In a cafe society scene worthy of Henry Miller and Anais Nin,the classical duo with punk attitude- Misha & Ingrid Bodnar, otherwise known as Béla Lugosi -performed last tuesday at a release party for their new album,We Suck Hard, Bodnar announced that they were about to play Dvorak's Dumky trio, "just because Gerald Carpenter said he disliked it." In a display of pure, convention free art and humor, the ensuing performance featured a stripping, Rubenesque music page turner, while cellist Bodnar himself took off one item of clothing for each section of the trio, until the last movement , when he was performing in the buff. Adding to the punk/classical ensemble's growing reputation, they performed last Friday at what they refer to as "Santa Barbara's Loony Bin" (the County's Mental Health facility), and their "home away from home." There they performed Brahms and Iggy Pop and had two felons in orange suits shouting "lewd comments and stupid questions." This past tuesday, Bodnar performed in the 13-year reunion of Venus Bitch (the band with balls) in full drag, where Bodnar tried to "connect with his inner lesbian self."
