let's spend the end together.

Since March 2011, one man has been devoted to an extraordinary event that happens every month at The Artesian.

It's called Red Hot Riot.

If you've gone, you know the scoop.  It more or less follows the format of a late night television talk show: the warm-up act is a stand-up comic and/or musical guest, then there's the host's monologue, followed by shenanigans and another song from the musical guest.  [Beer break for audience/crew/performers.]  The second half is a resumption of shenanigans, an official guest interview, a final performance from the musical guest, and great rejoicing.

The event has our man Jayden Pfeifer at the helm – buoyant and entertaining, and somehow holding the whole thing together.  I'm always tickled to see it unfold.

Now, I should just admit this now: I feel close to Red Hot Riot.  I was the first ever musical guest.  (The photo is from that very show!)  Then I was part of the house band, Rico and the Continos.  I returned last year as the musical guest for the Christmas show.  And just in case you want to know, my favourite show was the 2011 Back to School special when I sang the Degrassi Junior High theme song in pitch-perfect 80s pop fashion.  That show featured guest performer Ron Pederson (MADtv), and a West Side Story sketch.  Solid gold, I tell you.

There have been fewer opportunities for me to see the show over the last year as I've been away so much on tour.  But happy news is that the house band gig was passed on to the lovely Julia McDougall, who totally kills it.

This Friday I will return as the musical guest for the December Red Hot Riot edition, Away in a Mayan Apocalypse.  The Lazy MKs will be backing me up proper, and we've rehearsed a new song.  It's a Merle Haggard tune that I reworked just for the occasion.  If you're in Regina, there will be plenty of comedy to have you laughing through the fake end of the world.

And if it's the real thing, at least we can hold each other until it's over.