Icepack

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

by A.D. Amorosi

There are four things I'm thankful for today. That I don't have children, so I don't have to waste my money or their time flicking their ears senselessly because they slept outside Best Buy waiting to buy PlayStation 3. That I didn't open new restaurants named Susanna Foo's Gourmet Kitchen or La Boheme (at least Olivier de Saint Martin's version) because so far, I am hearing naaaaathin' good. I'm thankful that I'm not Allen Iverson, because I'da been stuck advertising that I'm hosting parties at Chrome for Jay-Z's new record. And that's a worse gig than being a Sixer any day. And I'm thankful I'm not fearless CP leader Duane Swierczynski, who's out on a book tour for his new mystery, The Blonde. Wait till he sees what we did to his office.

"I listen to other music than hip-hop." That's Plastic Little's Jayson Musson talking. And while he may be high on life (and other things; check the flier for his CD release party in NYC at www.jaysonmusson.com/flyers/flyer3.jpg) because She's Mature got released, get this: His other band, American Sneakers, just finished their debut CD. "It's quirky freak-folk love songs," says Musson of Darts and Daggers, which'll drop on ToneArm early in '07.

We think the colorful advert Sparacino Men's has on YouTube is the fucking ginchiest thing we've ever seen. Those greens? Those reds? Fabulash.

Did you recently buy an "I went to the Bloc Party show at Wachovia Center and all I wound up with was the stupid kids in Panic! At The Disco, their fucking cravats and stupid asymmetrical hair" T-shirt? Oh. Then you must not have read that Bloc Party — rad Philly fave and Dave Pianka's best Brit buds — had to cancel that set because drummer Matt Tong suffered a collapsed lung. The only peeps sadder than you was Bloc Party, who were holed up in Manhattan. "I'm sick about it," said singer/lyricist Kele Okereke. "We love Philadelphia. At least it wasn't our headlining tour, though." Since Kele's out and about doing pre-release press for Bloc's 2007 CD, A Weekend in the City, and since that record looks deeply into urban sprawl and hipster kids spending cash on cut cocaine and ink-stained jeans, I tried to get him to reminisce about the Philly-party-train that loves him back. All he could do was laugh. Hard.

If you haven't heard the sharply soulful shuffling vocals of Shara Dae on the Curve Dominant Product of Philadelphia v. 1 compilation mix yet ("The Days Wander By" has Dirk Dekker on the Spanish guitar), shame on you. Rectify that when she joins compiler Eric Vincent and crew at Bar Noir Nov. 27.

Two things happened while I was standing in front of Bamboo staring at the gorgeous Cira Centre last Thursday. One, a little bird told me that Daniel Stern's Rae restaurant was doing so-soft openings right after Thanksgiving. Then, there were the white trashy drunks doing the "fuck-this-fuck-that" thing outside Bamboo. Did they just figure out that Thursdays are when DJ Brendan Bring'Em's teams with prose-popping MC Gravy Thomas, and not a Tom Hagen Tavern night watching hockey on the plasma screen? P.S.: Speaking of soft openings, Jose Garces' Tinto (114 S. 20th St.) may not be totally ready for its January opening. But the food is. He's having a pals-'n'-press night next week to prove it.

Now that he's played the United Nations for several global-action-against-poverty events (am I wraawng for saying that don't sound like fun?), Philly soul-folkie John Francis gets to be proud and pleased to get the ASCAP Foundation Sammy Cahn Award for his "Love Came to Me Dressed in Red." That's some nize acclaim for Francis, currently working on the follow-up to his Strong Wine and Spirits.

While we're deliriously readying ourselves (who stole my Mugler Angel musk?) to spend an evening (to say nothing of a big wad o' cash) with Jonathan Adler — pricey pottery maker and designer for dog bed-'n'-bowl accoutrements — at Matthew Izzo Lifestyle on Nov. 28, we're doubly delirious about Izzo's newest addition: men's shoe buyer James Glenn. Glenn, a legendary clothing procurer at Distante, Stiletto and more told me — deeply and slowwwly — that he's been perusing the Italian outback for just the right boots to fit my supple calves and that he's pleased as punch to be Izzo-ing.

Remember we talked about Phil Cohen and his PR honcho David Carroll getting realllllyreaaallly ready to sell off the Five Spot/Griffin space several weeks back? It looks like that deal fell through, but with a bigger money concern looking to slip in behind those other cheapskates with new bids.

Philadelphia-based Asleep by Dawn magazine just dropped Underground Club Mix #2 — with spooky band Cruxshadows, funny German-named bands like Eisbrecher, and acts that avoid the "qu" rule a la Qntal — which is on the Billboard Music Video Chart at No. 38. They're beating Destiny's Child.What the hell is going on? Do that many goth kids shop at Hot Topic?

Just tell everyone that you went: The Bubble House at 34th and Sansom — the funkiest danz corner in the West — celebrated its 10th anniversary last weekend.

Man, are we glad AllMusicGuide hooked up Trolleyvox's Karaoke Meltdowns with 4.5 stars this week. Because the last time they mentioned a Philly record was John "Dr. Shock" Zacherley's Spook Along With Zacherley. And that's only because it was Halloween. Speaking of Philly power-chords: The date that Record Cellar Records (Rich Kaufmann, Buzz Zeemer as well as country cousins Frog Holler and Rolling Hayseeds) has given for their finale is Jan. 27. Sob. That's the date of the Tin Angel party for Neil Drucker's three-CD last compilation. I'll be sobbing until Jan. 28, Neil.

(a_amorosi@citypaper.net)