MUSIC
Friday, Nov. 12: Ariel Pink’s Haunted Graffiti and Os Mutantes with Old King Cole the Younger, the Trocadero, $17–19 Ariel Pink has been making music for years, recording over 500 lo–fi tracks in his bedroom by using his mouth and even his armpits as percussive instruments. When Animal Collective found his demo on the floor of their van, they immediately signed him to their record label in 2003. Now signed to 4AD, Pink and friends have earned Pitchfork’s BNM accolade with Before Today. Brazilian freak–folksters Os Mutantes are sure to provide a perfect compliment for an evening of psychedelic soundscapes. Tuesday, November 16: Azure Ray with Tim Fite, James Husband, Johnny Brenda’s, $12 One of the most successful acts to call Saddle Creek Records (Colin Oberst’s Omaha–based label) home, Alabama–bred dream–pop duo Azure Ray released only one EP with SCR before going their separate ways. Reuniting in 2009 for a string of shows, it seems the ladies realized it was meant to be and put out a new record, Drawing Down the Moon in September.
THEATER
Now — Nov. 21: Punchkapow, Team Sunshine Performance Corporation, Arts Underground at the Wolf Building, $12–20 Drawing on all the conventions of comics, video games, anime and all the essential elements of nerd fanboy culture, Punchkapow explores the bounds between fantasy and reality. Chock full of ninja brutality and stage violence, the inaugural performance of TSunPCo (featuring Pig Iron Theatre alumnus Alex Torra) is sure to have audiences ROFLing. November 12 — Nov. 12 –13: My Salvation Has a First Name: A Wienermobile Journey, First Person Arts at the Painted Bride, $12–15 This one–woman show tells the true story of a cross–country adventure as one of Oscar Meyer’s “Hot Doggers” — drivers who tool around America in the company’s iconic 23–foot promotional wieners. Robin Gelfenbien’s tale sees her employment lift her out of a college confidence crisis and the characters she encounters along the way (like an uptight corporate “fixer”) are perfect comic fodder.
ART Now – Nov. 21 — Andrew Zangerle — The Big Sea, Art Star Gallery, Free Local artist Andrew Zangerle is an admitted logophile. Fascinated by the English alphabet, he decorates wood panels with miscelaneous words in the style of rustic cornershop signs. This exhibit explores the disconnect between signifier and signified, and gives the viewer a few phrases to chuckle at along the way. You may even want to take home “Welcome to the Crapper” to hang above your porcelain throne.
