Results tagged “thecramps”

This week saw the passing of Erick Purkhiser, aka Lux Interior, frontman and founding member of The Cramps. Lux started the Cramps in 1973 with his future wife, Poison Ivy, and the band was a fixture of the then emerging CBGB punk scene, despite playing more of a bluesy surf-rockabilly sound that differed from many of their contemporaries at the club. The band had a long and well-respected career, with quite a hardcore following. Lux and his wife had been touring with the band as recently as Fall 2006. That final tour had them play the MotherF**ker party at Avalon that Labor Day, which was an appropriately outrageous venue for what turned out to be their final New York show. Lux had a pre-existing heart condition, which ultimately led to his death. He was 62.

Despite Fugazi's "indefinite hiatus", Ian MacKaye has been as busy as ever; in addition to recording a new album for his current group, The Evens, he’s been producing albums for other D.C. bands, touring, doing Q&As, managing the Dischord label and, as always, personally responding to all his mail. The Evens second album, called "Get Evens", is being released today. The duo features MacKaye on vocals and baritone guitar and Amy Farina on vocals and drums.

THEATER: Less than a week post-Fringe, another festival is upon us: the Brick's new Clown Theater Festival, which starts tonight with a subway parade and "free-for-all pie-fight." Some of the participating local and international performers wear big red noses but these aren't the sort of clowns that kids get scared of at birthday parties, but rather the promoters of and participants in a vibrant physical format that's re-energizing theater; there are performances like Chiche Capon's Cabaret out of France and Fools Mass by NYC's own Theatre Group Dzieci, plus workshops for aspiring clowns. Even if the Fringe has you tuckered out, these will be different and delightful enough to get you going again. - Mallory Jensen