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ROY ZIMMERMAN: THE FAUCET'S ON FIRE!

What can one person do about climate change, torture, racism, gun violence, fracking, Congressional ineptitude, ignorance, war and greed? Write funny songs, says Roy Zimmerman.

Zimmerman's got songs about all of the above, and he brings his new show, "The Faucet's on Fire!" to Kensington Friday, February 27 at 8pm for a performance at the UU Church of Berkeley, 1 Lawson Road. Tickets are $18 or pay what you can.

"Without a doubt, Roy Zimmerman is among the most important political commentators of the last few decades," says No Depression Magazine, "and in the end, it's the music that unites and disarms. With music this good and humor this insightful, there is good reason to be optimistic."

The world is full of funny songs, but Zimmerman's hilarious, rhyme-intensive originals are also incisive calls to action, smart, savvy and undeniable. "The Faucet's on Fire!" is ninety minutes of these songs - funny songs like "SCROTUS," (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDMdSJJCKzk) heartfelt songs like "My Vote, My Voice, My Right," (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-X-uBIqeVM) and impassioned comic commentary.

Zimmerman tours almost constantly with his wife and frequent co-writer Melanie Harby. Together they logged over 40,000 miles in 2014, bringing encouragement to the most progressive people in some of the least progressive places in the country. "I get accused of 'preaching to the choir,'" says Roy, "but that's not how I think of it. I think of it as 'entertaining the troops.'"

Zimmerman's YouTube videos have amassed over seven million views, including the hits "Creation Science 101," (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uIwiPsgRrOs) and "Vote Republican" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ege_RBhh37A). His songs have been heard on HBO and Showtime. He has recorded for Warner/Reprise Records.

Zimmerman has shared stages with Bill Maher, John Oliver, Ellen DeGeneres, Kate Clinton and George Carlin. He's been profiled on NPR's "All Things Considered" and he's a featured blogger for the Huffington Post.

Sing Out! Magazine writes, "Zimmerman is a guy on the left skewering folks on the right with rapier-sharp lyrics ... underneath the caustic satire is a man who is surprisingly optimistic."

"He simultaneously inspires me and makes me laugh my ass off," says comedian/author Paul Krassner.