Darkside Jams

Not since Bill Murray crooned about "that nutty Star Wars bar" on Saturday Night Live has a musical act paid such lovingly hilarious tribute to moviedom's holiest space saga. Darkside of the Force, the Star Wars tribute act from Pittsburg, Kansas, dons the costume of villains, including a Jango Fett who unleashes razor-eating riffs, a stormtrooper who keeps the imperial-march drumbeat, and a bassist Darth Vader who applies a rhythmic stranglehold. Fronting them is Emperor Palpatine. "Don't mess with Jabba the Hutt," Palpatine snarls, the words emerging from the hooded cloak that obscures his decrepit visage. When not chugging through hard-rock reinvigorations of John Williams' Star Wars score, Darkside alters existing tunes to fit a galaxy far, far away. For example, Blue Oyster Cult's "Godzilla" becomes "Chewbacca." Expect a great disturbance in the force at the Record Bar (1020 Westport Road, 816-753-5207) at 10 tonight when Darkside invades the stage. Tickets cost $7. Darkside of the Force
Sat., March 1, 2008