The A.V. Club’s guide to Brilliant Corners Of Popular Amusements

At face value, this weekend’s Brilliant Corners Of Popular Amusements festival seems like it could go a couple of ways. Saying that an event combines rock ’n’ roll with circus performance immediately suggests Cirque Du Soleil and images of lithe, unitard-clad acrobats in animal makeup spinning around to the music of the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Fortunately, that’s not what BCOPA is. Instead of Beatles-themed juggling, the fest focuses on rock and circus as two separate, though perhaps intrinsically connected, entities. Rock has a tent, circus has a tent, and never the twain shall meet—except for maybe backstage.

For fans of one or the other, though, it’s a little puzzling to know what’s going to float your rock ’n’ roll boat. Fans of thrash metal might not be into a slow trapeze act, while fans of a dog circus might not be up for some soothing acoustic guitar. Fortunately, The A.V. Club’s here to help.

If you like A Hawk And A Hacksaw, check out A Taste Of Zoppè.
Ex-Neutral Milk Hotelier Jeremy Barnes started up A Hawk And A Hacksaw in 2000 as an outlet for his accordion ditties. After teaming with violinist Heather Trost in 2004, the band toured around and lived in Europe, picking up the continent’s best offerings in terms of the ability to combine old-world musical style with new-world flair. Fans who dig that sensibility should appreciate the Zoppè Family Circus’ European-style performances with a central narrative featuring Nino, a joyful yet understated clown.

If you like El Circo Cheapo Cabaret, check out Dan Deacon.
While El Circo Cheapo has its share of aerialists, it’s also stacked with sideshow freaks and performers who can somehow convince random audience members it’s a good idea to catch potatoes with forks strapped to their crotches. The act is true to an ideal, but still a little off—just like Dan Deacon. The Baltimore native made a name for himself opening for Girl Talk and throwing all-out dance parties, but he’s since calmed down and focused on his background in musical composition. The pieces on his latest record, Bromst, tell a story as much as they sound good. Even the moments of squeaks and fuzz are part of the larger aesthetic, proving that sometimes a little grit makes an act shine all that much brighter.

If you like Shellac, check out George Orange.
Considering drummer Todd Trainer’s gravity-defying hair and frontman Steve Albini’s propensity for grumpiness, Shellac might seem a bit out of sorts. That’s fair enough, but really, a large part of the band’s charm comes from its members’ intense drive to do what they want, when they want. They’ll put out an LP years after their last one, play a show on stilts, or appear on some Animal Planet show about dogs. It might not seem like there’s rhyme or reason behind their actions, but they’ve actually got the best of intentions. They do what sounds fun to them, not only to stay fresh almost 20 years into being a band, but also because they know that if they like what they’re doing, then chances are good that their fans will like it too. The same could be said for George Orange, a performer who, according to BCOPA’s site, “can walk a tightrope. Juggling flames. While balancing his shoe, from atop a pole, that rests on his face.” That kind of showmanship might not make sense to the traditional circus-goer who is expecting to see clubs juggled and girls in glittery dresses, but it’s what Orange wants to do, so it makes total sense.

If you like The Ricochet Project, check out Bill Callahan.
Ricochet’s work combines intense physicality with delicate and poetic themes to push acrobatics into the 21st century. The show might draw from classical dance, but performers sport clothes that wouldn’t seem out of place on residents of Wicker Park. Ricochet lets its understatement be its statement. It’s not unlike what Bill Callahan’s done for years now, both in his work as Smog and on his solo records. He’s precise but emotional, and wordy but spare. For fans of minimalism, his recorded material is heartbreaking, and his live shows even more devastating. It’s a tenuous balance, for sure, but one that shows an act doesn’t have to scream to be heard, both audibly and artistically.