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ICEPACK ILLUSTRATED: Bye 32 Degrees. Hi Harrison Ford. Yahoo craft sodas. Boo Cheshire Agusta's wounds. Shake Shack porn. Pianos on The Porch.
In anticipation of Whit MacLaughlin's New Paradise Laboratories' new internet-based theatricale FRAME, the company will hold an interactive audience soiree on June 9, 7 p.m., at the Maas Building (1325 N. Randolph) where you can drink, play a 10-foot wire and then hopefully drink more, and see the electronic duo Trololo of whom MacLaughlin is a big advocate.
ICEPACK ILLUSTRATED: Bye 32 Degrees. Hi Harrison Ford. Yahoo craft sodas. Boo Cheshire Agusta’s wounds. Shake Shack porn. Pianos on The Porch.
Old City’s 32 Degrees — the first bar in Philly to do that bottle service thing — closed over the weekend after a solid 10-year run. You could joke that there goes the neighborhood, but Barry Gutin and Larry Cohen (profiled as part of last week’s cover story on Delaware Avenue) own the swellegant Cuba Libre restaurant next door, the block’s last true remaining tony outpost. (Then again, who knows what Joe “Dog” Schultice has planned for his take-over of 32’s downstairs neighbor, Nick’s Roast Beef, a longtime grog-n-gravy-soaked respite of mine when I lived across the street.) It may have been a minute since I’d been to 32 but there were good druggy times had (by me and mine when me and mine still imbibed) and weird introductions made in the VIP section with Kiss’s Gene Simmons, a tight-assed Jeremy Piven and Mark Wahlberg just-barely-out of his Marky Mark phase.
As I mentioned several weeks ago in Ice Ill, Harrison Ford will be in town for filming purposes. The reason: Paranoia, a tale of corporate intrigue filmed by a British production company co-starring Liam Hemsworth, Embeth Davidtz and Gary Oldman. Hemsworth is busy getting engaged to Miley Cyrus and lensing Empire State in New Orleans. Oldman is ready to bask in the glow of The Dark Knight Rises along with heading into preproduction on RoboCop, Monster Butler and Motor City. And Ford is currently wrapping up 42 where he’ll play legendary baseball scout Branch Rickey. “We’re expecting a late July start in Center City mostly for Paranoia,” says Sharon Pinkenson.
Can’t lie won’t lie. I miss Espers, the most sensuous entry in the nu-folk movement that just happened to come from green Philadelphia. Cellist and singer Helena Espvall was an Espers as who also spent time with The Valerie Project, Sharron Kraus/Meg Baird’s act and did sessions for Masaki Batoh. Currently she can be found with Brooklyn improvisationalists Azure Carter and Alan Sondheim, making a sci-fi-gypsy album called Alan Sondheim/Helena Espvall/Azure Carter Trio (through Philly’s Majuma Music label) and debuting its wiry songs with Dan Joseph on June 9 at Highwire Gallery, 2040 Frankford Ave. Go and get mesmerized.
And speaking of Philly girls making experimental music, West Philly’s Cheshire Agusta — the goddess of pummel for Stinking Lizaveta — got swiped on her bike quite badly the other day, smashed up to the tune of a fractured tibia for which she had surgery earlier this week. One: pray. Two: Get ready to cough up some money for her. She’s going to be off the metal drum stool for a minute.
Philly saxophonist Larry McKenna, guitarist Shaun Q and the Tim Lekan Trio take on Philly’s Jazz Bridge — a 501C3 nonprofit organization that aids professional jazz and blues musicians in crisis living and working situations — head down to the beach June 10 at the Sandi Pointe Coastal Bistro, 908 Shore Road, Somers Point, NJ for the Third Annual All-Star Jazz Jam, 215-517-8337. More info here.
So... $500,000 is what University of the Arts trustee Irvin J. Borowsky and his wife, Laurie Wagman gifted U-Arts to establish the Irvin Borowsky Prize in Glass Arts, which will be given annually to artists whose vision and skills are all about advancing the contemporary glass art movement. Half-a-mil buys a lot of blown glass. The cash is also meant for the Irvin Borowsky Center for Glass Arts. So it’s all about Irvin, right. Can’t mention the missus. Dag.
After spying PA state senator Vincent Hughes at The Roots/Mural Arts Wall Ball at Vie last week, I hear he’s all over the upcoming West Park Arts Fest at Parkside Ave. and 40th St. June 9, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The all-day affair stars cellist/singer/Icepack fave Monica McIntyre (of whom we’ve sadly heard little in a while) along with Briane Ali and Koy Dainko. Check here for more info.
Foobooz has a fun story on a teary NYC in the wake of its soda situation and a cheery Philadelphia in spite of it. But it’s not the usual wishniak the Foo is throwing down but a tale of craft soda that they’re spouting with mentions of Vernick Food + Drink, the Lucky Old Souls food truck and Capital Grille in on the fizzy fun. And hey, wasn’t/isn’t Russett doing their own craft soda for spring/summer? That’s what they told me.
It’s a long drive to go see Philly’s whiskey-n-rye-voiced Jim Boggia considering that he’s always gigging at World Café Live. But this June 8 gig he’s playing at NYC’s HighLine Ballroom is about a tribute to Delaney & Bonnie and Their Famous Friends like Leon Russell, Eric Clapton and Billy Preston, will benefit Theatre Within and co-star Denny Laine (Wings, Moody Blues), Lou Marini (SNL band), Tawatha Agee (Aretha Franklin, Steely Dan) and more.
Oooh, John Mayer who we last watched in a weird meltdown at World Café Live’s NON-Comm just called bullshit on local C&W lass Taylor Swift for writing “Dear John” after their time-a-courtin’.
Songbirds Dani Mari and Reverend TJ McGlinchey start their own parties in the park — FDR park that is — this weekend June 8. It’s a monthly jawn where the likes of Ben Arnold, Andrew Lipke and more swing from dusk till nearly midnight. FDR Park is located at 1800 Pattison Ave., near the stadiums. The first one stars Kevin Killen and GRIZ. The next one, July 27, features Thom McCarthy and Toy Soldiers.
Are you in the market for some of that green Cheez-Whiz to go wit? That must be Jim’s Steaks big question what with a police raid swarming down upon the Fourth Street shop where they found a cook allegedly peddling pills-n-dope along with those long rolls. Again. I knew there was something in that grease.
In anticipation of Whit MacLaughlin’s New Paradise Laboratories’ new internet-based theatricale FRAME, the company will hold an interactive audience soiree on June 9, 7 p.m., at the Maas Building (1325 N. Randolph) where you can drink, play a 10-foot wire and then hopefully drink more, and see the electronic duo Trololo of whom MacLaughlin is a big advocate.
Honeygrow, Justin Rosenberg, technotronic stir-fry and salad salon (1601 Sansom) will not and did not open as planned June 7. Look for something with the chef Shola Olunloyo menu to pop early next week.
WHOWHATWHERE: You don’t remember Dallas or where you were when JR got shot. But certainly you’ll remember Jordana Brewster (a one time star of the Philly-filmed Annapolis with James Franco) and Julie Gonzalo. They are two of the young stars of the TNT network’s continuation of the Dallas legend starting June 13. It will indeed star the old, battling brothers JR and Bobby Ewing (Larry Hagman, Patrick Duffy) and Sue Ellen (Linda Gray) pitted against the kids-n-kin (Brewster, Gonzalo, Josh Hamilton). The gals were spotted at Tony Luke’s, Old City’s historic mile, the Four Seasons Hotel and the 92.5 WXTU anniversary concert at Susquehanna Bank Center before heading to the Ritz East for a screening of the cinematic tour-de-horse. Nicki Minaj may have dissed the Hot 97 Kiss FM concert in NYC after the station dissed her pop-hop inclinations, but Philly and Jersey got an ear-and-eye-full of her during the Wired 96.5 Fest over the weekend. Jon Bon Jovi ducked his head into the Legendary Dobbs the other night? Was he looking for recruits for the Philadelphia Soul (hell, looking for attendees for games is more likely)? Did his limo have a flat? Was he looking for Richie Sambora? No. JBJ was at Dobbs to show support for and/or try to sign crunch-rocking Soraia, a gal-fronted thick-pop-metal act whose Shed the Skin (which features Sambora’s guitar work) was produced by Obie O’Brien. Label folk and entertainment lawyers were at Dobbs as was WMMR’s Pierre Robert as Soraia has appeared as an opening act for Bon Jovi (the band) before. A big reason to give another look to last week’s cover story on the outdoor hipster paradise that is Morgan’s Pier. After his DJ slot in the tent at the Roots Picnic on Festival Pier, James DFA/LCD Murphy was cadged into doing a second spinning set at Morgan’s — surely via the auspices of Pier man Dave Pianka who once booked LCD Soundsystem for an Urban Outfitters HQ Making Time show. A very-possibly-hung over Dandy Warhols stopped by Radio 104.5’s iHeart Radio Performance Theater in Bala for some songs and some chat. Avenger Mark Ruffalo and his son stopped at Zento in Old City after what was said to have been a visit to Philly’s Museum of Art. There’s a cool nearly-20-minute video of graphic novelist Neil Gaiman delivering the keynote address (after receiving an honorary doctorate of fine arts) at the University of the Arts’ 134th commencement held May 17 at the Academy of Music. He told the kids to “make good art.” Wasn’t that what they spent four years doing already? Oy. While songbird Nelly Furtado hung out with Maxwell at Q 102, Colbie Caillat sat with DJ Nicole at MIX 106.1-FM. Quote of the week came from Tuesday night’s press opening of the Sansom Street Shake Shack burger joint when big shot owner Danny Meyer told Eater that “There was a porn store right where I’m standing, did you know that? I never went there. Someone told me it used to be here.” OK Meyer. The whole Heart & Soul/John Cage-like piano-as-art thing that will run rampant through West Philly — even more so than Thai smudge sticks and tongue tacos — this June opened fire last night at The Porch’s space next-by-to Thirtieth Street Station. “8 pianos. 8 artists. 8 public spaces” was the mantra of the University City District’s Public Piano Project wherein Philly artists Terry Adkins, Joe Boruchow, Justin Duerr, Melissa Maddoni Haims, The Heads of State, Kali Yuga Zoo Brigade, Katie Holeman, and Thom Lessner answered the call. While fiber artist Maims introduced me to her colorful crochet-socked piano, my pal Duerr showed me around his blue-bird-ed LED-topped, lace-lined instrument. While the pianos head for eight far-flung areas around University City, the evening was a real triumph for The Porch, who do a mean farmers market there every Wednesday (eight vendors, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.) and will host a huge brats-n-brew event July 14, 4-8 p.m. with Bridgewater Pub co-hosting their beer garden filled with German and craft beers and sausage/bratwurst sandwiches. Plus throughout July, the Porch hosts free 9 hole mini golf seven days a week from 10 a.m. to eight p.m. I’ll be boozed up playing golf and eating sausage if anyone wants to find me in July.
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