One of the re-occurring gigs to look forward to every holiday season is The Onion's Xmas party that the fake newspaper opens to public. It was a sweet deal this year with some top-notch comedy and art-rockers Celebration and my buddies in Northern State. I love these gigs but they got to keep it to Bowery Ballroom. Crash Mansion is one of those douche-y nightclubs for the homeless or hipster set. There was a 20 minute await outside, another 20 minutes for the mandatory coat check. I'm sure there's an Onion headline in thhere somewhere. In any event, the show was a benefit for 826 McSweeney's.
Blogging about comedy shows is kind of like dancing about architecture, kind of silly. It's just one of those, "you had to be there" type of things. In any event, comedy team Kurt and Kristen, of the Hot Tub Variety Show that takes place around NYC, did the brunt of the comedy. Kristen is, of course, best known as Mel, the obsessive stalker fan on Flight of the Conchords. They did a bunch of wacky material. I laughed a lot.
John Oliver is the British correspondent on the Daily Show. He mentioned that these days he's not working at his dream job. Instead he's walking in circles in cold weather around an inflatable rat, due to the writer's strike. He killed with his geo-political stand-up. You can't help but be amazed on his rant about inflatable barbecues.
Todd Barry is one of those NYC comedians who's always around in the clubs. If you remember, he and a few others played with the New Pornographers last year. He did a lot of great stuff about NYC life we can all related to, especially the big Chipotle debate. Believe me, I've had hour long conversations about Chipotle. Imagine if Baja Fresh were to come to NYC. The apocalypse would soon happen. Anyway, he's got a new CD for 2008.
Janeane Garofalo was the surprise guest, filling in for Jim Gaffigan, who was off making a snuff film somewhere. She was only on stage five minutes, long enough for me to say to myself, "What the heck happen to her? She looks like Ani Difranco." Her routine was about her being older and the Chabad Lubavitch Mitzvah tank that rides around mid-town. You have see this thing, it's crazy.
Celebration ruled. They are a big, loud and crazy avant-funk, afro-beat ensemble out of Baltimore. When you can't describe a band's sound, you have to throw in that they're arty and experimental. They use a lot of percussion and horns to make this joyous pop-rock sound. You'll see a lot of banging away on cymbols and drums and horn blowing, but it comes together in big body-moving feast.
Northern State are on a tear these days. I think Tegan & Sara have official adopted them. The two bands just finished spending three months together touring North America. In 2008, they'll be together again for an extensive European tour that will take them through the U.K., Scotland, Ireland, Germany, France, Sweden, Norway, Belgium and Holland. That's hardcore stuff. The N.S. crew attracted a group of cross-dressing break dancers to Crash Mansion. Only in New York, kids. Only in New York.
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