The Ego and the Oracle tonight at the Burren

The Ego and the Oracle tonight at
The Burren in Davis Square

The Ego and the Oracle is unlike any show you'll see in Boston. That much is clear as soon as you walk into the Burren's back room and the the stage. On one side, there is a band, Jim's Big Ego. On the other is a man seated next to a box for questions. Behind them both, a giant wheel with, as we soon learn, the names of different Jim's Big Ego songs.

The process is this -- audiece members put their questions in the box, host Shawn Peters picks one, and the audience member who asked it comes onstage and spins the wheel. Jim's Big Ego plays the song, and Peters interprets why the song answers the question through the mysterious "Oracle."

It's a funny show, both because the man with the questions Peters is adept at fielding the questions from the audience, and because Jim Infantino's songwriting is as witty as it is tuneful. Which is why it's also a great concert.

I caught up with Infantino and Peters on camera at the last show. The next one is tonight at the Burren, and the next one after that is December 2. Here's a bit of how it works, followed by an interview with Infantino and Peters.

Answering the question, "Parakeet?"


All questions answered in the end:


The Interview