Whoops, it's been six and a half years since I updated this page! From now on, let's just say, you should probably keep up with Googz occurrences at the events page or by following Pancake Productions on FaceBook.
Thanks be to all who came to this year's Xmas Round II event. I truly believe this sixth one was the greatest yet, pretty much by far...very far. I hope everyone had fun (everything indicated as such); all of the acts were spectacular, the art was great, and people seemed to get into the holiday spirit. From start to finish it was just pretty danged solid all around. If I ever do that crossword-puzzle-thing again, it'll be better thought-out, I promise...it's just the nature of the beast, you gotta make do with what ya have, and when I found out like the night before that the Three Bald Men reading group of Chicago wasn't coming, I had to fill the time with somethin' else.
Next year promises to take XRII on kind of a different route (hopefully)...stay tuned for more on that (rest assured that circus peanuts and beef stick snacks will be in no short supply). It will be TIGHT! See ya on January 12th, my friends.
Today's issue of the Riverfront Times has given XRII a write-up! In fact it is one of the "Critics' Picks"! A small write-up, but it's nice to see XRII finally get recognized as it deserves...let's hope this becomes a regular thing. Read the Xmas Round II write-up at its original location or read it as I've copied it here:
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Did you get everything you wanted for Christmas? If not, trot your arse on down to the Lemp Neighborhood Arts Center for the sixth annual Xmas Round II, a variety show and craft fair. Headlining is Chicago duo Herc, a band that mixes ski masks, cheap suits and accordions into a shambolic sideshow. Folkie-about-town Jesse Irwin also performs, along with electro-spaz Superfun Yeah Yeah Rocketship. Local artists Brian McNearny, George Gittens and Lizzy Snyder show off their crafty wares, which should make great post-holiday gifts for all the people you forgot during the first go-round. |
Thank you, Christian Schaeffer, for that. It might not be entirely correct (Brian's last name is spelled wrong, George isn't going to end up exhibiting, Courtney and Dan did exhibit, and were always intended to do so, no mention of Googolplexia or Misung & The Keyboards, and also, "cheap suits"? "craft fair"? ...Okay!), and you might not have ended up attending in spite of the write-up you so graciously proffered, but I do certainly appreciate the sentiment all the same.
Googolplexia has been playing shows steadily, which you can see on thet shows page. I played at the Salon hosted by friends Paul and Rosie Velat, back in September, and that was jawsome for sure. Also, back on the 18th of November, I laid down some accordion tracks for the forthcoming Ottomen release of new recordings of old songs, which I understand is to be entitled Back to the Past (not to be confused with the compilation they released earlier this year, which was a compilation of the original recordings of some old songs--a "greatest hits" of sorts).
Be sure to mark all of your calendars for the Mustardfish Bert Dax release on Friday, the 15th of December at Lemmon's. Also (and perhaps more importantly), make sure you're at the Lemp Neighborhood Arts Center on January 12th (as always), 2007 for the 6th annual Xmas Round II Musical Bonanza Blowout! I know I say it (almost) every year, but this year it promises to be better than ever before, and will comprise an art show, the regular live acts, some readings, HERC, and your good friend Googolplexia might just make an appearance (someone has to sing the XRII theme song, after all...right?).
Also, I finally decided "what the heck!" and uploaded the Shawn Yates mixes of the seven songs recorded by the Roadkill All-Stars and myself. Not the greatest recordings of the songs, as they were done live, and the vocals never re-done, but the mixes are good, and the recording quality is otherwise solid. Again, visit the MUSIC page for those!
"I love it."
"I listened to it three times in a row! Thank you!"
"'Holiday' is...well...rockin'."
"This could be the best holiday song I've ever heard."
Thanks to the authors of those quotes, even if you don't know who you are or remember saying these particular things.