New London Tube: The Weird Beards' "Lobster Boy"

Some time ago, New London Tube featured the music video for "Cream Puff Powder Man" by local band The Weird Beards. Lobster Boy, a mascot associated with the band, scuttled about during the performance. If you're lucky enough, you can see him on the streets of New London.

He was out of town for awhile, though, as this week's featured video attests. Uploaded by Weird Beards lead vocalist and ukulele player Brian Skidmore, this mind-bending music video is dedicated to the elusive Lobster Boy.

The video puts lie to an opening quote that there will "never by another Lobster Boy." It's a reference to the strange case of Grady Stiles, a carnival "freak show" performer whose condition of ectrodactyly gave him claw-like appendages. Stiles, who had a reputation for alcoholism and abuse, was convicted of murdering his daughter's girlfriend; after receiving a sentence of probation, he was in turn murdered by his wife and stepson.

New London's Lobster Boy seems more friendly, despite the demonic mask he wears. In the video, he makes an amphibious landing on a shoreside party and strolls the streets of Key West, Fla., agreeing to a tourist's photo request at one point. It's interspersed with shots of fire dancing, the band performing, and a strange little backyard tea party.

The Weird Beards "thrive in the land of crazyness that is New London," according to their website. They next take part in UkeConn ("the state of ukulele in Connecticut") at 8 p.m. on May 11 at the Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center in Old Saybrook.

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter.