The circus is pulling out new tricks for the New Year. A new cast of new characters and a transition from their typical rhythm and blues beat to rock ’n’ roll has the New Orleans Bingo! Show enthused for the new year.
Fans familiar with cabaret-inspired performers, well acquainted with the theatrics, the costumes and the original video footage, shouldn’t fear; the funhouse isn’t going anywhere.
The transformation is part of the evolution of the show, Executive Producer Ron Rona explains.
“We want to be creative all the time,” he says. “It’s definitely not a knock on a performance we’ve done before. Clint [Maedgen, founder and lead vocalist], being the musical juggernaut that he can be, constantly loves to be on the forefront of changing what he does, and sometimes it involves different players to keep things fresh.”
Trixie Minx, founder of the local burlesque troupe Fleur de Tease, is one of the new members to join the team.
“Trixie is going to fill that ingénue spot,” Rona says. “We’ve worked with Trixie a bunch of the past two, three years. We couldn’t be more pumped about it.”
The new core lineup includes Michael Miller (Bones, Liquidrone), who has worked with Maedgen over the past decade. He was originally the guitarist four years back, but he returns as the bassist. On keys will be multiinstrumentalist Lucas Davenport (Earl Can Bird, Clint Maedgen +9), who has also collaborated with Maedgen in the past. And Keith Hajjar (The Bad Off, Rock City Morgue) will be on drums.
“One of the goals is to bring the rock back in. There’s something sonically that we’re looking for with big drums, big keys,” Rona says. The new troupe will be uprooted from New Orleans and will be the opening act for the Polyphonic Spree for Southern Comfort’s Australian Carnivale Tour, February 17-28.
“I started this in 2002, and honestly I really need to feel like it’s still new for me to continue to do it,” Clint Maedgen says. “I’m excited to have a whole new crew. I think there’s going to be an excitement to it that hasn’t really been there in a while.”
As the “support group” for the Polyphonic Spree, Maedgen looks forward to possibly collaborating on tour. “I have a song with a gospel feel to it called ‘There is a Light’ which is easily transferable over to a gospel choir presentation, and I’m excited about the possibility of doing that!”
The theatrical invasion Down Under will give Maedgen and his crew an opportunity to share a piece of their New Orleans musical culture with Australia.
“I’m looking forward to taking an opportunity to show that part of the world a different side of New Orleans,” he says. “We get dismissed about being about Bourbon Street, Mardi Gras, coming to town, throwing up, making a mess and then going home. That’s not my New Orleans. My New Orleans is far richer, with a lot more integrity and history to it. I love the opportunity to spread that message in any small way I can.”
[...] moment of reckoning prompted Clint to shake up almost the entire roster of Bingo just before leaving on an Australian tour. They had one rehearsal together before doing five shows [...]