Do You Want to Come to a Party on the Moon?

Last week I traveled the vast distance between here and Des Moines to see a concert. This is a rare occurrence for me unless there is an ulterior motive involved (i.e. food at the venue, boys, pinball machines). Another secret motive I harbor for concerts, but don’t generally bank on due to lack of enthusiasm from my peers, is dancing.

Though I have been known to dance alone, I did not need to worry about the heat of the spotlight on Tuesday night at the Vaudeville Mews as Quintron and Miss Pussycat turned a sullen group of twenty-somethings into an uninhibited dance party.

Quintron and Miss Pussycat are a New Orleans based duo who have been making records for over a decade. They manage to stay somewhat under the pop culture radar. Probably due to the fact that they rarely do interviews and seem more concerned with inventing inventions and casting spells than anything else. 

The show opened with a puppet play by Miss Pussycat, complete with handmade stage that resembled a glitter pizza party. The crowd was regaled with voice distorted dialogue delivered by professional hand sewn puppets, black lights, heads exploding in bursts of red pom-pom, space craft and Dracula, not to mention a party on the moon. 

After the puppet show, properly pumped up, the crowd began to dance or become hypnotized by instruments that Quinton himself has customized and/or invented. Including, but not limited to the infamous Drum Buddy, an light activated coffee can synthesizer.

Mr. Quintron plays multiple intruments at a time. His eye for detail and love of sound is apparent as he stomps the wah-wah pedal, taps the high-hat and plays an organ that he customized to look like the front of a car. Even if you don’t like music, this is a good show. 

I am telling you all of this because rumor has it, the duo will be appearing in Iowa City on July 17th,  at The Mill, and you should all probably be there. Even if you are scared of dancing, I know that you secretly, if not openly, love puppets.