Icepack

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

by A.D. Amorosi

By now you know just how dandy candy can be (Ice Breakers — sweet dissolvable Hershey powder). But liquor was always quicker and no one knew better than Jack Canal, the man who put South Jersey discount liquor stores on the map and made our priciest drunkathons possible. Well, Canal died last Sunday, and though we're sure his woozy empire'll live on, Canal himself will never know just how affordable he made blackouts and easy dates statewide. Salut.

► The straights are taking over Philly gay clubs (we think he's straight?) with Dave "Making Time" Pianka testing the waters of a Tuesday monthly party at Woody's called "Snacks" this week. This then leaves Jersey's straight clubs to take control of a gay night: Taylor's in Cherry Hill's "SundayReunion" (starting Dec. 9) with Philly promoters Dan Contarino, Gage Kristofer and Bruce Yelk hosting DJs Reenie Kane and Guido with Gatsby's video dance bar logos all over the place. "Don't confuse the Str8 folk," writes Contarino. "It's Sunday only."

► While one of my fave lines in Hollywood history came true last Thurs at G ("You're gonna bust like a hot water pipe," yells Doc in West Side Story), causing the tony below-Davio's den to not open until Dec. 6, I'm hearin' that all pipes are solid at artist/Lit Lounge co-owner David Schwartz's new Fishtown bar, Kung Fu Neck Tie at Front and Thompson. He's looking at New Year's Eve for its opening night.

► Philly Dems: I know you're saving your cash to see Bill 'n' Hil Dec. 11 at Electric Factory (hillaryclinton.com/Philadelphia). But you can so spend cheaper and localer when Congress-running Dr. Keith Leaphart and his money bags Gerry Lenfest and Peter Buttenwieser co-chair a Dec. 6 fundraiser at Loews Hotel.

► WHOWHATWHERE: Which coupling do you care about less? Alycia Lane and Chris Booker at Kildare's Headhouse Square, eating, not sucking face? M.I.A. not punching ex-beau Diplo before she took the stage at Transit for her E-Factory-sanctioned after-gig? Bam Margera and his missus, Melissa, celebrating big time backstage at Electric Factory with Ville Valo and HIM? Ugh. When he wasn't selling out the Troc, Chiodos' Craig Owens took in the Mütter Museum and ran the Art Museum steps. King Britt hosted vocal charge Ruth Ann Cunningham (they're doing a tune she's written for JoJo) at Silk's Back 2 Basics bash. Since Linkin Park's Chester Bennington broke his wrist, Philly's Kurt Schneck (LP's tech) is playing Chester's guitar parts. "And that's my gold Stratocaster he's playing," says Eric "Curve Dominant" Vincent. Stephen Starr's NYC outpost of his Philly-born Buddakan was the location for the Sarah Jessica Parker engagement party shoot for Sex & the City: The Movie.

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► Sage Restaurant vice prez Peter Karpinski and Chi-town native/Philly chef Jose Garces opens Mercat a la Planxa in Chicago's South Loop Blackstone Hotel Feb. '08.

► New Vangos: DJ Lorne (From Philly With Love) — partners with CP's Dev79 for "Blue" Mondays while chef Ashley Sherman is the tony eatery's new chef.

► AEG Live snagged Sam Kinken and Jon Hampton, two old Live Nation hands, to book talent out of AEG's New York office.

► Win a Barrymore and the next thing you know you're hanging with Peek-A-Boo Revue gals and doing solo projects: That's Franzschubert for you. But while they consider their next Fringe-y theater/multimedia music work (bigger fer sher) and start on Schuub 3, Ian Jarvis, who did the cover art for Little Lamb-O's Birthday Party and just finished filming Clown Dad with Lloyd Kaufman (Troma, '08), shows his manic art projects at the Glam Gallery First Friday thing I host, Dec. 7, with art therapist/painter/Creativekarat.com's Nicole Porter Willcox and her pack of wild girls showing. Not to be outdone, Dr. Sketchy's own multimedia-ness root themselves in their new home, Fleisher, Dec. 7, with Ginger Leigh, Joey Martini and Count Scotchula along for the ride.

► Randy Alexander is tired of dealing with rockers. OK, just rockers. The PR guy wants restaurants, lounges, dancers and girls with hats making podcasts. Ask him — randexpr.com.

► Men with hats: Philly's Steve Baylock and Lovett Hines host "The Hat Party" at the Clef Club with South Street Hats Dec. 8. Bowler-donning Pig Iron peeps Bradford Trojan and Geoff Sobelle put on Our Hollow Earth, the ersatz rock musicale Dec. 12 at Fillmore/TLA with the like-minded larf 'n' shred antics of the Tiger Lillies on board. Expect bouncy baroque mutilation; Marat/Sade put to music. For actual opera without bloodshed or accordions (but with red gravy) check High Note Café's opera/dinner Dec. 11 when Gloria Collins, James Longacre and pals do Puccini's La Boheme. Book it: 215-755-8903. Wait. Let's continue concept rocking. 'Cause I'm having a Seizure 17, Dec. 9 at Tritone. That's Colin McLaughlin-Alcock and his Stooges-y duo S17's Such a Bright Future, a costumed 20-tune song cycle with synchronized video about alienation and trash bag-wearing models.

(a_amorosi@citypaper.net)