Also this issue: Moore in Store Philly's venerable school of art enters the world of retail. -Debra Auspitz Gigs in Space With a revamped planetarium and the new Space Command exhibit, it’s easy to go starry-eyed at the Franklin Institute. -Howard Altman

October 24-30, 2002

music

icepack

by A.D. Amorosi

Reminiscing: I’m tired of it. Especially my own. Yet every time I try to get out, they drag me back in. For instance, are you still bitching that last week’s old club story was a mess? Grumbling your fave space was missed or mistaken? Stop crying, sissy. I warned you it was about the rush of a scene, not a history lesson. One bit omitted was Jersey country cousins like Alexander’s in Brownsville, Taylor’s (the rascally disco near the Racetrack) and of course, my very fave, Emerald City on Route 70 -- the old Latin casino/new-wave live venue (where Captain Beefheart yanked me backstage to draw me in 1979). There, too, was Backstreets on Haddonfield Road, Cherry Hill, home of John Eddie and house bands Skip 5 and Coup d’Etat, whose most inveterate vet, John Torres (who gigged with Smash Palace last week), is romping through Collingswood Oct. 24 at R. Mac’s Pub (427 Crystal Lake).… Talk about old days: Richard Kauffman, currently sucking blood from (I mean, writing with) Brian Seymour, shifts gears at The Fire, Oct. 26, touting his proud ancient history of Electric Love Muffin-dom by bringing opening act Poppy, who bring in Muffin-diving bassist Brian Campbell as well as fellow old-scenies Craig Heim (late of Scram) and Ted Warren (Go to Blazes). Alice Cohen from The Vels hit Nostradamus’ NYC avant-lovely Birdbrain show, with the promise of new material and perhaps a Nostradamus show soon. By the way, Nostra-mama Robin Parry starts booking Fri. and Sat. dinner-hour jazz acts at Twenty21 as well as some Nostra-like weirdness at 21Lounge after the dining room closes.… David Snyder, the man behind the original The Bob fanzine, has put out a new-indie-freebie, The Bob Jr., and WHYY’s disco-singer/actor Richie Rosati is up for a part in a new reality show, Rally Racer. What’s next, a Transfactor reunion? Will Pedrick start playing guitar again? No more old stuff.… Julie Lyns marries Rhythm Donkey compu-nologist Platinum Richard Brenton at the Union League (he thought they said Human League) in a dress designed by Mr. Andre, the same costumer doing toreador stuff for Carmen.… Preacher Curls hit Fergie’s Pub Oct. 25 with new songs from their Everyday a Holiday CD, due in November on the new local label Phillie Bent Records.… Congrats to David Boyle for wearing the big Boyardee cap at Davio’s while predecessor Shawn Sollberger readies his own secret salon.… Alison Records has got a riot going on as two of their Philly acts, Highspire and Stellarscope, join Virginia’s Skywave at The Fire Oct. 24.… WhoWhatWhere: At the post-Free-Library-215Fest-post-show at The North Star, while girls chased Arthur Bradford and Jeffrey Eugenides, apple-capped Zadie Smith chatted up boys, one being local scribe Matt Johnson, until Sarah Vowell cock-blocked her by hailing them both a cab. At Reebok’s Club Bash launch for his “The Answer” sneaker (as well as for the manufacturer’s November opening of a shoe shop/nightclub at Fourth and South), Allen Iverson gave a most rambling speech about the cosmic significance of his new sneaks. On board to listen: Marybeth Adams (Destiny’s Child publicist) and Jae Staxx/Eve manager “Little Troy” Carter. Steve Guttenberg -- whose P.S. Your Cat is Dead will be distributed by TLA Releasing theatrically Jan. 10 -- ate huge at Buddakan with TLA’s Ray Murray, Rich Wolff, Andrew Preis, attorney Jackie Borock and filmmaker Edward James.… Is Laguardia being courted by Universal?.… Ex-Dmitri’s/Citron alums Nancy Green and chef Gary Chanin just opened a Greek taverna, Mokas, at 3505 Lancaster with live music in the groovy Ouzo lounge, booked by (who else?) Rick D. Look for jazz, Latin, some open mic stuff and Slo-Mo in November.… Philly’s bluest, clever singer/songwriter, Kyf Brewer, debuts his new violin-ated CD, Bright Jewels, Oct. 25 at the Grape with Tom Viscuso’s grueling Grundles grooving alongside, popping tunes from Fake is the Fashion.… “Cruel Summer” spinners Chatty Cathy and Trishylicious “explore a fine line between artistry and cheesiness” when “Cover Girls” tackles six decades of unfamiliar familiars, Oct. 30 at The 700 Club.… The Fire welcomes The Khyber’s Ben Morgan Oct. 27 with The Sand Family, who’ll debut their literally blue (vinyl) lo-country hi-fi 7-inch, Monkeypants. Joining is Legendary Stardust Cowboy-type Brandon Trojan, Family Outing and Dear Nora.… To celebrate their EP, Don’t Fall Asleep with the Television On, No-Lib trio Psy-Ops go South (Street) at Club 218 Oct. 24.… Weird event of the week: Gemini Dance Projex’s Yards Brewery-sponsored “The Body Brew,” wherein “the art of dance meets the art of brewing” (huh!?) Oct. 26 at Yards.… Fave story: While I’ve made zillions of mentions (and surely will continue to) of Philly’s music-biz predilection for “conflicting interest,” I applaud Tom Moon’s Oct. 20 Inky mega-report on some (not all) of Philly’s fab lot. I haven’t seen this much self-serving squirming and excuse-making since Bob Torricelli. Talk about self-serve, did I mention my DJ gig or my Rhythm Donkeys CD or my Fox show, Philadelphian Idol, starting Nov. 1? Ah. Tell you next week.