January 20-26, 2005

music

icepack

by A.D. Amorosi

When I hear about meth lab busts, Pagans fighting Hell's Angels, vixen Gypsys getting caught for bilking the elderly, and laser vaginoplasty, I get sad. I'm from Southwest Philadelphia, home to all these vices. I worked hard to make undetectable meth, to keep bikers under the radar by putting them in sweater vests. (And don't think for a second we didn't have plastic vaginas back then.) Oh, all that hard work, gone! … While you weren't looking, Chad Shusman — formerly of www.earthwell.com, since sold for big bucks to www.drugstore.com — started a weekly series, TalkShow.TV, on CN8 last Friday. It'll star former N.J. Nets pregame show hostess Karla Cavalli and Malvern's Megan Gunning (last seen shopping her Everything With Panties to Spike TV) talking about zippy kid topics along the Eastern Seaboard. Opa! … I love hearing dirt dished. Like that from the big-name chef who repeated oft-heard rumors about Mustapha Rouissiya's could-be-closing Adriatica ("millions spent, no customers"); that one of my comfort-food faves, Judy's Cafe, might soon be "kaput!"; that Joseph Poon's Arch Street empire might relocate by October 2005 ("his lease isn't being renewed," adds our mouthy source). … "I'm always one who likes to shake things up while on top, versus die on the vine," says WXPN DJ/booker Robert Drake of trimming his weekly Le Cabaret Mélange at L'Etage to a monthly. Why? "Mostly because the boys [Jeffrey Marsh, Rick Sorkin] are focused on their Kurt Weill one-off special event" April 3 at World Café Live, says Drake. … Before her Mano/Damno interdisciplinary art group does its Jan. 28 "Wear Your Wig to Work" day, Krystyna Wiercioch throws an open-mic, mini-Wigstock at Bar Noir Jan. 24 starring Needles Jones and Kandy Whales drummer Joshua Delpech-Ramey. … WHOWHATWHERE: The Roots' Black Thought and his posse did the tony tequila thing at Tragos. Triangle Theater alumni Jeff and Charlene Chapman wrote, produced and directed A Rape in a Small Town for HBO's America Undercover. We LOVE Buena Vista Township, N.J.: School officials vetoed a Simple Life 3 shoot not because Fox TV cheapskates offered $5,000 but due to a fear "that it would hold their community up to ridicule," the AP reported. … Philly actress Maria Bello does double duty Jan. 22 for "Crossing the Finish Line" cancer charities at Westin Hotel and "The Beach Ball" at Liberty Place. … Old punks don't die. They morph into mind-bending metalheads (Rob Windfelder's Live Not On Evil, Pontiac, Jan. 22), or teachers (University of the Arts' "Starting Your Own Record Label" taught by Gutbucket's Aaron Levinson, starting Jan. 27, 215-717-6095 to register) or reunite in Ardmore, like Nick Tinari and Steve Dunn's Ben Wah Torpedos, who'll join Hot Club-era acts Proteens and Pleasure Dotz Jan. 22 at Palombaro Club, 2618 East County Line Road. "We're doing it for no redeeming reason other than to have some fun since none of us managed to die before we got old," says Tinari. … We haven't heard from the boys of tbtmo since their live electro act, Moqita, got busy. They're hosting a house party Jan. 22 at 1728 Mt. Vernon St. with housemates Collette Carter, Blue Ribbon and some Xbox Halo 2 multiplayer action. … Sure, FMQB posted that Y100's morning show chumps Preston and Steve should be heading to WMMR for summertime snooze-hours. But did you know Washington, D.C.'s WHFS-FM — pioneering rock's best friend for 35 years — went tropical/Latino last week? Doesn't that scare Y100? Will Jim McGuinn wear a sombrero? "Yo no soy, mi corazon es el rock y rollo," says the station's program director. "Until they tell me otherwise, I come to work every day and bring the rock. For those that think [it was] bleak with stations like WHFS and Y100 around, imagine the radio dial without them."… Kimberly DiJohn, owner/operator of Fishtown faves Mr. Bill's Deli and the vintage-only Hip-e-chick, lost the latter in an electrical fire on Sunday. Thankfully, no one was hurt. But all the stuff in the 4-year-old shop was toasted. "It was all junk — to some," said DiJohn. "But there's no price tag you can put on it." DiJohn promises Hip-e-chick will return. … While Philly's too-hidden hip-hop vets The High & Mighty attack West Philly's MarBar Jan. 26 with a new-cru, Catastrofiks, joining in on the fun, hip-hop on the other end of town is over-and-out as Emerald City turns its beloved-by-b-boys "Hip-Hop Room" into the "Party Lounge," sans rap. "It's not due to any incidents that occurred at [Emerald City]," says club president Joe Dougherty. "Just a decision based on the long-term success of our club based on things that occurred at other area clubs that should remain nameless." Dag. … You can celebrate graphic artist Lou Matlow's b-day by yelling "Lou" into mid-air. You can dance to Jazzy Jeff who hits 40 at Shampoo Jan. 22 with Biz Markie and Pete Rock. You can mark 32°'s third birthday in Old City Jan. 20 by asking Larry Cohen and Barry Gutin to see plans for their new A.C. clubs: the all-sweets spot Brulee, along with shore versions of Cuba Libre and 32° — all soft opening between Feb. 4 and 25.