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Ty's Freak Show (also known as Freak Show Live) was a one-off performance by The Residents, adapted from their 1990 concept album Freak Show.
History[]
In 1991, The Nippon Electric Company invited The Residents to hold a short concert at Fairmont Hotel in San Jose in order to test out their NEC Video Deck and Light Source editing software throughout filming the concert.
The Light Source editing software was designed to allow live footage to be edited in real-time, also allowing the editor to superimpose pre-recorded footage over the live film. The device was handled by Todd Rundgren, and the show was co-directed by Ty Roberts. The group were given very short notice for the performance, but not being ones to reject a paid gig, pulled something together quickly. As they didn't have the time to create any new props or costumes for the show, they re-used ones created for the 13th Anniversary and Cube-E tours. The Singing Resident wore his Elvis costume created for Cube-E, whilst the keyboardist wore his Dead Eye Dick mask used for the 13th Anniversary Show, and Laurie Amat, wore a plantation worker dress designed for Cube-E. The two dancers also wore the white tuxedo eyeball costumes used for the 13th Anniversary Show.
Apple Computers released a short video of the performance alongside Residents related QuickTime CD-ROMs shortly afterwards. This same video, which featured a performance of 'Everyone Comes To The Freak Show' & 'Benny The Bouncing Bump', also appeared as an Easter Egg on the laserdisc Twenty Twisted Questions. The full audio recording of Benny would appear on the 1996 Residents tribute album 'Eyesore', and the concert would be released in full on the 2021 Freak Show pREServed set.
This show would be The Residents' core inspiration and starting point behind their Freak Show multimedia project, with this performance indirectly leading to the 1995 musical performance inspired by the album.
The Residents would later perform Adobe Disfigured Night in San Jose six years later.
Setlist[]
- Everyone Comes To The Freak Show
- Benny The Bouncing Bump
- Nobody Laughs When They Leave
Personnel[]
- The Residents (Grandpa and Mr. Skull): Vocals & Keyboards
- Laurie Amat: Vocals
- Ty Roberts: Director
- Carol LeMaitre & Sarah McLennan: Dancers
Releases[]
- Twenty Twisted Questions (1992)
- 5 Minute video of "Everyone Comes To The Freak Show" & "Benny"
- Eyesore (1996)
- 4 minute excerpt of "Benny"
- Live! ...On The Outskirts (2002)
- 5 Minute video of "Everyone Comes To The Freak Show" & "Benny"
- Kettles Of Fish On The Outskirts Of Town (2003)
- 5 Minute Video of "Everyone Comes To The Freak Show" & "Benny"
- Freak Show DVD (2006)
- 5 Minute Video of "Everyone Comes To The Freak Show" & "Benny"
- Freak Show pREServed (2021)
- Full 18 minute audio of performance.