July 5–12, 2001
naked city
As if South Park wasn’t disturbing enough, Radiohead’ll appear as vengeful stick figures (that’s how I see ’em all the time) on July 11’s episode. On that note, here’s something else you’ll really like: Fans of Monty Python’s Piranha brothers, Doug and Dinsdale — most savage, thieving, doltish (but fair!) criminals known to Greater Sussex — I offer you the Brothers Croce: Vince, the alleged billing-scam former head of Independence Blue Cross (so that’s why my colonoscopy cost $7 million!) and John, the pocket-picking former 76ers conditioning coach (as in I’ll condition your leather wallet by relieving it of all unseemly cash). Add Pat, the wily, wiry workout king who owns the 76ers, and this is a family with serious issues.…
Bad voodoo out there: Remember last week I mentioned Ma Jolie’s money woes? They’re closed. So is my neighboring Triangle Tavern. Where will the Tony Dell Quartet— who haven’t been the same since Dusty Gale left — go? Where there’s room for a Springsteen impersonator who plays "Sledgehammer" with a washboard! The good thing is that suburban assholes too willing to make fun of taproom pranksters Dell and Charlie McMichaels (a genuinely talented guitarist) will have to go to Kathleen’s down the block. Also gone: South Street’s Jambalaya and Philly’s truly elegant Franco-eaterie Ciboulette, said to be reopening in September in new location yet to be determined.…
Madonna freaks, here’s the word. Rumor has it that July 20, the day before her U.S. tour starts in Philly, and July 21, Shampoo’ll block off Seventh Street and its parking lot for an indoor/outdoor rodeo — hay and horses — for a full tilt Madonnaland. Dan Contarino’s booked Mad’s backing singers Donna Delory and Nikki Harris (divas in their own right) to perform. He’ll also have a gospel choir backing DJ Tronco for his "Like a Prayer" re-do, door-boys dressed in mock Dolce & Gabbana cowboy gear (à la Music), rooms dedicated to all Mad-phases (including the bare-assed Sex) and spinning from her infamous remixers Peter Rauhofer, Victor Calderone, Tracy Young, Shep Pettibone and Jellybean Benitez. HBO will promote its August live-from-Detroit special.…
Philly’s Bloodhound Gang are at work at singer Jimmy Pop’s home studio on their new Interscope CD. Who may contribute/produce? ‘N Sync’s goat-boy Chris (the old one) with whom da Gang were speaking backstage at ‘N’s show. In other Interscope/Philly news, label co-founder Ted Field’s other label, ARTISTdirect Records just made Southwest Philly’s rap trio Naam Brigade its first signed artists. MCs Sonni Blak and Eyse da SupaStar are best known for the Power 99 hit "Dey Hot," the station’s long-running mix show theme song.…
Call Spaceboy now and reserve your copy (okay, don’t call) of Cherry Coke, the wackiest one-sheet dissing the piss out of your local fave indie-rawkers.…
At Edan Cohen’s Soundgun studio Songs:Ohia are cutting their new CD for Secretly Canadian records with Jennie (from Jim & Jennie and the Pinetops) singing backup. Cohen is also finishing mixes for a new Philly troupe Sissy Mary that’s absolutely screeching.…
While Dancing Ferret releases the Pet Shop Boy comp Very Introspective, Actually (just in time for the PSB’s Wotaplava tour in Holmdel), the Patrick Rodgers-managed/Nuclear Blast’s Tapping the Vein offer "Cornflake Girl," just one of 13 (spoooky!) covers on Songs of a Goddess: A Tribute to Tori Amos on Cleopatara.…
July 8, Gina Renzi melds dance to trance at Community Education Center with NYC No Wave progenitor Mark Cunningham’s diabolical Convolution, Philly-ite Tara Burke’s bell-and-sad-whistling Fursaxa (check out her new CD Mandrake quick, quick) and PATCO-travelling Murcury. Noise DJ/taped-voice-abuser Cunningham and his wife, Silvia Mestres, will be — as on their eponymous new CD — rattling the bones of ancient Barcelonian illbient cha cha with televisuals and raw trumpeting to match.…
Hey, I didn’t get their new CD, but so what: Undergirl is having its record-release jam at Khyber July 7. Somebody go grab me one.…
Last week’s Ecstasy bust made clubland a wee nervous. Let’s see how it affects this weekend’s attendance…
Sadly, come September’s end, it looks like R5 Productions — Sean Agnew’s indie booking thing celebrating its fifth anniversary — will no longer use The Rotunda. Apparently (but amicably) Agnew’s punk shows didn’t fit with UofP’s desires for the venue. Word has Agnew currently scouting three locations (non-Penn) and seeking partners for a new room. If that don’t work, Agnew could be Chi-town bound. Find him a venue in West Philly!…
DJ Rahsaan kicks up cha-cha heels with DJLucas July 7 at Shampoo for CULTURA, a party for Latino community outreach art center Taller Puertorriqueño.…
Call Tommy Up, thank him for P-Street and wish him a happy b-day.…
After opening for Teenage Fanclub at TLA July 11, Cordalene will knock off a "mini-album," Stumble and Fall, for release in two weeks.