This very early Vernon Tonges performance was at The Roxy, a long since defunct nightclub on Fullerton Avenue, just east of Ashland Avenue, on January 25, 1989. Vernon was opening for Cardiff Giant.

Cardiff Giant was an improvisational comedy troop, which did a cabaret entitled Avante-Garfielde, held weekly at Jimmy’s Woodlawn Tap, The University

This very early Vernon Tonges performance was at The Roxy, a long since defunct nightclub on Fullerton Avenue, just east of Ashland Avenue, on January 25, 1989. Vernon was opening for Cardiff Giant.

Cardiff Giant was an improvisational comedy troop, which did a cabaret entitled Avante-Garfielde, held weekly at Jimmy’s Woodlawn Tap, The University of Chicago’s main Campus Bar. These cabarets involved an opening act, usually musical, followed by CGs improv comedy set. I began performing as an opening act for these evenings, and began writing songs to have songs to play (CG wanted original material).

Eventually I became essentially the stage manager/opening act booker for The Cardiff Giant Comedy Sideshow, which was a Northside version of their Southside cabaret. I immediately booked my newly found friend Vernon to play for these shows. This show was his second time opening for CG at The Roxy.

Eventually Cardiff Giant would go on to write full-length plays developed in improvisation. I wrote music for a couple of these shows. Vernon also wrote “The Ranch” (track ten here) for one of their plays entitled “Rancho Obscuro”. And of course Vernon and I eventually would go on to form a band, The Dysfunctionells

From Cardiff Giant and its fans and hangers on eventually sprung performers in the Neo-Futurists in Chicago, The Annoyance Theater, and The Second City, and of course Mark Hollmann and Greg Kotis (this shows MC) who would write the Tony award winning “Urinetown The Musical”. Life is pretty amazing sometimes, huh? -Rich Krueger credits releases December 11, 2020

Recorded Live at The Roxy in Chicago January 25, 1989 Recorded direct to DAT by John Bowin Produced by RIch Krueger and Vernon Tonges Mastered in 2020 by John Abbey

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