Agenda

Thu., May 17, 5:30 p.m., free, Giovanni's Room, 345 S. 12th St. Opening reception Thu., May 17, 5:30-7:30 p.m., exhibit runs through Aug. 23, Philadelphia Art Alliance, 251 S.18th St. Sat., May 19, 1 p.m., free, Borders Books & Music, 515 Route 73 South, Marlton, N.J. Thu., May 17, 7:30 p.m., pay what you can; Fri.-Sun., May 18-20, 7:30 p.m., registration required, meet at the Ellsworth-Federal stop of the Broad Street Line.

The nascent new music ensemble Chamber Music Now! has a level of energy and ambition that is reminiscent of the early days of Relåche. Beethoven's nine symphonies cast a huge, even ominous shadow over subsequent generations of German composers. When it comes to uncovering and nurturing new talent in the rootsy singer-songwriter realm, Falcon Ridge Folk Festival is at the top of its game rock/pop (CLICK IMAGE FOR LARGER VERSION) So much has changed since the mid-'90s, when major labels threw money at any halfway talented alt-rock band. Back Not for nothing did Laura Veirs rename her band. For one thing, The Tortured Souls never really suited the timbre of her quiet rhapsodies.

Once upon a time, people in Europe used to believe silly things. Then there was this thing called the Enlightenment, and it was awesome, and everyone in Europe except for a few freaks and halfwits stopped believing silly things and started doing calculus. Pete Jordan — aka Dishwasher Pete, who washed dishes in every state and wrote about it in his zine of the same name — has finally given in and gathered his writings into a book. The saying "often imitated, never duplicated" may be a cliche, but it accurately describes the theatrical dance troupe MOMIX.