In Italian, “Mucca Pazza” translates to “Mad Cow,” but I doubt this hometown thirty-piece self-described “circus punk marching band” is referring to the disease. With marching uniforms that don’t match and routines that may or may not follow any pre-designed choreography, a Mucca Pazza show feels like you’re watching a giant cow lumbering around on stage, drunk on Irish cream, partying until his own kind comes home. Apart from the metaphor, Mucca Pazza consists of thirty dorks on horns, strings and percussion (or cheerleading) that revel in the pure, unadulterated joy of mayhem, blasting out everything from noise-punk to classical, Le Tigre to Bartok. There’s one certainty when catching one of these mega-member acts like Polyphonic Spree, I’m From Barcelona or Bang Camaro: because of the exceeding low-band-member-to-audience-member ratio, you will be engaged; at least twenty-two people will be on stage imploring you to dance your ass off, and this trend will surely continue with Mucca Pazza and beyond, unless that thirty-piece shoegaze act I’ve been praying for finally forms. (Andy Seifert)
Brutal Finesse: A Preview of King Crimson at Ravinia There have been few new compositions from King Crimson these past two decades, but the live arrangements of songs from its catalog are often strikingly different than the recorded versions.
Cooling It: A Preview of Colleen Green at Cole’s Bar When Green strums power chords or chiming notes on top of her backing track, you might think you’re at Ramones karaoke night and Madonna is taking her turn.
