cheburashka

went to an eels gig last night (absolute tops). my second sight of eels, but ryan's first. i saw them on tour with shootinanananany a year and a half ago, much different stylee and vibe witch was ace.

anyhow, this blog of a post isn't about the concert so much as what went on before it... at the somerville theartre in davis square they showed a reel before the gig, an opening act i suppose you could call it... and what else should they play but a stop motion, antique children's show... from Russia.

i'd heard about Cheburashka (which is pronounces chip oo rashka) from my russian-born girlfriends, dina and bunny and their click of russian party-going amigos from the brookline area. from what i did know about Cheburashka was that you sing a song about him as a toast when you're seriously far gone on the vodka river of love. a particularly unique american mate of mine, Keith, the inderterminant and ever hair colour changing, was and is a huge fan of singing Chepurashka with a glass of something or other to support his intonation.

Keith spent some exciting time in japan where he was, unavoidable, a big smash. could part of the reason for his success in japane be because he knew all the words to the Chepurashka song?

what i learned from the stop motion flick was that the Chepurashka is actually an adorable little monkey/bear hybrid of a creature who's fond of oranges and making friends with carocodilles (sound it out) named Gena (gee na).

and of course... because he's little and strange and fuzzy, the japanese *love* Chepurashka. check out the title link.

i should not have been surprised.

all in all an educational evening in bean town and a happy internet breakfast.