Posted: May 23rd, 2010 | Author: Blackbox Squeezebeard | Filed under: Show announcements and recaps | Tags: Blackbox Squeezebeard, Cabaret of Wonders, Dave Moses, Dr. Steelhand, Ehren Salazar, Flying Not Falling, Little Mountain Gallery, magic, Melody Mangler, Sean Covernton, variety show, vaudeville | 1 Comment »
Back to the Little Mountain Gallery (195 E. 26th) for the second time this month, this time for a considerably more substantial bill — hark, hark, the Cabaret of Wonders has come to town! This concerted return to vaudeville was spearheaded by our magical slide guitar player Dr. Steelhand and will feature the many improbable talents of, we are told…
- The incredible juggling and clown of Flying Not Falling!
- Scorching hot burlesque from 2009 Burlesque Hall of Fame Best Debut winner Melody Mangler!
- Musical hilarity from the legendary Ehren Salazar!
- Sideshow stunt brilliance from Sean Covernton!
- Mind reading by the unbelievable Dave Moses!
- Magic from Master of Ceremonies, Travis Bernhardt!
as well as a solo set from our own Blackbox Squeezebeard and a closing set from the jug band of the damned, the Creaking Planks!
Tickets at the door are a bafflingly low $15, $12 if reserved in advance!
Posted: April 21st, 2009 | Author: Blackbox Squeezebeard | Filed under: Show announcements and recaps | Tags: Blackberry Wood, magic, Maria in the Shower, Mind of a Snail, Rio Theatre, Tarran the Tailor, variety show | 1 Comment »
Running from 8 pm until well past midnight, this culmination of the Rio’s (1660 E. Broadway at Commercial Drive) April series of concerts will be featuring screenings and musical accompaniment by Tarran the Tailor, Blackberry Wood and Maria in the Shower, including special guests the Mind of a Snail puppet troupe (of “the Laughing Disease” fame)… and (of course!) the Creaking Planks, joining forces with Travis to demonstrate a certain magical, musical spirit cabinet. A craft market will be set up and the first few rows of chairs removed to maximalise DANCE PARTY potential! Admission is $15, but these supertoys last all summer long.
Posted: March 24th, 2009 | Author: Blackbox Squeezebeard | Filed under: Show announcements and recaps | Tags: Al Mader, birthday, Cafe Montmartre, Dr. Steelhand, Ehren Salazar, Eryn Holbrook, Hieronymus Bosch, John Barbour, magic, Paul Hendriks, variety show | 2 Comments »
As an experiment into filling a whole night at Cafe Montmartre (4362 Main Street at 28th Avenue) with varied textures of performance from members of our multifarious crew and extended family, the Creaking Planks celebrate Blackbox Squeezebeard entering into his fourth decade with the April (Ship of) Fools Variety Show from 8 pm through “late” (past midnight!) Saturday, April 4th. Performances will include magic from Travis, interstitial improvisation and ukulele from Ehren Salazar and John Barbour, new music from familiar faces Paul Hendriks (aka the Rev. Lucian Rumblebucket), possibly demonstrating his banjo aptitude, and Eryn Holbrook (aka Daisy Jones-Locher — who worked a wonderful whimsical adaptation of Hieronymus Bosch’s “Ship of Fools” into the show’s poster!) contributing a solo set a couple of months earlier than usual, sharing her voice-and-keys songwriting not much heard since the days of her Perpetual Dream Theory project. Also joining us will be a very special set from washtub bass outsider Al Mader, the Minimalist Jug Band, and of course a couple of sets of Creaking Planks creaking and planking.
At Montmartre we play for tips, but we anticipate your generosity in support of this jam-packed night and its auspicious occasion.
Edit: phew! What a night! Check out VanCityMike’s gallery of shots from the variety show up on Flickr!
Posted: February 10th, 2009 | Author: Blackbox Squeezebeard | Filed under: Show announcements and recaps | Tags: Aaron Read, Animatron, Anna Vandas, Dr. Steelhand, Ehren Salazar, Hidden Agenda, magic, the Sunday Service, variety show, Waterfront Theatre | 1 Comment »
Last month we bore witness to a surprising revival of a long-dormant variety show series, Ehren Salazar’s HIDDEN AGENDA, resurrected on three days’ notice as a benefit for our old pal Becky of Sweetie Pie Press. Formerly the series largely took place at Wink, with sporadic upswellings at the Butchershop Floor and, later, its scion the Little Mountain Studios. Not this time, though. We’ve decided to shoot for the stars and take advantage of a good price on one of Vancouver’s classic rooms, booting the event right out of the LMS backroom and booking the Waterfront Theatre on Granville Island (1412 Cartwright Street).
And what will we be presenting at that theatre, well you might ask? Not only is Aaron Read joined by the Sunday Service’s genuises of comic improv, not only will Anna Vandas be making sweet music, NOT ONLY are the Creaking Planks also on board… but the event will also be featuring screenings from 2008’s Animatron festival of animation. All that plus handy hosting by Ehren “Monster Dinosaur” Salazar and, who knows, perhaps some special guests.
Doors are at 7:30, with the show beginning promptly at 8 pm; admission is $12 at the door or $10 with a food bank donation.
