This review is brought to you by the talented Tim Franklin!

The Ship of Fools certainly knows its audience, and caters to them. It was standing-room-only on April
8th, as the performing arm of the Purdue Improv Club (known as the Ship of Fools) took the stage at
Greyhouse Coffee & Supply Co. (yes we can have crepe sundaes!) to perform in front of a packed house.
Amid the shouts of “Huzzah!” and slow-clapping that are the trademarks of the SoF – and it’s audience
– they performed an hour and a half long set of short-form improv games, led by their moderator and
host, “Lucky” Luke Poole.

For those who may not know, a short-form improv show consists of games that have some sort of rule
or gimmick the players have to follow. (Think Who’s Line Is It Anyway?) One of the more successful
games SoF performed is called “Eliminator”, where a scene is acted out with four people. They then
eliminate one person, and redo the scene with only 3, and then so on until it’s just 1 person left
performing all four parts. It is a very effective game, though a lot of work for whoever is left standing at
the end. Eric “Beard” Talbert was quite entertaining in this final role.

A few other memorable games were “The Clap”, in which several scenes are carried out, each using
the last line of the one before it to carry on chronologically with a different timeline, “Chain Murder
Mystery”, an improv regular in which three or four participants play a mime and gibberish game of
telephone with a murder twist, and “Three Things”, a favorite of the Ship of Fools in which an action is
carried out with mundane objects replaced with fantastical ones supplied by the audience(for example,
Brant “Rubble” Bell was parachuting, but instead of a parachute, he was saved by Jesus popping out of
his backpack). Three Things in particular is a strong game for SoF.

Their show is marked by a certain type of humor though, which is great for some, but may be off-putting
for others. It did seem that much of their audience came from their weekly open forums (as part of the
Purdue Improv Club, they hold open improv forums in which anyone can come play improv. This is also
where they find new members), and as a result some of the jokes seemed a bit internal. At times, much
of the audience would laugh at a reference to something that seemed to have happened at some other
time. This left others confused, and wanting to know just what was so funny. Also, many of the audience
suggestions come from a particular thread of pop culture that includes things like Star Wars, Star Trek,
Harry Potter, and iconic old-school “retro” cartoons and movies. Cult classics, things like that. This is
fine, as long as you don’t mind at times alienating a bit of your audience. (Just to be clear, I was not
alienated at all. I love Star Wars and The Magic Schoolbus.) At one point, host Luke Poole was heard to
comment “Man, we’re such a bunch of nerds”.

This is, of course, as I said, completely fine. To each his own style of comedy. And I am not saying I did
not enjoy myself. If I were to nitpick, I would say that yes, the jokes were a bit nerdy, and maybe it did
run a bit on the long side (an hour and a half, remember?), but for a group that performs a weekly 2-
hour forum for a regular audience, this does not seem too far out of their normal realm. The important
things to remember are that yes, we did laugh (a lot), and yes, there was a lack of available seats due
to so many people cramming into this coffee shop to see the Ship of Fools perform. You can’t get much
more successful than that.

More information on the Ship of Fools and their weekly forums (7pm on Fridays in Beering Hall) can be found on their website, http://web.ics.purdue.edu/~improv/.

Please welcome Tim Franklin, new writer and official comedy connoisseur, to the blog!

It was Friday, and people were laughing. The Crazy Monkeys, Purdue’s longest-running improvisational comedy group, took the stage in Matthews Hall (room 210) on Feb. 11 and performed an hour-long set comprised of quick, short-form high-energy show games. Ever seen Whose Line Is It Anyway? It’s like that. But without Drew Carey (who was a Marine, believe it or not).

The Monkeys started out big, in a game called interpretive dance. In this game, participating members dance out a historical event, each of them having been given a specific role to play (in this case, they acted out the death of Cleopatra). An audience member who was previously removed from the auditorium then has to guess the event and each player’s role. Joe Flores, a senior member of the group, played the particularly convincing part of a poisonous snake, hampered in his deadly goal only by Cleopatra (played by Dennis Corcoran) herself as (s)he pranced around the stage, just out of reach. The Monkeys had planned on having music, but technical difficulties led to member Kelsey VanVoorst providing music of her own for them to dance to.

Dashing across the stage. Credit: Tim Franklin

The night was a celebration of short form, as they followed up this first act with games like Countdown (players repeat a scene 5 times, each twice as fast as the previous edition, until they end with 15 seconds backwards), Slo-Mo Sports (contestants battle out mundane tasks in slow motion – underwater ironing in this case), and Deaf Interp (two people talk while a third acts out their conversation through miming actions).

The game Sex is Like was, as usual, a crowd-pleaser as they took everyday objects and related them (in most cases, uncomfortably so) to sex. For example, as member Tom Zaglaras told us, “Sex is like a grapefruit because sometimes it squirts right in your eyes.”

Tom had another memorable line in the game Oscar-Winning Moment, where players act out a regular scene, but throughout that scene they may have to be overly dramatic. Tom’s Oscar-winning moment happened to come as he was explaining a drug addiction, which spawned the line “I tried to snort a policeman! Right is left, up is down, ALL IS COCAINE!” Tears to my eyes, heart all a-flutter, Oscar in the bag.

They ended up their show with Last Line Freezes, a fast-paced scenic game where two people act out a scene, off-stage members call out “freeze”, the on-stage players stop in place, and the freezer tags one out. The cuts are fast, so the jokes have to come to fruition quickly, and it usually is a great game for keeping energy high at the end of a show. This particular show was a great example of this – the energy in the room continually built, and held up at a high level for the entire duration – always a good thing to have for comedy.

If you happened to miss this show, any upcoming events can be found on Facebook, Twitter, or their website. You’ll definitely want to check them out out.

–Tim Franklin

5. If you were on Myspace 6 years ago, you may have noticed teenybopper girls (ahem, not me) posting the line, “Your Love is My Heart Disease” to their profiles. Meet the source of that quote:

4. Mayday Parade shows us that boys cry too. Even over women of questionable repute.

3. This list wouldn’t be complete without some “WHOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAA”

2. Motion City Soundtrack gives a great suggestion for the broken hearted:

1. Of course, My Chemical Romance tops the list. A tip of the hat for the attempt at symbolism.

THE FRIENDS OF BOB PRESENT:

CEDRIC WATSON & BIJOU CREOLE

8:00 pm| Lafayette Brewing Co. | Lafayette, IN | $13

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—FRIDAY FEBRUARY 11

JOHN DAVEY/LOGAN MASON/GORDON WANTUCH

All Ages | 6:00 pm | Jurassic Park | West Lafayette, IN | $5 Donation

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8-BIT REVIVAL/THE LOCALS/WHY I LIKE ROBINS

21+| 10:00 pm | Black Sparrow | Lafayette, IN | $4

—SATURDAY FEBRUARY 12

BigColour (pic kinda related)

Dear Friends,

I love writing this blog, but I don’t want it to be “my blog” anymore. Our music scene is far too awesome for one person to cover it part-time. We gotta take it to the next level.

So, I need your help.

I’m looking for a team of folks who can create interesting content for a DIY blog about our local (ish) music scene (think: Girl at the Show 2.0). This content includes (but is not limited to) reports on live shows, photographs, music reviews, short articles, cultural essays, sassy rants, and random thoughts.

I’m open to anyone who possesses the following:

1) love of music

2) strong writing skills

3) ability to laugh at one’s self

Ideal candidates include:

Aspiring journalists, writers & cultural critics, aspiring music industry moguls, music snobs, vinyl fanatics, hipsters, hipster haters, coffee shop junkies, fanboys, fangirls, undergrads, grad students, liberal arts kids, wannabe liberal arts kids, social media nerds, post-modernists, bloggers, people who read SPIN, people who hate SPIN, etc.

If I just described you, I want to hear from you! Send an email of introduction to girlattheshow@gmail.com

Please RT and re-post!

Peace,

Louise

(The original Girl at the Show)

Remember Oh My God? Their guitarist, Zachariah, also does bass and vocals for The Kickback. And they’re playing the Black Sparrow on Friday (1/28) at 10 pm! This intriguing quintet is from South Dakota, by way of Chicago. I’m pretty sure the Sparrow regulars will love them, as  their Facebook interests include “English majors” and “post-postmodernism.”

Their Great Self Love EP delivers melodic yet trotting indie rock. Billy Yost’s (lead vox) voice reminds so much of someone else, but I can’t quite put my finger on who it is. Like a grungier Adam Levine? (Maybe?) Great tone nonetheless.

You can preview Friday’s show by visiting their Myspace or Facebook page.  “Like” them on Facebook and you can listen to most tracks off the Great Self Love EP for free!

LINKS:

Facebook

Blog/Podcasts

Myspace

Twitter

Over the last few days I’ve been listening to The Volcano Diary, an indie electroacoustic trio from Seattle.  If you’re a super hipster snob (and I say that lovingly), you’ll likely hear a familiar voice on their self-titled debut.  Alicia Dara (vox) has a formidable solo career behind her, including the acclaimed The Secret Dream of Tigers. For this latest project, Dara brought together the talents of Gus Palaskas (guitar) and Dave Bush (drums).

The Volcano Diary performs skillfully executed indie pop with alt-country undertones. Their quietly intriguing sound is characterized by soft, introspective vocals over soothing electroacoustic background. Dara’s voice is definitely a strong point. It has the distinct ability to slide from airy to solid in the course of one measure. While the album is mostly guitar-driven, it features welcome guest appearances by organ, strings, and lapsteel.

The first track, “Revival,” begins with a simple repetitive acoustic riff, followed by Dara’s ethereal voice. There’s a nice layering of guitar on this track–a hint at what’s to come. “Volcano” is more ambient, led by a chimey acoustic guitar melody.  “Error Message”  delivers one of the best lines on the album, in a kick-to-the-stomach sort of way: “If you feel you reached this message in error, then I guess that I was wrong.”

Most of the songs advance at a deliberate, sauntering pace.  The energy picks up toward the end, with the rhythmically-driven “Pacifica” and “Lightning Seed.” “Freezerburn” is a particular departure from earlier songs on the album, passing the baton to bass and drum.

Performing “Lightning Seed” in Seattle on December 16, 2010

The Volcano Diary is a strong acoustic indie album, and that’s also my greatest complaint. They demonstrate fabulous parsimony in their songwriting. (And I’m using parsimony in the way you’d describe a quick, but hard-hitting line of poetry.) Yet in spite (or because of) the thoughtfulness in their songs, they seem to play it a little too safe. I’ll be interested to see how their sound unleashes in the next few years.

I know I have some acoustic fanatics lurking around here, so weigh in. Give The Volcano Diary a listen and let me know what you think.

On a final note, The Volcano Diary should definitely stop by local acoustic mecca, Greyhouse, if they ever venture out to Indiana.

The Volcano Diary is available now on CD baby and the band’s website.

LINKS:

http://thevolcanodiary.com/

Facebook [FREE DOWNLOAD of “Revival”]

MySpace

**Friday, not Saturday

—SATURDAY JANUARY 22

BIG COLOUR/GLITTERBONES

All Ages | 6:00 pm | Jurassic Park | West Lafayette, IN | $5 Donation

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UV HIPPO/STRANGE ARRANGEMENT/NO HAY BANDA

All Ages | 8:00 pm | Lafayette Theater | Lafayette, IN | $10/12 DOS

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Friends of Bob present: MARSHALL CRENSHAW/BOTTLE ROCKETS

8:00 pm | Lafayette Brewing Co. | Lafayette, IN | $14/$17 DOS

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UNCLE BUCK’S MOJO BOX/THE KLOPECKS

10:00 pm | Knickerbocker Saloon | Lafayette, IN | $5

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FAREWELL FIGHTER/STEREO SHOUT OUT/ALL THE RIGHT MOVES/AUSTIN MORRIS/DROP OUT KID/WE ARE FOREVER

All Ages | 6:00 pm | Emerson Theater | Indianapolis, IN| $8/10 DOS

—SUNDAY JANUARY 23

WITHIN THE RUINS/AT LIGHTS END/VIRES/THE ROOM COLORED CHARLATAN/

AWAKEN O’ SLEEPER/ALL THINGS PAST

All Ages | 6:30 pm | Emerson Theater | Indianapolis, IN| $10

—MONDAY JANUARY 24

ROYAL/ARTIFEX PEREO/PRICES ON OUR HEADS/

DISAPPEARING IN BROAD DAYLIGHT

All Ages | 6:30 pm | Emerson Theater | Indianapolis, IN| $8

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WE ARE HEX

21+ | 10:00 pm | Black Sparrow Pub | Lafayette, IN

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UP 2-11/EMBER BURNS AWAY/THEN CAME GOODBYE/

DON’T CALL IT A COMEBACK/WILL SHARAYA

All Ages | 6:30 pm | Emerson Theater | Indianapolis, IN | $8

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JIM VOELZ & THE LOW BLOWS/SNORB!/BETTER BIDNESS BUREAU

9:00 pm | Lafayette Brewing Co. | Lafayette, IN | $5

—SATURDAY JANUARY 8

All Ages | 6:00 pm | Emerson Theater | Indianapolis, IN | $12 (DOS)

—SUNDAY JANUARY 9

DIRT DAUBERS/ANDY MANES

9:00 pm | Lafayette Brewing Co. | Lafayette, IN | $7

—MONDAY JANUARY 10

MCR fans at the Chicago House of Blues 12/15

Right now we are standing in the freezing cold air, waiting for our toes to fall off our feet. We’ve been here for ages. Good thing is, there’s other people here now.

Lorie Way  shivers as she chats with me outside the House of Blues in Chicago. It’s just after 9:00 am, and already there are 8 people in line for the evening’s My Chemical Romance show. If concert-going were an Olympic event, Lorie and her friend would have won the gold medal—they were the first to arrive at the venue. And they probably traveled the greatest distance–from Australia! By the time I got to chatting with Lorie, she and her friend had spent 12 hours braving the fierce December cold—all to secure a coveted spot in the front row.

The other folks in line appear cold, but spirited. More (overwhelmingly white and female) fans would join the line as the day went on. And wait. And wait. For hours on end. All in hopes of getting just a few feet closer to Gerard Way & co. There’s eyeliner, boots, and lovingly homemade killjoy outfits. Many prepared well for the wait, with blankets, bottled water, and ipods to pass the time. Most came with friends, or the occasional cool mom.

This is what popular music fandom looks like.

I’ve experienced this scene so many times, it’s become mundane. I typically line up 5-9 hours ahead of doors for major concerts, much to the dismay of my family and friends. They are dumbfounded at my lust for the front row, and appalled by my nonchalance about traveling alone to new cities. (I’m the lone rocker in my posse).

So, what inspires this kind of fandom? It’s a question I ask myself a lot lately. Why do I transform into a giggly fangirl before seeing my favorite bands? Why am I willing to rearrange work and school schedules, squat in friends’ houses, travel alone, and wait hours on end to see them? What makes me (and others) like these bands so damn much? I think MCR fandom can shed some light on this question.

One of the most polarizing bands on the modern rock scene, MCR also boasts some of the most vehement fans around. A quick google search reveals a slew of blogs, message boards, Facebook pages, tumblrs, and twitter accounts dedicated to the band and their supposed life-saving powers. Some fans have seen the band 14 times. I even met a woman who dropped out of college, just shy of graduation, to follow the Black Parade tour around the country.

London MCR Fans (2008)

Many ask “Why?!” And it’s a good question. Why do all of this, why travel across the world and camp out over night for a show? So I posed it to Lorie:

I get that question a lot [since] I just came off tour with Greenday. I do it because I love them, because I want to be close to them. And the only way to be close to them is camp out and put in the effort. A lot of people complain and get into fights in line and stuff, but if you don’t put in the effort [to wait], you don’t deserve it.

Many fans feel understood by MCR’s music in a cosmic way. The blaring individualism and emotional warfare in their songs both pierces and fortifies fans. Gerard Way  even acknowledged this special connection onstage in 2007:

“Some of you feel like the only place you fit in is at a show like this. That’s not the case. Because…we’re all outcasts in our own way; we all belong in this world and we all fit in in this world!”**

That uplifting message is the reason why “MCR saved my life!” has become a slogan among fans. Websites, t-shirts and posters have spread this message to the point of near-cliché. Yet it’s not  to be taken lightly. I asked Lorie what MCR’s music meant to her:

So much. It’s the biggest cliché when everyone says My Chemical Romance saves my life because everyone says that now…but back in the day when they did save my life it wasn’t a cliché.

In many ways, these misfits from New Jersey provide a sense of affirming validation for those who never felt they quite “fit in.” And that validation (or whatever you want to call it) comes from both their music and the story of the band. In a culture that bombards us with messages about “how we should be” these guys show that you can be weird and fucked up, yet perfectly awesome. I think that sense of validation–of seeing your own truth in something else–is what converts casual listeners to diehards. And this notion carries well beyond MCR fandom.

The truth is, we’re all fans of something, whether it’s sports teams, writers or celebrities.

Or shitty music

Stepping back and asking what this fandom does for us can yield insights about how we relate to ourselves and the world around us.

So, step back. What do you see?

(As for me, I’m gonna read some Henry Jenkins…)

*Yes, that’s her real last name.

**quote based off memory and this reference: http://is-is.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2392180618

Note: Special thank you to Lorie Way for taking the time to chat with me!!