Icepack

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

by A.D. Amorosi

Ever hear the phrase "big in Japan"? It's what you call it when somebody's immensely popular somewhere on the planet but much smaller (perhaps troublingly so) in their hometown. Jamaaladeen Tacuma can probably play stadiums in Italy but merely Tritone in his Philly. Dark cabaret librettist David E. Williams is a god in Poland, A GOD, I TELL YOU, yet a littler little god here. Pop face Scot Sax is actually loved throughout the world, but at home in Philly he's merely a douchebag hated by all. It works at all levels of art. Take multimedia local Ryan Trecartin,who had Pew-grant-winning shows at NYC's New Museum inaugural triennial this summer but can't scare peeps to go see his video installations with Peter Rose at the Fabric Workshop (there until Aug. 31, dummies). ... How about Philly's Bryce leVan Cushing — or as lovers of troubling dance music know him, MoonFire Tower. He's a clunky brilliant sculptor who's shown in Spain, the MarK Bathen Gallery in San Clemente and his gallery in Vermont. OK, who cares about Vermont? Nobody. Point is, Moon's bigbigBIG. But when he shows at home, nobody buys and not enough people make a stink. "My events in the West have been very well-covered in the past months, so I'm not lacking in current press," says Tower while planning an attack on Europe. "But I just love to see my picture in the local paper." It's OK. The work speaks for itself. So head to Twelve Gates Gallery (305 Cherry St.) this First Friday, for MoonFire/Bryce's "Kiss'd Cracked World" exhibit at 7 p.m. You can toast him s'more at the after-party brought to you by me, A.D., and Drug Bunny Inc. at Patou (Third and Market), where the crazily theatrical Seizure 17, their crazy punk-rock solo offshoot bRat Bangs, the always delicious Baptist Preachers (back in action after vocalist Sheena Clay got hit-then-run-over by a car on South Street) and DJ/VJ Yakov (that's Large Marge's new nomenclature) appear. And yes, Patrice Rames will make French food for the assembled.

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► When Jeremy Piven appeared at the Prince Music Theater for a preview of his new movie with Ed Helms, The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard (before going to 32), you know what nobody asked him? No, not "where did you get such great hair plugs?" Rather, they should've asked "what are we doing in The Prince when it's supposedly out of biz-ness?" Apparently, things aren't over until the lady sings; that lady being Greater Philadelphia Film Office exec Sharon Pinkenson. "I don't think it's at all confirmed — in fact I'm pretty certain that it's been denied — that The Prince is closing. So, I don't really have any plans to move The Sharon Pinkenson Film Project," said she when I asked. So everybody take a chill-pill on this one.

► 'Member I mentioned Giovanni's Room — America's oldest LGBTQ bookstore — was in desperate need of repair$ and looking for help? Well, I must have heard me because The Monday Night Club at National Mechanics got poet CA Conrad to debut his cabaret act as a benefit/awareness gig Aug. 10 with Absinthe Drinkers (who perform CA lyrics in their trebly tunes), Leda + the Swan, Hannah Tsapatoris' Medusa Sings the Blues act and filmmakers Ish Klein and Heather Henderson on board.

► Devendra Banhart — friend of Icepack, Espers and evil reverend/PR local Howard Wuelfing — signed a new contract with Warners and will have What Will We Be out in October. Hey maybe Dev's buds in Espers should join him in a tour. Drag City says Greg Weeks and co.'s new CD will be out Oct. 20.

► Remember my obsession with VH1's Rock of Love with Bret Michaels? Man, I'm glad that's over. That means I can miss his butter-face season three winner and Penthouse Pet of the Year Taya Parker at the private opening of the Penthouse Club (3001 Castor) Aug. 7. Yippee.

► I was thinking just the other day — on the porch, doin' my whittlin' — about how the Beach Balls' James Colabelli used to run the way-posh Meritage Philadelphia and how their signature dish — the pressed duck — was a work of l'art. Colabelli's been gone for a while and now Meritage is closed until Aug. 13. Recently hired chef Anne Elizabeth Coll (ex of Susanna Foo and Le Bec-Fin) will present a more affordable menu in a lighter atmosphere at the usually dark Meritage. PR dude Matthew Vlahos says the restaurant will host more wines by the glass and a new menu inspired by Meritage's French technique past with new Asian flavor profiles. Thanks, co-owners Michele Ditietro and Irene Landy. Please number one more duck for moi.

► Speaking of Beach Balls, there's Robert Fanelli (he and Colabelli were the greaseballs in the Balls) whose power pop-art schlock band the GetArounds host a one-night summer camp at Tritone Aug. 8. They'll pretend they're hobos and eat beans out of a can even though "due to unforeseen circumstances" there'll be no sleeping in cramped tents or three-legged races.

► Jinxed of Fourth Street (near South) is moving to the Piazza Sept. 1? I gotta go all-the-way north if I want a tiny rubber devil doll for $40+? Man, I hope they do mail orders.

► That very nearly 3-D In a Dream documentary that Jeremiah Zagar made about his mom (Eyes Gallery's Julia) and dad (mosaic artist Isaiah) will get its long-discussed televised debut Aug. 19 on HBO2.

► Vince Romaniello, Kevin Kernan and Jon Manteau should be arrested. Oh, we love their work. They just happen to be three "APB" painters on board for the Sage Gallery (Third and South) Dragnet art show Aug. 7.

► Speaking of artists we'd like to see booked and printed: Shawn Kilroy and guys from Wastoid hooked up a Nirvana cover band, Stupid and Contagious, who'll debut at M Room Aug. 7. Too soon?

(a_amorosi@citypaper.net)