This Monday night (yes stoners, it’s 420), AES and the New World Brewery host Omaha’s Beep Beep & The Show is The Rainbow along with Tampa’s own Win Win Winter and DJs Mini Horse and 2C opening.  The electro-rock of Beep Beep, now touring in support of their second album Enchanted Islands, alone is worth a trip to Ybor.  Hell, Win Win Winter and the NWB bartenders are worth it.

But I have a feeling the second act is going to steal the show.  For a sneak peek and some wicked videos, check out TSiTR’s youtube channel.  Last fall, The Show is The Rainbow came to St. Pete to open for The Faint at Jannus Landing, here’s what I to say about that performance:

“Did you guys like that track I was playing earlier?” The Show is The Rainbow front man and lovable attention whore Darren Keen asked the crowd after his first song. The Show is a The Rainbow is supporting The Faint for two weeks, and Darren Keen wanted you to know that he is very grateful for that – though not as grateful for any audience I would bet. The quip was only a glimpse of the hilarious banter and musical theater Darren Keen was getting ready to emit for the next hour. He cued up a string sample for the second song, grabbed his Fender and broke into a disco-rock number. TSiTR is a one man show, although he brings a drummer to play along with his occasional guitar play and Macintosh computer.

“That song was about fucking while you’re freezing to death in an alleyway.” Hmm, who knew? Keen peered over into the front row, “I smell weed.” He then cued a Pink Floyd inspired arpeggiated loop and informed us that the next song was, “…about a guy who liked butt-sex with guys, but got a new girlfriend who doesn’t and so he has to find prostitutes.” Moving on from banter to stage direction, he asked for audience hand claps and took to robot voices. Many in the crowd were wondering just what the hell they were seeing, it was about to be a whole lot more of Darren Keen. His rock star persona and girth immediately conjure thoughts of Jack Black. But it was more like if Jack Black was from Omaha, Nebraska, never found his KG and took too much acid. I thought it was spectacular. After a failed attempt at an anonymous crowd survey, followed by on stage moonage and a rant about acting your age he popped his top and showed off his new tattoo of the logo for Retard Disco Records who he had just signed with. Now shirtless and sweaty they played a song about “Hitler and his meth mouth” – I couldn’t make out all the lyrics, but the first line was “I am a Siamese Duck.” A rant on Hugh Laurie’s keen ability to diagnose the misdiagnosed at the last possible second followed by a faux stage dive (thank god) and a triumphant stage return – made even more triumphant by asking the crowd to “…cheer really loud when I get back on stage like you guys are real happy to see me again.” TSisTR finished off his set of danceable indie rock hip hop by running out into the crowd with his wireless mic and climbing the tree (audience assisted) in the middle of the Jannus Landing pavilion to serenade us. It was rock star retard in full glory. “Here comes the fucking Faint!” Keen yelled. Most in the crowd couldn’t wait.

This article appears in Apr 15-21, 2009.