icepack

by A.D. Amorosi

Before I get to Thanks/Thanklessgiving, let’s pause to ponder what uncharitable fuck is tipping hazardous grease/animal fat vats that reside behind Old City restaubars, causing hazmat crews to clean up while cars slip and toxic fumes fume? Hmm? Started with Glam’s backside and continued through to other properties in the neighborhood. Who is this jit-bag?… On the other end of town, David Carroll celebrates Bar Noir’s third anniversary, not only with three days (Dec. 1-3) of swanky DJs Bobby Startup, Botany 500 (back from Sundance, where I hear he scored some flick) and Schoolly D (the now-managed-by Lawrence Bracy gangster godfather who’ll reprise his hard-hip-hop Dec. 30) -- but with chits to win prizes like a vacation in Vegas (the Tropicana?) and a much-valued front-of-the-line pass for all of 2003. If you’ve Bar Noir’ed you know how valuable that is. (A.D.’ll spin a third BN anniversary Dec. 16, but not before I bring “Difficult Listening Hour” to First Fridays at Twenty21 starting Dec. 6.)… Starr’s bars: Before he furthers his Barclay Hotel project, Stephen Starr’ll remake a Washington Square West ad agency/psychiatrist’s office (and hence, the entire, now-burgeoning area) into another tony restaubar.… Much-treasured Philly jazzbo/vibraphone master Khan Jamal -- avant-cohort to Ronald Jackson, Billy Bang, Byard Lancaster -- was felled by a stroke recently. He’s well and expected to fully recover. Collective Voices is holding a medical fundraiser for Jamal with Trudy Pitts, Monnette Sudler, John Blake, Warren Oree, Arpeggio Jazz Ensemble, Jamaaladeen Tacuma, Sun Ra Arkestra, Odean Pope and more at Clef Club Dec. 3. Call 215-763-2819 or send donations to Khan Jamal, Box 18902, Phila., Pa., 19119.… The dive-iest dive bar in the world, my old hang, Paddy’s, gets a weekend swanking with an upstairs dance-athon. Named 2F, the funky Race Street suite gets bar-hopped by Shampoo-ling Young, spun by Adrock and an assist from Tommy Up.… While readying his Karma Response Unit label’s new compilation, The Hogan Fam CD/LP, Justin “Happ G” brings the freak-hop of 40th Dimension to La Tazza Nov. 30 with Prophets of the Ghetto and DJ Statik.… Chris Tucker and Joe Castro’s power-pop masterpiece, The Situation, quietly finished The Reece Nasty EP with production tips from Smashing Pumpkin pal Jamie Cerniglia, Space 1026’s Julian Grefe, George Manney and Pete Humphreys. It’ll debut at The Khyber Nov. 29. Catch this show. After this, it’s nothing but fireworks and label showcases.… OK, so maybe there are rumors that Five Spotters Molly and Phil will soon give up on my fave space in Philly, 1616 Locust (pray it ain’t so, but…) Until then, the likes of Brendan Olkus and Kenny Meez hit 1616 weekly with a new reggae/Latin/hip-hop Tuesday, M Lounge. “Oh yeah,” says Olkus. “There’s some asshole trying to ride our coattails with a Sunday at Alma de Cuba, as well as a night at 1616. His approach to promoting is telling people ‘the party is back at Alma de Cuba.’ Well, fuck him.” OK. 1616 also gets thankful and giving as Premiere brings Lee Jones, KC and Adrock there Nov. 27 for “Thanksgroovin’ 5.”… WhoWhatWhere: Brandy and hubby Robert Smith hung at The View on North Broad for All God’s Children, a first-time fundraiser for the local underprivileged. At Indre: Roc-A-Fella’s Damon Dash, and (in one day) The Roots and Art Garfunkel (there’s a mess of hair). Who hung at The Skinny’s opening? None other than Aaries, Schoolly D and back-in-town rap-mistress Charli Baltimore.… Nov. 29’s Afrorikan Vybe at Fluid hooks up R2 Records/Got Soul’s garagers Osunlade (from Puerto Rico) and JoJo Flores of Montreal.… Too many real almost-folkies (Deirdre Flint, Ben Arnold, Amber deLaurentis, Butch Ross, Todd Young) aid antifolk fuck Adam Brodsky in celebrating his new CD Nov. 30, The North Star.… Anyone old enough to remember when R.E.M. was an eye problem will remember City Gardens in Trenton. Now it’s home to live new wave, power-punk galore and onetime barman Jon Stewart. There’ll be a reunion Thanksgiving night, Nov. 28. How alone are these people?… Househead Summerjoy is still in town. Catch the heat Nov. 29 at Liquid Blue.… Fave new tri-cornered theater, The Triangle, opens a new show Nov. 29, Reindeer Monologues. Triangle’s Christmas party (Dec. 7) features the Miner Street All-Stars.… The life cycle: While we say congrats to drummer Tim Everly (now working with ex-Brando guys) and wife Jen just for having a baby boy (Killian Nathaniel), we send condolences to the family and friends of Pleased Youth member/Jersey Beat writer Paul Decolator, who passed away last week.