Icepack

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

by A.D. Amorosi

► You can tell a lot about somebody by what they're looking forward to. Are you a Wing Bowl guy, frothing at the mouth for Feb. 4's bash at the WFC? Step away from the column. Are you anticipating this season's rush of Oscar parties with dramatic themes and costume plans? Grab an aperitif and I'll meet you at Dorian's Parlor soon after.

► First we told you Avram Hornik 's Four Corners Inc. had purchased the closed Spaghetti Warehouse to open his heart's desire: a new concert venue. Then we Meal Ticket -ed that Hornik's bud R5 's Sean Agnew was part of the deal as a co- PLCB licensee. Did this mean R5 would drop its other venues to concentrate on this one? Agnew wouldn't/couldn't say much as he'll be out of the country until April. So what of reports from the usual suspects that it'll be called Union Transfer and co-run by Bowery Presents (a booking name bandied about when Hornik was sniffing around the Jumbo in Fish-Kenzo) with a September opening? Agnew says that, as far as R5 is concerned, there's nothing concrete: "I promise that any reports involving R5 are pure speculation based on numerous what-ifs."

► Victoria Spaeth is a Spaeth cadet, and we mean that as a deep compliment. The soulful folkie is dropping her eponymous, contagious CD at the Balcony Feb. 9 with Alexis Golden Lover and Jeremy Dyen on the bill.

► Joe Grasso is excited. Not just because the Walnut Street Capital honcho's long-awaited new restaurant at 15th and Sansom, American Oak, should open by March. Grasso's also got a new culinary director/executive chef for the Oak as well as his hip steakhouse Union Trust — author/television personality Tony Aiazzi. Plus UT's beverage director, Xavier Mariezcurrena, has become the creative director of both enterprises, soon to be named under one umbrella ("But not branded or anything like that," laughs Grasso). Stay tuned.

► Oh, Germantown Avenue, we love that you're making a comeback. What used to be the North by Northwest live music club has turned into the funky but chic 7165 Lounge. And the old-man bar The Venetian Social Club, started in 1924 by Italian craftsmen (8030 Germantown), is hosting bands like pop's best buds The Donuts on Feb. 5. If you don't dig J. Bearclaw and the 'Nuts' usual antics, you can bowl.

► If it ain't Diplo 's Mad Decent or Downtown coming to haunt Philly's discophonic dreams, it's the Vice label. This month, we've got an act/album called WIN WIN with Devlin and XXXchange of Spank Rock notoriety who has done remixes for Thom Yorke and Bjork when he wasn't busy pushing Spank to finish his next CD. The eponymous jimmyjawn guest-stars Spank, Andrew W.K. and Hot Chip 's Alexis Taylor. Brutal.

More Ice at Critical Mass.

(a_amorosi@citypaper.net)