Show 104: G20 Fundraiser / homecoming, Columbus, OH

TURNOUT: 40

MONEYS: $105 all going to Toronto G20 Arrestees. You should donate more!

INJURIES: unscathed!

STORIES: This was a great homecoming show. A nice big turnout, fucking awesome music from Realicide and Ryan Jewel, the awarehouse is an amazing space, it really makes me feel good to be home.

It was also a pretty decent fundraiser. I wish we'd earned a bit more, but times are tight, i guess. We didn't raise as much as we did with the Solidarity Showcase, but I think we did a much better job with the educating and informing the audience part. We wrote some letters and presented a lot more info than last time.

We're learning and will get better over time. I'm looking forward to our next swing at the Solidarity Showcase, coming up this October for the RNC 8.

Did you see this show? If you did, write a review, ask us some questions or comment on it. We'd love to hear it becuase we believe in artistic transparency.

Show 100: Madison, Faux-Op

In place of a pic from Madison, cuz the camera battery ran out, here's some from the No Show in Fargo.
TURNOUT: 10

MONEYS: 75

INJURIES: None

STORIES: Nice show in Madison. Theatre people turned out for this one. I got someone some water while they waited for the show to begin. This, all in all, was quite the solid last show. Fuzzy feeling and all. An aww show. Folks were great, both Pete's and our set went well and then we hit the road for the last time on our way to Milwaukee. Ode to Wisconsin.

Highwayku:

An eighteen ounce pee

in just a sixteen ounce cup

It's all on Gerald.

Did you see this show? If you did, write a review, ask us some questions or comment on it. We'd love to hear it because we believe in artistic transparency.

Show 99: Minneapolis, Medusa

TURNOUT: 17

MONEYS: 62

INJURIES: Unscathed!

STORIES: I've always wanted to play this place and now we've done it. Was a little disappointed by the organization but whatever, we heard some music, did the show and then got to hear some more music. There were also a lot of girls in dresses-- that always freaks me out. Got to stay with Brice of Ice Volt which was great and much much much appreciated.

Highwayku from Fargo to MN:

Driving at showtime

Burning stick will make up loss

Wet stick will bring tears

Did you see this show? If you did, write a review, ask us some questions or comment on it. We'd love to hear it because we believe in artistic transparency.

SHOW REPORT 82: PS1, Iowa City.

TURNOUT: 12

MONEYS: $16 door, $9 merch

INJURIES: Kate found a dying cockroach in the hallway, thought it was a junebug, felt compassion for it, attempted to recessitate it with small droplets of water, which it heartily drank, stood up and became more lively until her efforts were foiled by the janitor who swept the dying thing up and threw it away while she was elsewhere.

STORIES: A slightly disheartening start of the tour. Some nice and enthusiastic people came out, but we didn't make close to enough to get us to the next city. A late start meant there were a few intoxicated attendees, who probably annoyed the more intent and appreciateive audience members and generally soured the experience a bit.

Peter played his "theatre set" which is big and harsh and loud, featuring a long sample from a Beckett novel. It's been a long time since I've seen Peter play, and he continues to kick ass.

Here's a haiku about the drive to Iowa City:

exits more exits

is that a tornado there

just a pointed cloud

Did you see this show? What'd you think? Comment here. We'd love to hear from you, cuz we believe in Artistic Transparency.

Show Report 80: Home!

Turnout: 11

Support: $18

Injury Report: Kate no longer massages my hands at that one part. For some reaons she now squeezes and rubs them, like she's trying to grind my knuckles, or pull my skin off.

Show Description: We're back from tour and it feels great. Sally Louise and Alec haven't seen the show yet, so we decided to do a homecoming performance after the weekly Tuesday potluck at 64 King. Alec even re-read the Odyssey while we were gone! Friends and neighbors came by as well, and there were philosophical discussions on top of tactical discussions on top of semantic discussions. I found myself agreeing and disagreeing with both Justin and Zohar's completely contradicting interpretations of the play. Which makes me think that maybe the play, in all it's complexity and contradictions still actually expresses my viewpoint. We're all trapped in the middle of all these passionate concerns, second guesses, and hopeless choices. The challenge is to recognize that we cannot ever know what the best action is. Even though none of our conclusions, positive or negative are assured, we must keep moving.

Did you see this show? If you did, comment on it, critique it, or share your questions. We'd love to hear from you because we believe in artistic transparency.

Show 79: Louisville, Patchwork House

Turnout: 7

Donations: 10

Personal Injury Report: I almost smashed the radio in furiousness.

Show Description: Living room show at the Patchwork House. The Patchwork house is an Intentional Community that we'd visited and gotten to know before, so going back there was a treat.

Most everyone was out of town so it was a small crowd, which led to a great discussion. The performance on my part was one of the lower down on the list ones. The radio cut out part way through and so I had to cover for it by doing this slow confusing tape jiggery stuff. I was pretty angry throughout, which made me mess up a line, this making me, in turn, more angry.

The discussion went on for quite a while and I really enjoyed it. It was pretty somber at first but warmed up nicely.

Did you see this show? If you did, write a review, comment on it or ask us some questions. We'd love to hear it because we believe in artistic transparency.

Show 70: Grand Rapids, DAAC

Turnout: 12 or so...

Monetary Votes of Support: 42

Personal Injury Report: Rough night for joints that start with vowels, ie, Ben's elbow and ankle.

Show Description: Back in goddamnrapids! Small show, Jay (Blessed Sacrifist) from good old Milwaukee, Extra Vomit and Hegemonicide, posi hardcore spazz action fun. Smaller turn out, but good conversations and good times. Some folks there making a documentary on DIY spaces, comparing the DAAC's mission of advancing DIY to DIT (do it together) to a Trotskyite basement in Lansing. Sounds very interesting.

Did you see this show? If you did, write a review, ask us some questons or comment on it. We'd love to hear it because we believe in artistic transparency.

Show 69: Detroit, Trumbullplex

Turnout: 22

Monetary Votes of Support: $82.25 (30 merch, 32 hat, 20 donation)

Personal Injury Report: Kate kept pulling out her hair during the show.

Show Description: A solid show at an awesome space. The Trumbullplex is two big old houses (biggest and oldest punk houses I've seen) and a theatre space. It's amazing. We played in the dining room so they wouldn't need to turn the heat on in the theatre space. It was Clara's birthday (she's the one getting a b-day massage in the pic). So now we can say we've done this show at a birthday party.

We did some pre-show experiments, that kind of threw things off a little this time. First, we got into town really early and went to a cafe/bakery (which had great bakery but not a lot of seating) and overheard conversations about an awesome urban beekeeping organization. Then we moved to a cafe/restaurant (cuz we wanted something other than bakery and it was too snowy out to wander around and eat peanut butter). We found the best food for it's price we've encountered in a while at Cass Cafe, and (this is where the experiments started) Kate had a couple drinks. She never drinks before the show. Then, we got back to the house and set things up in the dining room, Kate wanted to play chess (cuz it makes her upset when I beat her, which fuels a little method acting for her). Unfortunately, for our second experiment, she won. This (and trying to cram the audience into the dining room) got me flustered enough during the introduction that I forgot to put the blindfold on, which then snowballed into me missing cues cuz I was worried about what Kate will do when she takes the hood off and finds no blindfold. Yes, in spite of writing a part for myself with no lines, I missed some lines. Hurns.

These variations went unnoticed by the audience, who seemed to really love the show. We didn't have a big group discussion, but did have a number of really excellent individual conversations with people and felt really good.

Did you see this show? If you did, write a review, ask us some questons or comment on it. We'd love to hear it because we believe in artistic transparency.

Show 64: 222 Ormsby, Pittsburgh

Turnout: 14

Money: $17 ($2 from merch)

Personal Injury Report: Unplanned non-consensual ear peircing 30 seconds into the show. Best injury yet!

Description: Hadn't done the show for a good six days, Kate didn't even run through the lines, but it all went pretty well. Of course, as usual, the only real mistake was in the section where the audience is also reading along with the lines. Hurns.

This was the most bands we've played with since September in Toledo. Which made us a little nervous, but what do you know, people at a 9 band acoustic fest are more patient with an hour long play happening in the middle of their concert than noise dudes from Detroit!

Half the bands were on one tour or another, so the door split got pretty thin, which is fine, cuz we had a great time anyway. Lots of really wonderful music and positive DIY energy, with us as an intense pit of negativity right in the middle.

This, plus the fact that the car needs more work (exhaust, suspension, alignment) makes me long for the happy day we get to tour on bikes with a comedy set in a yurt.

Did you see this show? If you did, write a review, comment, or ask us some questions. We'd like to hear it because we believe in artistic transparency.

Show 61: Toledo, Bozarts

Turnout: 22

Monetary Votes of Support: 101.80 (57.80 donation, 44 merch)

Personal Injury Report: Ben swallowed a mouthful of sock saliva down the wrong tube and had to hold it, silently, in his bronchia for an uncomfortably long time.

Show Description: Great noise set by Dr. Rhomboid Goatcabin, solid turnout, great space, excellent. Bozarts had pretty much all their wall space covered with art, both individually and collaboratively made. It's great to see an art gallery that's used the way this one is.

Hadn't done the show in two days so there were a couple strange things that happened with the radio parts and Ben's sock swallowing, but all in all it was alright.

Did you see this show? If you did write a review, ask us some questions or comment on it. We'd love to hear it because we believe in artistic transparency.

Show 60: Madison, Project Lodge

Turnout: 9

Money: 56.50 (35 door, 21.50 hat)

Personal Injury Report: After the show we drove our car into the ditch, then into a corn field, then finally our battery died and we were pulled out by a nice man with a truck at 2 in the morning.

Show Description: We played amongst pink hearts and red string. See that big thing on the wall in the picture, that is a giant heart. I made the performance extra lovey because of this.

After the show, we stuck around to hear some poetry, and then drove to burlington where, on the way, there was a treacherously deep drift of snow in the road that, as I mentioned before, slid us smack into the ditch just barely missing a sign. Another car went in not three minutes after us. As we tried to dig ourselves out, we got to watch numerous trucks and cars swerve, spin and just barely save themselves.

Did you see this show? If you you did, write a review, ask us some questions or comment on it. We'd like to hear it because we believe in artistic transparency.

Show 59: Sheboygan

Turnout: 35

Support: $101.51

Personal Injury Report: Kate gone and slapped me upside the head for reals. Also she landed funny a bruised her butt a little.

Description: Couches! GREAT music! Solid turnout. Some friends and family members seeing the show for the first time. Made enough money to keep us in the black after spending $350 to replace the tires we've traveled almost halfway across the country 4 times on (now that we're driving on snow often balding tires seem like a terrible idea).

Having more than 20 people in the room always makes the performance feel really good. My family and Mike Hanlon's students liked the show. Some folks left quickly, looking a little distraught, which makes me wish we could go directly into group discussions or somehow make them feel more comfortable discussing things with us. We did have some good one-on-one conversations with people.

Did you see this show? If you did, comment on it, write a review or ask us some questions. We'd love to hear it because we believe in artistic transparency.

Show 58: Milwaukee, Alchemist

No picture of the show space, camera died. Here's the street view though.

Turnout: 10

Cut of hat: 35

Personal Injury Report: Ben keeps getting pinched by his zipper.

Show Description: We played in the basement of the Alchemist in a tiny room that worked quite well, extra creepy, and also carpeted--that was new. I was really glad that some people who hadn't seen the show yet came out and also that folks who'd already seen it came back. Thanks Jeb, Pete and Jill. The performance went well despite my eating about a cup and a half of raisins out of nervousness beforehand. Since this worked, I intend to do it before every show.

Did you see this show? If you did, comment on it, write a review or ask us some questions. We'd love to hear it because we believe in artistic transparency.

Show 57: Chicago at the Ball Hall

Turnout: 30 or so.

Cut of Donation Jar: $18.22 ($4 from hat passing)

Personal Injury Report: I decided to bang my head on the floor like I meant it.

Show Description: Whoo-Hoo! This is what I had always expected from Chicago that we'd never quite gotten a hold of until now. Besides my expressions of victory, there's little to say.

The performance was dead on--largely due to the number of people that turned out, a good vibe in general--Edwin who ran things was great, the music was a welcome surprise considering we didn't have a chance to look it up to see what it'd be beforehand, and the audience seemed to appreciate what we were doing.

Going into it, we really didn't know how this show was going to turn out; it's great when that uncertainty results in success.

Did you see this show? If you did, write a review, ask us some questions or comment on it. We'd love to hear it because we believe in artistic transparency.

Show 56: Urbana, UC-IMC

Turnout: 21

Monetary Votes of Support: $66

Personal Injury Report: nothin'

Show Description: I felt really good about our performances, and really enjoyed having a larger audience than we have in the past when performing in Urbana. Also, the opportunity to see our friend Mark perform was priceless. Great playful yet heavy experimental acoustic stuff. We're always glad to come to Urbana, there are lots of experienced artists and activists here, and we look forward to the challenging and energizing post-show discussions.

This time the discussion left a bit of a bad taste in our mouths. It's great when the discussion is long, thorough and critical, but it's hard to not feel like we've gone through a wringer when we get certain kinds of reactions. I don't want to discard the fact that this was a great show with some great discussion, but I'd also like to use this space to muddle out some thoughts on these reactions.

The first troubling reaction comes when we've offended people. That means we've failed somewhere (the error is either in the writing, performance, introduction, or in the invitation of offendable folks to our show). This reaction is especially troubling because it makes me worry about some of the people who don't talk to us afterward, what they're thinking. Some of the people in Urbana mentioned being sick of being "sucker punched" by performance artists. Sucker-punching, offending, or otherwise shocking our audience is not at all our intention. We're trying to honestly present something that is discomforting, to manifest that discomfort without disrespecting the audience. When this fails, it is our failure, we must take responsibility for it. But like any challenge worth pursuing, such failure is only completely avoidable by ceasing to try. I like to think of John Schneider's response to the show as a goal: "their generous, even tender, care for their audiences, reflect a passionate commitment to learning, a faith in the value of theatrical communion, and a desire to help this country rise to its best."

The second troubling reaction is when some members of an audience get downright condescending in their responses. In Urbana the best example of this is a man who said, with exaggerated surprise "wait, are you telling me this actually works?" It's difficult to maintain one's composure when taking in such a dismissive assessment of something we're putting our entire lives into. Especially when somewhat exhausted from performing, and especially when coming from someone who was otherwise acting quite arrogant (not only toward us but toward the rest of the audience). I couldn't help but grin at his sheltered liberal ignorance, but managed to briefly describe some of the types of people who do find the play engaging, relevant, and successful, or even who disliked the play for directly opposite reasons he did. I didn't go into detail of what these people might think of him (or what some of them might do to him in a dark street) but it wouldn't have mattered, because he dismissed them just as condescendingly as he had us.

This guy doesn't deserve to be singled out, and actually the numbers of people who feel similarly but walk away without communicating at all bother me much more. Such reactions, while unfortunate, are expected and unavoidable. We won't let this slow us down.

Did you see this show? If you did, please write a review, ask us some questions or comment on it, because we love artistic transparency.

Show 53: Memphis at DeClyre Cooperative

Turnout: 15 ish

Monetary Votes of Support (some house donation): 37

Personal Injury Report: Ben tried to impress me with his match lighting skills and fried his thumb. He also banged his elbow within the first few seconds of the performance later that night. These things will heal but the stare of the giant eyeball pictured below will not.

Show Description: Another living room show! I really enjoy doing these, muddling the public/private space relations. It had been a while since the last one, and this time there were cats. I was hoping one of them, named Prometheus, would go and jump on Ben's lap during the show, as this would add a whole nother dimension to his character.

(Prometheus: Among other things, had "wily" intelligence, gave fire to humans against Zues's wishes, and was punished for this by being chained to a rock with his liver eaten out daily by an eagle.)

There were some nice individual discussions afterwards and we also were privy to one of the most comfortable sleeping arrangements yet. More and more these shows have me thinking about a complete change of attitude for my character, just as an experiment.

Did you see this show? If you did, write a review, comment on it or ask us some questions. We'd love to hear it because we believe in artistic transparency.

Show 35: Jackpot Gallery, Riverwest, Milwaukee

Turnout: 14, some of which had already seen it.

Monetary Votes of support: 82, Our cut: 57, Merch: 8

Personal Injury Report: Ben foolishly made his left eye the target of the first gun hit.

Show Description: We were too busy (Hames-Drake wedding!) to remind everyone to come out for a play the day after Halloween. Even though Russ Bickerstaff mentioned the show, and Snap Milwaukee published Kurt Hartwig's long form review, we had a small turn out (most of whom had seen the show back in August) for our final Milwaukee performance of Ulysses' Crewmen. This was actually really nice, though, comfortable, almost family-like, and (I think) one of our best performances.

Did you see this show? If you did, write a review of it, comment, or ask us some questions. We'd like to hear it because we believe in artistic transparency.

Show 34: Lansing, MI

Turnout: 10

Monetary Votes of Support: 141. Merch: $12

Personal Injury Report: Ulysses' pants have developed a crotch hole that won't seem to stay sewed. MLS (the car) has similarly developed a hole in her fuel tank. New suit: $12 at value villiage. New fuel pump: over $600.

Show Description: A small but very supportive crew at a Unitarian Church. We played in the middle of the floor, right in front of the pulpit. Excellent discussion with folks from the Peace Education Center about the increasing futility of traditional non-violent protest, a JFK quote comes to mind... also discussed: the midwest social forum, how fluoride in the water makes people complacent, and how burning banks are beautiful.

This show made up for the kinda hurnsy shows we had last week, and the absurdly roundabout way of getting from Philly to MKE via Birmingham. We'll have a full economic report on this late October jaunt after this Sunday's show (and after we move to Philly).

Did you see this show? If you did, comment on it, write a review, or ask us some questions. We'd like to hear it because we believe in artistic transparency.

Show 33: Columbus OH @ Spore

Turnout: 8

Monetary Votes of Support: 32 Merch: 28

Personal Injury Report: That old lady's feelings.

Show Description: Second time at Spore. The first time had a much better turnout, this time was kind of weird, between the two guys at the computer who were kind of distracting, to the older woman noting whenever someone came in late, it was a bit hard to concentrate. Nonetheless, the discussion after the show was good to have, it was biographical and personal in a way that we haven't had with other audience members up until this point.

We also found out from the older woman that bicycles are harmful and utterly useless because they cannot carry goods or families and will never be able to replace autos, whereas these human powered vehicles made from space age materials are good for all these things bicycles aren't. Also, these vehicles will utilize the only thing bicycles have ever been good for, that is, bike paths. Anyway...

Did you see this show? If you did, comment on it, write a review, or ask us some questions. We'd like to hear it because we believe in artistic transparency.

Show 29: @ Prop Thtr, Chicago, ILL

Turnout: 4

Door: 19

Personal Injury Report: Ben was unable to breath due to the gag and hood's twisted choking positions and nearly died on the floor.

Show Description: Chicago! We made it there just in time. Without road rage.

Stefan, who set up the show at the Prop was great and our few audience members were enjoyable too. The performance went well and the space was fitting.

There was one oddity though, which I want to mention here, just because well, why not. It's one of those things that happen rarely and I feel like sharing.

There was this guy who walked into the show right before the most intense, intimate and awkward part, which is one of those times when, if you're late, you just sneakily sit down and hope you can maybe try and piece together what is going on, no matter how strange, given you've missed more than half the show already. This guy did not do that. Instead he started taking pictures with lots of flashing, which wasn't really that bothersome, but he also started laughing, loudly, as if we were doing sketch comedy and everything was just hilarious. While performing, I was really curious who this was and if we'd run into him before at previous shows or if we knew him because it felt like kind of a weird joke. He stayed for a little bit and then got freaked out, giving a questionable goodbye, saying, "well, if this is what you guys are doing..." and went to wait out in the lobby until we were finished.

This was a pretty funny episode and seemed to distract the audience more than either one of us. And he did end up knowing a friend of ours, so all in all it was alright.

Did you see this show? If you did, write a review, comment, or ask us some questions. We'd like to hear it because we believe in artistic transparency.