Icepack

Amorosi on the news, nightlife, gossip and bitchiness beats.

by A.D. Amorosi

The just-late, great Rick D was on your mind last week — at the Stooges' E-Factory show, at Popped!'s Starlight finale. I'm reminded daily of the lovely things the Other Man in Black did. Look, I knew Rick from his bands. Was his neighbor when he manned Upstairs at Nick's. But I've heard more genuinely funny stories about D's weird kindnesses and woozy strolls than I can count; most involve D giving musician buds more money than even they figured they deserved. So to find Thorazine's Scott Parker (sound guy from Nick's), jazzbo Elliott Levin, a reunited Plain Parade with Beretta76 and Amy Undergirl, etc., gathering for a Month of Sundays at Tritone is not surprising. "He liked Sunday nights, what the hell do I know why?" says crusty Tim P whose bluesy Hired Guns'll bite off a Sunday, the likes of which — organized by Tritone bartender Beth Boccassini — benefit area charities. "Rick was like a brother to me," says Parker, who's working on a D tribute CD. "I couldn't do any less than my best for him." Check www.myspace.com/tritone for updates.

► No nor'easter stopped Jerry Blavat's sold-out DooWop reunion at the Kimmel. Or the surprise donations that went to Bob Brady seated front row center. Blavat gave $5G. Caroline Kimmel donated the same — she's known Brady's wife, Debbie, since the days when Debbie was still "Savarese" (an Eagles cheerleader) and Caroline was married to Leonard Tose. That crew went to the Geator's after-bash at Mercato and Valanni with Neil Stein and Nino Tinari in tow. Atsa'nize. Who else's giving away money? Nikki Jean, the prettier half of Nouveau Riche (not that Dice Raw ain't hot) is working the Chosen300 charity that feeds 60,000 meals a year to homeless Philadelphians. "They're trying to raise $26,700," says Jean of an April 21 walk, which got YouTube endorsements from Lupe Fiasco, Common, ?uestlove and more. Go here (www.nikki-jean.com) to pay in and here (blog.myspace.com/questlove) to see the clips.

► You know that rumor the General Store off Rittenhouse got purchased for a restaurant? Now, we hear those involved'll bolt due to a Japanese stock market slump. Damned slump.

► The death-flu may have canceled their first-ever show at Connie's Ric Rac six weeks ago. But psych-avant-metal super-group Apogee — starring members of Bunnydrums, Scareho and Radio Eris — gets its debut-due April 23 at the Troc's Balcony. "We're freaking psyched," says Dan "Redbeard" Baker, who recorded an Apogee EP with Mike Mongiello and Matt Stevenson in the interim.

► WHOWHATWHERE: Morris Chestnut and his Merriam Theater's Love In the Nick of Tyme cast hit Urban Socialite's Tragos jawn. Hard. After making time at Making Time, Diplo and 2manydjs hung at R5's Sean Agnew's house. "They DJed in my bedroom from 4 to 8 a.m.," says Agnew. Diplo naval-cornered Sean's sheets. While we're psyched to hear expats Burning Brides' Hang Love and the news they'll be home soon, we're doubly psyched painter/Cream Charger ex-pat Dean Rosenzweig hit town en route to Knitting Factory with IAMX, the tech-punk band he's got going with Chris Corner, who we hear has interest from Geffen and Virgin. 'Twas nice seeing Bam Margera at the Stooges show. But it's groovier hearing rumors about West Chester homeboy Brandon DiCamillo working solo on comics about bathtub-flying/ Rake Yohn-inspired SuperheroTed, as well as the Bam/Brandon script they're readying regarding doughnuts and soda. And on the Philadelphia Film Festival tip, Dermot Mulroney hit a Sharon Pinkenson/Film Office party at Liberty Building's 57th floor, then ran off with his folks, whom he stayed with for the weekend. Yes. Dermot still lives at home. Sike. Judy Gold and Taylor Negron hung around the Judy Toll screening at I-House nearly till the lights went out. Though Mark Weber and Adult Swim's Carey "Frylock" Means hit Mary Patel's home bash, only Means met his cartoon-slavish fans at N. 3rd. And we don't know yet if Thom Cardwell's leaving PFF/TLA as rumored, whether he's stopping or being asked to. We just know nearly everyone involved's saying the same thing: He's not discussing it with anyone. Which means there's prolly an "it" to discuss.

► We're hearing anydaynow for Ryan Margolis' Chestnut Street lounge, 707, to open with looks provided by Freeman Interiors. Speaking of good looks, the spazzy art Philadelphia Experiment brought to Playloop Records' secret N. Fifth Street warehouse party — with Uncut Productions in tow — made for the best sensurround décor witnessed in some time.

► Before Robert Hazard wraps his Rykodisc debut, the antique dealer hits Milkboy Coffehouse April 21 for his first show on the Main Line since the Point hosted gigs with Tom Rush. Oy.

► So Butch "In Bed With..." Cordova is getting in bed with Gervase Petersen ("I wish he was gay," says Butch of the Survivor. "I've tried to see if he was and have hit on him in the past, but he's straight") for a once-monthly "Chocolate" bash at Gigi's starting April 19 — an upscale beautiful-black-people/dressed-to-kill crowd with a slight hint of "down-low." And he's doing a weekly Sunday tea dance with Michael DeCero at Tori's starting May 6. Butch might call it "Disco-Tech" or "54." "But how cool would it be to call it Equis," he says, in honor of the legendary '70s gay club. Look for Village Persons Felipe Rose or Randy Jones to take part in the opening.

► Robbie Tronco was ready to just move his Luxx party to National Mechanics Tuesdays, called it RIP City, lost his partner, Reno (not to Luxemburg, but to NJ). Then bang: He and his girlfriend, Sarah, up and had a 7-pound disco mix named Ella Claire. Congrats, dat.

(a_amorosi@citypaper.net)