Feeds:
Posts
Comments

Archive for the ‘nelward’ Category

[ATTENDED: May 2, 2024] TWRP

My son and I saw TWRP last year.  We had actually gone mostly for the opening band Magic Sword.  But I figured TWRP were going to be a lot of fun.

TWRP were once known as Tupper Ware Remix Party (TWRP is much better).  They are from outer space (and Canada).  They are also from the 1980s (and the future).

They are a foursome. In order of the below photo they are guitarist Lord Phobos, bassist Commander Meouch, keyboardist and vocalist Doctor Sung and drummer Havve Hogan.

Last year’s show was so much fun that I was really excited to see this year’s show.  I got a ticket for my son but he had a final exam at 8:30 the next morning so he (wisely) stayed home.

Last time, Doctor Sung told us all about their high tech new stage manager, Grobb.  Grobb appeared on the side of the stage in a circle which previously said IBS (in the IBM logo style).  Grobb looked like a psychopathic Teletubby as he smiled and talked to us.

Grobb was back again for this tour which was all about crypto currency. (more…)

Read Full Post »

[ATTENDED: May 2, 2024] Trey Magnifique

Just as I hadn’t heard of nelward, I hadn’t heard of Trey Magnifique.

He came on stage, a silver fox, in a while suit (with no shirt on).  He proceeded to fill the room with smooth jazz sex.

He won me over immediately by saying “If someone asks if you want to hear smooth jazz,” the appropriate response is “Hell Yea.”  So when we all shouted “Hell Yea!” he said, no our energy was too high.  Try whispering it.  So we whispered ‘Hell yea” and he said no that was too much, just think it.

He then proceeded to make obscene mouth gestures on his straight saxophone.   It was really funny.

And then finally, after about six minutes, he actually played a song.  It was cheesy smooth jazz, but he was great–his sax playing is really solid.

So who is this guy?

Trey Magnifique is the smooth jazz alter ego of musician, comedian, and theoretical physicist Brian Wecht. Best known for his comedy bands Ninja Sex Party and Starbomb, where he performs as the keyboard-playing “Ninja Brian”, as well as his kids’ band Go Banana Go, Brian is one of the most popular comedy musicians in the world. Mature Situations is Brian’s first album as Trey Magnifique, as well as his first solo project.

Brian grew up in Pompton Lakes, NJ, and, after studying math and music (with a focus on jazz composition, arranging, and performance) at Williams College, went on to get a doctorate in theoretical physics from the University of California, San Diego. Wecht held postdoctoral research positions at MIT, Harvard, the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, and the University of Michigan, and was a faculty member in the Centre for Research in String Theory at Queen Mary University of London. Wecht has authored over 30 papers in theoretical physics, focusing on supsersymmetric quantum field theories and string theory.

While pursuing his academic interests, Wecht began doing improv comedy with San Diego TheatreSports, and went on to become the Musical Director of the Improv Asylum in Boston, MA. After moving to New York, he met Dan Avidan through a mutual comedy friend, and the two created Ninja Sex Party in 2009. In 2015, Wecht left his faculty position at Queen Mary in order to focus on his YouTube career full time. In addition to NSP and Starbomb, Wecht’s projects include children’s comedy band Go Banana Go! (along with NSP producer Jim Roach), and the podcast Leighton Night with Brian Wecht (along with Leighton Grey). Outside of YouTube, Wecht maintains an active career as a public speaker and science communicator, and is one of the organizers of the annual Northeast Conference on Science and Skepticism (NECSS).

Incredible.  This guy is literally a genius AND he is funny as hell. (more…)

Read Full Post »

[ATTENDED: May 2, 2024] nelward

I hadn’t heard of Nelward, but holy cow a few people in the audience sure did.

Nick “nelward” Elward is an electronic composer based in Atlanta. His music takes cues from video game soundtracks, jazz fusion, old school hip hop, and classic pop.

Nelward’s songs are (mostly) short and (mostly) silly.   He came out snazzily dressed and began singing DVD (30 seconds long, although longer live, with the entirety of the lyrics: Have you seen the DVD of me? repeated).

Ghost was a bit more of a real song–catchy and rather fun.  He did some wild dances and clearly loved the reactions of his silly behavior.

More representative of his stuff seems to be “I Hope My Pants Don’t Fall Down.” A minute of silliness. (more…)

Read Full Post »