Headspace Magazine

1 WINTER 2014 HEADSPACEMAG.COM

2 HEADSPACEMAG.COM WINTER 2014 3 WINTER 2014 HEADSPACEMAG.COM


CONTENTS WINTER 2014

5 Letter From the Editor

6 A Head Of The Game Concert Poster Design 101 Featuring John Warner Interview by Alessandro Satta

8 Rocks With A Fox Ascending with Apophyllite By Shawn “Fox” Rybacki

parking lot Miscellaneous

greensEnvironmental initiatives

tunesMusic

spaced outActivities, arts, & culture

10 Philly Craft Beer Festival Battle of the local brews By Mia Jester

12 UZO Interview by Nikola Katkocin

13 Turkuaz Interview by Jesse Bellosi 14 Pull Out Your Favorite Scarf Mike Gordon steps into Philly Interview by Becky Blumenthal

16 The Return Of Ratdog A special interview with Jeff Chimenti and Steve Kimock Interviews by Alessandro Satta

20 The Blockley Headspace mourns the loss of West Philly’s musical home By Becky Blumenthal

23 Bye Bye Liver Satirical insights to the bar scene By Jesse Bellosi

24 Philadelphia Flower Show An urban oasis to melt your winter worries By Katherine Wissner 26 Artist Showcase Featuring Matt Deifer

20munchiesFood and health

9 Reading Viaduct Repurposed New Park Connects Philadelphia By Sarah Rodenhausen

Cover by John Warner

Letter From The Editor

BRRRRRRR, when will summer be back? While hibernating in my house for the winter, my mind starts to wander… I was thinking the other day about what makes “jam” music so attractive to the conscious listener. My thoughts led me to the origins of jam music and the ways in which it can imitate life, and itself be alive. The jazz era brought about new ideas for creating live improvisational music. The 60’s bore witness to rock bands that were eager to break out-of-the-box. The musicians of that era were inspired by the free form aspects of jazz, and they used these influences to push their live performances further than the allotted time on studio cuts. The innovative quality of differentiating each live performance by jamming created fans that became almost addicted to following these bands around. Addiction usually follows a logical path such as: substance makes you feel better than no substance, hence addiction. How does a group of people running their hands up and down instruments, that other people in some way generated, create an addiction? A good jam will spontaneously create an entirely new creature; a conscious listener who notices how each performance is distinguished from another will bear witness to something new being brought to life in front of their ears. Just as in life, the balance that needs to be found in order to create something positive depends on millions of factors down to the molecular level. A few things one considers in a jam experience are the muscle structure and the hand-eye coordination that allows each musician to hit specific notes or drum heads in a time signature with others. There are infinite elements that could decide the direction a jam takes or the effect it will have on the audience. Musicians take on the responsibility of picking up these pieces of wood, metal, and plastic in order to make them create sounds that have emotion, high and low points, and are unique to that experience. Part of the addiction to live jam music seems to come from the creation of a tiny universe that feels like it can only be seen through a telescope that the audience holds . A fan becomes captivated by the notion that the audience’s energy can help push the jams to elevated points; a notion that many bands will admit is true. It can feel as though you are aiding in constructing this new universe, and that feeling is very appealing. Don’t leave yourself jonesing! Brave the wintery conditions and check out some local shows. There is some great music going on at the many indoor venues in the area, and it’s a sure fire way to avoid going stir crazy. Stay Warm!

- Alessandro Satta

staf f founder/ editor - in - chief

Alessandro [email protected]

creative directorJoe Gurreri

[email protected]

copy editorsBecky Blumenthal

[email protected] Pandarella

Blake Feldman

illustratorsJohn Warner

jduballstars.comJoel KirckhoffLiana Kelly

graphic designersJason WaggamanKatherine Wissner

contributing writers Shawn RybackiJesse Bellosi

Mia JesterSarah Rodenhausen

Nikola Katkocin

contributing photographersKarl McWherter

Lisa Joyce KowalskiBud Fulginiti

10

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a head of thegameJohn Warner

featuring

If there is anyone who deserves to have a recap article done about him, the work he has done recently and his future plans, it is John Warner. If you are unfamiliar with his name then you have been living under a rock for the last couple years and should probably come out and see what the weather is like out here. His art has graced everything from the merchandise and posters for almost every major band in the scene, to album and magazine covers. He has also been helping with the layouts of major festivals. Warner has his finger in just about every pie around. Headspace sat down to pick John’s brain about the last couple years and what we can expect from here on out.

HS: Where were you born and raised?

JW: I was born in Binghamton, New York. I went through my schooling there and high school. I moved out to California in 1990.

HS: How did you learn to draw and do graphic design work?

JW: I’ve been doing this since I was a kid. I never really stopped. I used to copy old album covers. I did mostly Kiss al-bum covers, which was my favorite stuff back in the 70’s. I must have redrawn Kiss “Destroyer” a thousand times over and over again when I was a kid. I was always a big fan of album artwork and pinball machine artwork. The pinball backing boards have always been a big influence on me. I was a big fan of all the 60’s psychedelic stuff of course. I had an early Stanley Mouse poster, from the “Skull and Roses” album that I pulled out of a magazine, tacked to my wall for almost 20 years.

HS: What is your connection to the scene in Philadelphia?

JW: I lived in Philly but I don’t live there anymore. I used to work at the M Room and book bands and work shows that went on at the M Room in Philly. I moved out of Philly in 2010 to Del-aware County, then Allentown, and am now planning on moving up to the Poconos.

HS: Who are some of your biggest influences and how did they affect your work?

JW: One just passed away actually – Gary Grimshaw – he is a Detroit artist and one of my favorite artists from the 60’s era. I would have to say Rick Griffin, Stanley Mouse and Victor Moscoso are my four classic favorite guys. From the new era stuff, Frank Kozik would be one of my favorite poster artists. He did a lot of the Pearl Jam and Nirvana stuff. Love his work. I’ve always been a big fan of Mark Arminski’s work as well. I’m just a fan of the classic psychedelic poster art in general. The four people that I mentioned prior to Kozik are definitely my biggest influences. I love that 60’s, psychedelic, Fillmore West style. It has always had the hugest influence on my work.

HS: We spoke with you last at the beginning of 2012 and you have had two HUGE years since then. Tell us about the time since we spoke with you last.

JW: When you last interviewed me I had just started my rela-tionships with all the major festivals. I just started working with Gov’t Mule. I ended up doing the artwork on their “Shout” album cover and countless posters. I do all the Christmas Jam art and anything Warren Haynes related. It’s the same with all the Furthur stuff. I did a t-shirt design for Furthur back in 2011 and it turned into me doing the artwork for their 2012 Red Rocks shows and the entire 2013 run. I’ve been working with Ratdog a lot and doing a majority of their merchandise. Same goes for Phil Lesh and Friends. Their Brooklyn Bowl and Capitol Theater shows are coming up and you can expect a lot of posters for those. In addition to artists, I’ve also been working with a lot of the big festivals like Mountain Jam, Peach Fest and Lock’n. I designed last year’s Lock’n poster and am currently the art di-rector for Lock’n 2014. Phases of the Moon is another one I just picked up. Since we last spoke in 2012, there hasn’t been much of a break for me as I’ve been working pretty much non-stop on several different projects.

HS: Who have you done work for since 2012 and what artists have you picked up recently?

JW: My roster of bands I’m currently working with right now is Moe., Gov’t Mule and any Warren Haynes related side project. Allman Brothers Band, Furthur, Phil and Friends, Ratdog and all the major festivals I mentioned. I’m really not taking any new clients at this time.

HS: What are your current projects that you are working on that you are at liberty to discuss?

JW: We are promoting our own festival called Susquehanna Breakdown. It’s Cabinet’s festival which should be taking place Mother’s Day weekend – May 9, 10 and 11 – and we plan to be announcing the line up for that soon.

HS: What recommendations would you give to a young artist striving to get their work seen by and into the hands of the right people?

JW: A lot of it has to do with availability and reliability. When you are assigned a project make sure you get it done on time and you follow your client’s instructions. One of the biggest things I see when artists fail in this business is they don’t listen to instructions. They take that attitude like “I’m an artist I can do whatever I want” but that’s not true. When you are making art for yourself you can do what ever you want but when you are making art for a client you are expected to deliver. If you don’t deliver there is somebody else who will. So do what you say you are going to do and follow through. That would be my biggest piece of advice.

Interview by Alessandro Satta

CONCERT POSTER DESIGN 101

parking lot parking lot


Ascending with Apophyllite

parking lot

Apophyllite is a hydrated potassium calcium silicate, with tabular crystals of cubic or octahedral structure, sometimes forming double terminations, with a hardness level of 4.5-5.0. Apophyllite’s metaphysical properties can be represented as a beautiful analogy for the human spirit when the right energy is put into it. The name comes from the Greek words “apo” (“away from”) and “phyllos” (“leaf”) due to the exfoliation of the mineral when it is heated. If we tune into the correct frequencies, we blossom in the same fashion. Controversial psychologist Timothy Leary proposed an idea that I believe is worth referencing. He proposed a model of “turning on, tuning in, and dropping out.” I have come to realize the poten-tial for apophyllite to help the activation of “tuning in.” Without finding a way to

resonate with your higher guide, it can be rather difficult to manifest anything other than chaos. If you feel navigation is lacking in your life, try meditating or carrying a piece of this stone. This time of year can leave one feeling incredibly aimless, and apophyllite can assist in providing a sense of structure and orga-nization throughout daily life. If we open ourselves to the guides around us we become receptive to visions and insights about how to get from here to there. From a psychological angle, we are our own guiding spirits. As we get in touch with our intuition we can help stay the course and feel certain in our decisions. This sense of certainty, or feeling of purpose, is a great foundation for reducing stress, anxiety and worry – who doesn’t feel better when they feel their life has meaning?

This is a great stone for meditation. It is through meditation, breathing, and being with oneself, that we naturally un-fold as living beings. Try pairing it with a high vibrational stone related to the heart or root chakra to help yourself find what it is you need to do to fulfill your soul’s longing. Ask yourself, what is it you yearn for in life? Apophyllite can help you practice determining step-by-step strategies to make in order to actively pursue your dreams. If you want to try crystal gazing with apophyllite, allow the glittery beauty of this mineral to inspire you. However you use this stone in your practice, don’t be afraid to chase your dreams and all that makes you happy!

Written and photographed by Shawn “Fox” Rybacki

Want to see more green space in Philadelphia? Set to begin construction in the spring of 2014, the Reading Viaduct Project will provide just that. The Reading Viaduct is an abandoned area in North Philadelphia that runs through Callow-hill and Chinatown, from Vine Street to Fairmount, encompassing a space ripe with possibilities. Originally used to bring trains in and out of Philadelphia for close to 100 years, the Viaduct has spent nearly the past three decades as an often forgotten and overgrown space since the service was suspended in 1984. While some residents saw the space as useless others saw opportunity. The diverse neighborhoods surround-ing the viaduct have undergone a great deal of transformation. In 2003, local residents envisioned the project as a way to connect culturally and economi-cally diverse communities. Recently two nonprofits working for this cause joined forces. Area artists John Struble and Sarah McEneaney of the Reading Viaduct Project have partnered with an initiative headed by Aaron Goldblatt,

Leah Murphy, and Liz Mailie. “In October of 2013 Reading Viaduct Project merged with Friends of the Rail Park,” McEneaney elaborates, “We are now working together as Friends of the Rail Park towards the goal of a 3 mile linear park connecting many neighborhoods in downtown Philadelphia. Designs by Studio Bryan Hanes for phase 1 of the park, a quarter mile section from Broad and Noble Streets to 11th and Callowhill Streets are complete and we are currently raising both capital and maintenance funds for the park.” Not only will the transformation into a park be a great way to bring community members together, it will also provide a space for the exchange of ideas and goods and ultimately create opportunities for economic development. This elevat-ed park additionally provides locals and tourists an exquisite view of the Philadel-phia skyline and surrounding neighbor-hoods from a previously unused space. Two similar parks have been constructed in New York City (The High Line Park) and in Paris, France (The Promenade

Plantee). The success of both parks has allowed the surrounding communities to interact and bring ideas into fruition, all in an aesthetically pleasing green space. The Reading Viaduct Project is one of the more innovative ideas Philadelphia has considered implementing and now that construction is set to begin, a former-ly blighted area of the city will return to life. If successful the project could be an influence on other major cities as local or-ganizations partner to bring the projects’ vision to completion. Seeing the project through is a green decision for everyone, as the cost of demolishing the viaduct would outweigh the cost of its transfor-mation by millions. Philadelphia is heavily populated with abandoned buildings and the repurposing of the neglected Reading Viaduct as a park space speaks volumes as to the potential for transforming space in this thriving city. Be sure to visit therailpark.org to receive updates or make a donation.

Photos by Studio Bryan Hanes

The Reading Viaduct Repurposed:

New Park Connects Philadelphia [By Sarah Rodenhausen]


PHILLY CRAFT BEERFESTIVAL

Many historians believe that mixing water and grain to produce simple ale may predate the earliest Neolithic bread making. Though people have been sipping on brews since before the early Sumerian, Asian, Incan and Egyptian tribes, it was not until more recent millennia that consumers saw an increase in both alcohol levels and brewing quality. Way back in the day, beer required the use of a straw to drink it as it was often clumpy due to the grains, though the alcohol content was low enough for consumption by adults and children alike. In fact, beer was con-sidered a nutritious part of a diet that was often more sanitary than local unfiltered water! Early civilizations used grains that were native to their settlements, and the brew masters were frequently women, as they were the gatherers of their commu-nities. In many instances beer was used as currency for trade, which in some way still holds true today. How many times have you received beers in exchange for helping a buddy move or brought a 6-pack to a dinner party?! As time advanced, so did the knowl-edge behind brewing a quality beer. By the end of the Middle Ages, beer was nav-igating its way from basic home-brewing setups into larger more centralized production, capable of making it a worth-while economic endeavor. Styles such as the German Lager and English Ale also came into distinction nearing the end of this period. Colonial settlers brought an appetite for beer to the New World; though Native Americans had already been con-cocting a corn-based brew all their own. The timeline for beer’s appearance in Philadelphia parallels the city’s establish-ment. Shortly after founder William Penn designated Philadelphia as the capital of the Pennsylvania Colony in 1682, breweries began to pop up mainly in what is today considered Old City. Beer

historian Rich Wagner details the rise of The City of Brotherly Love’s beer culture in his 2012 release “Philadelphia Beer: A Heady History of Brewing in the Cradle of Liberty,” a worthy read for those eager to learn more. Except for a brief stint in the early 1900s known as Prohibition, Americans have legally been turning to beer for refreshment and pleasure throughout history. Beer’s consumption has evolved alongside humanity so much so that the average American consumes well over 10,000 pints of beer in his or her lifetime, a figure comparable to the amount of apples eaten. Today’s market is booming with the best brewers’ have to offer, making the bartender’s inquiry as to what you’ll be having all the more difficult. A thorough understanding of the beer-making process allows brewers total control in tailoring the beverage to their taste. With so many options on tap, consumers may just have to turn to the trial and error method in order to make a selection that suits their palate. Luckily, beer culture is overflowing with opportunities for tastings, and Philadelphia is no exception. For the past several years, Starfish Junction Productions has been bringing the Philly Craft Beer Festival to the Philadelphia Navy Yard for a day of cheer. The event will return once again on Saturday March 1, 2014. Both Forbes and Philly Beer Scene Magazine have acknowledged this festival as one of the best tasting events for those looking to celebrate their love of beer, and the roster of participants is a strong indicator as to why. Yards Brewing Company, DuClaw Brewing Co., Boulder Beer, Clown Shoes, Terrapin Beer Co., and the list goes on! Regular admission tickets will grant festival-goers access to a full afternoon of complimentary tastings. VIP tickets offer an additional hour featuring special

brews and there will also be discounted tickets available for designated drivers. Local food trucks will be on-site selling grub and live music will be provided by Bangers and Mash. Previous years have sold out, and event producers are preparing for another full crowd. Yards Brewing Company is a repeat offender at the festival and is looking forward to their return this year. “The Philly Craft Beer Festival provides us a great opportunity to directly speak with our customers while also educating new customers about our brews,” Doug Mashington, a Yards sales representative shared. Last year Yards partook in the VIP session serving up Trubbel de Yards, a Trippel Dubbel Ale with an ABV of 9.3% that’s brewed with Belgian candi sugar and yeast. As for what they will be serving up this year, Mashington says, “You can be sure it’s not going to be something you see from Yards Brewing very often.” Breweries participating in tasting events are as eager as their customers for trials. Mashington explains,

“Tastings are an extremely important part of the beer community because they allow us to share our passion for beer with people who may have never heard of us or simply never tried a specific beer we make. They also provide a great chance for us to get feedback about our beers directly from customers about what types of beers they like.” Yards Brewing Company’s growing success since Tom Kehoe and Jon Bovit founded the company two decades ago makes it clear that people like what they taste. “It’s a lot of hard work and time,” says Mashington, “but making great beers and having great employees and co-workers certainly has helped us grow to be the company we are.” Not only does Yards produce quality brews, but they do so in a way that minimally impacts the environment. They own the first wind-powered brewery in PA, as well as buying their energy off the grid they use certified sustainable packaging and have repurposed bowling alleys for bar tops. “We are always trying to find ways

to recycle or make our processes more efficient plus we often look to partner with local companies when possible,” says Mashington. In addition to sampling Yards at the Philly Craft Beer Festival, beer lovers can swing by the brewery for a tasting festival of their own. “Our tasting room offers free tours from 12 - 4pm every Saturday and Sunday, although you can stop in any day of the week for a pint and bite to eat,” shares Mashing-ton, “We [also] have a fantastic bunch of sales people who are out on the street doing beer dinners, tap takeovers, and samplings all the time which can be found on our website or via social media.” From the days of the first nomads to the days of social media, beer has always been a staple foodstuff. Be sure to check out the Philly Craft Beer Fest and the Yards Brewing Company tasting room, or even your favorite local bar to determine your own favorites.

Written by Mia JesterPhoto by Joe Gurreri

In its simplest form – a mixture of water, yeast, malted grains and hops. Beer is a favorite that is here to stay. The popular beverage has been intrinsic to human history, as evidenced by ancient literature and written records from around the world. Philadelphia’s deeply-rooted beer culture will once again be celebrated in the upcoming Philadelphia Craft Beer Festival. In anticipation of this annual event, we decided to give you some background on one of America’s most popular drinks.

Fun Beer FactsThe study of beer and beer making is called “zythology,” stemming from “zythos” the ancient Greek’s interpretation of the Egyptian word for beer.

Hops are a member of the Cannabaceae plant family.

Ben Franklin is quoted as saying, “Beer is proof that God loves us.”

As of June 2013, The Brewers Association reported there were 2,483 craft breweries in the United States.

Cenosillicaphobia is the fear of an empty glass.Battle of the local brews


The up and coming band UZO is said to pack a major punch by fusing jazz with funk and creating a great mix. This band of Pennsylvania natives has recently been in heavy rotation in the local festival scene, finding themselves a long way from their start as Uncle Otter in 1997. They are becoming known for gearing up crowds with a body-grooving sound. We got to catch up with guitarist Tom Patti for some Q & A on what UZO is all about, what they’re putting out and how they’re doing it in preparation for their upcoming performance at the XO Lounge at Broad and South Street on March 28.

HS: What region of Pennsylvania does UZO originate from?

TP: We pretty much started in Southern Lancaster County. Right now we rehearse at Otter Studios, which is in Chester County. It’s a nice little corner of Pennsylva-nia.

HS: How did UZO get involved in the Pennsyl-vania local Jam Band scene?

TP: We started out playing as a trio called Uncle Otter in ’97. We opened up for a lot of the local bigger bands like the Disco Biscuits and Brothers Past. We played at a bunch of festivals throughout the area, and then things kind of fizzled, you know life happened and we grew apart. We had a little bit of a hiatus, but then we started playing again and picked up a keyboard player. We thought it was time to change the name of the

band since the style had changed as we moved from the typical jam band format into more of a jazz-funk fusion. As the band matured, we decided to change up the name to match what we were putting out. We wanted to stay with the U’s so our fans would not have trouble finding us. Around that time, my mother-in-law brought home a bottle of Ouzo liquor from Greece. It’s spelled differently but it clicked with us, and we went with the UZO spelling.

HS: UZO shows are known to be high-energy. How do you pull out your ‘inner funk’ to really bring the house down?

TP: A lot of what UZO is about is that high-energy aspect. We go out and pour everything we have into our playing; a lot of times it comes out as very high paced space funk with lots of notes crammed into a small segment. We like to interact with the actual fans and get them geared up and charged as well.

HS: From where does UZO pull most influence from?

TP: My personal influences, which got me into playing guitar from a young age, were a lot of the old school heavy metal bands. As my tastes changed, I got more into the guitar and rock, and went through a period that morphed through the discovery of Phish as well as Frank Zappa. Most specifically I

would say the album that really changed the course of what my philosophy and thoughts of music were, was Herbie Hancock’s “Headhunter” album. When I first heard that, I was like, “That’s what I want to do.”

HS: Can you give us a little background on the new album, “The Demotion of Pluto”?

TP: It’s a very eclectic, instrumental album that really pulls from all of our in-fluences and melts into one album. It has a lot of fusion properties to it. If anyone’s into the Mahavishnu Orchestra or Herbie Hancock music, we try to do a modern twist on that. The album encompasses a lot of those styles that we have come to agree upon and bring to our music.

HS: Where will we see UZO heading in 2014? Any festivals?

TP: We’ve got a lot of great things com-ing up! We plan to hit a lot of the major local festivals this year as well as two JibberJazz events. We’ll be playing a show in Ardmore coming up, a benefit for the Washington theatre and many more to come.

HS: What does UZO like most about playing in Pennsylvania?

TP: Pennsylvania has been a great source of really good local music for years. Not only do the people embrace and help cultivate it, so do many production companies like JibberJazz and Stir Fry. These companies have come together and grabbed a lot of the local talent and surrounded them with

national acts for decent exposure. It’s a great community of musi-cians, and we all know each other and are friends out-side of the competitive aspect of it. It’s definitely a blast to play with a bunch of

guys you get along with and see at other festivals.

Interview by Nikola Katkocin

Photos by Karl McWherter

TurkuazSince 2008, Turkuaz has been combining elements of 60’s funk and classic rock to make a sound that’s hard to confuse. Utilizing shredding guitar solos, backup singers, and heavy brass bombs, the nine-piece band has been touring extensively, playing festivals and venues countrywide. Headspace had the opportunity to speak with Dave Brandwein, lead guitarist of Turkuaz, in anticipation of their upcoming show at The North Star Bar on April 4.

So you were picked up by your school’s label, Heavy Ro-tation Records, after a friend of yours sent them a Turkuaz demo without your knowledge. You were then asked to play your first show in front of 1,000 people at Berklee College of Music’s annual showcase. What was it like being signed like that, and playing your first show in front of a larger audience?

It was interesting. It was certainly a surprise that our school’s label wanted to pick us up and do the show. We kind of just had to call whoever we knew to come and play with us. As it turns out, five of our current nine members were in the first incarna-tion of the band, the three horn players, Taylor, the bass player, and myself. I think it gave us a certain type of ambition from the get-go that this is something big that we wanted to make as big as possible. It was maybe a bit of an early ego boost in some ways. It was something that we did just for fun to begin with. We were working on a few other projects, and it was a side project at the time. I think the amount of fun we had with it, and the lack of pressure when we were first creating, is part of what made it such an organic experience, and part of what made it appealing to other people. So the way that all worked out was pretty cool.

So when listening to your music, I hear a lot of older funk influences like James Brown, Sly and the Family Stone and Parliament-Funkadelic. How would you say your style of funk differs from theirs?

Most of the players in our band come from a classic rock back-ground. A lot of us grew up playing in rock bands. It’s always had a presence in our lives; I think it’s something we started playing and digging into a lot later on. You know, we play a little bit harder, a little bit louder than some of those other artists, and with a different kind of lyrical approach. It’s also based on some of our other rock influences; even combining ones like Talking Heads and Joe Cocker with Sly and James Brown, I think has given us a bit of our own twist on it.

How did you guys acquire former Dopapod drummer Michelangelo Carubba?

Well actually, the two bands were sort of infused in a strange way for a while; we were all really good friends up at school. At the time, Michelangelo, Neal and Eli all joined Turkuaz, pretty much simultaneously. That was actually the case for about a year and a half or so. We have a release, “Live at Southpaw,” which is actually that exact band. Then things sort of picked up with Dopapod; they started touring a little before we did so they kind of went their separate ways. I certainly can’t imagine the band without Mike at this point; it’s hard to believe he was ever not in it. We still hang out and jam with those guys and collabo-rate. Everyone’s still really good friends.

Interview by Jesse Bellosi

Photos by Dani Barbieri

UZO

Unbottle the Unknown Force

HEADSPACEMAG.COM WINTER 201412

the vibration the vibration

Producing the power of funk


PULL OUT YOUR FAVORITE SCARF

Mike Gordon steps into Philly

HS: How did you get together with Mike Gordon?

TI: I didn’t know any of these guys. Even though I was a Deadhead in high school, I knew nothing about Phish. I knew the name of the group and that they were a Jam band. I liked the Dead, and other rock bands like Zeppelin, but my tastes grew more toward Jazz. In 1985 I moved from Cleveland to New York. At that point I went full steam ahead into Jazz – and all the influences in Jazz. I was really into world music including Indian, Brazilian and African. I didn’t pay much attention to Phish. Out of the blue I got a call from a guy name Mike Gordon. He said “I play in a band named Phish.” He then asked if I would come audition as a percussion-ist for his group (I am a drummer and percussionist). This was in 2007 and I didn’t think much of it. I told my wife what happened and she told me that I needed to call Gordon back immediately and schedule the audition. The process took a while as I was later told he auditioned 30 drummers. A few months after the audition, Gordon called asking me to come play with him and that was that. This was during the hiatus of Phish.

HS: When did Mike Gordon’s band come together?

TI: He formed this band in 2008, and by the time we hit the road this time, we will have gone almost 2 years without a gig. It’s the original band from 2008.

HS: What Mike albums have you played on?

TI: I was not on “Green Sparrow” since they were mastering it and mixing it when I joined the band. We will be playing stuff from that on this tour, but there are so many new things. I was on “Moss” and “The Egg.” For the new release, “Overstep,” I am not playing drums but rather auxiliary percussion. The new album was co-written by Scott and Mike.

HS: At shows, do you only play Mike Gordon songs or do you play others?

TI: We play Phish songs, especially if they were written by Mike. We play one of my tunes, and we are debuting a song that I play in my trio. Every member contributes tunes and they get played.

HS: What has been your most notable show with Mike Gordon?

TI: There was a magical and powerful show when Fishman played with us at the Port City Music Hall on November 26, 2010, less than a month after Phish covered Little Feat at the Halloween

show in Atlantic City. We had two drum sets on the stage. We played our longest set ever. Fishman came out part-way through our cover of Little Feat’s “Easy to Slip.” Fishman was only meant to play a few songs, but he had such a good time, he stayed the whole show. He played songs including “Sugar Shack,” “Cities,” “Traveled Too Far,” “Sound,” “What Things Seem,” “Nobody’s Home,” “Time (The Revelator),” “The Grid,” “Makisupa Police-man,” “Suskind Hotel” and others. We also had a really great show in Burlington. We were on tour, and the band was really on fire. We had a great time and it was the hometown crowd which made for a nice event.

HS: What is your favorite Phish song to play?

TI: It really depends on the night. Everything has the potential to be good. It depends how we are feeling and playing. I really like “Sugar Shack.” “Meat” is a favorite. On this tour, there are going to be some Phish surprises.

HS: Do you think there is a different creativity in this band from Phish?

TI: 100%. This is a different project.

HS: What other musical projects are you involved in?

TI: I am part of a trio called International Orange and we are about to release a self-titled album. The other musicians in the trio are David Phelps on guitar and vocals and Gaku Takanashi on bass. Our

sound is a complex mixture of Phelps’ Texan influences in his slide guitar

mixed with world beat jazz. You can check out our music at In-

ternationalorgange.bandcamp.com

HS: Any-thing else

you want to share with us? TI: This tour is in many ways Mike Gordon 2.0. There will be some surprises.

Mike Gordon will be at Union Transfer on

March 2, 2013. Tickets are available on

ticketfly.com for $25. The show starts at 8pm.

Interview by Becky Blumenthal

Artwork by Liana Kelly

Phish’s scarf-loving bassist will be coming to the City of Brotherly love on March 2 in support of his fourth solo album, “Overstep.” The album will be released February 24, 2014 on ATO Records. Mike Gordon consists of drummer Todd Isler, guitarist Scott Murawski, keyboard player Tom Cleary and percussionist Craig Myers. Anyone who saw Phish this past summer will be familiar with the single from the album, “Yarmouth Road.” Since the song’s debut at Saratoga Spring Performing Arts Center, Phish and their fans have been having a lot of fun with the melodic reggae infused song. The name of the song is the name of the street where his grandmother Mary Gordon lived, however the song is not about her but an old oil distillery that his uncle owned. To write the album, Gordon went on weekend retreats with his long-time non-Phish collaborator Scott Murawski. On Twitter, Gordon said they went to a variety of places including Boston, lakes in New Hampshire and a gigantic studio in Framingham, Massachusetts. They also spent one day at Mass MoCA writing poems based on paintings, which is why they are ending the tour with a performance at the museum. It was the goal of Gordon and Murawski to be playful, quirky and creative in their writing. When they were looking for a producer, they were looking for those same characteristics, which brought them to Paul Q. Kolderie who had previously worked with the Pixies, Warren Zevon, and Radiohead. Headspace Magazine had an opportunity to speak with Mike Gordon drummer, Todd Isler.


Todd Isler of Mike Gordon

Photo by Becky Blumenthal

Photo by Bud Fulginiti


The Return of Ratdog

Make way for the return of the DOG. This past summer’s Peach Fest was a tease for Ratdog fans with one set per night combining to make one show over the course of the weekend. Luckily, Bob Weir’s famed side project, after the Grateful Dead, will be returning on an extended tour across the frigid northeast, through the Midwest and a little down south during the thick of the winter. Headspace had a chance to have a conversation with Jeff Chimenti (keyboardist for the Dead, Ratdog and Furthur) and Steve Kimock (new addition as lead guitarist for Ratdog) about their upcoming tour. It would seem as though where one door closes on the Phil Lesh and Friends run at the Tower Theater, another door opens with Ratdog to kick off their winter tour in the same ven-ue. Philadelphia has been getting a lot of love recently, so be sure to share some with your date at Ratdog this Valentine’s Day weekend.

HS: Can you tell us about your path from classical music to the jazz scene to playing with members of the Grateful Dead for almost 20 years?

JC: I started out playing by ear around

the age of

4…or at least that’s as far back as I can remember. I then took formal classical lessons from age 7-17 or so. My entrance into the jazz realm came when I entered high school and got into the jazz band. I was very fortunate to have a great band instructor that was a working musician in the jazz scene in the bay area and abroad. We had a good rhythm section in the high school band and our instructor started hiring us for some non-school gigs (I was about 13 at the time) and basically from that point, I knew music was for me. I was lucky to have had many great learning experiences in live playing while getting paid too. I worked hard at it. I hit the San Francisco scene at age 18 and again was afforded many great opportunities to play with great musicians. I just kept going steadily until 1997 (about the age of 27) when I was first introduced to Bob Weir and Ratdog. I knew nothing about Grateful Dead music at the time except for it has a lot of improvisation, so I felt it was a natural transition. Low and behold, here we are in 2014 still going and still working hard on it. Time flies!

HS: What is the first live musical performance you remember attending as a fan?

JC: I think the first big concert I ever attended, as a fan, was around 1982. It was a “Day on The Green” at Oakland Coliseum with The Who, The

Clash, and T-Bone Burnett. What an experience that was. I’ll leave it at that! (He laughs)

HS: Can you tell us about playing with Furthur? How did the time with this band affect your playing?

JC: Furthur has been great, and, besides playing with Bob and Phil again, it also gave me the opportunity to meet and

play with John, Joe, Sunshine and Jeff who are such talented and great folks. I may not have had the opportunity to cross

paths with them otherwise. It has been a great experience for me musically and personally, and I look forward to more.

HS: Could you tell us about the return of Ratdog?

JC: I am excited to play with Ratdog again, and it should be a great tour. The new line up is definitely a unique instrumental configuration full of stellar musicians with Jay Lane, Steve, Rob Wasserman and Robin Sylvester, and of course Bob, or The

Chief, as we have been known to call him.

HS: What are fans to expect from the upcoming tour?

JC: From a fan perspective, I feel the upcoming Ratdog tour will be fun. It’s been awhile, and I know lots of folks have been waiting on the return. I feel as though the combination of the excitement of the fans as well as the excitement of us in the band will be a recipe for a good time!

tunes

A SPECIAL INTERVIEW WITH JEFF CHIMENTI AND STEVE KIMOCK


HS: What can you tell us about the new album?

SK: It’s the normal stuff. It’s me and Wally Ingram on drums, Eddy Hess, Bernie Worrell, my son John also on drums, a cou-ple guests, some new material and 1 or 2 of my old favorites that I wish I had recorded and haven’t. I don’t want to talk too much about it until it’s done.

HS: When did Ratdog reach out to have you join them this past summer at Peach Fest and on this upcoming winter tour?

SK: That was completely a spur of the moment thing. I kind of forget who was supposed to do the gig with them, but at the last minute they had a conflict of interest or something else sched-uled. They called me up and said, “Can you do this?” Coinci-dentally I was flying from somewhere on the west coast to San Francisco on that day and I said “Yea” so I got off the plane and went and borrowed some local gear. It was serendipitous that I was there.

HS: Was that your first time playing at Peach Fest? Did you get to spend any time in the water park?

SK: I believe it was the first time I have played there. It was a way bigger festival than I would ever imagined. As for the water park, no, I didn’t make it ten feet out of the back stage area! But I did get to play with the Allman’s, and that was fun. I always enjoy playing with them.

HS: Can you tell us about a typical rehearsal with Ratdog? What is it like working with Bob Weir?

SK: Here’s the deal with TRI studios; it just sounds so good in there that you can relax and play. Everything is kept at an amazingly high standard as far as making it comfortable and making it sound good. That is probably the biggest difference. As far as my personal approach, it doesn’t change much. You just have to be as present as you can possibly be and do the best job you can without over doing it. Musically it’s a very professional work environment. Weir definitely calls the tunes but we do jam occasionally. You can’t stop a bunch of guys from jamming if they are sitting in an idol moment. A lot of the mate-rial plays on that Grateful Dead bag, which is a known quantity. The trickiest part for me is trying to reconcile something that works in the moment that is also neither too close nor too far from the approach that may have been taken in the Grateful Dead. That is different from the kind of clean shoe paper song writing approach or the old school bandleader approach. I remember a long time ago when I was working with Merl Saunders and he was going on the road with that rainforest

project. Merl’s approach to teaching someone a song was kind of giving it to you in layers. He would say first scratch this rhythm. Then we would play the tune a couple times and he would add a level of elaboration. He would add a little of this, then a little of that. There was never a clear picture with me as to what the result was going to be. It was this increasingly elaborate version of the arrangement that kind of unfolded, which is different from the Ratdog thing.

HS: Have you had to adjust or change anything in your playing or equipment set-up in preparation for this Ratdog tour?

SK: A big part of Weir‘s trip in rehearsal was keeping the band volume down to a point where you could always feature the voice. That’s a good thing. I didn’t know how he was actually going to get away with that. I wound up in rehearsal initially with my usual pile of stuff, which is a not unsubstantial pile of stuff, a couple of amps and a bunch of effects. I play through a rock rig kind of thing. As the rehearsal went on, I tried a couple things and wound up just plugging into an old twin reverb with a single 15-inch DVL. Just one tired old amp and one tired old speaker, and it was fine. Just the guitar and amp by itself, and it was perfect; it was at just the right level. When we got done with the little bit of rehearsal we said “ok we will just do this exact thing on stage.” We were at TRI, which is an intimate space so the low volume thing was obviously working but there was no giant wash of back from the house or giant subwoofers or anything like that. I had a feeling that that might not work, that once I got on stage I was going to want more horsepower than that. So I went with it. I went with it to the point that I bought the twin from the guy I was borrowing it from on the West Coast because it is what we used. I showed up to this gig with a fraction of my usual production for doing a gig that size. I was just trusting Weir’s direction. I got on stage and started to play and couldn’t hear a thing. I thought to myself “oh shit, I’m doomed!” By the end of the tune or the beginning of the next the thing just kind of came into focus and it worked really well and it was really fun. The whole thing went from being a production focus to a real trust in Weir’s vision about how to present his thing. It was like “wow that works” and it’s not what I thought at all! That was exciting. After all the time I’ve known Bob, because I’ve been playing with him on and off since I was 20 something, I love his playing and obviously take his direction, but that one thing was just so backwards from how I thought it might work. I was just going with it and had trust in his vision about how to present his music, and it kind of went off the charts. I was like “Oh yea, this is great. Go ahead, call it.” That was an exciting moment for me.

Interview and photo (pg. 16 & 17) by Alessandro Satta

tunes

Ratdog At Peach FestPhotos (pg. 18 & 19) by Joe Gurreri

HS: Have you been part of any other projects with Steve Kimock?

JC: I’ve always enjoyed playing and hanging with Steve Kimock. He is a brilliant player and gem of a person. I have been graced with the opportunity to play with some of his projects. Hopefully, he will hire me again (he laughs), but at least I know that we will be playing together again very soon.

HS: We are based in Philadelphia and would like to know if you have any funny/interesting memories from traveling through beautiful Pennsylvania while on tour?

JC: I have always enjoyed playing and touring in Pennsylva-nia – great people and energy! I can’t recall a specific funny PA moment at hand, but I do recall some interesting birthday celebrations (including one of my own) while touring there…I’ll leave it at that! Honestly, they were all completely innocent (he laughs). I’m serious!

HS: With Furthur on hiatus, what are we to expect from you this summer?

JC: I don’t have any info at the moment as to what my summer will be like with Furthur taking a break, but I feel I will end up being busy one way or the other.

HS: What do you do for fun during your rare time off from being on the road? JC: When I have down time, there really is only one passion that I have which includes the spewing of a four-letter F word – FORE!! I am addicted to golf and on the course is where you will find me.

HS: Do you have anything you would like to add to the interview?

JC: Looking forward to getting back to Philly, and a big shout out to all the “doggies”!! See you guys soon.

HS: You have had an enormous 2013, since we spoke with you last. Can you give us a recap including some of your personal highlights from the past year?

SK: A lot of stuff… But the bit that was most unexpected was Peach Fest with Weir, Allman and Ratdog. That was completely serendipitous. I had no idea that was going to go down. I just kind of hopped onto that last minute and that has turned into more stuff, which is cool. I think that was significant. I have been working all year on a record. That’s a long time to work on a record for me, and we are getting close to being done with it. That has certainly been significant as well. Almost too much to look over and pick high points but those two – being in the album process and getting to do some more playing with Weir – were some of the high points.

Steve KimockJeff Chimenti

HEADSPACEMAG.COM WINTER 201418 19 WINTER 2014 HEADSPACEMAG.COM


December 2013 marked not just the end of a year, but also the end of an era at 3801 Chestnut Street. Sadly, after only four years, music lovers in Philadel-phia lost one of their favorite hangouts, The Blockley. The painful news came as a surprise when it was announced in mid-December that just two short weeks later, the venue would be closing its doors forever. Former manager Chris Perella explained the complicated events that led to the end. He said, “Ultimately, the nail in the coffin was that the liquor license could no longer be used on the premises. But the situation between The Blockley and their landlord was convoluted and there were concerns about the space being a viable option for the venue’s future even without the license snafu.” In addition to the tenure of The Blockley, its location at 3801 Chestnut had a rich musical history. From 1978 to 1995, the building was The Chestnut Cabaret. During that time, the stage was home to bands including Phish, Blondie, Parliament-Funkadelic, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Nirvana, The Ramones and Blue Oyster Cult. After that it was a nightclub named the Pegasus Showcase. In 2009, The Blockley took over, becoming a haven for funk, jam and hip-hop groups alike. The Blockley was far more than just a place to see live music; it was a welcoming oasis in an ocean of corpo-rate-owned music venues. The Blockley became a beloved home to music lovers and musicians, largely because of its staff and accessibility. The set-up of the stage provided an intimacy that few ven-

ues have and the location of the green room encouraged performers to connect with concert-goers. People felt welcome at The Blockley, like a home away from home. While they went to attend shows, The Blockley provided them with experiences and friends. Perella stat-ed, “Over the course of our time there, hundreds of people came to feel like they were a part of The Blockley. That was no accident; we genuinely cared about the opinion and role and influence of every-body from regulars, to local bloggers, to promoters, to artists, etc. We were music fans first and business guys second, and that permeated everything that I did and everything I asked my staff to do.” When the announcement of the club’s end was posted on Facebook, there was a massive outpouring of love, appreciation, frustration and shock. Many can echo the sentiment of Sean Youngman who posted on Facebook “The Blockley is the best there is; definitely my favorite place to play or just catch a show, and not just in Philly, but altogether. It’s brought so many amazing people together too. I’m optimistic about what the future holds for us as long as we continue to love music and support each other.” Statements like this made it clear that the venue was more than just a place that housed live music; it was the center of a community. During its short life-span, there were many absolutely memorable musical moments that took place on the small stage at 3801 Chestnut Street. Here are some of The Blockley’s highlights, with help from Perella and former Promotions Manager Jedd Buller.

Lettuce May 16, 2013

With a shockingly low ticket price of $15, this show had the most people ever in the building and Lettuce made sure that the funk was through the roof. Jedd explained that “word had spread so far behind the scenes in the music business that if you were a funk band performing in Philly, you had a trusted home at The Blockley. If you were from NOLA, there was a northern oasis waiting for you in the City of Brotherly love.” So rather than choose a large venue, Lettuce came to The Block-ley to funk it up. It was a hot spring night, and even hotter for those lucky enough to make it in to this sold out show.

Marco Benevento w/ The Soul Rebels February 24, 2012

There were already about 400 people at the club to see Marco along with Dave Dreiwitz and Andy Bangor. The same night the Soul Rebels had opened for Galactic across town. After much convincing, they came over for an impromptu set with the trio. Together they played a long, sexy, drunken super jam until 4am. No one could believe it! It was one hell of a night and by far the best late night the venue ever had.

Akron / Family w/ Sun Ra Arkestra January 21, 2012

According to Chris, “this was such a unique and under the radar show. Akron/Family is the best kept secret in live music; they just bring such raw energy and pristinely beautiful experimental rock & roll. Toss in the absolutely legendary Sun Ra Arkestra to back them up on horns (totally impromptu) and you’ve got an extremely special night.”

Toots & the Maytals w/ Toubab Krewe March 24, 2012

Maybe the strongest bill ever in the room and probably the hottest, sweatiest show as well.

NYE with DJ Jazzy Jeff December 31, 2010

Jedd exclaimed “What better way to celebrate New Year’s Eve in West Philly than with a West Philly legend?! This was no typical night at The Blockley. The crowd was dressed to impress, the atmosphere was electric, and to have a six hour top shelf open bar with DJ Jazzy Jeff was super classy.

Headspace mourns the loss of West Philly’s musical home

A crowded night at the BlockleyEasy Star All-Stars10/20/12

Jason Hann of EOTO and String

Cheese sitting in with Melvin

Seals and JGB 10/24/12

Promotions Manager Jedd Buller One of the final shows at the Blockley with Marco Benevento12/6/13Todd Stoops of Kung Fu12/2/11

Zoogma 9/14/13

Mickey Hart Band 9/4/12

Toots and the Maytals3/4/12

Steve Kimock and Bernie Worell 10/16/13Bill Evans’ Soulgrass with

John Medeski 2/22/13

Eric Krasno of Lettuce 5/16/13


A Funky Farewell with The Everyone Orchestra, 12/30/13

This is memorable for many not just because it was the last show but because it was a great fucking night! The night started unusually early with performances by The Bailey Hounds, CARLSound, The Underwa-ter Sounds and Swift Technique. Then Matt Butler took the stage as conductor to the Orchestra featuring Al Schnier from moe., Mike Greenfield from Lotus, Shmeeans from Lettuce, Steve Molitz from Particle, Dave Dreiwitz from Ween, Tom Hamilton and Clay Parnell from Brothers Past, Chew from the North Mississippi All Stars, Jennifer Hartswick from the Trey Anastasio Band and John Kimock from Steve Kimock and Friends. DJ Logic and Luke the Knife closed out the night with a DJ dance party until the doors shut, for the final time, at 3am. These are just a few of the unforgettable nights at The Blockley. However, it was often the nights with regular acts like Splintered Sunlight (who graced the stage 51 times in four years) that were the most fun; when going to The Blockley felt much like going to a friend’s house.

They say it’s better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all, and while that may be true, the closing of The Blockley has truly left a hole in the hearts of many music lovers in and around our city. However, we are forever grateful for all the friends, the music and the memories. Thank you to everyone who played a part in making The Blockley into a beloved Philadelphia community.

Written by Becky BlumenthalPhotos by Joe Gurreri

Bye Bye LiverSatirical insights to the bar scene

“Bye Bye Liver: The Drinking Play” is a series of sketches and bits that take a humorous look at the bar scene and drinking culture. Actors portraying bartenders, patrons, and in one case a Russian pirate, show how alcohol can sometimes lead to hilariously awkward and uncomfortable situations.The play opened with a slightly crude monologue from the Bartender, who resumed his role as narrator in later sketches. There was a lot of crowd interaction and members of the audience were asked to drink at the sound of a gong throughout the night. These “social drinks” as they were called, added up to about three beers worth during the 90-minute performance. Of course, you could choose not to drink and still enjoy the show. There were several funny sketches throughout the show, with some being more memorable than others. First, a sketch performed by the crew attempted to answer every man’s question: “Why do women go to the bathroom in pairs?” The sketch involved actor Jason Singer posing as a woman in the ladies room as a mole. Donning a wig and dress, he attempts to befriend women in the bathroom who are too drunk to notice he’s clearly a man. The show then moved on to the “Would You Rather Game” where members of the audience were picked at random and given a choice of two scenarios and asked to answer which one they’d rather do. The questions were often ridiculous, such

as “Would you rather commit suicide or be the lead singer of Creed?” The audience member chose the former. Another highlight was the “Blackout Bourbon” sketch, in which two men drink a bourbon so strong, that they black out

after one shot. After several blackouts, they would wake up in different situations.

In one situation, they were robbing a bank. In another, they woke up about to get married to women they didn’t know. Overall, the play was quite funny and the laughs were frequent. The play is on tour in other major cities,

including Milwaukee and Chicago. The shows, however, usually don’t get as

crude as the ones in Philly. “The show kind of takes on the form of the city. In

Chicago, everyone was smiley and nice. Here, the humor is different,” actress Bebe

Shark said.

The show will be appearing every Saturday through May at the Urban Saloon at 22nd and Fairmount

Streets. For tickets and more information visit www.byebyeliver.com

Written by Jesse Bellosi

Photos by Lisa Joyce Kowalski

Line around the block for Dopapod 2/23/13 Tom Hamilton of Brothers Past10/30/12Aron Magner of the Disco Biscuits playing with Suckerpunch 6/22/13

David Nelson of New Riders Of the Purple Sage3/14/13

The New Mastersounds 11/19/11

Melvin Seals with JGB at Headspace’s 2 year anniversary party 3/7/13

Papadosio4/20/13

Otis Day and the Knights2/18/12 - 2/19/12

Butchy Sochorow of Splintered

Sunlight


o

For the best experience:

DO:o Bring your camera! Photographs are welcome

o Wear comfortable walking shoes o Go early! Or later in the day

o Bring a light jacket; the room is kept cool for the plants

DON'T:o Wear uncomfortable shoes; there is a lot of walking

o Touch the plants or art o Walk on exhibits

o Haggle with vendors

o Show up on Saturday at noon and expect it to be empty.

The Philadelphia Flower Showby KATHERINE WISSNER

A rainforest in Philly As the months of frozen toes and hot chocolate rage on, a beacon of hope shines in the future. Close your eyes, and picture yourself in an oasis where sweet, fragrant air and thousands of gorgeous flowers fill the space, as your worries and cares melt away into the dazzling array of bright colors. Feeling some meditative bliss? If so, your dreams can soon become a reality when the world’s largest and most lush flower show is held right here in Philadelphia, March 1st – 9th at the Pennsylvania Convention Center.

ARTiculture This year’s theme, “ARTiculture,” describes the relationship that has developed between the fine arts and horticulture. As the home of America’s first horticultural society, an amazing partnership has blossomed here in Philadelphia. According to the press release “The Pennsylvania Horticultural Soci-ety will partner with internationally renowned art museums, organizations and institutions for the exhibits in ‘ARTiculture.’” Participants include the J. Paul Getty Museum (Los Angeles), the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum (New York City), the Smithsonian Institution’s National Portrait Gallery (Washington, D.C.), the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the Barnes Foundation (Philadelphia), the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (Philadelphia), the University of Pennsylvania Museum (Phila-delphia), the Brandywine River Museum (Chadds Ford, PA) and more.” The display will focus on the magic that is created when flowers are used as an artistic medium. Since the Philadelphia Flower Show was first held in 1829, the array of types of exhibits has grown yet the magic remains the same. The offerings at the Philadelphia Flower show aren’t limited to plant life. As one might expect, vendors have everything a budding plant-parent could want, from seedlings to flower pots to books, plus fine art works, metal sculpture, jewelry, floral inspired fabrics and so much more.

If you are unaccustomed to the stunning beauty of some of the worlds’ most exotic flowers, it is worth making the time to come to the 2014 flower show, which now entertains more than 265,000 people from all over the country each year. As a Philadelphia area resident, this is a local treat not to be missed.

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An urban oasis to melt your winter worries

Photo by Lisa Joyce Kowalski


Artist ShowcaseMatt

DEIFER

Matt Deifer harnesses the world of the surreal into the realm of the passionate and spiritual with paintings meant to stimulate senses you never even knew you had. With the innovative work of Wassily Kandinsky al-ways in mind, Deifer’s work is designed to put universal unity on display. His pieces, which evoke everything from emotional chaos to the deepest, calmest spiritual place you’ve ever been, flow into each other much like the songs on your favorite mixtape. Matt Deifer was born and raised in Coplay, Pennsylvania, where he started to shape his original style of art. As a graduate of the Roy H. Park School of Communications at Itha-ca College in Ithaca, New York, Matt played an intrinsic part in starting the See Spot Art Gallery in the Ithaca Commons, an area noted in numerous publications as being among the most enlightened in the country. Itha-ca fed Matt’s hunger for the type of live, free-form music he always listens to while creating, and he can often be found painting live on stage at events throughout the east coast. A “think big” expressionist in all that he does, Matt is also an accomplished talent agent, graphic designer and promoter who has developed cover art for numerous bands as well as booked specialty performers at festivals and other events for Funtown Productions, his Philadelphia-based company.

spaced out

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