Icepack

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

by A.D. Amorosi

Inever apologize. Not even to my parents about this whole writing "career" they funded. But I need to make good. I inferred last week that Copa Too was as loathsome as Copa Miami. That ain't right. Nothing's as heinous as C-Miami. Besides, not only is it sad to see 15th Street probably getting more corporate � who else but Apple-fucking-bees can afford the real estate? I forgot I once (twice, maybe ... no more) had a good time at Copa Too; I forgot because I was that wastoid. Hopefully Lisa "CopaToo" DeVicaris had a swell auction of bar fare so to sail softy into the tequila sunrise.

► Which reminds me: True saloon habitué Brett Brasler (ex-Cadence) is now consulting for Restaurant Associates, catering everything from BEN 95 FM's party at the Electric Factory with Loverboy to the Kimmel gala with Eartha Kitt. That's right, Brett ate with Eartha and Mike Reno and ain't saying who had the best headband.

► Say hello to someone we've hardly shouted-out since he arrived: Dean of Drexel's Westphal College of Media, Arts & Design, Allen Sabinson, co-exec producer of 2002's sci-fi TV flick Lathe of Heaven, who was scheduled to join fashion doyen Emil deJohn and other Drexies for a design/merchandising grad show at Wanamaker's Crystal Tea Room. Go team fabulista!

► There're never great rumors out of Jersey. Why start now? Apparently Top Dog/Club Iguana has gone kablooey, leaving the Cherry Hill space to return to its former glory (!?) as ... wait for it ... Taylor's. That's old-school disco, mang. Reopen Ginsberg and Wong's next. A sad rumor closer to home, N. Second Street, has that new Penthouse Lounge not doing too-too well and going suddenly after-hours, like the precursor at its address, Emerald City, did, to make mo' money.

► WHOWHATWHERE: At the exact moment Katie Couric got pretzel-shaped greetings at Channel 3 CBS-TV's new digs, our spies saw George Foreman eating what they thought was a soft one in the OC. Without a carb in a 10-foot radius: Lance Armstrong was spied at the Wailers' Jam on the River show. Film-freaks: Eli Roth or Danny DeVito? A sickening either/or. While Roth is Philly-bound with Hostel: Part II June 5 (further details forthcoming), Jersey native DeVito'll be everywhere â€â€� throwing first pitches at the Phils-Giants game June 3; getting the Q&A/Weekend Film Fest treatment at Bryn Mawr Film Institute June 10 (www.brynmawrfilm.org). Hoffa was great; but no Death to Smoochy?

► Know who else is home from Hollywood? 10th Street Laundromat ex-pat/Epic label baby George Simon Stanford. Not only will he and new drummer Mike Pietrusko play Tin Angel June 1, but we bet they'll hit my weekly Glam Gallery jawn on S. Second to see Laundromat bud Nicole Porter Willcox (Jill Rabbits) show paintings and music done in collab with her bro Michael Stull Willcox. Also Glamming: Spector Gallery alum Amanda Miller, Doug "RobotrAke" Noe, Patrick Ferguson, Matt Wise, Thomas Miller and painter Jessica Mayak, whose man Peter Extravaganza's Donuts play next door at the Khyber.

► Proof everybody still loves big labels? A happy brouhahaha over Philly's Joe Mattis (A&R'd at Island; managed 29 Drops) launching a label, Slugfest, with major distribution (ADA/Warners) out the gate for signees Black Market Radio with Chris' beardo bro, Peter Cornell, and Philly's Alright Jr. Well, all right! Or how about the excitement over Vagrant taking on the dreamy creamy A-Sides just in time to release their Brian McTear-produced Silver Storms, Aug. 28, for my birthday?

► Speaking of b-days 'n' B. McTear: Bebek â€â€� "baby" in Turkish â€â€� is having two. One produced by McTear, Smile, Broadcast Tattoos, that has its release at North Star June 2. It's eerie, harder, poppier than its first CD yet Bebekian in that "the lyrics discuss life's big moments and how we deal with the 'tattoos' those moments leave," says Nick Michalopoulos, who's having a big moment, with Bebek's lyricist/singer Lynn Michalopoulos five months pregnant. Congrats 'n' bye, as Lynn'll stay offstage till wee baby Bebek's born. Another b-day: Talking to Kevin Northern Liberties about his birth celebration at the Balcony with Pony Pants June 4, he brings up Jesus Lizard because Philly film distributor MVD'll debut Jesus Lizard: Live in 1990 with a Sailor Jerry rum-fueled screening June 5 at Balcony with, The Company Corvette, Fnu Ronnies, Purple Rhinestone Eagle and Last Barbarians. "Jesus Lizard is, like us, defined by their odd confrontational approach and spastic front man which our Justin embodies," says Kevin, "painting his face white, wearing a dress, freaking out so much that he can't find the mic."

► From Lizards to Donkeys: When she isn't doing Drunken Spelling Bees or hosting Tiberino Museum's "Flicker Garden" Wednesdays, Jena Serbu's making films and Fringe theater stuff with Uncut Productions. And that multimedia corp is having a Donkey Party of Uncut's greatest hits with commentary from its illustrious whinnying braying crew June 1 at The Annex at Christ Church: N. American Street. Neeehaaw.

► We like Greater Philly Tourism Marketing Corporation's dirty blog, Uwishunu, and that they're hooking up the $10 million-plus-in-renovations Westin (99 S. 17th) with one all-Philly-artisan-designed room. Starting May 31, local lights like muralist Meg Saligman, sculpturiste Warren Muller, Jenny Lynn, Barbara Schaff and more take control of Room 414.

► Jason Killinger is again welcoming Japan's noise-gods DMBQ to our stages (May 31, the Vacuum, 729 Tilghman) and to his home after the devastating van accident, two years ago, that killed DMBQ/Shonen Knife drummer Mana "China" Nishiura. (The accident happened after they left Killinger's house.) Bardo Pond and Killinger's Birds of Maya play, too. Join in.

(a_amorosi@citypaper.net)