Nerd Music Night features the monthly "Jack Kirby Old Timey Monster Radio show"!
Nerd Music Night / Facebook
Every second Thursday at the Deer Pile, Denver nerds and geeks gather to celebrate with a night of nerdy/geeky music and comedy. This past Thursday, April 9, was no different. The evening featured musicians, performers and players of note from Denver’s nerd/geek community who gathered in a showcase that delivered laughter and delight. Musical guests H2Awesome! and Daenerys and the Targaryens, two of Denver’s premier nerd-rock bands, tore up the stage with their special brand of tribute rock which references Jon Snow, Dr. Who, Luke Skywalker and many other pop culture characters.
The show also included rock and comedy bits from special guests including, as Nerd Music Night’s hosts put it, the Incomparable (musician) Tony Meade; Endor's forgotten son (and illustrator for New York Times Digital) Zak Kinsella; Nerd Nite Denver’s amazing founder Sara Dee; Mr. Ted Intorcio, founder of Tinto Press; the Alamo Drafthouse Denver's own Steve Bessette; and members from the audience.
The show featured new songs and a special segment that has become a Nerd Music Night staple, the "Jack Kirby: King of Comics Radio Show." The bit came out of an absolute love for the artist and what he represents. “Just about everything we love today in the superhero genre is because of Jack Kirby!” relates Jeff LaGreca, one of Nerd Music Night’s hosts and founders.
The Jack Kirby radio show transforms Kirby’s old comics into an old-timey and interactive radio show in which special guests act out parts in the script. Audience members are called on to contribute sounds as foley artists to accompany the story, as well. Crumpling an old Ruffles bag might be in order for the sound of fire, for example, and should there be horses, there may be coconuts for the sound of their hooves clop-clopping as they pass by characters on the street. A projection of Kirby’s comic for the night flips through each page being acted out on the show.
Past Nerd Music Night guests have included Suzanne Slade from Daenerys and the Targaryens, artists from Tinto Press and the Denver Drink and Draw community (Ted Intorcio, Zak Kinsella, Alan Brooks) and Magic Cyclops. Upcoming shows will feature many, many more players in the nerd and geek community. In fact, Nerd Music Night hosts and founders of Rock Comic Con, Charlemagne LaGreca (Co-Founder of the Denver Comic Con) and Jeff LaGreca are putting a call out for contributors and collaborators. Musicians, performers, writers and artists interested in showcasing nerd/geek music should contact Nerd Music Night through their Facebook page.
The next Nerd Music Night happens May 14 at the Deer Pile. Admission is totally free. For more information, check out their event page on Facebook for updates.
What is Nerd Music Night?
According to the creators, Nerd Riot's Nerd Music Night is a relatively new creation, but it's an idea they've had for quite some time. Originally, they had hoped to introduce the idea in New York. They were always looking for new and fun bands/artists to play their Rock Comic Con shows, but they often didn't have space and time enough to feature as many Nerd Bands or Rappers as they’d like. Those artists aren't always easy to find either, so the big idea behind Nerd Music Night is to find other kindred spirits to cultivate a community and to encourage and inspire / be inspired by their work. Their efforts also aim to create new and interesting geeky music.
About the hosts:
Charlie and Jeff LaGreca both trained at the Upright Citizen's Brigade and The Second City. They tend to embrace comedy that has an "in the moment" vibe, providing for a “fun and safe atmosphere where people can take chances and try out new material.” Working like this, it feels like anything can happen.
The two brothers also host a podcast called Indie Spinner Rack which spotlights some of the best in indie comics and features guest interviews and commentary with some of the more well-known superstars in indie comics, as well as some the community’s up and comers.
About H2Awesome!
H2Awesome! was started in 2008 in New York City by Charlie LaGreca, Jon Price, and Jeff LaGreca. Current band members include Gregg Zehentner and Matt Van Metre. All of the members love most things geeky and love performing and writing songs about their nerd passions. The band was honed in local bars of NYC -- like Arlene's Grocery and Sullivan Hall -- and has gone on to spark huge events such as Rock Comic Con (in conjunction with the New York Comic Con) which has raised more than $16,000 for children's literacy with their events and shows.
About Daenerys and the Targaryens:
Daenerys and the Targaryens was started as a passion project and evolved from there. Watching “Game of Thrones” and being a lover of punk parody music, Suzanne Slade, lead singer of the band, collaborated with Jeff LaGreca to write songs about the show. What ensued was fiery and completely entertaining songs about “Game of Thrones” events and characters. A long time and well-trained musician, Slade picked up the guitar and started incorporating comedy into the songs she wrote. Now, Daenerys and the Targaryens have been making fans out of audiences with their many exhilarating appearances.
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