Icepack

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

by A.D. Amorosi

Two things occurred when the 12-foot-high skull head landed atop Jomar for its Halloween in the Dank Back Alleys of South Philly Yet So Few Patrons Are Reported Missing sale. One: Carmen "Skeletor" Martella and Mr. Dead Guy began separate plots to snag the head as a ritualistic totem of their, you know, artform. Two: Autumn started. Hey, autumn. Hello. 

► If you thought it was a matter of cute coupling that DJ John and Danielle Redden were CEOpening the Barbary in November, then what about Three 4 Ten-nant Jamie Mahon with Nicole Mahon buying 'n' opening Green Rock Tavern at 2546 E. Lehigh? That's not chopped liver. That's closer to ham 'n' cabbage.

► Know how WYSP-FM "surprisingly" dumped lots of its talkers for rockers? No surprise, not with rival WMMR's ratings up, and trends swinging from boyo-chat to boyo-guitars. Plus, rumor has YSP "leaking" info to press-peeps in time for Thursday's "Rock is Back" announcement. Don't play us like a Slash solo, yo! Big ups to WFIL-FM boss Jay Cook's kid John (WYSP's new PD) for keeping Kidd Chris spinning and for talking to (we hear) Couzin Ed about a new job.

► So Police Commish Sylvester Johnson wants 10,000 black men to guard Philly's most vulnerable streets. Guaranteed he has an easier time with that than getting his grandson "S-Five" to put down the mic and stop that awful rapping. Which reminds me: Has anybody heard the rumor that Shampoo's Shaft Fridays are going away from gayness and Drag Mafioso to all hip-hop? Will Brittany Lynn have to flash colors? Speaking of Shampoo, we don't know if Lacey from VH1's Rock of Love really snagged her band name from her occasional haunt at Nocturne. We do know its sponsors, Patrick Rodgers' Dancing Ferret label, has (say it like Casey Kasem) just scored the No. 1 and 3 spots on Billboard's dance chart with Crüxshadows singles "Birthday" and "Sophia." Crüxshadows just toured China. Fang-tabulous.

► Who cares who they're voting for: Rumor has the Spain-Smiths — Philly Style owner Dana, photog Michael — holding a political fundraiser of sorts at their Xanadu-in-South Philly multimillion-dollar house Sept. 20.

► Know how Ben Barnett/JD Clark's illuminati-filled sci-fi Order of the Quest nearly got snowed out on St. Patrick's Day? The Tiberino fam (whose Raphael worked on the film) will make it the last flick of their Flicker Garden series' season Sept. 26 at The Ellen Powell Tiberino Museum.

► It's up and it's awesome: the overawing motion-sensitive Supplemental Shrubbery Sound Source installation from Chris Vecchio at the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education. Wogga-wogga-wow.

► Westin Hotel's Eric Vincent brings his Curve Dominant buds together with Vitamin F's Chris Mottershead for Vincent's open-vocal Last Monday jawn at the Troc's Balcony Sept. 24. 

► We don't know how he gets these gigs, either: Philly's Amos Lee is opening for the Bob Dylan/Elvis Costello tour starting Sept. 22. 

► One nice lady leaves. Another nice lady enters: While we say goodbye to our li'l friend Carrie Estok of Gyro Worldwide/Sailor Jerry (she couldn't run fast enough), we bid 'allo to Philly Theatre Co. Managing Director Diane Claussen, who, along with Artistic Director Sara Garonzik, were rumored to have nearly kicked Kathy Bates' ass when she dropped out of opening Suzanne Roberts Theatre Oct. 21. Cooler heads prevailed, know what I'm saying? We keed. We'll be looking for Diane 'n' Sara during my hard-hat tour (my cap is red) or during the just-announced tribute to Terrence McNally gala Oct. 22 with Nathan Lane, Edie Falco and Donna Murphy, co-chaired by David Cohen. Ho ho. 

► Did you know that Natasha Ecstasy Fantasia is the one heading up the big '80s reunion bash for October's 30th anniversary of CAPA, and if you try wearing a DEVO flowerpot to the ball, she's going to ring your necks. E-mail natasha@theblackbanana.comif you're feeling squirrelley.