Okay, over the years I've used that "randomness" tag pretty liberally, but I have to say that this is by far the most random thing I've ever come across. ESPN Page 2 writer, and Uniwatch founder, Paul Lukas is going on tour. No it's not a book tour, or anything for his website(s), he's actually opening for the rock band The Magnetic Fields....and he'll doing so by showing a random PowerPoint presentation....seriously. From Uniwatch via SbB....

Today’s lead entry takes a break from uni-related content, cuz I’ve got an unusual announcement to make. As most of you know, I’ve done several spoken-word gigs over the past year or so — readings, lectures, “performances,” whatever you want to call them. Now, in a really unusual twist, I’m going to be opening for a rock band, and I’m pretty excited about it.

Here’s the deal: My longtime pal Liz Clayton and I have been asked by our friends the Magnetic Fields (that’s them in the photo above) to serve as their opening act for part of their upcoming fall tour. Liz will be doing a PowerPoint presentation based on her awesome web site devoted to transparently repurposed fast-food outlets, Not Fooling Anybody (a few of you may have seen her present this same program at Union Hall back in January — it was hilarious), and I’ll be doing a PowerPoint devoted to … I’m not sure yet. My topic might be trade magazines (my topic at that Union Hall show), or it might be one of the other things I’ve presented lately, like the design evolution of butchery charts or the cultural history of the baseball cap. Or it might be something else entirely. I’m still deciding.

Liz and I, who are calling ourselves the Forewords, had hoped to do five or six shows on the tour, but it looks like logistical conflicts will limit us to just two: October 10th at the State Theater in Minneapolis, and October 11th at the Capitol Theater in Madison.

Now, I'm not all that into The Magnetic Fields, but that seems like a pretty awesome idea. If I was going to see a band I liked, I would much rather learn something I didn't know about than have to wait through a crappy band I've never heard of. This could have staying power. I'm thinking that the Dropkick Murphys should have Bill Simmons do a presentation when his new book comes out. Nothing bad could happen right?

And Now for Something Completely Different (Uniwatch)
Uni Watch Gives Rock & Roll, PowerPoints To You (Sports By Brooks)