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While you were getting busy in your "Marriage Bed" at the compound or being bitter and shooting guns, we were having a blast with Quizzo. I mean, sure the pope gets to wear an awesome cap and gets carted around in a fancy bullet proof thing, but is seeing an ex-Nazi in a mu mu chit-chat at a stadium worth getting worked up over? My hungover blahg after the jump...

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This New Years you can celebrate in one of two ways. You can go to a bar that will charge an enormous cover, feed you well drinks and shrimp cocktails to make you forget you dropped $50 to get into a bar that is normally free, give you a glass of champagne at midnight and send you home to cry yourself to sleep, or, you can come to National Mechanics where there is no cover, our great everyday deals and all your friends. So ring in the New Year with us, your friends and no stupid cover. We'll be setting trends all night.

So our First Friday fest this month is a totally interactive exhibit featuring real alcohol consumption combined with music which, if you choose to realize the artist’s vision, will lead to dancing, sweating and maybe even more, depending on the level of crowd participation. So bring your dancing shoes and prepare to commit a faux pas.

Saturday, September 8th, National Mechanics is once again proud to host FAUX PAS! The last time we had this event, the house was packed with models and dancy goodness. This time your friends, Jonny Balls, Dj Dave J, Oh-My-Todd and Diamond Girl bring the indie-danse-rock-electro-music-to get awesome to even more than last time. Plenty of surprises in store but we wont tell. See you Saturday. By the by, it is pronounced "fo pa" folks, although fox paws may make the menu if the term sticks.

This weeks Quizzo blog will, unfortunately, be terse, as I attended the Beastie Boys show last night, not National Mechanics Quizzo. My esteemed colleague Kylie, however, was able to procure the scores from last night’s festivities so I’ll try to recreate the night as best I can. Read More »

From the minds that brought you Hands and Knees at the M Room comes Faux Pas; a First Friday party with Dave J. (Hands&Knees/Fort Awesome) and Diamond Girl (Hands&Knees/Click) spinning indie, rock, electro and dance music for your auditory delight while Johnny Sorber (Hands&Knees) provides pictures for your visual consumption. To complete the sensory overload; for your gustatory enjoyment the drink specials are $2 PBR cans and $5 well drinks from 10-2 and $3 Three Olive Vodka drinks and Cherry bombs from 10-12. $5 cover. Come get awesome.

Saturday July, 28th, Flying Monkey Extravaganza presents: Clown Carnival III! Starting at 10 pm, a FREE circus and costume party complete with a cotton candy machine, tarot readings, games of skill and chance, rickshaw rides, firebreathing, a human pony-girl and a contest to determine the best dressed will go down at National Mechanics. Music will be provided by DJ's Alex Smith and Mighty Mike Saga spinning d n' b, electro, indie, house, new wave and intergalactic beats all night. 21+ with ID.

The heat wave of the last 3 days in Philadelphia has been unbearable. The humidity sat like a thick miasma, surrounding and enveloping everything as it sucked the life out of even the sprightliest of characters; but as the heat began to fade, an epic battle was just beginning. Read More »

A few choice reviews described Friday’s Olde City Side Show at National Mechanics as nauseating, disgusting and entertaining. I just wish I could have seen the balloon guy make a taint balloon animal…

National Mechanics has a new claim to fame! No longer are we just a great place to fill up on beverages, but a great place to relieve yourself of them too! City Paper has rated National Mechanics as the 4th best bathroom in the city, we shit you not.

Read the CityPaper article here

The real acclaim lies with artist Kate Swan’s “organic art” sinks which City Paper called an “intricate, rootlike network of exposed copper piping.” Combining form and function she made an absolutely amazing, and now award winning, space. Take that Steven Starr.

The Beach Balls sound is unlike anything you’ve ever heard, but strangely, it speaks to you. It sounds like dim rooms with dusty shag carpeting and old family photos on wood paneled walls; but also bright ballrooms with mirrored walls and gaudy chandeliers. It's as if Frank Sinatra and David Byrne birthed an acoustic trio.

Friday, March 23 at 9PM at National Mechanics.

The middle of your week just got a little bit better and all it took was an Irishman from Camden, alcohol and trivia!

Every Wednesday from 8-10 National Mechanics in Old City will host a Quizzo night, so come pit your wits against Philadelphia’s greatest minds. Hosted by Irish John from way across the Delaware, these nights are yours to take home the glory, or get pwned like the trivia newb you are. Prizes will vary but in the past have been tickets to shows, bar tab discounts and more.

Dwight K. Schrute: Were you near or far sighted?
Benjamin Franklin: Both!

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne?

Come out and celebrate New Years Eve at Philadelphia’s hottest new spot, National Mechanics Old City Bar and Restaurant. We've got a huge event in the works with live music, drink specials, a midnight champagne toast and much more. The debauchery and madness of nights like this go down in history folks; you won't want to miss it.

In other news, the bar is mostly finished; people and support are rolling in as we prepare to sing Auld Lang Syne, and business is going swimmingly. We've been having a blast hanging out with all the good folks who've made their way out and we extend our open doors to anyone passing by. We'll be having many more parties in the future so make sure to check back often.