Also this issue:

They Wanna Live Forever
Is fame really democratic? Philly puts it to a vote.
-Juliet Fletcher

firstlook
-A.D. Amorosi

March 27-April 2, 2003

music

icepack

by A.D. Amorosi

Now that Philly DJs and rockers are back from schmooze-athon confabs in Miami and Austin, let’s gossip. While the already big-labeled likes of Laguardia and Silvertide drew big at SXSW, I hear smaller-labeled The Bigger Lovers and The Capitol Years were out for the kill (and found it, at least in the Caps’ case, in a visit by Seymour Stein). … In nice DJ news: Icelandic electronicists Gus Gus got Josh Wink (whose reactivated Ovum label will release Profound Sounds Volume 2 soon, his first mix-CD in three years with new Winktunes) to remix "Desire." And From Philly With Love -- the EP by Cozmic Cat, Lorne and Jon Gill -- gets its party on, March 31 at Nexus Gallery on Second Street.… TLA has Lou Gossett and Haskell Wexler for its Philly Film Fest April 3. But I’m excited about the digital film by Goodie Goodie’s Paul Leitner and Gianni’s LaRosa (promoters/hosts of Method Mondays): Invisible Mountains is a surreal POV work portraying the struggles of artist Paul Weil. "It’s about creation versus commodity," says Leitner, who, along with just buying a house in Queen Village, got Invisible chosen to open the Festival of Independents April 4 at the Seaport Museum, with an afterparty starring Myra Bazell and DJs Low Budget and Major Taylor at Artists at Work.… Mega-wonderful and respected interior designers Renee and Don Freeman are not only co-founders of the Gift of Life Donor Program, Philly’s organ and tissue transplant network (Don is a heart transplant survivor), they’re also hosts of its April 2 blowout soiree at the Hyatt at Penn’s Landing and its World Fusion afterparty (call 866-676-1620).… Shawn Kilroy starts spring right: First he hits Doc Watson’s March 28 with Mike Reis of Valsalva and Kevin Lebree of Manta Ray, then he teams with Brother J.T., comic Tony Orlando and Chaz the Unloved, April 5 at Silk.… WhoWhatWhere: After hanging at Four Seasons to rap about his self-written-and-starring Malibu’s Most Wanted, Upper Darby’s Jamie Kennedy took in the 76ers game then headed to 32°. After her show, Macy Gray got caught dancing on benches at Loie in the a.m. (Gray’s brother is the doorman). And Robert Duvall did, though tired after promoting Assassination Tango, make a pit stop at Society Hill Dance Academy, spinning with Shana Vitoff, before he headed out of town.… Reopened after L&I troubles, The Khyber’s got a new, slim, no-block-a-the-exit stage. If that doesn’t make you feel safe, there’re emergency exits through the kitchen.… DUTV and its big show, the BiG TeA PaRtY, get fundraising April 1, at Sugar Mom’s on Church Street with TeA cozies Elizabeth Fiend, Gretjen Clausing and Valerie Keller. While John Lumia excerpts his new "Cryptome," look for bits from Helen Back, Allen “More” Fiend, Anula Shetty and Aaren Perry, of DUTV’s virtual coffeehouse "Page2Stage."… Philadelphia Music Alliance got a new board of directors: Randy Alexander, Jack Barton, Robert Drake, Jason Henderson, Carol Lawrence, Karen Lewis, Brad A. Rubens Esq., Alan Rubens, Mark Schulz, Gene Shay and Jim Sutcliffe.… Sapphire, the new fundraising agency for area gay and lesbian issues, honors the Safeguard Project and the William Way Community Center March 27 (at Wm. Way) and will present donation checks with the proceeds from Blue Ball 2003 (call 267-514-2088).… DJs Rookie and Roger Culture do their Soca Reggae Spring Jam March 29 at the Starlight on North Ninth with Reggae Vibration.… It’s an AC/DC thing when Paul Green Rock School and Atlantic Records join for an Aussie catalog reissue party, March 30 at The Khyber.… Happy b-days to Ms. Phoenixx, who partied at Eeev-olution, and to Lush Puppy & Ryder, who celebrate one year March 31 with a Silk City party starring Manta Ray and 1929.