Gary Stockdale, rocks out with Amy Englehardt (singing backup), the TubaCzar, and Marlon Grace on percussion.
Saturday night brought another edition of Tubaczar to the Fanatic Salon in Culver City. Fantatic Salon is a great little theater located on Sawtelle Boulevard, just south of Venice Boulevard. Owner Thomas Mitchell does a great job of bringing the best comedy, theater, and music in to entertain the locals.
Tubaczar events feel like being in a small pub, full of family and friends. Audience members do not hesitate to heckle the performers and add in their own harmonies as they feel fit. All of the performers, veterans of the stage, roll with the punches and share songs that range from sincerely reflective to absurdly hilarious. New comers should also be aware that the Tubaczar and his friends use the “f bomb” quite liberally.
Another strong performance was given by Gary Stockdale. He is an Emmy-nominated singer/songwriter who has composed and performed music for television and movies. Stockdale took the stage and sang songs that delivered timeless wisdom, such as the time his father told him that, as a married man, he can love all the women he pleases, as long as does not sleep with them. As I mentioned earlier, Stockdale’s choice of words was a bit more colorful.
One of the highlights of the night came when Stockdale sang “Easier”. It is a song that once brought tears to the eyes of director, Paul Provenza. The two worked together as director and composer for the movie, “The Aristocrats”. Stockdale sang with passion about the challenges faced by creative people who have been successful in the industry yet continue to feel uncomfortable in crowds and doubt their own abilities. It was obvious that the song struck a chord when a member of the audience could be heard harmonizing with Stockdale from her seat in the theater.