Icepack

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

by A.D. Amorosi

It's best to catch things you love and people you dig while you can. Things crumble. Folk move on. Like I really meant to watch that Osbourne family special on Fox but figured that Ozzy further reduced to a puddle by playing game-show host and dressing like a woman — that program'll never end. Was I wrong! So yeah, I broke news on the Clog last week that World Café Live's forever-booker Karl Mullen left his post after the passing of his pop, months of Mullen's own ill health and reasons closer to WCL's own concerns. "I think I did some good while I was there," says Mullen in regard to his five-year tenure. I'll Clog-chat with WCL's Hal Real soon on who'll fill Mullen's large Irish footprints.

► This week, though, another loss concerns me. After June 5, there'll be no more Howard's Dilemma. The one-man/multi-character DEVO-esque electronic artist will put his "Mad Science 9-5" to rest. "Howard's Dilemma's decided to cease operations due to irreconcilable conflicts among its members," according to The Mind, their spokesman. It's sad since he/they just released a stark new CD, Put Your Disguise On, which they'll give away free at Fennario on North Church Street in West Chester this Friday. "The controversy arose when 'Howard' suggested the group ought to reinvent its formula by selecting one of its present performers to become a front-man for the project," says The Mind. "It was clear the process of eight different personalities taking turns writing and performing, each with his distinct style, and combining all these pieces, resulted in work so eclectic that, though celebrated by fans, could not be advertised in such a way that would allow the project to expand its following significantly." Besides, a lot of the music needed more bass. "And the shows needed more smashing of things," says Captain Rex.

► We like salons — private home shows that locals like Andrea Clearfield and The Psalm do so well. Wife-n-husband team choreographer/dancer Megan Bridge and A/V champ Peter Price told me they liked them, too, when I ran into them recently. So much so that along with their son Tristan they'll host events at their new 4,700-square-foot loft in Kensington — some in collaboration with Mascher Space Co-Op (where Bridge is an artist in residence), others with Pink Hair Affair for their Fringe show. And starting June 16, the couple will host shows directly through their company, fidget>. "We're tired of relying on hierarchical and opaque structures of funding cycles and the emotional whims of presenters with a lot of power to do a measly two- or three-day run on a proscenium stage," says Bridge. "We want to take back performance and make it more a part of our artistic practice and our daily life." HUZZAH. Check back for addresses and times.

One day in the future — like next week — all bands will make their own movies. Take Papertrigger’s Brian James Dwyer who dropped out of Temple film school a few years back while making a documentary. Long-story short, he wound up making Swallow Your Pride on a teensy budget that he cobbled together by selling stuff on eBay and eating nothing but hot dogs and rice. Then Pow Pow Powell from Man Man saw it. “He wants to put it out on his rad boutique label Obey Your Brain this fall and Cinetic Media picked it up for digital distribution,” says Dwyer, who reminds me that Cinetic is responsible for Supersize Me, American Movie and Clerks. Here’s a Swallow trailer: vimeo.com/4304086. You’ll be seeing this at Sundance.

➤ Then there’s the pride of Southampton, Illinois singer/guitarist/songwriter Chris Archibald and his band of renown. Not only will they unveil hard copies of their new CD, Adventures of Kid Catastrophe, with a live gig at National Mechanics June 8. They’ll show off all the movies they made for their sad glitter-pop opera (a DVD accompanies the CD package). Plus local cabaret doll Nicki Jaine (not to be confused with the raunchy R&B newbie who has that “I Luv U” song out on the charts) will open the Illinois show. Her next CD is being produced by Illinois.

➤ Speaking of trailers, check out Scott Johnston’s Silk City’s Beer Garden 2009 at youtube.com/user/evilolive3000. It’s a short film with music by Shawn Kilroy chronicling the effort to transform a parking lot  at Fifth and Spring Garden into the beer garden that opened last weekend. Remember, too, to watch for Johnston’s trailer of the flick he made with gal-pal Beth Kellner — Spock Opera — to screen June 13 on da Jumbotron at the Piazza.

➤ And speaking of places opening, a reopening of sorts: Remember I mentioned that North by Northwest in Mount Airy would get a new lease on life (after getting shut down by L&I in March), courtesy Benjamin and Robert Bynum? The Warmdaddy’s daddies opened up NXNW to snacks and shows last weekend.

HALF OFF DEPOT

Why live life at full price?

➤ Looking for hip-hop that has a gay old time? You’re looking straight at Philly’s Sgt. Sass, a trio whose debut CD EP, Body Rock, gets a release gig at 941 Theater with Shunda K and the ever-elusive GANG in tow. Sparky! 

➤ Gyro Worldwide will become Quaker City Mercantile starting June 9. They sent me soap that smelled like their new rootsy booze ROOT last week. Thank you Steven Grasse for both of these ideas.

➤ WHOWHATWHERE: When World Café Live hosted NON-COMM 2009, speakers Moby and Citizen Cope stayed after their chats to sup. And players Pete Yorn and guys from Cracker hung out after their sets to see hillbilly-hit makers du jour the Avett Brothers then stayed at the WCL until 4 a.m. When dedicated follower of fashion Jimmy Contreras and beau/PR maven Matthew Vlahos opened Passyunk Ave. lifestyle shoppe JimmyStyle last week Dancing with the Philadelphia Stars alumni Michael Callahan, Project Runway-er Jay McCarroll, Councilman Frank DiCicco, photog HughE Dillon (he’s got a line of greeting cards carried at JimmyStyle) and IKEA PR director Jennifer Braxton showed solidarity and flare. Across town, CSI’s Laurence Fishburne investigated the inner workings of a plate of sushi at Morimoto. The verdict was yum.

➤ Martha Graham Cracker’s L’Etage Cabaret June 4 features big name guests in Big Mess director/co-founder Andy Bresnan on tuba and 700 Club owner Kurt Wunder on trumpet, which is weird because I thought Wunder only played in bands with fish in them. (THAT’S A ’90s JOKE IF EVER THERE WAS.)

➤ Lock up your daughters: Classic Mark Sheldon from Bar Noir and Revival is now doing some managing at the newly re-imaged Shouk (courtesy Jonathan “Snackbar” Makar and Shouk’s original CEO Yis Tigay). “It’s Yis’ baby,” says Sheldon. “We’re just minding it.” Plus, Sheldon’s bartending Second Street Annie’s Piano Bar Tuesdays — their “Girls Night Out” bashes. Yow.

➤ That movie shoot I kept bumping into at my neighborhood AC-A-ME, Happy Tears, filmed by Roy Lichtenstein’s kid Mitch, just got picked up for distribution by Roadside Attractions. I knew they’d give newcomers like Parker Posey, Demi Moore, Ellen Barkin and Rip Torn a chance.

(a_amorosi@citypaper.net)