Also this issue: Forever in Blue Jeans Denim gets a makeover at Center City's newest pricey nightspot. -A.D. Amorosi Hot Chocolates The 10 best chocolate things in Philadelphia. -Francine Maroukian Six American Chocolate Classics

February 6-12, 2003

music

icepack

by A.D. Amorosi

While the drag/transgender community mourns the sad, suspicious death of Miss Bob & Barbara's, Nizah Morris, with a memorial at William Way Center, the femme-fronted Sugar Town may be able to bring some needed joy with their Drag Edition at The Balcony, Feb. 8. Hosted by Dumpsta Players Chardonna Jenkins and K-Tell, the night stars Hard Liquor's Needles Jones, Helen Back (currently auteur-ing his/her own indie film biography) & The STR8 Razors, The Sisters Suggarillo (who hold their Troc Mecca Karaoke night, Feb. 12), bassist Melinda Moreau's Beetkings. Show support. And some black-stockinged leg. Philly folk all-stars 4 Way St. just got their debut CD moved from self-release to Sanctuary/BMG. With DENIM and Loie burning up Rittenhouse Square, rumor has Old City sorts Barry Gutin, Larry Cohen and Bruce Grossman peeping uptown. Stephen Starr may get in next: Continental 2 on 18th and Chestnut at the Dress Barn. Starr, too, opens his NYC Morimoto in a mysterious meat-packing district spot in October 2003. (Rumor has Ricky Blatstein popping two jet-themed restaubars in NYC and one in Philly, natch.) What do I hear Eve and writer Holly Mack-Ward have got brewing? The Jawn, a local hip hip-hop/arts/lifestyle mag/paper starting in March? More soon. Official: Holly Drauglis is Philly Music Alliance's new executive director. Biff Kennedy is its chairman of the board. They get to sit in desks at their new spot at 12th Street's Sigma Studios. “Gravy” Thomas and Rich Medina take on Mondays with "Little Ricky's," Feb. 10 at Silk City. Based on the multimedia Afrorikan word/funk NYC night at APT. Along with releasing his punk unit's 1979 Larry Gold-produced eponymous EP (buy it at

www.bunnydrums.com

), The Boneheads, guitarist Tim Bowen'll exhibit paintings at "Repetition" at The Painted Bride Feb. 7. Marathon Commerce Lounge mistress Robin Parry (who's got me, A.D., DJ'ing a bachelor pad happy hour Feb. 7) will book performance art/live jazz at West Philly's film center, The Bridge. WhoWhatWhere: Sigourney Weaver and hubby hyping The Guys while noshing at Tangerine. Dropping cash: Eve (five grand!), Charli Baltimore, Shirley Manson and Tiffani-Amber Thiessen -- within moments of each other at Echo Chic clothiers. After a Tin Angel b-day filled with strippers, Adam Brodsky will actually play a folk show, in the church of Cherry Tree Music Co-op, Feb. 9. Conjunto 23 and champion ballroom dancer Scott Lazarov hit Social Club (2011 Sansom) Feb. 8. Bruce Reinfeld -- VIP room gatekeeper at DENIM, Polar Creep honcho, photographer, clothier -- now needs to refill Creep's guitar slot as guitarist McGowan tours the world with Ben Harper. Find him at DENIM and play a few licks. Friends of the Library are mastering new Edan Cohan-produced Soundgun Studio stuff You Could Never Let Us Down for Best Friend Records and hit Doc Watson's Feb. 7. Ms. Cyoni Dahling hosts 2-4's "Love Muscle" party Feb. 8 till 8 a.m., with DJ Reenie Kane and a Sparacino Men's show. Avram Hornik's Loie opens Feb. 7 with Soul Travelin' Sundays: Carl Michaels, Cozmic Cat, Lil’ Dave, Lee Jones, Botany 500, Jugo and Major Taylor. Tommy Mottola had divas on his mind as he brought his VH1 reality show, Destination Diva, to auditions at NXNW. Nancy Falkow -- who'll hit The Point's in-the-round stage with Brian Seymour Feb. 6, as well as sing with Mike Brenner's SloMo Feb. 9 at The Fire -- got one call back then, sadly, was ousted. But not before she got filmed for April 14's debut show. AKASH TV is (for both their web-show and a mag called Stare) "looking to find a male over 18, who can potentially be the next A.D Amorosi ; A.D is a really tough act to follow, but somebody with his depth, scope and Lester Bangs-influenced personae would be perfect." Good luck. Cordalene begins hosting Saturday "Manic Pop Thrill" afternoons at The Fire with themselves, Brian McTear's Bitter Bitter Weeks, Natural History and Washington Social Club. Melodyvision composer Rodney Whittenberg hosts a party for Chuck Block's locally filmed (and Tri-Star Home Video-released) wack gore flick Infested, with an appearance by soundtrack kids Junior League and Latex 29 at N. 3rd. B-days: activist/Power 99 host Tiffany Bacon has a "Who I Be" birthday bash Feb. 7, at NXNW. Will peeps she's pushed -- like Ursula Rucker, Jazzy Jeff, King Britt (all of whom appear on Being Black, the CD companion to Angel Kyodo Williams' classic novel) -- show up? Also b-daying is most-hostest Adele Landini, always-styling dad 'n' son team Peter and Dylan DelloBuono, venue-owning paternals Barney and Michael Weiss and Studio 54 1/2, which celebrates eight years.