October 7-13, 2004

music

icepack

by A.D. Amorosi

You're having your espresso, snug in the "Free Neil" T-shirt you won in a psyche strip poker game (way more revealing than just losing your pants) from one of Rouge's staff kids, thinking, "there but for the grace of God go I." After all, with ex-gossip monger A.J. Benza having to host reality TV for PAX (Sunday's Cold Turkey), and me angry that Jerry Blavat didn't bring me to the San Gennaro Feast in Little Italy to suppa with Scorsese and DeNiro, things could be worse for you. Then you stumble upon a Philly-related missive on PopMatters.com, titled "Life, Liberty, The Pursuit Of "Cool'-Ness." The writer, Mark Reynolds, touched by the city's spirit in the face of the untimely passing of a young child, questions how Philly could've been so turned around by its need to have a totem like The Real World placed upon us. I ask this question daily. In response, I sing from X's best song: "We're desperate. Get used to it." We live in a city where sports writers and AM talk radio hosts—AM fucking radio, two steps from CB—make news by getting into bitch-fests over the authenticity of a football book. (Yes. I have pals who like football and listened to author Buzz Bissinger and host Michael Smerconish get into an argument on his show on WPHT 1210. No, I can't make my friends stop. Then again, they didn't stop me when I dyed my hair platinum and sucked down emphysema medicine.) … WHO WHATWHERE: After walking onstage for a pre-opening party of his World Café Live complex in nothing but a towel, Hal Real welcomed surprise guests, including John Fogerty (there taping WXPN's World Café with David Dye; listen hard and you can probably hear rival space owner Larry Goldfarb yelling, "See, see!"), to the ribbon cutting, as well as Eric Bazilian, who joined opening night act Jonatha Brooke performing his "One of Us." Chloe Sevigny showed at Morrissey's Tower show wearing overalls and lots of foundation. Clear Channel's Bryan Dilworth, Jim Sutcliffe and Jon Hampton, along with producer Brian McTear, popped by Bar Noir to welcome home Swearing At Motorists after their long time abroad. Twista didn't seem quite so twista'd hanging, apres his Electric Factory gig, in Tragos' Tequila Lounge. (I've heard rumors that the Beastie Boys and A Tribe Called Quest have called dibs for the same room for their Oct. 11 dates). Shadowboxer director Lee Daniels and editor William Chang are splicing at Shooters Post and Transfer in Old City. DJ Tommie Sunshine and the boys of PAPERstreet (prepping for Oct. 9's Bodega at Marathon at Commerce Square with DJs Lucas, Rahsaan and Rich Medina) ate and drank at N. 3rd where owner Mark Bee comped their meal. Eagle L.J. Smith stopped by to hear NBC 10 morning hostess Lauren Hart croon to Rock-The-Vote types at Premiere's party at Kenneth Cole. Before performing for M. Night Shyamalan at the Wachovia Center's Springsteen Vote For Change show (where, yup, Bruce sprayed spittle on the aforementioned Fogerty and Michael Stipe), R.E.M. 's Peter Buck and Mike Mills took in Supergrass at TLA. Erykah Badu got her hair done at Tracy Riggs Salon at Second and Pine before cruising along South Street on Sunday morning. And Mayor John Street likes his zesty tomato Terra chips and Wheat Chex what from the looks of his shopping cart at SuperFresh on Columbus Blvd. … After saying farewell to Philly, Matt Werth (whose NYC-based Rvng Intl. with Philly's Dave Pianka promotes the likes of Diesel) says the Manhattan-based faction of his now-retired Aspera will continue playing. "Might be something already in the works," said Werth. … Sail drunkenly with Young Professional Events folk Mark&Garrett as they take you on their Fall Moonlight Booze Cruise III: a four-hour tour aboard the Liberty Belle riverboat, Oct. 8. (For tix and deets: www.YoungProfessionalEvents.com). … Good thing I tucked my head into La Tazza's "Beleza!": DJs Sezy, Ultraviolet, 99 and producer/spinner Jneiro Jarel tore it up. Do not miss them next time. … More opportunities for dick: Club Kama Sutra of South Street fame will open its second secret sex club, this one in the Allentown area with pre-opening parties Oct. 16 and Oct. 23. Call 866-CLUB-CKS. … Speaking of sex, naughty photog Tony Ward just started shooting his newest client—the big-money shot that is the Neiman-Marcus intimate apparel catalog. "I'm giving porn a rest," says Ward, holding a dildo. I kid. … After helping open the Kimmel Center with her charming ways, director of communications Margie Smith will leave on Oct. 15. "I've decided it's time for a change," says mah little Margie. Sob. … Art Institute of Philadelphia grad Eric Fisher opens his men's clothier, Stitch, 229 Chestnut, with Anthony + Mo, Philippe Dubuc and Babette Wasserman—their clothes, not the designers—Oct. 13. … B-Days: New Mar-Bar weekend spinner Brendan Olkus celebrated DJ Low Budget's day at Fluid with DJ Cosmo inna house. Michael Maptrot observed Mr. Ricky Paul's birthday at Sal's on 12th with the Dumpsta' Players in tow. Amanda Leary's "Birthday Suit Shakedown" helps debut Dragonfly, upstairs from Hamburger Mary's, Oct. 9. … Well wishes to public relations king Sam Bushman, 90, who left the hospital after sustaining minor injuries in a fall. "He just bumped his head," said longtime client/FMQB chief Kal Rudman.