ON THE TOWN: The celebrity spotlight was...

ON THE TOWN: The celebrity spotlight was definitely on when Terence Trent D’Arby hit center stage for his late show the other night at the Palace. Billy Idol was downstairs, standing on tiptoes trying to get a better view. Also in circulation, looking for a good seat, were ex-Revolution members Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman (Wendy with her twin sister); Harry Dean Stanton, Lisa Bonet, Bangles’ Susanna Hoffs and Vicki Peterson, Justine Bateman, Henry Winkler, hot-shot Hollywood producer Joel Silver and Virgin Records chief Jeff Ayeroff, who looked like he couldn’t wait to find a D’Arby of his own. The quip of the night, from an A & R exec who’s obviously endured the rock hall’s impenetrable acoustics hundreds of times: “Now we know Terence really has a great voice--you can even hear him on the Palace sound system!”. . . .

Talk about a crowd--this time to see last weekend’s Oingo Boingo shows at Irvine Meadows. We’re not saying the band has any intention of leaving its current home at MCA Records. But geez--there were so many Capitol Records staffers in the audience that we’d bet if they all held hands, they could’ve stretched all the way around Ken Kragan’s house. . . .

And it seemed as if every metalhead was out at RIP Magazine’s first anniversary bash at the Cathouse. That includes Lemmy of Motorhead, Ratt’s Stephen Pearcy, Blackie Lawless, Lita Ford and members of about five dozen other head-banger ensembles as well as (those Bangles again) Susanna Hoffs and Vicki Peterson, who were introduced to (everybody’s) childhood idol--Sly Stone.