July 15-21, 2004

music

icepack

by A.D. Amorosi

Anyone who can remember the fortnight after July 4 knows Philly's collective ass was too tired to do anything. Too sleepy even to behead Marie Antoinette (played by Terry Berch McNally) on Bastille Day at Eastern State Penitentiary. (Or maybe that was out of respect to beheaded American prisoners.) So I got my kicks in Chester County. When I couldn't find Texas Chainsaw Massacre director Tobe Hooper (shooting his Mortuary) or CKY (power-punk locals who kicked Vern Zaborowski out of the band), I visited Bam Margera, MTV's Viva la Bam prankster who bought many acres of Pocopson Township property in 2004. My associate producer pal (unnamed!) said Sean Penn and Johnny Knoxville were stopping by to shoot. They weren't there. No one was. I know Bam's neighbors slammed him with noise complaints — even bringing it to the attention of the township, who ordered him to cease filming by July 16. But it wasn't July 16. And I brought cake. "We pretty much wrapped up our next two seasons," my pal says. "The township will pursue legal action, still say we broke noise ordinances and ruined the township. So it's good we got away with finishing up fast." The same thing happened at Bam's first house in Thornton, where Bam's gags included tons of snow and elephants. "Kids loved it. They made us cookies. Other neighbors were pissed. So we got evicted." This time, Bam bought a bigger farm and figured that with so much land, no neighbor'd complain. One did ("one whose daughter dated Bam"), one with a video camera. "I think they were pissed we were having fun. They treated us like we had a meth lab on the property. We even put up a tarp so they couldn't see us. That pissed them off more. Bam's got money. But not the cash to move every time neighbors get angry."… M. Night Shyamalan, however, can afford to fight back, when it comes to July 18's touted Sci Fi Channel documentary The Buried Secret of with his live In the Director's Chair (July 18) where film-crit Joel Siegel asks questions, Night shows clips of The Village, and you pay 10 bucks at the Riverview. … If Siegel gets ill, why not call WXPN's Robert Drake? He's already taking over for WHYY's Patrick Stoner for TLA's Gay & Lesbian Film Fest chat with Alan Cumming, July 19 at the Arts Bank. … WHOWHATWHERE: Ex-Eagle Bobby Taylor held his farewell at World Fusion with new teammate Seattle Seahawks' Ken Hamlin in tow. After their Penn's Landing gig, Phantom Planet stopped to see Cordalene at the Khyber. After filming the last scene of Lee Daniels' Shadowboxer (a raunchy one!) in pink cha-cha heels, a wig and black cocktail dress at Rittenhouse Hotel, Cuba Gooding Jr. partied for the last time in Philly with Daniels, Sharon Pinkenson and cast at the Hotel's Boathouse Bar. Garden State director/star Zach Braff (Scrubs) illuminated medical-movie fans at the Ritz Bourse. David "Squiggy" Lander was at Hyatt Regency on Penn's Landing hosting a multiple sclerosis awareness seminar before the Seattle Mariners scout these days headed to a Phillies game. Phillies Randy Wolf, Pat Burrell, Chase Utley and Geoff Geary celebrated a win at the grand opening of Metro. Then they stopped at Bar Noir, checking in on Erika Schiff before she sang Sunday's national anthem. (WIP radio had callers asking, "Was that Jessica Simpson?") Or maybe they were just early for Noir's "Fringe West," July 19 — the Fringe/Live Arts Festival's first networking open mic with artists, Peek-a-Boo Revue and Needles Jones. … When word went round that the Lucky Strike bowling alley/lounge chain had plans for the Woolworth's building along 13th and Chestnut, it hit me: Didn't I report — in June 2003 — developers Larry Kagan and Andrew Gavrin were trying to open a basement bowling bar, called Frame, in that very spot? ... Rhythm Donkeys' Scott Chestnut DJs for new missus Natasha Vega's Before&After hair show for Paul Mitchell/Supercuts, July 18, at the Renaissance Hotel at the airport. … King Britt spins Mojito at Marathon Square's "Made In Italy" fashion show July 17. … If you went to Philly Late Night's Liberty Belle party July 10 on the Pier and didn't find a party brimming with booze from 4 a.m on, don't blame Joe Dougherty. Despite PLN's claims toward having everything legally in place, complaints from city and state officials (which Dougherty can't discuss) caused him to cancel the series. "It's circumstances beyond our control," he says. … Nicky Isen and Scott Shuster of Brewster Gallery bought Butcher's Cafe at Ninth Street and snagged chef Lance Silverman from neighboring Sabrina's (across the street) for what seems like a Euro-extravaganza. … V.I.P. 's Peter Seprish has joined Rahfee Barber to reform Walkie Talkies. With their first reunion show happening July 16 at North Star and Seprish moving to Manhattan, will Seprish leave V.I.P.? He'll miss all the fun. Moments like Sunday's visit to the Real World house to the hang with the cast and crew, after V.I.P.'s X-rated Silk City show.