Wednesday, 3/19/2014
Doors at 7 pm, show at 8
Rickshaw Stop, 155 Fell St @Van Ness
$8, all ages
Get tickets here
If on the third Wednesday of this month, one finds oneself desirous of getting jugged up and hearing a person of authority quack on about creating a library of books one would like to have around when restarting civilization, WELL, then do come to the Nite of the Nerds, at which musical groups wielding homemade instruments and fraudulent pretenders to medical skill will also be considered, all whilst alcoholic drinks and amplified music flow mellifluously down our throats and ears, respectively, and sandwiches, grilled and with much cheese, are munched upon. Friends: Run on over, be there and be square!
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“Music in a Jugular Vein” by Bebo White
All American roots music–bluegrass, country, blues, Americana, even rock and roll–has been influenced by jug band music. (Everyone, blow into your beer bottle!) But what exactly IS this joyous cacophony? Originating in the 1920s or earlier, jug band music is characterized by non-electric, often homemade instruments. A jug, of course, is typically included, with the player blowing into the jug to generate bass sounds. But a washboard, comb and tissue paper, washtub bass (gutbucket), and other ordinary objects also join in. Take a toe-tapping stroll through the world of jug band music!
Bebo is a computational physicist at SLAC , and in his spare time makes beer and wine, keeps bees, and plays the banjo and jug.
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“This Won’t Hurt a Bit: The Truth About Quack Medicine” by Jenny Benjamin
In 19th-century America, going to the doctor was only for the brave, what with anesthesia in its infancy. (Here, bite down on this leather belt!) But what if you could purchase a medicine or device that promised a miracle cure–with no pain at all–and you didn’t have to visit the doctor? Enter: quackery! In this talk, we’ll learn some ophthalmological history and how eye medicine in particular was plagued with charlatans who promised everything from getting the red out to curing blindness with treatments that were ludicrous and, occasionally, dangerous.
Jenny has been the director of the Museum of Vision for the past 13 years–you know, that museum in SF about eyes that no one has ever heard of? Yeah, that one. See what you’ve been missing at www.museumofvision.org!
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“Building a Library at the End of the World: Long Now’s Manual for Civilization” by Andrew Warner
If there were a rupture in the continuity of civilization, what books would you need to bootstrap it back into motion? This question informs the curatorial process of The Long Now Foundation’s new member-curated library project, the Manual for Civilization. In this talk, we’ll give a whirlwind tour of Long Now’s ongoing projects, explain our new salon/bar/cafe/museum/library space, The Interval, and then discuss the inevitable issues that arise when one tries to distill civilization down to 3,000 volumes. Highlights include book lists from Stewart Brand, Neil Stephenson, Bruce Sterling, and Brian Eno, as well as an opportunity to submit your own selections to the library.
Andrew is the programs associate at Long Now, where he works on seminars, the Long Now blog, social media, and anything else that needs attention. When not at Long Now, he enjoys whirlwind weekend adventures, cooking, and DJing house parties.
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With Alpha Bravo, who’ll be spinning tunes specially selected to match the presenters’ themes. Follow the setlist on Twitter @djalphabravo.
And come hungry for the Grilled Cheese Guy, who’ll be upstairs slinging sammies!