My talented wife and Let’s Polka co-author, Anna, will be rocking the accordion in San Francisco this Saturday night. She’s sitting in on a couple songs with the Corner Laughers during their gig at the funky cafe/laundromat Brainwash. The show starts at 8pm and also features the Variable Stars and Man Versus. As usual, I’ll be there with a pocketful of Let’s Polka stickers, so stop by, say ‘hi’, and support rock music with accordions.

Remember the Justice League — the superhero team of Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and others, who joined forces to fight evil? Well, I like to think of Accordion Tribe as a sort of musical Justice League: five of the world’s most creative accordionists, teaming up to make inspiring music together. Just like the comic books, but without the costumes, and with a much better soundtrack.

Recognized individually as masters of classical, jazz, folk and avant-garde music, the Accordion Tribe consists of Guy Klucevsek (USA), Maria Kalaniemi (Finland), Bratko Bibic (Slovenia), Lars Hollmer (Sweden), and Otto Lechner (Austria). Formed in 1996 for a brief concert tour, the Tribe has since released three albums, toured Europe extensively, and were the subject of a documentary film called Accordion Tribe — Music Travels. Few musical “supergroups” truly mesh, but after one listen it’s clear that the Tribe members have incredible chemistry.

Their latest album, Lunghorn Twist, was released in April, and features more of the eclectic and distinctive work that has become the Tribe’s hallmark. They’ve just started a European tour (including dates in Switzerland, Germany, France, and Spain) that runs through November. Listen below to “Heimo”, one of my favorite songs from Lunghorn Twist. Written by Maria Kalaniemi, it’s a dynamic tune that opens quietly and builds to some dramatic unison playing and lively soloing. Just an amazing, all-accordion track.

Accordion Tribe: Heimo (MP3 download)

Unfortunately, I don’t get to watch much daytime TV; my daytime job really gets in the way. But I’m setting my Tivo to record Ellen this Friday so I can catch Terrance Simien and the Zydeco Experience performing as part of a special show on New Orleans. Even better: eight-year-old zydeco accordion prodigy Guyland Leday will also be there. If you missed Guyland on the HBO special earlier this month, be sure to check it out. He’s incredible.

This weekend, polka fans and bands will descend on the “Biggest Little City in the World” for Polkapalooza Reno, a two-day festival showcasing some of the nation’s top polka bands. Headlined by 15-time Grammy winner Jimmy Sturr and his Orchestra, the lineup also includes Neal Zunker and the Music Connection, The Del Sinchak Orchestra, Big Lou’s Polka Casserole, Polka Power of California, and the Sound Connection. The action takes place at the Atlantis Hotel and Casino; tickets are available at the door — $20/day or $35 for a two-day pass.

Anna’s playing accordion at a show in San Francisco this weekend (more on that soon!) so we won’t be able to make the trip. But we’re working on an exclusive interview with one of the Polkapalooza artists; keep an eye out for it sometime in the next couple weeks.

As he celebrates his 47th birthday today — one day after the 40th anniversary of his first accordion lesson — Weird Al Yankovic is enjoying the biggest commercial and critical success of his career. His new album, Straight Outta Lynwood, debuted at #10 on the Billboard album chart and the first single, “White and Nerdy”, has climbed as high as #9 on the singles chart. It’s the first time that Al has cracked the Top 10 in either chart.

Weird Al’s recent resurgence has also garnered critical appraisals of his role in popular culture. In the Village Voice last week, Jonathan Zwickel called Al a genius, noting that he has “always been out of fashion, which, if pop culture has taught us anything, makes him permanently in fashion.” Meanwhile, in Slate, Sam Anderson referred to Al as a “troubadork” whose “quintessential joke is to transfer the bravado and intensity of rap (or rock, or punk) into the mouth of some iconically unhip figure.” High praise for the author of “My Bologna”…

The San Francisco Chronicle has finally picked up on what Let’s Polka readers already know; namely, that the Friday night “Polka Happy Hour” at Schroeder’s German Restaurant in San Francisco is a blast. Live polka music, polka dancing (and lessons), great German food and beer, drinking contests… what more could you ask for?

This audio slideshow on the Chronicle website includes some great photos from a recent Friday night at Schroeder’s and features the sights and sounds of Big Lou’s Polka Casserole and the Golden Gate Bavarian Club. This quote from a polka dancing patron sums it up nicely:

“Oh, I love polka; it’s cheaper than aerobics and more fun. Plus the music’s better. And, there’s beer. In aerobics, there is no beer. You may quote me on that one.”

It’s not too late to join the fun — there’s another party this Friday (with Joe Smiell’s band playing) and there’ll be more parties throughout the fall. Check the Schroeder’s calendar for details.

As if I wasn’t already jealous of the folks who attended last weekend’s International Accordion Festival in San Antonio, I found this jaw-dropping clip of three incredible accordionists — Joel Guzman, Renato Borghetti, and Joaquin Diaz — in an impromptu jam after their Saturday afternoon workshop (appropriately titled “Virtuosos, Latino Style”).

I’m already making my plans for next year’s festival — no way I’m going to miss out on that again!

Nothing warms my heart like seeing the headline “Accordion Player Wins MTV Award”. Singer/songwriter/accordionist Julieta Venegas brought home the award for Best Solo Artist at last night’s MTV Video Music Awards Latin America held in Mexico City. She was also nominated for Best Video, Artist of the Year and Song of the Year. But Julieta isn’t done with the awards show circuit, yet; she’s up for four awards (including Album and Song of the Year) at the Latin Grammys on November 2nd.

The End is here. No, really. I’m talking about the book, The End — the final installment in Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events, released last Friday (the 13th). I’m not sure what happens, but judging from the previous twelve books, I’m pretty sure it’s dreadful, miserable, and just altogether unpleasant.

But there’s even more unfortunate news: earlier in the week, the Gothic Archies released The Tragic Treasury, an album of songs devoted to each of the 13 books in the series. The Gothic Archies are really just singer/songwriter Stephin Merritt of the Magnetic Fields, with help from Lemony Snicket’s “spokesperson”, Daniel Handler, on accordion.

Handler has played as an “adjunct accordionist” for the Magnetic Fields on a number of occasions, including in concert and on their epic 69 Love Songs. So when Handler did his first book tour, he immediately thought of his accordion, and Merritt:

“I needed to come up with a presentation to keep as many as 100 children quiet for 45 minutes — and the accordion is very loud. I thought I could play the accordion and sing, so I asked Stephin to write something. In fact, I have the distinct memory of going to the ATM and withdrawing enough cash and paying him directly upon commission of the song.”

You can hear the Gothic Archies play that song (“Scream and Run Away”) live during their current tour with Lemony Snicket. Though if you go, be warned: Mr. Snicket doesn’t always turn up at these events…