Ice Cubes

ICE CUBE: GPF0 turns 25 with a bang
POSTED: Wednesday, November 17, 2010, 5:30 PM
Filed Under: Ice Cubes
Scott Weiner
The gang's all here
It's a good thing I gave you the scoop on the private 25th anniversary Greater Philadelphia Film Organization (GPFO) party at Jeff Lurie's Wynnwood home last Friday (the one where M. Night Shyamalan toasted Sharon Pinkenson with David Morse and Jonathan Demme looking on) the other day, because my computer went bonkers yesterday. No matter. I'm here. All is right at Ice Cube central. Icepack will be in print. Icepack Illustrated will be all over the place. It was the GPFO 25 mega-bash at Sun Center Studio's in Aston, PA (you go landlord Jeff Rotwitt, everybody with cash is named Jeff) on Sunday night that was the weekend's finest party, preceded as it was by a script pitching session with area film and television pros (e.g.. Café producer J. Andrew Greenblatt and director/writer Marc Erlbaum) and another panel of big celeb television types talking up how they got to where they are, most of whom took part in announcing the winners of the 2010 "Shoot in Philadelphia" (SIP) Screenwriting Awards. See more photos and my twelve bullet points as to what I loved/found most interesting throughout the day, after the jump: ➤ Loved Sharon Pinkenson's knit sweater dress. Should've asked who made it. ➤ Loved that I had to set up a reunion photo between Taxi stars Danny DeVito (dig the ducktail) and Tony Danza (nice un-shaven face) during that aforementioned television panel.
      ➤ Jeff Rotwitt has a very warm handshake in that his actual temperature was hot. ➤ The Sun Center Studio at present has three structures, one of which will be finished in December, the other probably in January, the middle space is shaped like an onion and the whole deal, from height to acreage is fuuuuuuuucking huge. ➤ Newtown based writer/actress Tatiana Bachus' St. Lewis Productions has a show (Life with Alicia) they're trying to push to the networks. But for now, they'll commit to webisodes with Vivica A. Fox as one of its starts. ➤ Tony Danza's Teach producer Leslie Greif (also produces Gene Simmons' Family Jewels and Walker Texas Ranger) was once a Sweathog on Welcome Back Kotter, and a runner for Dean Martin and Bob Hope. ➤ Tom Turner, the kid who won SIP's Best Feature Length Screenplay prize for Sweet Jane, looked so young I was surprised he could write, let alone type. ➤ I found out the first time Kaitlin Olson met Danny DeVito he told her she had nice breasts and asked her to show them more in her scenes. SURPRISE! That's how DeVito psyches himself up for a scene ➤ Rob McElhenney wore the same leather jacket to the GPFO party as he did at last week's Philly Style Men's Fashion cover bash. Hmm. ➤ "Tequila" sounds great when played by three harps. ➤ Damn near everyone who hung at the party genuinely thought it was the best bash they'd been at all year (from post reports as well as on site), and that mostly everyone thought the butane-torched caramelized desserts were the bomb. ➤ Those who didn't realize that Tony Luke Jr. was an actor were genuinely afraid of him.
        Scott Weiner
        Sharon & Joan with Brad Heffler and his wife
        Scott Weiner
        Olson, DeVito & McElhenney
        Scott Weiner
        DeVito & Danza
        Scott Weiner
        DeVito, McElhenney, Pinkenson & Olson
        Scott Weiner
        DeVito & yours truly
        Posted by A.D. Amorosi @ 5:30 PM  Permalink | Post a comment

        Ice Cube: Babs has entered the building
        POSTED: Monday, November 15, 2010, 5:20 PM
        Filed Under: Ice Cubes
        © Scott Weiner
        James Brolin and Barbra Streisand
        While you wait for the mega-IceCube featuring news bits (the private Jeff Lurie-party in Wynnwood for Sharon Pinkenson starring Jonathan Demme and M. Night Shyamalan ) and fun faces from the Greater Philadelphia Film Org's 25th anniversary party, and the "Shoot in Philadelphia" screenwriting award ceremony at the new Sun Studios in Aston, Pa (with a TAXI reunion of Dannny DeVito and Tony Danza, yet), here's some quick stuff on Saturday night's gala opening of the National Museum of Jewish American History. The potency of shofars and mezuzahs reign, but the pop and socio-cultural aspects of "Only in America" play an equally respected part of the NMoJAH. On that night, while Jerry Seinfeld and Bette Midler took the tented stage, Barbra Streisand (who was spied checking out her donation to the museum collection—a dress she wore in Yentl ), who ate with her husband, James Brolin, Sidney Kimmel and his wife Caroline, stood only when Comcast-Spectacor boss Ed Snider introduced her. Mahzel tov, Babs.
        © Scott Weiner
        Jerry Seinfeld
        Posted by A.D. Amorosi @ 5:20 PM  Permalink | Post a comment

        Ice Cube: The Muscle Factories
        POSTED: Friday, November 12, 2010, 8:55 PM
        Filed Under: Ice Cubes
        Darren Finzio
        Finzio Strumming in the Delaware River
        Nov. 13 is such a strange night for Philly. Sure, you'll have the bulging biceped, punk-n-roll Jukebox Zeros, who'll drop-dunk their thrashing new four-song vinyl EP/digital download, City of Bother and Loathe at the M Room. Grrrrrr. And/or, if you drive fast and play your cards right, you can catch the gnashing sounds of the industrial spandex machine Muscle Factory after midnight at the Troc's Balcony, that is after its leader Darren Finizio does his wee-T.Rex-meets-Dev Banhart solo thing. The mystery folk group Finizio is all that was supposed to happen this Saturday, teamed, as Darren is, with abstract melody makers Julia Rainier and Thom McCarthy. Three weeks ago, Darren wrote to tell me excitedly of his (then) upcoming rare Muscle Factory show outdoors at the Piazza at Schmidts. "I need to press the flesh, like in the old days," he says. He'd be playing all new material at the show and it sounded like fun. Then something went all wrong. "Yesterday was a horrible debasement of Muscle Factory, thanks to The Mayor of Piazza (ed: I have no idea who that is but I like the way it sounds) who bullied the sound man during our pitiful excuse of a gig. So much time went into the music and I found myself literally pressing my ear against the PA speaker more than once. I wonder if they would've treated us that way if we played world music? They didn't pull the plug. The music just kept getting lower and lower. In reality the music should shake your body in a positive way. The Piazza, including those who reside there, simply don't know what's good for them." More grrr. Jukebox Zeros, Sat., Nov. 3, 9 p.m., M Room, 15 W. Girard Ave.; Darren Finizio/Muscle Factory, Sat., Nov. 3, 10:30 p.m., The Balcony, 1003 Arch St.
        Posted by A.D. Amorosi @ 8:55 PM  Permalink | Post a comment

        ICE CUBE: Yesterday, when we were young
        POSTED: Friday, November 12, 2010, 6:48 PM
        Filed Under: Ice Cubes
        Scott Weiner 2010
        Rob McElhenney and wife Kaitlin Olson
        Didn't it all seem so different then — Thu. Nov. 11? OK. Not really. It was me running around nearly snagging my Hedi Slimane limited edition skull head tie in a door and you saying, "why bother with the skull when the headphones better represent." Damn you, fashion victims. Dang me. Hang me, too. Since we last spoke here and here and here, we found out that Philly's own The Hooters hooked up with Wells Fargo-located Roger Waters during his showing of The Wall. Our Philly fellows hadn't hung tough with Pink since he did The Wall in Germany in 1990 — that's a long time between mandolin solos. We heard that the crew of Valanni (Mercato and Varga Bar, too) is opening a lounge with nouvelle not-at-all-obnoxious bottle service at an un-yet-disclosed location, and will be doing some hiring Nov. 15-16 at their 1229 Spruce St. location; and the Philadelphia Theatre Co. snagged Kathleen Kund Nolan as Interim Managing Director replacing Diane Claussen who moved to Chicago not long ago. What we managed to see, though, was soul man Freddy Jackson chewing his way through a short stack of songs at WDAS studio in anticipation of his show tonight with Jeffrey Osborne, Peabo Bryson and Howard Hewett at the Tower. And no sooner than we began to like, then not-like It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, stars Rob McElhenney and wife Kaitlin Olson show up to John Colabelli's Philadelphia Style Magazine Men's Issue cover party at Parx. OK. Look for an Icecube later on with Darren Finizio who'll do two acts on one bill Sat. Nov. 13 at The Troc. Whee.
        Scott Weiner 2010
        Freddy Jackson performing at WDAS
        Posted by A.D. Amorosi @ 6:48 PM  Permalink | Post a comment

        ICE CUBE: Les Richards, like, right now
        POSTED: Thursday, November 11, 2010, 9:21 PM
        Filed Under: Ice Cubes
        duke-winston.com
        When Les Richards holds an event this evening (starting at 4:30 – hustle) at its men's store at The Shops at Liberty Place to benefit The Gift of Life Family House, it isn't just about a great cause. Tonight they'll be joining forces with Duke & Winston, one of Philly's premier handmade shirt-makers. While last season saw Seun Olubodun of D&W doing button-downs, this season finds the artist adding T-shirts long and short and hand-personalized to his collection. By spring 2011, he'll unleash his new line of polo gear for the discerning. That's swank. You can find out more about him at duke-winston.com. Or you can hit Les' Liberty shop and buy 'em out.
        Posted by A.D. Amorosi @ 9:21 PM  Permalink | Post a comment

        ICEPACK ILLUSTRATED: The piano has been drinking
        POSTED: Thursday, November 11, 2010, 2:00 PM
        Filed Under: Ice Cubes
        Photo | Scott Weiner
        Mumford & Sons perform at Radio 104.5 in Bala Cynwyd, Nov. 9.
        ➤ Great news first: I told you about how Live Nation publicist/Ice friend James Sutcliffe had been felled by a brain hemorrhage and where to send get-well wishes. Well, send them to his house. Word from his pals at LN say Sutcliffe is making a handsome recovery, is stable at his home and should be back at his desk fielding pesky phone calls by assholes such as me momentarily. Yay THAT. ➤ Word has it that Barbra Streisand and Steven Spielberg have confirmed to both be in the audience for Friday's gala opening of the National Museum of American Jewish History. Oy. ➤ While his old Bebe's Barbecue space in the Ital Market gets the Paesano's relocation treatment (moving from its Ninth-and-Christian space), ex-owner/chef Mark Coates is heading for Fergie's Pub to stove up some ribs. ➤ Get outta here, jazz-bo: Lucky Old Souls at Moonstone welcomes some round-the-way old-school Philly stuff with pianist Dave Posmontier and the Diane Monroe (violin)-Tony Miceli (vibraphone) pairing on Nov. 12. ➤ Tom Waits may have sung it best in regard to what Jolly's Dueling Piano Bar owner Jolly Weldon is going through, what with getting arraigned for stalking and harassing the bar's owner, Timothy Smith. The Waits song in question: "The Piano Has Been Drinking (Not Me)."
        Photo | Scott Weiner
        Kevin Dillon at Parx Casino Nov. 5.
        ➤ We're happy to hear and see that a bunch of Capitol Years exes are out, about and headed in to the light; Sweet Lights, to be exact. Stay tuned. ➤ On Sat., Nov. 13, Symbiosis and the Rotunda honor some of Philly's most prominent African-American members of its arts and letters community (tickets here) such as poet/activist L.Y.R.I.S.P.E.C.T, actor Thierry Lundy and more. ➤ WHOWHATWHERE: When Kevin Dillon of Entourage fame opened Parx's new poker room, he had a little (Johnny) Drama at the ribbon cutting when he couldn't quite cut the huge ribbon and had to cut it from the bottom up. And he lost a bunch of hands. No biggie. Apparently he was better at Parx's craps table and smoother when he hung at Zee Bar later later on. ➤ Before chef Judson Branch's fall-flavor dinner at 13 (at Marriott Downtown) Tuesday night, Peyton Manning and a couple of his Indianapolis Colts signed autographs outside the restaurant (they didn't eat there, they stayed at the hotel). ➤ If you want to spy a celeb in the joint, you goitta go on Sat., Nov. 13, when Cheaper to Keep Her (at the Merriam Theater) star Vivica A. Fox does a Bailey's Signature meet-and-greet at the 1-3. Her play opened on Tuesday and its co-star, Brian McKnight, hung in the lobby greeting guests and being smooth. ➤ Banjo-playing teen sensation Mumford & Sons performed a sweet three-song show at Radio 104.5 FM in Bala Cynwyd. Yay. ➤ While the film team of Safe took over a hall in Girard College for one of its mock casino shoots the other day (James Franco used the same room a few years ago for Annapolis and turned it into a gym), Clint Howard, Ron's weird brother, was at Rowan University shooting a horror flick named Down the Road. While Safe and Jason Statham will next be seen on Broad Street fucking up traffic next week (like Dec. 17-18), Howard will probably do an Arby's commercial.
        Kathy Griffin, meet A.D.
        ➤ Speaking of Broad Street, that's where my wife/this weekend's b-day girl Glamorosi and I went to see and meet Kathy Griffin, at the Academy of Music. How cool is my missuss? The jewelry designer gifted Griffin with a pair of her Signature Fresh-Water Pearl Cascade Earrings in teal and purple. You go, Glam. ➤ Editors going places: We're sorry to see that City Paper's Jeffrey Billman is leaving CP for Philadelphia mag senior writer/editorship. Congrats. Then, there's Inquirer Media Editor John Timpane, who'll read some of his poems (Burning Bush, his new book, gets published in November by the Cranberry Tree Press) at the Green Line Café on Nov. 16 during one of host's Leonard Gontarek regular events at the 45th-and-Locust location. ➤ 1201 Chestnut St. is the new location for Mitchell & Ness' new flagship store. The area's coolest vintage sports apparel operator will hold events from Nov. 16 to their mega-watt opening on Nov. 19.
        Peter
        Posted 2010-11-11 11:55:40
        HEY A.D.,

you forgot to mention the new Jukebox Zeros 4-song vinyl ep, CITY OF BOTHER AND LOATHE, out now on Rankoutsider Records.

We also have a record release show this Sat, Nov 13th @ M Room.
        Broadcast Automation
        Posted 2010-11-12 11:01:28
        Great post, it's really helped to clarify a few things that I've been researching. Keep up the good work.
        Posted by A.D. Amorosi @ 2:00 PM  Permalink | Post a comment

        ICE CUBE: Another brick in your living room
        POSTED: Wednesday, November 10, 2010, 6:00 PM
        Filed Under: Ice Cubes
        Just one day after my review of Roger Waters' The Wall show at the Wells Fargo Center (tix are still left for tomorrow night's show), bricks from a previous Waters gig, at the erstwhile Wachovia Center in 2007, are going up for auction at ComcastSpectacorFoundation.org. While that's a fine Christmas stocking stuffer for the disillusioned classic rocker in the family, the lump of coal comes with the news that the Wells Fargo Complex's oldest member, the Spectrum, is finally coming down on Nov. 23. Sob.
        Posted by A.D. Amorosi @ 6:00 PM  Permalink | Post a comment

        ICEPACK: Starr, Ansill, Louis and the Wid
        POSTED: Tuesday, November 9, 2010, 8:46 PM
        Filed Under: Ice Cubes
        I believe you mean the Legendary Wid.
        ➤ Mouth breathers, last week was yours, what with Corbett and Toomey winning, and McNabb being sidelined for being, well, the same McNabb we had for years. But this week is for the smart elitists amongst us, what with several days of celebrations for the brand-new (the National Museum of American Jewish History's groundbreaking galas) and the longtime (Greater Philadelphia Film Office's 25th anniversary), both featuring marquee-name attendees. Mazel tov. We'll talk later. ➤ You know that I know that you know that Stephen Starr didn't take over Ansill on Bainbridge for an Italian restaurant like he was s'posed to and that namesake chef David Ansill headed to Sansom Street's Ladder 15. On Nov. 16, meat-man Ansill will have a coming-out five-course meal with seafaring Mike Stollenwerk of Lombard Street's fish at L15. ➤ Fun fact learned at Louis CK's Academy of Music gig: Philly saxophonist Max Gast co-wrote and performed the soundtrack for CK's Louie on FX. "We're returning in December to work on season two," says Gast. ➤ Our lady of fabulash design, Bela Shehu, has a new women's line, NINO. "It's looking fantastic," she says. See it yourself at her fashion-studio's sample sale Nov. 18 at 621 Sigel. ➤ Word has it the legendary Dew Inn Diner at Fifth and Girard — the last of the sensational greasy spoon breakfast-erias — is on the market. I'm heading there for toast tomorrow. Bitar's, too (at 10th and Federal), is up for grabs, apparently, but they're looking to relocate. ➤ Two weeks ago, director Scott Johnston and Woodshop Films' Andrew Geller documented the opening of an installation by Philly comic Mike Baldwin — aka The Legendary Wid — at Baltimore's American Visionary Art Museum. Wid's exhibit remains up for a year. Geller got home in time to film Darren Finizio's Nov. 13 Balcony gig as Muscle Factory. Watch this space for an Ice Cube about it. ➤ When improvisational git-boxer Nick Millevoi's Many Arms held a release party last Friday for its CD Missing Time (yay), the gig was a farewell to West Philly's Avant Gentlemen's Lodge (boo). No more shows.
        Posted by A.D. Amorosi @ 8:46 PM  Permalink | Post a comment

        ICE CUBE: Roger Waters' The Wall @ Wells Fargo Center, 11/8
        POSTED: Tuesday, November 9, 2010, 5:37 PM
        Filed Under: Ice Cubes Concert Review
        Photo | Scott Weiner
        Roger Waters performs at the Wells Fargo Center Nov. 8.
        If epic paranoia over monster themes such as megalomania, mother fixation, loneliness, television, the warring industrial complex and the uselessness of fans and celebrity, accompanied by the sounds of unsettling bombast, is what you seek as entertainment, there's a bridge I can sell you. Or rather, a wall — The Wall, Roger Waters' semi-autobiographical 1979 magnum opus that he's brought to Philadelphia for three nights at the Wells Fargo Center starting last night. Hurry up. Though tickets sold out quickly when the shows were first posted last spring, additional seats have been added for tonight (Nov. 9) and Thursday (Nov. 11). Where arena rock is concerned, Pink Floyd — Waters' own until 1983 when he left the band — wrote the book on it, what with scenic tours for Animals and the original Wall show. But 30 years after its original road show-envisioning and technology has turned The Wall from a manic puppet show (Gerald Scharfe's "mother" and "teacher" are still a big part of the new Wall) with big rickety bricks into a mega-watt beyond-Broadway production — one rife with Cirque-du-helicopter light effects, stunningly fluid projections and rapid fire sloganeering, a slowly erecting/engulfing 36-foot-wall that could be stood atop ("Comfortably Numb" proved best for that job and co-lead vocalist Robbie Wyckoff), ruminatively stared through ("Goodbye Cruel World") and used for pop-up tableaux and generally dwarfing the gangly 67-year-old Waters. Waters, in turn, made the wall itself into a character weary with the futility of warring factions through the doo-wop-ing "Another Brick In The Wall (Part 1)." As hundreds of photos of deceased veterans appeared on its bricks representing the loss we all have, Waters' own emotional distress of having lost his father in World War II comes through like a primal scream. The majestic "Bring the Boys Home" makes the bricks into a waling wall as Waters' creaking voice pleads for connection to those lost. Connection is the name of Waters' game throughout as he stresses, in his highest hard pitch voice, a yearning to get through to his sole remaining parent. Only this time Waters' primarily acoustic "Mother" is accompanied by Waters doing a live double-track duet with footage of himself, black-and-white yet, filmed during a 1980 Earls Court show. "Poor, miserable little Roger," he calls the on-screen visage as the live Waters winces in pain. It's hard to believe that such dissection of personal mythology has been made — once and again — into rabid anthems like the anti-authoritarian "Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2," performed here with a dancing choir of children wearing shirts that read "Fear Builds Walls." Or that spare tracks of disillusionment ("One of My Turns") and spite ("In the Flesh?") would warrant fireworks and rousing fans. But such is the force of personality behind Waters' forlorn tale that the positive aspects of The Wall — to say nothing of the epic potency of its melodies — have made themselves clear. Leonard Cohen once sang (on "Anthem") these lines: "Ring the bells that still can ring Forget your perfect offering There is a crack in everything That's how the light gets in." I'm guessing Waters finally found the crack in The Wall.
        Posted by A.D. Amorosi @ 5:37 PM  Permalink | Post a comment

        ICE CUBE: The List, or: A sausage party with a side of Sweet Dee?
        POSTED: Monday, November 8, 2010, 9:00 PM
        Filed Under: Ice Cubes
        In last week's Icepack, I mentioned that the Greater Philadelphia Film Office (GPFO) and Sharon Pinkenson would be celebrating their 25th anniversary this coming weekend with two — count 'em, two! — parties, both featuring a celeb guest list. There's a private home jawn on Friday somewhere within Philly city limits honoring Gov. Ed Rendell's longtime efforts on behalf of the GPFO that'll welcome supposedly RSVP-ed guests such as Terrence Howard, Lee Daniels, David Morse and M. Night Shyamalan (who all live in the region); Jonathan Demme and Tony Danza (who've worked here); and the Safe crew, including Boaz Yakin, Lawrence Bender and Jason Statham (who're currently filming here).
        The Sunday late-afternoon event at the new Sun Center Studios in Aston, Pa., that honors more than 500 of the area's film and television professionals will so far welcome Danny DeVito — who'll host the 2010 Shoot in Philadelphia Awards Press Conference to announce the 2010 Shoot in Philadelphia Screenwriting Competition winner — as well as DeVito's It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia co-stars Rob McElhenney and Kaitlin Olson. More next week.
        Glorp
        Posted 2010-11-08 22:27:46
        Do people really still use the word "jawn"?
        Posted by A.D. Amorosi @ 9:00 PM  Permalink | Post a comment
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