Americans typically equate Independence Day with fireworks, cookouts, and, of course, Will Smith/Jeff Goldblum vehicles, but this year a pair of geeks will attempt to add a rather counterintuitive concept to that list of classical touchstones: nerdy music. July 4th and 5th, Orlando, Florida will host a music festival like no other. Nerdapalooza 2008 is an event that celebrates our inalienable right to be as dorky as we want to be.
Both days, from noon to 2:00 AM at Orlando’s Taste Restaurant, the southeast will surely quake beneath the bespectacled might of artists like nerdcore hip-hop pioneer MC Frontalot, WRock juggernauts Harry and the Potters, UK chiptune sensation Pixelh8, sock puppet rock band Uncle Monsterface, and local automatons Killer Robots! Boasting a roster of more than 30 bands, the event is uniquely positioned to bridge the (sub)cultural gap that exists between various forms of geek music. Perhaps more importantly, event co-founders John “Hex Warrior” Carter and Rob “mCRT” Tobias have pledged to donate all proceeds from Nerdapalooza to Child’s Play, the game industry children’s charity founded by the duo behind web comic Penny Arcade.
While comparable to other events such as MAGfest, Blipfest, and, of course, Penny Arcade Expo, Nerdapalooza stands out by providing the most eclectic collection of geek- and gamer-centered entertainers to date. Presented by cult cinema giant Troma Entertainment and longtime Florida nerd haven A Comic Shop and built on the back of a vibrant local nerdcore scene, Nerdapalooza is an occasion not to be missed. Tickets for the 2-day event are still available for purchase from Brown Paper Tickets, and interested parties are encouraged to check out the official web presence of Nerdapalooza for an up-to-date artist listing and full details.
This July, the nerds will rock!
