The Tiger Lillies 2009

"A journey into wild emotion which passes right through melodrama and out the other side into bizarre beauty."—Evening Standard

It's been too long since the Tiger Lillies unleashed their particular brand of off-the-wall musical mayhem in Columbus. (After first appearing here in 1999 in the U.S. premiere of the international hit Shockheaded Peter, they’ve been back just once, in 2001.) Their return on this tour celebrating their 20th anniversary is just in time for Halloween and brings you wickedly entertaining tunes from Shockheaded Peter, The Gorey End (their tribute to famed cartoonist Edward Gorey), and Freak Show, their latest release, which trolls the seedy side of the carnival midway for its unfortunate subjects.

Here's an apt description of the culprits: "Backed by longtime foils Adrian Stout on contrabass, theremin, and bowed saw, and Adrian Huge on a grab bag of percussion, front man Martyn Jacques, wearing bowler hat and greasepaint, gives shape to listing sea shanties, sly ballads, and wind-up tangos—hymns to death and deviancy all—with gusto, accordion, and a keening falsetto that is the band’s hallmark."—Time Out London