Rodney DeCroo's In the Belly of the Carp

This blog will soon break its hiatus, as I I have promised out a couple of things and must do them. Like, when I met Ty Stranglehold to swap Mamas, I interviewed him about his band Knife Manual, apropos of their Dec. 7th show upcoming at the Waldorf, opening for the Dwarves (one may also wish to note their upcoming Victoria Angry Snowmans gig). So I have to do that; what was it Rob Nesbitt said, "A Promise is a Promise"? (Speaking of whom, there's still a giant Rob Nesbitt piece I want to put into the world, too, mostly about his COVID-scuttled power pop magnum opus, Mine Would be the Sun, though it still doesn't feel like the right time yet; I want him to return to performing!!!). But I'm actually really enjoying taking a break from writing -- and, briefly, from concertgoing; I was even offered a free Mac Sabbath ticket last night and did not take it. 

There is one essential performance coming up that I must mention, however, though it's not exactly a concert: Rodney DeCroo's In the Belly of the Carp, opening later this week at the Shadbolt Centre.

I have, in fact, been absolved by Rodney of doing a feature about In the Belly of the Carp,  but there is something rather curious afoot with DeCroo here -- intriguing, but also puzzling -- that should be noted by someone. Consider the Facebook introduction to the performance:

"When brilliant but erratic songwriter Rodney has to give a concert, spectres from his troubled past emerge to play tug-of-war with his well-being, torpedo his relationships (especially with his long-time manager and closest friend Samantha), and plunge him into a battle for his soul inside a giant fish."

...which fish presumably relates to Fishing for Leviathan, and perhaps Dr. Theodore Fishpants, both written about here, back in 2022 (an unbelievable two years ago; it feels like it was only a few months ago). All of which leaves me with questions ("why fish?"). Plus it feels like it's been awhile since there's been a straight-up Rodney DeCroo concert. I have really enjoyed the concerts of his I've seen -- besides catching a few songs at a Railway Club gig quite some time ago, I've seen DeCroo at least twice at the Cultch, once debuting his last straight-up physical media release, Old Tenement Man -- an essential local album -- and interviewed him a couple of times (see here, here, and here) to boot.  I am, in fact, ready for a straight-up Rodney DeCroo concert again, where I can hear "Jacob's Well" and "You Ain't No One" and "Stupid Boy in an Ugly Town" and my other favourites of his songs (I hope to be there when he breaks "War Torn Man" out of retirement, too).  

This (I don't think) will not be that concert. DeCroo appears to have gone "meta," incorporating his songs within a theatrical structure that includes his music (but what's the ratio of songs-to-theatre? I expect there's more of the latter, but...). Theatre is also something DeCroo excels at (cf. Didn't Hurt), but he appears to be putting his musical performance, this time, in a structure that relates explicitly to his not having performed as a songwriter in awhile; there's some personal context for this which presumably will become text during the piece -- not quite sure, but I don't want to delve, save to say that DeCroo tells me that it's "a play that also features my songs and poems accompanied by a live band and visual fantasias by shadow puppetry wizards Mind of a Snail. It's easily the most ambitious project I've attempted. I feel a bit like Evil Knievel about to jump 50 trailer trucks or something insane like that, but hopefully with a better outcome!" (It "sounds dramatic," he says, but will also be "quite humorous and fun"). 

Apparently there will also be a "water-based fog, mineral-based haze, and a strobe light" (!) and "a trauma-informed Active Listener present at all performances," which is also kind of piquant; those of us who have seen Didn't Hurt know that DeCroo's performances can get quite... what's the right adjective? "Powerful" isn't powerful enough... "Confessional" sounds too Catholic... "Potent" and "tough" sound too macho, "challenging" sounds too cerebral, and terms like "personally revealing" and "self-lacerating" sound too self-indulgent/ un-controlled, neither of which conditions apply; I've not yet seen Rodney put himself in danger during a piece (which is good; I'm not interested in experiencing that). There's probably one right adjective out there ("raw" comes close, I guess), but it's eluding me: suffice it to say that DeCroo can take you inside very painful emotional experiences, which require a certain emotional fortitude of the audience. I've not yet felt the need for a safety net for a work of art, but it's interesting to know that there will be one (and a "moderated talkback" at the end of the night). 

Not entirely sure what to expect, ultimately, but In the Belly of the Carp seems like something not to be missed -- not exactly a concert, but something much more ambitious. There are four shows at the Shadbolt Centre Nov. 28th to Nov. 30 (with a matinee and an evening show on the 30th). Tickets here. See you there?