Squirrel Nut Zippers to showcase the old, new
The black-tied swingers are on the road again, bringing back a taste of fashion and lifestyle from the prohibition-era underground.
In 1993, North Carolina’s Squirrel Nut Zippers attracted the attention of critics by going against the flow and going back in time. Dressed in tuxedos but wearing a rebel attitude, the Zippers legitimately made the old-fashioned cool again.
Known for its showmanship, the wind-heavy ensemble sometimes seems as though it is under the spell of vocalist James “Jimbo” Mathus, as his own body waves in possessed motions. Adding to the mysticism are eerie gypsy violin melodies and black-and-white cartoon projections, including the Ghost of Stephen Foster, which was created by their friends, the producers of The Simpsons.
Then in 2001, the band members went their separate ways, but their solo careers were just as much saturated in success. Mathus went on tour with blues legend Buddy Guy, and opened a recording studio outside of Memphis, while percussionist Chris Phillips became the composer for the Comedy Central’s “Lil’ Bush.”
Stuart Cole has written “Dancing to Morocco,” a travel guide for North Africa based on his recent touring in the region with the Amazing Dancer Troupe.
The band reunited with its original lineup in 2007, and will play the old and the new at WOW Hall on Saturday. The show starts 8 p.m., and tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the door.
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