Squirrel Nut Zippers With Swing Dance Lesson

On wednesday, august 13, the ccpa and krvm proudly welcome an evening with the squirrel nut zippers along with a swing dance lesson.
"one day early last year I was just looking out the window of my retirement home when it hit me," says chris phillips, of the squirrel nut zippers. "i can't remember their names, but I miss those folks. Where are my pants?" and just like that, the band tumbled towards the doors of their nursing homes.
With canes in hand the band was soon scrambling on stage like an army of confused, angry senior citizens looking for their pension checks. Wearing nothing but his depends undergarment, crouching atop his drum throne, phillips yells, ? I am a golden god!? And topples off like a stone.
The band that brought the world perennial favorites, hot, and the inevitable are back to play together for the first time since 1863. Featuring original members katherine whalen (108 years old), jimbo mathus (292 years old), chris phillips (311 years old), je widenhouse and stuart cole (both 492 years of age) -- the squirrel nut zippers will be performing selections from the entire catalogue, plus some strange new material. Though most of this new material sounds like a laconic reaction to a bad cocktail of medication, they play it with such conviction you hardly notice the drool and vacant stares.
?though years of viagra abuse have taken their toll, I'm still what I used to be,? Says stuart cole from his alcohol re-dehydrating station.
?oxygen masks cant hold me back now,? Says katherine whalen.
The band still rejoices at the difficulty people have in pigeonholing their unmistakable sound. A perpetually confused stew of southern roots and surrealist paintings, the zippers were aptly tagged "'30s punk" by one critic. During the civil war the band was known to charm both confederate and union soldiers equally. They always flirted with a muse most concerned with ghosts, fever-dreams and sexual desire (though at their extreme ages, sexual desire is strictly a historical reference). Centered around the beguiling vocals of katherine whalen and the anachronistic windup toy that is jimbo mathus, the zippers promise to both charm and confound.
Based on their desire to continue performing until the reaper takes them away, the squirrel nut zippers are often mistaken for a group of escaped assisted-livers running for the hills. If you come across them, take them by the hand. Guide them to the stage entrance marked with oversized print, and tell them to walk towards the light. Then step back and let the show begin.
Over their lengthy career, the squirrel nut zippers have sold over three million records and had a top 10 modern rock hit with ?hell? (with a video in heavy rotation at mtv). They have performed on prairie home companion, npr's morning edition, sesame street, regis & kathie lee, letterman, leno, conan and dick clark's rockin? New years eve. Noteworthy performances include president clinton's inaugural ball (1996), the 1996 summer olympics in atlanta, the horde tour 1997 with neil young and opening for tony bennett at radio city music hall. Look out for a new live record late in 2008, and a new studio record in 2009.
By special arrangement with the tango center, the show will be preceded by a free swing dance lesson conducted by ella swing dance club between 6:00 and 7:00 pm. You are also invited to join ella every wednesday night at the tango center for a lesson at 7:00 and dancing from 8:00 -10:00 pm. For more info go to eugenelindy.com.