The Blues - A musical comedy show
July 1st, 2009Blues music and comedy; at first sight it would seem to be a strange mix. One makes you cry, the other makes you laugh. However mixing them together is just what Comedian and Harmonica player Michael Connell is planning to do in a new comedy show. “I’ve been doing comedy for over eight years, and playing the Harmonica for the last four, and I’ve always kept my comedy and music very separate,” Michael explains. “However, recently I’ve begun to notice there’s a lot of similarities between the Blues and Comedy. For me, they’re both about taking something negative, like being poor or getting cheated on, and turning it into something positive like music or laughter.”
Titled, appropriately enough, “The Blues”, the show will run at The Street Theatre in mid September. As a comedian Michael has performed all over Australia and New Zealand, everywhere from the Her Majesty’s Theatre to sell out shows in the Melbourne Comedy Festival. As a harmonica player Michael has performed at The Wangaratta Festival of Jazz and Blues and the Australian Blues Music Festival in Goulburn. However this show will be the first time Michael combines his two skills. “It’s certainly going to be a challenge,” says Michael, “but I’m really looking forward to it.”
Each night Michael will be joined by a different special guest. “I’ve managed to call in some favours and get some of Canberra’s best comedians and musicians to perform in the show,” says Michael. Guests include comedians Jay Sullivan and musical comedy duo “The Stevenson Experience” both of whom are Raw Comedy National Finalists, Green Faces Grand Finalist comedian Tom Gibson, and award winning young blues guitarist Jonno Zilber. Michael is very excited to be working with them; “Not only are these guys all very talented, they’re all really nice guys. It’s going to be a lot of fun having them in the show.”
During the show Michael will perform an eclectic mix of songs, everything from Blues standards such as Muddy Water’s “Mannish Boy” to Rage Against the Machine’s “Killing In The Name Of”. When asked about his unusual set list Michael explains; “I know there are some hard-core Blues traditionalists out there who don’t like anything written after the second World War. I’m not one of them. I’m a big fan of harmonica players like Little Walter and Howlin’ Wolf, who became great because they were innovators and broke from tradition. So while I’ll play a few old Blues songs, I’ll also be doing harmonica versions of songs by Metallica and Psuedo Echo. Plus, it’s a comedy show so all the songs are performed in a funny way.” This unusual choice of songs also helps widen the show’s appeal; “You can come to this show knowing nothing about The Blues and still have a great time,” says Michael. “I explain everything in a funny way as we go along, so you don’t have to be a professor of Blues history to get the jokes. It’s a fun show full of jokes and funny harmonica songs. I guarantee it’ll get your Mojo Working.”
The Blues will run from September 17th to 19th at The Street Theatre, Childers Street Canberra. Show starts at 8:00pm and tickets are $18/$16concession. Bookings essential: (02)6247 1223 www.thestreet.org.au
The Blues Poster
