➤ Two weird things have happened that will affect your immediate dance future: Whisper — the way-better-than-Rumor-but-man-that-ain’t-saying-much nightclub on Walnut Street — went to a “no dancing” format, as management/ownership forgot to renew its dancehall license. (You can’t break, lock, robot or frug without the proper paperwork.) Whisper stayed open and promised all would be well by this week, but wow, how Footloose. Then there’s the shuttering of South Broad’s bad-girl go-go place, Dolphin Tavern. Months ago I wrote how owners were throwing a Dolphinapalooza of punk bands to raise needed cash — guess it didn’t earn enough. So they (and I) are appealing to the better angels of your nature: Give till it hurts. (They aren’t offering lap-dance Kickstarter incentives, but it’s an idea.)
➤ Rumor has it that old-school real-estate agent Michael Singer has leased his Red Sky space on Market Street to new-school real-estate agent Richard Moore. They’re dizzily casting bread on the waters for managers and how-to hints for getting into the restaurant biz. People who don’t know what they’re doing should stay out of the game.
➤ Talent runs in the family when it comes to the Yuill-DiMarcos. John DiMarco’s missus Jennifer Yuill is a jazz-singing, piano-slinging composer/lyricist with smartly sensual albums (including Way Down Deep) to her name. Daughter Julia, who goes by the handle Words of Exposure, followed in mom’s footsteps, but ended up somewhere radically different. There’s an acoustic soulful Laura Nyro-meets-Bon Iver vibe to W.O.E.’s music. Her upcoming EP is a greatly anticipated affair; so too is her show on Aug. 17 at Penn Oaks Golf Club (150 Penn Oaks Drive, West Chester, 6 p.m.). Get there early.
➤ One of the great things about chef Christopher Kearse is his determination. Kearse beat down what could’ve been the permanently debilitating injuries of a year-2000 car accident and has since risen through the ranks of Philadelphia’s finest nosheries, not just finding his place in the sun, but his own restaurant — Will BYOB on East Passyunk Avenue. When I spoke with him this spring, he gave me a date of Aug. 24 for his French-inspired nook. Those who know their restaurant culture know that dates are as soft as custard, but Kearse is standing firm. He’s not only put reservations up for the Aug. 24 “big day,” he’s crediting his crew and his neighborhood with helping out. “Things are going perfectly,” says Kearse, who has one last inspection this week. “We made it clear to everyone what the opening date was. The guys we have putting together every aspect of the place are hard-working, great and live in the area. There’s a real community feel going on.” Kearse is so cool, who wouldn’t want to help?
Icepack gets illustrated at citypaper.net/criticalmass.
