Rick Mackin speaks (and sings) out

Rich Mackin, Consumer Defense Corporate Poet

Saturday

6 p.m.

The Underground

Forbes and… Rich Mackin, Consumer Defense Corporate Poet

Saturday

6 p.m.

The Underground

Forbes and Morewood

Free

Rich Mackin

Hot Cross

The Friction

Io

Mike Bolam

Saturday

7 p.m.

$5

The Mr. Roboto Project

722 Wood St.

www.therobotoproject.org

Why is Mr. Clean bald? What do the M’s in M’Ms stand for? What are the 2,000 parts that Lever 2,000 soap cleans? Consumer Corporate Defense Poet Rich Mackin will answer these questions and more this Saturday evening at both Carnegie Mellon and the Mr. Roboto Project.

Mackin, a Boston native, tours the United States performing spoken word where he recounts to audiences his letters to companies and the responses he receives, including the questions above. In addition to irritating public relations people with his ridiculous requests for information, Mackin also sends them haiku and limericks that contain both hilarity and subliminal messages, and often receives surprising replies.

He has self-published eight volumes of his zine, “Book of Letters,” and has published the book, “Dear Mr. Mackin,” a collection of the best letters now in its third printing, under the moniker Reverend Richard J. Mackin, consumer defense corporate poet.

Called “endlessly entertaining” by Ian MacKaye of Fugazi and “all around funny guy” by Adbusters magazine, Mackin melds comedy, art and politics to create his own pragmatic style of speaking out against consumerism and the wrongdoings of corporations. Not only do Mackin’s writings point out the rift between consumer and corporation, they entertain the childlike curiosity that exists in everyone.

Mackin will open for an intense lineup at Roboto, which includes stellar thrash by locals Io and some local personality from bassist Mike Bolam. Bolam, the long-haired bassist of Pittsburgh metalcore well-knowns Crucial Unit, will jump on the spoken word bandwagon and enrich the audience with some discourse on heavy metal.

The Fiction and Hot Cross, two New York City bands composed of ex-Saetia members as well as members of other bands will also play Saturday night. Known for franticly fast hardcore, Hot Cross has a new album, New Set of Lungs, that cuts off at seven songs that total 14 minutes. Run, don’t walk to this show to satisfy your curiosity and short attention span.