Comedian Dave Chappelle resurfaced at a Chicago nightclub earlier this month and shed some light on his recent Hartford, Conn. walk-off the week prior.

Some had initially suspected the episode was either a publicity stunt or another meltdown for the funnyman who once left mid-season production of his hit TV show for an impromptu trip to South Africa. Chappelle was devoid of remorse.

“If North Korea ever drops a nuclear bomb on this country, I swear to God, I hope it lands in Hartford, Connecticut,” he said, as reported by TMZ and Youtube audio—adding that the Comcast crowd was chock-full of “young white alcoholics.”

“I wanted to pull a ‘reverse Kramer’ and call them all ‘crackers’ or something like that,” he continuing, referring to an infamous n-word-laden stand-up set by comedian Michael Richards in 2006.

Chappelle’s Sept. 8 engagement in Mansfield reportedly went off without incident. His Oddball Comedy & Curiosity Festival is slated to wrap up on the West Coast Sept. 22.

Considering the tongue-lashing, perhaps the timing of Envisionfest Hartford (envisionfesthartford.com)—a daylong celebration aimed at “showcasing the city’s transformation into a destination of walking, culture and innovation” on Sept. 21—couldn’t be better.

“Last year, 15,000 people took part in Envisionfest, and I’m thrilled to bring this opportunity back for families to enjoy once again,” Hartford Mayor Pedro E. Segarra said of the event that will feature a free performance by quirk rock kings They Might Be Giants on the mainstage this year.

 

Up in the Valley proper, Wishbone Zoe’s Saera Kochanski reveals that in fingering through her Rolodex of musicians in preparation for her Sept. 20 Thirsty Mind performance (the group is known for putting together different lineups based on availability and the needs of the venue), at least one person on her wish list didn’t make the cut.

e_SDLqDon McAuley hasn’t been around much at all this summer,” she explains. “He’s been busy touring as a drum tech for a certain Mr. Charlie Watts.”

Others in the Wishbone camp include members of Fancy Trash, Swinging Steaks, journeyman drummer J.J. O’Connell and singer/songwriter Lori McKenna, to name a choice few.

“I like to find instruments and things to use as instruments to try out sounds that may not necessarily sound stellar on their own but create a rich, unusual palate when combined with other things,” Kochanski says. “Working with a looper pedal has also allowed me to explore more of that, too.”

For more info, visit the venue’s Facebook page at .com/thirstymindcafe.

 

Last but not least, a quick note about two press releases that simultaneously found their way into the Crawler’s inbox.

The first announced the City of West Springfield’s “no” vote for a Hard Rock casino. The second, emanating from Springfield’s Symphony Hall, sang the praises of the local MGM developers in securing the Grammy award-winning act Boyz II Men, playing its facility Oct. 10.

“We are very excited to bring the MGM Resorts entertainment experience to the city,” says MGM Springfield President/CMO Bill Hornbuckle. “We are proud of our ability to deliver the industry’s leading entertainment to our venues and look forward to sharing this opportunity with Springfield.”

Tix range from $19.50 to $39.50, depending on proximity to the multi-platinum harmonies.

Citystage/Symphony Hall President Tina D’Agostino also unveiled other offerings for the 2013-2014 season. After analyzing customer feedback, she reports the return of a few favorites, including Menopause The Musical (Oct 4-6) and comedian Bobby Collins (Nov. 16), among new productions like Men Are From Mars—Woman Are From Venus Live (Feb. 13) and Power Balladz: The Ultimate 80’s Sing-Along! (April 5). For the complete schedule, ticket purchasing options and more, visit citystage.symphonyhall.com.•

Send correspondence to Nightcrawler, P.O. Box 427, Somers, CT 06071; fax to (860) 394-4262 or email garycarra@aol.com.