Also this issue: Disappearing Act How the Vanishing Peoples of the Earth materialized in Philadelphia. -Patrick Rapa suitespot -Peter Burwasser on Classical Spork in the Road Two vagabond electronic artists are tuning out and moving on. -A.D. Amorosi Palomar -Brian Howard From Autumn to Ashes -Andrew Parks KlezKamp -Mary Armstrong Reviews -Patrick Rapa, Paul Burress and A.D. Amorosi Beat Box -Ain� Ardron-Doley

December 19-25, 2002

musicpicks

Unsilent Night

When we think of Philly's mod-minimalist ensemble Relâche, we hear avant-electro-classicists Glass, Reich or Nyman. Phil Kline (above) might change that. Borrowing as much from the spirit of Run-D.M.C.'s "Christmas in Hollis" and Flaming Lips' Zaireeka as from John Cage's experiments in ambience and multi-cassette-player-manipulations, composer Kline -- a former member of Del-Byzanteens (with Luc Sante and Jim Jarmusch) who's soundtracked works for the Whitney Museum and video projects with Wim Wenders and Nan Goldin -- presents "Unsilent Night." Based on his 2001 CD of the same name, the tape-loop love letter to Manhattan teamed true atmospheric noise to his own avant-electro-arpeggios that, through the participation of paraders carrying boom boxes blaring his music throughout NYC East and Greenwich Villages, became both an annual mega-caroling event and an outdoor boom-box procession of anywhere from 400 to 1,000 participants. Via Relâche, Kline brings mass-caroling to the streets of Philly with you -- lots of youse -- as the carriers of the boom boxes. Meet at the Ethical Society at 7:30, dress warm, bring a box or cassette player and be prepared to march around Rittenhouse Square, down Walnut (that'll screw up fine dining) to Washington Square, heralding loud your own strange hosanna on high.

Participants should meet Fri., Dec. 20, 7:30 p.m., at the Philadelphia Ethical Society, 1906 Rittenhouse Sq., 215-574-8246. "Caroling" begins at 8 p.m.

—A.D. Amorosi