big shew in oak park!

By Robbie on January 18, 2012

The time has come for me to stump for another one-of-a-kind show, and this one's in an extraordinary venue just west of Chicago. The Unity Temple, a cubist, steeple-less Unitarian churchhouse built in 1905 by Frank Lloyd Wright, has an annual (and very selective) series of concerts. By mistake, they invited me to play there, and without hesitating, I said yes thank you. The roster of artists past is flattering company indeed.

Since this environment will be so far removed form the cathouses and viaducts where I usually hold forth, I thought I would do something different, something that would sound good in the room and highlight the churchy side of my many-hued persona. A set of songs that would keep the angry fist-shaking at heaven to a bare minimum and thereby keep the oaken rafters from crashing onto my head. I envisioned -- now I'm being serious (throat-clearing noises) -- a small group of instruments that would make sounds half pointed (plick!) and half susurrant (rrrmmm). I asked three men to accompany me for the date (Scott Stevenson, Rob Gjersoe, and Beau Sample) that could approximate this balance -- create a pretty steady ambience, but also step out and play some soul-stirring solos here and there.

I certainly don't want to suggest that this will be some kind of ultra-solemn Philip Glass requiem. I plan to mouth off, and play (a few) funny songs, as ever. Maybe even take issue with God's handiwork, because I think Unitarians are down with that. But I look forward to doing a show that lets me quiet down a little and focus on voice and lyric; and the orchestration, the particular quartet, and the place all suggest something memorable and unrepeatable might occur. Am I overselling like crazy? I hope you'll get advance tickets for this one. The lowdown:

Unity Temple 

875 Lake Street, Oak Park IL

Saturday, January 28 at 7:30P

call Susan at 708-445-8955, or get tickets online at: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/198770