Spoonful of Sugar

The word “maverick” gets tossed around a lot these days, regardless of whether or not the title is truly deserved. As Americans grow increasingly disillusioned with the idea of collective wisdom, many people want to see a person who just says, “Screw it, I’m handling this myself.” Andrew Goldfarb, aka the Slow Poisoner, is this man. Multi-disciplined, Goldfarb designs his own album packaging (featuring his delightfully twisted drawings) and writes and performs his music . . . all by himself. He even packages and mails his own gloriously stuffed press releases (containing trading cards, illustrated lyric book and other treats), which should qualify him for a gold medal in the D.I.Y.-lympics. Stomping on a kick drum, strumming his guitar onstage and affecting the persona of a potentialy murderous snake oil salesman, the Slow Poisoner evokes the kitschy drive-in horror of predescessors The Cramps, but his music is something all its own. Like the mysterious melange of ingredients in the Poisoner’s Enervating Elixer (available for sale at his shows only), the songs are part country, part rock/pop, part swamp blues, part who-knows-what and the sound perfectly matches the rest of Goldfarb’s spooky aesthetic. For those looking to keep it local and laid back for Halloween this year, this is the party to attend. Just make sure to pop a few charcoal pills before you drink anything he hands you.

Fri., Oct. 31, 10 p.m., 2008

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