On the Town: Library Bards make being nerdy cool
Call it a nerdfest, an introduction to nerdology, or just a gathering of those who love all things nerd-centric, when Bonnie Gordon and Xander Jeanneret perform as the comedy/musical duo the Library Bards, it is sure to be an evening of nerdtastic fun.
That is exactly what a standing-room-only audience enjoyed as the comedic song parodists delivered a satchel-full of their geektastic tunes at the Buena Vista Library this past Thursday.
Receiving an overwhelming positive response when Gordon polled the audience for sci-fi fans, the couple then performed a number of hit songs with parody lyrics that paid tribute to “Star Trek,” “Star Wars,” and “Harry Potter.”
Among the special guests in attendance at last week’s performance were Bernie Bregman, who owns and operates Nerds Like Us, a company whose mission is to spread nerd culture by producing and promoting all sorts of nerd activities; cartoonist Lindsay Carrozza, who is also a voice actress, and her husband Kyle, who is creator of Cartoon Network’s “Mighty Magiswords.”
Along with appearing as one half of the Library Bards, Gordon, who is a Louisiana native, is an actress and voice-over artist who has provided character voices on the video game “Street Fighter V,” has appeared on ABC’s fantasy reality show “The Quest,” and whose voice characterizations can be found on many popular video games and animated productions.
Her partner Jeanneret, originally from Florida, has performed in just about every corner of the globe from Europe to the Far East. An artist of numerous disciplines, from graphics and dance, to singing and acting, he played the lead role of Joe Cohen-Lewis in the 2012 comedy feature film “Camp Virginovich,” about two helpless high school geeks who travel to Russia in hopes of having their first romantic experience.
He also had a role in director Christopher Showerman’s 2015 film “Radio America,” which chronicles the lives of two young farmers who are discovered at a talent show and go on to become rock stars who lose track of their true selves until a tragic accident brings everything back into focus.
Last week’s performance was part of the library’s ongoing Summer Reading Club for Grown-Ups program, which will run through July 27. The program includes the library’s Sounds of Summer concert series that will continue on July 13 as the Mariachi Divas perform at the Burbank Central Library, 110 N. Glenoaks Blvd., and then conclude on July 27 as the Innisfree Irish Band performs at the Northwest Branch Library, 3323 W. Victory Blvd.
Both of those performances will begin at 7 p.m.
For more information, visit burbanklibrary.com or call (818) 238-5600.
DAVID LAURELL may be reached by email at dlaurell@aol.com or (818) 563-1007.
