As his farewell tour hits Boston this weekend, Hodgson is bringing his best ‘Mystery Science Theater 3000’ show yet
Whether it’s something like a northeast kinship or just purely nostalgic, Joel Hodgson has felt a connection to Boston ever since he kicked off the very first Mystery Science Theater 3000 tour at the Shubert Theatre two years ago. And now the significance of that is sort of coming full circle.
With The Great Cheesy Movie Circus farewell tour hitting Emerson’s Colonial Theatre this weekend (October 11 and 12), Hodgson will host his cult classic TV show on a Boston stage for the last time. The tour has afforded him a living while in between seasons of the recorded show, and his excitement for being able to bring the show on the road stretches far beyond dollar signs.
“Just like with music, the road is kind of how you make your money,” Hodgson tells Vanyaland. “TV has taken on that same model where you can make money creating a show, but not enough to just sit around and wait for the next one. It’s also nice, since we’re waiting to see where we’re going to land next as a series, to get out on the road, because it helps you maintain and stay creative. That’s a really important part of it.”
***
Even as this tour has doubled in size in terms of stops in comparison to the treks that have preceded it, Hodgson’s creative streak certainly has stayed vibrant as a result of the road, as he has consistently worked to improve the live experience over the years. Working with a whole new set, as well as new functions for his robot co-stars Tom Servo, Gypsy, and Crow T. Robot, Hodgson is leaving the live show on a level he’s happy with, with a format that will outlast his final curtain call.
“I wanted to move the ball forward on a technical and creative level, just to try to get to something that could last a while in a theatrical setting in front of people,” says Hodgson. “The last two tours were really good, but I wanted to improve on that.”
At 59 years old, Hodgson admits that he’s no spring chicken, and the travelling has put a lot of physical demand on him. But as he continues his final lap with the red jumpsuit, and readies to pass the touring torch on to Jonah Ray, who has hosted the newest incarnation of the show on Netflix since its resurrection in 2017, Hodgson remains as energized as ever to continue his work with the MST3K brand, even with all of the maintenance that comes with the territory.
“It’s just been so much fun to do these shows. Although, I have to do so much in order to maintain that it’s almost stupid, really,” says Hodgson, with a chuckle. “I have to get in my 10,000 steps a day, meditate and eat vegan, but it’s really fun to do this. But it truly is a young person’s game, so I’m just grateful that I’m able to do it again.”
MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000 LIVE! :: Friday, October 11 and Saturday, October 12 at Emerson Colonial Theatre, 106 Boylston St. in Boston, MA :: 8 p.m., $49.50 :: Emerson Colonial Event Page