Look, I have never been a by-the-rules guy. Red lights. I run them. Lines. I bust them. Grapes. Yeah. I taste them before I buy them. Got a problem?
That said, weighing as I am on caution’s side, I’ve been wearing masks, scarves, bandanas and almost anything on my face since the onset of C-19, and will continue to do so, more than likely, forever when outdoors. Whether I’m doing it for my safety or yours (OK, my safety), it makes sense to mask up considering the unanswerable questions of what an airborne virus can do.
So WTF are people doing bouncing down the street without masks? The mayor and our city’s managing director claimed during one of morning press meetings that they’ll up the ante on fines for those who violate coronavirus-related restrictions.
I know the fine and the threats of being taken to court are meant to be levied on workplaces like freshly re-opening construction sites, but can we extend it to the messy families, sloppy shoppers and ditzy millennials who bounce through my Italian Market neighborhood – and surely yours as well? Krasner won’t enforce the fining, but at least i’ll KNOW they tried.
Love from Philly
Some $80,000 and counting: that’s how much money was raised, so far, during this weekend’s Love from Philly virtual musician shut-in fest with The War on Drugs, Kurt Vile, Low Cut Connie, Ursula Rucker, Bahamadia, Res, John Oates, RJD2, Schoolly D and more. Yes, I was a Sunday afternoon host from my garden, as was Fox-Philly’s Alex Holey, and if you’re in a giving mood, still, hit up lovefromphilly.live/ and touch the red button in the right TOUCH IT.
New music
Philly’s queen of skronky avant-garde R&B, oblong jazz and socio-political poetry jamming, Moor Mother, first hooked up the doomy noise producer Mental Jewelry in 2017 for a collaborative EP called Crime Waves. Now, they’ve returned with a joint full-length, the aptly titled “True Opera,” and a fresh video for the LP’s first single, “Look Alive.” Start hunting and pecking.
“Fines and threats of being taken to court are meant to be levied on workplaces like freshly re-opening construction sites, but can we extend it to the messy families, sloppy shoppers and ditzy millennials who bounce through my Italian Market neighborhood?”
Dispatched
The Philly-filmed “Dispatches From Elsewhere,” the AMC series from Jason Segal, finally ended last Monday with sweetness and light. And no second season apparently – though we should note that the filmmakers did conclude their run with a big “THE END” at its finale. So is this the rare case where the phrase “limited series” actually sticks to its guns? Hopefully. It was good for a minute until it got boring, and perhaps this finale should stand as a testament to Segal storytelling abilities AND his way with making Philly.
Biker’s batch
Allan Lane, aka Mr. Black Moses, the Philly biker dude behind Dosage mag and HKME, aka Hard Knocks Motorcycle Entertainment, which publishes niche moto-mag titles such as SportBikes Inc,. is making and selling his own coffee. Check out his hardknocksmoto.com site and buy into the rich aromatic biking-based blends such as “Get Shit Done” Colombian roast, his “Life is Hard” breakfast blend (man, that sounds bracing and so REAL so early in the morning) and “Less Bitching More Riding” biker’s batch.
Protect yourself
Speaking of too REAL, are you digging, as I am, the Mütter Museum-commissioned song, “Protect Yourself from Infection?” Philly’s David Lang composed it, the whole maddening orchestral/choral thing is performed by Philadelphia’s The Crossing choir, as it was part of last fall’s “Spit Spreads Death” showcase at the Mütter. It made its debut on public radio on Monday, and is now already rocketing up the charts – where’s the TikTok? – as we speak.
New diversity chief
Did you know that Nolan Atkinson, the city’s chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer, submitted his resignation to Mayor Kenney, effective May 8 and that we already have Nefertiri Sickout, deputy diversity, equity and inclusion officer, serving as acting chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer until a permanent replacement is found? It’s true.
Feeding the hungry
“Hip City Veg and BarBonBon are two of our favorite restaurants when we’re touring,” said Maggie Baird, the vegan actor mom to fellow vegans Billie Eilish and FINNEAS, who – this Monday – included HipCityVeg and BarBonbon owner Nicole Marquis into her Support + Feed program to feed the economically vulnerable, first responders, hospitals and senior centers while helping plant-based restaurants stay afloat. Visit supportandfeed.com to pay into a general donation fund or for a single restaurant.
Over a week’s course, restaurants build donations and a large order is ready for a donation center. Support + Feed coordinates with restaurants for pickup, and donation centers for delivery.
Other participating Philly plant-based eateries include Charlie was a sinner, The Greyhound Cafe, Grindcore House, and Luhv Vegan Deli, AND Marquis just opened BarBonbon to a Bodega, and a corner store option – “plant-based basics plus home essentials, so customers can stock up while they pick up a plant-based brunch, lunch or dinner, and save a trip to (or order from) the grocery store,” said Marquis.
The Colonel will be missed
Let us pour a glass of stout out for our old friend, J.C. Dobbs’ publicist, one-time A&M label dude, U of P late-in-life-graduate and history professor and mega Rolling Stones fanatic Ton Sheehy, who passed away on Sunday from the after-effects of a heart attack.
His oldest and dearest friend, Kenn Kweder, said of Sheehy, “We had been very much in touch these past six months furiously ping-ponging emails about everything . . . music, history, sports, friends, politics, academics, pandemic, etc. He was kind of an eccentric modern-day renaissance man. He had an impeccable memory. We worked together for over 10 years on many of my most serious projects and I credit him on keeping me relevant during those particular years. He was a great advisor, confident and loyal friend. A straight shooter when everyone else was shooting crooked.”
That sounds about right, Kenn. The Colonel will be missed.
