gement | Vagabond Opera - you know you want to.

One of my favorite bands, Vagabond Opera, is doing a big show in Portland on December 22nd. That date is right at the start of Amtrak's holiday price-gouging. Is anyone vehicular interested in going? Anyone non-vehicular for that matter, but carpooling would be awesome.

Vagabond Opera is an awesome live cabaret band. The frontman, Eric Stern, is an opera singer and a mad accordionist. They perform songs in at least 5 languages and draw primarily from klezmer, Romani music, and Weimar cabaret. They are glamorous, dahling.

Here, listen. The Transformation Into Marlene

No, he's not faking that extended note. Yes, he does have enough stage presence that I just about burst out laughing the first time I heard him sing, "I wish that I had sex appeal." He's a very tall man, built like a bull, dressed like a carnival barker, and that is his real mustache, and he does not look ironic. He just looks joyfully, outrageously alive.

Yes, I'm in love. Who's coming to the concert with me?

Meanwhile, down Memory Lane, I first saw Eric Stern solo in a Monsters of Accordion show (Jason Webley making an exposure platform for other great accordionists). Everyone in that show was fantastic, but he was the one I couldn't stop talking about.

Vagabond Opera came to Seattle last Armistice Day and performed two shows back to back at the Triple Door. I attended the first with

arjache and

garillama, and we were so stoked that we stayed and bought tickets for the second, drunk on operatic accordion.

It is Armistice Day again, and I am wearing the same paper poppy I made for myself that day. Peace on Earth, everybody.