It's not every day you get to play a show with good friends old and new, AND with someone who used to play in the Sun Ra Arkestra.

Let's face it: You might never get to play a show like that at all, but I get to do it Saturday and you get to be there.

Let me hit you with a flyer.

Living Earth is my friend and neighbor Vito Dito's band. The Wigg Report is a band that features my friend Ben Riseling, who I knew long before he beat me to the idea of moving from the bay to Durham by about 20 years. I would call both bands folk punk because they're both centered around acoustic guitar but they have a hard edge and also because who cares what genre you call someone.

Ben plays saxophone, to give you an idea of how that band isn't going to fit into some genre-based algorithm — which is about the nicest thing I can think of to say about any band. I aspire to that.

I met Josh Rosenstein, who will MC the show, the first time I went to the comedy-music open mic he hosts at Zog's in Chapel Hill. Josh is a comedian and musician, and he's both a better player and funnier than I am, which would be a reason for me to hate him but he's such a nice guy I've only slashed his tires twice since we met.

The Sun Ra connection is Ken Moshesh, who will open the show with his jazz band. We were just talking about better musicians than me and I know that includes almost everybody but I mean this guy played with Sun Ra. This is gonna be good.

There's no cover but a suggested donation of $10, some of which will go to Bullhorn Arts, a local organization that connects musicians, runs a record label and puts on a kick-ass festival in Durham in the fall. The show starts at 7 and I expect to play around 7:30.

The King Teen Global Domination Update

I'm branching out in my showbiz career by appearing in a play next month. I'll be playing both butlers in a Stone Soup Theatre Company production of The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde. There were open auditions and I got the parts.

I've never done any acting before this, other than the usual lying and pretending to know what's up that we all do. This was even my first audition, so I guess I'm batting a thousand. Rehearsals have started and damn I'm learning a lot. It's a lot of fun and I'm very impressed with the other people in the show, who are actually actors and directors and whatnot.

Informing Cecily that a Mr. Ernest Worthing has driven over from the station. The "38" placard is standing in for a salver, a little silver tray. Photo by Madi Ugan.

One thing I might be learning: If you're in an American production of an English play and you're looking around trying to figure out who's Dick Van Dykin' their accent, it's you. It certainly isn't Georgia Bean, pictured with me here, who has an unfair advantage: She's English. The nerve.

There will be six performances on consecutive weekends starting Friday February 21 at the Honeysuckle Teahouse in Chapel Hill. Tickets aren't on sale yet. I'll let you know.

Thanks for reading and listening. See you Saturday at Moon Dog Meadery? 

Your friend,

The King Teen

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