Oh, Sandra

I just finished up a run at Joe’s Pub in Manhattan and the Painted Bride in Philly with the outrageous, irreverent, and hysterical comedian Sandra Bernhard. 18 shows in all, with Alex Stickels on drums and Jeremy Siskind on piano. It was a blast.

Here’s the rundown of a typical set. We kicked things off with Neil Sedaka’s “Laughing in the Rain.” Sandra would rant about being a vapid New York housewife, and then point out how much she had in common with Michelle Bachmann (they’re both “fag hags,” her words not mine). Mocedades international Eurovision hit “Eres Tu” was the next number, followed by a list of some of Sandra’s peeves, including Siri of the iPhone being a real wiseass, mixed messages on Glee, getting sucked into a marathon of ‘America’s Next Top Model’ on Oxygen, the most recent royal wedding, and some other TV shows she has recently appeared on.

Channeling Carol Channing, the classic tune “Before the Parade Passes By” from Hello Dolly was next, and after that she would introduce the band. When she got to yours truly, she would either say a) that I had just walked off the set from Harry Potter, or b) that she had given birth to me, guitar and all, which was quite painful. We finished the night with some REO Speedwagon, followed by a killin’ medley of rock tunes during which Ms. Bernhard would come out in black tights and bowler’s hat and dance like a madwoman.

It was amazing to watch a seasoned performer go out there night after night with roughly the same jokes and bits, and make every night unique. I’m certainly looking forward to playing with her again in the near future. Check out the reviews we got in this Philly newspaper and this blog too! There may or may not be some trannies…