April 22-28, 2004

music

icepack

by A.D. Amorosi

Next time John Kerry comes to town, please don't cause the clusterfuck you did to get near him last week. The only thing worse was having my e-mail jammed with postings from alt-peeps freaked by Clear Channel/Electric Factory's having hired Troc/North Star/Pontiac's Jon Hampton as a booking agent. Postings ranged from "Sell Out" to "Second Largest Independent Promoter Bought," and rumors abounded. No, the Troc was not purchased by CC/EF, nor will the mammoth corporation fully take over bookings. Still, that didn't stop alterna-ites from running amok, showing up at International House to commiserate while watching Marc Brodzik's outsider masterwork, Darren. No one panic. There is no monopoly here. Clear Channel bought my house. Nothing changed. … Club entrepreneur Jay Ellis is taking over the Rittenhouse area's Saffron House (with Saffron's owners) to create The Mansion. "That's what it looks like," explains Ellis, who'll keep much of the space's grand decor intact for his private social/dinner club, set to open in May. Speaking of Rit-Row, Corie Cutler, late of Row PR agency KB Consultants, held her first event at the Sofitel for the Rittenhouse Row Spring Festival. While Cutler hosts the Bower Awards at the Franklin Institute (April 29) and a Hairdresser Extravaganza at Red Sky and Union 237 (April 25), KB's hired Monique Bhalla away from her Madison Avenue job with DreamWorks. … When the 19th SCANtastic charity bash hits Memorial Hall on April 23, take note: One exec from Stop Child Abuse Now told me two once-friendly Web-PR wonks vying for exclusivity to represent the event online. … Philly rockabilly godhead Charlie Gracie gets his due. He's been interviewed by George Manney for his documentary, City of Brotherly Love: A Musical Journey, and will be a part of ABKCO Records' long-awaited Cameo-Parkway box set, due in August. Gracie will also perform at Delaware's classic car show at Kahunaville with Wanda Jackson, April 24, and got tagged to receive a Philly Music Award on May 11. … Ed Rendell hits the "Raise a Racquet" celeb auction April 23 at the Arthur Ashe Youth Tennis Center -- will Kim Delaney be in tow? The gov was also spotted at the new Phillies field racing through the back of the stadium in one of the silly player carts. … A slew of Shrek 2 characters appeared at Penn's Kappa Sigma house during Spring Fling (the acid's peaking!). In other Penn news, Pi Lam house -- owned by alumni of the chapter -- is getting a needed overhaul thanks to alumni kindne$$. … The designer of this season's must-own python satchel, Carlos Falchi, will host a trunk show at Stiletto (price range: $400-$5,000) April 23 and 24 -- it's a necessary spree for any fashionista. … DJ Lorne not only accepted residencies at hotelier Ian Schrager's Hudson in Manhattan, Delano in Miami, Sanderson in London and Clift in San Fran, but his trio with Cozmic Cat and Jon Gill, From Philly with Love (their third EP is out now), is featured in Urb's "Next 100" issue. … Cool hint about June 18's FEZtival from a source close to the event: "You gotta fight for your newfound dark stroke on the hill, Franz. That's the story, Von."… WHOWHATWHERE: Charles Barkley ate at Alma de Cuba and 76er Kyle Korver hit Bar Noir last week -- but not the same night that N.E.R.D. and Black Eyed Peas did. When Chris Root's Mosquitos opened for Air, Root's old Black Beans drummer, Chuck Treece, was on the skins. The Roots unveiled July's The Tipping Point with a live jam at Electric Lady Studios. Tayyib Smith brought Mario and Melvin Van Peebles to L'Etage after their Baadasssss! screening, as well as to the home of City Paper columnist Mary F. Patel and Joe Barber. The Fall partied majorly at their Marriott Hotel suite after playing First Unitarian Church with members of Bloodhound Gang. Indre Studios and WXPN welcomed Jason Mraz and Alanis Morissette. KRS-One hung at Temple's Appreciation Week fundraiser at Anderson Hall. When Justin Timberlake wasn't hanging with Cameron Diaz at Rouge, their Rittenhouse Hotel suite or on the set of In Her Shoes (I saw actors popping into neighboring bar South Valley Lounge), he was at the Tower's Mary J. Blige show. "He was rude," said one fan next to me at the show. Speaking of In Her Shoes, looks like the cast party at the close of filming will be held at FiSo. … Say happy b-day to WPRB's Jon Solomon (an occasional CP contributor); to Hip-e-Chick (aka Kimberly DiJohn)'s eponymous boutique; to Josh Wink, who celebrated at Marmont with DJ Lee Jones; and to DJ Trishy, who hosts "Bad Reputation" at The Khyber April 22 with Chatty Cathy. Say goodbye to Mattyboy Hart, who's leaving Spiral Q Puppet Theater after 10 years with a bash at 3114 Spring Garden; to Go-Go Kitty, leaving her post at Snyder Avenue's Pousse Cafe to join the Armed Forces (Needles Jones gave her a lap dance at the going-away party); and to Greasywaitress Vintage boutique -- though its Web site,

www.greasywaitress.com, is expanding, its Third and Bainbridge store closes, sadly, April 27.