John Wesley Harding Opens Cabinet Again

"Like an awesome mythological beast...another fantastic hybrid creation." (Time Out New York) Riding the beast this time: Eugene Mirman, Lenny Kaye, Robbie Fulks, Buffalo Tom, Sondre Lerche, Nicole Atkins, Langhorne Slim, Freedy Johnston, Janeane Garofalo, Sarah Vowell, Rick Moody, Ben Greenman and Paul Muldoon.

By Fred Mills

BLURT fave John Wesley Harding brings his acclaimed Cabinet of Wonders back to New York's Le Poisson Rouge for a 3-show residency on March 25, April 15 and May 2. Per tradition it will feature a cross-section collaborators from the worlds of music, literature and comedy, Harding once again curating, hosting and performing, variety show format, with close friends and hand-picked icons.

Last year the Cabinet featured the likes of Rosanne Cash, Josh Ritter, A.C. Newman, Rhett Miller, Colson Whitehead, Graham Parker and Colum McCann, and when Harding took it on the road with co-host Eugene Mirman he added such stellar talents as Colin Meloy, Grant Hart, Jill Sobule, Daniel Handler (aka Lemony Snicket), Sherman Alexie, Lucy Wainwright Roche and many others. This time out Mirman will be in tow, naturally, along with Buffalo Tom, Sondre Lerche, Nicole Atkins, Lenny Kaye, Robby Fulks, Langhorne Slim and Freedy Johnston, comedienne Janeane Garofalo, authors Sarah Vowell, Rick Moody and Ben Greenman and Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Paul Muldoon. The roster of performers will change from show to show - see below for the details.

 "I wanted to bring together my novel writing friends (who mostly envy my musician friends) and my musician friends (who mostly envy my novel writing friends) under one flag," says Harding. "The fact is: I like everyone who's performing."

The Village Voice calls the Cabinet of Wonders "a brilliant evening of laid-back fun," while the Portland Tribune raves that it is "one of the most whip-smart variety shows on the market. Highly recommended."

Boy howdy to that.

JOHN WESLEY HARDING'S CABINET OF WONDERS:

March 25 at Le Poisson Rouge, New York, NY

Freedy Johnston

Sarah Vowell

Eugene Mirman

Errollyn Wallen

Jake Slichter

Langhorne Slim

April 15 at Le Poisson Rouge, New York, NY

Eugene Mirman

Sondre Lerche

Ben Greenman

Rick Moody

Nicole Atkins

Leona Naess

Daniel Felsenfeld

May 20 at Le Poisson Rouge, New York, NY

Paul Muldoon

Eugene Mirman

Janeane Garofalo

Robbie Fulks

Buffalo Tom (acoustic)

Lenny Kaye

[Photo Credit: Bill Wadman]