Icepack

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

by A.D. Amorosi

If the rush of moist heat finds you obsessively staring into your television — gazing into Michael Vick's eyes, guessing which words are his and which are his lawyer's — you're not alone. In one Sunday heat-fueled sitting I re-watched True Blood's Godric bursting into flames 40 times while I sat in a tub of ice. It was dry ice — no law against being theatrical, sport. Speaking of TV, you read Law and Order's casting young-ish Asian women for a hipster grifter script. You mused about the choices for the guy who dimed Kari FerrellSam Tremble. out, Philly's own (Mine: Jason Schwartzman with a wig, though the three leads in Bandslam could work as reps of Tremble's different moods.) Well, here's a rumor: No sooner did Sam's touring-nowhere-near-the-East-Coast art pop Hermit Thrushes drop CD No. 2, Slight Fountain, on Joyful Noise, than I'm hearing that Asthmatic Kitty wants a taste of the Tremble and that Tremble and Co. might snack back on the wheezing cat. More fun local-band-in-crime rumors: Is the "Michael Victor" accused of fleeing naked from an Abington apartment after robbing women's clothing the same guy who was in The Warm Jets once upon a punk '70s? Pals who say they knew him when-and-then (friends like that need no enemies) dimed that out.

► V-drinking fans looking to pay respects to a fried Godric (as well as b-day girl/guest bartender Mariel Weiner and Patou manager Mark Hoyt) can hit Drug Bunny Inc.'s True Blood One bash Aug. 21 at Patou with a skimpy corset contest, Rev. Johnny Hell, and Alien Architect. AA's my fave Spearhead-y hip-hop ensemble. Plus they got another gig at the (then) just re-opened Troc, Aug. 27, with Broken Prayers and Jill Rabbits. Me likey.

HALF OFF DEPOT

Why live life at full price?

► Know what else I hear has its redux reopening date? Brett Perloff and Wayne Schulick's deeeeluxe Strongbox — Sept. 10, Jazzy Jeff, Penthouse girls? Dag.

► Phashionistas, loogathis: Oct. 8 to 10's Philadelphia Fashion Week has a second finale planned when the winner of its Student Design Award (picked by a panel of designers and boutique owners) gets a chance to display his or her designs in the Macy's 13th Street windows and during a catwalk runway show, Oct. 13, in the Wanamaker Building's grand court. Plus you know Jay-Z's long made 'n' sold shirts and shoes at Rocawear. But now the MC and Live Nation employee is collaborating with Philly shoe retailer VILLA and Martinsburg, Pa.'s Cove Shoe Co. on a Western-themed boot — the Americana. Yee Ha. Created by Jay-Z and Udi, the boots come in two colors, with only 54 pairs made, stored in boxes numbered with drawings from graffiti artist Stash, of Bathing Ape fame. You can only buy 'em at VILLA ($200, ruvilla.com) starting Sept. 15, four days after the release of Hova's Blueprint 3.

► Lance Bachman, the man who brought you Bash backinnaday, is now doing Raw Dogs at Second and Morris. It’s a “bar on the corner that isn’t a corner bar,” says Bachman, who titled his cedar ’n’ cherry wood saloon (with Irish accents) after his childhood nickname. He’s looking at a weekend-after-Labor Day opening with special surprises. Good dog.

➤ Lake Butterscotch boss/Anders Manley member/florist Paul Woolen has a thing going on with Jemina Pearl at National Mechanics Aug. 24. No she didn’t leave Be Your Own Pet for him. But it is her first solo show in advance of Break It Up with Univox (who have their own ROIR label single, “Lying Fuck,” just out) and Bad Cop joining in, so expect some sort of ménage-a-bar band.

➤ Sonny Vellozzi has been a lot of things since he left City Paper’s ad department when it was still on 13th Street — robber baron slum lord, director (Answering the Call: Ground Zero’s Volunteers), ex-member of Hey Jude (“if you love The Beatles, you’ll like Hey Jude” went their low-expectation-having motto) and actor par excellence. (He, too, is filming “Untitled James L. Brooks Project,” but you’re not wondering where he’s eating, are you?). But we’re not sure what this is: his partnership with Bob Bizik and Joey Intrieri as Don’t Go There Productions. On Aug. 25, these t’ree guys want actresses to play call girls for their Finders Keepers Web show. Ladies, look here (dontgothereproductions.com) and don’t be scared of Mickey Rooney. He’s harmless.

➤ In an unrelated casting thing — Parkside Ave isn’t just Schoolly D territory. Zakian Carpets, an 86-year-old rug cleaning company (4930 W. Parkside), is looking for dogs and cats for an upcoming print and TV ad campaign and will host an open call Sept. 1 at 10 a.m. Interested pet owners can hit up cleaning@zakianrugs.com and know that ye old Zakian is giving away a free rug cleaning for each pet selected.

➤ WHOWHATWHERE: What did Jerry Springer keep calling himself during our meeting at the Academy of Music in anticipation of his theatrical run of Chicago: The Musical starting Sept. 15? “I’m a schlub. That’s why people relate to me. That’s why people feel free to run up to me, put their arm around my shoulder and grab a snapshot. And that’s cool with me.” Springer ate at Capital Grille and bought a copy of By His Own Rules about Donald Rumsfeld at Borders before we spoke. James Gandolfini was all over the Borgata like a cheap suit over the weekend, hitting Level One, B Bar, and mur.mur before the night was through. If you think Tony Danza’s the only celeb with digs at the Piazza, stay tuned. Word has Zoe Kravitz — Elevator Fight, Lenny’s kid — eyeballing housing there after the two.one.five. mag block party. Eyeballing something — but not certain what — was Tori Amos when she joined with Passion Pit for a special Free at Noon WXPN bash Saturday at World Café Live. Reports from eyewitnesses claim Amos seemed high or just plain goofy while hanging around WCL. Willie Rizzo, one of the sons of the great, late Jilly Rizzo, Frank Sinatra’s right-hand man, was at The Palm and Jerry Blavat’s Memories in Margate, hanging tough and signing copies of Jilly! co-written by Scott Allen Nollen and Joe Rizzo. Want a copy? jillystories.com.

➤ I liked it as a soap and I bet I’ll like it even more with dinner: Art in the Age’s deep dark ROOT liquor and Chef Sean Ford at Alfa are collaborating Aug. 25 on a tasting dinner at the Walnut Street boite for $35 per person. Yum.

➤ Philly multimedia artist Billy Dufala and cats from Dr. Dog (just signed to Epitaph) and Mazarin are all over Alex Ounsworth’s Conshohocken-recorded Flashy Python thing available where all downloads go to die. Elsewhere on the planet, Philly relatables M.I.A. and Santigold join Goldfrapp and Le Tigre on Christina Aguilera’s upcoming-in-December CD. Speaking of, Public Record’s Echolocation is a remix record of Philly’s finest skankers with production courtesy Mazarin, A Sunny Day in Glasgow, Sonic Liberation Front and more. They’ll celebrate such Aug. 22, at The Caterpillar on Frankford Ave.

➤ Come mid-September Chris Fetfatzes and Heather Annechiarico will open Hawthornes Café at the old Bella Vista Beer Distributors space at 11th and Fitzwater. It’s all in the family as Fetfatzes’ pop owns the BVBD now on Catharine.

➤ Elvis Presley may have died on a cold and lonely Aug. 16 in 1977. But CA Conrad’s going to have his way with him still. Not only is his new book of poetry, Advanced Elvis Course, a sexy deconstruction of the king. He’s been getting great reviews. “The reviews are mentioning the queer content of the book for the first time in my career,” says Conrad, who also notes he’s been getting his first real hate mail from Elvis Web sites who picked up on a Brooklyn Rail review of his book. “I Just fire back at each letter,” says Conrad. Want an idea why? phillysound.blogspot.com/2009_06_01_archive.html.

➤ So while so many of you sent notes about how Lil Ole A.D. shares his Aug 22 b-day with John Lee Hooker, Dorothy Parker and Leni Riefenstahl and how I should celebrate life, I’d like to send a shout about a life ending — that of legendary Philly drummer Rashied Ali, he who worked with his local brethren John Coltrane at the end of his career. Ali will be missed.

(a_amorosi@citypaper.net)