May 3–10, 2001

naked city

Icepack

by A.D. Amorosi

Whatta week. Only thing funnier than Stephen Starr/Guillermo Pernot’s catfight over whose plantain’s the biggest — Alma de Cuba or ¡Pasion! — is the story of Bryn Mawr millionaire Joel Sandler accused of hiring a hit man to kill his wife. Where did he and the intended hit men meet? TGI Friday’s at the King of Prussia mall. Why is it the guys with the biggest wallets and cash-radiant khakis always plan murders at the cheeziest family restaurants? Hint to the rich: Next time meet at Alma or ¡Pasion! The blood in those waters is already thick.…

Can’t we get along? I hear during rehearsal for Khyber gigs and English Isles dates, Marah’s longtime bassist and drummer up and quit. No warning. Dag. Word is Jamie and Jon of Three 4 Tens are filling in.…

Here’s a tacky rumor: What Center City restaurant owner insists on grubbing his waiters’ tips on credit card charges?…

The folks responsible for Nixon’s Head and the Groove Disques label are gearing up for a GD tribute CD to Stiff, the Brit pub rock/wack new wave label that made Madness, Ian Dury, Elvis Costello and Lene Lovich famous. Bro JT will do "Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll" and Photon Band will take on Rachel Sweet’s "B-A-B-Y." Matthew Sweet, Young Fresh Fellows, Amy Rigby and Bill Lloyd are also planning tracks while Nixon’s Head will do Graham Parker’s "Stupefaction" and serve as house band for a "We Are the World"-like take on "I Love My Label."…

LIFE, the re-do of Revival to get an outdoor VIP area?…

Who ate where? After the Philadelphia Festival of World Cinema’s opening showing/party Danny Aiello, director Bob Giraldi and pals headed for La Terrasse. After filming a hard day of Emmett’s Mark Scott Wolf took a crew to sup at Cuba Libre. After TLA’s Friday gig, Folk Implosion and The Melvins ate at Standard Tap. FI’s Lou Barlow was even dancin’ to Billy Bragg’s "Waiting for the Great Leap Forward" on the jukebox. They shoulda waited a few days to hang at the Tap’s new Sunday Brunch. (What’s the connection ’tween Supertramp’s Breakfast In America being Tap’s most played CD and eggs benedict with black truffle hollandaise? I smell Magnolia. Respect the cock!)…

I hear makeup maven Scarlett’s very own Dim Sum line and Casino Collection are being used on the set of Sex and The City by Sarah Jessica Parker. They have perminent places on her vanity and will be "used" in an upcoming episode.…

Evolution’s Wednesday Fever open mic night hosted James Poyser and Eric Trivett (Jill Scott drummer) last week. Other recent drop-bys include Rampage (Flip Mode Squad ), EST, Dice Raw and Scratch. We hear Lyricist Lounge reps are checking it for a big event.…

Can’t wait: From the same folk who brought you Musiq— dig Aries, the femme-vocal ensemble, who backed Mr. Soulchild, currently recording at A Touch Of Jazz.…

Is Philly rapper L Myers, who just finished demos, already getting love from Master P and Puffy?…

Look for Amin Bitar (the king of Middle Eastern foodery) to turn David Cohen’s food court at 312 Market into a cool Op-Art cafeteria setting (much like University of Pennsylvania’s Houston Hall redo) by mid-May…

Get slimed as La Tazza 108 starts monthly psychobilly First Fridays May 4 with Philly’s knee-slapping Full Blown Cherry and Japan’s jerk-jiving Thug Murder.…

Scott Melker and Eric Weiss— along wit’ Maneo.com, Dozia and pals — debut their mag 101 this Saturday at Shampoo — all 84 pages.…

215noise.com’s Ultimatum 4 on May 4 brings cracked electrons backta West Philly’s Killtime with NYC’s I Sound spinning dub and jungle, a live breakcore PA from Bombardier, Philly’s Plastic Idolitry experimentalist ltd and Zenopolae label boss Dev79 spinning evil noh-techno. Buy his mix CD. Check 215noise’s Nodal opening for Digital Hardcore’s EC8OR the same night at the Balcony.…

Rodney Elam, young brother of Philly entertainment lawyer James E. Elam, IV (Jill Scott, Jaguar, Kindred ) launched his own thing this week, Rowdy Entertainment, LLC. Rowdy’s purpose: management and promotions. Also on board: publicist Erica Atwood, marketing director for Philly Music Conference. Wanna rep? 215-937-9554.…

The Ellen Powell Tiberino Museum of Art is geared for a grooving summer with two series. Doin’ it in the Park: The Open Deck Sessions for emerging DJs opens with DJs Joey Blanco and Lorne (May 6) and The Totempoll, opening itself to live music and poetry à la Brothers Suggarillo May 17 and Ursula Rucker May 3. (Look for Rucker too to participate in an erotic poetry session at Freedom Theatre May 27 with HBO’s Oz actor Monk.) The Ellen Powell Tiberino Museum is located at 3819 Hamilton Street in Powelton Village.…

Robbie Tronco’s new 12-inch "Sail Away" just got picked up by Nervous outta NYC…

Happy b-day to 611 Records pals Nigel Richards and Willyum who celebrated such at Silk City.