I’m hoping that there’s more to Nuttin' But Stringz than met the ears Monday afternoon at the Kimmel Center. The violinist brothers from Queens, NY, bill themselves as genre-blending classical hiphopsters. The hip hop part I got. But where was the classical? Their set lasted 43 minutes, and in that time they brought children up on stage for a talent contest; led a participatory build-a-rap-song session, and did three numbers themselves. But at no time could I detect anything sampled from Bach or Vivaldi, as one of the brothers told me they'd be doing. Maybe they’ll come back someday and prove us dense and terribly tin-eared. Decide for yourself.
Speaking of the Kimmel, its leaders very nicely gave themselves a report card sent out Monday in press release form, trumpeting a $900,000 surplus for the year on a $35.5 million budget. Not bad, especially if it turns out to be true. The figures are unaudited, and the last time the Kimmel announced a pre-audit surplus of $1.2 million the number quietly changed to $800,000 by the time an audit was done.
We might wander down to Independence Mall tonight at 8:30 for the Philly Pops concert with Peter Nero. It’s free. The forecast calls for weather in the mid-60s - sweater weather on the 4th of July! – and I plan to find out whether you can hear the music from Franklin Fountain, the wonderfully retro ice-cream parlor at 116 Market Street.
