African American Museum in Philadelphia, 701 Arch St., 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, noon-4 p.m. Sunday. $8 adults, $6 children, 215-574-0380, aampmuseum.org.
- Amanda V. Wagner
"Singles" again
Long, greasy hair. Floor-length floral dresses. Flannel shirts. Grunge music. That was Seattle in the 1990s, an era captured in Cameron Crowe's 1992 film "Singles." Saturday night, local bands will recreate the grunge scene at Center City's Milkboy by playing the film's chart-topping soundtrack. "Y-Not Radio Presents: A 20th Anniversary Tribute to the 'Singles' Soundtrack" celebrates the best of '90s alt-rock with favorites from Pearl Jam, the Smashing Pumpkins, Alice in Chains and others, as performed by such bands as It's a King Thing, the Not Fur Longs, Strangled By The Stereo Wire, the Space Merchant, and Up Up Down Down Left Right Left Right B A Start.
"This is the music I listened to as a teenager. I grew my hair out, wore flannels, worshipped Kurt Cobain. I taught myself how to play guitar, bass and drums, playing along to the actual bands found on this soundtrack," said musician and event organizer Phil Apostol. Last year, Apostol did a well-received Kurt Cobain tribute session, "Nevermind." Expect the same enthusiastic turnout here.
Milkboy, 1100 Chestnut St., 8:30 p.m. Saturday, 21+, $8-$10, 215-925-6455, milkboyphilly.com.
- Amanda V. Wagner
Cirque Éloize
Looking for some offbeat holiday fun? How about a futuristic urban circus? Through Sunday, the wild Cirque Éloize iD, a show of 14 artists and 13 circus disciplines, plus a modern electronic-rock sound - is performing at the Merriam Theater. Director Jeannot Painchaud describes the French-Canadian circus as "an aesthetic at the crossroads of comic books, science-fiction movies and the rich universe of graffiti."
Expect vibrantly colored lights and urbane mixed media such as video and graffiti. The multicultural show moves through flashy acrobatics while simultaneously weaving together abstract tales of identity, confrontation, love and loss. iD embodies an urban feel while dazzling audiences with over-the-top acrobatics and sound. It's far from "The Nutcracker," but definitely worth a shot.
Merriam Theater, 250 S. Broad St., $25-$75, 215-893-1999, kimmelcenter.org.
- Kailey Klug
Art Attack is a partnership with Drexel University and is supported by a grant from the Knight/NEA Community Arts Journalism Challenge, administered by the Greater Philadelphia Cultural Alliance.
