Icepack

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

by A.D. Amorosi

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Published: Jun 16, 2010

Icepack's always personal— more personal than my choice in mustache wax, even. But I'ma get closer. Around this time in '09, my mom, Eda, passed after a long bout with kidney problems and dialysis complications. I've spoken to bunches-o-y'all young cats with these hassles, so I know you know the woe. On June 21, ze Monday Night Club collective I started at National Mechanics is doing a pass-the-hat benefit for the National Kidney Org with cabaret doyennes Nicki Jaine, Wynne Alexander, Platypus, Victoria Spaeth's Cadets and the debut of Radio Eris offshoot Liz+Matt. It won't be sad. On June 28, MNC at NatMech hosts the first of the officially sanctioned Live Arts/Fringe networking/performance fourth-Monday-of-the-month jams where artists get all work-in-progress on our asses. I don't do many things that I'm proud of. These are two. Please. Thanks.

► Now that City Council Promoter Bill 100267 is kinda-sorta out of the way, little independents should look out for a push on the 5 percent promoter tax already in place for big guys like AEG and Live Nation. They got the money, though. Take Philly's grooving Free Energy. People love 'em especially since they're all DFA'd up. Rumor has 'em being offered upward of $6,000 per gig with Live Nation and AEG in a tiny bidding war. Yike.

► The Troc's got a rare gig with Thurston Moore's buds, local noise generators The Notekillers, on June 18 with TJ Kong and Mose Giganticus. I keep hearing visiting Brooklynite Weasel Walter (ex-Harry Pussy fame) is threatening to stop by.

► Bam Margera getting batted in the head wasn't the only bang to come out of West Chester this weekend. I heard my Ital-Market neighbor Sarcone's Deli may open a spot near Bam's The Note.

► In the Gayborhood, word has the long-fought-over Letto Deli spot finally getting taken over by Jose Garces for a wiener+brew haus. Stephen Starr (who looked at Letto) has that corner opposite Johnny Brenda's for his biergarten. Weeny roasts all around.

► Mamma Mia! star Pearce Bunting doesn't just love ABBA. The Philly expat/Barrymore-winner is all about (fruity) punk rock and proves it June 23 at Theatre Exile's benefit, Cabaret of the Exiled (Christ Church Neighborhood House, 20 N. American St.), when he reunites Hoodoo Love Pumpkin (Bunting, Aaron Cromie, Scott Greer and Dave Jadico) and hosts the likes of The Fan and Son of the Philly Fan (Tom McCarthy and Matt Pfeiffer), Joe Conklin and Charlotte Ford.

► Expats! Bitter(sweet) ex-Philadelphia author Jim Knipfel goes spookhouse fairytale on your ass with These Children Who Come at You with Knives — out last week.

► A springy fashion show from Philly-based Wilhelmina Models and cool cocktails sounds just about right for a hot June evening. And that’s what’ll happen when the agency opens its new local digs June 23 with a mega-event at Trust on Arch Street featuring a guest appearance from Food Network hostess Daisy Martinez. Swank. Thanks. … The block of East Passyunk between Seventh and Carpenter hosts a sidewalk sale on June 19 dedicated to musical equipment: amps, effects, instruments. If you’re one of the bands that had your stuff nabbed in the vicinity within the last decade or so, maybe it’ll wind up there. …

► WHOWHATWHERE: Philly, I’m proud of you. Oprah Winfrey was spied with the boys of Comcast in the big Center, then sitting at Table 31 the other day, and y’all didn’t go insane with O lust. Thanks. When Coco/Boss drummer Max Weinberg played World Café Live Monday night, he and his bandmates played poker on their bus with sugar packets supplied by WCL, then met with bon vivant Harry Jay Katz and his gal-pal Debra Renee Cruz after the show. Top Chef contestant Jen Carroll was amongst the crew of chefs that hung out at Amis after Marc Vetri’s annual Great Chefs Event for Alex’s Lemonade Stand charities at the Naval Yard. Expect to see her again at Loews Hotel on Mon., June 21, for the annual Taste of the Nation soiree. Gilbert Gottfried was spotted filming last-minute shoots for the Corbin Bernsen/Jerry Blavat feature film Calendar Girl at Hylton Paper Co. in Bellmawr. Bellmawr gets all the fun. 

(a_amorosi@citypaper.net)

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