Welcome To Night Vale

Welcome To Night Vale is the cultiest of the podcasts, the secretist of societies and the nerdiest of all of the things. It started back in 2012 when two men with beards decided to write a podcast which tied the past and future together by means of storytelling in a world where your wildest conspiracy theory proves to be right on point. Cecil Palmer is your narrator and radio show host in a Middle America 1950’s down home style of public broadcasting, but the news and interviews he imparts tell of angels, spooks, mysteries and good old fashioned strange-goings-on, told straight and matter of fact but with coils of mysteries within mysteries, some solved, some not. It’s funny and weird, my favourite combination in any entertainment. As a passionate fan of Garrison Keillor’s Lake Wobegone radio series and The Archers, small town goings on are right up my alley, and not just mine - Night Vale was ranked #1 podcast in the world in 2013, and a TV adaptation is in the works for FX. So yeah, it’s a pretty big deal that Night Vale came to Norwich last night and did a show for little ‘ol us at Epic.

A large audience were well mixed including many Millennials, some middle aged nerds and a few hardcore elders who thought nothing of wearing a robe to a show, because who cares really, and all hail them. It felt like a room full of people searching for their gang, and in some way had found a place to belong in Night Vale, which is great.

Deb, the Sentient Patch of Haze or as we like to say lady who does the adverts during the show, welcomed us and laid down the rules during a funny and dry introduction, and then we enjoyed a 30 minute set from singer songwriter Mal Blum, who was referred to as ‘they’,sang songs about working in coffee shops and told amusing true stories about her life in between. A kind of awkward kd Lang crossed with Ani diFranco, they clearly struck a chord with many in the audience and set the mood well for crossing the ocean into weird America.

The special one off story for this tour is not something I will delve too deep into as they want it to be kept secret. Suffice to say it is about secrets. Cecil, our main man, delivers with great energy and charisma throughout, as do the other players, or guests on the radio show. The two bearded beginners of Night Vale were definitely amongst the funniest for me. The show speeds along at quite a rate, as it does in the podcast – this is one not to fall asleep during, or start thinking about dinner. Focus, people. The language is beautiful, the humour clever and knowing and the plots…well…bonkers in the wildest way possible. This night at Epic was brief and brilliant, a real life example of why podcasts are rad for bringing people together when you always think it’s probably just you listening while you walk your dog on your own. Plus, you know, it’s just supercool to see those well known voices coming out of their actual human bodies.