Tag: comedy

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Artists Worth Checking Out Get it or Forget it Reviews

Get it or forget it: Jeff Simmermon, James Litherland, Hayride Casualties

This time next week we’ll be back in Los Angeles for the Hollywood Fringe Festival and the LA Music Critic Awards winners showcase.  Can’t wait to be there, hear great music, witness theatrical spectacles and see old friends.  Here are three more reviews to whet your appetite for the next round of LA Music Critic Awards.  Nominations will be announced in early July.

Artist Name:  Jeff Simmermon

Album Name:  And I am not Lying

Label:  Comedy Dynamics

Genre:  Comedy, spoken word

Track Listing:  1.  Intro; 2.  Fake Job; 3.  Doctor Guerilla; 4.  Vomit Fist; 5.  Royal Quiet Deluxe, Chicken Band vs. Reverend Al Sharpton (part 1); 6.  Royal Quiet Deluxe, Chicken Band vs. Reverend Al Sharpton (part 2); 7.  Buy a Gun; 8.  ‘Roo Shooter; 9.  Cancer Survivor; 10.  Dating After Seven Years; 11.  Subway Groceries; 12.  Brown Birds, White Lightning, by the band Royal Quiet Deluxe (Bonus) 

Publicist:  The Syndicate

Review:  Music comedy is a new frontier for us to review, but we have been pleased so far with Scout Durwood and now Jeff Simmermon.  A former musician himself, Simmermon delivers hilarious social commentary on the music scene, and life in the United States, especially the south.  We assure you that you have never heard anything like him.    And I am not Lying is the perfect vehicle for this amazing comedian, and we look forward to hearing more from him.  The entire routine is hilarious, especially the two track story line about his band (Royal Quiet Deluxe, Chicken Band), and his encounters with the Rev. Al Sharpton.

Recommendation:  If you like to laugh, and enjoy comedy about music, then you simply must go out and Get this album when it is released tomorrow.

Artist Name:  James Litherland

Album Name:  Back ‘n Blue

Label:  Confidential Records

Genre:  Indie Rock/Folk

Track Listing:  1.  What you Want; 2.  Back ‘n Blue; 3.  Close to Me; 4.  Miss you Blues; 5.  Unconditional Love; 6.  At Least I Didn’t Bore You; 7.  Pink Corvette; 8.  Can’t Live Without You; 9.  Naughty Boy; 10.  Freedom Road 

Publicist:  Neon Tetra

Review:  James Litherland has cemented his place in rock music history, based on his dealings with some of rock’ elite songwriters and musicians.  In addition, he is the father of James Blake, an incredible musician in his own right, and has returned with a new solo project that stands alone in its musical greatness.  From the first notes of “What you Want” through the last sounds of “Freedom Road,” Litherland delivers an incredible album that will remind you of classic rock acts like Eric Clapton and Peter Frampton.  Our favorite tracks include “What you Want,” the title track, “Unconditional Love,” “Pink Corvette,” and “Can’t Live Without You.”

Recommendation:  If you love the sound of classic rock, then this is definitely the album for you.  Rush out and Get it as soon as it is released tomorrow.

Artist Name:  Hayride Casualties

Album Name:  Fossil Fuel Kid

Label:  Self-released

Genre:  Indie Folk/Rock

Track Listing:  1.  Antarctica; 2.  Coal Fired Train; 3.  Deepwater One; 4.  Fossil Fuel Kid; 5.  Hi Def Sex; 6.  Muryo; 7.  Offshore Wind Farm; 8.  Same Side; 9.  Storm of Light; 10.  The Catskills Aren’t for Sale 

Publicist:  Behind the Curtains Media

Review:  Fossil Fuel Kid is the debut album from indie folk/rockers Hayride Casualties, and is reminiscent of many of the social and protest albums of the 60’s.  It’s like listening to Pete Seeger and Woody Guthrie only with modern-day problems to discuss.  The sound is truly a flashback to those olden days, with the crystal clear voice of Daniel DeWald bringing his incredible lyrics to life.  Most powerful tracks include “Coal Fired Train,” the title track, “Hi Def Sex,” “Offshore Wind Farm,” and “Same Side.”

Recommendation:  If you like the protest music of the 60’s, but with timely content, they you should definitely Get this album.  We hae a feeling that the sentiments discussed in these songs will find their own place in today’s protest movements.

 

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Artists Worth Checking Out Get it or Forget it Reviews Women in Entertainment

Get it or forget it: Amilia K. Spicer, Janiva Magness, Scout Durwood

After taking a week off to organize all the album review requests, we are back with three more Get it or Forget it reviews.  Check out the latest from Amilia K. Spicer, Grammy-nominated artist Janiva Magness and Scout Durwood, the latter two both being on the amazing Blue Élan Records.

Artist Name:  Amilia K Spicer

Album Name:  Wow and Flutter

Label:  Free Range Records

Genre:  Americana Folk

Track Listing:  1.  Fill me Up; 2.  Harlan; 3.  This Town; 4.  Shotgun; 5.  Lightning; 6.  Train Wreck; 7.  Shake it Off; 8.  Windchill; 9.  Down to the Bone; 10.  Wild Horses; 11.  What I’m Saying; 12.  Shine 

Publicist:  Miles High Productions

Review:  Amilia K Spicer is the consummate Americana artist.  Her music is folky and soothing while her earthy vocals perfectly tell the stories in her songs.  What an amazing collection of songs she has gathered, seamlessly written to tell those stories in the down-home tradition of great folk music.  Spicer kicks the album off with the wonderful track “Fill me Up,” and then proceeds to take the listener on a journey of sound that could soothe even the most colicky baby.  From gem to gem she takes us on that journey, until all too soon it is over.  But never fear, you can simply restart the journey at any time.  This is definitely the kind of album you want to hear again and again.  It is hard to pick the best songs on this album, but we really like “Harlan,” “This Town,” “Lightning,” “Down to the Bone,” and “Wild Horses.”

Recommendation:  Wow and Flutter was released on April 28, and is a sure-fire hit for Spicer.  We highly recommend you Get it as soon as you can.  You won’t be sorry.

Artist Name:  Janiva Magness

Album Name:  Blue Again

Label:  Blue Élan Records/Fathead Records

Genre:  Blues

Track Listing:  1.  I Can Tell; 2.  I Love you More Than You’ll Ever Know; 3.  If I Can’t Have You; 4.  Tired of Walking; 5.  Buck; 6.  Pack it Up 

Publicist:  Conqueroo

Review:  Janiva Magness has the perfect voice for blues – deep, soulful and full of passion.  Her musical accompaniment is also first rate, with appearances by such legends as Kid Ramos, Sugaray Rayford and T.J. Norton.  It is easy to understand why her last album was nominated for a Grammy, and why we think there are more Grammy nominations and wins in her future.  Blue Again is a true blues album, and firmly places Magness among the greats in blues, like BB King, Etta James, Bonnie Raitt and Janis Joplin.   To prove my point, check out the incredible second track, “I Love you More Than You’ll Ever Know.”  This is the album for the consummate blues fan, who will love every track.  We just wish there were more than six tracks.  For the ultimate reminder of blues perfection, check out the duet on track three with Rayford.

Recommendation:  Blues Again was released on May 12 and is a requirement for every blues-loving music aficionado.  Get it today.

Artist Name:  Scout Durwood

Album Name:  Take One Thing Off

Label:  Blue Élan Records

Genre:  Comedy/Spoken Word

Track Listing:  1.  Intro; 2.  Sex Positive; 3.  Take one Thing Off; 4.  Drinking; 5.  All the Pretty Bottles; 6.  Baseball Game; 7.  Fallin’ in Love; 8.  Men in LA; 9.  Brooklyn Ca. 2009; 10.  The NFL; 11.  The Wedding Song; 12.  I’m Cool, Right?; 13.  My Funny Valentine; 14.  Strip Club; 15.  Go Go; 16.  Anxiety Lions; 17.  Taxi Take me Home; 18.  Hate Crime; 19.  Here we Are 

Publicist:  The Syndicate

Review:  We were not prepared for this awesome album, with its tongue-in-cheek sexiness.  Scout Durwood is a comedic force to be reckoned with, and the female version of Weird Al.  Whether delivering a comedic monologue or singing the title track, Durwood delivers sexy, adult-themed comedy for real adults.  This album is definitely not for kids and is NSFW.  Her songs are fun and hilarious, while her stand-up routine keeps you in stitches.  Our favorite songs include the title track, “Fallin’ in Love,” Brooklyn Ca. 2009,”  “I’m Cool, Right?” and “Go Go.”  The album includes live comedy routines from her show at The Pack Theater in Los Angeles, and entices the listener to get out and see her live.  If you live in LA, you can see her at The Hotel Café on May 20 at 9 p.m.  We wish we could be there.  Grab your tickets today.

Recommendation:  Take one Thing Off is scheduled to be released on May 19.  We strongly suggest you Get it and see her live on May 20.

 

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Reviews Theatre

Laughter flows abundantly ‘Over the River & Through the Woods’

Plays do not seem to have the same drawing power for MCT as musicals, but if the crowd present on opening night last Friday are any indication, the current production of Over the River & Through the Woods should change that perception.

The production was perfectly directed by Teresa Waldorf, University of Montana adjunct instructor and Educational Outreach Coordinator for Montana Rep., with assistance from Scenic Designer Spencer Perry, Properties Designer Lesley Washburn, Costume Designer Kara Chandler, Sound Designer Gregory Boris and Hair & Make-up Designer Maeve Ball.  The set was breathtakingly beautiful, and one of the most elaborate this reviewer has ever seen at MCT.  Megan Wittshire provided the final piece of the production puzzle with a truly amazing job of stage management.

With a core cast of just five actors plus one amazing supporting member, the ensemble cast turned in a fine performance that kept the audience in stitches.  At times we laughed so hard we were on the verge of crying.  Throughout the memorable show, this cast taught us the value of having family close at hand, and left the audience not only entertained but educated on this fact.

While the story revolves around grandson Nick, played admirably by Ian Tooley, it was a true ensemble effort, with Mike Verdon (Frank), Anne-Marie Williams (Aida), Paul Ronaldo (Nunzio) and Salina Chatlain (Emma) each turning award-winning performances as Nick’s grandparents.  Brit Garner was perfectly cast in the supporting role of Caitlin,  niece of Emma’s Canasta partner brought in to help the grandparents keep Nick close to home.

This is definitely a play that needs to be seen, if not just for the humor provided by the amazing playwright Joe DiPietro.  You will leave the theater entertained and energized, and we highly recommend you bring your friends and family to this outstanding show.

Tickets are still available at the MCT Box Office or online at MCTinc.org.  Remaining performances are scheduled for 2 pm. on March 12, 18 and 19, 6:30 p.m. on March 12 and 19, and 7:30 p.m. on March 15, 16, 17 and 18.

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Reviews Theatre

Montana Rep celebrates 50 years with a classic production

Besides MCT, Missoula is also home to another theater company with a long rich history.  The Montana Repertory Theatre is celebrating 50 years by delivering one of their finest productions and by doing it differently than they have in the past.

Neil Simon has generated some of the most comedic plays ever written, and Barefoot in the Park is definitely one of the best of his best.  It is perfect suited as the cornerstone for this Golden Anniversary celebration, and should contribute to making this year’s national tour a smashing success.

Normally the Montana Rep’s show features Actors’ Equity members in the lead roles, but director Greg Johnson turned that around when he cast UM students Whitney Miller and Hunter S. Hash in the roles of Corie and Paul Bratter, newlyweds moving into their first apartment in NYC in the 60’s.  Although they are not (yet) Actors’ Equity, they are no strangers to theater-goers in Missoula.  Miller just completed a run in the lead role of Elle in Legally Blonde the Musical, while Hash appeared in Dracula and A Christmas Carol.

As for the rest of the cast, all of them are veterans of previous Montana Rep productions.  Laurie Dawn portrayed Kate Keller in last year’s All My Sons, which also featured Colton Swibold as her son Chris.  Mark Kuntz starred as Jay Gatsby two years ago in The Great Gatsby, which also featured Swibold.

The set was a masterpiece of simplicity, perfectly created by Scenic Designer Joey Sarno and complemented by Props Artisan Jerry Goodwin.  The set was further brought to life by Lighting Designer Brian Hapcic and Audio Designer Timothy McHenry, while Costume Designer M L Hart provided the final touches that catapulted the stage into a true icon of the 60’s.

This production achieves its success through the overall direction of Montana Rep’s Artistic Director Johnson, while Stage Manager Hope Rose Kelly ensured that each performance was true to that direction.

Suffice it to say that this is one of the finest productions we have every witnessed, including off Broadway and national touring Broadway productions.  Every cast member left it all on the stage as they transported the audience back to the 1960’s in such a natural way that it felt like we had boarded a time machine and travelled there.  This is a true ensemble piece, and every actor had the chance to shine at some point in the show.  The pacing was brisk and moved the show along without ever dragging.

Do not miss this show.  Remaining performances in Missoula are scheduled for January 26 at 7:30 p.m., 27 (sold-out) and 28 (2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.), as well as February 2 and 4 at 7:30 p.m.  Performances are held in the Montana Theater on the campus of the University of Montana.  Tickets are available at the UMArts Box Office or online at GrizTix.com.

 

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Artists Worth Checking Out

Comedy and sex appeal combine to form Un5gettable

If Weird Al and Progressive’s Flo had a family who grew up to be a boy band, the result would be Un5gettable.

Composed of Joe Cameron, Kyle Cothern, Brendan Hawkins, Ryan Richards and Zach Harris, Un5, as they are affectionately called by their fans, came from the local civic theatre, where they were relatively above average performers, at least as far as community theatre goes.

According to their website, Cameron met Cothern when Cothern was a toddler because Cameron went to school with Cothern’s older siblings.  Cameron loved Cothern’s perfect pitch, and they became friends.  Richards lived across the street from Cameron.  Richards and Cothern were in grade school together, where they were often mistaken for twins.  Hawkins and Richards were in show choir together in high school.

Years later, Cameron, Hawkins and Richards were cast as brothers in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.  The circle was complete when Cameron and Harris were cast in Crazy for You.  They began playing music together, and the rest, they say, is history.

The group was formed in 2002, and has been playing around the Midwest ever since.  They released their latest videos, “Sorry” and “I Wish” on March 30, and they are freaking hilarious.

What hits you first are the perfect vocal harmonies and the simple piano and guitar instrumentation.  But once you listen to the lyrics, you can’t help but start laughing inside.   Cameron is a true wordsmith, crafting realistic lyrics that combine to tell a story that is funny enough for Weird Al.

The videos also show the comedic timing and abilities of the individuals of the group, each of whom shine forth.

If you are in need of a laugh, then Un5gettable is the band for you.  Check out their website and Facebook pages, follow them on Twitter and Instagram, and definitely subscribe to their YouTube page.

 

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Women in Entertainment

Women in Entertainment: Katie Rubin, comedian, actress, healer

Good morning world – what a great weekend!  So happy to present this week’s Women in Entertainment article on my friend, Katie Rubin, an actress, writer, comedian and spiritual healer whom I met a couple of years ago at the Hollywood Fringe Festival.

Rubin has been a force on stage for many years.  She got her early education at Amherst College in Massachusetts before moving to the west coast to attend the University of California Davis, where she received her MFA in 2005.  During those early years, she also received training in New York City, as well as Los Angeles.  She has performed on stage in Los Angeles and Sacramento, appeared on A&E’s 100 Center Street and three indie films, as well as written and toured with four solo shows.

She toured her first comedic solo show Insides OUT! to venues across the country for eight years.  The show received a nine week Equity production at The Sacramento Theater Company from March through April 2006, as well as a four week run at the Foothill Theater Company in Nevada City.  The show has toured to over 100 events and venues.

Her second solo show Amazing and Sage was commissioned by Capital Stage Theater Company.  Her third solo endeavor My Spiritual Death, a Comedy Show! is currently touring the country, while her fourth show Everything, All at Once! is on commission with The Cell Theater in Albuquerque, New Mexico.  In fact, she was performing her third show when I met her at the Hollywood Fringe and convinced her to bring the show (originally called Why I Died, a Comedy!) to Missoula, Montana for the 2014 Zootown Fringe Festival.

Her first original piece PartyBoobyTrap was performed while she was an undergrad at Amherst College, while her second Avoiding Less Blue was performed at the 2000 New York Fringe Festival.  She also wrote two plays under commission of the UC Davis Department of Health, as well as a 10 person play for the Capital Stage’s annual fundraising event.

Among her multitude of acting roles are performances as Tanya in The North Plan, as Mrs. Daldry in The Next Room or The Vibrator Play, and as Wendy in Hunter Gatherers, all at the Capital Stage Theater in Sacramento, California; as Izzy in Rabbit Hole and as The Nurse in Wit at The B Street Theater; a double role as Mrs. Cratchit and the Ghost of Christmas Past in the Sacramento Theater Company production of A Christmas Carol and as Mayella in To Kill a Mockingbird; and as Mrs. Pennywise in Urinetown at the Foothill Theater.

What inspires Rubin?  “In terms of what inspired me to get started on this crazy path, it was the fact that I always had something to say and a strong desire to say it creatively, in characters, and on stages.  I am a Writer/Performer, which is to say- I have always had strong points of view about the world, big questions about existence and being alive, and an equally big need to talk about and explore them creatively.  I don’t know where those particular drives come from- I imagine it is the same for athletes and/or entreprenuers- that a strong need to do a seemingly strange, but ultimately inspiring thing arises and one either answers the call, or suffers at the hands of not having done so.  I know for msyelf when something wants to be created and I do not create it, my experience of being alive is painful- it’s like I’m living a lie or half-living.  It’s empty and vacant and unsatisfying.  Then again, in heeding the call, there are all kinds of other stressors and tensions- anxiety, fear, doubt, time and money pressures, social pressures, expectations, etc.  These, however can be managed.  But the life unlived, the words not said, cut much more deeply.  For me, anyway.  I think that is because each of us is here to contribute to the Communion of We, to the greater good, to mankind and its evolution.  And when we refuse or fail to do so, I think we suffer, and the purpose of that particular brand of suffering is to drive us forward.”

Rubin recently completed performing in the Capital Stage production of Mr. Burns, a Post Electric Play, and is currently performing in Of Kites and Kings at the Sacramento Theater.  In her own words, “Of Kites and Kings” is a new play by my dear friend Gary Wright, about the relationship between Ben Franklin and his son, William, told through the voice of the woman his son was set to marry, Polly.  After that, I will be directing a production of The Motherfucker With The Hat at Big Idea Theater.  And still after that, I’ll be writing a new solo piece with Kolt Run Productions in Sacramento, to be performed in June.”
To learn more about this amazing artistic genius, check out her website and Facebook page, follow her on Twitter and subscribe to her YouTube channel.