Icepack

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

by A.D. Amorosi

I'm not one to ruminate. Nothing about nostalgia to insight or delight me, though I have to say on the ol' local tip I can still taste the Ortleib's I drank while listening to Marty Watt at the Love Club during which time I sprayed Manic Panic blue tint I bought at Mooshka onto my bleached white hair. But, I would've had to have dry ice smoke rings blowing through my veins if I didn't blow blueberry kisses and shed a crocodile tear at Electric Factory Concerts' 40th anniversary bash at the E-Factory. While it was nice seeing Larry Magid and crew having the best time, it was nearly as fun seeing 1,000-plus Dutch masters listening to goofs about kids like Alycia Lane going to the WWE with Bob Mould writing her scripts. Life truly starts at 40.

► Henri David'll be barking happy when Fox TV's Kerri-Lee Halkett and John Bolaris host his Fur Ball benefit for Morris Animal Refuge Feb. 9 at Loews Hotel. David gets honored for furry good-dog-deeds, as does 102.9 WMGK's John DeBella. Woof. See morrisanimalrefuge.org or call 215-735-9570. Same night, Spiral Q Puppet Theater, Valentine theme: That spells Matty Hart's Q-LICIOUS love gala — the third annual — at Girard College's Founder's Hall with the Philactivist honored for good deeds by Martha Graham Cracker before 9 p.m.

► Anyone keeping score? Now that Philly-kinda-sorta-type Santogold, Amanda Blank, Kevin Michaels and Spank Rock just got joined by Kid Sister and Gnarls Barkley (the April-due Odd Couple) for Downtown's spring '08 schedule; this is THE best label having THE best moment, almost EVER. How good? That lineup should have its own Vineland Fest.

► Rumor: It's the Mann, NOT le Susquehanna (nee Tweeter) Center, that got June 18's R.E.M. /Modest Mouse gig. But the Susqweeter's getting Kayne West. 

► Is it Fergie who's looking to buy the just-closed Grape Street whose staff got dropped on Sat.? 

► "We wanted hardcore wrestling and nobody does it better than CZW," says Scott Franklin, producer of The Wrestler — that Mickey Rourke flick flicking at New Alhambra Feb. 8 to 9 — about why he chose our oiled-up X-tremists for his movie.

► There I was, ready to ring Stephen Starr after the old news about his too-busy-to-deal chats with Marc Vetri (both men stuffed with projects and lump crabmeat, but all's amicable) started up again when I got this bit: Starr's doing Sofitel's lobby bar and restaurant in l'Autumn. Magnifique.

► When Jon "My Dad's Larry" Mendte hosts Protect and Serve Feb. 8 and 9 at 13th and Spring Garden's FOP Lodge (benefiting slain officer Chuck Cassidy's family), it'll feature Lauren Hart debuting her new swanky hair and equally debonair CD Good Things and WYSP's Kidd Chris' band the Beatoffs, doing its second show and not being debonair in da least. Good cause.

► Syn-tastic jazz-bo Tim Motzer's NuCultures jawn with Barry Meehan has a Weds.-in-Feb. residency at the Fire (really?) that'll include saxmaniac Chris Cuzme (Feb. 13) and trumpeter John Swana (Feb. 20). Bleat. 

► Old timey muted bugles blare: Vintage camera photog R. A. Friedman and his Studio Focal Plane do a silver-toned fundraiser photo shoot with delicious arcane equipment at Joe Coffee (11th and Walnut) Feb. 8 and 9 to benefit green-thinking Peruvian farmers and Philly's Independents Coffee Co-op. 

► WHOWHATWHERE: That was La India — club-diva/salsa songbird and NG2 at ASPIRA's 16th annual benefit gala hanging with Afrotaino Inc./Vango DJ Rahsaan at the Marriott Downtown. Olé. Philly photog Scott Weiner (director of the in-production Who's Spencer Gorman?) got hired by Atlantic to shoot Danity Kane (who didn't show), Donnie and whatever the other boy band is from Making the Band 4 at Loews Hotel for several fanzine/PR stuffs. MTV shot Scott's shoot (for episode nine) and then everyone went to Zee Bar. Venezuelan ambassador Bernardo Alverez and members of the Venezuelan embassy hit 3Kingdom's Artists for Heat at the Troc. They particularly liked Flavor Flav's freestyling. In between White Dog and Tony Luke's, hairy-chested director John Sayles, producer Maggie Renz and film star/America's Next Top Model's Yaya DaCosta sandwiched their Scribe Video Honeydripper première at International House. DaCosta (whose brother studies at Penn) knew the Sayles oeuvre. "I knew what to expect," said DaCosta before posing in I-House's lobby. "That's what excited me." What's next? Running for Time — a Lifetime lady prison movie lensed by Charles Dutton.

► If you don't love W. Philly's wordy rapping hood Mike Taylor — TuPhace — by now, brah, you ain't living. Tu'll return to the scene of his loudest crime, Silk City, Feb. 12 with Nouveau Riche who's got one recent EP, Longtail (free at myspace.com/nouveauricheband) and a new one due this month.