New York, NY (Top40 Charts) In a series of intimate evenings full of music, laughter and special guest performances, acclaimed singer/songwriter
Judith Owen and her husband, actor and humorist Harry Shearer (The Simpsons, Spinal Tap), will spread their special brand of yuletide cheer this December with their annual, yet newly-renamed 'Christmas Without Tears' sing-along tour.
Now in its 15th year, 'Christmas Without Tears' is the perfect antidote to the most stressful of seasons. Inspired by Owen and Shearer's own Christmas gatherings around their family piano the show is equal parts holiday joy and irreverent fun. Each night begins with performances by Owen and Shearer and quickly evolves into a revolving door of who's who surprise guests joining the duo on stage. In year's past they have welcomed Weird Al Yankovic, Jane Lynch, Richard Thompson, Donald Fagen, Catherine O'Hara, Paul Shaffer and
Christopher Guest. Gathered around a cozy on-stage living room, Judith, Harry and friends each perform their own selection of songs, ranging from classic numbers like 'Winter Wonderland' and 'Have Yourself a Merry
Little Christmas,' to sardonic send-ups like 'F&*k Christmas' and 'Jesus Was a Dreidel Spinner.'
An added holiday treat, Shearer debuts a brand new song each year that is especially written for the tour (last year's: 'Why No Bail-Out for Santa?'). Owen and Shearer also often perform their jazzed-up version of the Spinal Tap classic 'Christmas with the Devil', with a music video slated for release later this year.
The second act of the show invites audience participation bringing concert goers into the sing-along on classic carols from a special songbook designed by Judith. For the crowd favorite 'The Twelve Days of Christmas,' audiences are divided into twelve groups who then act out their respective day for kitschy holiday gifts from Owen's carefully curated cache of crap prizes!
Watch a live clip of the show:
With shows announced for New York, LA,
Chicago and San Francisco, all proceeds from the tour benefit The New Orleans Musicians Assistance Foundation and the Actor's fund, with an emphasis this year on aiding mental health programs through both organizations.
A trademark of Owen's career has been her irreverent ability to subvert well-known songs with unexpected and improbable covers. The Grammy Museum celebrated her latest album 'Ebb & Flow' earlier this month as part of the popular The Drop series. Described fittingly as 'a gorgeous love letter to Seventies troubadours' (Huffington Post) by Rolling Stone's
David Wild, Owen's core band of drummer Russ Kunkel, bassist Lee Sklar and guitarist Waddy Wachtel. The trio played on many of the landmark albums of the era joined Owen at the Museum event. 'One of the best records of 2014' (The Independent), 'Ebb & Flow' is out now on Twanky Records.
Beginning October 21, Harry Shearer will portray Richard Nixon in the show 'Nixon's The One', a series of recreations of the ex-president's real-life conversations with Henry Kissinger, Billy Graham, Chief of Staff H.R. Haldeman and more that reveal the unintentional, cringe-worthy absurdity of Nixon's presidency. For the show, Shearer and his co-writer, Nixon historian Stanley Kutler, combed through thousands of hours of Nixon's legendary secret White House tapes, and re-enacted word for word the best moments as if filmed by a hidden camera. During the show's run in Britain on Sky Arts earlier this year, the London Times called 'Nixon's The One' "truly found art...re-enacted with infinite care" and The Guardian declared that it was "a half-hour of pure pleasure." Shearer will premiere the show in the US for free on YouTube's My Damn Channel on 10/21 with a new episode released every week.
Christmas Without
Tears Tour 2014:
12/5 - New York, The Cutting Room (tickets: https://bit.ly/1s3ERFp)
12/8 - New York, The Cutting Room (tickets: https://bit.ly/1ut0GxH)
12/13 - Los Angeles, The Largo (tickets: https://bit.ly/1s3FAGp)
12/14 - Los Angeles, The Largo (tickets: https://bit.ly/1ut1frr)
12/16 - San Francisco, Yoshi's (tickets: https://bit.ly/1s3FYVo)
12/18 - Chicago, SPACE (tickets: https://tktwb.tw/1s3G6o2)
