Philadelphia Weekly

Claudia Acu�a
Fri., Nov. 21, 5-9pm. Main Hall, Philadelphia Museum of Art, 26th St. and the Benjamin Franklin Pkwy. 215.763.8100. www.chileinphilly.com

Last week, in the midst of library protests and casino strife, Mayor Nutter proclaimed Nov. 13 to 21 "Viva Chile in Philadelphia Week." It might seem a strange move, but Philadelphia has a strong connection to Chile: It's the primary port for Chilean fresh fruit exports. There are many events to celebrate the bond between the two, from an art exhibit to Chilean Gastronomic Week at the Restaurant School. But we recommend an evening of Chilean jazz with singer/songwriter/arranger Claudia Acu�a. A native of Santiago, Chile, Acu�a travels easily between Spanish and English, often putting a Latin spin on the Great American Songbook. Her voice is both operatic and sultry, and she's especially good in the lower registers, when she recalls Abbey Lincoln, one of several jazz luminaries who encouraged Acu�a when she was a struggling dishwasher in New York. Acu�a's performance at the Museum, in honor of her native country, is likely to be intimate and emotional. (Liz Spikol)

Designing Obama's Brand
Thurs., Nov. 20, 6pm. $5-$30. Moore College of Art & Design. 20th St. and the Benjamin Franklin Pkwy. 215.965.4000. aigaphilly.org.

Are you the type who can't stop dissecting Obama's campaign and was amused when idiots were outraged that his advisers stacked the bleachers according to people's skin color because you were like, No shit, imagery is branding? Head on over to listen to the designers of the Big O logo talk about how their amazing graphic-design skills subconsciously persuaded voters to go blue. (Tara Murtha)

Craftadelphia
Sat., Nov 22, 11am-8pm. Mew Gallery, 906 Christian St. 215.625.2424. www.mewgallery.org

Style is relative, but supporting the arts is always in vogue. Customize your life this weekend at Craftadelphia. Brought to you by the awesomely active Philly Etsy team and the lovely Lauren and Carolynne at Mew Gallery, this fourth installment of Craftadelphia features handmade wares, original art by local artists and other independently crafted pieces. Prices are reasonable, so while the knitted arm warmers you purchase might not be fashionable next winter, you won't mind picking up something new next year. (Erica Palan)

Welcome to the Terrordome 2: Back in the Habit!

Fri., Nov. 21 and Sat., Nov. 22, 9pm. $10-$15. With Secret Pants, the Action Section, the Impending Moustache, Don Montrey, Chip Chantry + more. Manhattan Room, 15 W. Girard Ave. 215.739.4027. www.themanhattanroom.com

Every once in a while a press release comes along that's so perfect it can't be improved upon. This is one of those times. Check it: "Sometimes things are just so hilarious, they demand a sequel. Take Teen Wolf, for instance. Or World War I. Or last April's packed Welcome to the Terrordome sketch comedy spectacular. Now the Allied Powers of Philadelphia Comedy are proud to present the second go-around, Welcome to the Terrordome 2: Back in the Habit! Exclamation point!" See. This time the Terrordome is expanding to two whole nights and featuring not only Philadelphia's favorite sketch comedy groups and stand-up comedians, but some sketch comedy guests from New York City too. These factors alone make Terrordome 2 a high-profile event. Choke on that, 'Benjamin Franklin presents: Welcome to Ye Olde Place of Merriment.'" Damn. (Brian McManus)

Book Discussion: John Adams and Alex Ross
Thurs., Nov. 20, 7:30pm. $7-$14. Central Library, 1901 Vine St. 215.686.5322. www.library.phila.gov

Composer John Adams made Richard Nixon into an opera star. He recognized the impossibility of writing a piece to commemorate 9/11, but did it anyway. He's been a pioneer in American music for more than 30 years, and on top of that, he's a helluva writer too-as shown in his sharp, thoughtful memoir Hallelujah Junction. Adams comes to Philly for a discussion with another top musical mind: Alex Ross, critic for the New Yorker and author of the celebrated 2007 tome The Rest Is Noise. Ross has long been a champion of Adams' music, saying in a 2001 profile that Adams was "a man who was never going to die." It's not idle praise; Ross says encountering Adams' music during college was pivotal in his becoming a critic. Expect these two to cover lots of ground, and not just in classical music. (Dave Allen) n