Knipple’s Variety of Games Show
January 16, 2024
Thelma’s Peach
Your next free Tuesday night begs to be taken up by the Knipple residency at Thelma’s Peach. If you’re not familiar with Knipple—the duo of Nicholas Foster and Jordan Hehl, the drummer and bassist who also play in King Cabbage Brass Band, The Earslips, and others—you’re missing the most fun you could have at a music gig. Imagine if Sesame Street’s Bert and Ernie studied jazz and funk and decided to put on an interactive show. The vibe at Knipple’s Variety of Games Show is pure creativity.
A typical rock show this was not. Immediately upon entering Thelma’s on the third Tuesday of the month, I was told not just by the band, but indeed by the entire bar, to fill out a slip of paper with a few different nouns on it, including “Emotion” and “Animal.” This would prove to be of utmost importance, for soon the duo, clad in the blue and red jumpsuits that have become their Knipple calling cards (Foster the drummer in blue, Hehl the bassist in red), went around the bar asking the crowd what their emotion and animal were (I was “Sad” and “Koala”; I don’t want to talk about it), then made us make up a dance which we taught to the rest of the crowd. I watched angry crocodiles, contemplative cockatoos, and scared cheetahs dance around the bar in what Knipple called the “Moody Barnyard.”
In between games, they played a bunch of funky tunes that walked a fine line between funny and prodigious. In addition to being great crowd-pleasers, Foster and Hehl are excellent instrumentalists. Their cover of Herbie Hancock’s “Chameleon” made my friend’s eyes go really wide. I should talk about the music more, but I was lost in having too much fun. They had us buy Knipple Kazoos (“one dollar or a bunch of dollars or no dollars, we don’t care”), and we took part in a Kazoo Contest, and we did a round of Kazoo Solos. They kept score: red team versus blue team. I think blue team won, but I’m biased—that was my team. Fun seems to be the point, as opposed to music; while the music is great, there’s more focus on crowd participation and games than anything else.
The crowd wasn’t massive, but everybody got involved, and many in the audience were called out by the band by name. The emphasis on fun and crowd work made this a different kind of show, where even the unfamiliar listener became part of the in-crowd. Where many musical cliques feel oppressive, this one actively invites you in. Bring your friends and make a few more. I sure did.
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