Ad hoc Jonathan Coulton internet cover band The Mandelbrot Set has done it again. They finished their version of “Skullcrusher Mountain” which you can listen to and download here. It sounds like a party is what it sounds like, a big internet party. If you’re interested in checking out their works in progress, look here. And if you’d like to be part of the next thing they do, there is this here forum thread. Go, make!

Speaking of which, Spiff has sent me a link to something that broke my brain a little. Apparently his video for “Betty and Me” inspired another person to make some WoW machinima, specifically this one using characters from Spiff’s work. Note, my music is not in there anymore, this is a thing that somebody made based on Spiff’s stuff, which was something that he made based on my stuff. Also, apparently Guitar Hero is involved in some way? I’m not at all sure what’s going on to be honest, but it sure is awesome!

If you’re fans of any of us, you may be interested to know that MC Lars’s”s’ new record drops today – that is how we say it, even though it is not a record and even though it doesn’t physically fall anywhere. There’s a track on there called “O.G. Original Gamer” that features Lars and Frontalot both, plus a chorus by yours truly (and yes, I proudly channeled Michael McDonald). The album is called This Gigantic Robot Kills and is available online and in stores starting today.

www.mclars.com

Just an update of the schedule – since last time we’ve added shows in New York, Houston, Austin and Toronto. Tickets are for sale at these new ones, get em while they last!

SOLD OUT
Friday February 20 at 7:30 PM
The Birchmere (Alexandria, VA) with Paul and Storm
Tickets: tinyurl.com/9xn4ue

SOLD OUT
Saturday February 21 at 8 PM
Rams Head Tavern (Annapolis, MD) with Paul and Storm
Tickets: tinyurl.com/86qvbu

Thursday February 26 at 7:30 PM
Barrymore Theater (Madison, WI) with Paul and Storm
Tickets: tinyurl.com/86lw3z

Friday February 27 at 8 PM
History Theater (St. Paul, MN) with Paul and Storm
Tickets: tinyurl.com/bk753u

Saturday February 28 at 8 PM
Park West (Chicago, IL) with Paul and Storm
Tickets: tinyurl.com/8n3glh

Friday March 6 at 8 PM
The Ark (Ann Arbor, MI) with Paul and Storm
Tickets: tinyurl.com/asm2h9

Friday March 13 at 8PM
House of Blues (Houston, TX) with Paul and Storm
Tickets: tinyurl.com/cxdf8s

Sunday March 15 at 7PM
Antone’s (Austin, TX) with Paul and Storm
Tickets: tinyurl.com/ama6l7
(This is not an official part of SXSW, but it is happening at the same time as SXSWi, which I’ll also be attending. Panels, don’t you know.)

Friday March 27 at 8PM
Symphony Space (New York, NY) with Paul and Storm
Tickets: tinyurl.com/dkzjoe

Thursday April 23 at 8 PM
Lula Lounge (Toronto, ON) with Paul and Storm
Tickets: tinyurl.com/czz9sn

Friday April 24 at 7:30 PM
Lula Lounge (Toronto, ON) with Paul and Storm
Tickets: tinyurl.com/bxr6lb

Not quite ready yet, but very soon I think. I’ve just now resolved a licensing issue that was holding things up, and am currently pushing to finish this sucker up. To answer some of the questions that have been coming in through various channels:

1) This will be a DVD/Audio CD combo for $20. The audio is from the same show that’s on the DVD, but with most of the blah blah blah edited out. It will be available for purchase at shows as soon as I have the finished copies, by ordering online in a few places, and hopefully in some actual retail stores. I’m guessing we’re looking at a month or so at this point.

2) The DVD will be region free.

3) The Audio CD will come with highly restrictive DRM software that secretly installs a rootkit, which creates a security risk and may crash your computer (just kidding!).

4) The audio will be available for sale digitally, most likely on iTunes and other such outlets. The video, maybe, I’m not quite sure how that’s going to work yet, but I hope so.

5) The DVD will have the full San Francisco show from February of last year (ack!), with only a few bits here and there edited out for pacing and maximum awesomeness. There’s plenty of fan cam footage in there from cameras that were in the audience. There’s a bit of documentary/interview type stuff with me, backstage business, etc. There’s also an audio commentary track featuring me, Paul and Storm, and Kristen Shirts, which was recorded poorly in my living room over pizza. Plus extra extras.

All in all I’m very happy with the way this turned out, though it has taken a lot of time and money and effort to make. It’s been a very different experience from the method I am used to – make it cheaply and quickly, publish it immediately – but in the end it’s a thing I am very glad to have in the world. The live show has come a long way since that first concert at the Jewelbox Theater in Seattle, and the songs have evolved as I’ve learned how to play them, and then learned how to play them well, and then learned how to deal with it when I don’t play them well. And of course it’s just fun to watch an audience at a live show. Zombies! Rock Band! Kristen Shirts!

Thanks for your continued patience, I will of course overwhelm you with SPAM the moment this thing is buyable.