Headspace Magazine by Alex

SUMMER 2013

HEADSPACEMAG.COM

SUMMER 2013

HEADSPACEMAG.COM

CONTENTS

SUMMER 2013

parking lot

tunes

5 Letter From the Editor

14 Headspace’s Festival Guide

6 Comix Corner

15 It’s Time To... Start Making Sense

Miscellaneous

7 Rocks With A Fox Lighten up with lepidolite

By Shawn “Fox” Rybacki

8 A Head Of The Game Small music festivals 101 featuring Rob Hunt

Interview by Tim Dougherty

greens

Environmental initiatives

10 Seasonal Fruits And Berries The what, when and where in Pennsylvania

By Mandie Pandarella

11 Untours Foundation An unconventional model for a

greener earth

By Emily Lierle

munchies

Food and health

12 Festie Food and Philly Food trucks How to eat well on the go

By Blake Feldman and Alessandro Satta

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Music

Interview by Becky Blumenthal

16 The Mann’s Umphorgettable Night Interview by Jesse Bellosi

spaced out

Activities, arts, and culture

18 Glow Fans and Glow Haters By Becky Blumenthal and Mandie Pandarella

20 Paine’s Park Philly skateboarding redeemed By Laura Stiffler

22 The Natural Stage Is Set A closer look at Philly’s outdoor

summer performances By Mia Jester

23 RelaxSonic By Tony Myers

24 The Great Buffoonery An adventure into Jimmy Buffet lot

By Alessandro Satta

26 The Mural Arts Program Headspace’s top picks

SUMMER 2013

staf f

Letter from the editor

t seemed to take forever this year, but summer is finally in full throttle. These are the days of fans, air conditioning and weekend escapes with nature’s steady breeze. If you’re looking for a random adventure in Philadelphia during the brief moments of relief from the sweltering humidity then consider checking out the many beautiful murals that decorate a number of Philadelphian residences and businesses. Have you noticed that many of these murals have individual styles that seem to go beyond the city’s beautification efforts? These murals have awesome histories that get very little attention. The Mural Arts program was started in 1984 as a part of Philadelphia’s Anti-Graffiti Network. The Network hired a muralist named Jane Golden to, “reach out to graffiti writers and to redirect their energies from destructive graffiti writing to constructive mural painting.” It since has created an outlet for people to display their art without the risk of having to go to jail. It also cut down on graffiti that was taking over the walls of Philadelphia at the time. This gave artists a socially acceptable way of beautifying their own neighborhoods and in doing so helped them to better their own artistic skills. The 3000+ murals that can be found in Philadelphia are a testament to this effort. Since the 1980’s the organization has grown to offer a multitude of free programs that help people of all walks of life to realize what is now the Mural Art Program’s mantra, “Art saves lives.” In order to celebrate almost 30 years of Mural Art’s beautification of Philadelphia we have chosen to print some of the Headspace team’s favorite murals in our artist focus. Don’t forget to take a day off to wander about and find your own favorites.

founder/ editor -in-chief Alessandro Satta

alexsatta@headspacemag.com

chief executive officer Tim Dougherty

tim@headspacemag.com

creative director Joe Gurreri

joegurreri@headspacemag.com

copy editor Becky Blumenthal

becky@headspacemag.com Mandie Pandarella

illustrators John Warner

jduballstars.com Kate Lonigro

Joel Kirckhoff Ben Fowler

graphic designers Jason Waggaman Pat Ambrogi

contributing writers Shawn Rybacki Jesse Bellosi Mia Jester

Laura Stiffler

Blake Feldman Tony Myers

Mandie Pandarella Emily Lierle

-Alex Satta

SUMMER 2013

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parking lot

We are always looking for fresh jokes!

Comix Corner

Submit them on our Facebook

page and we will illustrate the joke with the most likes!

www.facebook.com/headspacemag

Lighten up with lepidolite

I SUN . AUG 4

SAT . JULY 13

SUN . AUG 11

FRI . AUG 30 @ SKYLINE STAGE .

2013 summer . .

MannCenter.org Ticketmaster.com 800-745-3000 aeglive.com TicketPhiladelphia.org 215-893-1999 The Mann Box Office (No Service Charge)

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SUMMER 2013

t was midway through winter when, in the midst of some ` deep and dark rumination, a prophetic message shivered through me. A voice seemed to whisper that this summer will be a season of tremendous change. If you feel like old patterns are no longer serving you, or you’ve grown tired of relationships you’ve clung onto for too long, now seems to be a safe time to shake things up. In celebration of the summer solstice (my personal favorite day of the year) and to welcome with it the brilliant flames of transformation, this column is dedicated to lepidolite. A member of the mica family, lepidolite is a delicate mineral of perfect cleavage and a hardness of only 2.5 on the Mohs scale. Lepidolite is found in granite pegmatite, lending its lavender blush to lithium exposure. It is naturally found in Madagascar, Russia, Brazil, and also California. A stone of transition, lepidolite is well known for stress relief, self-love, and deflecting negativity. The name is derived

from a Hindu word for “play,” which is quite fitting, as it is terribly fun to behold. The sparkly mica inclusions and gentle purple splashes certainly invoke a renewing sense of lightheartedness. It is from this feeling that lepidolite works its magic. Sometimes we all need a remind-

hard to be empathetic despite the individualistic society in which we live. Remember, there is a distinct difference between honoring your own happiness and being selfish. To those overly sensitive to others’ pursuit of happiness, don’t forget about yourself! Now is the perfect time to reinvent yourself and be reborn. Now is the time to rekindle the things you love in life, and lepidolite is a stone well known for doing just that. Lepidolite is regarded as a stone of honesty, a quality we all need to exercise with ourselves and the world in order to truly find happiness. The journey does not always have to be so hard, guys! Put a sticky note on your refrigerator, set a reminder on your phone, whatever you have to do to remember to be good to yourself. It’s summer; go outside and play!

er that our own personal happiness is important. Many people drawn to crystals often find themselves getting taken advantage of by others and work very

Written and photographed by Shawn “Fox” Rybacki

SUMMER 2013

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a head of the game featuring..

Rob Hunt

small music FESTIVALs 101 “A Head of the Game” is our bimonthly focus on a member of the local hippie/jam community who is having a positive impact. We choose these “Heads” based on a number of criteria namely passion, ethics and a long-standing commitment to the scene. For a more in depth description of what it takes to be “A Head of the Game,” check out headspacemag. com. Buffalo, NY transplant Rob Hunt of Flagship Music Productions is an integral part of Pennsylvania’s festival scene. Rob has done more than his fair share when it comes to bringing the people of PA amazing events at the Kempton Music Center, such as New Year’s Eve with the New Riders of the Purple Sage, Spring Blossom Festival and Pinnacle Jam. HeadSpace caught up with Rob and asked him about throwing festivals, the former and current state of The Grateful Dead scene, and everything in between. How did you get involved in this scene? Well my first show was in 1973 at the Philadelphia Spectrum, good ‘ole Uriah Heap. After that I was hooked on music. It was 1975 when I finally got to see Mr. Garcia, and it just exploded from there. The Jerry Garcia Band changed my life. I think I’ve actually seen more JGB then The Dead. I’ve probably been to about 600 JGB shows and seen the Dead around 400-500 times, at least that I can remember.

So your pretty involved with the Rex Foundation, how did that come about? Basically from being involved with the inner circle of the Grateful Dead “Family”. I was always around and got really involved. I knew everything that was going on from when I showed up till the very end. You know, back when I started going to shows there were still a lot of older heads, like the original family. They helped me out and showed me how to be a part of everything. They are the reason I became so involved. So how did you start throwing festivals? Well I throw my shows at the Kempton Music Center. There were actually a few festivals up there in the early 2000’s, like StirFry and some other stuff. They got shut down by the township because things pretty much just got out of hand. Eventually, some friends of mine wanted the throw another festival there called Pinnacle Jam, because you can see the Pinnacle, PA’s tallest mountain, from the festival grounds. After we started figuring everything out I realized none of them had any idea what they were talking about so I kind of took over. It was tough as hell getting the township to let us use the facilities again, but after a lot of convincing and negotiations we figured it out. There is a lot of PA festivals but not many with national touring acts so I am always trying to work with bigger and better bands. It’s hard though. There is a lot of money getting thrown around to attract those big acts. Sounds like a lot of work, what really makes it all worth it in the end? For me it’s all about seeing different musicians all playing together. Like at New Year’s last year, Miz came out with just two other guys. They were playing their set and then next thing you know, members from New Riders are getting up and playing along. There was Johnny [Markowski] on the drums and Buddy

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SUMMER 2013

[Cage] playing his pedal steel. It was just amazing. Such great musicians just playing with each other randomly and looking out seeing thousands of people and tents and sleeping bags all under one roof. It was just surreal. For me there is nothing better than getting to see all these musicians collaborating with each other and seeing the joy it brings to people. Getting to have a part in bringing that kind of experience and that kind of happiness to people is really what makes it all worth it for me. Got anything cool in the works now? Definitely. We had Mickey Hart out recently and he said it was one of the most relaxed and fun shows he ever played. He said he definitely wants to do something in the future. We have also been talking to a former Jerry Garcia project about playing, though I can’t say which one just yet. We also have the Marshall Tucker Band coming up soon which should be really cool. Actually the other day the New Riders called me just to make sure that we are doing New Year’s eve again, so that is definitely happening. I’m always trying to make big things happen so make sure to keep an eye out. So what do you think of the PA festival scene? It’s just amazing, I feel like Pennsylvania has more festivals than like… any other state. The amount of amazing talent and people who try to showcase it is just incredible. It’s honestly just crazy; we are so lucky to live in such an amazing place with such a great scene. Rob and his crew at Flagship Music Productions are putting some awesome things together and will doing so for years to come. Some upcoming events include Pinnacle Jam on September 13 and 14 and The Marshall Tucker Band on August 3. To check out their events just head to kemptonmusiccenter.com Interview by Tim Dougherty

SUMMER 2013

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Seasonal Fruits And Berries:

greens

The Untours Foundation:

The what, when and where in Pennsylvania

Linvilla Orchards (GPS address) 598 Linvill Road Media, PA 19063 Daily 8am - 7pm 610-876-8796 linvilla.com/family-fun/pick-yourown/

Hand-pluck the best looking pieces of your favorite fruits and veggies right out of the fields at Pick-Your-Own farms in the Philadelphia region. We’ve highlighted several family-run orchards that offer an invaluable public service in the form of PYO high-quality nutritious produce. Locally-grown food ensures that you will receive the freshest and best tasting produce with the longest shelf life possible. Prices are generally reasonable but will vary by location and depend on which crops you choose. Dress comfortably, closetoed shoes or sneakers are recommended. Be sure to bring a hat, sunscreen, and plenty of water. Keep in mind that PYO is always weather dependent so call ahead of time to confirm.

Mood’s Farm Market 901 Bridgeton Pike Mullica Hill, NJ 08062 Monday - Saturday 8am - 7pm 856-478-2500 moodsfarmmarket.com/ Highland Orchards 1000 Marshallton-Thorndale Rd. West Chester, PA 19380 Monday - Saturday 9am - 5pm Sunday 10am - 6pm 610-269-3494 highlandorchards.net/HOInc/Picking.html Longview Center for Agriculture 3215 Stump Hall Road Collegeville, PA 19426 Tuesday - Friday 9am - 7pm Saturday 9am - 6pm Sunday 10am - 5pm 610-584-8202 longviewfarmmarket.oarg/pickyour-own

By Mandie Pandarella Photos by Linvilla Orchards

Seasonal Chart

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An unconventional model for a greener earth

SUMMER 2013

With green in mind and an open heart,

the Untours Foundation, based in Media, Pennsylvania, provides loans to up-andcoming businesses around the globe. The foundation’s value system states that it provides “a hand up and not a hand out,” which means it focuses its philanthropy on companies that champion strategies to end poverty and initiatives that benefit the environment and aims to help these companies grow beyond just investment. The award-winning Untours Foundation began as the brainchild of Hal Taussig. A travel company dedicated to providing its “Untourists” with in-depth cultural experiences, Untours pools its profits into its namesake foundation. Untours began in 1975 when Taussig wanted to give people the opposite of standard tours. With this in mind he booked excursions across a divided European continent and boldly crossed the Iron Curtain. Untours also toured across Vietnam to bring healing after the war, and Untours has since expanded throughout Europe. At 88, Taussig is now mostly retired, but has hired Elizabeth Killough as the associate director of the foundation, to take over when he fully retires. “[Taussig] is the real deal,” Killough says. “He has one pair of shoes, one pair of sandals and a $5 suit from the Salvation Army. He grew up on a ranch, his dishes don’t match, and he believes that everyone should get out of the car and onto a bike.” In 1999 Untours received a $250,000 award for “Most Generous Company in America” from Paul Newman and John F. Kennedy Jr. Taussig remained humble when he attended the star-studded New York ceremony. “He stayed at a youth hostel and said, ‘Until everyone can afford to stay at a nice hotel, I won’t stay at one,’” Killough said. Over the years, the foundation has supported countless startup businesses, including Fair Trade. “Media, Pennsylvania, is the first Fair Trade town,” Killough said. “Thirty-three towns have joined since then. We didn’t realize we were

launching a national movement.” Through selective processes, the Untours Foundation gives loans to businesses worldwide. But, because of the overwhelming number of applications, it must take certain qualifications into consideration before providing a loan. “Now, we are focusing on really green, replicable businesses that create jobs among vulnerable populations,” Killough said. “We look for dynamic, world-changing businesses [and] mavericks—innovative, leading-edge companies.” One of the companies that Untours supports is Tosheka Designs, started by Herman and Lucy Bigham of Philadelphia. The husband and wife team noticed mountains of grocery bags littering the streets of Kenya, with no system in place for collection or recycling. They formulated a business model that appealed to the foundation and set up bag-collection systems. About a year and a half ago, Herman met with Untours and he said Killough immediately saw potential in their ‘Creating Recycled Treasures’ endeavor. “They took interest in our project and gave us seed capital to get the project started,” Herman Bigham said. “They saw our vision right away [and] saw that we had common values in regards to the environment and the opportunity to empower people through trade and business, and providing sustainable incomes.” Bigham said his wife applied her 25 years of experience in the textile industry to their business and created fashionable items out of environmentally unfriendly

WINTER - SPRING 2013 SUMMER 2013

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Left to right: Brian Taussig-Lux, the General Manager of Untours, the travel business, (2) Hal, and (3) Elizabeth Killough.

garbage. They have since employed 200 people in Kenya to craft Tosheka bags and accessories by hand, which are sold in Anthropologie stores in the United States, as well as in 15 stores in Kenya. The biggest challenge, Bigham said, is getting funding. The Untours Foundation has been instrumental in providing a financial head start for Tosheka Designs. “Thanks to Untours, we were able to get sufficient seed money [which amounts to] one-third of the initial project costs,” Bigham said. Killough noted how important the private sector is in helping eliminate global poverty and supporting a healthier Earth, and how crucial the foundation is to that-

Elizabeth Killough, associate director of the foundation, holding up a bag made by Tosheka Designs.

mission. “We want to showcase what a socially responsible community member a business can be,” Killough said. “It’s a model for other foundations to follow.” www.untoursfoundation.org/ www.toshekadesigns.com/ Written by Emily Lierle Photos by Elizabeth Killough

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Festie Food and Philly Food Trucks How to eat well on the go

Whether venturing off to a festival, or kickin’ it on the streets of Philadelphia, one thing is for certain: we all need to eat. These days, some of the best eats out there aren’t coming from your typical restaurant; they’re being cooked on a truck or under a tent. We talked to 2 festie/tour vendors and 2 food trucks in Philly to learn a little more about their on-the-go grub.

Dave’s Mini Donuts

Farm Truck

Written by Blake Feldman

Website: farmtruckphilly.com Owners: Kris Pepper & Elliott Coven Where To Find Them: Bouncing around Philadelphia - check their online calendar for daily stops & special events Signature Dish: With an emphasis on seasonal ingredients and sourcing locally, the Farm Truck menu changes too often to be known for just one thing, and the guys like it that way.

Written by Alessandro Satta

Website: http://www.davesminidonuts.com/

Owners: Dave and Dani Rosenthal

Signature Dish: Apple cider mini donuts

Where To find them this season: Gathering of the Vibes, Catskill Chill

What’s Cooking: This stand is known for its donuts, but it offers a whole lot more. If you’re looking for a full breakfast to kick start your day, this is the spot for you. “We roast our own coffee beans for our coffee shop. It’s a Haitian Bleu Mountain coffee. I work with a non-profit agency called “The Singing Rooster” that bridges the gap between me and a farm in Haiti. That way we get all of our green coffee beans (before they are roasted) straight from a farm in Haiti. It’s 100% organic and 100% direct trade. Direct trade is different from fair trade because 100% of my dollar goes back to the farm that it came from, not just a portion of it like fair trade. Fair trade is great but this is one step better. So when I get my 137 pounds of green coffee beans delivered to my front door it comes in a large sack from Haiti. They are all roasted days before the festival. It helps the farm directly and it helps us to create a more delicious coffee than your average festival stand.” Beyond the Food: “It was early in the morning and we had a young lady that did not work for us who wanted to come to play donut shop with us, but was only wearing a t-shirt and underwear. So we had to explain to her that she wasn’t wearing the right clothes to be cooking with us. She actually fashioned one of our plastic tablecloths into a toga and pair of shoes. Then she wanted to clean her hands before coming to work with us so she grabbed a bottle of syrup and it was too late before we realized what she was doing. I guess she thought it was soap because she lathered herself in maple syrup. When she realized it was sticky she went out to a table that had a puddle on it from the rain the night before and tried to wash herself off in this tiny puddle. “

Chewys

What’s Cooking: From soups & salads to sandwiches, skewers and so much more, the food on Farm Truck is ever-changing, yet one thing remains constant: the commitment to quality ingredients. As per their mission statement, “Farm Truck was built around knowing what is in your food and where it comes from.” So when you order that blackened chicken sandwich, rest assured that the chicken and cheddar cheese are ethical, sustainable and hormone-free. The cucumbers and carrots used to make the special slaw are local and pesticide-free. The chipotle pale ale dressing is additive-free. Meat, cheese or bread not your thing? Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options are always available. Making healthy food available and affordable on the street is not as easy as it may sound. “We took a seasonal business and made it hyper seasonal” said co-owner Kris Pepper, as they are at the mercy of what the nearby farms are producing. When there are all of a sudden no local apples for the apple-bacon sandwich? Offer up strawberries and balsamic instead. When possible, apples, berries and other fresh produce can be purchased directly from the truck as well. Beyond the Food: With the growing popularity of food trucks in Philly, it can be easy to blend into the crowd. When relative newcomers Kris & Elliott launched Farm Truck this past February, their brightly painted truck certainly garnered attention. In addition to the custom mural by Gabe Felice, their truck also features a “tailgate gallery” with rotating artwork from local artists. This all makes so much sense when you learn that the guys behind Farm Truck are recent Philadelphia University grads with degrees in Industrial Design. Avid home cooks as well; they brought together their two passions - art & food. Living in the now, doing what they love, and sharing it with the people in their community is what the folks at Farm Truck bring to the table. “While waiting that 2 minutes for your food to be prepared, you may as well have some interesting art to look at,” said Elliott, “and Philly is the perfect city for that.” We couldn’t agree more.

Written by Blake Feldman

Website: chewysphilly.com Owner: Charlie Sokowski Where To Find Them: Serving breakfast & lunch on 35th & Market Streets, Mon-Fri Signature Dish: Comfort Food, with a gourmet twist. Known for their Chicken & Waffles alongside a long list of signature burgers. What’s Cooking: In a city filled with many mouth-watering burgers joints, Chewy’s finds itself in good company, offering some of the tastiest burgers in town. Pick your patty - beef, turkey or veggie - and then comes the hard part: picking your toppings. The Diablo is a fan favorite, featuring pico de gallo, avocado, cheddar cheese and a chipotle sauce, but new styles are always being introduced. Take, for example, the Hell burger; with grilled red onions & pineapple, chorizo, pepper jack cheese and a ghost chili barbecue sauce, this burger sure packs a fiery punch! For those who fear the heat, cool off with the summery Surf & Turf Burger which features lemon-fried shrimp, remoulade, lettuce and tomato on an onion brioche roll. Would you like fries with that? How about tots? Either way you take your taters, the choices for toppings abound here as well, from sea salt to truffle to buffalo ranch.

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SUMMER 2013

Shady Grove Wraps

Written by Alessandro Satta

Website: www.shadygrovewraps.com Owner: Billy Robel Where To Find Them: Bears Picnic, Gathering of the Vibes, Catskill Chill, and all events by Jibberjazz Productions. Signature Dish: Chicken Bacon Ranch Wrap- “ I had no idea how popular this was going to become prior to us doing it because I didn’t see it being sold on any parking lots or shows. I decided to go for it and it has kind of taken off since.” What’s Cooking: This stand is know for their wraps, but they have a full menu including breakfast options in the morning and a create-your–own-salad bar. For the fried food lovers there are options available such as fried mac and cheese, and fried “smorewichs”. In the past, Shady Grove has gone as far as offering a create-your-own-pasta menu. Beyond the Food: For the last two years Shady Grove has been using eco-friendly products like recyclable and biodegradable cups and wrap paper. “This is my passion, it’s more than just the food. I went to a couple larger festivals 6 or 7 years ago and saw the need for good food. The majority of what was available was fair type food. I wanted to bring something healthy and wholesome. We get people saying, ‘your wrap saved my life last night,’ a lot around here because people will come to the stand after not having eaten for 1, 2, or 3 days and they need something to keep going. One person called it ‘life sustaining festie food.’ It’s about pumping out good energy to the customers and having everyone leave with a smile.” SUMMER 2013 HEADSPACEMAG.COM 13

FESTIVAL GUIDE

Camp Bisco Mariaville, NY 7/11 - 7/13 Equifunk Equinunk, PA 8/16 - 8/18 The Big Up Claverack, NY 8/8 - 8/10 Peach Music Festival Scranton, PA 8/15 - 8/18 Gathering Of The Vibes Bridgeport, CT 7/25 - 7/28 Liberty Music Festival Liberty, PA 7/5 - 7/7 Bear’s Picnic Hughesville, PA 8/1 - 8/5 Jammin’ For The Animals V Kempton, PA 7/26 - 7/28 Kind Roots IV Blain, PA 5/3 - 5/5 Steal Your Fest Shartlesville, PA 8/1 - 8/4

ST RT M KING SENSE A

Make planning the rest of your summer out a breeze with this helpful guide!

It’s Time To...

tunes

The Talking Head’s music has brought joy to so many people over the years, that there was only one thing that could really make sense. Start Making Sense consists of seven musicians who undertake a considerable effort to recreate the musical catalog of the Talking Heads. Often times their shows start off with a vibrant surf rock band called the Great White Caps. If you look closely, you will realize the Great White Caps is made up entirely of band members from Start Making Sense. Headspace was fortunate enough to speak with Jon Braun, lead vocalist and guitarist of this Lehigh Valley based group.

incredible opportunity to sit and talk with him for an hour. His musical abilities are unmatched. He’s played with a number of projects and was crucial in influencing the sound of every one of them.

How did Start Making Sense begin?

What is your favorite place you’ve ever played?

We started by accident. There’s a local bar in Bethlehem called the Fun House that asked us to do a night of the Who and Led Zeppelin. The owner was impressed so she asked us to cover the Talking Heads. Here we are 4.5 years later. It’s been an honor and pleasure. Have any of the members of the Talking Heads ever reached out to you? We have not heard anything from David Byrne. My understanding, from reading his books, is that he has moved on with his life and tried to do non-Talking Heads things. We’ve enjoyed playing with Bernie Worrell a number of times. He’s just a phenomenal human being. It was an

Do you know of any other Talking Heads cover bands? There is one in Chicago called This Must Be The Band. There is one down south too. So there are seven of you? Depends on the night; our female backup singer plays with us as often as possible.

The Bowery Ballroom in New York City and the Brooklyn Bowl; I think it starts with the venue. When we show up at a venue and things run smoothly, we feel welcome. When we don’t have to stress or worry we are so comfortable that our performance is top notch. We do the best we can and the crowd enjoys that. It’s cyclical because we feed off of each other. Do you feel like your crowd varies? The demographic alone can be anywhere from late teens to people pushing their 70’s. We have an incredible age range, which really speaks to the popularity of the Talking Heads and their legacy.

Headspace asked the Start Making Sense musicians what their favorite songs were to perform. Here’s their response:

Jon Braun: Lead Vocals/Guitar – My favorite song changes as time goes on. As we play songs, some stick out more than they did 3 months or a year ago. It’s always rotating. Currently, “Not In Love” is my favorite. It’s a very deep cut. It can be really hard to choose, it’s like picking a favorite child. Jon Fadem: Guitar/Vocals – “Burning Down the House” Steve Brunette: Percussion/Vocals – “Memories Can’t Wait” Jesse Braun: Drums – “Houses in Motion” Nick Pokrivchak: Bass – “Making Flippy Floppy” Brad Murray: Keyboards – “Not In Love” Kathy Webber: Vocals – “Slippery People” Ian Hansson: Rotating Bass Player – “Stay Hungry” You can catch Start Making Sense at a free show on August 6th at Musikfest in Bethlehem, PA. They will also be playing at the World Café Live in Philadelphia on August 30th.

Stir Fry Music Festival V Barto, PA 8/23 - 8/25 Philadelphia Folk Fest Montgomery, PA 8/15 - 8/18 Peace of Mind 3 Elizabethville, PA 8/29 - 9/1 Hot August Blues and Roots Cockeysville, MD 8/17 - 8/17

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SUMMER 2013

Mountain Folk & Roots Fest Biglerville, PA 7/26 - 7/28

Written by Becky Blumenthal Photos by Joe Gurreri

SUMMER 2013

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tunes

The Mann's Umphorgettable Night An Interview With Umphrey’s Mcgees Joel Cummins For 15 years, Umphrey’s McGee has been boldly incorporating a heavier sound with technically challenging composition. Derived from past musical experiments and many years in the classroom, their unique sound has made them one of the most well known acts on the jam band circuit. Headspace Magazine had the opportunity to speak with Joel Cummins, keyboardist of Umphrey’s McGee, about the band’s 15-year anniversary, their current plans, and future expectations. Where did you guys picture yourselves 15 years ago when starting out? Well, it was hard to have any idea where things would go. I think something that we’ve always kind of done is take the next step forward and try and keep it focused on the music and little improvements. We were just trying to improve our immediate situation in 1998 and play shows and do the little things that make a difference. I don’t think we had any idea or long term plan when we started. We wanted to jump in with both feet.

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How do you feel your sound has changed since then? Well, hopefully in a lot of ways. In the beginning we were trying lots of different things and we didn’t know what our sound would be for a long time. We always wanted to be something that was idiosyncratic and original. I think that’s what we’ve definitely achieved. We’ve gone through multiple musical avenues and styles as we’ve progressed. Some of it is more progressive; some of it is a little more electronic. Some of it is a little funkier, a little groovier, dancier. Some of it is deeply involved with mixed meter and odd meter and lots of change ups. So, I think that was one of the things that we were going for, we wanted something that was us but at the same time was very difficult to pigeonhole. I still think today we’ve played shows and come up with new things and there’s still things that are surprising and still things that are new that we peruse.

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So you personally have been playing classical piano for over 25 years and hold degrees in piano performance and music theory. Other members also hold degrees in music. When did you guys decide to start mixing the more technical, classical stuff with the heavier sound? I think that it was a pretty early decision that we wanted to do really technically challenging music. Even in the summer of 1998 we were starting to write some more complex things. As far as the real manifestation of kind of a heavier sound, I think that happened once Chris joined the band in the beginning of 2003. He was very into exploring that sound. Also with Jake, who’s been a drummer and guitar player in metal bands in the past, that’s something he just really did. So we were fortunate to have that develop as we went along. Of course that immediately mixed in with wanting to do things that were technical, that had a groove, that were heavy. That’s definitely an angle that developed once Chris joined the band.

What can you tell me about the new album you’re recording? Well, we went in the studio two different weeks over the past couple months. We had a lot of songs that we wanted to record that were definitely in this heavier rock/riff rock sort of groove. So we ended up putting down nine songs that we’ve done live before. Some newer, some older, and seven completely new pieces of music that we have not played live. Being able to go to the studio and have that ability to sort of clash some newer things with older pieces of music we have, I really think we’re going to have a cool group of songs once they’re finished. We don’t even know how we’re going to put it out yet; it’s going to be sometime in early 2014. It could be with a label. It could be on our own. There are lots of possibilities and we’re kind of leaving all options open at this point. So you guys hold an event called sUMmer School, which is basically a music camp. What compelled you guys to start this camp and bring it back this year? Well we held our first one last year and just finished up our second one last night. There’s a combination of things that are happening that I think made it something that we wanted to do and do again. All of those things combined are bidding to

kind of delve deeper into how we do what we do and why we do what we do. These are things that we don’t usually talk about with each other as far as the “why”. I feel like you uncover different aspects of a lot of these things you’re talking about: Improvisation, communication, and songwriting. It makes it a deeper experience, being able to share with people who are musicians as well and passionate about this and want to learn and play with each other. It’s really cool to hear how the students there were getting better at playing with each other and hearing things more dynamically and incorporating more changes. So you’re co-headlining 14 shows this summer with STS9. What made you put together a joint tour? We’ve done a lot of events with STS9, most recently Mayan Holidaze. Previously in 2008 we did a tour with them about the same length. It’s a situation where the fan bases have some crossover. We also have some fans that maybe are not as into them and they also have fans that are not as into us. So it’s a good kind of hybrid where you’ve got people that are into it but you have an opportunity to convert some people and play for people that may not have considered you before. We’re great friends with those guys; they put on a fantastic live show. It worked so great when we played in 2008, a lot of

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people came out to the shows. It made sense for us to do something again. We know going into it it’s going to be a great time. Both bands like to kind of push each other too. It’s one of those things where we flip flop headliners every night, so there’s kind of a good competitiveness going on and I think that really elevates the total quality of the show. Anything special planned for Philly? Knowing what the Mann Center is all about I think the Philly show is going to be one of the best of the tour. I’m really excited to be playing there after many years at the TLA and the Electric Factory. It should just be a really cool experience. Where do you see your guys 15 years from today at your 30th anniversary? I’d love to keep doing what we’re doing; maybe a couple less shows per year. I’d love to still make music that’s new and vital. Probably have opening bands comprised of our children at that point (laugh). I really hope we’re still doing what we’ve been doing. It’s been awesome so far to be able to go out and make music with my friends, people who I respect musically and challenge me musically. I can’t imagine a better situation. Interview by Jesse Bellosi Photos by Joe Gurreri

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Glow Fans And Glow Haters The real glow stick wars What would our world be like without glow sticks? Undoubtedly the familiar glow-toy filled landscape of concerts and festivals would be drastically different after dark. This article will discuss the simple facts, the pros and the cons surrounding these luminescent tubes. Edwin Chandross is considered the father of glow sticks due to his unwavering curiosity about using the self-sustaining light from a firefly’s abdomen as an inspiration to make glowing chemicals. Fireflies get busy during mating season by attracting females to their hind-end using their conveniently-glowing bum. Chandross, a scientist at Bell Labs in New Jersey, was enchanted by this idea (light without heat!) and so began his quest to understand. He wanted a reaction that borrowed from the idea of the firefly’s glowing cold-light source. Now we will happily provide you a brief scientific refresher. One staple of physics is the notion that energy can never be created nor destroyed, only converted between different forms, such as: heat (thermal), mechanical, sound, light, or energetic transformations of molecules, famously called chemical reactions. Luminescence means a chemical entity is activated by the free energy in the universe and transforms to produce light, without releasing heat (not the same as incandescence: a light bulb produces heat along with the light). Therefore chemiluminescence means a chemical reaction is causing the release of light alone, without heat. In 1960, Chandross attempted to copy nature’s clever tricks. To mimic the firefly, he needed a dye that radiated light (glowed!) when it was excited, along with an energy source to excite the dye. Chandross used the oxidation reaction between oxalyl chloride and (very reactive!) hydrogen peroxide as an ener-

gy source. In a glow stick, the chemical reaction proceeds in liquid form, a vial of hydrogen peroxide is surrounded by a solution of phenyl oxalate ester plus fluorescent dye, all contained in plastic. When the glow stick is cracked the vial inside is broken and the activation energy from the chemical reaction is large enough to excite the dye. When the dye gets excited, electrons in the outer shell jump up to a higher energy state. On their way back down to the stable (ground) state, the dye molecules emit energy in the form of light. Since there’s a finite amount of starting products in a glow stick, over time they run out and the reaction nears completion. The light released steadily decreases until no more light is liberated (without adding more starting material that is, an impossible feat in a presealed glow stick chamber). This was an incredible discovery, although Chandross was only able to produce 0.01% of the cold-light that radiates from your average modern glow stick. Other chemists, including Michael Rauhut at American Cyanamid, were intrigued by, and eventually improved on, the original discoveries. Rauhut figured out how to increase the light intensity so the reaction had a practical use. The Navy benefited from glow sticks as a safe and waterproof light source that required no electricity, produced no heat and wouldn’t ignite explosives. This team experimented with dyes that emit other colors (wavelengths of light) than just yellow, and called the first glow sticks Cyalume. In 1986, American Cyanamid’s light division was sold off to a private company, Omniglow Corp. In 2006, Omniglow reorganized the company and sold off the mil-

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itary division to Cyalume Technologies. Since their creation, glow sticks have found many practical uses as camping supplies, in emergency situations, during natural disasters, and for party entertainment. Military glow sticks, now known as ChemLights, are made to exact specifications and integrated into doctrines across all U.S. military branches. As exocharmic or visually exciting as glow sticks are, the current spike in manufacturing and usage over the past two decades has wrought unforeseen environmental consequences. One caveat of the convenience of glow sticks as tools is that they are never re-usable. Making the plastic for glow sticks is energy intensive; they require tons of fossil fuel energy to manufacture. This generates excess waste in the form of hazardous chemicals and plastics, clearly nonsensical for something so small with such a limited lifetime. However, according to Cyalume Technologies “activated light sticks do not meet the definition of a Characteristic Hazardous Waste and therefore under EPA regulations, can be disposed of as a solid waste in landfills and incinerators.” But even when plastic is burned in conjunction with solid waste law, toxins are still released into the atmosphere. Spent chemicals, including complex dyes used in glow sticks, can leach into waterways, all leading to already-polluted oceans. Long term consequences for land and sea wildlife from glow stick materials are simply unknown. That’s one big factor left out of the equation for an enjoyable weekend, all things considered.

The cultural impact of glow sticks in modern times can only be described as multitudinous. Since the 1980s, glow toys have become widely commercially available and are now sold everywhere from Walmart to Dollar Tree. In the late 1980s, glow sticks were manufactured for public use during the same era that DJs in the electronic music counter-culture ushered in the concept of raves. Raving and glow sticks grew up together, evolved beside one another, and today they’re as inseparable as conjoined twins. And as musical tastes evolved, glow sticks followed suit. The mid-1990s brought a new music to the masses, in the form of jam bands. According to Phish.net, the original glow stick war took place on November 25, 1994, at UIC Pavilion in Chicago when Phish began playing “Harpua.” However, it then took several years before glow stick wars became commonplace at Phish shows and other jam band concerts. While the growth in popularity of glow sticks cannot be disputed, their use at concerts often causes controversy. Some bands despise them, while others enjoy their presence, and fans feel similarly torn. On Phish’s official website, they ask fans not to bring glow sticks to their shows. However, at times Trey Anastasio has asked lighting designer Chris Kuroda to turn the lights off during the song “Harry Hood” so that the glow sticks are easier to see. In 1997, Phish’s Christmas card featured a photo of the “Harry Hood” glow stick war from the Great Went, one of the most famous glow stick wars in Phish history. However, at a show in San Francisco, Trey Anastasio explained his frustration saying, “someone just hit me with something. I have had it at this point. People have been fucking hitting me with shit this whole tour and I’ve been putting

up with it. Glow sticks! I have three very dear friends up here, Page, Mike, and Fish. And we talk about this shit. We are happy, healthy people and we love playing music for you. I’m sorry to say this because you are having a great time, but I hope that’s the last time somebody throws something at me. I love playing music for you people. I’m doing my best up here to try to stay alive.” Headspace Magazine reached out to our readers to hear your opinions on glow sticks. Some love their beauty and innovation, while others mirror Anastasio’s frustrations or express concern about environmental impacts. Crissa Robin Carroll understands this dichotomy. She helpfully summarized both sides of the coin, “it’s a love/hate relationship. Three hundred flying, glowing, magical color sticks in the air while Moe. is rocking their late night set looks badass! But then you think hmm, that’s a lot of waste, a lot of chemicals.” She went on to explain, “I use an LED glow stick these days, it’s brighter, I keep it on a string, and I don’t feel like a hypocrite preaching about leaving nothing but footprints.” Keeping musical tastes and environmental impacts at the wayside, people of all ages are captivated by the

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almost magical luminescence of these incredibly useful and equally ubiquitous scientific creations modeled from nature. No one could have guessed that one man’s curiosity about fireflies would lead to endless nighttime enjoyment for future generations. Written by Becky Blumenthal and Mandie Pandarella Photos by Joe Gurreri

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Paine’s Park Philly skateboarding redeemed envisioned, it was little more than a simple sketch on a napkin. The initial reason for its purpose developed a little over ten years ago when Philadelphia banned skateboarding in LOVE Park, an internationally known mecca for skaters. But one group of dedicated souls were determined to fight back and established the Franklin Paine’s Skatepark Fund as a non-profit organization serving as the largest skateboarding advocacy group in the metropolitan region. In 2003, this group took Mayor Street’s seemingly empty offer to set aside the riverfront site for a skate park and bolted with it! By advocating state, city and private funders to help pay for the project, Franklin Paine’s Skatepark Fund was able to raise

On May 22, the ribbon was officially cut and Paine’s Park opened to the public. Long awaited and long promised, this ten-thousand square foot concrete expanse offers a unique blend of skateboarding and landscape design. The park sits snugly nestled between the Schuylkill River and The Philadelphia Art Museum. What makes Paine’s Park so exciting isn’t only its decade-long conception, but also the mission behind it. Being the first of an extensive series of skate parks throughout Philadelphia, Paine’s Park aims to unite skateboarders with the community by presenting an inclusive park that truly offers something for everyone. When Paine’s Park was first

four and a half million dollars over ten years. Construction began on the park on October 12, 2012. A huge contributor and idealist for Paine’s Park mission is premier architect Anthony Bracali. Although not a skater himself, Barcali uses this to his advantage by not segregating the skateboard course from the other areas of the park. Instead, he weaves the two elements together by using granite ledges and benches as skateboarding obstacles which double as walking paths into skating areas. What makes Paine’s Park so unique as a skate park is that it encourages mingling. Although skateboarding is its primary reason for existence, Bracali has used that reason

to also create a space that animates the life and energy behind public landscape. One of the most notable features of the park is the vast white, sweeping arc that links the entrance to the park’s boarder. In true Bracali fashion, the arc not only serves as a skating course, but also a walking path where from the top one is engulfed by a three hundred sixty degree panorama of Philadelphia’s skyscrapers, the Art Museum and the Schuylkill River. But the most distinguishing feature of this skate park is the four looming white oak trees that remain, preserved from the previous incarnation of the land. An extreme rarity at skate parks, these trees offer shade across the entire layout and help break the great

outdoor space into smaller sections. The natural divisions make the land ideal for concerts, plays or simply taking in Philadelphia’s beautiful skyline. Additionally, Bracali acknowledges the park’s unique location in the city and pays homage to the Art Museum which sits just two hundred feet away. To do this Bracali implemented a series of paved brick bands which cut through the skate park at regular intervals. These brick bands, similar in color to the museum’s stone walls, line up exactly with the famous Rocky-limbed stone steps. Although much of Paine’s Park may be reminiscent of certain aspects of LOVE Park or Rittenhouse Square, the true ingenuity of the new skate park lies

in its adaptation and collaboration of the two types. By accommodating skaters as well as picnickers and park-goers, Paine’s Park forges down a new path of public skating harmony. In just one short month, it has blossomed into one of the city’s most popular outdoor destinations. Reflective of the sociability of city life, Paine’s Park celebrates the importance of utilizing public space, all while welcoming diverse users into its beautiful expanse with open arms. Written by Lauren Stiffler Photos by Joe Gurreri

Left Page Above: Chris Cole Kickflip To Fakie (middle), Julian Heller Boardslide (right) Below: Julian Heller Varial Heelflip Right Page Above: Ed Rendell and Michael Nutter at the opening ceremony (top middle), Chris Cole Backside (bottom middle) 20FlipHEADSPACEMAG.COM

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The Natural Stage Is Set Fold up your favorite tapestry or beach chair, pack a picnic lunch and call up a friend, because this summer parks throughout the city will serve as stages for a wide variety of entertainment. Places where Philadelphians normally stroll, chat and people-watch will be transformed by an assortment of efforts aiming to offer performance experiences that take into account the splendor of the season and richness of the city’s outdoor spaces. If you’re looking to listen to some jazz then catch the fireworks, munch on some popcorn while watching a movie under the stars, strut to the mummers or celebrate one of Philadelphia’s many rich cultures, the Delaware River Waterfront may be the place for you all summer long. If you’ve been holding out on visiting Morgan’s Pier, check out the schedule for R5 Production’s free concerts, including Work Drugs and Ted Leo and the Pharmacists. Spice up weekday lunchbreaks through October by visiting LOVE Park for their Summer in LOVE Concert Series or maybe even look into an open date for your own band’s big debut! When the workday is over stroll over to City Hall on Wednesday evenings for concerts and performances from now through August, including Fiddlekicks dance group and indie artist Kurt Vile. Pennypack Park Music Festival will host a series of cover-band concerts Wednesday evenings through September 11th. Local Dead cover band, Steal Your Face kicked off this series back in May, but tributes to David Bowie and Pink Floyd are still to come. If you’re heading west, be sure to scope out 40th Street Summer Series of monthly performances running through September. Man Man’s drummer/producer Christopher Sean Powell performs as Spaceship Aloha and the Millennial Territory Orchestra performs the music of Sly and The Family Stone in this University City District series. If you’re looking to shake things up with a theatrical performance, don’t miss Shakespeare in Clark Park presents The Tempest, July 24-28th with music provided by Sean Hoots of Hoots and Hellmouth. Another Shakespearian experience is provided by Commonwealth Classic Theater Company (CCTC) when they present The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) in various parks this July. Attendees must prepare differently for an outdoor show than they would for an indoor performance. Similarly, the performers themselves also must take into account the unique conditions of their respective events. Mary Ann Baldwin, HEADSPACEMAG.COM 22

A Closer Look at Philly’s Outdoor Summer Performances By Mia Jester

Producing Artistic Director of CCTC, notes performers must be prepared for, “sun, heat, humidity, bugs, dogs barking, kids screaming, the stray ball coming onto the ‘performance area,’ traffic noise, etc. “ Though these circumstances may prove difficult, they prove even more rewarding. In many ways, nature nurtures the performances, allowing for a heightened sense of community and enriched connections to community spaces. Adrienne Mackey will direct Shakespeare in Clark Park’s The Tempest this season and is looking forward to the way the setting sun will serve as a light cue and place the acts in real time, but is also hoping the sky will not be too tempestuous. For Mackey the lack of, “lighting effects and fancy staging,” is a small compromise to make if they “can really get people in a place together [to] listen to a story.” She continues to be impressed by the way theater becomes accessible to, “so many people who don’t see plays and are diverse in age, gender, class and in every sense of the word,” and feels, “that community communion is what theater is all about.” Baldwin further expands on the benefits of free outdoor theater, noting how “working in parks inspires [casts to] make a true and honest connection

with the audience,” and that, “outdoor performance teaches you [about] being alive to the moment and living in the ‘space’ at the actual time of speaking and thinking.” Mackey mentioned the park association’s limitations on modifying the space, making it clear that the parks are used as backdrops with, “staging choices made to draw the eye to the performance space”. Enjoying Philly’s great outdoors, accessibility of the arts, with an emphasis on community, and complete mindfulness of the moment are strong parts of all featured outdoor performances. Their welcoming nature and openness to all people exemplifies the brotherhood which is integral to Philadelphia. Plus, as Norman Jadczak of Pennypack Park Concert Series plainly states, “It’s nice to be outdoors in the summertime.” And with first come, first serve picnic-style seating you don’t have to bother people when entering and exiting your row of choice.”

Notable Outdoor Performances: Shakespeare in Clark Park presents The Tempest, July 24-28th at 7pm shakespeareinclarkpark.org/ Commonwealth Classic Theater Company presents The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) full schedule available at commonwealthclassictheatre.org

RelaxSonic Beeming up for a Vibrational Experience An Unidentified Flying Object (UFO) represents an archetype of modernity associated with otherworldly experiences. This paradigm aptly describes the experience that can be felt inside The Sonic Portal, a veritable gateway into another realm. It is a portal to aspects of perceptual and cognitive stimulation; a place into which few have had the opportunity to journey. The Sonic Portal is the name that was given to this man-made UFO. It carries over the idea of otherworldly experiences into the realm of vibration and sound, which is the creative manifestation of relaxSonic. The relaxSonic UFO teleports to art and music festivals across the country. Participants have the opportunity to lie on the altar within the center of the pentagonal structure. Once situated inside, a barrage of gongs, sound bowls, acoustical instruments, as well as digital sounds and digitally controlled LED lights dance over the participant’s body. This unearthly experience creates a synchronistic palpable orgy of sensations, vibrations, and light that helps one transcend the perceptual disconnection of everyday experience into a unity of sense and beauty. The manifestation is presented universally in the idea of the UFO and transcendent experiences in the, “felt

Pennypack Park Music Festival, Wednesdays 7-9:30pm through September 11th Pennypack.org Pastorious Park Free Summer Concert Series, Wednesday evenings in July chestnuthill.org/ Summer in LOVE Concerts, weekdays 12-2pm through October lovepark.pl/ summer-in-love

Shakespeare in Clark Park Photo by Kyle Cassidy

presence of the moment,” as Terence McKenna (who is this person) eloquently uttered many times before. But what is this UFO ride? And, how did it end up on Earth!? The relaxSonic UFO is led by James Thomas, a man who calls himself Admiral Hitzz (as in Hits the Gong) and dresses fittingly for recognition of the experience in which he wants others to participate. After an experience at the Alex Grey’s Chapel of Sacred Mirrors (CoSM), he recognized a primal human motivation for the power of vibration and sound as a gateway to internally palpable and transcendent experiences. CoSM is a place of pilgrimage for the psychedelic and spiritually minded where wisdom traditions are honored in beautiful fractal displays of the creative outpouring of the human mind/ body complex. Admiral Hitzz had the idea of showcasing the power of vibration as a gateway to transcendent style experiences. Much in the spirit of CoSM, where the universal qualities of the wisdom traditions and the human experience are honored without bias or prejudice, Hitzz set out to allow people the freedom of their own interpretation of the ride in the UFO. As the Admiral himself states: “We have found that the venues where we perform have people coming for experiences in tune with the event, not to be sitting in a spiritual temple chanting some ancient phrase, studying some text or concept. This tends to turn people off to the possibilities of vibration who have not been introduced. They work their asses off all year to have a great weekend, their festival schedule

Smooth Jazz Summer Nights and Fireworks, Screenings Under the Stars, String Band Music Under the Stars, and Cultural Festivals schedule available at delawareriverwaterfront.com/

Commonwealth Classic Theatre

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championed perceptions as a starting point for all experience. Free of the dogma and philosophical supposition associated with the use of gongs, sound bowls, and other acoustical and resonant instruments, Admiral Hitzz set out to create an environment, “free from expectations, spiritual rhetoric, and rigid philosophy that comes with the use of their instruments,” and that, “relaxSonic allows each participant to enjoy the experience organically instead of being told what is and how it should be.” The living, breathing core of relaxSonic consists of the full time crew members and dedicated volunteers who devote hours of their time to bring this incredible UFO ride to the masses. For this year’s tour, Dharma, Sparkle the Dinacorn and Cypress the Space Cowboy, as well as dedicated volunteers Disco Shaman, Orion and the space ambassadors will be manning the UFO. Join Admiral Hitzz on The Sonic Portal’s 6th annual summer tour across North America. The tour schedule is extensive and well balanced, bringing the magic of the gongs to the jam band and EDM scene alike. By Tony Myers

Camp Bisco, Mariaville, NY: 7/11-13 Gathering of the Vibes, Bridgeport, CT: 7/25-28 Open Mind, Montreal, Quebec: 7/30-8/5

R5 Productions FREE Summer Concerts at Morgan’s Pier, schedule available at r5productions.com/ 40th Street Summer Series, monthly events at 40th and Walnut Street through September, universitycity. org/40th-street-summer-seriesCity Hall Presents, performances Wednesday at 5:30pm http://cityhallpresents.creativephl. org/

is important to them and if they are not into meditation they might not be inclined to try it. Our band looks to open the door to everyone who is at the event by offering a psychedelic ride instead of a “meditation station” allowing them to apply their own context post experience without us, or those who came before us, clouding their blank canvas of ideas. If they have had an amazing spiritual experience it didn’t happen because we told them it should.” - James Thomas A.K.A. Admiral Hitzz The idea behind the Admiral’s inspiration draws upon each individual’s tabula rasa, Latin for blank slate, a throwback to 17th century empiricist John Locke who

Shambhala, Salmo, BC: 8/7-12 Burning Man, Black Rock City, NV: 8/26-9/2 http://www.relax-sonic.com http://www.facebook.com/relaxsonic

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a the great buffoonerya a a A AN ADVENTURE INTO JIMMY BUFFET LOT

sudden thunderstorm burst onto the streets of Philadelphia and tore through Camden, but the fans, also known as “parrot heads” were not deterred. Jimmy Buffett was in town. Luckily, the storm only lasted 20 minutes or it would have foiled the chance to witness my first Jimmy Buffett parking lot. For this I am forever grateful. Although I personally am not a huge Buffett fan I have heard legends of the tailgating that goes on at Buffett shows, and seeing as I’ve spent the better part of the last ten years hanging out in one show parking lot after another I knew I had to check this out. Driving across the Ben Franklin Bridge one could see the inflatable palm trees and kiddie pools spring up from the Susquehanna Bank Center parking lot like some sort of plastic oasis amidst a black top desert. As we approached the lot I felt like I was heading to some tropical beach because the rest of the people walking alongside us were wearing brightly colored Hawaiian shirts and leis (flower necklaces). We followed these brightly colored shirts and the smells of cheeseburgers until we found the great buffoonery that was

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the Buffet lot. At first sight this gathering resembled the largest open air frat party that has ever been conceived. Every third tailgating set-up, as far as the eye could see in any direction, included a beer pong table. “You want a Coors light?” a random fan asked me from behind his pong table. After mere minutes of being there it became apparent that this was a massive party quite unlike the parking lots I’ve become accustom to. “I’ve been coming to Buffett shows for 20 years,” Dave, a random “parrot head” commented. “The biggest difference between here and hippie parking lots is that you don’t smell pot everywhere.” That was definitely true, the air was instead ripe with the smell of cheap beer

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and Margaritas. Clearly there was no booze spared from this event as people were falling down left and right. Even an 8-year-old replacing beer with soda was allowed to take part in the game of stump that was taking place. Stump is when a group of people stand around a tree stump with a nail representing each player sticking half way out from the stump. The players take turns tossing a hammer in the air, catching it and swinging at the other player’s nails. Hitting someone’s nail leads to them drinking, but missing anyone’s nail leads to you drinking. In the hour and a half I spent on the lot I saw about six people fall flat on their faces, wasted. It made me wonder how many people actually make it out of the show on two feet? As my friends and I made our way around, I became very impressed with the ornate set-ups these dedicated fans brought to the lot. People hauled everything from real miniature palm trees to bucket loads of sand and fake lobsters to really make you feel the tropical theme. Each site had a badass grill included, not some dinky propane grills for camping, but rather kick-ass charcoal grills. Each of these grills was lined

with cheeseburgers, a nod to Buffett’s famous song “Cheeseburger in Paradise.” The quality of the food that people brought to this party was remarkable. I’m used to the land of grilled cheeses and your occasional wrap so seeing ridiculously complicated dishes marinating in preparation for a feast on every table was pretty cool. I also noticed that none of it was for sale, but most was up for grabs. While my photographer went in for a close-up shot of some delicious looking burgers I decided my Jimmy Buffet lot experience would not have been complete without one. When I offered some money for one it was shot down immediately and I was handed a delicious burger that was 50% beef and 50% bacon. “People are really nice out here, probably just as nice as any hippie show, it’s just themed different” Dave, the random Buffet fan, said. Another large difference that I noticed was the lack of merchandise and food vendors you would typically find on any Grateful Dead related or hippie parking lot. I feel like the freedom to vend is one of the largest things that define our parking lots, because it’s a place where we can make a living. It allows people to tour with a band without having much money in their pockets and come out on top. This aspect of the lot was completely absent. I got the feeling that people get all geared up for their local Jimmy Buffett show and at the end of the night they go home and figure out how to one-up themselves next year. The one exception I found was a lady selling straw hats and I thought to myself, she’s probably making big money out here. In another way the lack of vendors seemed to add to the frivolity of the party. There were live bands playing

Buffett and Eagles covers on one side of the lot at the same time that deejays were starting wild dance parties on the other. There were men wearing coconut bras everywhere followed by people with rubber shark fins strapped to their hats chugging down shots of cheap liquor. It was crazy, absolutely bonkers. Picture the Camden parking lot before a Phish show. The Jimmy Buffet lot scene was bigger, rowdier and while still a party, the vibe couldn’t have been more different. All in all it seemed like Jimmy Buffet draws a circus with some things in common to our scene’s parking lots and others completely different. They are like that distant cousin who always shows up to family dinners hammered drunk. I am glad I had the experience and would recommend it to anyone who hasn’t yet. I would have stuck around and gone to the show, but the Jerry Garcia Symphonic Celebration was at the Mann Center that night and I wasn’t about to miss that. Written by Alessandro Satta Photos by Joe Gurreri

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Mural Arts Program Headspace’s Top Picks Every issue, we focus on an artist who has a real impact on our local arts scene and our community as a whole. For this issue we have decided to focus on some of our favorite Philadelphia murals. If you would like to know more about any of these murals check out the renowned Mural Arts Program’s website at http://muralarts.org/.

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Finding the Light Within ÂŠ2012 City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program/James Burns Photo credit: Steve Weinik for the City of Philadelphia Mural Arts Program 28

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