PA celebration of all things naughty this year
Featuring the comedy of host Eugene Mirman (Sub Pop) and the indie pop/rock madness of Apollo Sunshine (SpinArt) and The Teeth (Park the Van)
Limited $12 tickets for an intimate evening of music and gift bags filled to the brim with 7-inches, CDs, stickers, buttons, and more from Astralwerks, SpinArt, Fat Wreck Chords, Polyvinyl, Insound, Tom Vek, Bloc Party, the Doves, British Sea Power, Son Volt, Rilo Kiley, Hanin Elias, and more.
Eugene Mirman is a comedian, writer, and filmmaker based in New York City (where, according to commercials, salsa is terrible). As a child, he emigrated from Russia and experienced a John Cusack 80's high school movie life. Eugene attended Hampshire College in Western Massachusetts, where he designed his own Comedy major. Eugene has appeared on several TV shows, including Late Night With Conan O'Brien, Comedy Central's Premium Blend and Jump Cuts, VH1, Third Watch, Cartoon Network's Home Movies, and more. He also played a spokes-potato on Food Network and other oddities on various programs. Eugene recently released The Absurd Nightclub Comedy of Eugene Mirman, a CD/DVD on Suicide Squeeze Records. The album was voted one of the Best Albums of 2004 by both The Onion and Time Out New York. Eugene has appeared at the HBO US Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen, the Montreal Just For Laughs Festival, Bumbershoot, and South By Southwest. His weekly standup-variety show Invite Them Up, which he co-produces with Bobby Tisdale and Holly Schlesinger, recently won a Nightlife Award from an organization called The Nightlife Awards. No one knows exactly who they are, but Tony Danza was there and so was one of the Golden Girls. Eugene is also a frequent guest at Tinkle, a show hosted by Todd Barry, David Cross, and Jon Benjamin. Often touring the country, Eugene occasionally opens for the comedy troupe Stella (former members of The State), various bands, or with others. Eugene has opened for The Shins and toured with Modest Mouse and Yo La Tengo.
Since the release of their 2003 spinART debut album, Katonah, Apollo Sunshine has thrilled audiences. Their unique and eclectic sound - from avant-garde noise experiment to ultra-melodic pop, to rock, to punk (sometimes all within one song), combined with quite possibly one of the best live shows you will ever see (a controlled rock chaos of pedal steel, guitar, bass, double necked guitar/bass combo, two handtaped-together keyboards/samplers, percussion, drums and how the hell does he play bass with his left hand, keyboard with his right and sing lead vocal?!), have left audiences screaming, dedicated, breathless and unable to hold still! The New York Times says "...in its own songs, bouncy 60's-style melodies crack wide open, breaking into outbursts of pummeling and feedback before jumping back into the tune. It's all neatly and cleverly plotted, but with a looming chaos that's anything but nostalgic." Their debut release and live shows garnered incredible reviews nationally. Apollo Sunshine were named one of "THE bands to watch" in 2004 by Alternative Press magazine, voted "Best New Band" by the readers of the Boston Phoenix. The Boston Herald placed them #3 on the top 5 Things To Change The Face Of Boston Arts and Entertainment in 2004 (#4 was the Democratic National Convention). The New York Post called it, "Electronically twisted power pop," and Real Detroit Weekly said, "A wild bonanza of colorful rock candy."
The Onion says: “For those who go looking for the unclassifiable, The Teeth's EP Carry the Wood (Park the Van) sounds like... well, bassist Peter MoDavis compares it to the movie Punch Drunk Love. That's not a bad way to describe songs that twinkle, swoop, sting, and bang. Other relevant movies: The Rocky Horror Picture Show, Harold and Maude, Head, and the last 20 minutes or so of Behind the Green Door.”
And CMJ adds: “Ostensibly born with identical vocal cords, twin brothers Aaron and Peter MoDavis's harmonies on Carry The Wood are thicker than blood as they cull Brit rock from the Kinks to Costello. Peter's sweet falsetto on "So Long" gingerly eases the listener inside. That is, until lead guitarist Brian Ashby and drummer Jonas Oesterle join the family reunion where chords are crunchy, the beat is always on time and the attitude is just a tad punk. Further contrasting syrupy and acidic are "Bessie" and "I Love You," which stir the departed Exploding Hearts' new wave cool and add happy brass and bells along the way. Mid-tempo gardening parable-of-sorts "Carry The Wood" and acoustic "Wake" keep things cool in between.”