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On January 14th 2023, The Residents held a secret show at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music in San Francisco, in advance of the official commencement of their Faceless Forever 50th Anniversary tour, scheduled to begin later in the month.[1] The event was primarily publicized through an auto-reply from a special official email address which was set up specifically for the occasion.[2]
The show's set list featured a number of fan favorites from The Residents' back catalog (including rarely heard pieces such as "Rest Aria"). On the night, The Residents appeared on stage with a number of special guests such as frequent collaborators Joshua Raoul Brody and Peter Whitehead, as well as Conspiracy of Beards (a thirty piece acapella men's choir), the San Francisco Girls Choir, David J of Bauhaus, Les Claypool of Primus and Pamela Z.[3] The San Francisco Conservatory of Music Ensemble also contributed a number of songs, notably featuring Josh Freese on drums.[4]
A live album featuring a recording of the show, Secret Show Live in San Francisco, is expected for release via Cherry Red Records, MVD Audio and New Ralph Too on February 16th 2024, as a CD/DVD set featuring a video of the concert directed by John Sanborn, and in a double LP vinyl edition (which does not include the DVD).
History[]
Production[]
The idea of a 50th anniversary concert at the San Francisco Conservatory was conceived circa April-July of 2022 by classical conductor Edwin Outwater, and realised by him, John Sanborn, and producers Steve Saporito and Homer Flynn. It was decided to make the performance a 'secret show,' so that the promoters of the Faceless Forever tour, wouldn't feel that it was competing with their April 2023 3 day residency at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco.
Homer Flynn designed The Residents' costumes, and creaetd the social media promotional art for the show.[5]
Announcement and email invitation[]
On December 15th 2022, The Residents announced a secret "thing" taking place in San Francisco in January 2023 in celebration of their 50th Anniversary,[1] in advance of the European leg of their Faceless Forever tour, scheduled to begin in Bourges, France on the 26th.
Described on The Residents' official Facebook page as "SOMETHING WEIRD, SPECIAL and HUBBA!-HUBBA!-ONCE-IN-A-LIFETIME", but also "so HIDDEN, HUSH-HUSH and THOROUGHLY SWARMING IN SECRECY that we can’t tell you anymore", the event was publicized through a special official email address which was set up specifically for the occasion (REZ50 at residents dot com).[2]
Interested parties received an auto-reply from this email address, revealing the "thing" to be a secret show at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music on January 14th 2023, featuring "a POTENT PLETHORA OF GUEST STARS", some "famous" and some "not so much"; the email contained a PayPal link to send $100 USD to Homer Flynn of The Cryptic Corporation for a ticket, as well as a free MP3, "No More" (a new arrangement of the song "Tourniquet of Roses").
Some fans reported receiving special custom printed tickets in the mail around a week after making payment; the tickets feature the full time, date and location details of the event. A graphic containing a censored version of this ticket was posted to The Residents' News Machine blog on January 3rd 2023; this post further promised attendees that they would get to see a "FANTASTIC SOMETHING".[1]
The show[]
The six Singing Resident avatars which hosted the show; by artists Leigh Barbier, David Lawrence, Steve Horwath and John Sanborn
The show was compered by a series of animated "digital puppets" of The Singing Resident (including Mr. X and Randy Rose), alongside other video projections by artist John Sanborn.[6] Onstage, The Residents were accompanied by a number of previously unannounced (and sometimes disguised) guests, including Les Claypool of Primus, who appeared as a guest vocalist on "Hello Skinny",[7] Joshua Raoul Brody (accompanying The Singing Resident on "Who Do You Love?" in a flashback to the 2011-2012 live show Sam's Enchanted Evening), and Pamela Z, who appeared during "The Car Thief".[3]
David J (of Bauhaus) and composer Ego Plum appeared during "Santa Dog",[8] and Peter Whitehead performed vocals for "The Monkey Man". Conspiracy of Beards (a thirty member acapella men's choir from San Francisco) performed "Mr. Wonderful" and "Honey Bear", and The Residents were accompanied on several songs by the San Francisco Girls Choir and an ensemble from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music (including "Shadows", "Santa Dog" and "The Whispering Boys").[3]
Attendees included Richard Anderson (The Residents' product manager from Cherry Red Records), Aaron Tanner (of publisher Melodic Virtue, editor of the Sight For Sore Eyes coffee table book series) and Dustin Edwards (wood-burning artist who created the ultra-deluxe Santa Dog and Classic Vinyl Series box sets).[9][8] Noted collector and "Residents lab rat" Kim Andrews had planned to fly to San Francisco to attend the show but ultimately tested positive for COVID and had to cancel his flight.[10]
Set list[]
A masked dancer against a projected "Classic Eyeball" backdrop, photo by Chris Bertetta
- Would We Be Alive?
- Host monologue: Randy Rose
- Shadows (Performed by the San Francisco Conservatory of Music Ensemble and San Francisco Girls Chorus)
- Semolina
- Rest Aria (Performed by Sarah Cahill and her band)
- Host monologue: Mr. X
- Mr. Wonderful (Performed by Conspiracy of Beards)
- Hello Skinny (Ft. Les Claypool)
- The Whispering Boys (Performed by San Francisco Conservatory of Music Ensemble and San Francisco Girls Chorus)
- Santa Dog (Performed by Ego Plum, David J, San Francisco Conservatory of Music Ensemble and San Francisco Girls Chorus)
- Hungry Hound
- Whatever Happened to Vileness Fats? (Performed by San Francisco Conservatory of Music Ensemble and Dren MacDonald)
- Godsong (Performed by San Francisco Conservatory of Music Ensemble and Dren MacDonald)
- Host monologue: Whitey
- The Car Thief (Performed by San Francisco Conservatory of Music Ensemble and Pamela Z)
- The Monkey Man (with Peter Whitehead)
- Honey Bear (Performed by Conspiracy of Beards)
- Host monologue: Grandpa Elvis
- Burn My Bones (Performed by San Francisco Conservatory of Music Ensemble and San Francisco Girls Chorus)
- Who Do You Love? (with Joshua Raoul Brody)
- Constantinople (with San Francisco Girls Chorus)
- Host monologue: A Resident
- Encore: Nobody Laughs When They Leave (with San Francisco Conservatory of Music Ensemble and others)[3]
Email from "REZ50 (at) residents (dot) com"[]
Graphic included with the secret show email
HERE'S THE DEAL DUDES AND DUDETTES! The Residents will be celebrating their 50th Anniversary with a special ONE TIME ONLY concert at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music on Saturday, January 14, 2023. The show will consist of TWENTY classic Residents tunes as performed by THEMSELVES plus a POTENT PLETHORA OF GUEST STARS, some famous, some not so much but all FANTASTIC!
This show is so undisclosed, so under the radar, so buried in the quicksand of time and slime, that access to these amazing performances will be BY INVITATION ONLY - and you know those invites will be MONDO LIMITED!
Okay, I feel a nibble on the hook - the cork is definitely bobbing, but are you sold? Hold on - here's some hardcore info. The space is small and tickets are both limited and not cheap - $100. But if you're the type that can't pass up this SINGULARLY RARE AND UNCOMMON OPPORTUNITY, then grab your credit card, click on the button, cough up ONE HUNDRED QUANKERS and camp out by your mailbox (that's U.S. POSTAL SERVICE SNAIL MAIL, HIPPIES AND SQUIRRELS) . You will soon be receiving a LOVELY-FIT-TO-BE-FRAMED ticket with further instructions specifying the exact time and place of the show.
BUT HEY! It's a weird world...maybe you live in the Dark Ages and don't like buttons. If so, go to PayPal.com and send the HUNDRED SMACKEROOS to crypticorp2000@gmail.com - and keep an eye on your mailbox.
[PayPal link]
Oh yeah, thanks for responding even if you don't poney up the dough. For that you get an ABSOLUTELY-FREE-NO-STRINGS-ATTACHED-MP3. De nada. CLICK HERE TO GET IT.
(Please note: Per San Francisco Conservatory regulations, NO ONE WILL BE ADMITTED WITHOUT PROOF OF VACCINATION. Masks will be available at the door.)
Live album[]
The Residents' Secret Show Live in San Francisco is a live album by The Residents, featuring a recording of their 50th Anniversary secret show at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music on January 14th 2023.
First announced under the title Documentary Evidence and planned for release in January 2024 (near the one year anniversary of the performance),[11] the album was ultimately released on February 16th 2024 via Cherry Red Records, MVD Audio and New Ralph Too as a CD/DVD set (featuring a video of the concert directed by John Sanborn) and in a double LP vinyl edition.
The CD excludes the songs "Hungry Hound" and "Monkey Man", however both songs are featured on the DVD, which instead excludes the songs "Shadows" and "Burn My Bones". "Hungry Hound" is also included on the vinyl version of the album.
Track listing[]
CD/DVD edition[]
CD[]
- Would We Be Alive? (4:20)
- Hey Everybody! It's Randy! (1:32)
- Shadows (4:32)
- Semolina (4:04)
- Rest Aria (5:14)
- Welcome, Mr X (1:08)
- Life Would Be Wonderful (3:23)
- Hello Skinny (2:39)
- The Whispering Boys (5:26)
- Tyrone Contemplates Love (1:41)
- Santa Dog (3:27)
- Whatever Happened To Vileness Fats? (2:42)
- Godsong (3:47)
- Whitey Tells It Like It Is (1:26)
- The Car Thief (4:28)
- Honey Bear (4:00)
- Grandpa Elvis Tells His Baby King Story (Again) (1:58)
- Burn My Bones (5:22)
- Who Do You Love? (2:48)
- Constantinople (4:21)
- Nobody Laughs When They Leave (8:00)
DVD[]
- Would We Be Alive?
- Hey Everybody! It's Randy!
- Semolina
- Rest Aria
- Welcome, Mr X
- Life Would Be Wonderful
- Hello Skinny
- The Whispering Boys
- Tyrone Contemplates Love
- Santa Dog
- Hungry Hound
- Whatever Happened To Vileness Fats?
- Godsong
- Whitey Tells It Like It Is
- The Car Thief
- Monkey Man
- Honey Bear
- Grandpa Elvis Tells His Baby King Story (Again)
- Who Do You Love?
- Constantinople
- Nobody Laughs When They Leave
Vinyl edition[]
Disc One[]
Side One (19:42)[]
- Would We Be Alive? (4:20)
- Hey Everybody! It's Randy! (1:32)
- Shadows (featuring the San Francisco Girls Chorus) (4:32)
- Semolina (4:04)
- Rest Aria (featuring Sarah Cahill) (5:14)
Side Two (17:44)[]
- Welcome, Mr X (1:08)
- Life Would Be Wonderful (featuring Conspiracy of Beards) (3:23)
- Hello Skinny (featuring Les Claypool) (2:39)
- The Whispering Boys (featuring the San Francisco Girls Chorus) (5:26)
- Tyrone Contemplates Love (1:41)
- Santa Dog (featuring Ego Plum and David J) (3:27)
Disc Two[]
Side Three[]
- Hungry Hound
- Whatever Happened To Vileness Fats? (featuring Dren McDonald and Josh Freese) (2:42)
- Godsong (3:47)
- Whitey Tells It Like It Is (1:26)
- The Car Thief (featuring Pamela Z) (4:28)
- Honey Bear (featuring Conspiracy of Beards) (4:00)
Side Four (22:29)[]
- Grandpa Elvis Tells His Baby King Story (Again) (1:58)
- Burn My Bones (featuring the San Francisco Girls Chorus) (5:22)
- Who Do You Love? (featuring Joshua Raoul Brody) (2:48)
- Constantinople (featuring the San Francisco Girls Chorus) (4:21)
- Nobody Laughs When They Leave (featuring everybody) (8:00)
"Semolina" digital single[]
To promote the upcoming release of Secret Show Live in San Francisco, The Residents released the version of "Semolina" recorded at the 50th Anniversary secret show as a digital single, backed with the version of "Hello Skinny" featuring guest vocalist Les Claypool.
The single, titled "Semolina (Live, San Francisco Conservatory of Music, January 14, 2023)", was released to streaming platforms on February 2nd 2024. The cover art accompanying the single is identical to the cover art of the Secret Show Live in San Francisco album.
Track listing[]
- Semolina - Live (4:04)
- Hello Skinny (feat. Les Claypool) (2:39)
See also[]
- Faceless Forever (tour)
- "No More"
Buy Or Die![]
- Secret Show Live in San Francisco CD/DVD edition at Cherry Red Records (UK/EU)
- Secret Show Live in San Francisco vinyl edition at Cherry Red Records (UK/EU)
External links and references[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "IT'S THE ...(uh)...THING)!!!", The Residents' News Machine, January 3rd 2023
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Post to The Residents' official Facebook page, December 15th 2022
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Comment by Sean Faulkner in The Residents unofficial Facebook group, January 15th 2023
- ↑ https://youtu.be/XUioveA_Uhc
- ↑ The Residents | Homer Flynn | Interview - It's Psychedelic Baby
- ↑ Facebook post by John Sanborn, January 12th 2023
- ↑ Comment by Jason LeMaster in The Residents unofficial Facebook group, January 14th 2023
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Facebook post by Melodic Virtue, January 16th 2023
- ↑ "No rain at all in SF at the moment." Richard Anderson, comment in The Residents unofficial Facebook group, January 14th 2023
- ↑ Post by Kim Andrews in The Residents unofficial Facebook group, January 14th 2023
- ↑ "Another free gift from your favourite eyeballs...", Cherry Red Residents newsletter, September 28th 2023
