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Nightlife & the Arts in Philadelphia

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Philadelphia Nightlife

Philadelphia has a rhythm of its own. Whether you're listening to the Philadelphia Orchestra while picnicking on the lawn at the Mann Center for the Performing Arts, or having a jazz brunch at Zanzibar Blue, you'll soon be caught up in that rhythm. Of course, Philly holds a special place in pop music history. American Bandstand, hosted by Dick Clark, began here as a local dance show. When it went national in 1957, it gave a boost to many hometown boys, including Fabian, Bobby Rydell, Frankie Avalon, and Chubby Checker. The city's rock-and-roll tradition began in 1955 with Bill Haley and the Comets. In the 1970s the Philadelphia Sound—a polished blend of disco, pop, and rhythm and blues—came alive through Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff; its lush sound has been kept alive by chart toppers such as Hall and Oates, Patti LaBelle, Boyz II Men, and rapper/actor Will Smith, as well as newer acts, notably Jill Scott, Eve, and Pink. More »