Do you remember December 2023? It feels so long ago since 2024 started with continued genocides (multiple), the Epstein name drops, and the (almost) three hour Katt Williams clapback podcast!
2024 Palate cleanse — this post has images and video from December 31, 2023!
I got to perform on the first (and sold out) Small Fish Show, so it was a delight to close out their calendar year with another sold out show — in a venue at least twice as many seats — with everyone masked! Maggie May Holder and Glenys Marshall are wonderful caring producers who push their artistic boundaries and make those creative dreams come true. They’ve earned this quote: they are Ottawa’s only “9X SOLD OUT comedy and variety show by and for marginalized folks”
As the opening act of this sold out show, I had the distinct honour of setting the energy for the show with an All Request Radio feature set!
Fashion Piece
It’s been a while since I’ve been outside on a NYE so I forgot its traditionally a black and white affair. Also, I Don’t Care! I was excited to wear my new raspberry shimmery shiny shirt
Thank you Theresa Graham Studio (IG: theresagrahamstudio) Check out how fab the rest of the cast lineup look too! (Small Fish on FB)
The Songs
I don’t preplan anything, including knowing which songs will back me up. I gave the tech the freedom to choose three songs from the ten I provided with musical styles across a handful of genres. As a quick feature set, I don’t have time to get people to input suggestions to my pre-made programmable form. So I had people shout out suggestions while I tried to hear — that is a lovely personal challenge as I’m hard of hearing. Keep reading for the video captured by Theresa Graham Studio (IG: theresagrahamstudio)
The first song “Any Day” came from a glorious mishearing of “Anything” which I think was actually just a prompt for someone to say anything but I took it. Set as a “2024 Banger Hit”, the song had a nice R&B feel to it — a great style for a crooner like me. The audience started clapping along immediately — on the two and four, don’t worry. If anyone questioned whether I was making it up, listen to the lyrics and see how I literally follow along with what the audience is doing in the moment
The second song “Magazine” was a rock song (BTO, Dandy Warhol style) that got a bit spicy as rock’n’roll demands. In this song, I owned more of the stage and I answered a question no one was thinking about magazines. I’ve paired these two songs together for future festival submissions, but there was a wonderful third song
For the month of January, this post is the only way to access the third song video!
The third song “Cabbage” was a blues style song eschewing my love for being stinky like cabbage. No stank shaming here! It was channeling my inner Cabbage Merchant (ATLA wiki) and the audience let their cabbage love roll! More choreography. More cheers!
“Catherine McKenney’s the Mayor” (song)
Theresa Graham captured a lovely moment of Catherine McKenney and I smiling at each other mid-lyrics
“Catherine McKenney’s the Mayor” — is the dreamscape I wish we were living. Take a gander at the video (on IG)
Compliments on my set — in the various lines at intermission — were appreciated, AND still, it was one part of the grander success of the night. Thanks for the setup and support from Chantalyne, Corinne, Harley, Sarah, Seth, Stephanie, Theresa, and Thomas
Thanks to Maggie Mae and Glenys for your love — here’s to another year of meeting your creative dreams
The Velvet Duke 