Normal's to Host 21st Anniversary Show at Golden West

On Saturday, Normal’s Books and Records, located in Waverly, is hosting a night of performances at Hampden’s Golden West to celebrate Normal's 21st year of business.

The show begins at 10:30 p.m. and the cover charge is on a sliding scale between $5 and $10.

Performances include Asa Osborne, better known as the longtime guitarist of Baltimore punk band Lungfish, who has recently performed solo synth odysseys under the name Zomes. The art rock band/Wham City friends Thank You are also performing.

The long-inactive Baltimore band Madagascar, a folk ensemble that performed dreamy, accordion-heavy music with Yiddish and Balkan influences, will also be performing.

In addition, the duo Spacecrafts & Insects (Liz Downing and Nathan Bell), Walker and Jay, and Bob O’Brien are all performing.

Patch exchanged e-mails with Madagascar member Anthony Lambright about the band’s history and the Normal’s anniversary show.

Patch: When, where and how did you all form? Who are each of you? What other projects have you worked on since Madagascar became inactive?

Anthony Lambright: We formed in Baltimore in the early oughts, and released two records on the illustrious WESTERN VINYL label (wha-what!). We became primarily inactive in 2006 as some members moved from Baltimore. Since Madagascar, Michael Lambright has self-released three EPs: Allumwandlung, Vivarium and Orrery.

I founded Gaarden Records and have released LPs by Matthew Robert Cooper (Eluvium), Ponytail, and Tony Caro and John, as well as the vinyl edition of Madagascar's second album, Goodbye East Goodbye West.  

Since Madagascar, Justin Lucas has played in Noble Lake, Ghost Life. His art was featured prominently in "Paper Kingdom," a collection of Baltimore show posters published by Elana Johnston.

Michael, Justin and I all play in the casiocentric improv collective Nest.

Patch: How are you associated with Normal’s?

Lambright: We have been friends with Normal's for over a decade—a relationship forged in record shopping and many 14 Karat Cabarets. It was the first record store I really remember going to in Baltimore. Long Live Normal's!

Patch: Whose performances at the Golden West are you especially excited about?

Lambright: All of the performances are going to be stellar. I haven't seen Nathan Bell and Liz Downing do their thing yet, but Nate's banjo playing is always so hypnotic. I'm not sure if Asa Osborne is playing Zomes stuff or new stuff or old stuff, but I am also intrigued. And some Walker and Jay to warm your heart, too! Also caught wind there may be an R.M. O'Brien reading that we are very excited for.

Patch: What should we expect of your performance?

Lambright: We will most certainly be playing the same old tunes.