Welcome to this week’s Street Sweeper! I’m your host Fiona Herzog.
The taste of summer is palpable: dollar fire–roasted chicken tacos after a late night, watermelon with tajin, ice cold guava juice (with the pulp!). But even as I eagerly await summer, I can’t help but feel a quiet undercurrent of sadness.
I’ll miss running up and down the floors of Harrison to see my friends, the familiarity of knocking on my neighbor’s door for a snack (thank you, Weining), and the comfort of seeing the seniors in the CIS 1100 staff, in the Stroffice (Street office), on Locust, and everywhere in between. While I’m looking forward to relaxation, there’s also a part of me dreading the inevitable changes when I return: living situations spreading out from the concentrated high–rises, friends going abroad, and the shift as I rise into upperclassman status.
But before all of that, there are still plenty of exciting moments left to savor, both on–campus and off, including life–changing concerts, goat hiking, and supporting your friends at the shows they so lovingly put their time and effort into.
Love your friends, cherish these memories, and try not to live too far into the future.
The Buzz on Locust
Songwriters Collective: On the Road Again @ Platt House
Between my general skepticism toward college musicians (the rap landscape has ruined me) and the stress of pursuing a college degree, I did not think that I would be fully engaged with the Songwriters Collective’s showcase, but my mind was quickly changed.
Stepping into the Platt House lobby, the atmosphere immediately swept me. The Collective started their show with a humorous ten–minute video, followed by performances of original songs written by their members. I found a little spot in the back to nest in, but by the concert’s end, I was pretty close to the front, clapping and cheering along to songs along with the other people I found myself with.
All in all, the performance wrapped up after two hours, and I found myself wanting more almost immediately after. From the drive of James’ "Flying" to the folk–y feel of Jake’s "Think of Me," there was certainly something for every kind of person there. The lyrical content was much the same, between Martin’s high–concept song "Zenosyne" on changes to our perception of time with age, and Phoenix’s universal message on necessary space after a heartbreak on "Spaced Apart." The group’s emphasis on collaboration also found most members performing multiple times on multiple instruments, with some even switching halfway through a song.
The performances that night were also special given that the collective will see half of their members graduate, contributing to the enthusiasm throughout the show. The end of the night saw Bella perform her song "Pass Me By," with a little twist on the back end that really got the crowd going, and the mingling after was full of praise for the artists.
For a little time, the world was music, laughter, and good vibes—a welcome start to the summer.
–Xihuluke Marhule, Film & TV Beat
Emma Copley Eisenberg: Reading and Conversation of Housemates @ Kelly Writers House
What is the quintessential West Philadelphia novel?
Emma Copley Eisenberg asked this question at the Kelly Writers House this past Tuesday, before reading out from her own recent West Philly novel, Housemates, to a crowd of students and residents. Not only is the piece geographically close to our hearts, it also explores many topics that Penn students and neighbors can relate to, from the dynamics of shared homes to the pursuit of art and meaning in lives and relationships. It’s messy and creative and passionate, just like the neighborhood many of us call home.
Emma read two excerpts from her book (which was free in limited quantities for anyone with a Penn ID card), before sitting down with fellow writer Michelle Taransky for a conversation and Q&A. Two creative writing courses, "Introduction to Fiction and Journalism" with Anna Badkhen and "Writing Polyvocal Fiction" with Piyali Bhattacharya, were in attendance, and students took the opportunity to ask Emma about the writing process, inspiration, and advice for when they take to the page to write their own West Philly novels. Before the queue for book signings and one–on–one conversations began, Emma spoke about Blue Stoop, her nonprofit supporting the Philadelphia literary scene through courses, creative coworking, and an inclusive creative community.
If you missed out on the reading, Housemates should be available in your favorite local bookstore (maybe make the trip to Bindlestiff Books, which gets a cameo in the book) and subscribe to Emma’s substack, Frump Feelings!
–Sarah Leonard, Focus Editor
America’s Reckless Bet on Sports Gambling @ Kelly Writers House
I know very little about sports—and I know even less about sports gambling. Yet somehow, I found myself in the Kelly Writers House on April 23—enraptured by Jonathan Cohen, the author of “America’s Reckless Bet on Sports Gambling.” Cohen is interested in investigating the public policy that allowed sports gambling to go from an illegal, black–market endeavor that required calling up a bookie to a multi–million–dollar industry advertised at nearly every sporting event. Cohen was hosted at KWH as part of the Weber Symposium, an endowment dedicated to bringing business writing into the literary sphere.
A small group of us stayed after the talk for an intimate dinner in the company of students, professors, local literary figures—and of course Cohen himself. I was near a professor who confided that all his students were sports gambling—in fact, he often saw the games and stats on their screen mid–class. Cohen noted that there’s a stark difference between casual social gamblers and the 1% whose neural pathways become dependent on the dopamine high, which results in a gambling addiction. As the conversation continued, it was clear that Cohen saw the future of sports gambling in America even bleaker than when he first finished the book. I texted my girlfriend from under the dinner table: “You are never allowed to try sports gambling.”
–Norah Rami, Editor–in–Chief
Popping the Bubble
Goat Hiking with Rose Bridge Farms @ Wissahickon Valley Park
Wind whipping through my hair, I sprinted along the rugged trails of Wissahickon Valley Park, trying my best to keep pace with a sprinting goat named Dove. Dove, a feisty competitor slated to win its upcoming goat race, led me straight to the front of the pack. Before the race began, the guide had warned me with a chuckle, "Dove rams the other goats to get ahead." I didn’t realize until we took off how serious that warning actually was.
My eyes stayed locked on the ground, laser–focused on avoiding falling tree limbs, jutting rocks, and dense patches of mud oozing from the nearby river. I barely dared to look up, afraid that one wrong step would send me tumbling. In my tunnel vision, I almost missed the fact that I was surrounded by wild beauty—massive waterfalls crashing into the valleys below, enormous rock formations looming around every corner, trees so lush that their leaves bent low enough to tickle my cheeks as I whizzed past. It was chaotic, and it was amazing.
Luckily, I wasn’t alone. My roommates, Lori and Lily, had eagerly signed up for this goat–fueled adventure too. Between breathless bursts of laughter, we snapped ridiculous photos of each other struggling to keep up. At one point, a particularly large goat, Caramel—whose fur was the same orange–brown shade as Lori’s hair—decided her hair looked tasty and tried to chew on it, much to our hysterics. By the time we were crammed into an Uber heading back, sore and still catching our breaths, we were already reminiscing about it like it had happened years ago instead of mere minutes before.
As bold as it sounds to declare it only a few hours later, I’m pretty sure I had one of the best Sundays of my life. And somehow, all of this goat–chasing madness had happened before 10 a.m. even struck—leaving me with a full day ahead to camp out in the basement of Van Pelt and hammer out my looming 12–page research paper.
–Fiona Herzog, Assignments Editor
Magdalena Bay @ Terminal 5 (NYC)
After a hectic commute from Philadelphia, I found myself at Terminal 5 in New York, 30 minutes late to one of the most exhilarating concerts I’ve ever attended. Despite Magdalena Bay’s Philadelphia stops this weekend, I took it upon myself to see them live on a random Wednesday with my friend who had introduced me to them.
Although my friend and I averaged to about 5–foot–4 on a good day and spent a great deal of the concert wading through the sea of taller concert goers, the visual experience was heavenly. The lights and smoke created an ethereal ambiance, enhanced by the cool, winged jumbo screen and the fabulous costume changes. And my God, can Penn alumna (and former writer at the DP) Mica Tenenbaum sing. I already knew she had a lovely voice, but hearing it live, reverberating across the 16,000–square–foot venue was unforgettable. I had the time of my life swaying along to “Killshot”—in all its versions, including the reversed and slowed–down ones—as she graced the stage in her campy costume. I fell in love with “Top Dog” the moment I heard it for the first time and jumped along to the energy of “That’s My Floor.”
To be completely honest, I’m still trying to convince myself that I enjoy going to concerts. I’m an easily overstimulated person, and large crowds overwhelm me. Despite that, and the horrible man who thought it’d be cool to light a cigarette in a packed pit, I had a phenomenal time.
I left the venue seriously considering buying tickets to her October show in Philadelphia—and honestly, you should also come with me to see her live.
–Insia Haque, Street Design Editor
