Philadelphia Weekly

Calendar: Sept. 21-27

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Wednesday, Sept. 21

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Tonight marks two returns from the dead. No, not Jesus and Jan-Michael Vincent’s acting career. We’re talking about the venerable building at 10th and Spring Garden that formerly housed the culinary shithole known as the Spaghetti Warehouse, but this evening gets its grand re-opening as the gorgeous new music venue Union Transfer. And we’re also talking about the reunited Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, which will christen Union Transfer with lots of fresh tunes. The heralded Philly/Brooklyn indie outfit with the Neutral Byrne Hotel sound split up a couple years ago after the “Pitchfork effect” wore off, but they’re back with a very good new album called Hysterical, the title of which we take to mean “troubled” more than “funny.” -Michael Alan Goldberg

8pm. $18-$20. With Polica. Union Transfer, 1026 Spring Garden St. 215.232.2100. utphilly.com

ICA Free For All
The Institute of Contemporary Art hosts their annual blowout party this week, and the name pretty much says it all. Rock out with a performance by lightly skuzzy, heavily shredding Philadelphia band Purling Hiss before they head off on their European tour. Or take a break from the tunes and let PennDesign MFA students show you a trick or two for crafting your very own tote bag. Round out the evening with a talk by Senior Curator Ingrid Schaffner on the subject of “What is Contemporary?” We suspect it has something do with going to this event. -Katherine Rochester

6:30pm. Free. Institute of Contemporary Art, 118 S. 36th St. 215.898.7108. icaphila.org
 
Hemingway’s Boat
Ernest Hemingway loved his fishing boat. It was a fine boat. He named her Pilar. She was faithful. More honest than any woman he’d ever met. She was diligent and clever. She showed no signs of fear when faced with dangerous waters. Together they chased marlin. She was steadfast. Even after many daiquiris at Sloppy Joe’s, Ernest never raised his voice. He told her about Spain. Pilar listened. He spoke on war. She agreed. She talked of storms. He recalled a lion in Kenya. Their stories became one story. Pilar grieved when Ernest died. Paul Hendrickson is a lecturer in the English Department at the University of Pennsylvania. He has written many books. His newest is Hemingway’s Boat. Paul tells Ernest’s story through Pilar’s story. It is the story of a man and his boat. A boat and her lover. Paul talks about the affair tonight at the Penn Humanities Forum.  -Elliott Sharp

5pm. Free. Rainey Auditorium, 3260 South St. 215.573.8280. phf.upenn.edu

Peace Day
Philadelphia is far from the harmonious community that William Penn once envisioned it would be. Nevertheless, it wouldn’t hurt for us to at least try to be for one day. In honor of International Peace Day, schools and organizations across the area will be holding a variety of peace and nonviolence activities and events. This includes an International Student Dialogue at Penn discussing changing views on multiculturalism and cultural tolerance and two afternoon “Peace Talks” at Drexel focusing on nuclear disarmament and community rebuilding in post-conflict countries. The day will wrap up with a Peace Sing-A-Long—lyrics and lemonade provided—outside the Ethical Society in Rittenhouse followed by “Bridges To Peace,” a presentation of music, poetry, spoken word and other art forms. -Nicole Finkbiner

Various times. Free. Various locations. 610.324.3602. una-gp.org

Thursday, Sept. 22

Vintage Dance Party
Age is nothing but a number this Thursday night at Philadelphia’s first intergenerational Vintage Dance Party. Dance historian Bob Skiba teaches the most active history class you’ve ever seen; the syllabus contains the steps to popular swing dances like “The Big Apple,” an improv jazzy swing step created by black kids in the ’30s, the “Rusty Dusty” and the “Shorty George.&rd