In Austin: Mike Z’s The Strip Cult
If you live anywhere near Austin, TX, you have to go see the new stage production by filmmaker Mike Z called The Strip Cult, which is a musical about Charles Manson. It’s being performed this Friday, May 16 at 9 p.m. at the Parish Room. Tickets will be available at the door on the day of the show.
Mike Z, of course, directed Bad Lit’s 2007 Movie of the Year Wanted: New Talent! The Walt Gollender Story and we’ve been major fans of his film work for years. However, The Strip Cult is a live stage production and it looks to be as amazing as anything he’s ever filmed. I’ve listened to a couple of songs from the show and watched a video clip from a rehearsal. And I gotta tell you, this thing looks like a real hoot. I wish I could make it down myself.
Here’s the official description of the show from Z:
The Strip Cult
The Parish Room, 9 p.m., $10, all ages
For all its flower power sentiments, the psychedelic ’60s had their dark side, just as LSD offers the 50/50 promise of oneness with the universe or a soul-shattering bad trip. Fully embracing the brown acid, rock opera The Strip Cult plants its go-go boots firmly in the era’s seedy side, telling the Manson-inspired story of a wannabe ingénue corrupted by a drug-crazed serial killer. Ablaze with fuzz-laden grooves and liquid light, The Strip Cult is like a Kenneth Anger film come to life: Lost souls shake, rattle, and roll toward a violent end, exposing the dangerous nihilism behind “free love.” An opening set from Cavedweller causes the kundalini creeps with stark psych-blues, while Hacienda’s layered pop harmonies provide a smooth comedown.
The Parish Room is at 214 East Sixth Street in Austin. I can’t urge people to go enough. Please, go.
just wondering if this will be shown any other time than today, the 16th of may?
As of right now, I don’t know. If I find out about more performances, I’ll post them up.
we’re playing again at Ruta Maya in austin on june 19th