The Filtered Excellence: July 12, 2012
Bob Geldof once asked us, “Where is the filtered excellence!?” It’s right here. Here are this weeks picks of what to WATCH, what to DO what to TRY what to READ what to LISTEN TO and more:
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WATCH THIS:
Political Animals. This provocative new miniseries, which seems to be based on the Clintons is a six parter, starring the always wonderful Sigourney Weaver as the former first lady. It airs Sundays at 10pm on the USA network and is a great change from the usual lineup. Since Sunday nights have become the best night on tv, make sure you get your DVR set and ready to go, because you won’t want to miss this one. Great performances by Sigourney, Ellen Burstyn, and the rest of the cast.
Breaking Bad Season 5. Now in its fifth and final season, Breaking Bad has thrilled and captivated audiences for years, earning 6 Emmy awards including three consecutive Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series Awards for its star, Bryan Cranston. We will be hosting live commenting on Sunday nights on the Ibang watching on AMC. It all starts this Sunday July 15 at 10pm eastern time and every Sunday this summer.
Salute. We haven’t seen this yet, but that won’t stop us from recommending it. This award-winning film recounts the role of a white man in a defining moment of the American civil rights movement: the 1968 Black Power Salute. For the first time the complete story behind one of the most iconic images of all time will be told. An important event at the Mexico City Olympics, and an important movie. Put it on your list. Written and directed by Matt Norman.
Ballplayer: Pelotero by John Leguizamo. Another great documentary, this one produced by Bobby Valentine, manager for the Boston Red Sox. The doc looks at the MLB training camps in the Dominican Republic, particularly the attempts of young boys to escape the poverty they are living in by trying to navigate the sometimes corrupt process of making it to the MLB.
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LISTEN TO THIS:
Swing Lo Magellan by the Dirty Projectors. (Just released July 10, 2012). The sixth album for the David Longstreth’s experimental indie rock band is ambitious, interesting, and ultimately, an excellent album. Want some more adjectives to describe the group’s latest sound? Here, how about: intricate, odd, elaborate, layered, idiosyncratic, mesmerizing, lo-fi, hi-fi, challenging, beautiful. Add some handclaps and drum machines to the mix too. Music moods swing full range from delicate to bombastic; otherworldly harmonies one moment, a cacophony suddenly jolts you out of your trance. From the first track til the last, this is album is a great listen. I dare say this is the Dirty Projectors best album yet. Some think it is the best album of their career and one of the best of 2012 so far.
Unsound by Mission of Burma: When a band reforms after 20 years, you expect a cash-grab tour. You also might get some tepid new music to accompany a re-packaged greatest hits. What you don’t expect is four great albums of material that rival the band’s early work. Boston art-punk legends Mission of Burma have done just that. Their latest, Unsound, just adds to the band’s impressive second act.
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BROWSE THIS:
What If!? If a pitcher were able to throw a baseball at 90% the speed of light, what would happen? XKCD cartoonist (and former roboticist) Randall Munroe recently started a blog to attempt answer questions like these. Answers entertain as well as provide a heaping pile of science knowledge.
Paste Magazine’s Video Vault. It’s the largest free, curated collection of concert videos anywhere on the Internet. Launching with more than 7,500 videos from 532 artists.
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DO THIS:
NEW YORK CITY: 35th Anniversary Screening Of ‘Saturday Night Fever’. At Celebrate Brooklyn 7/14. This seminal 1977 film – which brought disco into the mainstream and turned John Travolta & The Bee Gees into cultural icons – will be get a special screening at the Prospect Park Bandshell – in Tony Manero’s hometown of Brooklyn. As an added bonus, Tragedy, a heavy metal Bee Gees tribute band will open up with a special salute to Robin Gibb. Get ready to boogie and bang your head. All for only $3!
NEW YORK CITY: Woody Guthries’ 100th. This weekend the City of New York is celebrating Woody Guthrie in honor of what would have been his 100th birthday. Steve Earle will host a series of performances saluting one of America’s greatest songwriters at the City Winery. Performers scheduled to appear include Allen Toussaint, John Hammond, Tim Robbins, Billy Bragg, Rachel Yamagata and Amy Helm, among others. Part of the proceeds from the shows will benefit The Woody Guthrie Foundation. On July 15th, the party moves to Central Park with the Guthrie Family Reunion, with Arlo, Abe, Cathy, Annie, Sarah Lee and her husband Johnny.
NEW YORK CITY: 4Knots Music Festival. The Archers of Loaf headline the free 4Knots Music Festival at the South Street Seaport on July 14th. Also featured are The Drums, Crocodiles, Hospitality, Bleached and others.
NEW YORK CITY: Watertower. Watertower, a new sculptural artwork by Brooklyn artist Tom Fruin. Situated on the rooftop of 20 Jay Street the sculpture is viewable from the parks and streets of Dumbo, the Brooklyn and Manhattan Bridges, FDR Drive and Lower Manhattan. The prime viewing locations are the Brooklyn Bridge Park at Washington Street, and the Manhattan Bridge bike path.’
NEW JERSEY: Tribeca Cinema’s Movie on the Beach in Atlantic City. Ceasar’s Palace in Atlantic City is showing a series of films on the beach in conjunction with the Tribeca Film Festival. Four great films, shown July 12 through 15, starting at 8pm. The Runway (with Demian Bechir), Stella Days (with Martin Sheen), The Giant Mechanical Man (starring Jenna Fischer) and 388 Arletta Avenue.
- Get the details here.
- See the trailers here for The Runway, Stella Days, The Giant Mechanical Man and 388 Arletta Avenue.
PENNSYLVANIA: Blobfest 2012. Phoenixville PA. The campy, now classic sci-fi film “The Blob” starring a very young Steve McQueen was filmed in Chester County outside of Philadelphia. The climactic scene where the Blob oozes out of the movie theater and into the streets, devouring everything in it’s path, was filmed at the Colonial Theatre in Phoenixville PA. To honor their unique spot in movie history, the original and now restored theater in the heart of the town hosts an annual weekend called Blobfest which attracts sci-fi fans from all over the world! Festivities include a costume contest and parade and a re-enactment of the pivotal movie scene. The film is shown all weekend on the big screen and this year will include a double feature with some other fun sci-fi films. Even if you don’t participate, it’s a LOT of fun to watch from the street.
OHIO: Jamboree in the Hills, Morristown, OH July 19-22. Country music event featuring Ronnie Dunn, Rascal Flatts and Lynyrd Skynard. Friday night fireworks. Camping is encouraged!
SUMMER FESTIVAL ROUND UP: MORE TO CHECK OUT ALL OVER THE COUNTRY THIS WEEK
- Wisconsin, Bear River Pow Wow, Wisconsin (July 13th-15th). Held at an old Indian Village, many Native Americans travel from across the country to take place in this traditional three day long pow wow. This event is open to all public that is not Native American to join in crafts, food, and dancing.
- Washington, Clamshell Railroad Days, Long Beach (July 14th-15th). The Railroads were America’s first great means of transportation and a way to help and settle the wild west, and the Columbia Pacific Heritage Museum is doing just that with Railroad Days.
- Tennessee, The Great Celebration Mule & Donkey Show, Tennessee (July 12th- 14th). At least once a year, we need to take the time out to celebrate some of America’s greatest walking animals- the mule and the donkey for helping us to move out west, plow America’s great Farms, and help us travel to the center of the grand canyon, and this festival is just the way to do it. Thank you mule and donkey.
- Oregon, McMinnville Turkey Rama, Oregon (July 13th-14th). McMinnville may not be famous for their Turkey business anymore, but folks from Oregon still like a reason to celebrate what it is that brought them to Oregon in the first place. The Festival includes lots of great turkey barbecue!
- Pennsylvania, Indian Mud Run, Pennsylvania (July 14th). A long race/ obstacle course through the mud and dirt on of the less frequently used hiking trails in Pennsylvania- come out for a fun day to help test your strength. Not quite sure why Indians are involved in it, but their slogan is “Run like your being chased”.
- New York State, Fingerlakes International Dragonboat Festival, New York (July 14th-15th). This ancient Chinese form of racing is a combination of the traditional ceremonial dragons seen in Chinese New Year parades and the sport of rowing. These beautifully decorated dragonboats will be hitting the fingerlakes for one of the best dragonboat races in the United States.
- New Mexico, Mariachi Spectacular, New Mexico (July 11th-15th). Everyone loves Mariachi music and now their is four days to celebrate and showcase some of the best Mariachi bands from across the country. In addition to the showcase, their are also plenty of other cultural activities to help keep everyone in the family happy.
- Louisiana, Running of the Bulls in New Orleans (July 12th- 15th). Americans have finally decided they want to tap into some of their Spanish heritage by holding a traditional running of the bulls in New Orleans. Well maybe it isn’t so traditional, instead of bulls they use members of female roller derby clubs as the bulls (then again maybe it is pretty traditional…)
