Mystery Science Theater RVA Style

Music and silent movies were not top-of-mind awareness this evening.

I know because when I drove home from Carytown around 6:30, the celebrating had begun. Bars were mobbed, porches were full of celebrants despite the cold, people were driving around with VCU flags on their cars with people hanging out windows and sunroofs shouting.

And rounding Stuart Circle, I saw that the police had closed Franklin Street from that point east. No entering VCU for a while, I suppose.

My guess is that that's why attendance at tonight's Silent Music Revival was the lowest I've ever seen it in the 3+ years I've been going to it.

I walked into Gallery 5 to find friends in the front row though, so with music and movies on the way, I had everything I needed for the moment.

Showing tonight were three classics from 1903-04, "The Untameable Whiskers," "The Cook in Trouble" and "The Great Train Robbery."

Providing the music, although not improvised as it usually is for this event, were Prabir and the Goldrush sans their drummer.

In a first-ever twist, the trio set up directly in front of the screen instead of off to the side or behind the screen, providing the kind of head silhouettes typical of Mystery Science Theater 3000. It added a nice comic touch to the three comedies being shown.

They did a fine job with the soundtrack, especially to what we were told was the first-ever Western, "The Great Train Robbery," with its shoot-outs, celebratory dancing and horse chases. Leave it to the Goldrush to provide music to gallop by.

Walking home afterwards, I passed a couple of backyard parties (got invited to one) and heard fireworks not too far off, all no doubt part of the citywide celebration tonight.

Not being the gambling type, I'm getting a kick out of how VCU must be wreaking havoc with so many people's betting brackets. How many people were willing to wager that VCU would go so far?

Mom and Dad, I'm talking to you.