I've noticed a new trend: impromptu rock star philanthropy. Allow me to elaborate. I was charmed when Sub Pop's Steve Manning told me of comedian David Cross' benevolence after his recent show at the Showbox. After a fan of opening act Ultra Baby Fat told him she'd slipped during the set and injured her arm but couldn't afford to go to the emergency room, the Mr. Show star reached into his pocket, peeled off a hundo, and said to the gal, "Get thee to a hospital!" Then last week, after Andrew W. K. played the Graceland, he stood outside the venue signing autographs, and some kid handed the star his water bill to sign. When Andrew W. K. realized it was a shut-off notice, he told the kid to hang on, ran into his tour bus, and came out with, you guessed it, a hundo, and saved the kid from dying of thirst. The Get Up Kids visited the Cha Cha after their fun all-ages show last Monday, June 17. Keyboard player James Dewees recognized my pal Kim Warnick tending bar and tried to tip according to how much he loves her old band, the Fastbacks. A modesty/appreciation war ensued, and Dewees finally won out when Warnick had her back turned to the tip jar. He came in again the next night, and between both visits, let's just say he handed off way more than a hundo, outdoing even Andrew W. K. in his philanthropy. Then after the Queens of the Stone Age show, there was the dinner party of at least 13 gathered at Belltown eatery Flying Fish, featuring Dave Grohl, Krist Novoselic, my pal Kim, and a starstruck Frankie Chan, drummer from Super Magnificent Action Trio, who could barely speak, given his drumming idol was sitting RIGHT THERE. Needless to say, dinner was comped. Three days later, at the mob-scene party for Botch held late-night-style at the Camlin, Chan was still swooning over having dined with Grohl, and when he told me they'd shared a fish taco, I informed him that meant they'd been intimate. And speaking of that party, it was one that will go down in history, for sure. Total rager, and not one Van Patten (well, maybe a couple, dang it) in the mix. Among the crowd were not only the celebrated members of Botch, but Kurt Bloch, members of Death Cab for Cutie, Minus the Bear, Blood Brothers, Teen Cthulhu, Milemarker, and members of Ugly Casanova--who had just played a fine, if nervous, set over at the Crocodile. I cracked up when Isaac Brock looked at me and said, "We're at a Botch party," like he knew it was the last place anyone expected either of us to turn up, and to remain way past sun-up was just plain crazy.
Okay, now for the big news. All last week everyone connected to the club scene was buzzing about the rumor that Chop Suey has been sold. As of press time, according to owner Linda Dershang, no deal has gone through, and she was not looking to sell the club at all until another club owner made an offer too good to disregard. Currently, she and her partners are mulling it over, but it sounds like if the sale does go through, not much will change, and booker/kickass party gal Kerri Harrop and charmingly professional bar manager Quentin will remain in their positions. All details will be in next week's It's My Party, so stay tuned.
