If I could love, I would love you all... Once upon a time, a very long time ago (okay, early 2002), I was seeing this guy in NYC who took me to an installment of Abby Ehmann's Kitsch Inn, which was one of those notorious drag/fetish night parties that seem to be pretty much the bailiwick of the one and only Motherfucker the days. Anyway, it was one of those "Far West Texas girl in the big city" moments -- there were so many pretty, pretty people and the music was so good -- that's it's all kind of a blur in my memory. (And no, it's not because I was wasted or anything, my memory really is that bad!) Anyway, I admit, I was also totally starstruck by the appearance of so many NYC scene fixtures there, including the fabulous Justin Bond -- aka Kiki, of Kiki and Herb.
Kiki and Herb are the crazed cabaret performer alter-egos of the aforementioned drag diva extraordinaire Justin Bond and badass pianist and er, straight (but not, you know, heterosexual) man Kenny Mellman; there's just no way to really describe their shtick well before you hear the mp3s below, this bio might help in addition these YouTube clips. This is punk rock drag cabaret kids, and it's grand.
Bond and Mellman perform solo and in other assorted projects; as a duo, they still perform as Kiki and Herb sporadically -- apparently they played two "secret" shows at Joe's Pub (home of the most annoying two drink minimum EVER) earlier this month.
Bond and Mellman had a nice run Off-Broadway with Kiki and Herb: Coup de Theatre in 2003 that led to a one-night stand at Carnegie Hall that is immortalized in the live album Kiki and Herb Would Die for You. This all has a point, really, I swear -- 'cause over the weekend, I finally got my hands on a copy of this album.
A typical Kiki and Herb show features renditions of everything from traditional cabaret numbers, to rap and indie rock and New Wave, and everything in between. On their Christmas album released in 2000, Do You Hear What We Hear, there's a fantastic version of Belle and Sebastian's "Fox In The Snow" as well as Radiohead's "Exit Music (for a Film)." The live album contains Herb's version of The Decemberists' "I Was Meant For The Stage" during one of Kiki's costume changes that then transitions into a seriously demented version of The Mountain Goats' "No Children." (I love that there's a hysterical scream from one or two audience members that recognized the latter; if I'd been there, I probably would have freaked out as well.)
Kiki and Herb -- I Was Meant For The Stage
Kiki and Herb -- No Children
Kiki and Herb -- Running Up That Hill
(There's even more bizarre goodness at the Kiki and Herb MySpace page, natch.)
In other news, Pinkie and I did a lot of sewing this weekend -- yes, that's right, sewing (you knew we were crafty, right?). This song's for her, because she managed to get the chorus stuck in her head just from my feeble rendition -- I guess that's one of the things to love about Avenue D. Or something. (Please note that this songs is, well, NSFW -- to say the least).
Avenue D -- Stick It In!!! (Punx Soundcheck Remix)
Due to a scheduling snafu (and all that sewing), it was with heavy hearts that we discovered that we not only missed the "secret" Voxtrot gig at the KOOP Prom but also The Arm show last night. But this was the kind of weekend for staying in, given that, yes, ladies and gents, this week is my birthday week! Yours truly is turning 30 Thursday and we're so, so glad Giant Drag will be in town (as will Glass Candy, at Beerland), so there might be some show-hopping to be had that night, not to mention some raucous goodness at Tuesday's Elefant show. (Oh, and! Watch out west coast, our dear Voxtrot is heading your way in the company of Elefant -- it's like the sweetness vs. darkness bill. Keen!)
BTW, if you're on TagWorld, you simply must vote for Captain Ahab's "Snakes on the Brain" in the Snakes on a Plane soundtrack contest! Today's the last day. Ok? Ok!
ETA: The new Kill Rock Stars video podcast with The Gossip is totally, totally rad.
Kiki and Herb are the crazed cabaret performer alter-egos of the aforementioned drag diva extraordinaire Justin Bond and badass pianist and er, straight (but not, you know, heterosexual) man Kenny Mellman; there's just no way to really describe their shtick well before you hear the mp3s below, this bio might help in addition these YouTube clips. This is punk rock drag cabaret kids, and it's grand.
Bond and Mellman perform solo and in other assorted projects; as a duo, they still perform as Kiki and Herb sporadically -- apparently they played two "secret" shows at Joe's Pub (home of the most annoying two drink minimum EVER) earlier this month.
Bond and Mellman had a nice run Off-Broadway with Kiki and Herb: Coup de Theatre in 2003 that led to a one-night stand at Carnegie Hall that is immortalized in the live album Kiki and Herb Would Die for You. This all has a point, really, I swear -- 'cause over the weekend, I finally got my hands on a copy of this album.
A typical Kiki and Herb show features renditions of everything from traditional cabaret numbers, to rap and indie rock and New Wave, and everything in between. On their Christmas album released in 2000, Do You Hear What We Hear, there's a fantastic version of Belle and Sebastian's "Fox In The Snow" as well as Radiohead's "Exit Music (for a Film)." The live album contains Herb's version of The Decemberists' "I Was Meant For The Stage" during one of Kiki's costume changes that then transitions into a seriously demented version of The Mountain Goats' "No Children." (I love that there's a hysterical scream from one or two audience members that recognized the latter; if I'd been there, I probably would have freaked out as well.)
Kiki and Herb -- I Was Meant For The Stage
Kiki and Herb -- No Children
Kiki and Herb -- Running Up That Hill
(There's even more bizarre goodness at the Kiki and Herb MySpace page, natch.)
In other news, Pinkie and I did a lot of sewing this weekend -- yes, that's right, sewing (you knew we were crafty, right?). This song's for her, because she managed to get the chorus stuck in her head just from my feeble rendition -- I guess that's one of the things to love about Avenue D. Or something. (Please note that this songs is, well, NSFW -- to say the least).
Avenue D -- Stick It In!!! (Punx Soundcheck Remix)
Due to a scheduling snafu (and all that sewing), it was with heavy hearts that we discovered that we not only missed the "secret" Voxtrot gig at the KOOP Prom but also The Arm show last night. But this was the kind of weekend for staying in, given that, yes, ladies and gents, this week is my birthday week! Yours truly is turning 30 Thursday and we're so, so glad Giant Drag will be in town (as will Glass Candy, at Beerland), so there might be some show-hopping to be had that night, not to mention some raucous goodness at Tuesday's Elefant show. (Oh, and! Watch out west coast, our dear Voxtrot is heading your way in the company of Elefant -- it's like the sweetness vs. darkness bill. Keen!)
BTW, if you're on TagWorld, you simply must vote for Captain Ahab's "Snakes on the Brain" in the Snakes on a Plane soundtrack contest! Today's the last day. Ok? Ok!
ETA: The new Kill Rock Stars video podcast with The Gossip is totally, totally rad.
posted by cindy hotpoint at 1:02:00 PM
3 Comments:
my friend has worked with kenny m from kiki & herb -- he's played pianos on a few cds my friend's recorded. these days i think kenny's doing a hilarious & crazy lil show called "at least it's pink" with bridgette everett. i've seen it before & it['s SCANDALOUS! xxoo c
I saw Kenny play a great solo show at the long-lost Fez around that time, early 2002 -- and it was fantastic.
I'm really keen to see "At Least It's Pink" -- it does sound terribly, wonderfully scandalous!
I just realized there are two women in Gossip. The podcast was funny, they seem like down to earth people
I like this blog keep it up and good job.
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