Grid Magazine September 2018 [#112]

SEPTEMBER 2018 / ISSUE 112 / GRIDPHILLY.COM

T O W A R D A S U S TA I N A B L E P H I L A D E L P H I A

THE ART OF THE UPCYCLE How to skirt fast fashion and throwaway culture PLUS

Philly Farm and Food Fest moves to the Navy Yard

SPECIAL INSERT

PHILLY MUSIC FEST 2018

Jacket by AndAgain, made entirely with repurposed denim

Accidental Jeweler Machele Nettles didn’t set out to become a jeweler. An industrial designer by training, she started making decorative window pieces from old chandelier crystals. Her friends responded in an unexpected way. “Every girlfriend that came to my house took them off the window and put them around their neck.”

Seeing the viability of working in jewelry, Machele sought out the tools to really manifest her ideas. This led her to NextFab’s North Philadelphia location and its jewelry studio. Machele’s work is at first simple–clean, colorful and geometric–but as you look closer it draws you in to greater complexity. Colors magically shift, surfaces change from reflective to transparent and the “ jewels” appear to have infinite depth.

Scientific glass is the core of her work, and it is all industrial refuse. In a consumer society that produces garbage at an ever accelerating rate, she’s very wary of adding more junk to the world. She’s been able to gracefully invert that by turning “ junk” into jewelry.

“After getting a degree in industrial design, I wanted nothing to do with mass production. The program I went through was pretty blue sky and environmentally driven. That manifested for me in the way that my work is usually questioning the nature of objects and there is often an aspect of upcycling or repurposing.”

“A lot of ‘garbage’ is actually just misdirected. Manufacturers don’t see the value in their cast offs or deadstock and/or can’t find a proper outlet for it. The jewelry started out that way – glass used for laser optics has extremely high standards.

Sometimes a batch doesn’t meet spec and gets tossed. I thought that was a good opportunity.”

“The facility and staff [at NextFab] have been invaluable,” says Machele. “The community is second to none and there are so many tools available to learn and use. I say I’m self-taught but in actuality being a member...is like having a private teacher whenever you need one. There is no way I’d be half as far along in jewelry making if it weren’t for NextFab.”

Turn ideas into reality at NextFab, a network of collaborative makerspaces for creators of any skill level or interest.

Learn more at nextfab.com 3D Printing

Electronics

Photography

Metalworking

Laser Cutting

South Philadelphia North Philadelphia

2D Printing

Software

Textiles

Woodworking

Jewelry

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EDI TO R ’S NOTES

by

alex mulcahy

Third Verse, Same As The First publisher Alex Mulcahy editor-in-chief Alex Mulcahy alex@gridphilly.com 215.625.9850 ext. 102 associate editor Vince Bellino copy editor David Jack Daniels art director Michael Wohlberg michael@redflagmedia.com 215.625.9850 ext. 113 writers Bernard Brown Constance Garcia-Barrio Ogbonna Hagins Akbar Hossain Alexandra W. Jones Randy LoBasso Paige Wolf photographers Kriston Jae Bethel Margo Reed Gene Smirnov Rachael Warriner illustrators Kirsten Harper advertising Santino Blanco santino@gridphilly.com 215.625.9850 ext. 112 distribution Alex Yarde alex.yarde@redflagmedia.com 215.625.9850 ext. 107 published by Red Flag Media 1032 Arch Street, 3rd Floor Philadelphia, PA 19107 215.625.9850 G R I D P H I L LY. C O M

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I

came to publishing magazines as a result of the intersection of three personality traits. First, I love to share things that excite me. I get that from my dad, who is always pushing something, using hyperbole to describe a horseradish sauce, a sugar cookie or a TV show.

He doesn’t rest until he’s cornered you with a product sample, and you are best advised to nod your head and say, yes, “Cash Cab” really is a clever show. I’m like that, too. Ask me about the comedy of Bo Burnham, and you likely will not escape any time soon.

Second, I have an entrepreneurial streak. While my classmates in grade school were content to coast on the kindness of friends and family for school fundraisers, I pounded the pavement and knocked on doors. I’ve always loved making a sale.

Third, and this was the catalyst, I’ve always loved music. At the age of 9, an older, cooler cousin introduced me to The Beatles, and that changed my life. I began what became a quest to devour as much 20th century pop music as I could. By the time I was a teenager, nothing was more important than listening to every record that Rolling Stone raved about, or every artist that someone who I liked name dropped in an interview. I talked about music endlessly.

In college I joined the radio station and worked for the local record store, the Gallery of Sound. There I got involved with a publication they were producing, and suddenly I had a career path.

Eventually my interest in discovering new music took a backseat to other passions, specifically sustainability. In some ways, obsessing about obscure bands while the fate of humanity hung in the balance seemed trivial. I didn’t exactly abandon listening to music, but it was no longer central to my life.

A year or two ago, my friend George Miller, who has been publishing JUMP, a magazine devoted to covering

Philadelphia’s music scene, approached me about taking over the publication.

I was reluctant and a bit skeptical. But George is a pretty good salesman, too, and I began to consider it more seriously.

Maybe it would be fun.

I began to delve more deeply into Philly’s music scene, and was blown away.

These guys are all from Philly? No way! But it’s true. Right under my nose has been a treasure trove of music.

In this issue, we have our first foray as publishers of JUMP. It’s an editorial partnership with Philly Music Fest, a four-day event exclusively featuring local musicians. The idea for the festival was hatched by Greg Seltzer, a music enthusiast who rightly believes that Philadelphia is experiencing a golden age. It’s incredibly exciting to be part of this event.

Ten years ago when I decided to focus my life almost entirely on sustainability, it was in some way because I felt the weight of the world on my shoulders. As I venture back into working directly on a music magazine, I think it might be for the same reason.

While I don’t plan to lose the thread, or sense of urgency, regarding sustainability, it’s time for me to plug back into joy. To let it out, and let it in. To have some fun.

I hope you enjoy reading the JUMP Philly Music Festival section as much as I had putting it together. Can’t wait to see those shows. And please join us at Ortleib’s Lounge on October 6th for an issue release party of JUMP. False Tracks, Secret Nudist Friends, Zip-Tie Handcuffs and Canine 10 will all be playing. I hope you join us, but either way, don’t miss out on the fun.

ALEX MULCAHY Editor-in-Chief alex@gridphilly.com

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BI K E TA LK

by

randy lobasso

Biking Our Way to Clean Air

W

hen paul glover lived in Los Angeles in the early 80s, the air quality and smog were so bad, he bought himself a respirator to get around town on his bicycle.

“And I changed the filters often,” he says.

“From white, they turned gray and yellow.”

Now a resident of Northwest Philadelphia resident, Glover still uses his bicycle to get around, and often gets deja-vu.

“Center City air is not quite as bad, but officially poor,” says Glover, who is seeking the Green Party nomination for governor of Pennsylvania. Glover wears a smog mask while riding in Philadelphia now.

Los Angeles’s pollution woes are wellknown. Philadelphia’s air quality is less discussed, but it’s bad.

Despite the City’s commitment to the Paris Accords and green initiatives, most of the long-term changes involve green energy initiatives. There’s less willpower to get people out of cars and onto alternative modes of transportation, which may be the only thing that’ll put a dent into our massive pollution problem.

The Philadelphia Metro Region experienced more elevated air pollution days in 2016 than any other city in the United States, except Los Angeles, according to a recent Penn Environment report. Philadelphia is the 15th-deadliest city for air pollution in the U.S., killing 126 people per year, according to the American Thoracic Society and Marron Institute at New York University.

For Ryan Lohbauer, an architect who lives in South Philadelphia, putting on his Vogmask—a so-called “wellness mask” that blocks dust, allergens, post combustion particles, germs, and other particles—to ride his bike to work has become second nature.

“If you’re outside and on the streets … you can taste the air sometimes,” he notes. “It depends on the weather and what the traffic

conditions are, but it’s not an invisible thing, completely. When you start thinking about it more, you think, ‘What are the actual risks? And should we be tolerating this?’”

Ground-level ozone pollution is formed when pollutants from cars and other sources have a chemical reaction with sunlight and hot weather—something you typically see in the summer—and is tracked by the Environmental Protection Agency on a dayto-day basis.

Christopher Bryan, who commutes via bicycle from Manayunk to Temple University (and has developed asthma since moving to Philadelphia), says he worries about pollution. He says, “I hold my breath when a big truck rolls by to avoid inhaling the exhaust.”

One gallon of gasoline emits 8,887 grams of CO2 emissions and one mile of driving emits 404 grams of CO2, according to the EPA. It’s estimated that a single person riding a bicycle six miles round trip each day, to work or school, saves 3,306 pounds of greenhouse gases each year.

Motor vehicles collectively contribute to 75 percent of the carbon monoxide pollution in the U.S and about a third of the air pollution that produces smog. In 2017, transportation became the biggest source of CO2 in the United States. Unfortunately, the EPA has continued to handicap its own ability to regulate smog.

While cycling has risks, the health benefits actually outweigh the potential negative effects, according to recent research conducted by Columbia University.

When you ditch your car and commit to a bicycle, subway or train for your daily commutes, you’re helping reduce Philadelphia’s carbon footprint.

And by reducing your carbon footprint, you may be helping to reduce the yearly death and disease toll that plagues the city.

randy lobasso is the communications manager at the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia.

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ACCESS TO J USTICE

by

akbar hossain

Immigrants Need Public Defenders

M

ayor kenney’s recent announcement that Philadelphia would not renew its data-sharing agreement with ICE has been hailed as a major victory for the “occupy ICE” protesters in Philadelphia, and the “abolish ICE” movement nationally. While ending the contract is a great start in pushing back against the dubious practices of the White House, Philadelphia can (and should) do more for its vulnerable communities.

One concrete action the city can take is to invest in a public defender’s system for immigrants who are at risk of deportation.

Immigration is a civil matter, and therefore, our justice system does not guarantee legal representation for anyone involved in deportation proceedings. If an immigrant (documented or undocumented) is suspected of committing a crime and is arrested, they must either hire a private attorney or rely on the generosity of a pro-bono lawyer.

If they cannot afford a costly private attorney, other opportunities are hard to come by—I would know.

While in law school, I volunteered with two of the largest immigrant-support organizations in Philadelphia—Nationalities Services Center and the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS)—and their capacity to handle the volume of deportation cases is limited. The federal government continues to severely cut funding. Many of these organizations rely on private donations to keep their lights on.

The impact is telling: In 2016 alone, of those facing deportation without an attorney, 90 percent had their claims rejected (compared to the 48 percent rejection rate for represented individuals).

A public-defender system for immigrants is not a novel idea. It has been tried in other major cities, and there are various

established models to critique, revise, and implement in Philadelphia. In 2014, New York City, with assistance from the Vera Institute, funded an immigrant-specific public-defender system, the New York Immigrant Family Unity Project. Together, they guarantee legal representation for every single immigrant facing deportation, and the results have been staggering: since implementation, 12 times as many immigrants at Varick Street Immigration Court have won their cases in comparison to their counterparts.

A public-defender system for immigrants facing deportation makes economic sense, too. In 2016, the number of pending deportation cases passed half a million nationally, with wait times averaging close to two years. As of September 2016, there were 6,703 pending cases in Philadelphia courts alone. Taxpayers have to foot the bill for holding these individuals in prison, and access to attorneys would mean faster processing times. The Vera Institute is offering grants to help offset costs for cities that want to implement these ideas. A recent study estimated an economic benefit of over $2.7 million just from the individuals who have left the system and are working to contribute to the fabric of our society in New York. Philadelphia can realize such gains as well.

Mayor Kenney and the city leadership certainly have a lot on their plate. With over a quarter of Philadelphia’s population below the poverty level and public schools that are crumbling, there are multiple crises to address. But city leadership should look at offering a public-defender system for immigrants as an opportunity to prove itself on a national stage. We are the birthplace of America’s democracy. The least we can do is take care of those being targeted by the administration.

akbar hossain writes about community engagement, immigrants’ rights and access to education 10

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EN V IRO N M E N T

urban naturalist

Learning To Fly Again A wildlife center for convalescing animals finds by bernard brown a new home

A

brood of fledgling kestrels— America’s smallest falcons that are adorable even as adults—peer through the front of their cage, which sits at the top of shelves filled with animals on the mend. “These are ones we raised from fallen nestlings,” explains Michele Wellard, assistant director of the Philadelphia Metro Wildlife Center. Wellard is careful to make clear that fallen nestlings should be re-nested close to where they are found, if possible. “Much as we love raising birds, we want them to go back to their real parents, but when that’s not possible, they come here.”

All sorts of animals wind up at the center.

One shelf down from the kestrels, a litter of opossums peek out of their own cage as 12

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their mother sleeps; she had been wounded in a collision with a car. “It’s really common for a mother possum to get hit [by a car] and have a pouch full of babies,” says Wellard.

In another cage pigeons flap about. They were nearly ready for release, but having come in as individual injured birds, they were being socialized so they could be discharged as a flock. A snapping turtle sits in a few inches of water in a plastic tub on the floor while its cracked shell heals.

On the other side of a doorway from the kestrels and their roommates, four volunteers prepare opossum food by mixing dog food with finely chopped vegetables. Their goal is to keep the patients from avoiding the vegetables. One volunteer, Maryann Navarro, has been with the center off and on

since 1998. “I believe that if there’s no more wildlife, we’re not far behind as humans,” she says.

This room is otherwise filled with more cages, as well as an incubator housing nestling birds. Wellard opens the incubator and removes a box lined with a towel. The room immediately fills with the noise of harsh, incessant cheeping. Nestling chimney swifts cling to the side and clamor for mealworms that Wellard feeds them with forceps. “We get a lot of chimney swifts. They’re kind of a specialty of ours.” Their neighbors include an orphaned mockingbird and a fledgling robin that survived a cat attack.

Wellard cited cars and domestic cats as the leading hazards that land wild animals at the clinic, “but also accidental lawnmowP HOTO G RAP HY BY M ARGO REED

Grid_September_Destination_4 5x9 75_8 09 18.pdf 1 8/9/2018 3:45:40 PM

A nestling is fed with a pair of forceps. A baby opossum is cared for as its mother recovers from a car collision.

ering over baby rabbits… then you’ve got cruelty, kidnapping fledglings accidentally.” It is natural for birds leaving the nest to spend a few days on the ground, fed by their parents as they learn to fly, but not all caring humans realize that. Similarly, people are often alarmed to find nests of baby rabbits apparently abandoned, not knowing that rabbit mothers visit only briefly to nurse.

“Normally most people call us first. Fifty percent of our work is done on the phone.”

Not all the animals make it. A great blue heron, a majestic wading bird with a five-foot wingspan, came in with one of its legs hanging by a shred of skin. Maggots swarmed in its wounds. Rick Schubert, the center’s executive director, restrained the C bird’s foot-long beak while Wellard quickly found a vein in its wing and injected a M Y sedative.

Schubert says they are able to release CM about 60 percent of the animals brought in, MY but that isn’t necessarily a failure for the 40 percent that, like the heron, have to be CY euthanized. “Every animal should get, and CMY deserves, prompt, humane, appropriate K care for that animal. So an animal comes in mangled by a cat, its intestines hanging out, that animal has a right to euthanasia. A success isn’t necessarily getting an animal released; the success is treating that animal for what it needs. Given that we are kind of on the front lines of a war against nature, the things we see are often not pretty. We get things that are mauled by cats, mauled by cars, [that have crashed] into buildings, shot, poisoned, caught in netting and things like that.”

Due to a recent split with their longtime organizational sponsor, the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education, the center, like its patients, is in a temporary home. Finding a spot with enough space and proper zoning at the right price has been a challenge. In the meantime, the scrappy nonprofit will do what it can from a small building in King of Prussia. “...What humans do to wildlife [is] what we fix,” Schubert says. “It’s a sacred obligation we have to these animals, to right what’s been done wrong to them.”

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FO O D

philly farm and food fest

Al Fresco Philly Farm and Food Fest relocates to the Navy Yard

by

paige wolf

I

n 2011, fair food decided to bring its mission of uniting local farmers with businesses and consumers to a broader audience with the first Philly Farm and Food Fest (PF3). Held at Reading Terminal Market, the celebration of the Philadelphia area’s local food system brought together farmers, makers, butchers, artisans and educators in the local food economy for a one-day farm and food festival.

Subsequent annual events were held in the Pennsylvania Convention Center, where the layout fluctuated in different incarnations throughout the massive indoor space. But after seven years, the producers of the show wanted to reimagine what was possible.

On Sunday, October 28, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., the eighth annual PF3 will be held on eight acres of land at the Navy Yard. The event has become one of the largest one-day local farm and food festivals in the country, with more than 150 vendors and 4,000 attendees. Now with three times the space,

VISIT THE DAIRY BARN

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The PF3 Dairy Barn exhibit will bring to light the immediate crisis facing Pennsylvania’s dairy farmers. Pennsylvania has the second largest number of dairy farms nationally. However, various production and consumer trends have led to a sharp decrease in demand. In 2016, Pennsylvania lost 120 dairy farms.

The exhibit will showcase Philabundance’s “Abundantly Good” cheese, made in partnership with DiBruno Bros, local food banks and the Pennsylvania dairy industry. The program helped save 12 tanker loads of surplus milk from being wasted by using it to create 66,000 pounds of natural, high-quality cheese by local cheese makers made for hungry Pennsylvanians. “This program paints a phenomenal picture of what can be done with [surplus] milk,” O’Neill says.

“Expanding programs like this could help keep a lot of our dairy farmers in business.”m

they expect those numbers to multiply.

Lisa O’Neill, founder of Growing Roots Partners, which specializes in event planning for local food festivals, came on board this year to reinvigorate the event. The team concluded that despite everything the Convention Center offers, an agricultural and food show should ideally be outside. Additionally, the Convention Center has restrictions on food sales, which prevented exhibitors from cashing in on hungry attendees.

“We really wanted to find a place where we could set up a show where all our vendors could make money,” O’Neill says. “We also needed to spread out and give more space for proper programming and educational opportunities.”

Attendees can now shop with the nearly 200 farmers and producers from the regional marketplace and enjoy local libations in the PF3 Beer Garden and Whiskey Hallow. Through a partnership with The Food Trust, benefit cards will be accepted at select producer stalls, and EBT cardholders

FARMED FIBER

Farmed Fiber will take a look at the importance of Pennsylvania agriculture in the textile fiber world. While fiber isn’t food, it’s an important agricultural industry in Pennsylvania.

Meet alpaca, mohair goats, angora bunnies and sheep to be sheared for the first Sheep to Shawl Competition. The exhibit will also highlight the important history and potential of hemp farming, which is not currently legal in Pennsylvania. “We do have experimental hemp farms in Pennsylvania, and we expect it to be approved to be farmed in the next couple of years,” O’Neill says. “It could become a huge industry for farmers, especially with the trend of CBD oil use.”

Additional focus on local agricultural fiber innovation includes United by Blue’s use of discarded “bison loft” for its ultra-warm puffy coats. The company worked with ranchers to sustainably source the bison’s hollow outer-guard hairs — an underutilized and often discarded fiber — to create superior thermal quality.

will receive a $2 voucher, good at any stall in The Marketplace.

There will be demos on chainsaw carving and, from Honeypie Cooking, hands-on cooking. There will also be a pumpkin patch and even a hayride.

Exhibits include a focus on local cheese producers, sustainable fish and seafood, plant-based cuisine, fermentation, tea and coffee roasters, Kennett Square (the mush-

room capital of the world) and a spotlight on Philly eateries who invest in their community by helping to feed those in need.

Attendees can also meet local cookbook authors and stop by the “Ask a Farmer” area for tips on gardening and livestock.

Come hungry and visit the local food trucks and the Big Rig Local BBQ Competition. Tickets are $15 (free for 12 and under) and available at www.phillyfarmfest.org

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Leaders Readers + Eaters

Scones Phones + Ice Cream Cones

VITA AND THE WOOLF • HARDWORK MOVEMENT • DERRICK HODGE • THE DISTRICTS

SEPTEMBER 2018 JUMPPHILLY.COM

TE M BE

Out In The Storm

01

8

S

Waxahatchee

EP

,2 R 27-30

PUBLISHER

Alex Mulcahy ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Vince Bellino COPY EDITOR

David Jack Daniels DESIGNER

Lauren Denitzio WRITERS

Alexandra W. Jones Emily Kovach Hobart Rowland Lauren Silvestri PHOTOGRAPHERS

Rachel Del Sordo Gene Smirnov ILLUSTRATORS

Kirsten Harper ADVERTISING

Alex Yarde alex.yarde@redflagmedia.com 215.625.9850 ext. 107 DISTRIBUTION

Alex Yarde alex.yarde@redflagmedia.com 215.625.9850 ext. 107 PUBLISHED BY

Red Flag Media 1032 Arch Street, 3rd Floor Philadelphia, PA 19107 215.625.9850 JUMPPHILLY.COM

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FALSE TRACKS SECRET NUDIST FRIENDS ZIP-TIE HANDCUFFS CANINE 10 OCTOBER 6 at ORTLIEB’S LOUNGE 847 n. third st, philadelphia, pa 7 PM • $10 • 21+

2 | JUMP

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Setting the Stage

At Philly Music Fest, the city’s diverse communities come together for four days of shows

by Emily Kovach

A

t the 2017 Philly Music Fest, indie psych band Ceramic Animal took the stage on Friday night at World Cafe Live. Despite the fact that they were a lesser-known local band, their prime 8:30 p.m. time slot meant they were playing to a packed house. The band blazed through their set, electrifying the room and causing a buzz among showgoers.

“It was a killer show,” admits Warren Regan, Ceramic Animal’s lead singer and guitarist. “That kind of helped us later on ... In early 2018, we were offered a spot at South

By Southwest with Amplify Philly. We got to represent Philadelphia there, which I think was a pretty direct result of the Philly Music Fest, which was really cool.”

From there, Ceramic Animal have stayed busy with a handful of tours, culminating in the release of their second album, The Horse, in August. They kicked off their current 22-date U.S. tour with a headlining spot at Bethlehem’s popular Musikfest.

This is the exact scenario Philly Music Fest founder and organizer Greg Seltzer hopes for. A lawyer by day and music fa-

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natic by night, Seltzer sees a connection between the work he does for his clients, mainly local startup companies in the tech and life sciences sectors, and the bands at the festival. “I help startups grow into powerhouse businesses, and I see the Music Fest as a similar instrument to help these bands grow,” he says.

The Philly Music Fest, now on the cusp of its second year, is about giving local acts exposure and strengthening the Philadelphia music community, but it’s also about giving back. Last year, the festival raised over $15,000 for music education nonprofits like Rock to the Future, Musicopia and Play On, Philly.

“The very kernel of creating a full music ecosystem in Philadelphia is educating young kids and making sure they understand that music is part of the fabric of the city, and that it can be an avenue for them,” Seltzer says. “What if we could have a heck of a weekend, celebrate the music scene, get bands well paid and then raise money? It seems like a circle that’s being connected.”

This year, the Philly Music Festival will span four days across three venues: Johnny Brenda’s, World Cafe Live and Milkboy on Chestnut. Every single one of the bands on every show is from the Greater Philadelphia area, with no repeats from last year.

“The four nights are meant to be a representation of the music that’s being played and created in Philadelphia,” Seltzer notes.

“We have big DIY punk scenes in Kensington and West Philly that will be featured at Johnny Brenda’s on Thursday night. Friday and Saturday are a cross section of genres like hip hop, country and indie rock—showcasing some of the hottest bands right now in Philly. And on Sunday, the jazz show at MilkBoy is a special curation by Derrick Hodge, a young but legendary bassist, featuring Philly jazz musicians ranging from 70-year-olds that played with Sun Ra and Stanley Clarke to up-and-coming players that have collaborated with Meek Mill and Kanye West. We want to reflect the diversity of the Philadelphia music scene.”

Whether or not any of the bands get a big break like Ceramic Animal did last year, one thing is certain: Friendships and community between artists will be forged.

Regan says that was his biggest takeaway from the fest last year.

“One of the biggest things [to come out of the Philly Music Fest] was honestly just the relationships ... it just feels tighter now,” he says. “It just feels like something Philadelphia really needs.”

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Out In The Storm Catching up with Waxahatchee

by Hobart Rowland

M

AKE NO MISTAKE, Out In The Storm, Waxahatchee’s 2017 album, is about a nasty breakup, but it’s not completely informed by misery and dejection. It also conveys a tangible sense of freedom and relief.

Through 10 tracks of tightly rendered self-revelation, Katie Crutchfield sounds like a woman on a mission—one who’s been thrust headlong into a cyclone of relational dysfunction and come out the other side transformed. “If I turn to stone, the whole world keeps turnin’,” she sings on “Silver,” the ruggedly catchy first single. “I went out in the storm, and I’m never returnin’.” Such hard-won clarity is cathartic, but there’s also a sense of inner peace, indicating that Crutchfield spent some time sorting through her feelings and gaining perspective before putting proverbial pen to paper. Veteran producer John Agnello (Sonic Youth, Kurt Vile, Hold Steady) was the perfect choice to stabilize Crutchfield’s abrupt mood swings and make her angrier moments palatable

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and sometimes even beautiful. Though beefy and rock-focused, it’s a sound that’s malleable enough to veer from dense to atmospheric to delicate pretty much on a whim. The result is Waxahatchee’s most focused and confident statement so far.

Hell, it’s even a little optimistic.

We caught up with Waxahatchee’s Katie Crutchfield during some downtime between tour legs for Out In The Storm.

Here’s what she had to say about the making of the album.

It’s no secret that Out In The Storm is about weathering a rocky relationship.

And yet there’s not a lot of weakness and self-pity expressed in these songs.

I had the urge to write fresh off the breakup, but every time I sat down to do it, I had to stop myself. It was too earnest, too overthe-top. I needed to wait. By the time I actually sat down to write the songs on the record, the relationship I’m describing had been over for a year and a half. I was right at the end of processing it.

And the album is sequenced that way, especially with “Fade” as the last track.

I actually wanted to put that at the beginning of the album, and (producer) John (Agnello) was like, “No, it doesn’t belong there.” And he was right. I kind of look at the record like a long breakup conversation, and “Fade” is that last breath.

You definitely hear anger on this album, but there’s also a sense of empowerment and even hope.

The relationship I’m describing on the album is something that a lot of people have been through, where there’s this uneven power dynamic. The record was a response to really feeling like I didn’t have a voice in the relationship. So I’m saying all the things I felt like I really didn’t get to say in the moment. I wanted that combative energy to be a force to be reckoned with. I wanted it to sound strong.

Waxahatchee.bandcamp.com Saturday, September 29 at World Cafe Live

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BANDING TOGETHER: Meet Some of the Artists Performing at the 2018 Philly Music Fest Pissed Jeans

PHOTO BY EBRU YILDIZ

This hardcore punk band from Allentown formed in 2004 and has been making noisy, jarring and polarizing sounds since. The four-piece isn’t afraid to have fun with their music, as evidenced in their songs and accompanying music videos for “The Bar is Low” and “Bathroom Laughter.” Their latest album’s (Why Love Now, Sub Pop) absurdist take on pop culture and gender feels especially relevant. Pissed Jeans is not for the easily offended, but if you enjoy raucous, intense music with a sense of humor, then dig in. Thursday, September 27 at Johnny Brenda’s

Soul Glo

Vita and the Woolf Soulful Electro Indie Led by Jen Pague’s Powerful Voice

by Emily Kovach

J

en Pague started her project, Vita and the Woolf, in 2013 in West Chester.

Though the band began with seven members, over time, it was whittled down to Pague as the vocalist, Dane Galloway on guitar and Adam Shumski on drums.

Though perhaps the most remarkable thing about the band is Pague’s voice — a rich, notice-me-now force, swooping easily from sweet soprano to growly alto, there was a time in her life when being a lead singer didn’t seem in the cards.

“When I was younger, I was incredibly uncomfortable with hearing my voice recorded and performing my own songs,” she says. “I would show up to open mics and then leave because I was too scared, but [I] slowly got over that and felt comfortable in public.”

It’s hard to imagine such an expressive, soulful vocalist wanting to hold back her power, but for now, that power is un-

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leashed, rippling over electronic-tinged indie pop in the spirit of Florence and the Machine and Sylvan Esso.

After a busy spring of touring, including an appearance at South by Southwest in March and a West Coast leg opening for The Lighthouse and The Whaler, Vita and the Woolf are preparing to record their second full-length album later this year. With the focus on prepping for studio time, Philly Music Fest is only one of two shows lined up for early fall (the other is September 29 at the Ottobar in Baltimore).

When asked what she’s excited about seeing and doing at Philly Music Fest, Pague replies, “Seeing Waxahatchee, and I’ll probably eat a cheesesteak ... not to be too cliché.”

Vitaandthewoolf.com Friday, September 28 at World Cafe Live

Hardcore punk band Soul Glo sardonically takes their name from a parody product featured in the Eddie Murphy comedy Coming To America (Girls Cartel / SRA), which is said to give black people luscious Jheri curled hair. Like their music, it’s a searing criticism on racism in America, and rails against police brutality and other social justice issues. It’s a more brutal, punk combination of Rage Against The Machine and Dead Prez. Check out “Real Ass Life” and their latest “Tour Tape 2k18” and fight the power! Thursday, September 27 at Johnny Brenda’s

The Mysteries The only mystery about this psychedelic rock band is if they actually are a British rock band from the 60’s and time traveled here to Philly. Their EP New Age Psychedelic Experiment, full of acid rock-laced organ riffs and languid vocals, sounds like a secret collaboration between The Doors and The Yardbirds.

You would be forgiven for mistaking their latest single “Wash Away” as a long lost cut from The Kinks. Friday, September 28 at World Cafe Live

(continued on page 10)

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The Penn Museum’s new Middle East Galleries are made possible with lead support from the Selz Foundation and the William B. Dietrich Foundation, and support from the National Endowment for the Humanities: Exploring the human endeavor, and the Coby Foundation.

Secret American

PHOTO BY NATASHA COHEN-CARROLL

If you were a fan of lead vocalist and principal songwriter Derek Krzywicki’s former project, the acclaimed psychedelic pop-rock quartet Cheers Elephant, chances are you will love Secret American, too. The electrifying seven-piece promises to bring “East Coast heart” and a “West Coast vibe” to their music. While ambitious, Secret American successfully balance the line between easygoing, California pop and DIY Philadelphia indie rock. It’s easy to simply escape into the alternate reality of the band’s lighthearted music, but make sure to tune in to the clever songwriting. Check out the cute but culturally insightful music video for “Why Believe?” Friday, September 28 at World Cafe Live

The Whips

Hardwork Movement Old School Hip-Hop for a New Era

by Emily Kovach

H

ardwork Movement, a hip-hop group with nine members, is kind of like a recipe with so many ingredients you’re not sure how it will turn out.

Will everything combine properly? Will the flavors get all muddled?

But with this multitalented crew, the flavors are loud and clear: old-school commitment to the flow and clever, rapid-fire lyrics, a new-school dismissal of genre limitations and unrelenting beats rattling off a live drum kit. The band, which currently hails primarily from West Philly, does well what larger bands must do, which is to know when to relax and let it ride, the vibe-y groupthink somehow preventing everything from falling apart, and when to tighten up and stick every single note.

The group’s story starts way back in 2002 when the three MCs, RB Ricks, Ricky Banks and Sterling Duns, met in high school. Hardwork Movement started in 2012 when Duns and Banks, who produced many of the early beats, got together and

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decided to put together a project and perform a bit throughout the city.

“RB got looped in to DJ the shows, Jeremy Keys (current vocalist and cellist) got looped in to crush hooks, and the rest is history,” says Duns.

In 2016 Hardwork Movement was the first group to sign to rapper Chill Moody’s digital-only label, #nicethingsMUSIC. A number of singles, a full-length record, For the People, in 2017, and performances at music festivals like SXSW and XPNfest and a growing fan base doesn’t change the band’s love for its Philly roots.

“We also have so much love for the house show scene, which is where we come from,” Duns says. “There’s nothing like a West Philly house show.” The city also gets plenty of shoutouts in songs like “City Bars” and “Living Legends,” and the trippy reverse action music video for “On the Rise” opens on the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum.

Hardworkmovementmusic.com Saturday, September 29 at World Cafe Live

The Whips are such a Philly band that they named their latest album City Wide Special (Suicide Bong/Burger Records).

Just like the special alcoholic offering, The Whips bring a no-frills approach to their music that still packs a punch. The self-described “power-pop sleaze and glammed-up garage” band play neo-rockabilly tunes that would feel right at home playing overhead at The El Bar, Ray’s Happy Birthday Bar, Dirty Frank’s or any other of your favorite dive bars. Listen to the riff-heavy “Hot Tone” and The Undertones-inspired “Last Summer” the next time you get ready for a night out, and you’ll be rocketing out the door. Friday, September 28 at World Cafe Live

Driftwood Soldier Who needs a guitar solo when you can have a wailing mandolin instead? Just ask “gutter folk” duo Driftwood Soldier, which includes a catalog full of foot-stomping riffs. Owen Lyman-Schmidt (vocals, mandolin) and Bobby Szafranski (bass) experiment with folk and bluegrass traditions to produce an off-kilter brand of roots music. Lyman-Schmidt’s unique, deep bass voice (he could easily do a version of “You’re A Mean One, Mr. Grinch”) adds to the eeriness. Their latest EP, Blessings & Blasphemy, features reinterpreted gospel and originals and explores themes of faith and oppression. Start with “Wake Up Sinners” and “Farther Along” to experience the duality of the record. Friday, September 28 at World Cafe Live (continued on page 12)

Palm The music of experimental art-rockers Palm may sound jarring upon first listen.

Does each member of the four-piece even know what the other three are playing?

However, multiple listenings of their latest album, Rock Island (Carpark), reap major rewards, and you start to connect the dots and hear the cohesion between the rock, calypso, jazz, electronic and pop influences. Check out fan favorite “Dog Milk” to prep for Palm’s live performances, which have generated a lot of buzz. Saturday, September 29 at World Cafe Live

PHOTO BY MARCUS JUNIUS LAWS

Ruby The Hatchet

Low Cut Connie Theatrical Rock ‘n’ Roll Weirdness

by Emily Kovach

W

ho is Connie? She is a theoretical collage of women, including snarky diner waitresses, that frontman Adam Weiner encountered as a kid in New Jersey. The Americana-tinged name is perfectly captured by the band’s music: high-drama rock ‘n’ roll with plenty of pounding piano solos, “ooh” and “ahh”-style background vox and loads of sweaty, sexy attitude.

Weiner, who indeed seems a natural born showman, with a mop of untamed curly hair, flamboyant stage outfits and a penchant for climbing atop his piano, says that as a kid he knew he’d be a performer of some sort.

“I was always in bands … going back to age 10. I initially thought I’d be acting or doing performance art of some variety,” he says.

“But playing in Low Cut Connie has become the best expression of all my weirdness.”

The band, which formed in 2010, have experienced a number of big moments along

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its journey: plenty of critical acclaim, including being called “the essence of rock ‘n’ roll” by NPR’s Morning Edition; having a song included in President Barack Obama’s summer 2015 Spotify summer playlist and an interview with Sir Elton John on his radio show, Rocket Hour. But perhaps the biggest coup yet just happened in mid-August: a live performance of their single “All These Kids are Way Too High” on Late Night with Seth Meyers.

It is their live performances that set Low Cut Connie apart from the innumerable throwback rock bands out there. Dynamic, interactive and alive: There is an infectious, raucous joy that emanates from the stage out toward the crowd.

“That’s what we live for … the outrageousness and power of the live gig. Come into the tent and give it a shot,” Weiner says. lowcutconnie.com Friday, September 28 at World Cafe Live

Fronted by the electrifying Jillian Taylor, Ruby The Hatchet offer a psychedelic approach to classic rock combined with a tinge of space rock and sprinkled with references to the occult. Their latest release, Planetary Space Child (Tee Pee), takes the listener on a expansive prog journey into the cosmos, but the true experience is witnessing the quintet’s live spectacle. They are representing Philly this summer all over Europe but will fortunately return just in time for Philly Music Fest. Saturday, September 29 at World Cafe Live

Kingsley Ibeneche As a graduate in Ballet Performance from the University of the Arts and a professional dancer, Ibeneche knows how to interpret music, connecting the body with the soul. Now as a soul and R&B singer-songwriter, Ibeneche takes the next step in his artistic evolution with the experimental EP CHi. His gentle voice lilts within the sound structures he creates on each track. From the brutally honest spoken word track “Selfish Liar” to the up-tempo yet atmospheric “Hidden Track,” you need to add CHi to your queue. Saturday, September 29 at World Cafe Live

Hurry This indie/power pop trio provides the perfect soundtrack when you need a pick-me-up after a draining day at work.

Their latest album, Every Little Thought (Lame-O), earnestly captures the frivolity of young love, and with its 90’s undertones, it would feel right at home on an episode of Friends. Try the surf-inflected “Read Between The Lines” or the shamelessly poppy “Waiting For You”

and challenge yourself not to sing along with singer/guitarist Matt Scottoline’s infectious melodies. Saturday, September 29 at World Cafe Live

Levee Drivers

Orion Sun It’s hard to succinctly describe the sound of multi-instrumentalist Tiffany Majette, but it’s definitely otherworldly. Her 2017 compilation, a collection of fleeting moments and daydreams [sic], combines her jazzy voice with hip-hop, R&B, pop, and electronic influences to create a hypnotic, postmodern masterpiece. Like her inspiration Frank Ocean, Majette’s vulnerability reaches across gender, race and age with universal themes. Start with her songs “Space Jam – An Odyssey,” “Antidote” and “Orion,” and you’ll be sucked into her orbit before you know it. Saturday, September 29 at World Cafe Live

The End of America The End of America create high-powered folk and Americana music that, in tracks like “Russian Fortune,” “Empty Sea,” and “Apoc Jam,” all from their self-titled EP, lyrically addresses issues our nation currently faces. The trio displays excellent vocal chemistry, highlighted in their harmonies that follow in the vein of Crosby, Stills Nash and Young—David Crosby even gave them his seal of approval on Twitter. Saturday, September 29 at World Cafe Live

Man About a Horse This newgrass Americana band brings high hopes that Philly could become the next hub for bluegrass. Founded in 2014, (continued on page 14)

PHOTO BY POONEH GHANA

Originally from Bucks County and western PA, Levee Drivers combine the best elements of country, rock, Americana and soul. Singer/guitarist/harmonica player/songwriter August John Lutz II carries the swagger and soul of a modern-day Johnny Cash, and the rest of the four-piece provide the up-tempo rockabilly sounds that you can’t help but stomp along to. After constant gigging around Philly and the tri-state area for over a decade, the band finally released a full-length album last September titled Motel City Honey. Once you hear “Cinnamon Eyes,” you won’t be able to get it out of your head. Saturday, September 29 at World Cafe Live

The Districts

Teenage Rockers (Kinda) Growing Up

by Emily Kovach

S

o many high school bands get together, play a couple shows and move on with their lives. Not so for The Districts; members Rob Grote (vocals and guitar), Connor Jacobus (bass), and Braden Lawrence (drums) met in grade school, formed the band in 2009 while in high school and just let ‘er rip from there without stopping. Rooted in the charming town of Lititz, the trio has been writing, releasing albums and touring since 2012, with the pace of things only increasing with their signing to legendary indie label Fat Possum Records in 2013.

That was also the year that the band moved to Philadelphia, a change that singer Rob Grote considers one of the more important moments in The District’s history.

“Philly felt like home already to us, and making it our home, that’s just been wonderful,” he says. “There are so many bands that we’ve befriended and learned so much from. We have this practice space in Germantown with a couple other bands in the building, and that’s a really creative, fun vibe.”

The band have three albums under their belts, the most recent of which was

Popular Manipulations, partially produced by acclaimed producer John Congleton (production credits include Kurt Vile and St. Vincent), released in summer 2017.

The album is packed front to back with anthemic ballads and foot stompers like the slow burn “Rattling of the Heart” and the infectious “Violet.” While the band names influences as disparate as the Velvet Underground and Wolf Parade, their sound is hard to really pigeonhole into a genre. Warbly, distortion-charged guitars, driving drum beats, reverby vocals, and occasional synths create a melodic indie rock layer cake. Critical comparisons often include Dr. Dog, The Walkmen and The Libertines, though it wouldn’t be surprised if their fourth album (recorded in early August 2018 in Philadelphia at The Headroom) steers the band down different avenues as they explore life in their twenties. As Grote puts it: “We will be keeping some core elements, but there’s going to be a lot of change and growth on top of it.”

Thedistrictsband.com Saturday, September 29 at World Cafe Live

JUMP | 13

the quintet maintains a traditional lineup that includes a fiddle, banjo and mandolin player but blends this foundation with strands of blues, rock, pop and classical.

Their self-titled 2017 album debuted at No. 11 on the Billboard Bluegrass Chart, and this past August they were nominated for a Band Momentum Award by the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA). Check out the contemplative “You Can Never Go Home Again” and the exhilarating “Grieve, Cry, and Moan.” Saturday, September 29 at World Cafe Live

PHOTO BY CHRIS BALDWIN

Great Time

Derrick Hodge

Jazz bassist composes a unique career path

by Alexandra W. Jones

B

assist Derrick Hodge’s love of jazz began at six years old. It was then, at a church choir performance in West Philly, that the two-time Grammy Award winner saw a jazz bassist play for the first time. From there on out, Hodge was obsessed with the instrument.

Hodge picked up the electric bass in his school orchestra band in elementary school and never put it down again. Because he and his friends learned most songs and riffs by ear, Hodge admits that when he got into Esther Boyer College of Music at Temple University, he “pretty much relearned the instrument from scratch.”

While going to school, Hodge began recording with local R&B and hiphop talent, including Jill Scott, Musiq Soulchild and Floetry. In 2005 he began understudying with Terence Blanchard, who in addition to teaching the young artist about playing and composing, got Hodge started in soundtrack composition. He was a contributing composer to

14 | JUMP

Blanchard’s score for Spike Lee’s When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts, as well as tunes for the trumpeter/composer’s 2007 album A Tale of God’s Will (A Requiem for Katrina).

Hodge’s first solo album, Live Today, was released in 2013. Fusing a wide variety of styles, the album reflects the musical personalities of Hodge’s collaborators, including fellow members of the Robert Glasper Experiment, rapper Common, and pianists Jason Poyser, of the Roots, and Aaron Parks. A follow-up record, The Second, was released in 2016 and praised by the New York Times for “its hypnotic morphing of textures and timbres.”

To date, Hodge has performed and recorded with both jazz greats like Clark Terry and Mulgrew Miller and chart-topping pop artists such as Kanye West and Timbaland. derrickhodge.com Sunday, September 30 at MilkBoy on Chestnut

Great Time like doing things on their own terms. In order to record and produce their debut album themselves, Great Time launched a successful Kickstarter campaign and built their own recording studio on a farm outside of Philly. They don’t disappoint on the final result, the aptly titled GREAT ALBUM (Great Time Studios). The trio (who have additional members for their live sets) fill the album with dancy alternative pop-rock tracks that have additional layers of house, electronic and prog elements. Listen to the energetic “Runnin’” and the hip-hop/R&B infused “Dutchie Mayne,” which features Kingsley Ibeneche on vocals! Saturday, September 29 at World Cafe Live

Justin Faulkner Justin Faulkner, a native of Philadelphia, is an American drummer and educator.

He was recognized as a rising jazz star by the New York Times at 18 years old when he replaced Jeff “Tain” Watts in Branford Marsalis’s quartet at one of New York’s biggest jazz clubs, Jazz Standard.

Faulkner has been playing drums professionally since he was 13 and has played at venues such as Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center, the Sydney Opera House and the Blue Note Jazz Club in Tokyo, Japan. Locally, he has also performed at the Clef Club of Jazz and Performing Arts, the Michener Museum in Doylestown, and the Philadelphia Art Museum. Sunday, September 30 at MilkBoy on Chestnut

Eric Wortham II Born in Philadelphia and raised in Mount Airy, one of Eric Wortham II’s most notable accomplishments was scoring

a gig as Adele’s touring pianist and keyboardist from 2016 to 2017. The jazz and classically trained pianist, composer, songwriter and producer has collaborated with Grammy Award–winning artists like Vivian Green, Aloe Blacc, Kindred the Family and Jamey Haddad. In addition, he’s served as musical director for Phillybased R&B/soul artist Jill Scott. On the piano, his soulful rhythmic feel, innovative hand technique and controlled hand speed are all unique attributes of his playing style. Sunday, September 30 at MilkBoy on Chestnut

Treway & the Now Generation Featuring drummer Bernard “TreWay” Lambert, Treway & the Now Generation is a collective of musicians and singers from the Philly area that plays multiple genres of music. Lambert, at 25, already holds two Grammy plaques and has served as drummer and musical director for artists like Meek Mill, Marsha Ambrosius and Floetry. Lambert began touring with Grammy Award-Winner Tye Tribbett at 16 years old, when he was a junior in high school. He recorded the album Fresh with Tribbett, which reached No. 1 on the Billboard Gospel Charts. A few years later he recorded Greater Than (Live) with Tribbett, which went on to win two Grammy Awards. Sunday, September 30 at MilkBoy on Chestnut

Jaleel Shaw Currently a member of the Roy Haynes Quartet and the Mingus Big Band, Jaleel Shaw is a renowned alto and soprano saxophonist. Shaw began playing alto saxophone when he was nine and went on to earn a dual degree in Music Education and Performance from Berklee College of Music in Boston. Shaw released his debut album, Perspective in 2005, which The New York Times named one of the top-5 debuts of the year. His most recent album, Soundtrack of Things to Come, was released in 2013. Shaw has performed with notable jazz artists like Christian McBride, Jason Moran and Jimmy Cobb. Sunday, September 30 at MilkBoy on Chestnut Artist blurbs by Lauren Silvestri

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WAXAHATCHEE LOW CUT CONNIE VITA AND THE WOOLF

THE MYSTERIES SECRET AMERICAN / THE WHIPS

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cemeteries

Friends Forever Southwestern Burial Ground and Mount Carmel Jewish Cemetery create unlikely interfaith connections by

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L

et’s talk of graves, of worms, and epitaphs…” Shakespeare wrote in Richard II. Given events at two local cemeteries, one might add “interfaith connection” to the Bard’s list.

Tragedy some years ago brought two different faiths together at Friends Southwestern Burial Ground (FSWBG), 236 Powell Lane, Upper Darby, just west of 63rd Street.

“Rafiq Jamison, 21, who worked as a security guard around the corner was shot to death on the job,” says Graham Garner, 63, manager of the burial ground for 16 years.

“His mother, a Muslim, who lives across the street, wanted him nearby. That was our first Muslim burial.”

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More followed. “My son, Asim Mutazz Wood, had autism and sickle cell anemia,” says Shymita Pitts, 45, a Muslim and social worker with the City of Philadelphia. “He died in 2016 at age 19. I love him. His father and I visit him when we can,” Pitts says.

“It’s peaceful,” she says, of the 23-acre site, part of the land King Charles II gave William Penn in 1681.

The Twelfth Street Friends Meeting bought the land, which once held farms and mills, for $9,767 in 1860 because some Friends’ cemeteries in town had grown crowded. The first interment took place in 1862. The most famous permanent resident, Henry Joel Cadbury (1883-1974),

helped to found the American Friends Service (AFSC) in 1917. Cadbury, related to the family of British chocolatiers, accepted the Nobel Peace Prize on behalf of AFSC in 1947.

Neighbors have enjoyed this urban green space for years, though a situation in 1935 resulted in a letter of criticism, according to “Friends Southwestern Burial Ground: A brief history,” by Karen Winner, 2002. “Not only is rubbish deposited, but the various milk company wagons store their empty bottles along the wall, and when the school children pass by, they cannot resist the temptation of smashing them,” the letter said.

Time has wrought change in the area, once virtually all white. “Many Muslim families from Bangladesh, the Middle East and Africa live here now,” Garner says, “and some have chosen to bury loved ones at FSWBG. Of our 5,000 graves, 700 are Muslim.”

Muslim burials follow sharia, or Islamic religious laws, he says. “Within 24 hours of death, the body is bathed, shrouded, and buried on its right side, facing Mecca,” P HOTO G RAP HY BY RACHAE L WARRI NER

Left: The Friends Southwestern Burial Ground has become a postmortem melting pot. Right: Mt. Carmel Cemetery of Wissinoming was desecrated in February 2017, but received an outpouring of international interfaith support.

he says. “The men of the family fill in the graves.”

In some cases, Quaker and Muslim graves look different. Low, plain white stones with the names and dates of birth and death mark Quaker graves, while many Muslim gravesites have flowers and lights on them. “We’re working with the local imams to remove the flowers, lights and prayer rugs,” Garner says. “A grave should be simple and unadorned, but customs around the world vary, and relatives who aren’t Muslim may have other ideas.”

Meanwhile, Quakers and Muslims have begun resting for eternity on the same ground.

The cemetery has become a meeting ground in other respects. Neighbors of different backgrounds walk and jog there.

A community garden also flourishes. “It produces tomatoes, peppers, beans and asparagus,” Garner says. FSWBG keeps him busy year round trimming trees, collecting leaves, preparing for the open-air Meeting for Worship and mending the fence where neighbors have bent bars to take a shortcut across the cemetery. “It’s a lovely site and

there’s plenty to do. We welcome volunteers.” FSWBG has received media attention for its interfaith burials, and Mount Carmel, a Jewish cemetery at 5701 Frankford Avenue founded in the mid-1800s, has made headlines, too, but for different reasons.

The earliest permanent residents at Mount Carmel may have been working-class people, “…possibly immigrants,” says Penina Hoffnung, 57, senior manager of community engagement at the Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia. “Like many of the Jewish community’s historical cemeteries, Mount Carmel is close to the end of a former trolley line,” Hoffnung says. “Maybe families came to visit a grandmother, then had a bite to eat before returning home, a little outing.”

Though Mount Carmel was established around 1850, Philadelphia had a significant Jewish presence much earlier. Jews may have arrived by 1650, some historians speculate. “Quakers’ religious tolerance encouraged Jews to settle here,” Hoffnung says.

That growing community meant a need for cemeteries. “Jewish law requires one be buried in a plain wooden coffin within 24

hours, unless death occurs on the Sabbath,” she says. “In that case, burial takes place within the 24 hours following the Sabbath.”

In February of 2017, vandalism catapulted Mount Carmel to front-page news. Some 275 gravestones were toppled or damaged by persons unknown. A day after the desecration came to light, 20 Jewish institutions across the country, including one in Wynnewood, received bomb threats. “We felt besieged,” Hoffnung says.

Then two things happened: The Jewish Federation organized the Stand Against Hate gathering at Independence Mall on March 2, 2017. Some 5,000 people attended, including leaders from 33 different faith communities.

In addition, money from people of different religious faiths began pouring into the Jewish Federation, which oversaw the restoration of Mount Carmel, to help pay for repairs at the cemetery. “We never asked for money, yet donations from around the world totaled more than $250,000,” Hoffnung says. Still, arduous work lay ahead.

“The money allowed us to raise and reset more than 500 stones, put in a new fence on two sides of the cemetery, and level out the ground, essential for keeping the stones upright.”

Ayel Morgenstern, a 6-year-old Florida girl, added her touch to repairs. She sent 150 pebbles—some painted as ladybugs to represent good luck and others painted with hearts to signify love—to be placed at the gravesites of toppled headstones. “In Jewish tradition, these stones are left at graves in lieu of flowers as a sign of respect and remembrance for the deceased,” Hoffnung says.

Volunteers who helped restore Mount Carmel included Muslims, Christians and people of other faiths.

One hopes that the interfaith connection at these two cemeteries will allow the dead to rest in deeper peace and the living to live thus, too.

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DESIGN OF THE

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TIMES

Three local businesses provide alternatives to the breakneck speed of Fast Fashion by alexandra w. jones

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“SALE” IN BIG S R E T T E L K C O BL reads a sign inside a window at the H&M at 17th and Walnut. On the discount racks hang shirts, sweaters and T-shirts in a wide variety of styles for as little as $5 each. For $6, a new dress can be yours; for $9, a new pair of jeans.

For the cash-strapped buyer, “fast fashion” prices are tempting, and demand for stylish, cheap clothing sustains most big retailers today. Brands like H&M and Forever 21 and department stores and discount retailers like Marshalls and TJ Maxx all rely on this business model. Fast fashion means turning over inventory at a rapid rate, sometimes cycling through as many as 52 “micro-seasons” a year.

This system thrives on consumers acting on impulse, and while costs are minimal, the average piece of fast fashion is expected to be worn fewer than 10 times. To keep up with buyers’ ever-present demand for new clothing, the production end of the fast fashion spectrum survives by cutting corners. About every three weeks, retailers hold sales to make room for new merchandise,with major markdowns on clothes.

Despite what you may assume—that machines took over clothing production long ago—most garments remain sewn by hand because fabric can be especially fickle. To keep up with the demands of retailers, factory workers, who usually work long hours for less than minimum wage, end up sewing hundreds of items a day.

Because clothing is churned out quickly, there’s a greater demand for textiles, and most require resource-intensive materials.

Cotton, for instance, is the world’s most pesticide-dependent crop. The amount of 40

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cotton needed to make a T-shirt requires about one third of a pound of pesticide.

To cut costs, retailers also make clothes out of synthetic fibers like polyester, rayon, spandex and nylon. While this production process avoids the use of pesticides, the factory workers who create these fabrics are exposed to dangerous alcohols and acids, and the fabrics can take up to 200 years to decompose.

For the consumer, it’s a convenient but morally problematic system. That’s why “ethical fashion,” the practice of choosing clothing that is designed, sourced and manufactured in a way that maximizes the benefits to people and the environment while minimizing the negative impacts is becoming a popular movement. Here are three local businesses—two of them new,

one of them a decade old—trying to put ethics back into fashion.

A new life for old T-shirts • When you visit the Sardine Clothing Company’s small, first-floor store off Manayunk Avenue, two blurry furballs may race to greet you at the door. In owner Maryanne Petrus Gilbert’s sewing studio, her dogs Tuna and Guppie are her most consistent, and excitable, co-workers.

Although a jeweler by training, Petrus Gilbert discovered her passion for sewing in 2006,when she began using old T-shirts to make potty-training pants that her twoyear-old son could easily pull up and down on his own. Soon after, she began experimenting with making clothing for herself.

“I fell in love with the whole process [of] taking something like the T-shirt, which is like the lowliest form of fashion, and reusing it,” she says.

She opened Sardine in 2009. Today 80 percent of her handmade, upcycled inventory is made from old T-shirts. Using Sal-

SARDINE CLOTHING COMPANY 4101 Lauriston Street, Philadelphia.

Shopping is available by appointment, but the door is open if she’s there.

• sardineclothing.com

vation Armys in Roxborough and Bucks County as material reservoirs, Petrus Gilbert handpicks most of the fabric for the designs on her shelves.

Once this material is in the studio, the process becomes fairly straightforward.

A few local contract sewers disassemble the existing clothing, following patterns to make bases for Sardine’s skirts, dresses and T-shirts. Then, on her ivory sewing machine, Petrus Gilbert creates the designs that have become the mark of her work: little shapes like flowers, anchors, skeletons, foxes that she ultimately adheres to the to the final product.

“That’s the one thing that sets me apart,” she says. Every week, she and her team make around 20 new items, which are usually priced between $35 and $100. It’s not as cheap as fast fashion, she says, but she wants her clothes to last a lifetime “When somebody buys a skirt from me, if they get bigger, if they get smaller, or if they get a stain on it, they can send it back to me and I will re-work it so they can continue to wear it,” Petrus Gilbert explains, noting that part of her business model is having an ongoing relationship with her customers.

If she doesn’t have exactly what her customers want, they can custom order it.

One of Petrus Gilbert’s regulars, a school teacher who lives on the Main Line, has her create new skirts for each of her lessons, not unlike Ms. Frizzle, the heroine of The Magic School Bus series.

“This year she’s focusing on Africa, so we’re going to do a lot of African animals,” Petrus Gilbert says. Past skirts have included artwork detailing animal and plant cells and the solar system.

Sardine as a company and a brand relies on Petrus Gilbert’s distinctive artwork. Because she personally sews all the art appliques, her company can’t get much bigger. But her hope is that in creating a business that salvages used textiles, she can change others’ attitudes about consumption and waste.

“Be it recycling, composting, turning off lights or taking the stairs, it all adds up,” her site reads. “One little Sardine is not much. A school of sardines can create a cloud in the water you can see from an airplane.”

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A subscription to gently used clothing • Subscription box services for clothing is a trend that began within the last decade.

A few of the most popular name brands are Stitch Fix, Trunk Club, and Le Tote, but dozens of fast fashion companies from Fabletics to Ann Taylor now deliver trendy and stylish clothing right to your door for a low monthly fee.

And We Evolve, a Philadelphia company based in Port Richmond, takes that idea and adds a sustainable twist. It’s a secondhand online store and Open for private shopping by subscription box service for appointment. • andweevolve.com people who want to expand their wardrobes without supporting fast fashion retailers directly. Rather, they can get their style fix shipped to them from AWE’s studio space, which houses racks of donated designer clothing and accessories.

The company was co-founded by Liz Funk and Alisha Ebling in November 2017—Funk and Ebling met during the summer of that year at a branding workshop, where they discovered a shared interest in secondhand clothing and sustainability.

For Funk, the idea of creating a secondhand online store came about because of a closetful of unworn clothes. She thought there might be a niche in the market for a company that recycles lightly used clothing.

Ebling, who at the time ran her own sustainability blog, loved the idea of a business that recycles fast fashion items.

This past spring, AWE debuted secondhand subscription boxes. Since then, Funk said, business has been booming.

“We kind of realized we had an opportunity there,” Ebling says. “People don’t like the idea of picking through things, so subscription boxes make sense because they’re very convenient. It’s delivered right to you.”

Similar to Stitch Fix, the AWE Box is for for $100 or send back what they don’t want monthly subscribers. For a flat fee of $20, and pay per item. they receive a box every month that Funk Soon, Ebling says, AWE is going to tranand Ebling say takes them about an hour to sition away from its online store to focus curate. Each box has one full three-composolely on subscription boxes, which both nent outfit and two additional pieces based founders think encourage women to have on the customer’s questionnaire answers. a more purposeful relationship with their Subscribers can keep everything in the box clothes. Some of their subscribers, she said,

AND WE EVOLVE

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have even begun to give their unused clothing directly to the company.

“We are constantly getting donations from women who think that what we’re doing is meaningful,” Funk says. “They know that their clothes are going to end up being loved by another woman.”

Blue jeans deconstructed and reconstructed • During her first year at the University of Delaware, Morgan Young attended a panel for freshman design students. Of the five presenters, one talked about the environmental recklessness of fast fashions and how the future of the fashion industry overall depends on sustainability.

The apparel design major was hooked.

It dawned on Young how much material was out there to use. Out of the 68 pounds of clothing that Americans discard per year, only one-seventh is recycled or reused. Donation outlets like Goodwill and Salvation Army only sell about half of their donations on site, she said. The other half go to textile and rag dealers.

A few years after attending the panel, Young met marketing major Greg Harder.

Combining her passion for design with his entrepreneurial spirit, the two launched AndAgain Co., a company that uses vintage denim to create modern, contemporary apparel, in September 2016.

The pair, who just graduated this May, work out of a 400-square-foot flat in downtown Wilmington. Their office has two messy desks, a pair of sewing machines,

ANDAGAIN Doesn’t yet have a storefront, but they occasionally do pop-up shops in Philadelphia, New York and Boston.

• andagainco.com

and a packing table for cutting and pattern making. Toward the front, they store the denim they buy from Goodwill that would otherwise have been turned into rags.

Here, however, it is deconstructed and re-sewn to create new apparel. It’s a practice that cuts down on valuable environmental resources used to create new textile materials. She designs all the company’s patterns, which go from her sketchbook to AndAgain’s online store in about a month.

Everything AndAgain sells is made in the United States—all the patterns are sewn by individual contractors from around the country.

The site features denim bomber jackets, crew-cut sweaters, and tank tops with wave-inspired patterns adorning the front.

In the description of each piece, AndAgain notes that by using repurposed material, each of its garments saves more than 2,000

gallons of water.

“I feel like our business is creating a new culture around sustainability in the fashion industry,” Young says.

AndAgain has partnered with artists from Florida, Texas, and Westchester, allowing them to use their denim as canvases for painting, embroidering and screen-printing.

“I’m really emotionally tied to working with artists,” Young said. “It’s great to see them get so excited about working with a brand like ours that gives them a chance to showcase their artwork.”

“My biggest goal for us would be continuing this push towards this very artisan side of the brand,” Harder agreed, noting that connections with established artists also widens the AndAgain’s customer base.

The company hopes to release a series of 10-piece collections with new artists this fall.

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A Perfect Fit A Center City tailor aims to heal our ailing wardrobes by

ogbonna hagins

A

s the old saying goes, what goes around comes around, and in the fashion industry, that is definitely true. If you are over 40, you see the same styles of clothing that you wore as a teenager being worn by today’s adolescents. Ron Wilch, Philadelphia fashion designer—and stepfather of hiphop legend Eve—is taking full advantage of returning trends by providing a valuable service.

“People’s wardrobes need to be fixed!” exclaims Wilch. “I wanted to put a new twist on it. I didn’t want to just call it ‘alterations.’

We’re doing clothing surgery.”

With more and more clothing being pur44

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chased online, without the benefit of stepping into a changing room, tailoring has never seemed more relevant. Wilch says, “The alteration business is the modern-day partnership with online shopping.”

Wilch graduated from Edison High School in 1979, where he studied fashion design for three years. After working at various clothing factories, Wilch decided to open his first tailoring shop in 1991 at 15th and Lombard Streets. In 1994 he relocated his business to Germantown.

“I had a desire to either get a contract to mass-produce something or to make clothing for individuals,” Wilch says.

According to Wilch, his initial plan never

worked as well as he wanted, partially due to poor business planning, but also because people weren’t getting dressed up as much anymore. Even on the day of our interview, Wilch points out that both of us are wearing jeans and T-shirts.

Wilch opened his Center City–based studio in November 2015 with a different approach. Rather than creating clothing from scratch, he was going to be a doctor tending to people’s “sick” wardrobes. “The Wardrobe Clinic is where sick clothing comes to get well,” Wilch says.

While he admits that protecting the environment was not his primary motivation when he started The Wardrobe Clinic, he is glad that, in a small way, what he’s doing slows the tide of the 13 million tons of textiles being discarded nationwide every year.

“The Wardrobe Clinic is the ultimate in recycling of clothing that’s outdated,” he says. “We rebirth the old!”

P HOTO G RAP H BY KRISTO N JAE BETHEL

Mt.Airy South Philly

West Philly South Jersey thenestinghouse.net S E PTE M B E R 20 18

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EV EN TS

september 2018

S ep tember 6–22 Fringe Festival Avant-garde art performances, street art and more are part of Philly’s Fringe Festival presented by none other than FringeArts. See website for more specific details; locations and prices vary by show. fringearts.com

S ep tember 8

Philly Naked Bike Ride #10

GreenFest Philly

The infamous nude bike ride returns, now in its 10th year. This year, the ride will be about 10-miles and there will be body painting and other pre-ride festivities at the meet up point, which is posted on the Facebook event 24 hours before the ride.

Over 100 vendors attend GreenFest, which is the largest festival of its kind in the Philadelphia area. There will be green vendors, food, music, live demonstrations and more.

facebook.com/events/1747565371996886/

WHEN: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. COST: Free WHERE: Dilworth Park, 1 S 15th St

WHEN: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. COST: Free WHERE: Bainbridge Green, 414 Bainbridge St

WHEN: 5 to 7 p.m. COST: Free WHERE: Location TBD, see Facebook event

S ep tember 13 S ep tember 9

CollegeFest 2018 Get the semester started on the right foot at CollegeFest, the main highlight of which is free admission to a variety of popular museums and other locations. There will also be a variety of games, giveaways and performances at City Hall. collegefest.com

beta.phila.gov

Clover Market - Chestnut Hill The open-air market series makes its way to Chestnut Hill for its latest edition. A lineup of vendors with “antiques & collectibles, vintage jewelry & clothing, finely crafted handmade items, architectural salvage, and original art,” plus food trucks, kids crafts and live music, makes up the event. theclovermarket.com/schedule

Baltimore Avenue Dollar Stroll Business on Baltimore Avenue between 43rd and 52nd Streets showcase various $1 bargains, ranging from bites from signature restaurants to pet supplies to theater tickets.

The event highlights new businesses in the constantly-expanding section of University City and assists food vendors in getting the necessary permitting to sell. universitycity.org WHEN: 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. COST: Free WHERE: Baltimore Ave b/w 43rd & 52nd Sts

WHEN: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. COST: Free WHERE: 25 W. Highland Ave

W E E K LY WE ARE MAKING PROGRESS

Sign up online today and get weekly actions that you can take to make Philadelphia, the state and the country stronger; inspiration and analysis from the magazine; featured events you won’t want to miss; and opportunities for meaningful work through job listing classifieds.

EVERY PERSON IS A THINKER AND A CREATOR RSVP for Open House on October 20 or November 8 at miquon.org/open

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S ep tember 14–16

S ep tember 15–16

S ep tember 23

Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon

Scarecrow Festival

The Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon series makes its annual stop in Philadelphia. The run hits plenty of iconic landmarks, and features live music and cheer teams along the course. It comes in full and half-marathon variants, plus 5K and 10TK. runrocknroll.com/philadelphia/

Scarecrows are a part of autumn just like pumpkins, trick-or-treating and corn mazes, and they’re the star of this festival.

There will be a scarecrow competition, pumpkin painting, scarecrow-making, music and children’s games.

Autumnal Equinox at Morris Arboretum

WHEN: Times vary by race COST: $59.99-119.99 WHERE: Eakins Oval, 2451 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy

Rittenhouse Square Fine Art Show More than 140 artists will share their work in Rittenhouse Square Park over the course of the weekend. Artists are categorized into six disciplines: oils & acrylics, drawings & pastels, mixed media, sculpture, watercolor and printmaking. rittenhousesquareart.com WHEN: Friday at 11 a.m. to Sunday at 7 p.m.

COST: Free WHERE: Rittenhouse Square

S ep tember 15

peddlersvillage.com/festivals/scarecrow-festival WHEN: Saturday at 3 p.m. to Sunday at 4 p.m COST: Free WHERE: Peddler’s Village, 2400 Street Rd, New Hope

S ep tember 27 International Ocean Film Tour

Bike the Brandywine

Catch two hours of water sports, ocean documentaries and anything else in the water that you can capture on film. The tour is being screened around the world.

Ride the Brandywine Creek Greenway in a 25, 45 or 80 mile loop. Proceeds benefit the Greenway’s Conservatory clean water programs. brandywine.org WHEN: 8 a.m. COST: $50 WHERE: Chadds Ford Historical Society, 1736 N. Creek Rd, Chadds Ford

Greensgrow West Farm Dinner

LifeLine Music Coalition, a non-profit 501 (C) 3 organization dedicated to preserving jazz and the arts in the Greater Philadelphia region, hosts the Philadelphia United Jazz Festival, which is open to the public. Jeff Bradshaw, Sam Reed and more will perform.

Food grown at Greensgrow West will be served for this four-course dinner, plus beer from Neshaminy Creek Brewing, cheese from Third Wheel Cheese Company and deserts by Bright Yellow Creamery and Cake Life Bake Shop. Live music will be played by Silk and Honey and Herb Quick.

WHEN: 2 to 10 p.m. COST: Free WHERE: 15th St & South St

WHEN: 1 to 3 p.m. COST: Included w/ admission WHERE: Morris Arboretum, 100 E. Northwestern Ave

S ep tember 22

Philadelphia United Jazz Festival

philaunitedjazzfestival.com

Enjoy the sounds of the Jack Saint Clair Jazz Trio as they usher in autumn with seasonal music. Performances at 1 and 2pm at the Baxter Memorial. morrisarboretum.org/events

oceanfilmtour.com WHEN: 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. COST: $15 WHERE: Academy of Natural Sciences, 1900 Benjamin Franklin Pkwy

S ep tember 27–30 Philly Music Fest

greensgrow.org

Pissed Jeans, Soul Glo, Waxahatchee, Low Cut Connie, The Districts, Ruby the Hatchet and more perform at this year’s Philly Music Fest hosted at Johnny Brenda’s, Milkboy and World Cafe Live. phlmusicfest.com

WHEN: 6 to 9 p.m. COST: $60 WHERE: Greensgrow West, 5123 Baltimore Ave

WHEN: Thurs at 8 p.m. to Sun at 6 p.m. COST: $15-50 WHERE: Location varies by show

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DIS PATC H

personal essay

Changing the Frequency An old guitar points the way to personal sustainability

F

or the past 15 years, I have toiled in the world of sustainability, trying to make a difference (and a living) through public relations, writing, advocacy and activism. It’s not always the most lucrative work—it’s a constant hustle to find new clients and to fulfill the expectations of the long-standing ones—but I persevere because I deeply believe sustainability is the crisis and opportunity of our lifetimes.

But after 15 years of PR work, 7 years of blogging and 18 months of living under the Trump administration, I was struck with an intense case of “outrage fatigue.”

I had some setbacks. The book deal on social activism I was working on fell through— which was just as well, because I no longer had the passion to keep writing it. I lost a business partnership. Potential client contracts fell through.

If I’m being honest, I stopped caring so much about whether I should rinse out a peanut butter jar to recycle it. I ordered Diet 48

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Coke at dinner more than once. I got a gel pedicure.

In this moment of reflection, I did something I hadn’t done in a long time. I pulled out my dusty guitar and plugged it in.

Prior to my life as a sustainability professional, I worked as a rock journalist. Before I was old enough to drink I was writing music reviews for Philadelphia Weekly and City Paper. I spent one summer working at the now defunct Philadelphia music magazine Rockpile. Like most independent publications, it was understaffed and always scrambling for money, so they gave me an endless amount of work. But I get to say I interviewed Death Cab for Cutie before they broke.

Throughout high school and college, I harbored aspirations of my own musical success, writing unrequited love songs and playing them mostly to my bedroom walls

but occasionally at open mic nights around the city. I don’t think I ever expected to be a rock star, but music was certainly part of what made me whole.

Reaching for the guitar instantly connected me with that part of my life. As I’m considering what might be the next steps in my career, I’m realizing that taking a little break, taking care of myself, and having some fun might be the key to my own personal sustainability.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not checking out of the real world. None of us can afford to at this crucial time in America. And I will be knocking on your door before the midterms in November.

But at the end of the day, powering down my computer and phone, and powering up my guitar and amp, might be what I need to keep going.

paige wolf is the author of “Spit That Out!: The Overly Informed Parent’s Guide to Raising Healthy Kids in the Age of Environmental Guilt.” Follow @paigewolf on Twitter.

IL LUSTRATIO N BY KIRSTE N HA RPER

phillywaldorf.com

Education isn’t an isolated activity.

It’s understanding the real world.

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How do you grow a healthy child? With an engaging curriculum that intertwines classical academics with a healthy reverence for the natural world, igniting the passionate learner in every child. From Kindergarten through 8th grade. And all through life.

open Join us: Saturday, October 6 @ 10 am 6000 Wayne Ave | Germantown

Sept. 21 Through Nov. 10 Philadelphia, PA www.TerrorBehindTheWalls.com

A MASSIVE HAUNTED HOUSE IN A REAL PRISON

The best laid plants A Penn alumna promotes environmental sustainability from the ground up

VIRTUAL CAFÉ Join the MES program

To preserve land for the future, Kristen Henwood (Master of Environmental Studies ‘12) looks to the past. As Associate Director of Stewardship at Willistown Conservation Trust, she restores meadows and streams with plants that were growing in Pennsylvania before European settlers arrived.

“Native species are the best suited to this environment,” she explains: they can nourish a healthy ecosystem without consuming extra resources.

director on the first Tuesday of every month from 12-1 p.m. for an online chat about your interests and goals.

Log in with us.

www.facebook.com/UPennEES @Penn_MES_MSAG

Kristen’s knowledge of ecological landscapes emerged from an interest in environmental sustainability that led her to the MES program at Penn. The degree’s customizability and focused concentrations allowed Kristen to explore her interests in environmental sustainability and education. “The MES program gave me the flexibility and freedom to pursue my passions,” she says, “and gaining experience in my graduate internship was invaluable to my next steps.”

Those next steps took Kristen to Willistown Conservation Trust, where her work includes managing a native wildflower meadow and teaching others why and how to preserve the region’s woodlands and streams in light of land development and climate trends. “If we have one foot in the past,” she observes, “we’re also planning for the future.”

To learn more about how Kristen cultivates environmental sustainability with natural plant habitats, visit:

WWW.UPENN.EDU/GRID