Festivus and Other Twisted Holidays Returns to the Aster Café

Larry McDonough Quintet and Festivus and Other Twisted Holidays Returns to the Aster Café Do you need a break from politics and maybe some family members? Are you tired of the same old holiday music? Come to the Annual Performance of Festivus and Other Twisted Holidays! Sunday, December 21 8:00-10:00 p.m. Aster Café 125 SE Main Street Minneapolis, MN 55414 612-379-3138 Larry McDonough Quartet Larry McDonough, piano, vocals, and arrangements Richard Terrill, saxes and poetry Josh May, trumpet Greg Stinson, bass and arrangements Dean White, drums Families and students are welcome. $15 Cover. Reservations Call 612-379-3138 to save your spot! On Line: https://www.exploretock.com/astercafe/ Donations to The Human Fund suggested (because musicians have to eat meatloaf). Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AN_kfhoSaOU Festivus and Other Twisted Holidays in the Media http://larrymcdonoughjazz.homestead.com/FestivusintheMedia.html ♬ ♪ ♬ ♪ ♬ ♪ ♬ ♪ ♬ ♪ ♬? ♪ ♬ ♪ ♬ ♪ ♬ ♪ ♬ ♪ ♬ On December 21, the Larry McDonough Quintet (LMQ) will perform music in celebration of Seinfeld’s fictional December 23 holiday “Festivus for the Rest of Us” along with other odd takes on holiday music. Come see the show that filled both the Aster Café and the old Black Dog Café. Festivus was created by Seinfeld character Frank Costanza (played by Jerry Stiller) as an alternative holiday in response to the commercialization of Christmas. The tradition of Festivus begins with an aluminum pole. Frank cites its “very high strength-to-weight ratio” as appealing. During Festivus, the pole is displayed unadorned. Frank admits, “I find tinsel distracting.” Festivus includes practices such as the “Airing of Grievances.” During the Festivus meal of meatloaf on a bed of lettuce, each person tells everyone else all the ways they have disappointed them over the past year. Frank begins by yelling, “I got a lotta problems with you people, and now you're going to hear about it!” Throughout the meal, Festivus participants label easily explainable events as “Festivus Miracles.” After the meal, “Feats of Strength” are held where family members wrestle the head of the household to the floor. Festivus concludes when the head of the household is pinned. Here is a short primer on Festivus from Seinfeld. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1njzgXSzA-A For Festivus, LMQ will perform: Airing of Grievances: “She’s Too Good for Me” by Sting Festivus Miracles: “If I Only Had a Brain” by Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg from The Wizard of Oz Feats of Strength: “We Are the Champions” by Queen combined with “Maiden Voyage” by Herbie Hancock A music stand pole will serve as the Festivus Pole. Audience members will be invited to submit "Airing of Grievances" cards about friends and family to be read during the second set from the stage. Come ready to listen and rant. ♬ ♪ ♬? ♪ ♬ ♪ ♬ ♪ ♬ ♪ ♬ ♪ ♬ ♪ ♬ ♪ ♬ ♪ ♬? ♪ ♬ LMQ also will perform odd holiday tunes and arrangements from the CD Angels, Kings, My Favorite Things that includes: “My Favorite Things” – Tribal 5/4 based on the Coltrane version “Jingle Bells” – Ballad in the style of Bill Evans with Gershwin-like harmonies “Silent Night” – 5/4 with minor-major harmonies “Scarborough Fair” – Jazz fusion in 7/4 with free improvisations “Alone in the World” – from Mr. McGoo’s Christmas Carol “Simple Gifts” – 7/4 with minor harmonies “Little Drummer Boy” – Polytonal smooth jazz “Ode to Joy” – In the style of a Bill Evans waltz “We Three Kings” – Middle Eastern 5/4 “Angels We Have Heard on High” – 7/4 with Gershwin-like harmonies Andrea Canter noted, this is “not your mother’s holiday album.... Spending the holidays with Larry McDonough is like the best of family reunions – getting reacquainted with relatives who seem so different from how we remember them, and so much more interesting.” Angels, Kings, My Favorite Things http://larrymcdonoughjazz.homestead.com/Angels.html ♬ ♪ ♬? ♪ ♬ ♪ ♬ ♪ ♬ ♪ ♬ ♪ ♬ ♪ ♬ ♪ ♬ ♪ ♬? ♪ ♬ On top of this, LMQ has other odd holiday arrangements including: “It’s Love, It’s Christmas” – Based on a Bill Evans manuscript provided by his widow Nenette Evans arranged in 3/4 “I'll Be Home for Christmas” – 7/8 dark minor “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” – 3/4 bebop “Christmas Time Is Here” – 3/4 dark minor Minnesota Book Award Winner Richard Terrill adds seasonal poetry.

Event Links

Tickets: https://go.evvnt.com/3397003-0

Facebook: https://go.evvnt.com/3397003-2

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