May 22, 2012
Last Monday, hip hop mogul Jay-Z joined Mayor Nutter to announce a brand new “Made in America” Music Festival coming to Philadelphia over Labor Day Weekend.
Officially titled the Budweiser “Made In America” Music Festival, the concert will be promoted by Live Nation, and performed on the Parkway in front of the famous Philadelphia Museum of Art steps, September 1-2.
Now, Phase 1 of the musical lineup has been announced. Here she is:
Jay-Z, Pearl Jam, Skrillex, Miike Snow, Afrojack, Calvin Harris, Odd Future, D’Angelo, Maybach Music (featuring Rick Ross, Wale, Meek Mill), Passion Pit, Santigold, Dirty Projectors, X, Janelle Monae, Prince Royce, Rita Ora, Savoy (DJ set), The Knocks.
And even more to be announced…
Basically, this is going to be huge. Jay-Z obviously has the clout and connections to pull huge talent that’s made even more epic by the fact that they’ll all be sharing a stage right here in Philadelphia on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. And you don’t want to miss out.
A ticket pre-sale hits at 10 a.m. today with $99 two-day passes.
RSVP for the Budweiser Made In America Festival Facebook Event to get a presale code. Get on it.
Made In America Music Fest
When: September 1-2, 2012
Where: Benjamin Franklin Parkway
More Info: www.madeinamericafest.com
May 22, 2012
From October 5-7, the Philadelphia Orchestra will thrill music and movie fans alike with live performances of the West Side Story score as the newly digitally re-mastered, hi-definition film is screened above the orchestra in Verizon Hall at the Kimmel Center. (Photo courtesy West Side Story © 1961 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios Inc.)
It’s a legendary tale combining classic with contemporary. A romantic and tragic blending of Shakespeare with Bernstein. A dazzling dance fusion of ballet with jazz. And, of course, it’s East meets West.
It’s the celebrated and beloved Academy Award-winning film, West Side Story, accompanied live in concert by our very own Philadelphia Orchestra this fall.
From October 5-7, The Philadelphia Orchestra will thrill music and movie fans alike with live performances of the West Side Story score as the newly digitally re-mastered, hi-definition film is screened above the orchestra in Verizon Hall at the Kimmel Center.
More than 50 years after the debut of the timeless motion picture, the Philadelphia Orchestra will perform the entire original Leonard Bernstein score under the direction of David Newman, one of the most noted composers of music for film.
In order to allow a live performance of the score while keeping the vocals and dialogue intact, MGM and Chace Audio by Delux, a top film-restoration company, used state-of-the-art technology to separate the orchestral soundtrack from the vocals and dialogue.
West Side Story debuted in 1957 as a Broadway musical. The artistic collaboration of Jerome Robbins’s explosive choreography, Arthur Laurents’s modern Romeo and Juliet story line and the awe-inspiring score and lyrics by Broadway legends Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim quickly won over the hearts of audiences. The film, which opened in 1961 with Natalie Wood and Richard Beymer, took the Academy Awards® by storm, winning 10 awards.
This live orchestral presentation of this classic movie showcases The Philadelphia Orchestra’s versatility and offers an innovative program that celebrates the legacy of the ageless music and enduring theatrical styling of an American Broadway and Hollywood classic.
Tickets are already on sale online. Watch the West Side Story movie trailer below for a little cinematic nostalgia.
Philadelphia Orchestra Brings West Side Story To Life
When: October 5-7
Where: Verizon Hall, Kimmel Center for Performing Arts, 260 S. Broad Street
Cost: Tickets start at $40
More info: www.philorch.org
May 21, 2012
Velma Kelly, er, Bebe Neuwirth, will perform at the Prince Music Theater May 23. (Photo courtesy Bebe Neuwirth)
One of stage and screen’s most talented actresses will perform for one night only to benefit the Gershman Y, Wednesday, May 23.
Two-time Emmy and Tony Award winning actress, Bebe Neuwirth, will entertain during Stories with Piano #3, a night of cabaret at The Prince Music Theater.
Neuwirth is best known for her role as Dr. Lilith Sternin, Dr. Frasier Crane’s wife (later ex-wife), on both the TV sitcom Cheers (in a starring role), and its spin-off Frasier (in a recurring guest role).
She’s also known for her Broadway performances in Chicago and Sweet Charity.
On May 23, musical director Scott Cady will accompany Neuwirth on piano as she performs songs by Stephen Sondheim, Edith Piaf, Tom Waits, Irving Berlin and Kander & Ebb.
Don’t miss this unique opportunity to see one of stage and screen’s most talented actresses.
Tickets are available online.
Bebe Neuwirth at the Gershman Y
Where: The Prince Music Theater, 1412 Chestnut Street
When: Wednesday, May 23, 8 p.m.
Cost: Tickets are $50-$250
More info: www.gershmany.org
May 18, 2012
The Mann Center is matching its super strong 2011 season with an equally exciting lineup of acts all summer long, along with the debut of a brand new Skyline Stage. (Top and bottom right photos courtesy Mann Center, bottom left M. Kennedy for GPTMC)
The Mann Center for the Performing Arts in Fairmount Park, one of the country’s largest outdoor amphitheaters, is thePhiladelphia summer alfresco concert destination.
The 2012 fun kicked off last Friday, May 11 with the Curtis Symphony Orchestra. But this Saturday, May 19 is when the ball really gets rolling with the second annual Philadelphia on Parade, an exciting day-long free family arts festival including a Mardi Gras-style parade, storytellers, jugglers, balloon artists and more.
And that’s just the beginning.
Check out our overview of the Mann Center, a spring/summer spotlight post that will give you a refresher if you’ve been to the Mann before or, if you haven’t, a window into one of the city’s choicest attractions.
Background
Since the 1930s, Philadelphians have walked, driven or taken the trolley by the thousands to enjoy outdoor culture and to picnic at Fairmount Park’s Robin Hood Dell. Occasional bad weather, droning planes overhead and the need to update to modern technology prompted music lover and businessman Frederic R. Mann to campaign for this state-of-the-art facility. Two years after opening, the center was named in his honor.
Concert Schedule
After a super strong 2011 season which brought national headliners like Lupe Fiasco, The Four Tops, Kid Cudi, Willie Nelson and Bob Dylan, the Mann is delivering once again with an exciting lineup. The packed concert roster includes everything from Foster The People, Sigur Rós (already added a second show!) and Jane’s Addiction to Jill Scott to Idina Menzel and Norah Jones.
The Mann is also the summer home of the Philadelphia Orchestra, which is playing six dates this summer.
The Mann’s full concert schedule is available online.
Brand New Skyline Stage
The Skyline Stage @ the Mann is located at the top of the Mann’s Fairmount Park grounds behind the Crescendo restaurant tent. Concert-goers will have access to all of the Mann’s preexisting amenities including adjacent parking at the top of the hill off of N. George’s Hill Drive and distinctive concessions.
The stage was first used during last year’s Willie Nelson Country Throwdown event, but it will be in official rotation for the first time starting this season.
The Skyline Stage is set to accommodate anywhere between 500 and 4,000 patrons in a general admission setting. Audiences can expect a unique festival-like open-air event on the grass, in the park, framed by the best view of Philadelphia’s skyline.
A select concert series will be presented on the Skyline Stage this summer, including the Sigur Rós show on July 30, which marks the enigmatic band’s return to the live stage after a four-year hiatus.
Details on tickets, dining and transportation, below.
Check out the video above to meet Catherine Cahill, President and CEO of the Mann Center for the Performing Arts, one of the nation’s largest outdoor amphitheaters and a top summer destination for music lovers in Philadelphia.
We filmed Catherine on the stage of the Mann, so you can see what the impressive open-air theater looks like if you haven’t been there yet, and found out what the one thing is that she wishes more people knew about in Philadelphia. Hint: do you like a little dose of history with your dinner?
Mann Center for the Performing Arts
52nd Street and Parkside Avenue
www.manncenter.org
Water Works
640 Water Works Drive
www.thewaterworksrestaurant.com
Check out the video above to meet Catherine Cahill, President and CEO of the Mann Center for the Performing Arts, one of the nation’s largest outdoor amphitheaters and a top summer destination for music lovers in Philadelphia. We filmed Catherine on the stage of the Mann, so you can see what the impressive open-air theater [...]
Read more»May 14, 2012
Major music industry mogul Jay-Z picked Philadelphia as the site for his "Made In America" Music Festival, coming to the city September 1-2 with nearly 30 artists performing across three stages along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway.
(Photo courtesy Jay-Z)
How’s this for a Monday morning pick-me-up?
This morning hip hop mogul Jay-Z joined Mayor Nutter on the famous steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art to announce a brand new “Made in America” Music Festival coming to Philadelphia over Labor Day Weekend. Jay-Z will headline and curate the two-day festival, bringing 28 musical acts to three stages along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway for two days of awesome music on September 1-2, 2012.
Officially titled the Budweiser “Made In America” Music Festival, the concert will be promoted by Live Nation, and performed on the Parkway in front of the Philadelphia Museum of Art steps where The Roots will perform on the 4th of July and where Live 8 drew half a million people back in 2005.
14-time Grammy award winner, Shawn “Jay-Z ” Carter will personally select top talent to star alongside him in this epic outdoor concert event, including acts ranging from rock, hip-hop, R&B, Latin and dance.
Tickets to the festival go on sale on May 23 on ticketmaster.com and livenation.com. A portion of proceeds will go to local non-profits via the United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey.
A limited number of two-day tickets will also be available for $99 (plus service charges). Bonus: Budweiser Facebook fans will have access to pre-sale tickets beginning Tuesday, May 22!
The full lineup has yet to be released, but with tickets going on sale next week, we expect more details on that soon. Stay tuned for more information.
The Made in America Music Festival will be live-streamed for people to watch around the country. More details on that to come.
In the meantime, check out the teaser video below to get you excited.
Jay-Z to headline and program ‘Made In America’ festival on Ben Franklin Parkway on Labor Day weekend [Philadelphia Inquirer]
Jay-Z to Curate and Star in Two-Day Music Festival in Philadelphia [New York Times]
May 14, 2012
Enjoy an afternoon and evening under the blue sky at Penns Woods Winery, enjoying live music and sipping wine made just steps away from you. (Photo by Krista Patton Photography courtesy Penns Woods Winery)
For the second year in a row Penns Woods Winery in Chadds Ford proudly presents its Wine & Jazz Festival, Saturday May 19, with wine seminars and tastings, a gourmet catered lunch, two dozen vendors, live jazz and hours of hors d’oeuvres.
This year’s festival offers a few different ticketing options for wine and jazz fans: regular all day passes from noon-9 p.m., $60 before Wednesday, May 16; the Wine & Food Festival pass from noon-5 p.m., $20 before May 16; or the Jazz Under the Stars pass from 6-9 p.m., $49 before May 16. Children and designated drivers get in for just $5.
Guests will be treated to live music by Wheat, Stone, Bridge during the Wine & Food Festival, a delicious lunch catered by local food vendors, homemade crafts and gifts for sale by area artisans and caricature drawings, between 1 and 3 p.m. Oh, and don’t forget the six wine tastings and complimentary wine glass.
If you head to the event a bit later, you’ll be treated to the musical stylings of Philadelphia’s own Tony Forliano Jazz, who has played not one, but multiple presidential dinners, and hors d’oeuvres all night long by 12th Street Catering. This ticket also includes the six wine tastings and souvenir wine glass.
Proceeds benefit the Little Rock Foundation, which supports area children who are blind or visuallyimpaired.
Get your tickets online.
Penns Woods Winery’s 2nd Annual Wine & Jazz Festival
Where: 124 Beaver Valley Road, Chadds Ford
When: Saturday, May 19, noon-9 p.m.
Cost: Tickets prices vary
More info: www.pennswoodsevents.com
Watch the video above to meet rapper Tariq Trotter, aka Black Thought, the lead vocalist of The Roots, and learn what he wishes more people knew about in Philadelphia.
Black Thought and his bandmate Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson started The Roots here in Philadelphia in 1987. They’ve since won Grammy Awards, have a mural being painted about them on South Street and are currently the house band for Late Night With Jimmy Fallon on NBC.
And save the date for two upcoming opportunities to see Black Thought perform live in person: the Roots Picnic returns to the Festival Pier at Penn’s Landing with an expanded two-day festival this year June 2-3; and Wawa Welcome America’s annual July 4th Concert and Fireworks on the Parkway, headlined by The Roots.
The Roots
www.theroots.com
South Street
www.southstreet.com
Watch the video above to meet rapper Tariq Trotter, aka Black Thought, the lead vocalist of The Roots, and learn what he wishes more people knew about in Philadelphia. Black Thought and his bandmate Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson started The Roots here in Philadelphia in 1987. They’ve since won Grammy Awards, have a mural being painted [...]
Read more»May 10, 2012
Catch concerts and other entertainment for free in the Kimmel Center Commonwealth Plaza, coupled with deals on drinks and food on Saturday nights. (Photo by Evelyn Taylor courtesy Kimmel Center)
Cheap is good but free is better at the Kimmel Center, where “Free at the Kimmel” continues for another season this May and June.
“Free at the Kimmel” offers the Philadelphia community a diverse and exciting sample of phenomenal musical talent, engaging arts discussions and family-friendly performances free of charge.
For family-oriented folks, the Kimmel offers the PNC Grow Up Great series featuring free family-friendly monthly programming designed to be both entertaining and educational. Be sure to check out The Little Farm Show this Saturday, May 12, for an all-ages musical adventure through the history of food, farming and the environment.
For the artsy types, the Merck Arts Education series brings together community leaders for monthly discussions relating to arts and education. Check out June 4′s “Performance and Dialogue: Creating Sacred Music,” a look at the creative process of producing sacred music used in worship.
For those who just like to jam, there’s the monthly “Sittin’ in” Jam Sessions, where D.J. Phsh and the Kimmel Center’s house bands get the party going before surrendering the stage to a set of local and national musical acts. Check out the action in our Philly 101 video featuring Megan Fitzgerald, Director of Programming.
And let’s not forget about Live at the Plaza Stage, where Saturday evenings you can expect an awesome lineup of world, pop, jazz and instrumental music from up-and-coming local musicians. Plus enjoy happy hour specials, including $1 off beers and $2 off wines at the PECO and Annex Bars. This Saturday, electronic violinist Caryn Lin will blast Philadelphia into the future with a combination of New Age, World, Classical and Rock sounds.
For a complete list of “Free at the Kimmel” programming, check out the calendar online.
“Free at the Kimmel” Series
When: Now–June 23
Where: Broad and Spruce Streets
Cost: Free!
More info: www.kimmelcenter.org
May 9, 2012
Philadelphia is known for fostering an amazing DIY culture and some very talented local artists.
On Saturday, May 12 the city will keep with the tradition as it hosts the first annual Philadelphia Local Music Day.
Throughout the day and across the city, a handful of Philadelphia businesses will be exclusively playing the music of five up-and-coming Philly bands, including Cheers Elephant, Work Drugs and Buried Beds. Organizers of the event hope to help promote not only those musicians being featured, but more generally Philadelphia’s burgeoning music scene.
All of the businesses participating in Local Music Day are small, privately-owned and totally awesome, including Honey’s Sit ‘n Eat, Federal Donuts, Art in the Age, Trophy Bikes North, Honest Tom’s Taco Shop and Johnny Brenda’s. You can see a full list of participants here.
So, for all you fellow music locavores, May 12 is definitely the day to indulge in that Biscuit Sandwich at Honey’s, grab the latest beer on tap at Johnny Brenda’s or stock up on some delicious ROOT at Art in the Age.
You can also follow Local Music Day on Foursquare and check into each spot.
This is a great way to help support local musicians and local businesses, so make sure to stop by and hear some of the new tunes.
Philadelphia Local Music Day
When: Saturday, May 12
Where: Various locations throughout Philadelphia
Cost: Free
More info: www.loveslocalmusic.com
