04.15.2008

Tin Men & The Valparaiso Men's Chorus play Pyratecon!

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from Best Of New Orleans...

The prolific local singer/songwriter Alex McMurray has made no bones about the fact that his latest project, the Valparaiso Men's Chorus, is not a pirate-related venture. The group " which was conceived during McMurray's stint as a shanty-singing sea captain at Tokyo Disney Resort " is a robust choir whose size can swell to nearly 20 members, backed by bandmates from the Tin Men and belting out time-tested songs of the sea. Their album, Guano and Nitrate, was one of the local favorites of last year. Though McMurray may frown on privateering, by odd coincidence his gig (part of One Eyed Jacks' fourth anniversary celebration, also featuring the Morning 40 Federation) falls smack in the middle of PyrateCon 2008. The three-day event is a convention of period-costumed pirate enthusiasts, historians and actors who play pirates on TV, gathering in the land of Jean Lafitte to celebrate all things buccaneer. The PyrateCon program includes activities such as rum distillation panels, sword-fighting demonstrations, wench auctions and even a sea shanty workshop. Concert tickets $12. — Alison Fensterstock

Fri.-Sun., April 18-20
Various locations; www.pyratecon.com
The Valparaiso Men's Chorus
10 p.m. Fri., April 18
One Eyed Jacks, 615 Toulouse St., 569-8361; www.oneeyedjacks.net