Miss Oblivious has to graciously invited Mad V to screen her latest vidiocy- “Internet Date”. Many other exciting goings-on that night as well, Hosted by Jackie HELL!

“The tag line for the Sepiachord site is “Music for a Past that Never was.” Many of the songs on this compilation (and the other Sepiachord CD) have strong vaudevillian and cabaret influences. Jangly pianos and accordions feature strongly, as does the occasional theremin. Everything on this CD is more than listenable, but there are a few standouts.

“The Dance Master” by Veronique Chevalier is hands down the best song on this CD. It tells the story of an evil Dance Master who seduces girls into a life of prostitution. She has a throaty voice, with a French accent. The first time I heard the song, I texted Mr. Bodewell immediately to tell him how incredible I thought it was…”

Read the entire review here:

http://geekgirlsrule.wordpress.com/2010/09/03/geek-girls-rule-137-review-sepiachord-passport/

“The whole collection left a good taste in my mouth – like absinthe flavoured cotton candy…” with songs by the likes of Walter Sickert & the Army of Broken Toys and The Tiger Lillies and Veronique Chevalier and Emperor Norton’s Stationary Marching Band and many many more!

http://www.steampunkcanada.ca/apps/blog/show/5020429-review-of-a-sepiachord-passport-cd

Forget the tricks this year, and just go for a treat: “A Sepiachord Passport” compilation recording. Dark Cabaret at its finest! 20 tracks & 20 artistes (including La Moi on Track # 10!) for only less than $10!

Featuring cover art by Jamie B. Wolcott!

Order it NOW from the Projekt Records website:
http://projekt.com/projekt/product.asp?sku=PRO00250

Huzzah! Monsieur Dan Shaurette, creator of the “Out Of The Coffin” podcast, has chosen Mad Veronique’s “Vampire Surprise” as the closing musical number for his latest episode. Please do drop in and give it a listen! >:-)

http://outofthecoffin.com/ep63

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What a great honour (as well as rare artifact- Dated “Dec. 1, 1889”) that Dr. Grymm has paid moi in this, a letter written to thank moi for performing at his Steampunk Bizarre- “The Experiment” in 2010.

^ CLICK ^ on the image to see a full size view of the letter

On August 21, Muse hosted its annual summer event, Muse ‘til Los Angeles—The Los Angeles County Museum of Art’s (LACMA) Muse program presented its fourteenth annual Muse ‘til Midnight on Saturday, August 21, 2010, from 8:15 pm — 12 am.

Muse ‘til Midnight featured live music, drinks, and food that celebrates the exhibitions currently on display at LACMA.

This year’s theme is derived from Manly Pursuits: The Sporting Images of Thomas Eakins and will featured an atmosphere to match Eakins’ late nineteenth-century paintings. Live music, video projections, vaudeville performers, and steampunk-inspired crafts enhanced the scene to create a truly unique and spectacular environment.  Presented in two acts, the first half of the night welcomed guests to “The Eakins Arena” in the Los Angeles Times Central Courtyard and featured exclusive after-hours access to Manly Pursuits and Catherine Opie: Figure and Landscape, plus a live performance by Dusty Rhodes and the River Band, a circus of vaudeville activities, and Opie-inspired photo stations.

For the second half of the evening, the action switched to the penthouse of LACMA West, where Steampunk props, recently featured in the annual Labyrinth of Jareth Masquarade, were on display. There were also elaborately-garbed stiltwalkers, and live music by Unextraordinary Genlemen, replete with Victorian (un)garbed burlesque dancers!

Bonjour!

Please pass this link along if vous enjoy my video! Merci!

URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cd9rSsaEZvo

It was a true delight to participate in The Steampunk Meet Up & Official Guinness Book Of World Records shoot to document the largest group photo of steampunks on the planet! The official from TGBOWR took a census as we assembled for the photo, but did not share his tally with us. We’ll have to wait until the “real” photo is published. For now, here is one shot by Jerry Abuan:

(I am the woman in red & black, wearing a feathered neck piece & with goggles on my hat, who appears just over the right shoulder of the grinning gent in the tan-colored vest, who is holding the blue and white framed certificate of authenticity along with the woman in the fabulous steampunked wheelchair!)

I also received notice in The LA Weekly, for my role as MC and performer in The League of Temporal Adventurers First Society Gala @ Queen Bee’s, on the Saturday night of Comic Con. Featuring Voltaire, UXG, The Hoop Unity & The Slow Poisoner. Members of The League of STEAM (who are in the front row on the right side of the railing in the above photo) were on hand to mix and mingle, as were the four members of Steam Powered Giraffe.

All in all, it was an excellent foray for my first-ever Comic Con!

Here is the link to The LA Weekly coverage of Comic Con Day 3 (Saturday):
http://www.laweekly.com/slideshow/san-diego-comic-con-2010-day-3-30647156/26/

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Dr. Grymm Laboratories Presents: THE STEAMPUNK BIZARRE

Greetings Dear Ones!

I have been specially-commissioned by Dr. Grymm, and shall be premiering a site-specific performance piece on the occasion of The 2nd Annual Steampunk Bizarre!

What: Steampunk immersion experience for all ages, July 9-16th
Veronique’s Appearance: Sunday, July 11th (Steampunk Meet Up)
Time: 5 to 9 pm
Venue: Hartford ArtSpace
Address: 555 Asylum Avenue, Hartford CT, 06103
Telephony: 860 – 548 – 9975
Event URL: http://www.drgrymmlaboratories.net/Steampunk-Bizarre.html

+ + + What follows is directly from Dr. Grymm himself:

“…I have been knee deep in the production and curating for the 2010 Steampunk Bizarre. A production of this scale does not happen overnight and I have the bags under my eyes to prove it!

So for now just a quick post to discuss some of the fine points of what I have been up to:

1. I have created an brand new website for Dr. Grymm Laboratories! It will showcase my work, merchandise, media gallery, the Steampug Adventures and of course the Steampunk Bizarre 2010 along with it’s own journal.

http://www.drgrymmlaboratories.net/ is the new homepage so visit often for updates!

2. The STEAMPUNK BIZARRE will be featuring 23 International artists from CA, NY, PA, CT, and the UK!

3. A STEAMPUNK MEET-UP is planned for July 11th 5:00PM to 10:00PM at the Steampunk Bizarre. And I am honored to have the lovely and talented Steampunk songtress, Veronique Chevalier performing that night!

4. A Documentory Film is being produced about the Exhibit through Neurotic Films!

5. I am colaborating with a few artists in the show, including the amazingly talented James Muscarello on a piece of my design inspired by the legend of John Henry. I will be posting a process blog on it’s creation in the next few weeks, but here is a rough concept sketch…”

Greetings Dear ‘Fiends’ & Fan(g)s!

I have just been informed that I shall be performing four (4)
sets over the course of the three days of SPWF.

Programmes will be distributed at the event, and things may change,
so please take the following information as tentative only. I would
hate for vous to miss out on La Moi, but I did want to share the
breaking news, so that vous would have at least some idea of when
I shall appear.

PLEASE NOTE: I have TWO shows on Saturday night & The Really Big
Showis on Saturday Night @ 8 pm as part of “The Gaslight Cabaret”,
so please try to make that, if vous can only come to one of my sets!

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

(1) Friday, May 14th-
Midnight-12:30am – Veronique – Miracle Room

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

# # BIG SHOW!!! BIG SHOW!!! BIG SHOW!!! # #

(2) Saturday, May 15th- 8-10pm -Main Stage
Act 1 of “The Gaslamp Cabaret”
– with Prof. Elemental, Matt DeBlass,
Veronique Chevalier, and Psyche Corp,

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

(3) Saturday, May 15th-
11-11:30pm Veronique- Courtyard Tent

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

(4) Sunday, May 16th, 5-530 pm –
Veronique -Embassy Suites Ballroom

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

And there vous have it! I do so look forward to regaling vous, and
meeting and mingling as well!

With great eSTEAM,

MADemoiselle Veronique, Mad Sonictist

Veronique Chevalier, GildedAgeRecords.com & Sepiachord.com Present:

A Red Velvet Evening of Steampunkery & Veronique’s Natal Date Celebration
A Vaudeville Extravaganza in Two Acts

Who: All Ages!
Cover: $8
Date: Sunday, May 2nd
Time: 8 pm
Venue: Echo Curio
Address: 1519 Sunset Blvd, LA, CA 90029
URL: http://echocurio.com

For your edification and entertainment, I am proud to feature:

* Erica “Unwoman” Mulkey, Cellist, SF, who has toured with Votaire and Rusputina, among others
http://www.youtube.com/user/unwoman/

* Markham The Miracle Man, Sword Swallower & Vaudevillian Extraordinaire, LA
http://www.laffpro.com/video.html

* Weasels Exist, Marauding Lunatic Cabaret Music, LA
http://www.youtube.com/user/weaselsexist

* Dr. Steel’s Toy Soldiers, screening The Doctor’s short propaganda films & recruiting for his World Domination Campaign
http://www.worlddominationtoys.com/drsteel/enter.html

* Vixen Magdelene – Steamy Burlesque to Dr. Steel’s Theme Song- http://MySpace.com/vixen_magdalene

* Lavendar La Rue – Saucy Victorian Burlesque- http://MySpace.com/LillianLassen

* Tales Of The Extraordinary – Live In Studio Pulp Serial Dramatization- http://emptysea.net/tote/index.html

* Veronique Chevalier, AKA The “Weird Val” of Dark Cabaret, LA
http://www.youtube.com/user/VeroniqueChevalier

And, of course, moi! Oh and this will be my Official Natal Date Celebration, so there will be cake and bubbly (sparkling cider for non-imbibers and young folk) for all attendees!

Sepiachord.com has invited moi to submit a track to their upcoming “Passport” compilation.

I am in the process of recording my contribution, a new tango that I created just for this project. It is the tale of a very wicked dance instructor who teaches unwary young women much more than they ever bargained for.

I wrote some of my most twisted, and darkest lyrics to date, for this, and even composed the melody- my first tango ever- yay!

In addition to my vocals, instrumentation consists of accordion, contrabass, and some gorgeous solo violin work by a wonderfully accomplished guest player, who shall remain nameless for the moment.

I won’t say anything more, as I wish to tease and entice vous into frothing, lustful madness, so that vous will immediately acquire a copy of the recording when it is released later this Spring.

There will be tracks by a number of Sepiachord favorite artists included on the upcoming “Passport” compilation as well, including my dear sometime collaborator Seth Bedford. Other artists to be announced…

However, the first compilation volume, “The Sepiachord Companion” which was released last year, has the following track list (And it is sonic Heaven to listen, I might add, and copies are still available for purchase through Sepiachord.com):

1. Sepia Theme (Toy Box Trio)
2. The Industrial Revolution (Voltaire)
3. Heroin Pig (Walter Sickert & the Army of Broken Toys)
4. Until the Day I Die (Abney Park)
5. Raymond Dog Boy (The Scarring Party)
6. Long Red Hair (Vermillion Lies)
7. The Keys (Unwoman)
8. Torture (Jill Tracy)
9. Just Four Weeks (The Bad Things)
10. Sweatshop Fire (Curtis Eller’s American Circus)
11. Rivolta Silenziosa (HUMANWINE)
12. Unsought (Harlequin Jones)
13. Permission Withdrawn: Broken Time Machine Mix (The Fog People)
14. The Last Express (Vernian Process)
15. Hobo Girl Blues (One Beer Prophet)

Film maker David Sloma has invited La Veronique to be interviewed for his forthcoming documentary, “Goth:insideOUT”. His blog entry on the subject is as follows:

Veronique Chevalier AKA The “Weird Val” of Cabaret has graciously agreed to be interviewed for the film GOTH:insideOUT!

She is very talented and unique in what she does, with her cabaret performances and also music (both on her own and with projects such as Polka Haunt Us). I’ve never seen or heard anything like it – and I like it!

Her work on “Polka Haunt Us: A Spook-tacular Compilation” was an official selection on the 51st Annual Grammy ballot,  and continues to gain more popularity and airplay every Halloween.  She writes and performs original cabaret songs, and also covers of rock songs as Edith Piaf might have done them. In addition, “Weird Val” writes parodies of well-known songs, in the same spirit of “Weird Al” Yankovic.

From her bio: “Being gonged off the premiere season of America’s Got Talent was irrefutable proof her gifts are wasted on the masses.”

We’ll get her take on what she does, sample some of her live performances, and hear about her observations on Goth and its evolutions.

Her Website is http://veroniquechevalier.com and also check out http://polkahaunt.us

I’m very happy to have her aboard!
-David

Permalink: New interview to be added: Veronique Chevalier AKA The “Weird Val” of Cabaret!

Hans Meier of PH Factor Designs created the one-of-a-kind bejeweled gun & Valkyrie goggles that give Veronique’s elusive Doppelgänger, “V” The Steampunk Gunslingeress, her superhuman powers! March 5th, 2010, at the opening reception of the Group Show @ La Luz de Jesus Gallery in Hollywood. Photos © Carol Jahshan

Who IS that masked woman?

“V” takes her job as Protectress to The eSTEAMed Doll Artiste Sheri DeBow very seriously.

“V” with eSTEAMed Photographress Carol Jahnshan.

“V” can be a bit unpredictable at times. She’s part of an series of experimental Steambots that sometimes tries shooting at things at inappropriate moments when they become over-stimulated, such as prolonged immersion within large gatherings . Luckily they have a built-in override circuit for such contingencies…

Welcome Veronique Chevalie & the “Polka Haunt Us” Artistes
To Radio Riel Steampunk!

Radio Riel is pleased to welcome Mademoiselle Véronique Chevalier and her friends on their album “Polka Haunt Us” Chez Radio Riel!  Here is Mlle Véronique’s bio from her website:

“Veronique Chevalier is also known as The “Weird VAL” of Dark Cabaret. Being gonged off the premiere season of America’s Got Talent was irrefutable proof her gifts are wasted on the masses.”

“Polka Haunt Us” is now in rotation on Radio Riel Steampunk http://steampunk.radioriel.org

Enjoy!

Permalink Here:
http://radioriel.blogspot.com/2010/03/welcome-veronique-chevalier-and-polka.html

I am so excited to share with vous the first of six promotional videos for the upcoming Steampunk World’s Fair, where Yours Truly & her collaborator Monsieur Seth, have been invited to perform on Saturday, May 15th & Sunday, May 16th.

More about our eSTEAMed presentation:

Imagine yourself transported to a mouldering basement boîte (club) in the heart Paris. Amidst the late-night, decaying splendor of tattered red velvet curtains, flickering limelights, and wisps of tobacco and opium smoke, one catches glimpses of Toulouse-Letrec intently sketching Amanda Palmer, as Tim Burton and Jules Verne quietly swap tales about sightings of the Green Faerie…The shadowy lull is suddenly lifted by the lively strains of Miss Gertrude The Accordion, as Veronique, swirling and swaying through the crowd, leads her merry musical accomplice Seth to the stage, where they proceed to regale all and sundry with ditties of engines, existentialism, etiquette, & (gag!) escargots.

Without further ado, Steampunk promo #1!



Brian Viglione vs. Brian Viglione Chess Match

Horror Addicts #036

URL: http://www.mevio.com/episode/216209/horror-addicts-036-henry-snider/

Horror Addicts Episode# 036
Horror Hostess: Emerian Rich
Intro Music by: Saints Of Ruin
—————————-
Featured Author: Henry Snider
Featured Music: Veronique Chavalier
Featured Movie: Jeepers Creepers, 2001
—————————-

***THEME: FRANKENSTEIN*** Line – up:
| Jeepers Creepers | House of Frankenstein Museum | Frankie Quiz |
| Frankie Favs | Frankenstein Novel | The Dreamer’s Thread | Twilight Con |
| Triolgy of Blood | The Dark Clan | Alice – Burton Style | DarkWoods Con |
| Stellercon | Gothla | Skinnie Mag Top 100 | Malice In Wonderland | Masquerade Ball |
| Podioracket Anthology | The Gothic Coven | Frankie Fashion | Walpurgis Shop |
| Veronique Chevalier | Saints of Ruin | Don’t Fall Asleep | I HEART Vampires |
| Monster Poll | Night’s Knights Iphone App | Borrowed Time | Henry Snider |

Full show notes available at http://www.horroraddicts.net/
—————————-
Emerian Rich: http://www.emzbox.com/
HA Forum: http://www.emzbox.ning.com/
Saints Of Ruin: http://www.saintsofruin.com/
Taping held live @ Quills, A Place For Writers on Second Life, 22 Gutenberg Alley, Book Island:
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Book%20Island/240/192/37
Check out Costume winners ~ Llud & Ariel Check out pics:
  http://emzbox.ning.com/photo/albums/horror-addicts-live-sl

THEME: FRANKENSTEIN!
***FILM: Jeepers Creepers, 2001 ~ Knightmist review
http://emzbox.ning.com/forum/topics/jeepers-creepers
***House of Frankenstein Museum! ~ Audrey
http://emzbox.ning.com/forum/topics/house-of-frankenstein-wax

FAVORITES!!!
FRANKENSTEIN novel by Mary Shelley
Real-life Frankenstein who inspired SF ~ Emz
http://emzbox.ning.com/forum/topics/reallife-frankenstein-who
BOOKS: Frankenstein Series Koontz/Anderson, The Last Nazi Life and Times of Joeseph Mengele by Gerald Astor
MOVIES: Young Frankenstein, Edward Scissorhands, Weird Science, Frankenstein, Frankenstein Unbound
ANIME: Frankenstein cartoon 1983, Scooby-Doo, Frankenberry!
TV: Lurch, Herman Munster, Van Helsing, Abbott & Costello version?
MANGA: Embalming: The other tale of Frankenstein

Frankenstein Full Text With Recording
http://publicliterature.org/books/frankenstein/xaa.php

PROMO
The Dreamer’s Thread by Starla Hutchson
http://www.thedreamersthreadnovel.com/

EVENTS Audrey & Henry
http://emzbox.ning.com/events
Official Twilight Convention – Dates & Locations Vary
Triolgy of Blood – VA
The Dark Clan – WI
Alice in Wonderland- Burton style
DarkWoods Con – KY
Stellercon – NC
Gothla – CA
Skinnie Mag top 100 – CA
Club Sin – Malice in Wonderland – QC
Masquerade Ball – CT

CALL-INS
Rhonda- Podioracket.com Anthology
http://www.podiobooks.com/title/podioracket-presents-visionaries

SHARE YOUR WRITING
Poe ~ Romance Gothic Coven (FB Group)
http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=34006054513&ref=ts

FASHION:
Frankie Fashion ~Emz
http://emzbox.ning.com/forum/topics/frankie-fashion

SL LOCATIONS:
Walpurgis & Vampire Shop ~Soul Reaper
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Soul%20Reaper/215/158/24

MUSIC:
Veronique Chevalier ~ Vampire Surprise
http://veroniquechevalier.com/
***Grave Concerns
http://www.graveconcernsezine.com/

DEAD NEWS:
***David ~ Listener mail ~ Saints of Ruin praise
http://www.saintsofruin.com/
***Don’t Fall Asleep! ~ Emz
http://emzbox.ning.com/forum/topics/dont-fall-asleep
***Best of Horror Vol. 2
http://emzbox.ning.com/forum/topics/the-best-horror-of-the-year
***I HEART Vampires
http://emzbox.ning.com/forum/topics/i-3-vampires-webseries
***Monster Poll – VOTE!
http://horroraddicts.wordpress.com/
***Night’s Knights Iphone App!
http://www.apptism.com/apps/night-s-knights-a-vampire-tale-volume-1
***Keith Hughes book on Smashwords!
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/9495

INTERVIEWS:
13 Questions with Henry Snider~Sapphire
http://horroraddicts.wordpress.com/2010/02/21/13-questions-with-henry-snider/
Thump by Henry Snider
http://www.henrysnider.com/
Read by Hollie Snider
http://www.holliesnider.com/
—————————-

URL: http://www.mevio.com/episode/216209/horror-addicts-036-henry-snider/

I had the honor of collaborating on a joint composition with Seth Bedford last year, and the result was a song entitled “Natal Date”, which premiered in May 2009 @ The Triad Theatre, NYC, with moi on vocals accompanied by Seth on accordion, with his cabaret ensemble Huxley Vertical:

On February 13th & 14th, 2010 the Chelsea Symphony premiered our work as an instrumental- orchestrated and arranged by Seth- (entitled here “Waltz-Intermezzo”) and inserted into a larger work he called “Three Songs for Chansonnier and Orchestra”:

Here is an excerpt about his work in “Lucid Culture”:

The Chelsea Symphony’s Valentine’s Day Concert 2010
February 16, 2010

“On the scale of holidays to avoid and stay home, Valentine’s Day ranks somewhere below New Year’s Eve but ahead of the Fourth of July. And the V-day concerts around town are a joke: which Holiday Inns in New Jersey do all these no-name performers retreat to after bringing their “Easy Listening for Lovers” shows to the West Village for a little extra pay? Happily, we have the Chelsea Symphony as an antidote to all that. Sunday’s program was a characteristically adventurous, stylistically puddle-jumping treat juxtaposing a world premiere with standards and a welcome rediscovery.

This particular show was front-loaded. Arrangers have been doing orchestral versions of cabaret songs for a century – on the other hand, the debut of Seth Bedford’s Three Songs for Chansonnier and Orchestra proved as notable for its shrewd, witty arrangement, making full use of the ensemble’s voices and textures, as for its tuneful lyricism. Part Brecht/Weill, part Al Jolson, the triptych sandwiched a playful overture between a somewhat noir tribute to dissolution and a ragtimish murder ballad sung from the point of view of the victim. In front of the orchestra, Brent Weldon Reno’s potent baritone resonated with wry, rakish defiance.”

To that I add: I predict even greater musical triumphs for Seth in the future!

Lucid Culture: http://lucidculture.wordpress.com/2010/02/16/the-chelsea-symphonys-valentines-day-concert-2010/

I just discovered a community formed around women who blog. It seems to be a friendly and supportive place, so why not jump on in?

If you’d like to find me there, this is my link:

http://www.blogher.com/haystackprofile/viewprofile/VeroniqueChevalier

Inviting vous to traverse the aethers to this lovely Steampunk Cyberian Community, and add moi as your ‘fiend’ there:

http://steampunk.ning.com/profile/VeroniqueChevalier

YQ7GSSS62JZX

w00t! w00t! My song The Beer Hall In Hell was voted the #1 Comedy Song of 2009 on iFunnyRadio.com. Kudos & Congrats to TV’s Kyle for #3 song Freakazoid!

——————Reposted from iFunnyRadio.com:

The iFunnyRadio Top 100 Demented Stuff of 2009

Note: The first number is the rank The second number is the number of votes for the song. All ties broken at random by computer An x indicates that due to DMCA limits, I can’t play the song.

100 001 Power Salad – The Food Show 099 001 The Volume Brothers – Why Do…n’t You Get a Job 098 001 Neil Innes – Imitation Song (Ron Nasty’s Last Song) 097 001 Parry Gripp – Wiener Dog on a Minimoog 096 001 Judge Clarkie – XV535 Virago 095 001 MC Lars – Generic Crunk Rap 094 001 SuLu – The Octo Bunch x 093 001 Flight Of The Conchords – Friends 092 001 Lemon Demon – Toy Food 091 001 Medemia – Saving Hyrule x 090 001 John Mammoser – Michael Jackson’s New Album x 089 001 John Mammoser – Michael Jackson Trial–McCauley Culkin on Peoples Court 088 001 John Mammoser – Michael Jackson Sperm Sample 087 001 Jeff Reuben feat. Emi Loca – A Horny Geek 086 001 Julia Ecklar – He’s Dead, Jim 085 001 Nixon Lee – You Can Do It On The Wii x 084 001 Max DeGroot – Steve Jobs is Still Alive x 083 001 Flight Of The Conchords – We’re Both In Love With A Sexy Lady x 082 001 Flight of the Conchords – Angels 081 001 The Volume Brothers – Oh No I’m High Again x 080 001 Flight of the Conchords – I Told You I Was Freaky 079 001 Steve Martin – Late For School 078 001 John Mammoser – Getting High with Michael Jackson x 077 001 Max DeGroot – Live on Stage 076 001 Tom Paxton – I’m Changing My Name To Fannie Mae 075 001 Christine Lavin – Cold Pizza For Breakfast Redux 074 001 John Mammoser – Killer Easter Rabbit 073 001 Marc Gunn – Beer Beer Beer 072 001 Ken Clark – The Spank Me Song 071 001 Mikey Squirrel – House of the Raisin Bran 070 001 Sun Baked Records – A Barnes and Barnes Tribute Gone Horribly Awry 069 001 Jonathan Coulton – Mr Fancy Pants 068 001 Jeff Dunham – Canine Companions 067 001 Volume Brothers – White Van Man 066 001 Rob Balder – Gamer Funk 065 001 Pete Berwick – Hello Hand 064 001 Evan Wecksel – 1945 063 001 Marc Gunn – Johnny Jump Up 062 001 Bob Ricci – Little Poop Scoop 061 001 The Chris Waffle Experience – All I Do Is Pretend To Work While I’m at Work 060 001 Uncle Vic – Little Blue Pill 059 001 Jibjab com – He’s Barack Obama 058 001 King Kahn and the Shrines – Land of The Freak 057 001 Al’s Band – Al’s Band 056 001 Jeff Reuben – Rob Me, I’m A Tourist x 055 001 Flight of the Conchords – Carol Brown 054 001 Dead Dog in Black Bag – Tony Caeser 053 002 Tyrone Kahn (The Kahn Man) – Yogi Bear x 052 002 Max DeGroot – Campaign News 051 002 Flight of the Conchords – Demon Woman 050 002 Jonathan Coulton – I Feel Fantastic 049 002 The Volume Brothers – Numpty Talk x 048 002 Kobi LaCroix – Facial Hair 047 002 Seamonkey – Moo Moo Cow x 046 002 Max DeGroot – Paul McCartney x 045 002 Max DeGroot – I Am Not Cute 044 002 DJ Particle – V For Victory x 043 002 Max DeGroot – The Pickle Song 042 002 The Polka Floyd Show – Another Brick In The Wall Part 2 041 002 Insane Ian – House! 040 002 Flight of the Conchords – Hurt Feelings 039 002 Flight of the Conchords – Fashion is Danger 038 003 Jonathan Coulton – Tom Cruise Crazy x 037 003 Max DeGroot – The Site is a Lie x 036 003 Max DeGroot – Racc Rolled 035 003 Bob Guest – Twilight Zone (Part 1) 034 003 Bob Guest – Dead x 033 003 Weird Al Yankovic – Skipper Dan x 032 003 Max DeGroot – Second Life x 031 003 Max DeGroot – Lookatthat x 030 004 Max DeGroot – Really Chasing Cars x 029 004 Max DeGroot – My Mind Dwells In Strange Places x 028 004 Max DeGroot – If I Had A Million Fursuits 027 004 Weird Al Yankovic – CNR x 026 004 Kobi LaCroix – Brutomax! The Sequel! x 025 004 Max DeGroot – Conniption 024 004 Kobi LaCroix – Brett 023 005 Paul and Storm – Me Make Fire x 022 005 Max DeGroot – The Ferret National Anthem x 021 005 Max DeGroot – I Want a Loan x 020 005 Max DeGroot – Ballad of the Bulge x 019 005 Max DeGroot – Brady Quinn 018 005 Kobi LaCroix – IHOP x 017 005 Max DeGroot – Raccoon Man x 016 005 Max DeGroot – I’m A Big Beaver x 015 005 Max DeGroot – Ad World x 014 005 Max DeGroot – Halitosis 013 006 Max DeGroot – My Fursona 012 006 Kobi LaCroix – Brutomax! 011 006 Max DeGroot – Obama 010 006 Max DeGroot – Ode to Susan Boyle 009 007 Robert Miltenberg – Bakersfield Moves To Georgia 008 007 Robert Miltenberg – Louie Louie (cubed) 007 007 Young Stroke – Hogwarts Pimpin’ 006 018 Weird Al Yankovic – Ringtone 005 019 Bill Zucker – I Want Some Tarp 004 025 Weird Al Yankovic – Craigslist 003 029 TVs Kyle – Freakazoid 002 030 Bill Zucker – Twitter Song 001 078 Veronique Chevalier – The Beer Hall In Hell

This lovely image of Seth, moi & Miss Gertrude The Accordion, was taken by Jerry A. @ Club Chrononaut in San Diego in September 2009.

Subject: iFunny Radio Demented and Comedy Music Poll 2009.

Time for all funny music fans to vote for their favorite funny stuff of 2009.

There are well over 600 entries, enough for anybody.

Please limit your votes to 25 songs or sketches per ballot per day.
Vote once per day from the same computer.

Please include The Beer Hall In Hell by Veronique Chevalier every time you vote, once a day, every day til Dec. 24th!!!

The top 100 songs of the year will air on dfsxradio.com at a day and feed to be determined.

Thank you. Here’s the link to the ballot. 🙂

http://www.davidtanny.com/9600.htm

Deadline is Dec 24!!!

11/15 Seattle International Cabaret Festival- Final Report

We made it! It was quite a trip… here’s some thoughts on the last day of the first ever Seattle International Cabaret Festival.

The day started early at the Can Can with the Peculiar Pretzelmen playing live accompaniment for the short film “Widow’s Walk” (and related other pieces).

After that Seth Bedford & Veronique Chevalier got in one last performance before the end of the Festival. The setting fit the duo like a glove.

The Castaways’ performance was moved from the Can Can to the final blowout at the Moore so…

The Festival Finale Spectacular!

Not suprisingly the event was like the rest of the Festival… not so much writ small (this was the biggest stage after all) as writ compact.

Performances?
Almost too many to recall…
The Bad Things, The Castaways, Circus Contraption, The Heavenly Spies, Miss Mamie Lavona, Orkestar Zirkonium, The Peculiar Pretzelmen, Robert Rial’s Bakelite 78, Scarlet Room, Toybox Trio, Vinsantos, Iva Handfull, Queen Shmooquan, Stella Rose, Waxie Moon… (I’m Sure I missed somebody…)

And a special appearance by Vince Mira!

The show ended with Orkestar Zirkonium leading a parade of performers & audience down to the Can Can for the closing party.

It’s still a lot for me to take in.

But I have to consider any event that destroys lucidity a a success!
With a bit of luck I’ll have my brain back on line by next year’s festival.

Seattle International Cabaret Festival~
http://www.thecancan.com/cabaretfestival/cast.html

The Can Can~
http://www.thecancan.com/

The Peculiar Pretzelmen~
http://www.myspace.com/pretzelmen

Veronique Chevalier~
http://veroniquechevalier.com/

Seth Bedford~
http://www.myspace.com/sethbedford

Vince Mira~
http://www.vincemira.com/

Original URL: http://sepiachord.livejournal.com/557410.html
* * *

Veronique Chevalier (Painting of Waxie Moon © Xavier Ortega)
(photo © E. Joyce Glasgow)

Seattle Cabaret festival overflowing with talent
by E. Joyce Glasgow –
SGN A&E Writer

The First Annual Seattle International Cabaret Festival

November 11-15
Can Can, Triple Door, Pensione Nichols, ACT, Moore Theatre

The ambitious Seattle International Cabaret Festival, organized by Can Can owner Chris Snell, showcased avant-garde cabaret acts from local artists and invited performers from Los Angeles, San Francisco, Portland and New York City. I found myself going to many more of these enjoyable performances than I had planned to as I discovered new talents. The festival had an energetic atmosphere that combined elements of Victorian Gothic, vaudeville, burlesque, acrobatics, visual arts, poetry, film, music and dance parties with a community-oriented feel and enthusiasm.

Artist/dollmaker/filmmaker Miss Oblivious curated the acts at the cozy Pensione Nichols, a bed and breakfast on First Ave. She created an arts “salon” called Poe’s Peculiar Parlor (after Edgar Allen Poe) in the public gathering room, which had a grand piano and a lovely, picturesque views of Elliott Bay. Low lamplights and candles created an intimate atmosphere where tarot card and palm readings took place, and tea was served with cucumber sandwiches and ginger snaps. Handmade dolls and paintings were on display and the acts here combined programs featuring filmmakers, writers and cabaret musical acts.

Of particular note was Veronique Chevalier, a wonderfully eccentric and comedic singer/songwriter from Los Angeles who looks like she just dove out of a painting by French Post-Impressionist artist Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec. She also reminds one of a favorite, slightly crazy and extravagantly whimsical aunt, who lives in her own somewhat fantastical and a bit saucy universe. If Charles Dickens had written a Ghost of Mirth into his Christmas Carol, Veronique Chevalier would be she.

Chevalier loves to entertain and bring laughter and good cheer to her audiences, and isn’t afraid of making fun of herself in the process. Accompanying her in her performances is her silent partner Napoleon, le corbeau (the raven), who, in true kooky Chevalier style, sits regularly upon her head.

Seth Bedford accompanied Chevalier on accordion. Bedford, from New York City and originally trained as a classical cellist, also played original material, as well as a few old standards from the Great American Songbook with his band, Huxley Vertical. The band was arranged for violin, viola, piano, bass and accordion in a chamber-like setting.

Vinsantos
(Photo © by E. Joyce Glasgow)

Vinsantos, a self-described “glam-cabaret” performer from San Francisco, entertained with an expressively painted white face and facial glitter and a hat cocked mysteriously over one eye. Under the soft light of a candelabra, Vinsantos sang original, darkly emotional songs at the piano and was joined intermittently by the otherworldly blues singer Agness Twin, who was also up from San Francisco.

A short film of particular note shown at the Parlor was California artist Christy Kane’s moral tale of the importance of having patience and not letting your temper get the best of you. Called Callalily, it was an animated film, starring one of her many unique handmade dolls named Callalily.

Singer/songwriter and guitarist Zoe Boekbinder, who has an unusual, rich voice with a country twang, performed original material at the Parlor and Triple Door, deftly using multiple electronic loops to round out her sound with layered rhythms and harmonies.

Vagabond Opera, a wonderful group from Portland which combines opera, original songs and music from different countries in their native languages, performed a lively show at the Triple Door on November 11. The late, great Circus Contraption celebrated their new CD The Show to End All Shows with two entertaining shows of music and circus arts on November 12 at the Triple Door.

The Can Can Castaways, a modern dance/burlesque dance troupe who are all graduates of the Cornish College dance department, brought a lot of energy and their distinctive, funky choreography to the Can Can and in performances with raucous band The Bad Things at ACT and at the Moore Theatre for the big finale on Sunday, November 15.

Baby Gramps was as wonderfully funny and entertaining as always in his ACT performance, and was joined by the fabulous acrobatic duo of Dr. Calamari and Acrophelia, formerly of Circus Contraption, as part of the “Cabaret Macabre” on lucky Friday the 13th. On November 11, Arnaldo! the Drag Chanteuse performed his tribute to Eartha Kitt at ACT.

The finale at the Moore on November 15 also featured aerialist Michelle Francis; The Circus Contraption Band; a steamy performance by “boylesque” burlesque artist (and documentary star) Waxie Moon; wild, wacky, non-sequitorial, creative performance artist Queen Shmooquan; Betty Boop-like singer Stella Rose; and the grand finale with Orkestar Zirkonium, playing energizing Klezmer music and leading a parade from the Moore Theatre to the Can Can for a big, festive closing dance party with visuals and music by Global Ruckus with Steve Kamke.

It was a rich festival with lots of great and unusual talent, and was impressive for a first outing as it gave a lot of local and visiting artists a forum for their artistry.

For more information, visit www.thecancan.com/cabaretfestival.

Original article URL: http://www.sgn.org/sgnnews37_47/page25.cfm

The Seattle International Cabaret Festival spans language, gender, genres and venues

By Michael Upchurch

Seattle Times arts writer

Related

• Dozens of acts, several stages beckon at first Seattle cabaret festival

Seattle International Cabaret Festival

Can Can Presents: The First Annual Seattle Cabaret Festival

The First Annual Seattle Cabaret Festival, which at the kicks off on November 6th, with honored UK Dark Cabaret icons, The Tiger Lillies at the Moore.

The Festival then picks up again on November 11th – 15th and features numerous other acclaimed cabaret, drag and physical performance artists and ensembles over the course of its five-day run. Participating venues include The Moore Theatre, ACT Theatre, The Triple Door, The Can Can and Pensione Nichols.

Appearances by:

* Agness Twin * AKAK * An Magi Tarot of the Pomegranate * Armitage Shanks * Arnaldo * Baby Gramps * The Bad Things * The Castaways * Christy Kane * Circus Contraption Band * Crystal Fosnaugh * Danbert Nobacon * Dame Darcy * Darek Mazzone * Diva Le Deviant * DJ Global Ruckus * Dr. Calamari and Acrophelia * Emerald City Soul Club * Funi Daniels * God’s Favorite Beefcake * Gypsy Sound System * The Heavenly Spies * Huxley Vertical * I (heart) Shiva * Iva Handfull * Jennybird * jONNI R Synic * Javier Ortega * Lonesome Shack * Luna Nocturna * Maureen O’Donnell * Michele Frances * Miss Oblivious * Miss Mamie Lavona * Orkestar Zirkonium * The Peculiar Pretzelmen * Queen Shmooquan * Robert Rial’s Bakelite 78 * Ronald McFondle * Scarlet Foundry * Scarlet Room * Shmootzie the Clod * Seth Bedford * Spirit Board (Gargoyles) * Stella Rose * The Tiger Lillies * Throbosho * Toybox Trio * Vagabond Opera * Veronique Chevalier * Victor Janusz * Vinsantos * Waxie Moon * Zoe Boekbinder

Official Website for dates, times, venues and ticket information: http://cabaretfestival.com

* What: Poe’s Peculiar Parlour
* Dates: Wed., Nov. 11th – Sun., Nov. 15th
* Start time: 7pm
* Location- Pensione Nichols
* Street- 1923 First Avenue
* City/Town- Seattle, WA 98101
* Phone: 206.441.7125
* Event Type: all ages, public entertainment, film, literature, music
* Website(s)- http://www.pensionenichols.com & http://www.thecancan.com/cabaretfestival/

Seattle International Cabaret Festival Presents

Join Seattle Art Maven Miss Oblivious who has curated a Series of Fortunate Events at the elegant & cozy landmark Pensione Nichols Bed & Breakfast for five consecutive evenings, each commencing with Tarot and tea- followed by film, literature and live musical performances! Victorian Parlour style… dress-up recommended but not necessary.

Programmes are as follows:

* Wednesday Nov 11th – Hosted by Miss Oblivious

– Huxley Verical Kabarett Nouveau (NYC)
– Schmootzi The Clod (music + murder ballads)
– Plus short films by Miss Oblivious

* Thursday Nov 12th – Hosted by Miss Oblivious

– Veronique Chevalier (Paris + LA) & Seth Bedford (NYC)
– Agness Twin (LA + SF)
– Jonni R Synic
– Short animated film of Huxley Verical Kabarett Nouveau
– Meet the visual artists with work on display in The Parlour:
Sara Devout,AKAK,Javier Ortega,Crystal Fosnaugh

* Friday Nov 13th – Armitage Shanks hosts Kurt Weill Night

– Doppleganger
– Stella Rose Saint Clair (Helen Kanesque)
– Book reading and films by Christy Kane (New Orleans)

* Saturday Nov 14th – Hosted by: Diva Le Deviant

– 7 pm Palm Readings by Dame Darcy
– Vinsantos (SF)
– Dame Darcy Films & Book Signing
– Funi Book reading
– Short film by Miss Oblivious

* Sunday Nov 15th – Hosted by Miss Oblivious

– Lonesome Shack (Seattle)
– Death BY Doll (LA + NY)
– Maureen O’Donnell (Author of “Scar Flowers”)
– Short surprise film screenings

Just Added: Veronique Chevalier & Seth Bedford will also be performing at The Can Can on Sunday, November 15th, as part of the concluding festivities of the Cabaret Festival!

Date: Thursday, October 22, 2009
Time: 7:00pm – 9:00pm
Location: Can Can
Street: 94 Pike Street
City/Town: Seattle, WA
Website: http://www.myspace.com/cancanseattle

Description:
Join in the spirit of Weimar era Berlin at Seattle’s Can Can cabaret.
All Ages Welcome!

* Veronique Chevalier & Seth Bedford, Musical Vaudevillians
* Stella Rose, Burlesque
* Esmerelda Strange, Lady Squeezeboxer
* Short films by Miss Oblivious!

Do not miss this extraordinary night for an alarmingly affordable admittance fee of only $5!

Can Can Reservations: 206-652-0832

Flier Designed by Seth Bedford

Ah, another wonderful night at the Chrononaut. This time around we had Eli August and Veronique Chevalier with Mr. Seth Bedford of Huxley Vertical performing. And what a wonderful show it was! Got to snap a couple of real nice photos and a capture a few videos of the performances. (Scroll down the page for photos & videos of Veronique & Seth’s performance).

– Captain Wong Wei –

Read the Captain’s entire bLog here: http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendId=484502923&blogId=511783237

Photo by: Jerry

Photo by: Jerry

Photo by: Jerry

Below is the full post from Suburban Vampire

Music Monday: Polka Haunt Us

I was alerted to a highly unique take on Halloween music: the songs of Veronique Chevalier. According to her website, veroniquechevalier.com, “Veronique is known as The “Weird Val” of Dark Cabaret, for her hilarious parodies and side-splitting covers. (Imagine if Jim Morrison and Elvira had a twisted, Edith Piaf-like love child.)”

Below is the video for her song “Vampire Surprise” from her Halloween compilation album, Polka Haunt Us.

Journey below the video, and you can preview other Polka Haunt Us songs on an MP3 sampler.

iTunes:

Posted by Catherine Karp at
http://suburbanvampire.blogspot.com/2009/10/music-monday-polka-haunt-us.html
Labels:
music

Two words: Gothic. Polka.

Gothic, spooky-old, polka. You might not have known it even existed. Today, I am ashamed I didn’t know. Polka occasionally makes its way to our consciences around this time of year, mostly diluted by distractions at Oktoberfests, but Veronique Chevalier…aka the “Weird Val” of Dark Cabaret…is changing how we think of the accordion with her compilation, “Polka Haunt Us: A Spook-tacular Compilation.”

POLKA HAUNT US!!! The name alone is enough to kill me, and from the moment I listened to the first track – “The Beer Hall In Hell” – I couldn’t stop smiling. Honestly. Polka Haunt Us. Weird Val may have been gonged off the first season of America’s Got Talent, but all I know is, this is the stuff for me. And I’m not alone. “Polka Haunt Us” was an official selection for Best Polka in the 51st Grammy’s Ballot.

Veronique acted as Executive Producer and lyricist on the compilation, bringing together talent from the polka (and greater) sphere to perform on each track. Really, “Polka Haunt Us” is a concept album, filled with stories from mythology and folklore from across the globe. While it’s definitely the season for gothic polka, these creepy narratives transcend Halloween. There’s an obvious labor of mad love behind Veronique’s research, lyrics, and song titles.

There’s no way to argue this isn’t without its hokiness. (Polka-hokey-ness.) But it’s rooted in cabaret! If we can’t be campy here, where can we? Plus, there’s talent behind the strange. Check out the video for my personal favorite, “Fisher Bird Girl,” based on a Norwegian folktale.

And if that was more seriously surreal than you expected, check out more light-hearted polka fare with “Vampire Surprise,” which tells the tale of an enterprising cook “turning the tables” on bothersome vamps.

Like any concept album, “Polka Haunt Us: A Spook-tacular Compilation” is best heard in full. Experienced is probably the better word than “heard,” because even after a total listen, my brain still can’t quite process the awesome oddity of this album. Stream it at Reverbnation or buy it at PolkaHaunt.Us.

Tags: Polka Haunt Us, Veronique Chevalier

This entry was originally posted by fallon on Tuesday, September 29th, 2009 at 9:20 am and is filed under News.You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Original URL: http://scarsmagazine.com/blog/2009/09/29/two-words-gothic-polka/

Journalist Liz Ohanesian wrote a lovely follow-up article in the LA Weekly Blog, about our Evening of Steampunkery on Sunday, September 20th @ Echo Curio:

http://blogs.laweekly.com/westcoastsound/synthful/scenes-from-an-evening-of-stea/
Scenes from An Evening of Steampunkery
By Liz Ohanesian in Last Night, Synthful

Photo by Liz Ohanesian
Veronique Chevalier and Seth Bedford

Several years ago, LA-based performer Veronique Chevalier launched Red Velvet Vaudeville Variety Show. During its existence, the performances won acclaim for bringing together an eclectic cross-section of performers linked together through the singer’s witty MC stylings. Last night’s event A Red Velvet & Sepiachord Evening of Steampunkery, held at Echo Curio, relied primarily on music, but still conveyed traces of vaudevillian presentation.

The evening was divided into halves, with each artist playing two short sets. Mixing together sentimental pop (Eli August), performance art (April Hava Shenkman), accordion-based comedy (Seth Bedford) and Victorian synthpop (Unextraordinary Gentlemen) is tricky, but the night moved quickly and cohesively. Chevalier performed one number with accordionist Seth Bedford in between each set.

Chevalier’s character is the rumored “long lost granddaughter” of Maurice Chevalier, a French ballerina whose career was cut short when a crazed cowboy shot out the lights in a theater, causing her to fall into the orchestra pit. She has turned to cabaret as a creative outlet and, like all good cabaret artists, mixes randy tunes with dramatic cover songs sung in a very thick accent. The clip below is a cover of “People Are Strange” that has become a staple of her sets.

Veronique Chevalier “People Are Strange”

Photo by Liz Ohanesian
Malcom Schreek of UXG

Unextraordinary Gentlemen were one of the evening’s guests. Their sets reminded us alternately of Nick Cave, Virgin Prunes and Monty Python, the latter of which the band discussed in our interview from last Friday. Below is a clip of the trio performing “Black Iron Road.”

* Time: September 20, 2009 from 8pm to 11pm
* Location- Echo Curio
* Street- 1519 Sunset Blvd.
* City/Town- Echo Park, Ca 90026
* Website- http://EchoCurio.com
* Cost- 8 Bux ($8)
* Event Type: all ages, public entertainment & music
* Organized By: Veronique Chevalier

Sepiachord.com & Veronique’s Red Velvet Present!

Join MADcap Mistress of Ceremonies MADemoiselle Veronique http://veroniquechevalier.com as she presents another evening of guerrilla vaudeville at Echo Curio.

Guests artists include:

* Seth Bedford (of New York City) – Composer/Accordionist/Vocalist & Veronique’s Official Accompanist http://MySpace.com/SethBedford

* Unextraordinary Gentlement (UXG) – Los Angeles-based Purveyors of Otherworldly Sonic Excellence- http://UnextraordinaryGentlemen.com

* Eli August (of Madison, WI) – Droll Outsider Folk Trio featuring Uke, Standup Bass & Percussion http://MySpace.com/EliAugust

* April Hava Shenkan – Presenting the World Premiere of her new performance piece set to “Blank Face Goblins” (a track from Veronique’s Polka Haunt Us: A Spook-tacular Compilation CD)- http://AprilHavaShenkman.com

Greetings dear Fiends & FANgs!

On August 16th, I attended The First Annual Vamp Con in Hollywood, garbed as HELLga, The Devil’s Beermaid, with copies of Polka Haunt Us in hand.

I am pleased to say that I garnered some great press, photo and video coverage along with some of the other characters in attendance.

Here are some highlights:

* The Vampire Convention Fangoria.com article:
http://www.fangoria.com/features/21-fearful-features/3653-the-vampire-convention-.html

* 10 Fangtastic Vampire Con Photos on Mania.com website:
http://www.mania.com/10-fangtastic-vampire-con-photos_article_117064.html

* The Younger Statesmen Comedy Troupe Blog:
http://theyoungerstatesmen.blogspot.com/2009/08/younger-statesmen-visit-vampire-con.html

* The Younger Statesmen Comedy Troupe Attend Vamp Con Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d-C09Mg3t5w

* Renners Hollywood: Bis(s) die Kasse klingelt – Video (in German):
http://www.focus.de/kultur/videos/renners-hollywood/renners-hollywood-biss-die-kasse-klingelt_vid_12420.html

HELLga Photo on Wire Image

Veronique Chevalier is the eccentric Françican (Français-American) Chanteuse (Songstress)known as The “Weird VAL” of Dark Cabaret.

She’s an unparalleled Parodist; Purveyor of Over The Top Lunacy, and Spooky Polkanista, who has been described as a campy incarnation of Edith Piaf from a parallel universe – the one in which her parents are Jim Morrison, and Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, and her godparents are Lucille Ball and Weird Al.

http://www.youtube.com/user/VeroniqueChevalier

Polka Haunt Us Recording Delivers Spook-tacularly
by Frank DiCostanzo

After listening to Veronique Chevalier’s “Polka Haunt Us,” one wonders how something so devilish can indeed sound so heavenly. My mortal ears were scintillated in ways I never could have imagined. Supported by the elegant production work of Jann Castor, this single-themed compilation is just oozing with originality and sophistication.

It all works to compliment the creative lyrics and showmanship of the mastermind behind the songs themselves. Chevalier weaves together her imaginative lyrics with thirteen spooky folktales and fables from around the world, giving each song a unique historio-cultural orientation.

Of course, one can just sit back and listen to this Wonka-esque boat-ride of musical delights, oblivious to any folkloric inspiration. The music’s impact alone is enough to keep you at the edge of your coffin.

A quirky yet dynamic concept album, both Halloween- and polka-inspired, “Polka Haunt Us” brings together a talented menagerie of world-renowned musicians, from Lili Haydn (the Jimi Hendrix of violin), to UCLA percussion instructor, Kirk Brundage, to Norwegian soprano, Elisabeth Ekornes.

And the list hardly stops here. Also featured are 2007 Polka Grammy Nominee Alex Meixner; virtuoso accordionist, Gee Rabe, vocalist/actress Marion Ramsey (Sgt. Laverne Hooks of Police Academy film lore), and accomplished “world” guitarist, Goh Kurosawa, to name just a few of the sixteen artists brought together by chaunteuse extraordinaire, Veronique Chevalier.

Even those familiar with Chevalier’s penchant for the outrageous will be impressed with the generosity—and grandiosity—of this truly potent witch’s brew of a record. Take the Afterwife Polka Tango, a track inspired by Eva Peron’s publicly displayed corpse (with music composed by Mike Surratt):

“Evita’s husband that Juan Peron Embalmed her in a fancy tomb of her own So he was prepared in the afterlife To have himself a trophy after-wife”

This sets up Eva as the perfect contrast to dead wives who now haunt their cheap, ungrateful husbands from beyond—and at times out of—the grave: “If you hadn’t buried me in that cheap casket, I’d still have all of my original skin left.”

Then there’s Devil’s Guitar, based on a purely American myth about a young man called Lazy Billy who discovers a guitar (possibly belonging to legendary bluesman, Robert Johnson). However, the guitar is a snare set by the Devil as Billy ultimately, and comically, plays himself to death: “On and on poor Billy played, his fingers bloody stumps / Then he knew he’d been betrayed, the Devil always trumps.”

This sort of pointed satire is typical of Chevalier’s vaudevillian style and slapstick candor, but “Polka Haunt Us” moves beyond the boundaries of satirical lyric-based music.

Tracks like Blank Face Goblins and Strange Faces in the Floor launch the listener almost without warning into the realm of the experimental. Yet it is experimental in the traditional sense, artfully combining styles of music seemingly disparate, while calling on themes and soundscapes of more popular music forms.

Add to this subtle, interspersed vocal arrangements (notably Strange Faces and Kalkajaka Polka) along with highly-crafted sampling and noise manipulation (Polka Haunt Us), and the album truly paints Chevalier as a 21st-century iconoclast at her best.

I look forward to whatever future achievements lie in store for the ambitious Chevalier. “Polka Haunt Us” has a robust, if not grotesque charm, making it a true masterpiece of the bizarre. I find it a consummate compilation, worth cherishing for many full moons to come.

Frank DiCostanzo is a writer, musician, and entrepreneur. His company, Messina Editorial Group, specializes in book editing, writer coaching, and multimedia consulting. Visit him at: http://MessinaEditorialGroup.com

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Excitement is afoot. I will keep vous posted about updates pertaining to my appearance at The First Annual Seattle Steam Con, Oct. 23- 25, where I have the honor to perform with Seth Bedford @ Mr. Bodewell’s Cabaret.

http://Steam-Con.com

Chrononaughts, aviators, tinkerers, scientists and steampunk enthusiasts! You are invited to a wondrous event. A weekend of science, fantasy, romance and adventure of the future past. Tea, robots and cabaret await you. The honour of your presence is requested at this humble steamposium.

The organizers are working hard on creating a steampunk symposium of the highest caliber in the resplendent Pacific Northwest October 23-25 2009 at the Seattle Airport Marriott.

Author Guest of Honor: Tim Powers
Artist Guest of Honor: Paul Guinan
Musical Guests of Honor: Abney Park

So, to what can you look forward?
• A Vendor’s Bazaar packed with exotic wares
• An Art Exhibition
• The Perpetual Teatime and Hospitality suite
• The Magic Lantern Theater
• Talks and discussions on all matters steampunk
• Gun modification demonstrations
• Lessons in etiquette
• Steam technology exhibitions
• Games and diversions of a role playing nature
• Cabaret acts presented by the esteemed Mr. Bodewell
• And much more to be announced…

Including several limited capacity events such as High Tea with a Fashion Show, and a special concert!

More details as things are finalized!

http://Steam-Con.com

Merci beaucouop to Russian filmmaker Taras Popov (Experimentum Crucis) for comparing moi to a cross between Tiger Lillies & Nina Hagen!

He is interested in possibly making a video some of my music! Please stop by his YouTube page and show him some love and encourage him to work with moi.

xoxo,

~V~

http://www.youtube.com/user/kotmarsik

Hear the fascinating and intricate back story about Veronique’s Polka Haunt Us: A Spook-tacular Compilation, which was an Official Entry on the 51st Annual Grammy Ballot, and unlike any other collaborative recording you’ve experienced!

Join Host & DJ Dave Strauss and co-host Brooke Trout as they delve into the depths of the inner workings of Veronique’s psyche, on this episode of Flat Cat Radio LIVE!

Here’s the link to the show:

http://www.flatcatrecords.net/podcasts/Veronique_Chevalier.mp3

Enjoy and let me know what you think!

xox,

~V~

Tags:
Alex Meixner, Mike Surratt, Kerry Christensen, Lili Haydn, Jann Castor, Marion Ramsey, Goh Kurosawa, Elisabeth Ekornes, Kai Kurosawa, Gee Rabe, Vinny Golia, Veronique Chevalier, Mica Bando, Gary Shapiro, Kirk Brundage, Jon Asbath, Brian Netzley

Beret & fake cigarette optional!
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Greetings mon cher Accordionistas!

I have a new project up my bony, pasty-white arm…It’s tentatively entitled “Veronique’s ‘Squeeze Me’ Tour.

Therein I shall collaborate with one local accordionist from an array of cities to create new material with each….

The dealio: Your music, my lyrics on any subject mutually acceptable. Yield: Approximately 15 to 20 minutes worth. We perform it when I am in your neck-of-the woods, most logical would be to incorporate it into one of your shows, and have me be guest artist.

I then drift along to my next stop, do the same concept with the next guy or girl, etc. Eventually the BEST of each of my duets with each different accordionist from each locale would be placed on a compilation album.

My first official victim, er, collaborator on this project is Seth Bedford of Huxley Vertical, in NYC, and I will be his guest the 8th of May @ The Triad, a tiny treasure of a boite Off-Broadway.

So things are off to an auspicious start with VSMT. Have you any interest to do this thing with moi? Can be rehearsed via mp3 exchange and phone.

I could pay a bit of a commission to facilitate your process, since I know bills don’t tend to pay themselves. Don’t have a huge chest, er, budget, but we would each retain 50/50 copyright, so you could shop the material around however you wish, just like I did with my collaborators on PHU.

And I would do the same with the compilation eventually, so this would GO somewhere. Not just a little cutesy hobby project, but seriously professional (fun) stuff.

I have had interest also from Mark Growden in SF and Rowan Lipkovitz in Vancouver, as well as Edrie Edrie in Boston. I’m thinking of doing a West Coast leg and an East Coast leg. Why then it’d be a two-legged tour. Ha!

Not opposed to going to the Midwest whilst I’m at it, just haven’t heard any interest from that sector yet…Although I’ve had interest from Zap-Pascal in Paris and Wolfgang Meyer, The Riverboat man, in Berlin, so maybe I’ll add Europe to the tour in 2010.

Merci beaucoup for your kind consideration. Please contact me as soon as possible so that the games may begin! Please say OUI! Whee! So WE can get started soon!

~V~
Veronique Chevalier
Lyricist, Chanteuse, & Spookstress
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What They’re Saying About Polka Haunt Us:

“A brilliantly clever concept!”
— Joe Chiccarelli, Grammy-winning Producer

“Artists like Weird Al, Polka Floyd and now Veronique Chevalier are showing us that polkas can not only rock, they can be valid methods of artist personal expression. It takes a lot of talent to pull something like this off, but Chevalier has it aplenty.”
— Lee Widener, Founder – Never Ending Wonder Radio

“Let’s face it: there’s a frightful shortage of good Halloween music. Veronique Chevalier agrees, which is why she’s put together Polka Haunt Us, a “spook-tacular” compilation of [what she] dubs ‘World Gothic Polka.’
— Chris Saccheri, Editor- Let’s Polka- All Things Accordion

‘”Polka Haunt Us” is a great addition to the radio program…I look forward to receiving future releases from your label.”
— Craig Ebel, Host- It’s Polka Time, Nationally-syndicated Radio Program

“A new kind of concept album – a first for Halloween, and a first for polka music: a Halloween polka album. Great new compositions- funny and spooky!! Polka Haunt Us is a great fun album to listen to, and is sure to please polka fans around the world! Well done! Looking forward to their Christmas album!!”
— Phill N., Host- Polka Radio Melbourne Podcast

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Polka Haunt Us recommended by:

* John Gora, 2007 Polka Grammy Nominee
* Lisa Haley, 2007 Zydeco Grammy Nominee
* Brigid Kaelin, Multi-instrumentalist (Elvis Costello)
* Lawrence Wines, Host- Tied To The Tracks, Acoustic Americana Radio Show

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Click on the images below to view full-sized cover art and liner notes:

Front Cover

Back Cover

Acknowledgments

Liner Notes Page Two

Liner Notes Page Three

Liner Notes Page Four

Disc Art

I am so deeply touched by this image especially.

http://natalieshau.carbonmade.com

“Released Time” by Natalie Shau

Dearest Darkling ‘Fiends’ & Loved Ones,

Merci beaucoup/FANG you for making 2008 such a wonderful year for moi and being so receptive towards my ‘Sonic Frankenstein’, Polka Haunt Us: A Spook-tacular Compilation.

I feel that we are well on our way to becoming a perennial favorite for The Season of The Witch, and beyond. For me, spookiness is not a seasonal thing, however, and since the word “Halloween” is not once mentioned on any of the tracks, please feel free to indulge in listening to PHU any time of year.

And speaking of indulgences, I just had to share one of my favorites with you. And please consider this my gift to you. It’s info about my very favorite Internet radio station- ever!

RadioDeliro.net– It is the brainchild & labor of love (commercial free!) of smart-chip innovator, Roland Moreno, and the play list consists of his personal music collection, which is not easily describable in ten words or less, but suffice it to say, it is an extensive play list that rarely repeats anything very often. He has a full time programmer named Sylvain Robert, who is also a professional horn player.

Between these two men, there is such a vast array of fantastic offerings that I know I won’t be able to do it justice with my paltry list, that follows. Suffice it to say that you must hear it to believe it.

Just a few examples of artists I’ve heard at one time or another:

Hank Williams, The Andrews Sisters, Julia Lee, Rose Murphy, Fred Astaire, The Beatles, Billie Holliday, Bob Bozman, Django Rhinehardt, John Lee Hooker, Miles Davis, Edith Piaf, Maurice Chevalier (yeah!), Tommy Dorsey, Cheryl Crow, Eric Clapton, Dinah Washington, Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra, Mel Torme, Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Louie Prima & Keelie Smith, Rosemary Clooney, Julie London, many other wonderful French, British, American and other artists, etc, etc, etc.

And musical styles:

Country, both American & French (Oui! country musique is most popular in France!), Baroque, Blues, Jazz, Pop, Rock, Rockabilly, Big Band, Swing, Acapella, Folk, Cabaret, Lounge, Brazilian, Boogie Woogie, Reggae, R&B, Arabic, Rap, Polka (yay!), Fusion, African, Gospel, Barber Shop, etc, etc, etc.

Again, all I can say is tune in yourself and give it a spin. And tell ’em Veronique sent you!

Viva l’RadioDeliro.net! And enjoy your 2009!

Today is the anniversary of the Natal Day of eternal screen icon Marlene Dietrich. She was a bright star in the entertainment firmament, and one of my dearest inspirations.

I shall never forget the delicious, yet naive frisson I experienced when gazing upon her timeless, and gender-bending image from the film “Morroco”. Depicted was this enchanting and yet obviously very female creature, sporting a sensuously pluming cigarette with such insouciance, and most delicious of all, with her legs crossed in the most decadently unladylike manner.

I might have been only a kid at that moment (I think I was like 11), but I knew instinctively that whatever it was that she was doing, I wanted to do the same…

Of course there will never be another Dietrich, but her trailblazing ways will be with us always…

Marlene, Dear Goddess, if you still have awareness of we mere mortals down here on Earth, I hoist a slipperful of champagne in your honor!

RIP Marlene Dietrich, Siren of Cinema
Born: December 27 1901 & Died: May 6 1992

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Well, Boils & Ghouls, I just stumbled upon this little photographic gem, and thought it would be good for a guffaw. The moi you see was just a wee tot of five at the time of this underwhelming Kodak moment. Notice how my spindly little fingers, poised to morph into claws, are attempting to repel the perverted pseudo-elf’s covert advances, just as my saucer-like eyes dialate in abject fear, and my lower lip curls to its lowest position before issuing forth with a pathetic gutteral yowl.

That year, my parents figured out how to keep my Xmess demands to a minimum, for I was apparently so grateful to escape this encounter with my life that I completely forgot to want anything…And the image also proves that I am really undead, for the sign above Santa’s shoulder attests to the fact that the year was 1500. I’ve aged well, don’t you think?

😉

‘Yule’ be safe with this Santa’s ‘slay’, and there’ll be no reindeer poop on the roof either!

Ho! Ho! Ho!

Artist: Danny Hellman

Veronique Chevalier’s Polka Haunt Us: A Spook-tacular Compilation was featured in the November 2008 edition (Issue No. 84), page 73, of Canada’s premiere horror publication, Rue Morgue Magazine. Deepest thanks to the author, Liisa Ladouceur for her astute article. (Click on the image below to view a readable enlargement of the article).

^ CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO VIEW A READABLE ENLARGEMENT ^