George Ravlich gets discombobulated by Bob (photos)

Short films, a tiny keyboard, guitars, maracas, an accordion and two fantastic musicians culminated into an evening of avant-garde entertainment that perplexed one viewer and tickled the rest.

"I'm confused," said George Ravlich midway through the Bob Wiseman show at Loplops Gallery-Lounge Thursday night.

Bob Wiseman is not for everybody with his slightly off-key voice, discordant phrasing, offbeat sense of humour and often eccentric instrumentation.

His shows are an acquired taste like 30-year-old Laphroaig scotch whiskey.

Rare, smokey and impossible to ignore.

The evening started with half a dozen songs from ex Hidden Cameras member and current member of The Phonemes, Magali Meagher.

She is also Wiseman's wife.

The two have been travelling with Scott Thompson providing the musical and visual backdrop for his Scottastrophe tour.

Meagher stood in front of the microphone quiet and timid, possibly missing the company of her band.

That is, until she opened her sweet, sexy, breathy voice as she accompanied herself on guitar.

Wiseman joined her on accordion for one song.

And during another she handed out maracas to the the audience to fill the gap of the missing members of The Phonemes.

It was obvious that singing and being on stage with Wiseman brings her to a happy place.

Wiseman opened his portion of the show with a short, silent film complete with black-and-white title screens about traversing to Loplops, defeating the dreaded Iguanasaurus and foreseeing his own death as he provided the musical score on his trusty accordion.

Other films included one about found poetry recited by friends and strangers, another regarding his quest to create an album using 100 different instruments that also incorporates various animal noises outside the range of human hearing.

And there was a very amusing one about his answering machine.

This was a common theme as Wiseman later played Have a Nice Day, a poignant and disturbing song about controversial Canadian West Coast lawyer Doug Christie's answering machine.

Not wanting this appearance to be a carbon copy of his last, Wiseman said a quick prayer to the Gods of forgotten lyrics and dove into a few of his classics, recovering from his fumbles like the seasoned performer he is.

The evening was up and down like that, as he would coerce fits of laughter from the audience one moment and then almost bring them to tears the next.

Those who like Bob Wiseman, like him a lot.

And they left satisfied and eager for his next appearance as he announced he will always try to make a stop in Sault Ste. Marie when he tours.

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