Icepack

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

by A.D. Amorosi

I'm not happy Mayor Nutter's cutting funding from libraries and public swimming pools. If the Kingsessing Branch goes, my idea for a laptop pool party down by Finnegan's ballpark goes with it. Gone libraries are as serious as a heart attack, Nutter! And when you touch the Mummers, you're fucking up. My dad was in Overbrook's string band years ago. I know what gilded costumes cost. So the city's now-yanked $355,000 contribution is worse than a financial blow to golden slipper-ers everywhere. It's an insult to tradition. Bet Tom Knox, Bob Brady or Al Taubenberger wouldn't have fucked the Ferkos of the world.

► Remember I mentioned six months ago Hal Real's opening of a second World Café Live in Wilmington, Del.? Well, it's looking Real-er. Not only does it have a location — the 700-seat Queen Theater for a WCL music venue and educational center — it's got something of a boss in Bill Taylor, Tipitina's of New Orleans' talent buyer and its nonprofit Tipitina's Foundation's creative director. We heard Taylor's name bandied about when he was talking about leaving Tip's in December 2007. But Nawlins' Times-Picayune confirms his move home to Wilmington. In other job switcheroos, Jen Corsilli — the Troc's promotional manager and Balcony overseer — just got the gig as marketing manager at the Keswick Theater. It's all in the family, as AEG Live and Jon Hampton book the Troc and own the Keswick.

► DJ June Lopez returns, at Glam on South Second Street, Nov. 14. Whyzat important? Not only is he one of the city's best resources (Jamaaladeen Tacuma collaborator, Soul Sanctuary radio DJ), Lopez is a house/hop/Latin music head of the first order who rarely spins out. Being there is a must. I might even spin a few tunes with Junes.

► David E. Williams' Germ Books hosts Philly's Fire Museum label/Locust Record's rural psychedelic band, Apothecary Hymns, Nov. 16.

► Psydde Delicious' Delicious Boutique celebrates its third anniversary Nov. 14 with proceeds going to the firemen-and-women of Engine 29/Rescue 1/Medic 15 for the Hero Thrill Show. Another worthy Girls Night Out charity: LGBT's DelVal Legacy Fund and Mazzoni's Women's Health Initiative hosts a soiree Nov. 14 at XIX on South Broad with Corrine Thornton.

► Is Pig Iron Theater looking to buy new office and stage space along Broad Street? I'm hearing they made a few inquiries — like stopping at one of the largest of old pharmacies on the block while wearing Crocs.

► Yup, it's DJ b-day time, with King Britt celebrating last Monday at Silk City. But when Diplo hosts his birthday jam with Abe Vigoda and the rest of the Mad Decent crew Nov. 14 at Starlight Ballroom, he's got the R5 team buying 200-plus pizzas so attendees can carb for free.

► 'Member I mentioned months ago that Jose Garces bought Tinto's neighboring corner at 20th and Sansom for a designer whiskey bar? He's calling it Village Whiskey for a January '09 opening.

► When you hit Philadelphia Museum of Art's Craft Show at the Convention Center Nov. 13, make sure you pick up the brand-new A is for Art Museum. PMA's first children's book works in such as Edgar Degas' bronze ballet sculpture ("D is for Dancer") and Takashi Murakami's anime ("Y is for Yellow").

HALF OFF DEPOT

Why live life at full price?

► WHOWHATWHERE: I know Robin Williams made the joke "If this is Upper Darby, I'd hate to see the Lower" when the hairy one played the Tower. But David Byrne embraced good ol' U-Darb by hanging at the Waterford Bar after his Tower show, taking cell phone pics with fans and accepting a shot (something brown) from well-wishers. Which reminds me. I must rave about the Tower's finally finished black-and-tan-toned luxe suite/VIP spot in the unused projection room high atop the building (swanky seeing Byrne from there, I must say). There's a rumor going around that the Waterford is on the fer-sale block.

► Ezekiel Zagar (son of Isaiah, late of McRad and F.O.D. ) will talk about his role in Street of Contrasts, a South Street doc he appeared in when he was 10, during Jay Schwartz's Secret Cinema fest Nov. 14 at Moore College of Art & Design. Look for Zagar's mom and dad as well as Rick and Ruth Snyderman (Works Gallery) and the Group Motion dance folk during Paulette Jellinek's film. Speaking of flicks, the Philadelphia Film Society is just gearing up to announce its festivals for next year: the 18th PFF, March 26-April 7, 2009, and 15th PIGLFF, July 10-21, 2009. Ta-da. Love Train: The Sound of Philadelphia (at least the first half of a doc celebrating Kenny Gamble and Leon Huff with live footage shot during a June Borgata date with O'Jays, Harold Melvin's Blue Notes, The Delfonics, The Intruders, Bunny Sigler, Three Degrees) gets a celeb-filled pre-première screening at Ritz East Nov. 13. I won't be there. I'm celebrating my luv-a-duv wife/jeweler Glamorosi's birthday. Happy-happy to her.

► Get your due: "The Twist" is named Billboard's No. 1 single of all time and all Chubby Checker gets is a CD (All the Best) and a signing at Broad Street's FYE Nov. 14. And Daryl Hall and John Oates still have to fight for No. 1, what with them filing a lawsuit against music publisher (Warner/Chappell) who failed to protect their rights to "Maneater" against unnamed parties. (Nelly Furtado and Ying Yang Twins sampled it heavily.) I can't go for that. No can do.

(a_amorosi@citypaper.net)