Life in a Blender-Rock Concert

Name: Life in a Blender-Rock Concert
Start: 2026-01-23T19:30:00-05:00
End: 2026-01-23T21:30:00-05:00
Location: MAC Downtown

With special guests "Altimeter” feat. Milford's Lucky T

A rock concert to kick the Winter blues. Life in a Blender features the talented singer and songwriter, Don Rauf.

Special guests, “Altimeter” with Milford’s own Timothy Topalian, aka Lucky T.

Friday, January 23rd, at 7:30pm (doors, 7pm )
Speakeasy open & serving beverages and snacks.

Concerts,

Member Discount,

Pop,

Rock

Get Best Price Tickets Now (Pay More at the Door)

Add To Calendar

Life in a Blender

For over 25 years, Life in a Blender has been the canvas for singer and songwriter Don Rauf’s blackly comic landscapes. The group has released albums ranging from screaming punk to orchestrated chamber pop, and has brought the high theatrics of its live act to stages from Berlin to Austin to Toronto to Brooklyn and Seattle.

Don Rauf formed the band with high school friend Dave Moody (then bassist, now cellist), and within a couple of years had acquired the drumming services of Ken Meyer. Guitarist Al Houghton and bassist Mark Lerner joined in 1992, and violinist Rebecca Weiner Tompkins signed on in 1993.

While the band’s core lineup has remained remarkably constant over the years, the list of former members, guest artists, and collaborators includes a pantheon of rock, pop, and jazz celebrities.

Life in a Blender’s song “Friend from Quebec” was featured in Michael Moore’s Canadian Bacon, and “Mobile Wash Unit” appeared in Sara Lamm’s the documentary, Dr. Bronner’s Magic Soapbox.

Website: lifeinablender.net/
Facebook: facebook.com/lifeinablender
YouTube: youtube.com

Special Guests – Altimeter

Don Rauf, from Life in a Blender, asked if Altimeter (a compadre of the 80’s/90’s alt rock world) could open their show and Tim’s former bandmates were up for the reunion. And they were! Many of you will recognize Tim Topalian from his Lucky T appearances at the MAC’s Open Mic nites.

Altimeter is a NYC alt-rock band from the 80-90s with releases on Zero Hour Records, How, Hi are you? and Lucky 13. Known for their high energy and mash up of styles and influences they were busy playing in NYC and touring the northeast corridor from New Hampshire to DC.

“Altimeter was one on the best parts of my long musical career. I am so excited to have this opportunity to reunite with these great musicians and people and play these songs again.” – Tim Topalian

Here’s Altimeter on Spotify

Life in a Blender Videos

Reviews

“True to its name, Brooklyn’s Life in a Blender funnels an impressively broad range of influences into its quirky rock, from Tom Waits to R.E.M.” Time Out New York

“As a songwriter, Don Rauf is a manic combination of Alice Cooper and F. Scott Fitzgerald…” Gersh Kuntzman, New York Daily News

“This NYC-based ‘chamber pop’ band is aptly named: Their sound seems to blend vestiges of acts as diverse as Tom Waits, Cake, They Might Be Giants, Mojo Nixon and quite possibly Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem. If that sounds like an odd mix, you’re right — but darned if it doesn’t work, as both eclectic oddball rock and winking satire.” Pete Chianca, Wicked Local, Boston

“With a David Byrne bravado Don Rauf paints a detailed lyric landscape of the bits and pieces of our lives, and he delivers like a revered stage actor whose vocals are overlooked…This is serious music on the edge of fun.” Janet Goodman, Music News Nashville

The Players

Don Rauf (vocals)

Don Rauf (vocals) loves W.C. Fields, Preston Sturges, and Nikola Tesla. He lives with his lovely beekeeping wife, Monique, and his cartooning, surrealistic son, Leo. He is a writer whose books include Killer Lipstick and Other Spy Gadgets. He is the proud founder of The Blowhole Theater, an annual Brooklyn variety show featuring the Blowhole Theater Players and their characters Puckerballs the Garbage Can Elf, Scottish Jesus, and Abraham Lincoln.

Al Houghton (guitar, vocals, producer, engineer)

Al Houghton (guitar, vocals, producer, engineer) cut his teeth on innumerable shards of New York’s music, including the more enduring They Might Be Giants, Antony and the Johnsons, and Enrique Iglesias. He can generally be found at Dubway Studios, NYC, or at home in Manhattan with his wife, the artist Sky Pape.

Mark Lerner (bass, vocals)

Mark Lerner (bass, vocals) has led the bands Flat Old World and Rosine and has recorded with Mark Donato, John Linnell, Uncle Rock, the Good Loser Club, and many others. He is a graphic designer and lives in Kingston, New York. He can be found at Rag & Bone Shop.

Rebecca Weiner Tompkins (violin and viola)

Rebecca Weiner Tompkins (violin and viola) has played and recorded acoustic and amplified four- and five-string violin and viola with Life in a Blender, Chief, Scott McClatchy, Patti Smith, Jim Malone, Standpipe, Stage Shadows, Dayna Blitz, Louie Fleck, Eddie Skuller, Menthol Kings, Mark Donato, Canoeful Of Strangers, and many other bands.

Ken Meyer (Drums and cymbals)

Ken Meyer (Drums and cymbals) has played with an embarrassing n

Dave Moody (cello, Guitar)

Dave Moody (cello, Guitar) loves a great pop tune.