The SKiN GRAFT CAMPGROUNDS

<< O O P S ! (the shows) >>
(. a . h i s t o r y .i n. b r i e f )


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.. ..Above: some oops! posters ( click for a better view )



On July 16th, 1994
, the first in what was to become a series of festival-like events came kicking and screaming to Chicago's venerable club, the now defunct Lounge Ax. The event was dubbed OOPS! (shortly thereafter OOPS! iNDOORS) and it's raison d'être was to unite some of the most exciting no-wave / experimental / performance damaged / far-left-of-center rock bands of the day under one roof. A chief point of the OOPS! manifesto was a hearty disregard for the growing trend of over-intelectualization of said musics at the expense of "fun". Bands that would perform over the course of the Golden Age of OOPS! included: Dazzling Killmen, Space Streakings, U.S. Maple, Brise-Glace, Lake Of Dracula, Shellac, Melt-Banana, Bobby Conn, Shakuhachi Surprise (the only live show from the Space Streakings / Mount Shasta super group), Colossamite, You Fantastic! and The Flying Luttenbachers to name a few. A complete list appears below.

After the initial Chicago show and a brief tour east, OOPS! settled down into an annual Chicago event for a couple of years before venturing out of the city limits again. In addition to the bands, many of the early OOPS! shows featured skits and "atmosphere" provided by The Oops! Theater Group, a rag tag team composed of various players in the Chicago underground scene. Show organizer Art Ceaser (sic) had this to say on the Oops! Theater Group, "The group gets together a few nights before the show and we all look at the outline for the series events, work on the characters, develop certain points, trash others, everyone involved brings something to it. When showtime rolls around, it's a mess onstage, everyone is underrehearsed, often a little fucked up... despite all of the effort, it never goes as planned - and we wouldn't have it any other way." Later shows would go even further, including audience participation segments, surprise guests and characters planted among the audience to incite reactions. After 18 shows, one high profile outdoor rain-out, a burned audience member and many, many messy clubs, the Oops! Theater Group disbanded and the OOPS! brand was retired in May of 1998.

Fast forward to the summer of 2002, where OOPS! is reborn as an altogether different beast - a massive cross-country tour composed of the core unit of The Locust, Arab On Radar and Lightning Bolt, with a mind blowing roster of special guests appearing on different legs of the tour! Booked by Brian Peterson ( SKiN GRAFT co-chief / delineator of MP shows ) with help from Ben McOsker (of LOAD Records), OOPS! (the tour) is a co-operative effort bringing together a who's who list of bands dedicated to originating challenging music
.






CLASSIC OOPS(!)
MEDIA:



OOPS! Theater
Group Photo Gallery

(more Oops! photos can be found at the individual bands photogallery pages & in the CAMP SKiN GRAFT CD comp)

Streaming Oops!
Theater Video for Real Player

includes: Mummy Vs. Dirty Dog Hot Dog eating contest hosted by the Camp Skin Graft Counselors, U.S. Maple & You Fantastic! live at Oops!, Lake Of Dracula at the Fireside Bowl, the Melt-Banana video & more.

Free MP3's
from many of the participants.




OOPS(!) ALL STARS:
( 1994 - 2002 )

ARAB ON RADAR

ABSORB

BRISE-GLACE

CHEER-ACCIDENT

COLOSSAMITE

BLOOD BROTHERS

BOBBY CONN

CATTLE DECAPITATION

DAZZLING KILLMEN

DENISON KIMBALL TRIO

ERASE ERRATA

FLOSSIE & THE UNICORNS

THE FLYING LUTTENBACHERS

GET HUSTLE

GRAND ULENA

HELLA

LAKE OF DRACULA

LIGHTNING BOLT

THE LOCUST

MELT-BANANA

MOUNT SHASTA

THE OOPS THEATER GROUP

JIM O'ROURKE

ORTHRELM

PG. 99

QUINTRON

RAH BRAS

ROBERT JOHNSON & THE BROWNS

SHAKUHACHI SURPRISE

SHELLAC

SHORTY

SPACE STREAKINGS

U.S. MAPLE

WOLF EYES

YOU FANTASTIC!

ZEEK SHECK

ZZZZZ


































The original series of OOPS (!) iNDOORS shows wouldn't have been possible without the assistance of many, many individuals including:
Kurt Kiesel, Bill Pisarri, Jeff Day, Billy SIdes, Al Johnson, John Barrelli, Dave Duvall, Jim Lance, Sue Miller, Aaron Burgess, Weasel Walter, Bobby Conn, Julie Pomerleu and the countless members of the Oops! theater group.

Thanks,

Mark
mark@skingraftrecords.com





OOPS! THE TOUR
thanks the following for their help & advice:
Ben McOsker, Dave & Derek, Dave Eaves, Weasel Walter, Scott Comeau, Andy Rivera, Rich Sczcepanski and Eorl.

Thanks,

Brian
brian@skingraftrecords.com



















( Oops! )
poster credits:


Posters designed by
Mark Fischer


except SKiN GRAFT iRRiTATiONAL poster by
Mark, Rob Syers

& Mark Shippy


and OOPS! (the tour) poster by
Matt Brinkman



 


The OOPS(!) Show Log
< in order of event, ad absurdum >


( 1 )
OOPS!
( The SKiN GRAFT iRRiTATiONAL )
S H O R T Y
DAZZLING KILLMEN
MOUNT SHASTA
BRISE-GLACE
DENISON KIMBALL TRIO

+ the oops! theater group

Summer / July 16th, 1994
Chicago, IL.
@ Lounge Ax

N o t e s :

This was Shorty's last show. Singer Al Johnson and guitarist Mark Shippy would resurface later that year as U.S. Maple. Hosted by Darth Vader, this first show by the OOPS! Theater Group involved a series of incidents between bands featuring the characters Mummy and Gorilla. Act One displayed a grueling chess match. Act two involved Mummy and Gorilla hesitantly sneaking up to the stage to a large wood plank. With spraypaint in tow, Mummy spraypainted "mummy " onto the plank, then crept off stage right. Later acts involved fire-breathers, hairdryers and heightened stupidity. Sloppy Santa appeared at the end of the show and was the only character to participate in every OOPS(!) Theater show thereafter...


( 2 - 7 )
OOPS! ( The SKiN GRAFT iRRiTATiONAL Tour )
D A Z Z L I N G .K I L L M E N
MOUNT SHASTA
BRISE-GLACE
DENISON KIMBALL TRIO
JIM O'ROURKE
solo (NYC only)


Summer / July 19th - 24th, 1994
Washington DC @ 15 Minutes / Philadelphia, PA @ Khyber Pass / Cambridge, MA @ The Middle East / New York, NY @ The Knitting Factory / Buffalo, NY @ Mr. Goodbars / Cleveland, OH @ The Grog Shop


N o t e s :
Shorty was scheduled play on this tour, but broke up on stage two nights earlier at the Chicago show.
No OOPS! Theater.


( 8 - 9 )
OOPS ( ! ) iNDOORS
1st Night
S H E L L A C
SPACE STREAKINGS
MOUNT SHASTA
BRISE-GLACE
+ the OOPS! theater group


2nd Night
SHAKUHACHI SURPRISE
MELT-BANANA
U.S. MAPLE
YOU FANTASTIC!
JIM O'ROURKE
solo
+ cheer-accident and
the OOPS! theater group


Summer / July 14th - 15th, 1995

Chicago, IL. @ Lounge Ax

N o t e s :

This and the following year saw SKiN GRAFT really go for broke (and we mean that literally). The first night's theme was "Odd Couple 2000" and involved a narrative skit featuring Mintacula (a minty green Dracula) and his noisy neighbor Sloppy Santa. The first night was the hottest night on record in Chicago, Lounge Ax's air-conditioner was broken and even Shellac's participation couldn't pack this steam room. The second night was titled "Pickle Cult". The voice of the Pickle was provided by Killdozer's Michael Gerald. Two cyclists pedaled stationary bikes on each side of the stage for the entire two night stand and Cheer-Accident played "Filet Of Nod" at the entrance nonstop during the second night. Hosted by Eagle Man.

How hot was it?
- So hot that
Bluey Nelson's face melted all over the stage and Space Streakings elected to sleep in the basement.



( 10 - 11 )
OOPS ( ! ) iNDOORS
1st Night
U. S. .M A P L E
BRISE-GLACE w/ Azita
THE FLYING LUTTENBACHERS
COLOSSAMITE
+ the oops! theater group


2nd Night
M E L T - B A N A N A
MOUNT SHASTA
YOU FANTASTIC!

LAKE OF DRACULA
+ the oops! theater group


Fall / November 1st - 2nd, 1996
Chicago, IL.
@ Lounge Ax

N o t e s :
First night "A Trial In Error". Second night "Camp Skin Graft". Characters included Straight-Edge Santa, C-3PO and The Tin Man, The Massengals, Dirty Bird, Dirty Dog and The Mummy, The Mommy Mummy, Grampa, The Peg-Assed Pirate, Now Wave Dave, Now Wave Frog, The Irritator, Demo Dan, The Camp Skin Graft Counselers, Sloppy Santa and The Karate Chimp. EVENTS: Wrestling With Thymme Jones,
Celebrity Kissing Booth, The Potato Lounge, Mintacula Drink Special, etc, etc, etc. Hosted by Danzig (with bodyguard).


( 12 - 13 )
OOPS ( ! ) iNDOORS
U. S. .M A P L E. (Minneapolis only)
COLOSSAMITE
THE FLYING LUTTENBACHERS
YOU FANTASTIC!
ZEEK SHECK
+ the oops! theater group

Winter / March 15th - 16th, 1997
Madison @ O'Cayz Corral
Minneapolis @ 7th Street Entry


N o t e s :
Theme for these shows was "Fight or Fuck". Madison hosted by Weasel Walter (as Skin Graft radio guy Charlie Nite). Minneapolis hosted by Mark Shippy (as Now Wave Frog). Also appearing were: The Kick Ass Cook, The Interspecies World Champion, Mighty Fuckin' Robots, Four Alien Thymme Jones Imposters, Now Wave Dave, The Karate Chimp and the popular "Drinkin' with Sloppy Santa" booth. Thymme Jones was the only member of You Fantastic! to attend. In Madison he led a 30 minute rant against his fellow bandmates. In Minneapolis, he performed with clones of Darin and Tim.


( 14 )
OOPS ( ! ) iNDOORS
THE FLYING LUTTENBACHERS
BOBBY CONN
ZEEK SHECK
+ the oops! theater group


Fall / September 5th
Ypsilanti
, MI @ The Green Room

N o t e s :

This show was the raw version of the show that followed the next night. Jeff Day performed his Pete Panty role sans costume. Sloppy Santa goes StraightEdge with this show.



( 15 )
OOPS ( ! ) iNDOORS
U. S. .M A P L E
THE FLYING LUTTENBACHERS
YOU FANTASTIC!
BOBBY CONN
ZEEK SHECK
+ the oops! theater group


Fall / September 6th, 1997
Cleveland
, OH @ Speak In Tongues

N o t e s :
Theme was "X's and Oh's". Show included the Mighty Fucking Robots, Pete Panty Monster, The Swami, Pengu, Now Wave Dave, Now Wave Frog, The Karate Chimp & StraightEdge Santa (formerly Sloppy Santa) in a morality play involving "Preppy Detergent".
Weasel led a "Start Your Own Now Wave Band" Seminar.


( 16 - 17 )
OOPS ( ! ) iNDOORS
C O L O S S A M I T E
THE FLYING LUTTENBACHERS
ZEEK SHECK
+ the oops! theater group

Fall / October 17th, 1997
Davenport, IO@ 566 Union Hall

N o t e s :
Theme was "X's and Oh's" from the previous two shows.


( 16 - 17 )
OOPS ( ! ) iNDOORS
C O L O S S A M I T E
THE FLYING LUTTENBACHERS
ZEEK SHECK
U.S. MAPLE
YOU FANTASTIC! (Hosts)
+ the oops! theater group

Fall / October 18th, 1997
St. Louis, MO @ The Side Door


N o t e s :
The final performance of the "X's and Oh's" show. Unable to attend, You Fantastic! hosted the show via cassette tape, boom box and popsicle stick figure stand-ins.


( 18 )
OOPS ( ! ) OUTDOORS
THE FLYING LUTTENBACHERS
MOUNT SHASTA
ZEEK SHECK
+ the oops! theater group

Fall / October 24th, 1997
Chicago, IL. @ Crows Nest Depaul Music Mart
(rained out)


N o t e s :
This show was scheduled to take place outdoors at noon, Friday in the heart of Chicago's downtown business district (at State & Jackson St.), but unfortunately the show was rained out
and never took place.


( 19 )
OOPS! ( The German TV PARTY )
M O U N T .S H A S T A
THE FLYING LUTTENBACHERS
BOBBY CONN
ZEEK SHECK
ZZZZZ
ROBERT JOHNSON & THE BROWNS
+ the oops! theater group


Spring / May 16th, 1998
Chicago, IL. @ 6 Odum


N o t e s :
Put together for a German Television crew, segments from this show and interviews with the participants were broadcast in various European countries. Doors opened at midnight following a Sonic Youth / Kevin Drumm show uptown. The German TV Party was the last gasp of the Oops! Theater Group and marked the end of the first wave of Oops! shows.
The theme of the show was "X's and Uh-Oh's", a continuation of the previous series, involving many of the same characters. Danzig returned to host.


( 20 and up )
OOPS! ( The TOUR )
THE LOCUST
ARAB ON RADAR
LIGHTNING BOLT

with:
The FLYING LUTTENBACHERS QUINTRON
ERASE ERRATA WOLF EYES ORTHRELM FLOSSIE & THE UNICORNS RAH BRAS CATTLE DECAPITATION BLOOD BROTHERS THE GET HUSTLE & MORE!

Summer / July 7th - August 9th, 2002
United States Of America

for more information:
http://www.oopsthetour.com

Oops! (The Tour) organized by Les Charm & The MP Shows MVP's
Classic Oops! organized by Art Ceaser & The Now Wave Rockettes

To book shows in Chicago, go to http://www.MPshows.com




 

Go to the OOPS! (the Tour) site