Welcome to the Neighborhood.
Or, “Don’t listen to Santa.”
That’s what the band said anyway. In between touting their circus and engaging East Village passer-bys, Santa kept promising free booze. At the end of the first song, it was fun, hilarity, and free beer. At the end of the second, magic, dancing, and free schnapps.
Free schnapps?
“Don’t listen to Santa! He’s crazy! And drunk! Free schnapps? NO! But inside you will find fun, wonders, and amazing feats. You WILL be astounded, ladies and gentlemen!”
I’m paraphrasing because I was a little over excited to remember verbatim, but one or all of them should have had a tight red coat and a top hat. Each with the energy of a ringleader, each incredibly excited about what they were doing.
The Bread and Puppet Theatre’s Dirt Cheap Money Circus has every right to be. Their 12 piece band, consisting almost entirely of brass and winds, was effusively fun. It brought us over from blocks away. It was kind of a gypsy swing, big band, funky push that drew people in and kept them there. Half gawking at rhythm free Santa, and half dancing to the beat of a pretty little girl playing a big drum.
It was a brilliant strategy. Old school, simple and executed to perfection. Get down in the street, draw a crowd, then sell yourself like there’s no tomorrow. Sound familiar, Alie Ward?
Play a song. Shout your invitation. Play another song. Be funny. Shout an invitation louder. Play one more song. Tell them the world will end if they don’t join you. Shout your invitation even louder. Play music and dance into the building with 40 people behind you. Brilliant.
Real talent. Real action. Pure beauty. I’m so impressed, and so happy that things like this exist.
Happy to turn a corner and run into this a block from my new place.
