June 10-16, 2004

music

icepack

by A.D. Amorosi

As a flaming straight guy who put the "ace" in Liberace, I'm pissed off during this week of PrideFest. Not because my friend Henri David did not ask me to be on a float with Sally Starr. No. That just hurts. I'm dizzgusted with commercials launched by the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corp., the first U.S. TV ad campaign — costing $1 mil over three years — to promote the city as a gay destination. With the slogan "Philadelphia: Get Your History Straight and Your Nightlife Gay," the spot shows a guy in colonial dress giving a beau an invitation to Independence Hall, a love letter and flowers. "The gay market is an extension of our leisure marketing efforts for the destination and complements our programs for other types of travelers," GPTMC prez Meryl Levitz told Reuters. The gay travel market is estimated to be worth $54 billion. My complaint? No one would be caught dead in that tired-ass tricorn hat 'n' pantaloon look. How '90s (as in 1790s)! And honestly, no one goes to I-Hall anymore. Betsy Ross' house is the digs. Snap. … Who's more pissed? Me or everyone who did up Smarty Jones paintings and Smarty Jones shirts but didn't think about Smarty Jones meat products or gluesticks. Neigh! … Will he or won't he? That's the question as Philly comic Todd Glass takes his first shot at Last Comic Standing, the NBC reality-laugh-contest. Actually, the week between June 4 and June 11 looks like an asinine reality-program Philly-area clusterfuck: Damon Feldman tried out for NBC's Sly Stallone series The Contender. Jerseyites Tiniesha Clark and Andrea Langi (the latter famously dated John Bolaris, but don't hold that against her) take on For Love or Money. Speaking of reality, no one's more real than alleged Real World trespasser Ahmadu Barri (the Texan who supposedly snapped photos deep inside MTV's Seamen's Church Institute) who'll get his day in court this week. … V Lounge at Vesuvio (Eighth and Fitzwater) becomes the next big consonant-driven hot spot. So busy was chef Mark McKinney planning V's new menu (a grilled meatloaf sandwich to die for, I hear) he couldn't tell me all the changes. Stay tuned. … Did Courtney Love really cancel her June 25 show at the Electric Factory after hearing about this year's Y100 FEZtival June 18 lineup, just so she could play on the side-stage with Laguardia, Pepper's Ghost and Townhall? Hmm. ... Along with new monitors, Khyber and Curt Flood booking have some new booking help courtesy of Heyday, the organization Jon Hampton left behind (or did he?) when he went to Clear Channel/EFC. … While everyone's talking about Stephen Starr's new chef and new Washington Square spot due to open by June 24, welcome to Michael Hazen, the new executive chef at Continental 2. … Heyo: Needles Jones, Bar Noir's newest waitress, started his monthly First Friday co-hosting duties for the interactive On the Couch (With Brittany Lynn) at Silk City last week. All of Spring Garden Street seems to be going interactive, what with the three-year-old off-Broadway hit Birdy's Bachelorette Party starting its every-Saturday run of live karaoke/truth-or-dare gamesmanship June 12 at Egypt. Conceived by Mark Nassar (Tony n' Tina's Wedding), the New York production does indeed have one Philly actor — Joshua Coleman as "Sampsom."… WHOWHATWHERE: Wellness Community of Philadelphia welcomes Rosalynn Carter, former first lady, to its "Evening Under the Stars" for area cancer charities, June 11 at the Suzanne Morgan Center in Fairmount Park. Call 215-879-7733. Philly expat R&B singer Will Downing showed up at the opening of his monthlong photo exhibit at ArtJaz Gallery. A. Hassan Charles celebrated his eighth anniversary of Delaware Valley First Fridays on the Moshulu with Twista and Donovan McNabb. (McNabb is also expected at June 12's Celebrity Streetball Charity Tournament to benefit the city's Police Athletic League). August's annual Musikfest in Bethlehem announced its weeklong bill, including Clay Aiken, Freedy Johnston, Alice Cooper, Chingy, Jimmy Sturr and Huey Lewis. … When Joisey's own Smithereens hit The Conduit in Trenton on June 11, it'll be under its new ownership, with original owner Roland Pott (reverting back to him after his deal with Philly's Randy Walker and Paul Browning) and his new booking team. … At the Jukebox Zeroes show at Khyber on June 12, ask them nicely for their limited edition live Stunk CD recorded on Jon Solomon's radio show on WPRB. … Just back from knee surgery (there's a joke there I can't touch), Jimi Mooney welcomes Beretta76 to his queercore Narcisassy DJ bash at Tritone June 10. Same night, June 10, welcome 18-year-old Philly-ite Kate Dovelyn to The Fire, a mean, punkish singer with a bunch of old dudes (like Tapping the Vein's Mark Burkert) playing behind her.