cities in pixie dust

More videos online here:
http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=D4B576F77A0C7644

The zombies gathered on October 24, 2009 in downtown Denver, Colorado, to walk across town and recreate Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” zombie dance. Some robots and zombie-killers as well as pirates also showed up to stand their ground in the Zombpocalypse 2009. Below are some pictures.

More photos from the Denver Zombie Crawl here

Las Vegas Boulevard somewhere in between the Strip and Fremont Street is sort of undefined. Some folks call it the “No Man’s Land” but others might call it home, or a cheap place to stay while in town. Unfinished construction projects and fading glories fill the blocks which fall north of  “The Strip” {which most folks consider to begin around Sahara Ave.} and south of the neon and LED-filled Fremont Street Experience with the classic Vegas casinos. Here are a few photos of this space in between, from my trip in February 2009, in the middle of the Great Recession of the ’00s. This is the Vegas which has fallen out of favor for its bigger and bolder and newer neighbors like Planet Hollywood and Mandalay Bay and the Wynn, but doesn’t have the vintage retro-kitsch appeal nor the World Series of Poker tournaments that the Golden Nugget or Binions have.  You don’t usually see this part of town in the glossy magazines, travelogues nor the Anthony Bourdain and Food Network videos.

The Star Motel …oh such potential~look at the neon sign

San Francisco Wear/Sally’s Rentals - Going Cheap

Original Thai BBQ… and Dreamy Drinkscape 

The Silver Spur Hotel. Kind of Old-School, Kind of Sketchy…

Strip-Mall Wedding Chapel

White Cross Drugs

Closed Brewpub near the Sahara

Maybe Miss Katrina can tell us what is in store for Vegas’s future.

More recession-friendly entertainment for this summer… Some upcoming free concerts with different kinds of bands. Post comments here with more free shows and include date, time and location.

Tues. July 28th at Elena’s Soul Showcase Lounge
9pm, Free. Elena’s Soul Showcase Lounge, 4912 Baltimore Ave.
Lucky Thompson & the Budesa Brothers Blue Tuesday Open Mic & Jam Session

Weds. July 29th at the ICA Philly: Whenever Wednesday: An evening curated by Ars Nova Workshop
7pm. Free. At the ICA Philadelphia, 118 S. 36th St. Philadelphia, PA
Death’s Headquarters: In Celebration of Le Sony’r Ra
curated by Ars Nova Workshop
featuring performances from Sonic Liberation Front & Planet Y

Wednesday Nights at Penn Treaty Park
Penn Treaty Park concerts run from 7-9pm on Wednesdays. On Delaware Ave. between Columbia and Marlborough. Map it here!
July 29: Jack Rose and the Black Twig Pickers, Watery Love
August 5: War On Drugs, Hunter Gatherer
August 12: Porkroll Project, Third Degree
August 19: Espers, the Oubliette Ensemble

Wednesday Night Concerts in the Park at Rittenhouse Square (Sponsored by Philly Weekly)
Rittenhouse Square - between 18th and 20th streets, between Walnut and Rittenhouse Streets in Philadelphia. Each show starts at 7pm. Bring a blanket and a picnic dinner.
August 12: Welcome To My Face and The Peace Creeps
August 19: Kurt Vile & The Violators, Mondo Topless
August 26: Writtenhouse and Panic Years

First Thursdays Music on the Mall at Independence Mall Park
At Independence Mall Park
August 6: Paprika and Casplash - World Music Month. 6-8pm.
September 3: Back to School Battle of the Bands Night.

Thursday Nights at the Mummers Museum
Outside the Mummers Museum, various string bands will be performing for free on Thursdays at 8pm.  Here are the next few upcoming concerts. Bring a lawn chair. The museum is located at 2nd and Washington Ave. in South Philly. 1100 South 2nd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147.
July 30: Trilby
August 6: Ferko
August 13: Broommall
August 20: Sterling
August 27: Polish American
September 10: Ferko
September 17: South Philly
September 24: Hardly Ables

Friday Lunch Time at Love Park - Summer Music Program
Free concerts at 11:30-2~ish pm by summer rock camp for kids. Through August 7.

Saturdays @The Piazza - Live music, various bands. 6:30pm
The Piazza at Schmidt’s, Germantown and N. 2nd Streets, Northern Liberties.

 When I started this site, I had intended for it to be a broad-based site encompassing all cities everywhere and didn’t want to overload the content on Philly stuff only. But, as I haven’t posted here since March, I think I should expand it back out. So I am going to post an ongoing calendar of free fun stuff that I want to remember is happening that is not posted on Facebook in my calendar. And then if other people want to use it, that’s cool too. And if people want to send in submissions, that’s groovy too. And hopefully I’ll get my photos better organized soon too! Categories will include the following - art gallery openings, free concerts, community events of interest, movies, readings, and potentially more. I might just post links to other people’s calendars too.

So here goes…

Free Movies this Summer…

Lawnchair Drive-In @ Liberty Lands Park: Tuesday, July 28, 8:30 p.m.
OUT OF SITE (1966) Director Lennie Weinrib. Camp classic beach movie serves as a vehicle for musical numbers by teen pop stars Gary Lewis and the Playboys, surf rockers The Astronauts, the ultimate anti rock star rock stars, Freddie and the Dreamers, LA stoners, The Turtles, The Knickerbockers and ‘In Crowd’s Dobie Gray. In Technicolor and Cinemascope.

Secret Cinema @  the American Philosophical Society Museum: Thursday, July 30, 7pm.
Island of Lost Souls (1933, Dir: Erle C. Kenton)
H.G. Wells’ 1896 novel The Island of Dr. Moreau has been adapted for the movies at least five times, but never more stylishly or effectively than in this first version. A goateed Charles Laughton gives a chilling performance as a fiendish scientist playing God and ruling over an island of surgically-created beast/man experiments. Discipline is dispensed with a whip and visits to the “House of Pain,” but a revolt is soon brewing. Bela Lugosi plays the “Sayer of the Law,” and his chant of “Are we not men?” would inspire the rock band Devo many decades later.

Lawnchair Drive-In @ Liberty Lands Park - Tuesday, August 4, 8:30 p.m.
LA BELLE ET LA BETE (1946) Director Jean Cocteau. The greatest fantasy film of all time. The greatest French film of all the greatest French films. The greatest film adaptation of a fairy tale. The most elegant and handsome film monster of all time. Stunning. Beautiful. Thrilling. Powerful. Oh, my smokin’ paws!

International House Outdoor Movies - Wednesday, August 5, 8:00 p.m.
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958) Director Richard Brooks. Although Elizabeth Taylor (in all her negligee glory) chews the scenery as Maggie the Cat, Newman’s Brick is the heart of Tennessee Williams’ adaptation of his play. Confronted by the loss of the glory days of football and the death of best friend Skipper, Brick spends his days perpetually drunk in the Mississippi home of Big Daddy (and big Mama). Brick and Maggie share more than a few secrets about his relationship to Skipper (this is 1958) and the state of Big Daddy’s health and wealth. In the end, the truth will always set you free.

Scribe Video Center Summer “Street Movies” Series - Starts August 5th
All August screenings are at 8:30pm and Free.
Locations vary, films TBA.

International House Outdoor Movies - Wednesday, August 12, 8:00 p.m.
The Hustler (1961) Director Robert Rossen. The Hustler is a film of grit and greed and ultimately, redemption. Fast Eddie Felson is essentially a good man who is good at one thing – pool. He travels the road to challenge Minnesota Fats, portrayed by the incomparable Jackie Gleason. Eddie does play Fats, but the tables are turned by a bottle of whiskey and the appearance of professional gambler Bert Gordon (George C Scott). With only $200 in his pocket, he meets alcoholic Sarah (Piper Lauire). Apprehensive at first, Sarah takes him in as he hustles for small stakes. Bert backs Eddie in matches (which he looses as much as he wins), eventually challenging Fats to a final showdown. Will Eddie come out ahead with both body and soul intact after the game? And will that be enough? The Hustler received nine Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Director, Best Actor in a Leading Role for Newman, Best Actress in a Leading Role for Laurie, Best Actor in a Supporting Role for both Gleason and Scott (Scott refused the nomination).

International House Outdoor Movies - Wednesday, August 19, 8:00 p.m.
Hud (1963) Director Martin Ritt. Based on Larry McMurty’s novel Horseman, Pass By, Hud is the story of a brutal, amoral cowboy. In his third Oscar-nominated performance, Newman’s Hud cannot see and does not care about the misery and havoc he’s inflicted upon those closest to him, including the death of his only brother. Father Homer is a principled man who considers his own son “not fit to live with” and tries to keep grandson Lon from emulating him. Housekeeper Alma keeps her distance – “I’ve done my time with one cold-blooded bastard, I’m not looking for another.” Hud is a man with no conscience and we can’t look away. Hud won Academy Award’s for Melvyn Douglas (Best Actor in a Supporting Role), Patricia Neal (Best Actress in a Leading Role) and James Wong Howe (Best Cinematography).

International House Outdoor Movies - Wednesday, August 19, 8:00 p.m.
The Sting dir. George Roy Hill, US, 1973, video, 129 mins, color
Set in the Great Depression, The Sting is a revenge comedy with Paul Newman and Robert Redford at their 70’s best. When grifter John Hooker’s (Redford) best friend and accomplice is murdered by corrupt police and crime boss Doyle Lonnegan (Robert Shaw), he seeks out retired con man Henry Gondorff (Newman) to exact payback and make a tidy profit. They assemble an experienced crew for the “long con” and try not to get killed in the process. Nominated for 10 Academy Awards (one for Redford, but not Newman), The Sting won seven, including Best Picture, Director and Original Score.

Hello my dear blog. I have returned.*

Here are some pictures of “found art” in different cities.

Los Angeles

(megan geckler)

New York:

(art garden in the lower east side of nyc)

Philadelphia, PA:

(the house of the apocalypse now, fishtown)

Camden, NJ:

(part of a graffiti collective in camden, nj)

Tucson, Arizona:

(downtown mural)

* Returned means, I had knee surgery and neglected this blog for five months.