Students interested in witnessing musically inclined professors in drag can head to Bassists Behaving Badly, a bass studio variety Saturday evening beginning at 8 in Esber Recital Hall.

With 18 double bass players performing, the night will feature students and staff not just playing the bass, but also singing, acting and performing comedy skits, said Robert Nairn, a double bass professor at the School of Music.

"There will be everything from traditional, classical music to all sorts of jazz, music theater and comedy revue, nothing is sacred," Nairn said.

"It's somewhere between Saturday Night Live and a Monty Python revue," he added.

Nairn said students organize the variety show entirely themselves. He just supervises to make sure the performance is appropriate.

The idea for the concert originated last year when he realized that several of the double bass players had various other talents, Nairn said.

"A lot of the bass players are fantastic singers and great jazz players," Nairn said.

"It's a chance for them to show some of their other skills," he added.

Lisa Riddering (graduate-music performance) said the original show was created as a fundraiser to raise money to send the bass section to a convention in Oklahoma City.

After last year's performance was a success, they decided to have a similar variety evening this year, she said.

James Maguire (graduate-double bass performance) said students rarely have a chance to hear solo bass work because the bass is usually a supporting instrument.

"It's basically our opportunity to come out of the closet for an evening," he said.

Nairn added that a lot of bass players arrange music themselves and this variety evening is a chance for them to perform their works.

"Normally, we're so focused on learning orchestral-type things," Maguire said. "This is a really great chance to perform the other musical interests we have."

He added that the informal setting of Esber Recital Hall adds to the fun of the evening.

"There's a lot of comedy involved, whether intentionally or not," Maguire said.

He added that students who attend Saturday's performance will have the chance to see musical selections in everything from musical theater to rock songs.

"We're also doing a rendition of ACDC's 'Back in Black,' " Maguire said.

Riddering added that most pieces will be songs that the audience will be familiar with.

Nairn said he believes students will laugh more at Bassists Behaving Badly than at any other concert they'll attend this year.

"The last concert like this saw me in a dress," he said. "This one probably won't be any different."

Maguire said he is excited to be involved with the concert because of the creative freedom and cooperation that goes into the show.

He said the musicians improvise because the performers all have a lot of trust in one another.

"We have a common goal, and everyone is very focused on the event," Maguire said.

"It's a privilege to work in that environment," he added.