Marc Ribot Brings The Noise To Chaplin's The Kid

By Steven Pate in Arts & Entertainment on Mar 17, 2011 9:00PM

Marc Ribot is the very definition of versatility. From stints playing guitar with the likes of Wilson Pickett, Carla Thomas, Chuck Berry and other legends, to membership in John Lurie's Lounge Lizards, to collaborations with John Zorn and an unshakable association with Manhattan's downtown avant-garde scene, to high profile work with Tom Waits and Elvis Costello, the acclaimed instrumentalist and composer has been just about everywhere you could look at one time or another. Of late you'll encounter his work quite frequently playing behind your favorite movies, with noteworthy work on films such as Walk the Line, The Departed, Where the Wild Things Are and Where the Wild Things Are. 2010 even found him releasing an album called 'Silent Movies,' 13 instrumental compositions for films.

On Sunday March 20 at Mayne Stage, Ribot will perform the central work of 'Silent Movies,' a live accompaniment for a screening of Charlie Chaplin's The Kid. The subdued but nimble strains should provide a spellbinding treat for fans of the movie and of music alike. The Kid, Chaplin's first feature-length film, is a breezy 68 minutes of the comedic master entering his most productive phase, telling a sincere and heartwarming tale of the Tramp's rescue of an abandoned child. The original billing, "A comedy with a smile — and perhaps a tear," may sound a bit corny, but anyone who can watch the film without feeling something had better be looking out for a Blade Runner to come knocking on your door.

Silent movies were never meant to be enjoyed in silence. Ribot says his accompaniment to the film is inspired by Chaplin's original music for it, but not derivative of it, and we're confident it will add something special to the experience.

Doors are at 7 p.m. for the 8 p.m. show. Ribot will perform a short set before the screening. Tickets are available here.