What Lies Beneath

Zoe and Kim Boekbinder aren’t like any duo of singing sisters you’ve seen before. While my siblings and I were imitating Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen’s White Christmas song and dance, the Boekbinder girls were honing their skills in clown boot camps and digging through dumps for instruments. Vermillion Lies, their project, can play on anything from a toy piano and accordion to a typewriter and barbecue grill, and that’s what makes their vaudeville show so much fun. As the gals pull odd instruments from a large trunk before each song, the audience yells, “What’s in the box?” — a question that also happens to be the name of their new album.

They’ve played everywhere from Caesars Palace to Moscow, with songs ranging from lyrical folk ballads to circus marches. Their style is silly, creative and a little bit dark, which makes them a perfect choice for tonight’s Halloween Cabaret at the Swallow Hill Music Association, dubbed Swalloween. Attendees of all ages are encouraged to dress in costume and come prepared to clap, sing, dance, play and celebrate cabaret-style.

The show starts at 8 p.m. at 71 East Yale Avenue; tickets are $18 in advance and $21 at the door. Go to www.swallowhillmusic.org or call the box office at 303-777-1003, ext. 2.
Fri., Oct. 31, 8 p.m., 2008