seaton was encouraged to sign up

by Tenisci, some of her Penn teammates and sprints and hurdles coach Porscha Dobson. But Seaton says she was most surprised by all the positive reactions from her friends, who she thought might find the decision a bit strange. “For a woman to be doing it — I didn’t think that a woman would constantly go after looking very, very strong,” she says. “Now I see [bodybuilding] as inclusive to both genders.”

As the show nears, gender looks all but irrelevant in the last lurch toward what the competitors view as a testament to their self–discipline.

10 days before the show, those who feel they need it will apply bronze dye to their bodies to make their muscles look more defined. Plans abound to modify water and sodium intake to appear as cut as possible for the big moment in Zellerbach, when everyone walks out together onto the stage. And all the contestants have to work on their individual routines, which will last between 1 minute, 15 seconds and 1 minute, 30 seconds. Unlike in typical bodybuilding competitions,

the individual routine is worth twice as much as contestants’ showing in the lineup — a scoring system Tenisci developed so that having the genes to be bigger than most other people may not guarantee you the Penn bodybuilding title.

The flavor of these routines runs the gamut, using music from reggae to action movie soundtracks, from prog rock to hip–hop–influenced techno. College senior Reuben Hampton, who has participated in Mr. and Mrs. Penn all four of his years on campus, once imitated the goofy Carlton dance from “The Fresh Prince of Bel–Air” in his stage routine to George Michael’s “Faith.” Hampton also helps sum up how bodybuilders prioritize their lives. According to Pless it’s no sacrifice, because it’s just what he wants to do: “My hour and 20 minutes of working out every day, that’s my time.” Hampton puts it a bit differently. “If it’s a choice between going to a house party, and I have to miss my lifting – it’s a no– brainer,” he says. “And it’s not the one you would think.”

So in addition to training, playing soccer and tennis and doing all the other things that he loves, Hampton will make time over the next week to be sure: when the spotlight shines, and that music drops, he is going to hit every last beat. He and the other contestants will probably have reviewed their choreography in their heads hundreds of times.

Aside from the final crowning of this year’s Mr. and Mrs. Penn, they will encounter few surprises.

Because in this world — in their world — there isn’t room for surprises. You’ve got to have a plan.

34TH STREET Magazine November 1, 2012

34TH STREET Magazine November 1, 2012

B

y 10:15 on a weekday morning, Wharton senior Robert Pless has done the following: weighed himself, entered that weight into a spreadsheet containing about 600 data points, run to Pottruck, worked out for 90 minutes in the weight room, eaten two breakfasts, planned the rest of his meals for the day a n d packed lunch.

And he also might have studied before his 10:30 class, if he has the time.

As Pless explains, he keeps this rigid schedule mostly for his hobby — the thing he most likes to do for fun.

Pless is a bodybuilder and one of the contestants in this year’s Mr. and Mrs. Penn bodybuilding competition, which will take place in Annenberg’s Zellerbach Theatre next Wednesday night. The contest has been organized for the past 20 years by Tony Tenisci, a coach for the Penn women’s track and field team. For those of us whose knowledge in this arena comes from Arnold Schwarzenegger and random encounters with ESPN2, the word “bodybuilding” suggests something vaguely cartoonish: huge orange muscles, flexing, speedos. But step into the world of what bodybuilding demands — working toward that moment onstage in your speedo, all in the name of physical prowess — and it becomes clear that the “cartoon” is just a facade.

These people mean business. They differ in their broader commit-

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STRIKING A POSE

Elena Gooray is a senior from Silver Springs, MD. She studies Cognitive Science.

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34

ST

MUSIC FILM

DO YOU PAY PER VIEW?

A newpolled location life intoyou Penn’s formeryour record shop.afternoon Film you breathes to find out how are getting Sunday

BY ELIZABETH HORKLEY movie fixes. Here’s what we learned. BY ANTHONY KHAYKIN

A T

record music that you houghiswe all know the can hold.

It’s a circular, Internet is for porn shiny, cutQ), of the vi(thanksblack Avenue nyl inscribed with tiny grooves bedroom is no longer the only that store sounds. it area being ceded to You digitalplay terriby placing it atop a spinning tory. For every girl with daddy’s turntable.

The needle grazes AmEx, window browsing on its surface, releasing the sound Fifth Avenue has been replaced waves into the atmosphere. with online shopping.

And This process must repeated FYEs everywhere be have virtuwhen the rendered side reaches its (pun end. ally been useless In the case of a double album intended) with the existence of like, say, The Beatles’ the multifarious iTunes “White store.

Album,” the course musthere be Things are no different completed four times.

At The at Penn, where the Rave gets Marvelous nearly half record the traffishop, c for the “White Album” leans nose– midnight screenings of blockto–shoulder against “Sergeant buster hits like Twilight as Hulu Pepper’s Club does the Lonely day afterHearts the newest Band” in a wooden nook laepisode of 30 Rock airs. This beled “BEATLES.” This one is makes sense. We Penn students priced at $95. are too busy procrastinating Marvelous onThe Penn InTouch has andrecently designrelocated from Penn’s campus ing funny lacrosse pinnies for to near in 49th theBaltimore clubs we’reAve., involved to St. Martinofhas leaveBryan the comfort ourworked beds to

there seven years, at both annoyance. but watch for Hugo in theaters.

And we more you guess then that Fair, Penn stulocations.

He co–owns a percoming from a vinyl connoisfit this mold of overworked Ivy dents would prefer to get their centage of the store withonly his seur, it’s disarming. ability League students well, with RomCom fix onlineThe with free business partner, Dave Koch. to store fi les digitally has reabout 17% of Penn undergrads streaming websites like SideReel He spends up to 10 hours per placed the need for hard copwatching movies at the Rave ev- and Ch131 rather than pay for day, five days per week, wad- ies of media — not mention ery semester. services provided by to Netfl ix and ingBut through records.

He sells the brick and mortar markets how about the other ste- Redbox? records.

Heone buys He that sell them. reotype, the thatrecords. says all colWhile 75% of us watch movcleans records with a round, By the very of the lege students are poor? The free ies online, nearlynature 50% pay for hairy brush.

He handles remedium, records refuse to fadea movement of information made it. I hear Horrible Bosses — cords between his big, sturdy music.—Listenpossible by the interweb makes to newbackground release on iTunes is hyshands, like pieces of fine china. terical, but is ButWhose his firecommendations rst task every morndo you take? it worth the ing50is to set the mood for the47.7% 1.5 salads at Other day — to select a soundtrack Sweetgreen 40% A Friend for40his customers. He does this it would Cinema Studies by 30hitting “shuffle” on his iPod have cost if Major 26.2% 25% 25% nano.

I had seen it Professor or TA 20 He’s a big guy, with a soft in theaters?

Street beard and light eyes. His voice Ramen noo10 *Students surveyed were allowed to choose more is low and polite — until I ask dles aren’t than one option.

0 the iPod. “If you weren’t about that bad, I here, I’d be running around guess. like a maniac, and I don’t have entertainment accessible and The average Penn student time to flip to a record inexpensive anyoneover,” with he an (who is anything but average, if says with some humor, and you ask Amy Gutmann) watchAirPennNet account. Wouldn’t

How Penn Students Watch Movies Borrow from Library

24.6%

Don't Watch Movies Theaters

Freewheel Streaming ing requires his bicycle 47.7% active participa- Now he can tion: you must get up to16.9% flip into workPaid without Onlinehitch: Servicesone the record over. “It’s a protest perk of no longer being underin a sense”, Bryan says, of the ground. The lack of sunlight physicality of the act, 9.2% predict- at the old location contribing a backlash in the future uted to what Dave designates against what he calls “virtual 1.5% as a “psychic problem.” There bullshit culture.” He goes on: were concrete woes too: leaks “For the most part, it's tough from upstairs were flooding to sell on that, the store, ruining thousands of Whypeople do you go toandthein movies? order for people’s sanity to get dollars' worth of jazz records.

3.1% 6.3% The landlord was rigid. And to Other top it all off, employees weren’t It's a way to hang out with friends feeling quite right. Upon 25% It's a good study break 40.6% move–out, black mold was disIt makesin youthe feel stacks. relaxed and happy covered 25% Now, things Required for Classhave never been better for The Marvelous, albeit with one exception: “We may be selling a little less Beates seven movies, more or less, les than we were on 40th St.,” every semester. Simple arithme- Bryan concedes. But “every tic proves that it’s $40 cheaper day is busier than this time last to watch said movies on Netflix year,” he affirms, estimating than at the Rave, and an addi- that 20 to 100 records are sold tional $20 less on iTunes (cost per day. I’m somewhat skeptiof popcorn and Mike and Ikes cal — the only "customer" I’ve reoriented, things seen so far was selling records. not includedit inrequires these calculalike getting people to physi- He had Bob Dylan’s “Blood tions). The low cost of watchcally pick up a record or for do on the Tracks,” plus three Daing seven movies on iTunes >> Total amount of something.”

Each record sold less than 30 bucks is worth the vid Bowie albums. But after we money spent in movie is emblematic of thisthat idea. many conveniences online finish talking, Bryan makes a theaters* by Penn Forservices background, ThenotMarpaid afford us: be- phone call. “We have a copy students each semester velous used to bebylocated on of 'Ziggy Stardust.' Would you ing interrupted incessant 40th St., and in the basementthe of like us to hold it for you?” Bebuffering commercials, Smoke’s —toyes, that Smoke’s. immunity computer viruses fore my visit is over, another Despite just overnota havmile one of those Bowie records is and mostbeing importantly, awaytofrom ing wait its 54 former minuteshome, after gone. And they arrived after I >> Total amount of the re–route is a lesson con- did. watching 72 minutes of ainmovie money trasts.

There’s a park across the Like thespent wareswatching it sells, The on Megavideo. online, if all people particiwho street the new location — Marvelous requires Notfrom to mention, it’s a small paid for online services small,tobut neat, andyou lively after It requires patrons. It price pay when look at pation. used iTunes* school on a Wednesday after- requires a journey that might the big picture — the combined noon. Aof man makes of hisPenn way be one block or 20. It asks savings the 47.7% across, entering thetheir store and you to search and find, rumstudents who pay for online wheelingrather his bicycle to thetoback services than going the mage through stacks, put on without acknowledging movie theater is somewhereus.be-I the well–worn headphones assume$196,136 he’s a regular.

Once he and tween and $295,344, spin at the of listening >>test Total amount depending on whether use station. starts shelving records, they I realize “The universe didn’t money spent watching Netfl ix works or iTunes, that he here.respectively. happen from not moving.” online, if all people who Moral story He is: we won'ta Bryan Thisofisthe Dave. wears “And services that’s what paid says. for online judge you just stay ininbed. funnyifcap trimmed tribal allused music is — vibrations.”

Netflix* patterns that turns up at the Records are cradled in hands, *A He’s simple random sample hung on walls and whirled on sides. slight, with nervous *$12.50/ticket at theMarvelous.

Rave of eyes100 andPenn a coyundergrads smile. Like were Bry- turntables at The *$3.99 to rent a movie on iTunes surveyed to collect dataMarvelabout You an, he’s worked at The move, and so do they. *$7.99/month on Netflix their film viewing habits. ous for years, at both locations.

BY THE NUMBERS

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TITUS ANDRONICUS AND CEREMONY

BY JACK LAVIOLETTE

Titus Andronicus cooks their rivals and serves them to the crowd. Don't you wanna meet those guys?

@34st

I

Titus Andronicus and fans on a roller coaster

punk show — brought the pissed–off adolescents in droves. The mosh pit immediately got underway when Ceremony took the stage, complete with kids running on stage and singing into the mic until someone else got up and tackled them — not necessarily my scene, but it was fun to watch Ceremony play some of their best songs from 2010's “Rohnert Park.”

Titus Andronicus released their new album, “Local Business,” only a couple days before the show, so naturally they did a few new songs to show off the material. The bulk of the show was taken from their album “The Monitor,” with which the crowd was extremely familiar.

Songs like “Richard II” had everyone in full sing–along mode. They played an extremely long set — well over two hours — that vacillated between slow build– ups and rocking choruses.

The crowd was extremely receptive, as has been typical at First Unitarian. The show was a great mix of two bands different enough to have distinct sets, yet with enough cohesion to not feel incongruous.

34TH STREET Magazine November 1, 2012

t’s always a good feeling — or, at least, a holistically satisfying feeling — when you leave a show with your ears ringing, covered in equal parts your own sweat, other people’s sweat, and beer. That was the case after walking out of the basement of the First Unitarian Church near 21st and Chestnut after the Titus Andronicus show, opened by hardcore –favorite Ceremony.

While Titus Andronicus is often grouped in the post– and pop–punk families, their musical influences are just as strongly rooted in indie rock. A lot of their fans were well into their twenties and preferred to inconspicuously bob their heads and sip their microbrews, while the younger crowd raucously danced right up next to the stage. Ceremony, on the other hand — a band who probably would have headlined at a more strictly

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CONCERT RECAP:

A guitarist stubs his toe 13

highbrow ego food & drink film feature music arts lowbrow

MARVELOUS SURROUNDINGS Make your trip to The Marvelous a full–on adventure by stopping by some of Philly’s most diverse locations.

ALBUM REVIEWS CALVIN HARRIS— "18 MONTHS"

BY ALEX HOSENBALL

}

A–Space (4722 Baltimore Ave.) A self–titled “anarchist community space,” A–Space is run by a group of anarchists who collectively run every aspect of its business. As such, it hosts weekly community service projects, art shows and interest meetings. Perhaps one of Philly’s most curious locations, A– Space is an experiment in anarchy for the public good — one which seems to work for the most part.

}

Mariposa Co–Op (4824 Baltimore Ave.) Mariposa, roughly a block away from The Marvelous, is a unique institution. By purchasing membership with the co–op, you can buy locally–sourced, organic produce at a lower price point and even help make the store’s managerial decisions. Just like A–Space, Mariposa is a further expansion of consumer democracy in West Philly, particularly on Baltimore, where it appears most rampant.

Calvin Harris has got the formula down with his newest album, “18 Months.” The Scottish DJ’s catchy electro beats have high energy and low experimentation, but they clearly work based on the popularity of two familiar tracks, “Feel So Close” and the Rihanna hit, “We Found Love,” both of which aren’t by any definition new — but they appear on the album anyway. In terms of new tracks, the album’s breakout hit will probably be the spazzy but infectious single, “Here 2 China,” a collaboration with Dizzee Rascal that has the one solid rap on the album. Other big guest appearances include catchy vocals from Ellie Goulding on “I Need Your Love,” and the typical shenanigans from powerhouse vocalist and resident crazy lady Florence Welch on “Sweet Nothing.” If you want to get a sense of what our venerable frat institutions will be blasting this winter, listen to “18 Months.”

— Michelle Ma

NEIL YOUNG — "PSYCHEDELIC PILL"

}

34TH STREET Magazine November 1, 2012

Fu–Wah Mini Market (810 S. 47th St.)

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Street eds agree: this sketchy–on– the–outside, standard–on–the– inside mini–mart is the place to go for homemade Vietnamese hoagies, or Banh–Mi. If you’re heading to The Marvelous, stop by Fu–Wah first for a spicy bite of Vietnamese culture.

}

A Liquor Store (4906 Baltimore Ave.) Though tinier and less well–stocked than its Center City bretheren, Penn’s (now) closest liqour store is just a few steps away from The Marvelous. The staff is friendly, even sometimes nurturing, and its proximity to the myriad BYOs in the area means you never have to go to dinner sober.

What’s the one word to describe “Psychedelic Pill”? Bland — Neil Young’s 35th studio album churns out a monotonous repetition of forgettable guitar riffs and tacky lyrics. In “Driftin’ Back,” the 16–minute album opener, Young reminisces about the past through uninspired lyrics and a generic guitar solo that seems self–indulgent and never–ending. The rest of the songs continue in a similar fashion; Young’s stale reflections all run together into a continuous flow of boring, passable lyricism and guitar work. After an array of unrelenting tedium, “She’s Always Dancing” momentarily reinvigorates the album: dynamic vocals are a refreshing change from Young’s usual bluesy falsetto. However, one good song doesn’t make up for the overarching monotony. This “Psychedelic” is one pill you don’t want to take.

— Minji Kwak

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highbrow ego food & drink film feature music arts lowbrow 34TH STREET Magazine November 1, 2012 16

ARTS

GETTING THE WEB

ON

Art.sy makes finding your next fave artist a lot easier than cracking open an art history textbook.

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BY LAURA FRANCIS

f you imagine the illegitimate child of Pandora, MoMA, the Sartorialist and the site Allposters.com, you’d have Art. sy, the internet’s newest artistic outpost.

The website brings together more than 25,000 works of art into one fashionable interface.

Users can browse without the restrictions of gallery space, and Art.sy even suggests other pieces based on a set of 800 art “genes” developed by its team. Works displayed on the site are often for sale, too, and the click of a button can connect users to a specialist ready with purchasing information.

Art.sy lends a helpful hand to those looking to explore art and opens a new marketplace for those selling their work. But it's also a strange mix of commercial consumption and fine art, of the internet’s impersonality and a gallery’s intimacy. This raises serious concerns for the site’s true function and how the art world will handle digitization, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have fun with it.

Even searching something like “hot dog” brings up a playful set of results. Mel Ramos’s 1965 “Doggie Dina” paints a pin–up type blonde lounging naked in a bun.

Raul Ortega Alaya’s “Tomatina/ Tim” juxtaposes photographs of a man eating a pile of hot dogs and a mess of human bodies crushing

…and let Street satisfy your culture cravings every week with these Philly arts finds.

BY NICOLE MALICK

PUMPKINLAND HARVEST FESTIVAL

Linvilla Orchards 137 W. Knowlton Rd. Now through 11/4 $6–8 Now that Halloween’s passed, ditch that triple–X costume for a triple dosage of fall nostalgia — pumpkin patches, apple picking and corn mazes can all be found at Linvilla Orchard’s final open weekend. And don’t worry about getting cold, because you can snuggle up on a hayride with hot apple cider for a fall treat without any tricks.

ELECTION 2012

"Untitled (Red, Orange)"

tomatoes. Mark Mulroney’s cartoonish 2010 “Steamed Weenies” also comes up.

Searching “necklace” yields a 1654 Rembrandt painting from the Louvre and massive, 50–some–feet high jewelry sculptures made in 2012 by Jean–Michel Othoniel.

"Religion" puts out over 1,600 results, from Botticelli’s 1482 “La Primavera” to Caravaggio’s 1600 “David Victorious Over Goliath” to Mark Rothko’s 1968 “Untitled (Red, Orange).”

Despite the limits of its database size and the questions it raises for the museum industry, Art.sy’s definitely got one thing going for it: the ability to bring such diverse bodies of work into direct conversation with one another.

Eddie Cohen

National Constitution Center 525 Arch St. Activities on 11/6 (Election Day), Exhibit ongoing You’ve read enough tweets to feel like you almost watched the debates, but you can actually get informed at the National Constitution Center’s 2012 Election Headquarters. Platform breakdowns, up–to–date news stories and interactive voting booths (that tell you which candidate best aligns with your views) await, and the presidential crafts and activities are plentiful.

PHILLYBLOCO

The Barnes Foundation 2025 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy.

11/2, 8:30–9:30 p.m.

Castle isn’t the only place to find fun with an international twist: shake up First Friday at this Brazilian festa (that’s “fiesta” in Portuguese, for the uninformed). Learn some sweet Brazilian dance moves to the tune of live drums, samba music and bossa nova. ¡Ay, Caramba!

THE LIAR

Lantern Theater Company 923 Ludlow St. Now through 12/2 $10 Student Rush, $30–38 Regular Take a break from telling your own lies (“Blackboard was down last night, so I couldn’t submit!”) and watch someone else’s unfold. "The Liar" opens this weekend at your friendly neighborhood theater, telling the story of Dorante, who lies his way though this Parisian love story. Put that student discount to work!

“My personal work is less abstract, less colorful, more bleak — kind of represents my outlook on life. That and the old Groucho Marx joke, ‘I would never be part of a club that would have me as a member.’”

Check out more photo–manipulations and videos by Eddie Cohen online @34st.com

In addition to these First Friday opening receptions, Arts picked out some nearby bars worth checking out only a short drunken stumble away from each venue. By gina decagna Spaceplay Vox Populi 319 North 11th St., 3rd Floor 11 p.m.

Check out the opening receptions of some intriguing conceptual artists at Vox Populi, and then scoot over to their adjacent live arts venue to see a modern sci–fi play on a spacecraft that will leave you rambling like a Star Trek junkie.

Nearby Bar: The Trestle Inn 339 N. 11th St. Grab a good drink and bite at this retro–inspired venue from the post–industrial era, which features whiskey and the soul, blues and hip–hop of the 60s and 70s.

Come for a live performance by the funky Mr. Femstar, and grab some free T– shirts and samples of Jim Beam Devil’s Cut while you’re there!

Paper Made! Book Signing & Demonstration with Author Kayte Terry Art Star Gallery & Boutique 623 N. 2nd St. 6–8 p.m.

Calling all Martha Stewart wannabes! Come see author and HGTV expert crafter Kayte Terry put your paper airplanes to shame as she demonstrates how to make a wallflower from her new book, which features hundreds of paper projects. She’ll be there to help you make your own as you sip boozy drinks. Don’t forget to pick up a signed copy of her book.

Nearby Bar: Silk City Diner, Lounge & Beer Garden 435 Spring Garden St. Chill with your cocktail (or beer or wine) beneath whimsical Christmas lights, surrounded by plants, little fountains and paintings. You can even appease those nighttime munchies with tasty appetizers, inside a merry 1950s dining car.

Nearby Bar: Johnny Brenda’s 1201 Frankford Ave. Chill out on the balcony and sit among stylish vintage lamps as you enjoy some high–quality local beers, fried octopus and fancy cheesesteaks. Starting at 10 p.m., rock out to the Riff Mountain DJs at this historical social hall reminiscent of a turn–of–the–century burlesque club or theater.

In Light of the Lens: Withdrawn by Kathryn Borbas The Painted Bride Art Center 230 Vine St. 5–7 p.m.

In this exhibition, local Philadelphia art student Kathryn Borbas cathartically reflects her own battle with chronic physical pain through striking photographs and powerful mixed media pieces showing contortions of the body.

Nearby Bar: Paddy’s Old City Pub 228 Race St. Looking to play flip cup with Dennis and Dee and the rest of the gang? Check out Paddy’s, a pub experience inspired by "It’s Always Sunny." Grab some beers as you listen to Irish rock on the juke and take in the welcoming atmosphere of an historic neighborhood.

Nearby Bar: Sugars 225 Church St. You’ll feel like a little kid on a carnival merry–go–round at this fun house pub!

Filled with unique and nostalgic décor like old bumper cars, a Nascar pinball machine, pool tables and brick columns covered in crayon graffiti, you can kick back and relax with a drink while listening to 90s music and licking the abundantly– supplied Dum Dum Pops.

DIY: Post–Halloweekend

Halloween is over, and all you have left to console yourself are now–useless costumes and the remnants of your dignity. Don’t fret, Halloweener, Arts has your back! Here are some fun and easy ways to repurpose your costumes. By MEGAN RUBEN Disney Princess Costume Wow your next formal date with this outfit for what’s sure to be a magical evening.

Ghost Costume Throw this getup on your bed and voila! New bedsheets!

Fake Blood Fake spaghetti sauce. Because why not?

Ripped–up Zombie Apparel This outfit provides concrete evidence that you did in fact get mauled by a rabies–infested, unidentifiable creature that consequently ate your problem set.

[Insert small furry animal here] Ears Cut off the ears, and sew them to the front of a sweater. Can you say trendy!?

34TH STREET Magazine November 1, 2012

Shine by Rebecca Gilbert 110 Church Gallery 110 Church St. In this solo show, Gilbert tells stories through natural imagery and symbolism collected from history, science, superstition and literature. A gifted printmaker, she works with layered woodcuts, glue engravings, print sculptures and installations.

Small Works Show Philadelphia Sculpture Gym 1834 E. Frankford Ave. 6–9 p.m.

Wander around the opening reception of a new exhibition featuring 21 artists who made mini–sculptures no larger than a foot–long cube. See how this community of modern Michelangelos builds things out of unordinary objects.

highbrow ego food & drink film feature music arts lowbrow

Thank God it's (First) Friday

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highbrow ego food & drink film feature music arts lowbrow

LOWBROW

POKE–CANDIDATES

34TH STREET Magazine November 1, 2012

The big election is coming up, and voting for your candidate is nice and all, but know what would make the whole thing better? If they were Pokemon. Before you choose your political team, check out their stats.

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highbrow ego food & drink film feature music arts lowbrow

THE FOLLOWING SECTION IS A PAID ADVERTISEMENT

34th Street Bar Guide

CHERRYSTREET

129 N. 22nd Street • 215-561-5683 — We’re located a block from the Schuylkill River Trail and known for our great community atmosphere. Come by for great food, great drinks, and a great time!

HAPPY HOUR SPECIALS DAILY • KITCHEN OPEN UNTIL MIDNIGHT

The Starlight Ballroom — 452-472 N. 9th Street • 215-908-2063 • starlight-ballroom.com Venue available to book parties!

FREE PIZZA NIGHTS every Wednesday night from 9pm-2am. Industrial/house music night

Club Pulse — 1526 Sansom Street • 215-751-2711 • pulsephilly.com THURSDAY — COLLEGE NIGHT AT PULSE! 10:00 p.m. to 3:30 a.m. • Live Band and DJ all Night!

• Drink Specials $2 Beer, $3 Mix Drink

Dock Street Brewery & Restaurant

NO COVER CHARGE — TUE, THU, FRI, SAT AND SUN

Lucky Wednesdays: 18 to Party & 21 to Drink Top DJs will spin the night away!

11 pm to 3:30 am

701 S. 50th Street • 215-726-2337 • www.dockstreetbeer.com Founded in 1985, Dock Street is the 1st microbrewery in Philadelphia and one of the 1st in the country. Dock Street Brewery is located in a majestic, old firehouse. We’re known for our delicious, artisanal beers brewed on premise along with awardwinning wood fired gourmet pizzas, sandwiches, salads, vegan and vegetarian specialties. Movie night every Tuesday at 8pm!

Copabanana — 40th & Spruce • 215-382-1330 • copabanana.com/uni.php

34TH STREET Magazine November 1, 2012

tAVERN

A guide to bars and nightclubs on or near Penn’s campus

Copabanana is THE place to go for margaritas! Half price margaritas Mondays from noon to midnight. Happy Hour Mondays to Fridays from 5-7pm. Open late seven days a week! Philly’s award winning DJ Karaoke Joe is now at the Copabanana 40th and Spruce from 9:30 on Thursdays !

STARTING OCTOBER 7th — Sunday brunch!

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Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, November 6.

If you have any problems or questions don't hesitate to contact the Philadelphia county voter registration office or visit www.votespa.com.

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7. USP Rosenberger Hall 600 S. 43rd St. 8. Woodland Presbyterian Church 401 S. 42nd St. 9. Free Library of Philadelphia 201 S. 40th St. 10. Spruce Hill Community Association 257 S. 45th St. 11. Penn Care & Rehab Center 3609 Chestnut St. 13. Robeson High School 4125 Ludlow St.

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14. Spruce Hill Community Association 257 S. 45th St. 18. Steinberg-Deitrich Hall 3620 Locust Walk 19. Hill College House 3333 Walnut St. 20. Harrison College House 3910 Irving St. 21. Harnwell College House 3820 Locust Walk 22. Houston Hall 3417 Spruce St. 23. Fairfax Apartments 4247 Locust St.

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POLLING PLACES If you're democr an American ci at t Regardl ic muscles and izen (and not a e f make yo ss of your polit vote in the pre elon), hopefull ical lean sidentia y you w ur voice ill l course, i the first heard and stan ng, this Electio election next T flex your u d n elimina ted that step to voting i up for the iss Day is an opp esday. ues clos s knowi o hurdle f rtunity t ng es or you w o ith this where to cast t to you. And o handy m your bal f lot. We'v ap. e To figur e below to out your pollin g that's yo find the numb place, locate y e ou ur pollin r g place. of your district r registered ad . Find th d Happy v at numb ress on the ma oting! p er in the list —

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