Your schedule may be packed, but not like Questlove’s. Along with The Roots’ new album this week (“… And Then You Shoot Your Cousin”), May 31’s Roots Picnic at Festival Pier and the Fourth of July Wawa Welcome America! extravaganza on the Parkway, Quest is DJ-ing the after-party for Marc Vetri’s Alex’s Lemonade Stand Great Chefs Event at the Navy Yard on June 10. Now, he’s quietly announced he’ll executive produce VH1’s “Soundclash” starting July 23 with weekly host Diplo (you may know him as a DJ, a former Philadelphian or Katy Perry’s beau) and guests including Ed Sheeran and Lil Wayne.
When Eagles linebacker Connor Barwin hit I-House’s “Global Gala: Colors of Brazil” bash Saturday, there was buzz about a big announcement coming from his camp. Barwin delivered, claiming June 20 at Union Transfer for his Make the World Better Foundation concert starring Philly’s Kurt Vile and benefiting Ralph Brooks Park in Point Breeze.
Local radio legend Jerry Blavat took Philadelphia’s Low Cut Connie and its frontman Adam Weiner under his wing after hearing the rockabilly band’s “Call Me Sylvia,” and booked them into the Kimmel last January. Label shopping until recently (Weiner says they’re signed, with a Winter 2015 release date), Low Cut Connie recorded Blavat’s rapid-fire patter for their next album, which features saxophonist Lou Capozzoli from Ray’s Happy Birthday Bar in South Philly. They’ll repay Blavat’s favor by appearing at the Geator’s Memories in Margate May 25. “Plus we’re doing an EP with Jerry and producer Ben Vaughn of Philly Cameo-Parkway soul classics this summer,” says Weiner.
Seen on the scene
• Her Wells Fargo Center concert received critical lumps, but at least Lady Gaga got love from her beau, “Chicago Fire”’s Taylor Kinney, who attended last week’s gig.
• Historic Philadelphia Inc.’s “An Evening in Franklin Square” last Thursday featured a horse “race” on the carousel and dinner by Brulee Catering, With Beasley Reece auctioneering, Ed Rendell put himself up for bid — not once, but twice — as a City Tavern dinner date. Historic Philadelphia raised over $240,000.
• Actress/faux hair entrepreneur Vivica A. Fox welcomed pals and associates to dine at Ruth’s Chris Steak House last Friday. She wasn’t just looking to eat, she was in town shooting catalogs for her eponymously named hair collection at the Power Plant on N. Second St.