TwentyWonder | 2012 Lineup

2012 Lineup

Relive your favorite TwentyWonder events by looking back at our past performers and attractions. You can also check out the gallery of Friends of TwentyWonder who have lent us their support over the years. If you want to keep up to date on all the latest TwentyWonder news, we’ve got a Facebook page and a Twitter feed—because we’re modern like that.

Dave Alvin

Guitarist/Songwriter

“The Blasters, X”

Rolling Stone dubbed him, “an underrecognized guitar hero.” This grammy-award winner was a founding member and principal songwriter for The Blasters. Dave also played in X alongside famous punk vocalist Exene Cervenka. He has also released thirteen solo albums and been featured on numerous soundtracks—he’s best known for the Blasters hit “So Long Baby Goodbye”. We’re proud to count Dave Alvin as a Friend of TwentyWonder. On top of his already generous support, he performed at TwentyWonder 2012 alongside comedian Andy Kindler.

Friends

Acts from Cirque Berzerk

Circus Troupe

“Burning Man”

Created and directed by Cirque du Soleil veteran Stefan Haves, Cirque-a-Palooza came to TwentyWonder 2013 straight from a stint at the Pasadena Playhouse summer festival. They brought a cavalcade of comical street performers to light up the Doll Factory throughout the evening. Creative physical performance, circus skills, and variety acts were offered up by the artists of Cirque-a-Palooza. Among those artists was the very popular Jennifer Jonassen, aka Bubble Lady.

2014 Carnival

Joel Hodgson

Creator

“Mystery Science Theater 3000”

Famous for the Comedy Central hit Mystery Science Theater 3000, Joel Hodgson contributed to comedy powerhouses like Saturday Night Live and Letterman. Joel’s involvement with TwentyWonder goes back to its roots in the quasi-annual Superball parties. When Superball was transformed into TwentyWonder by its founder and curator Jim Hodgson—they’re brothers—Joel generously lent his talents in support. He has contributed to every TwentyWonders, bringing material from Cinematic Titanic and his solo project Riffing Myself. Joel has been an invaluable Friend of TwentyWonder.

Friends Comedy

Arthur Benjamin

Mathemagician

“Harvey Mudd College”

At TwentyWonder 2012, mathematician Arthur Benjamin wowed audiences with mind-boggling presentations of lightning-fast calculations that have been dubbed “Mathemagics”. During his career, Arthur has served as chair of the mathematics department at Harvey Mudd College and has been published extensively in the field of combinatorics—we assume it has to do with farm equipment. In addition to his amazing calculation abilities and professional achievements, he has advocated that students should be given a mathematics education that goes beyond calculation to the inspiration that can be found in the study of mathematics.

2012 Science

Tim Biskup

Artist

“Ego Killers”

Playful, vibrant, and captivating. The artwork of Tim Biskup captures the spirit of TwentyWonder. Tim has involved himself with our Carnival of the Mind in numerous ways. In 2012 he partnered with Tierra Del Sol to help their artists with Down Syndrome create pieces for display at TwentyWonder. His project Ego Killers was at TwentyWonders 2012 and 2013. He even designed the logo at the top of this page. We’ve been blessed to have this extraordinary artist’s support through the years and look forward to working with him again in the future.

At TwentyWonder 2014, fans were invited to find their way to win one of five prints donated by Tim (valued at $200–$400 per print).

Friends Art

Dolores Bozovic, PhD

Biophysicist

“UCLA”

Dolores Bozovic is an associate professor of physics and astronomy at UCLA and a member of the California NanoSystems Institute. At TwentyWonder 2011 she presented her research into the the interface between physics and auditory neuroscience. The ultimate goal of her field is the understanding the basic processes of hearing. Her laboratory studies the motility of nanometer-scale auditory hair cells, the mechanism that turns sounds coming into your ear into electrical signals going out to your brain—you may know those cells better as the ones that make your head ring after listening to Black Rebel Motorcycle Club.

2012 Science

ChromosDome

Art Installation

“Burning Man”

In 2012, TwentyWonder committee member Jason Decker happened to be building a thirty-two foot diameter geodesic dome in preparation for Burning Man. Just our luck, because we happened to need a Buckminster Fuller structure to display cool facts about trisomy twenty-one (Down syndrome). The ChromosDome allowed people to encounter trisomy twenty-one as just another aspect of humanity, integral to our community as the many incredible and valuable aspects of humanity present at each TwentyWonder.

2012 Trisomy 21

Drag-u-la

Kustom Vehicle

“Munsters”

Beau Boeckmann and Galpin Auto Sports brought this morbid, beautiful motorcar to TwentyWonder 2012. DRAG-U-LA, not to be confused with the Rob Zombie song inspired by it—Fun fact though: Rob Zombie was a P.A. On Friend of TwentyWonder Paul Reubens’ hit show Pee Wee’s Playhouse; but now back your previously scheduled sentence—DRAG-U-LA was made popular in the 1960s television show The Munsters. It was designed by Tom Daniel for George Barris, who was also involved in creating the 1966 Batmobile. In Munster TV lore, Grandpa Munster built this 350HP V-8 monster to win back the Munster Koach, which Herman lost while drag racing in the episode “Hot Rod Herman”. Born: 1367. Died: ?

2012 Makers

Ego Killers

Artists

“Lowbrow Movement”

Lowbrow art was born outside the mainstream art world in Southern California and between the pages of Juxtapoz magazine and grew to become a dominant aesthetic within today’s global art world. It drew its inspiration from street culture, Kustom hot rods, and a solid sense of humor.

The Ego Killers—Tim Biskup, Andy Bialk, Kali Fontecchio, and Miles Thompson—returned for TwentyWonder 2014 to offer their traditionally excruciating offer: a mean caricature for $20 or a nice one for $40. Which is more important to you? Your wallet or your ego?

2014 Art

Art by Shepard Fairey

Artist

“Obey”

Obey! Shepard Fairey made his name by plastering Providence, Rhode Island, with stickers proclaiming that “Andre the Giant has a Posse”, which he later adapted into the ubiquitous “Obey” graphic. Shepard also did the Obama “Hope” poster and album covers for Led Zeppelin, Smashing Pumpkins, and LA’s Flogging Molly. He lives in LA and has been featured many times in Juxtapoz—a magazine centered on the Lowbrow art community. Shepard generously donated a signed, limited edition “Obey” print for the TwentyWonder 2012 raffle.

2012 Art

Signed Foo Fighters Guitar

Alternative Rock

“Waking Light”

Formed by former Nirvana drummer Dave Grohl, the Foo Fighters have been rock stalwarts for two decades. Following the release of their Waking Light album in 2012, the Foo Fighters showed their generosity towards TwentyWonder. The band members signed a Fender guitar that was auctioned to benefit the Down Syndrome Association of Los Angeles, the beneficiary of all TwentyWonder proceeds. In addition to the auctioned guitar, Grohl showed his sense of humor by putting up, “The contents of my glove compartment,” as a TwentyWonder raffle item. We’re not sure if that included the registration for the car.

2012 Auction and Raffle Items

Heino!

Parody Personality

“Red Lion Tavern”

Heino is a German mashup of Tom Jones, Engelbert Humperdinck, and William Shatner whose popularity is as inexplicable as a three-night bender in Berlin. Heino! is a Heino parody act that roamed TwentyWonder 2012 interviewing crowd members for a fake radio show. The man behind the parody is Marc Hickox, a Second City alum who may be known to TwentyWonder fans as Lucha VaVOOM’s ringside announcer Rico Agave. You can catch Heino! regularly at Silver Lake’s Red Lion Tavern. Should you make it a point to catch this act at the earliest opportunity? JaWOHL!

2012 Comedy

Historic Filipinotown

Neighborhood Representatives

“Los Angeles”

Husband and wife team David Rockello and Erlinda Lim have been deeply involved in local politics over the last decade. Between them, they have served on the neighborhood councils of Greater Echo Park Elysian, Rampart Village, and Historic Fillipinotown. They have been especially passionate in the push for greater recognition of Filipino immigrants’ contributions to LA culture. Historic Fillipinotown brackets the 101 from Glendale blvd to Hoover and includes in its boundaries the Derby Doll Factory, home of TwentyWonder since 2011.

2012

Jackshit

Country Western Power Trio

“Welcome Nugget”

Bandmates Val McCallum, Pete Thomas, and Davey Faragher form the hillybilly power trio known as Jackshit. They have performed with Bonnie Raitt, John Hyatt, Buddy Guy, Elvis Costello, and a zillion more. Val, Pete, and Davey each have successful solo projects, but when they get together under the Jackshit moniker they’ve been described by Los Angeles Magazine as the best bar band in LA. In 2003, Pete was inducted into the prestigious Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In an article for the Guardian, Tom Waits described Pete as, “Still one of the best drummers alive.” At TwentyWonder 2012, Jackshit gave a fantastic performance on the main stage of the Doll Factory.

2012 Music

Lynda Kay

Lounge Singer

“Dream My Darling”

At TwentyWonder 2011, Lynda Kay kept the Chill Room warm with a sampling of her incredible voice, which was described by Fred Willard as “Maple syrup and black velvet, just gorgeous!” Find a way to catch this crooner with her 60s style—including beehive hairdo—and you’ll leave as impressed as the critics from Variety and LA Weekly. Fun Fact: In addition to her live shows, which you should find a way to see, you can see her in a guest appearance on the FX hit Justified, in the episode “Watching the Detectives.”

2012 Music

Andy Kindler

Comedian

“Bob's Burgers”

Andy is known for regular appearances on The Daily Show, Letterman, and Everybody Loves Raymond. He is also known for his annual, and typically controversial, state-of-the-industry address at Montreal’s “Just For Laughs” comedy festival. At TwentyWonder 2012 he took the stage for Dave Alvin. If you missed them, you probably missed your only opportunity to hear a performance of Jefferson Airplane’s “White Rabbit” involving a wooden train whistle.

Friends Comedy

Kids of Widney High

Pop

“Act Your Age”

Widney High is a special education magnet school in the LAUSD. The band Kids of Widney High is composed of a group of Widney High students that write and perform original songs. Membership rotates as students come and go from Widney. Since its 1988 inception as a song writing class, the band has performed all around LA. It was even featured in the 2005 film The Ringer. In 2010 and 2012, Kids of Widney High played TwentyWonder and showed the crowd that every member of our community can contribute to the Carnival of the Mind.

2012 Trisomy 21

Andy Kindler and Dave Alvin

Music Comedy

“TwentyWonder Exclusive”

Dave Alvin is a co-founder and principal songwriter for The Blasters, a critically successful band that has grown a large base of devoted fans. If you’re not among them yet, check out their most popular track “So Long Baby, Goodbye”—you’ll probably recognize it from one of the many soundtracks it’s on. Andy Kindler is a comic known for regular appearances on Letterman and The Daily Show. TwentyWonder 2012 brought this unlikely pair together on the TwentyWonder main stage for a one-off treat. If you missed it, you probably missed your only opportunity to hear a performance of Jefferson Airplane’s “White Rabbit” involving a wooden train whistle.

2012 Music

Los Angeles Derby Dolls

Roller Derby

“Historic Filipinotown”

Since the Derby Dolls’ start on a Little Tokyo rooftop in 2003, they have grown to become a treasured part of Los Angeles culture. Their style of banked-track roller derby is a high-speed, full-contact sport fueled by a belief in the strength of women, volunteerism, and a DIY attitude. The Derby Dolls invest heavily in their community, partnering with numerous groups including Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Aids Project Los Angeles, and After-School All-Stars. In 2011, TwentyWonder was invited to the Doll Factory by league co-founder Demolicious, and since then the Derby Dolls have made themselves an invaluable part of TwentyWonder.

2014 Carnival

Lucha VaVOOM

Mexican Masked Wrestling

“The Mayan Theater”

“I’d like to take it to England,” says Lucha fan Eric Idle, of Monty Python. “There’s no show that’s funnier, sillier, or more entertaining than this one.”

Lucha was a crowd favorite at TwentyWonder from 2012–2014. This high octane dose of Mexican masked wrestling comes with a blast of burlesque and a splash of comedy. Their show tours the country, performing in Chicago, Jersey, Long Beach, and Vegas, but their home venue is downtown at the Mayan.

2014 Carnival

Mandoline Grill

Food Truck

“Vietnamese (Vegan friendly)”

Mong Skillman launched the Mandoline Grill back in February 2010, and her food truck is now a magnet for foodies seeking fresh, tasty, vegan and carnivore-friendly bánh mí sandwiches, tacos, and noodle bowls. Mong learned to cook by watching her mother, who owned a Vietnamese restaurant in Honolulu’s Chinatown. Mandoline Grill has been a featured food truck at TwentyWonder from 2012–2014.

2014 Carnival

Me So Hungry

Food Truck

“Gourmet sliders”

Me So Hungry was started in LA by Executive Chef Cory Ewing, whose specialty is grilling, seafood and international cuisine. The result is an ever-changing menu that features bold flavors, seasonal ingredients, fiery sauces and unusual combinations. Me So Hungry has been a feature of TwentyWonder from 2012–2014, serving up LA’s best-tasting marinated short rib sliders, sweet potato fries and gourmet burgers.

2014 Carnival

Chris Mirabel

Marine Biologist

“California Science Center”

Known to many as the Los Angeles Derby Dolls referee “Oliver Clothesoff”, Chris Mirabel is also a marine biologist. He works at the California Science Center in Exposition Park doing research on applied behavior analysis. And if “Derby Doll reffing marine biologist” isn’t cool enough already, here’s the kicker: Chris does his research on sharks! He wasn’t able to bring his subjects to TwentyWonder 2012, unfortunately—or possibly fortunately, an accidental shark attack in Echo Park might have solidified TwentyWonder’s reputation as LA’s oddest summer festival, but I think we’d have a tougher time getting a permit.

2012 Science

Brad Oldham

Designer

“The Pier at Caesars Palace”

One of the greatest SuperBallers of all time, Dallas-based artisan Brad Oldham manufactures the TwentyWonder amulets given out each at the event—in addition to manufacturing the Superball rings from 1996–2004. These commemorative pendants go to VIP ticket holders, our content providers, and the dedicated individuals who put TwentyWonder together. Brad owns a design company which has recently partnered with National Geographic to create life-size bronze sculptures of lions to benefit big cats. We salute this extraordinary artist him for his many generous projects and his many contributions to TwentyWonder.

Friends Art

Mat Plendl

Hula-Hoop Virtuoso

“Teatro ZinZanni”

Mat was one of the most universally acclaimed performers at both TwentyWonders 2012 and 2013. The crowd was stunned by his hula-hoop show during the halftime of the Derby Dolls bout. Considered by many to be the world’s foremost hula-hoop artist, he appeared three times on Johnny Carson’s The Tonight Show. He has also appeared in numerous NBA halftime shows and has been one of the stars of San Francisco’s long-running hit show Teatro ZinZanni. To see why, check out his routine at TwentyWonder 2012, and don’t forget to pick your jaw up off the floor when you’re done watching.

2013 Carnival

RyTron 3000

Dancer

“filmandvision”

The story goes that after rock legend Beck discovered Ryan Falkner’s unique dancing style at an LA party, Beck invited Ryan to dance on stage with his band for two worldwide tours. When Ryan performed at TwentyWonder 2011 we understood why and invited him back for 2012. In addition to his insane dancing talents, Ryan is an accomplished director and actor. Ryan is also a respected graphic designer and storyboard artist who has worked on numerous commercials and films—including Pineapple Express, produced by Friend of TwentyWonder Judd Apatow.

2012 Carnival

Eban Schletter

Multi-Instrumentalist

“Spongebob Squarepants”

Another longtime contributor, Eban is a prolific composer and songwriter who has created music for countless television shows including Spongebob Squarepants, Mr. Show, and the Academy Awards. He has also maintained a steady output of solo albums that explore a range of genres. A multi-instrumentalist, Eban performs on keyboards, drums, bass, and clarinet. But he is especially famous for his skill on the theremin. Eban has made appearances at TwentyWonder from 2010–2014 giving virtuoso theremin performances and hosting the Chill Room alongside The Poubelle Twins.

2014 Music

David Saltzberg

Physics Professor

“UCLA”

Gotta love Saltzberg! He comes to us by way of The Big Bang Theory and its bevy of Friends of TwentyWonder. When David is not acting as the science consultant for Sheldon and the gang over at CBS, he is a professor of Physics and Astronomy at UCLA. During his career he has searched the glaciers of Greenland for signs of interplanetary neutrinos and collaborated with researchers at the famed Large Hadron Collider at CERN. For TwentyWonder 2012, he turned the Derby Dolls and their banked track into a large-scale demonstration of the experiment that discovered the Higgs Boson!

Friends Science

The Section Quartet

Rock Band in Disguise

“FUZZBOX”

When LA natives Daphne Chen, Eric Gorfain, Lauren Chipman, and Richard Dodd unite and play Coachella, they’ve been described as the loudest string quartet in the world. Coveted as studio musicians, The Section Quartet has worked with artists like Dr. Dre, Kanye West, and fellow TwentyWonder supporter Foo Fighters. They also scored the roller derby movie Whip It!, which TwentyWonder contributors Alex “Axles of Evil” Cohen and Jennifer “Kasey Bomber” Barbee consulted on. For TwentyWonder 2012, The Section Quartet generously donated their talents to perform a memorable set in the Doll Factory’s Chill Room.

2012 Music

Brady Spindel

Circus Performer

“Cirque Berzerk”

Brady roamed among the crowd at TwentyWonder 2011 and 2012 as one of his most popular characters, a stilt-walking, firebreathing zombie-clown. His zombie-clown is a part of the psychedelic vaudevillian circus Cirque Berzerk. In addition to psychedelic vaudevillian circus, Brady does futuristic vaudevillian circus as part of an act called The Mutaytor, which combines aerial performance, giant screen visuals, and pyrotechnic displays. He is also a musician and prop maker. Brady recently added another feather to his cap with a performance alongside Taylor Swift at the Grammys.

2012 Carnival

Steve-O

Stuntman

“Jackass”

A modern day jester in the 24/7 digital era, Steve-O is best known for his disorderly conduct within the Jackass empire alongside co-star Johnny Knoxville. At TwentyWonder 2012, Steve-O challenged all comers to a giant game of Tic Tac Toe at his carnival booth. Proceeds from “Tic Tac Toe with Steve-O” went to our beneficiary, the Down Syndrome Association of Los Angeles. Fun fact: Steve-O is a graduate of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Clown College in Sarasota, FL.

2012 Carnival

Stierwalt and Masiero, PhDs

Physicists

“CalTech”

These astrophysicists brought a display of stunning images from the Spitzer space telescope to TwentyWonder 2012. Using its infrared cameras, Spitzer can see dust and stars invisible to other telescopes, allowing it to capture stunning new images of the distant galaxies and nearest asteroids. Sabrina Stierwalt and Joe Masiero brought these images from their stomping grounds at CalTech’s Spitzer Science Center. Sabrina has since moved on to a position at the University of Virginia while Joe continues to work in Pasadena at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab.

2012 Science

Tierra Del Sol

Painters with Trisomy 21

“Sunland Studio”

Tierra Del Sol cultivates artistic expression among people with significant challenges, such as trisomy twenty-one (Down syndrome). Tierra Del Sol believes people with trisomy twenty-one can develop creatively and make important contributions to the cultural and economic life of their communities. That notion is at the heart of TwentyWonder, so it made perfect sense to have their work on display at the Doll Factory. They’ve contributed artwork at TwentyWonder from 2011-2013. One of our favorite efforts was their collaboration with Tim Biskup—a member of the Lowbrow art movement centered around southern California.

2013 Art

The Watson Twins

Alt country, indie folk

“Pioneer Lane”

Raised in Kentucky, identical twin sisters Chandra and Leigh Watson have developed a style of indie-folk that prominently features their signature sibling harmonies. The twins grew up in Louisville amidst country and roots traditions before relocating to LA in the late 90s. Since then they’ve performed with The Shins, Conor Oberst, Jenny Lewis, My Morning Jacket, Pegi Young, and Willie Nelson as well as releasing their own albums Fire Songs, Southern Manners, and Pioneer Lane. At TwentyWonder 2012 they sang two of their originals alongside Jackshit on the Doll Factory’s main stage.

2012 Music

Wayne White's Wonder World

Artist

“Pee Wee Herman’s Playhouse”

Remember Terry the Pterodactyl and Floory the floorboard? From Wayne White’s mind was born all the menagerie of Pee-Wee’s Playhouse. Since then, Wayne has had huge success wrecking the art world with comedic paintings that are smarter than New York. For TwentyWonder 2012 Wayne created a very limited edition “Hot Shots and Know-It-Alls”. He also spent the evening strolling through the crowd and playing banjo alongside his pal on the upright bass, Alison Mork—the voice of Pee-Wee’s Chairry.

2012 Art

Joe Wise and Shari E. Asplund

Education and Outreach

“NASA JPL”

Joe Wise is an educator for NASA’s Dawn mission, which has been exploring the asteroid belt for the last several years. It made its first stop at the protoplanet Vesta, where it kicked off a scientific controversy by discovering gullies that may have been created by liquid water flowing on the surface. Dawn’s next stop is the dwarf planet Ceres. Shari E. Asplund works for NASA’s Discovery and New Frontiers Programs, the programs that developed and launched Dawn and other missions currently exploring our solar system.

2012 Science

2012 Lineup

All Years | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010

Dave Alvin

Acts from Cirque Berzerk

Joel Hodgson

Arthur Benjamin

Tim Biskup

Dolores Bozovic, PhD

ChromosDome

Drag-u-la

Ego Killers

Art by Shepard Fairey

Signed Foo Fighters Guitar

Heino!

Historic Filipinotown

Jackshit

Lynda Kay

Andy Kindler

Kids of Widney High

Andy Kindler and Dave Alvin

Los Angeles Derby Dolls

Lucha VaVOOM

Mandoline Grill

Me So Hungry

Chris Mirabel

Brad Oldham

Mat Plendl

RyTron 3000

Eban Schletter

David Saltzberg

The Section Quartet

Brady Spindel

Steve-O

Stierwalt and Masiero, PhDs

Tierra Del Sol

The Watson Twins

Wayne White's Wonder World

Joe Wise and Shari E. Asplund