GOSSIP SHOULD HAVE NO FRIENDS

[August 10th, 2005] TOILET RAWK: Plumbers' crack wasn't displayed at Friday night's swanky concert held deep in the bowels of Northwest Portland's mega-sized George Morlan Plumbing Supply. The ultra-exclusive customer-appreciation event featured valet parking and faucets as prizes, as well as a gig by Starship's Mickey "We Built This City" Thomas , Toto's Bobby Kimball and Santana's Alex Ligertwood . That lineup suggests the truth of the classic saying: "Old rockers don't die, they just perform closer to bathroom fixtures."

MODEL UNIT: P-town's beautiful people will have a new gathering spot come September. Q6 Model & Artist Management is moving its HQ to Jupiter Hotel , lower East Burnside's always jumpin' scenester haunt. "It's the perfect opportunity for scouting new talent," says Q6 owner Justin Habel.

SHORT STORY: Every August, some 3,000 to 5,000 people have flocked to drummer Obo Addy 's Homowo Festival , which transforms the South Park Blocks into a riotous African village full of drumming and dancing . But this year the two-day fest will be scaled waaay back to a single afternoon of fireside storytelling in the Pearl District's Jamison Square. What gives? "The organization has been losing money every year, and it all comes down to the festival," says Homowo's managing director, Sinéad Kimbrell . "We weren't willing to give up our big summer event, but we really wanted to break even this year." The fest's slimmer new format boasts an intriguing draw, though, as one of Addy's guest storytellers will be Mayor Tom Potter .