icepack

by A.D. Amorosi

Sometimes, there's just nothing funny to say. Like now, when two of my very fave local music types are saying goodbye to Philly. First, DJ Cozmic Cat, star spinner and recording artiste, will return to her native Canada after the Oct. 27 Five Spot release party for her CD, From Philly with Love, Vol. 2. "I'll stay working in music as a producer," says Cat, who is thinking about Vol. 3. "But I'm taking a break from DJ'ing and this town." Stating that Philly's DJ scene "isn't what it used to be" (she's right), Cat's off to explore the world, "and the rest of my life." Also going is guitarist McGowan (of Polar Creep, among others). He's leaving town for good, to join what seems like an eternal world tour with Ben Lee. Both will be missed.... Stephanie Renee is pissed. "I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired with how trifling some people -- especially our elders -- can be when it comes to running professional enterprises," she wrote in an e-mail. So who and what piqued her ire? She won't say, specifically. But she did yank her b-day/CD release party for Tuning Forked Tongue from Gloria's Seafood Restaurant. And she won't be having the swordfish.... False starts, license headaches and cancellations aside, the owners/bookers of Trenton's Conduit club swear it'll open this weekend. I believe. But stop telling people you're as cool as City Gardens. City Gardens sucked. Bad.... Wayne Edwards, the tony men's shop on Walnut Street: Closing? Selling to Jack Kellmer? Saved at the last minute? Stay tuned.... WhoWhatWhere: When "Nicky Coppola" ("That's his name, right?" asks John Tacconelli, owner of a pizzeria where Cage ate) isn't filming National Treasure in front of South Street Diner or Woody's, he's off to see his leather-clad Face/Off co-star, Gina Gershon, singing at The North Star. While N-Star cobbled a VIP spot for Cage, Village stars Adrien Brody and brooding, chain-smoking Joaquin Phoenix entered, the latter hanging around the cooler. A lot. How Sal Mineo! Post-show, the quartet of Hollywoodites retired to the basement, where Cage was overheard making fun of some particular director's style of on-set speech. Across town in Old City on that same night, Comcast's blast at Buddakan had HBO stalwarts Lorraine Bracco, Michael Hall, Dominic Chianese and Cynthia Nixon circling one leather banquette while they were gaped at and prodded by the locals -- politicos, cable district managers, overly orange newscasters and overly tan magazine types. Also, Interpol's Carlos D. DJ'ed his own after-party at L'Etage. Randy Macho Man Savage hung at KoP's FYE Records to promote his CD, Be A Man.... DJ Edwin starts his fashion/art/music party "Chatelet" Oct. 23 at Aqua Lounge, featuring wares from FunkSect.... Now that he's finished his Psy-Ops' new CD, Robot Don't Feel, singer/songwriter Sean Adamz takes an acoustic break, Oct. 26 at Silk City, with Kurt Heasley (Lilys), Dax Blackwood (Need New Body) and their new, unique trio, Dopplegang.... Stephen Starr's restaubar in the fabulash Barclay? Under way, set to open by February 2004.... The Jane Anchor's Just Wait EP rears its head at their Khyber release jam Oct. 29 with The Teeth.... Public Art Project director and photographer Zoe Strauss (eight of her prints were recently acquired by Philly's Museum of Art) exhibits scads of new snaps, some only $5, at 1449 S. 13th St. You have to RSVP: 267-250-4158.... While frantic folk rocker Betsy Spivak releases "Man in a Suitcase" on Realize Records' compilation of Police covers, Josh Wink meets Sting himself by remixing "Send Your Love" into a lounge-house-froth, just in time to help Wink celebrate his own CD, the acid-y 20 to 20, at Fluid, Oct. 29. Wink's pal, King Britt, who used Fluid to shoot his Scion-sponsored documentary on getting a driver's license, had his own brush with fame, remixing tracks by the Isley Bros. and Spacek and writing tunes for new Jill Scott and Vivian Green projects.... Ill Vibe DJ Statik spins "RocRite" for the b-boy break-dance jam at the Kingsessing Recreation Center on Oct. 25 (4900 Kingsessing Ave.).... Robert Fanelli's clowning cover band, The Beach Balls, bounce through Bar Noir Oct. 27, in time to help doorperson/Dreamtime singer Erika Schiff celebrate her b-day. Also say happy b-day to catering captain Brett Brasler and to Swanky Bubbles on its fourth anniversary (it'll have several celebrations with different themes, Oct. 26 through Nov. 1).

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