I’m here at the Indianapolis International Airport waiting for the 11 members of the Vienna Vegetable Orchestra to arrive.  They perform at The Toby this Saturday night, 7 pm.

Since seeing their picture in a cooking magazine five years ago, I’ve been obsessed with bringing them to perform at IMA.  I love that they take an everyday object like an eggplant and mine it for its expressive sonic properties.  I love that they wear all black and let the colorful veggies create a visual pop.  I love that they treat vegetables as sculptural objects.  I love that their music is experimental.

Here’s a listen to their latest CD, Onionoise. I especially like Brazil.

NUVO music critic Scott Shoger did a great piece on them this week. CBS Sunday News Sunday Morning is coming to record their visit. The Austrian Consulates from Chicago and New York are coming too.

Getting them here wasn’t easy.  Let’s just say, if you’ve never dealt with the US Citizen and Immigration Service, be glad!  The good news is that their concert is a signature event in the 2010 Spirit & Place Festival, whose theme is “Food for Thought.”

Today, some donated veggies are being delivered.  If they aren’t the right size and shape, we’ll have to go shopping tomorrow, probably at Saraga. Note: If you want to learn how to make you own veggie instruments (hint: drills are involved), sign up for tomorrow’s 1 to 5 pm workshop.

Friday night, I may take the orchestra members to First Friday.  I will definitely let them take a look at the IMA’s Warhol show.  After the show, we’ll go to either Brugge Brasserie or Barcelona Tapas, I think.

Since they are worldwide one-of-a-kind, you won’t regret coming to their concert Saturday night at The Toby.  As part of the event, we are also displaying vegetables as art in The Toby lobby, and having a cookbook swap, too.  I know I’ll see you there…

Wordwide Womenswear Digest – WWWWD is a webzine draped in a satiny attire that some people call the Onion of fashion news. I call it the perfect prescription for costume curators down in basements, FIT dropouts turned librarians, and a childhood friend of mine that is about to pop out of Parsons. Way to go, Jon! Thanks to local fashion blogs Haute in the Heartland and ballcaps and neckties for the tip.

Amazing iPhone Art – I’m amazed.

$20 Per Gallon – A soon to be released book by a senior writer at Forbes named Christopher Steiner. The full title, $20 Per Gallon: How the Inevitable Rise in the Price of Gasoline Will Change Our Lives has stirred the green in me and makes me wonder what a sharp rise in energy prices would do to the museum world. Can’t wait for it to hit the library.

Theo Jansen – Here’s an artist that could probably help out in an energy crisis. I’m thinking a commission from a kinetic sculptor with a penchant for wind power would look really good next to an Energy Star certification. Check out one of Theo’s amazing wind powered creations on YouTube.

Monday Music – “The Strangers” by St. Vincent. Apparently, I have a thing for saints.\”The Strangers\” by St. Vincent