CROSS TALK

The first album by Mr. Show co-founder and Arrested Development co-star David Cross, 2002’s Shut Up, You Fucking Baby!, might turn out to be the iTunes generation’s Lenny Bruce: The Carnegie Hall Concert. Like Bruce, Cross mines his best material from frustration and disbelief, and like Bruce’s recording, Shut Up may puzzle future listeners with references to people and ideas already doomed to obscurity. Then again, Cross’ discursive, profane and very funny epic takes on some evergreen stuff: rednecks, the Catholic Church … and Kansas City, where a night of drinking turned into a brush with amnesia. To signal the arrival of his first book (the discursive, profane and very funny I Drink for a Reason), Cross is on the road with new material. His stop here this time is more upscale — an 8 p.m. show at the Midland (1228 Main, 816-283-9921) — but you can probably still buy him a drink. See midlandkc.com for tickets.

Wed., Sept. 30, 2009