July 21-27, 2005

music

icepack

by A.D. Amorosi

Go ahead. Quit. You're tired. Besieged even. Sandra Day O'Connor quit. Eminem's quitting. Stop now. I understand why Megan Wendell (along with husband Mason) is ceasing live gigs for their souped-up, synthy The Method and Result. Their layered fuzak is difficult to reproduce live, "at least the way we want to," says Megan. "Bad sound systems and bad mixes contribute heavily to the problem." Plus their Canary Promotion + Design is flush. They don't need the fiddy. "I like the freedom we'll have to write, record and not have to worry about how we're going to play it live." Now, Trouble Everyday, the twirpish, yelping Joy Division manque still asymmetrically challenged by '80s sartorialism says it wants to quit. No wait. They just want to quit here. Singer Kyle Costill says that Philly can do nothing more for them and they can give nothing more to the city. They'll go elsewhere. Lansdale loves this stuff. Yet with nothing more to give and little love left, they've got one parting stunt: a last gig, Sept. 9, at World Café Live with "'80s attire encouraged." I understand now why they're quitting. Stupidity: playing rooms way too big for just a few friends (even if each needs extra room for those Norma Kamali shoulder pads and Duckie-height hair). And, contrary to rumor, Jim Slade and Andy Rosenau — they of the high-powered-pop Nixon's Head — will not quit. No matter how much I beg -- sike! "If all goes well, we'll have 10 songs completed this summer for a new album we hope to complete before we're completely gray/bald/whatever," says Slade. … Whazallthis construction atop Byblos? Is this the rumored Gypsy, an exotic, high-end boîte owner Dia Sawan promised would land once his tenant, Sophisticated Seconds, got out? … While Philadelphia wastes pages dully quizzing proles for a November power issue as to whom they'd call back first if they phoned: Bon Jovi, Cataldi (huh?) or Comcast's Brian Roberts (I'm calling Roberts to stop Talk Show TV), Philth mag is now the sex-sassiest in town, going for eroto-Cheez Whiz pics, snaps of Rachel Furman's tits, and a story on top trannie Angela Gardner for a now-out ish. Howl!!! … Want another star-is-born riff? The rude, lewd cookie-puss punk of Sweatheart — Thom, Rose, Sujata — whose July South Philadelphia Athenaeum gig gimme da willies still. Find them, fuck them. … Cashman & Associates hook up American Heart Association's Go Red for Women org with a top ticket donation-please bash at Brasserie Perrier July 21 with Southwest Philly mooks John Stango and DJ A.D. (and not my doppelganger in that Chocolate Factory flick). Pay or die! … From the looks of his anemic wet ribs, ex-Phillie Garry Maddox dropped ye olde too-taxed Neil Stein from their joint annual Barbecue Challenge to take place at Citizens Bank Park Aug. 6. Et tu, Garry? Who did the lanky cutthroat usher forth at the July 18 press conference? Meatman Greg Luzinski. Don't fuck up, Bull. Garry'll cut ya'. (Want BBQ? Head to Ali Waks' Smoked Joint "karaoke war" on Tuesdays where judges like John the Stutterer and Captain Janks take flank-steak bribes from gravy-slathered Stern groupies.) … WHOWHATWHERE: Bring the mutton. Jeff Corwin from Animal Planet ate dinner at Buddakan. Gnash. And speaking of skins, what do you do when you're not wearing goat flesh (Gladiator, Amistad) or chasing clones (this week's The Island)? You get stuck with me, at Four Seasons, talking about it, like Djimon Hounsou did. "I'm so glad directors find me interesting to begin with, so I don't worry about the costumes," says Hounsou, the flick's future-forward villain. "But The Island is the first time I've actually wanted to take home the clothes." This is a big deal for the former runway model who once focused on Thierry Mugler designs. "I can't say I miss the catwalk. Just the women on it." Note to co-star Scarlett Johansson: Stop screwing everyone in sight and get wit Djimon. Mark Wahlberg visited 32° on Saturday with his own entourage, hitting up a bottle-service carafe of Grey Goose like it was nuffin . … B-DAY: While Pagan leader Steven "Gorilla" Mondevergine got a shotgun for his b-day at Harry Kat's Pub and Grille, in Aston, equally biker-like Needles Jones gets a long-lost Hard Liquor Theater reunion for his bash at Bar Noir, July 25 with Psydde Delicious and poet Mark Wiles. Pig Iron's Emmanuelle Delpech-Ramey's silent scream theater, husband Joshua, Helen Back, David Stone, Carmen Martella III and Susan Ricca join in. While former Zipperheads Rob and Stefanie Windfelder birth their new baby, Crash Bang Boom at 528 S. Fourth, with July 23's shower at Pontiac (their Live Not on Evil plays with Union Dead), that same night finds 1935 studio maven/Beretta 76er Pete Rydberg celebrating without plaid bondage pants.