Music, art and oddball goodies at West Philly crafts fest

SATURDAY'S Go West! Craft Fest will bring 60 vendors to West Philly's Woodlands Historic Mansion, Cemetery & Landscape.

Philadelphia-area artists and craftspeople will sell handmade goodies like organic felted dryer balls, steampunk jewelry by Manic Muse, fine-art fish drawings by Laura Murdoch and cards and coasters by Black Heart Letterpress.

Tangle Movement Arts' Tinycircus, a free acrobatic performance series, and pop vendors Lil' Pop Shop - will add to the festivities. Music is also part of the mix, of course, with bluegrass group the cITYWIDE sPECIALS and local swing-dance faves the Perseverance Jazz Band.

Go West! Craft Fest began three years ago as a monthly gathering at specialty gift store VIX Emporium. Changing to a twice-annual festival proved popular, and moving to the Woodlands in April was the next step in the event's growth.

Go West! Craft Fest, Woodlands Mansion, 4000 Woodland Ave.,

11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, gowestcraftfest.blogspot.com.

- Amanda V. Wagner

The return of Zammuto

Not a year has passed since Nick Zammuto announced the breakup of his acclaimed experimental electronic duo The Books, but he is already back with a new band, a new sound and a new tour that will bring him to Philadelphia on Saturday. The band is eponymously titled Zammuto.

The Books were known for combining ambient sounds with acoustic instruments and voice samples. Zammuto builds on this eclectic mix of sounds and turns up the volume with the addition of a drummer. "The Books were more about folksy electronic rhythms, while Zammuto is more rock," he said.

Zammuto's finely tuned balance of acoustic and electronic sounds works well in a live setting. All of the instruments will be played with digitally reproduced vocals.

"The show also has a sense of humor to it that I think is largely absent from the indie scene these days," said the musician who's come up with such playful song titles as "Groan Man, Don't Cry" and "Too Late to Topologize."

Johnny Brenda's, 1201 N. Frankford Ave, 9:30 p.m. Saturday, $12-$14, 21-plus, 215-739-9684, johnnybrendas.com.

- Nick Sukiennik