Icepack

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

by A.D. Amorosi

Maybe it's the hot heat. Maybe it's that Philly has been awash in pork product since last Saturday. Between that Scrapplefest at Reading Terminal Market and Michael Smerconish taking Imus' chair at MSNBC for a minute, something snapped. And not just the cold. And not just Bill Giles, who again blamed Billy Penn's fucking hat for the Phillies' curse while speaking at the Free Library Saturday. People are just ready for something sweaty and wonderful to happen under the sun. Like they've been stuck watching I Love New York and reading blog snipes all winter. That shit'll kill you, yo. Get out the house.

► We don't know if it came like a governor's reprieve or with money, balls or balls of money, but after what's rumored to have had much kvetching attached, Thom Cardwell's staying at Philadelphia Film Festival, but not as exec director. So who's coming aboard? Rosemary Connors, alumni director at Widener University, as executive director of the Philadelphia Film Society. "Before that, [she was] at Wharton in both the alumni and development departments for over 14 years," says TLA boss Ray Murray. And what's Thom doin'? While titles have changed, Thom's new gig as PFS development director will allow him to continue what he's done for years. "He'll raise funds for the Film Society from the government and advertisers, work on the film festivals' parties, special events and invitation of guests, as well as being the front-of-the-house spokesperson." Everyone wins. White wine spritzers everywhere.

► For his first day on the job as Brat Theater's producing artistic director, Michael Alltop rounded up Devin Greenwood, Franzschubert and more to work with Brat actors 'n' writers for the May 6 and 7 "Three Chord Fiction" at Khyber; a flash-collaboration project whose assignments will be doled out May 1. Stay tuned.

► Greg DeCandia has so been selling out his extended storyline (from its Fringe Fest premiere) take on BCKSEET's Hung on a Blonde Ponytail: An Act of Rock at Society Hill Playhouse (still tix until May 5!) that he's added a free stripped-down showing at the Troc's Balcony May 1. That night'll feature the guy who produced its CD soundtrack, Eric Vincent, and his new production charge, jazz soul dreamboat Anam Owili-Eger, whose These Subtle Declarations just got raves in the UK's Straight No Chaser mag. Dag.

► Are Freddy DeMann (Madonna's ex-manager/producer, The Life and Death of Peter Sellers) and Jerry (Geator) Blavat meeting with a onetime Law & Order scriptwriter in Manhattan about a shark-skinned '60s music-mob story for cable for a fall '07 start? Can you say "ba-da-bing"?

► To celebrate Tim Motzer's 1K label dropping a new CD from his downtempo-electro collaboration with bass giant Barry Meehan — Nu Cultures' Butterflies, Zebras, and Moonbeams — they're having some sorta listening/soundsystem jawn at World Café Live April 26. Go. The prettiest slice of Nu Cultures, singer Ellie Perez, will be there.

► Sean Adamz's Lazertown Art Collective may've moved from Fishtown to the Rittenhouse area in '06. But if what I hear is true (from a Chicago gallery owner looking to open a salon in Philly), Lazertown may have taken over a messy-but-ready theater space at a dance hall at Sixth and Girard. Hmm?

► Some people enjoy eating; others enjoy culinary geopolitics. Philly Mag's Sasha Issenberg likes both. First in his book The Sushi Economy: Globalization and the Making of a Modern Delicacy, out May 3, then at Fork April 26 for a wasabi-hot chat/dinner on all things salmon roe-yo. "It's really based on how a softball game (Masaharu) Morimoto used to play with his fish salesmen made him such a good sushi chef," says Sasha. "And how globalization really works." Whew, now I can eat.

► While waiting to film his City of Brotherly Love, George Manney has started production on a documentary on one of his musical collaborators, late great jazz-bagpiping Rufus Harley, with Kenny Gamble, Laurie Anderson, Odean Pope and Byard Lancaster ready to talk. See: www.youtube.com/watch?v=mLZ2JO6iGns.

► We couldn't be sadder the Bynums are closing Zanzibar Blue at the Bellevue. Brothers Benjamin Jr. and Robert moved it before. Maybe they'll move it again. However ... anything that stops Michael Tozzi from doing those fucking WJJZ FM lite-jazz brunches within a mile of my house.

► It's a north-come-south invasion when NoLibs' Quirky Pictures Inc. brings its three-director film Jestour to the South Philly Vikings Club (1815 S. 11th St.) April 26, at 6 p.m. That's Jillian Peters, Grace Peters and Felix Diaz's Expressionist dance-film about specters 'n' such starring (go figure) Scott Johnston and Carmen Martella III. Johnston barely leaves the block when he and Beth Kellner bring Spider-MANIA! to St. Maron's Hall (1013 Ellsworth) April 27 and 28. This means a Marvelous multimedia cabaret with a near Str8Razor reunion (Jimi Mooney and co.) offering more bang for your Peter Parker buck. Ahh, might as well stay down south. Vesuvio at Eighth and Christian isn't just celebrating its fifth anniversary April 26 with a mega-blowout starring DJs A&E (yours truly with Evan Gusz) on two floors. That's also the official party for Dining Out for Life's worthy efforts for AIDS funding.

► You missed Mike Brenner — Slo-Mo to lovers of white suits and slippery slide guitars — at Johnny Brenda's? Not only did Slo's bud Joe Krzemienski do a "Cuidado" vid (www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Qm_nb9LNao), but the darn thing won a 16th Phila Film Fest Indies award for animation.

► The late/great Bruce Langfeld (Bag of Hammers, 100 Watt Razor) gets his musical due when pals Art DiFuria, Rich Kaufman, the Two Teds (Warren, Pappadapolous) and members of Scram and Poppy celebrate Bruce-song April 27 at The RUBA. Should be a sweet sendoff.

(a_amorosi@citypaper.net)