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Fringe Shows Hollywood Fringe Festival Reviews See it or Skip it Theatre

HFF17 – see it or skip it (day 4) part 3

We closed out our day with a pair of musicals, and they totally made our night.  They more than made up for the lack of Fringe shows we would be attending on Monday and Tuesday.

TITLE OF SHOWTurbulence!

VENUE:  Sacred Fools Main Stage

REVIEW:  Not since Orgasmico has a theater company become synonymous with great musicals.  Last year Robot Teammate brought us Thug Tunnel, which was pretty fricking amazing.  This year they have left that one in the dust with their current production of Turbulence!  From the first moment they took the stage, Kat Primeau. Chris Bramante, Miles Crosman, Dave Reynolds and Molly Dworsky owned the stage as they took the audience on a wild space race around the galaxy.  The chemistry between the members of this ensemble was palpable and the force was strong in them.  Two members of their killer band, Sam Johnides and Branson NeJame, even did double duty as the evil Martians, on top of the killer licks emanating from back stage.  This is one of those Fringe shows you don’t mind seeing more than once.

RECOMMENDATION:  Unless you want to be kidded for missing out on the BEST (according to my wife) show at HFF17, then you simply MUST See this show.  Make sure to catch one (or more) of their remaining shows on June 21 at 8:30 p.m. and June 22 at 10 p.m.

TITLE OF SHOWBuffy Kills Edward: A Musical Romp

VENUE:  The Three Clubs

REVIEW:  From the moment Laura Wiley told me about her idea for a cross-over event between the worlds of Buffy and Twilight, I had been dying to see this show.  The hype is real, people, this one is a blast.  The venue was packed with both Buffy and Twilight nerds, and I was firmly in the Twilight end.  But I still enjoyed the cross-over world where Buffy was allowed to kill Edward, and the ensuing war where she kills still more of them.  The very talented cast totally captured the nuances of their characters, including Bella’s annoying lip biting.  Kudos to Sherry Berg as Buffy, Kim Dalton as Alice, Dawn and Jane (which she NAILED), Corinne Mestemacher as Bella, Cory Robinson as Xander, Jacob, and Emmet, Lauren Sperling as Willow and Rosalie, Casey Suddeth as Edward, Spike and Aro and Matthew Thomas as Giles, Angel and Dr. Cullen.  Of course, none of these amazing performances would have been possible had Wiley not written such a wonderful musical.  Hats off to you, Laura, as well.

RECOMMENDATION:  Definitely See it, especially if you are a fan of either Buffy or Twilight.  It is well worth the effort.  The final show on June 22 at 7:30 p.m. is sold out, but get on the waiting list and you just might win the lottery.

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Fringe Shows Hollywood Fringe Festival Reviews See it or Skip it Theatre Women in Entertainment

HFF17 – see it or skip it (day 4) part 2

Continuing on with Day 4 of our annual pilgrimage to the Hollywood Fringe Festival, part 2 will cover the two shows that took up our late afternoon.

TITLE OF SHOWSnatched . . . Stories from down there

VENUE:  Asylum @ Studio C

REVIEW:  I missed this show at last year’s Fringe.  Unfortunately, it was not worth the wait, and left us feeling quite a bit uncomfortable.  While we did enjoy the musical interludes in the story, over all it didn’t connect with us.  Loree Gold may be  a good storyteller, but after hearing her story, it didn’t leave us feeling challenged, or enlightened or even emphatic.  It simply left us feeling like we had sat through a painful vanity piece that was more for the benefit of the performer than the audience.

RECOMMENDATION:   This one is painful – Skip it.

TITLE OF SHOWConversations ‘Bout the Girls

VENUE:  Dorie Theatre at the Complex

REVIEW:  Everything that the previous show was not, this one was.  We loved that the story was set in a lingerie store, and told as if she was training a new employee on the different types of bras and the particular breasts they were made to fit.  Incorporating stories about various women that had breast cancer, and their choices for reconstruction or not struck a particular chord with us, as we have lost friends to this particularly hideous form of cancer, as well as have friends who have overcome it.  Sonia Jackson was a natural storyteller who has crafted a very personal while still universal piece about this disease.  It was wonderfully directed by Jessica Lynn Johnson, the queen of Fringe solo shows.

RECOMMENDATION:  If you or a loved one have suffered from breast cancer, you owe it to yourself or to them to See it.  There is one remaining performance on June 24 at 1 p.m.  We definitely recommend that you catch this show.

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Fringe Shows Hollywood Fringe Festival Reviews See it or Skip it Theatre Women in Entertainment

HFF17 – see it or skip it (day 4) part 1

Sunday was our busiest Fringe day this year, with seven shows on our schedule, including a couple of shows we were dying to see, including Lyla, Turbulence and Buffy.

TITLE OF SHOWLights Camera Lyla! The Second Act

VENUE:  Sacred Fools Black Box Theatre

REVIEWJeffrey Wylie‘s Lyla has become a cultural icon at the Hollywood Fringe Festival,  By popular demand, Wylie has created a sequel that in many ways is even better than the first one.  In a true testament of life imitates art, Lyla signs with a major media outlet and moves to New York to start working on her own show.  However, she discovers that New York has even bigger bullies than Texas.  But have no fear, our heroine learns to stand up for herself and learns that all important lesson – life is easier to cope with if you just stay true to your self.  The show is funny and poignant while giving you even more reasons to love Lyla.

RECOMMENDATION:  You simply MUST See this show.  After a year without Lyla, it was so good to have her home again.  Don’t miss her final performance on June 22 at 5:30 p.m.

TITLE OF SHOW:  Loves Adventures

VENUE:  Dorie Theatre at the Complex

REVIEW:  After hanging with Esther Mira at Fringe Central, and talking about her show, we were looking forward to checking it out.  We were not prepared for how awesome it was.  We expected it to have an 80’s flavor, but we did not expect that the entire show would be done in Elizabethan English!  For a story written more than 400 years ago, it was wonderfully adapted by Mark Hein and Elissa Anne Polansky, who also directed this incredible work of art.  It was a true ensemble piece, with each actor contributing equally to make the show a success.  Hats off to Anagabriela Cordero, Tara Donovan, Chineze Enekwechi, Marian Gonzalez, John Hayden, Edward Hong, Faith Kearns, Marc Leclerc, Sylvia Loehndorf, Travis Moritz and Mira for a great collaborative effort.

RECOMMENDATION:  You should definitely See this show.  It is a hidden gem, but worthy of your attention.  Be sure to catch one of the three remaining shows on June 20 and 22 at 7 p.m. and on June 24 at 5 p.m.

TITLE OF SHOWUnder the Jello Mold

VENUE:  Ruby Theatre at the Complex

REVIEW:  What more can be said about a show that has already won Pick of the Fringe, and is consistently sold out – only that the hype is true – Jennie Fahn has captured the heart and soul of HFF 17 in a way no one has in several years.  This masterpiece was directed by Tom Cavanaugh and written and performed by Fahn.  Her characterizations are truly memorable and heart-pulling, while her message is crystal clear – love your family and spend as much time with them as you can, because all too soon they are gone.  Don’t be surprised to hear Fahn’s name called a few times at next Sunday’s Fringe Awards.  She deserves nothing less.

RECOMMENDATION:  Do whatever it takes to See this show.  It is one of the best productions at HFF 17.  Tickets are available for June 21 and 24 at 7 p.m., but are sold out for June 22.

 

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Fringe Shows Hollywood Fringe Festival Reviews Theatre

HFF17 – see it or skip it (day 2) part 2

So, the first part of our day we attended three shows that were on the dramatic side.  We closed out the night with a pair of musicals at Studio/Stage, both of which were on our list of most anticipated shows.

TITLE OF SHOWThe Spidey Project

VENUE:  Studio/Stage

REVIEWTheatre Unleashed never fails to deliver outstanding performances, whether at Fringe or the rest of the year, and this show is one of their best.  It was flawlessly directed by the playwright and lyricist himself, Justin Moran, and retold the Spider-Man origin story in a delightful and unique way – through music.  The back story of the production is equally impressive, so grab me when I’m out and about and we’ll discuss.

With the current media attention on superheroes, especially those from Marvel, The Spidey Project is particularly timely for this year’s Fringe.  Every performer was outstanding, but several deserve special kudos, among them Travis Nilan, who played Peter Parker/Spider-Man, both in the original one night only performance in New York and again for this run in Los Angeles.  He was totally believable in his portrayal, and made the story come alive.  He was aided in this endeavor by an outstanding supporting cast, including Heather Lake as Betty Brant, Henry Kaiser as Kent Holbrook, Presley Roy as Gwen Stacy, Richard Abraham as Uncle Ben, Margaret Glaccum as Aunt May, Adam Slemon as J. Jonah Jameson and Christopher Jewell Valentin as Flash Thompson.   Kudos also to the amazing choreography of Lindsay Braverman and the tight musical production of musical director Jennifer Lin.  

RECOMMENDATION:  This one is a no-brainer, and deserves one of our highest See it ratings.  Unfortunately, the show is sold out for the remainder of Fringe, but you can sign up for the wait list and more than likely get to see one of the remaining performances on June 21 at 7 p.m. or June 24 at 7:45 p.m.

TITLE OF SHOWNothing Bad: A Werewolf Rock Musical

VENUE:  Studio/Stage

REVIEW:   With the absence of Orgasmico Theatre Company at this year’s Fringe, we were looking to this rock musical to help us get over that loss.  While the production did not ascend to quite that level, it was a worthy effort by first time company They Played Productions.  The show combined elements of Pleasantville, Teen Wolf and Wolfen to create a hybrid musical of the ideal small town with a dark secret.  Hats off to first time playwright and director Erik Blair, who has crafted a wonderful story about coming of age within a “too perfect” community.  He was wonderfully aided in his efforts by songwriter and musical director Dan Sugimoto, and producer Thea Rivera.

Lyndsey Wegner and Lexi Eiserman were perfect in their portrayals of Mayor White and her daughter, Lily White, respectively, both of whom had dark secrets they did not want to come to light.  Their voices were amazingly strong and they brought their respective characters to life in a goose-bump raising way.  They were aided in their performances by an amazing cast of supporting actors, including Jake Saenz as Christopher Cross, Tyler Angier as Luke Diamond, Renee Wylder as D’nise D’Arthur, Tyler Carlson as Dean Swenson, Mathew San Jose as Jake Stone and Danielle Philapil as the Beast.  Jessica Tucker and Rachel Berman were also great in their ensemble roles.

RECOMMENDATION:  Like The Spidey Project, this show is sold out for the duration of its Fringe run.  However, we recommend that you See it, and sign up for the wait list for your chance at the final performance on June 24 at 9:30 p.m.

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Fringe Shows Hollywood Fringe Festival Reviews Theatre Women in Entertainment

HFF17 – see it or skip it (day 2) part 1

Friday was such a wonderful day.  Got up early to work on my first reviews and to tell our story about our journey down to the Hollywood Fringe Festival.  Afterwards, we headed out for lunch and then drove around and visited some of our old haunts, like Fry’s Electronics, before heading down to the Fringe for the first of five shows.  Three of the shows on our evening schedule were included in our Ten Most Anticipated Shows at HFF17.

TITLE OF SHOWQuantum Entanglement

VENUE:  Sacred Fools Black Box

REVIEW:   Katelyn Schiller blew us away with her amazing How to be a Virgin (in 12 morally ambiguous steps) last year, so we were really looking forward to her new show Quantum Entanglement.  Unfortunately, it was not what we expected.  In a way, that is good, because the show was beautiful.  The problem was we’re not sure what it is.  To quote Schiller’s character Andromeda, “(we) wanted to give the gift of understanding, but we couldn’t.”  We talked to several other attendees afterwards, and none of them could put a finger on just what we had experienced.  It was a beautiful show, but what was it trying to say?  The best we could come up with was that it was about relationships, and that everyone who sees it will take from it what they need, based on their own experiences with relationships.  That being said, it was definitely one of the most different Fringe shows we have ever encountered, and for that we were fortunate to have seen it.  We would love to hear your take on this show.

RECOMMENDATION:  If you love the unexpected and exciting aspect of Fringe, then this is the perfect show for you.  Remaining performances include June 17 at 2:30 p.m. and June 23 at 6 p.m.  On the other hand, if you only like typical theatrical performances, then you may want to skip this one.

TITLE OF SHOWHot Dates

VENUE:  The Three Clubs

REVIEW:   The title of the show doesn’t really convey the story, but it is definitely a good marketing ploy.  I mean, who wouldn’t want to spend some quality time with a babe as hot as Shiragirl?  She takes us on a time trip through her life, spouting off those dates like they were page markers in the story of her journey.  What makes it even better is that she can sing and dance, as well as act, and she uses all of these things to describe her life.  This is another show that used the creative skills of Deana Barone, while at the same time using brilliant Natalie Mitchell to direct this amazing show.  It also came in at #10 on our “most anticipated” list.  Needless to say you will not leave this show unentertained.  We also encourage you to click the link above and check out Shiragirl’s Facebook page to find out more about the incredible life of Shira Leigh.

RECOMMENDATION:  We think you should definitely See it.  She still has one more performance on June 24 at 6:30 p.m.  It’s definitely worth attending.

TITLE OF SHOWThe Girl who Jumped off the Hollywood Sign

VENUE:  Lounge 2 Theatre

REVIEWJoanne Hartstone comes to us from her native Australia, where she has already won two awards at the 2017 Adelaide Fringe.  This show was #5 on our list of “most anticipated” shows at HFF17, and it definitely did not disappoint.  We have always been fans of Hollywood’s Golden Age, and it became quickly obvious that Hartstone had done her research in crafting this timeless story.  This show was also the first one we reviewed that had submitted to be considered for our first Larry Cornwall Award for best use of music in a non-musical show.  Hartstone set the bar for the competition quite high.  In the words made famous in the “Men on Film” skits from In Living Color, it earned “two snaps and a trip around the world.”  Hartstone’s voice is amazing as she performs songs by Judy Garland, Marilyn Monroe, The Andrew Sisters and Jean Harlow, to name a few.  Hartstone would have been a star with them had she lived back then.  We are thankful she decided to bring us this amazing show from down under.

RECOMMENDATION:  You simply must See it.  Hartstone has several remaining shows on June 17 at 6 p.m., June 18 at 4 p.m. and June 22 at  8 p.m.  Don’t miss it.

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Artists Worth Checking Out Awards Reviews

Best Indie Albums of 2016 (an unbiased opinion)

Happy new year.  While you’re all chomping at the bit to find out who won the LA Music Critic Awards for the second half of 2016, we thought we would give you our take on the best indie albums of 2016.  The list is in alphabetical order, as we could not rank them otherwise.  Each of these albums has been reviewed by Indie Voice Blog (except for one), so we are providing the link so you can check out the full review.  Here we go . . .

Camile Bloom – Pieces of Me

We have been fans of Bloom for many years, and her latest masterpiece is also one of her best ever.  You cannot go wrong in adding this one to your musical collection.

Chely Wright – I am the Rain

This is the one album we have not previously reviewed.  Wright was a huge country star 20 years ago when she was signed to MCA Nashville.  I discovered her talent in the late 90’s when she and another “unknown,” Kenny Chesney, opened a show for Confederate Railroad at the Date Festival in Indio, California.  Since MCA stupidly dropped her, Wright has continued making music, as well as being the first country artist to come out.  We were privileged to have been a supporter of her crowd-funding campaign for this album, which is one of her most intimate and profound projects to date.  Needless to say that most people will be deeply touched by the music on this album, and we highly recommend it to all our readers.

The Congress – The Game

Thanks to our friendship with the Big Kahuna, Laura Goldfarb, of Red Boot PR, we discovered this gem in September.  It has all the right elements to propel this band into the spotlight.  Grab it while you can.

Daddy Issues – Handle It

This band took us by storm after Jennifer Allison introduced them to us.  They are gorgeous and even more talented, and are taking the rock world by the sheer force of their music.  This is a band that will only get better as they mature.  Check them out now – you won’t be sorry.

Earwig –  Pause for the Jets

We must admit, what first caught our attention about this band was their collaboration with Lydia Loveless on “Wasted on You.”  However, once we had a chance to hear their CD, we were equally impressed by them.  We think you’ll be hearing about them for years to come.  Thanks to Michelle King for introducing them to us.

Janey Street – My Side of Paradise

Janey Street has been writing great songs for as long as Janice Ian, but has remained relatively obscure, until now.  Her latest on Blue Élan Records is amazing, and truly deserving of recognition and industry attention.  Definitely add this one to your collection.

Sharif – Tangled Dreams and Empty Bottles

Sharif is another artist we have followed for years while we were in Los Angeles.  He has since returned to college for his Masters degree in music.  While there he discovered Middle Eastern music, and incorporated it into his style as part of his thesis.  The resulting album is by far one of his best.  Check it out and we think you’ll agree.

Sonia Rao – Meet Them at the Door

Another artist who reached out to her fans for crowd-funding help, Sonia Rao is just becoming known outside of the indie music scene.  Her recent tour in support of this album was a rousing success.  Take a listen to these tunes and we think you’ll understand why.

The Spider Accomplice – Los Angeles:  The Abduction

We have followed the work of VK Lynne, lead singer for The Spider Accomplice through her journey from singer-songwriter, country, pop, rock, and metal to her rightful place as the voice of indie music.  This EP is the second in their Los Angeles trilogy, and solidifies their place as one of the premiere indie rock bands in the world.

Spiritual Rez – Setting in the West

We at Indie Voice Blog have always been fans of reggae music, and no one did it better in 2016 than Spiritual Rez.  Not only are their tunes impossible to sit still through, they have also incorporated and featured other amazing artists into their groove, including Daddy B of Dirty Heads, HIRIE and Billy Kottage of Reel Big Fish.  In addition, their music videos are ‘off the hook’ wicked.  Thanks again to Laura Goldfarb for introducing them to us.

Looking forward to revealing the LA Music Critic Award winners on January 17.

Categories
Reviews Theatre

UM’s production of Legally Blonde the Musical is the perfect treat for Thanksgiving

Once a year the College of Visual and Performing Arts joins with the Schools of Music and Theatre & Dance to present a musical in the University of Montana’s Montana Theatre.  This year’s offering is the delightful Legally Blonde the Musical, based on the 2001 Reese Witherspoon movie Legally Blonde.

Sometime in the 19th Century the phrase “The show must go on,” originated, and nowhere was it more evident than in last night’s opening night performance.  Several of the cast members had been sick for the past two weeks, including the lead actress, Whitney Blair Miller, who despite her sickness, delivered a believable portrayal of Elle Woods.

Skillfully directed by Teresa Waldorf, with assistance from music director Roxanna Jackson, choreographer Pamyla Stiehl and stage manager Jason McDaniel, the performance was enhanced by the scenic design of Mike Fink, costume design of Bayne Tilton, lighting design of Zach Hamersley and audio design of Timothy McHenry.

From the pink halls of the Delta Nu Sorority to the hallowed halls of Harvard Law, the cast turned in a worthy performance that captured the magic of the original movie, and allowed several cast members to truly shine.  Besides the stellar performance of Miller, other cast members who delivered in their roles were Eric Wills as Emmett, Taylor Caprara as Brooke, Royce McIntosh as Callahan, Saige Perchy as Paulette and Natalie Johnston as Serena.  Johnston totally stole the show with every on-stage appearance.  Other notable performances were made by Erynn O’Brien as Enid, Curen Feliciani as Warner and Kady Nordstrom as Vivienne, while Carissa Lund turned in the most outstanding ensemble performance, consistently amazing the packed house with her incredible dance moves and abilities.  Of course, I would be remiss if I didn’t also mention the two canine members of the cast, who stole the hearts of cast and audience alike with their portrayals of Bruiser and Rufus.

By all means, you should definitely head out for a great night of theater and catch this show.  Tickets are available at the UMArts box office and online at GrizTix.  Performances are scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on November 25, 26 & 30 and December 3, as well as at 2 p.m. on November 26 & 27 and December 4.  There is a talk back with the cast following the November 25 performance.

 

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Reviews

MCT delivers powerfully with its production of Disney’s Tarzan the Stage Musical

Over the years, the Missoula Community Theatre (“MCT”) has consistently delivered four musicals and one play during its annual season.  The first offering of the 2016-17 season was Disney’s Tarzan the Stage Musical.

We attended the opening night performance on October 21, and, needless to say, we were blown away by the performance.  Joseph Martinez has once again proven his talent at directing musicals.  Along with Music Director Roxann Jackson, Choreography Director Heather Adams, Tumbling Choreographer Kelley Durbin-Williams and Aerialist Choreographer Caitlin Warr, Martinez has created a dynamic production which was perfectly orchestrated by Stage Manager Megan Brown.  Thanks to the work of Scenic Designer Theresa K. Jenson, Lighting Designer Spencer Perry, Properties Designer Lesley Washburn, Costume Designer Kara Chandler and Sound Designer Gregory Boris, Martinez’s artistic vision has been brought to life.

The final element to this amazing production was the perfectly cast group of actors, actresses, gymnasts and acrobats that made up the ensemble of the show.  Every member brought his or her best efforts to the stage, and the resulting show earned a standing ovation from the virtually packed house.

Among the standouts of this fine ensemble were Dylan Wright as Kerchak, Kirsten Paisley as Kala, Anthony Ascione as Terk, Melissa Briner as Jane and Thain Bertin as Tarzan.  They consistently performed superbly and truly brought the characters to life.  They were aided in their performance by a likewise amazing cast of supporting actors, including Drew Nagy as Young Terk, Evangeline Wright as Young Tarzan, Don Fuhrmann as Professor Porter and Ian Tooley as the villain Clayton.  Staci Weidner as Victorian Mother, Clayton Dutton as Victorian Father, Regan Muscutt as the Leopard and Curtis Hammer as Snipes also performed well in minor roles.

MCT consistently presents exemplary theatre in Missoula, and Tarzan is one of their best efforts to date.  We strongly recommend this production.  The show continues with performances on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, October 26-28 at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, October 29 at 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, October 30 at 2 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.  Tickets are available at the box office or online at MCTInc.org.

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Artists Worth Checking Out Reviews

Get it or Forget it: Mimes of Wine, Peach & the Almost Blues Band, The Galaxy Electric

Welcome back to the next set of reviews in our Get it or Forget it series.  We’ve been taking a break to write about some recent happenings, but we’re glad to be back.  Not only that, but we’re almost caught up with submissions from Noisy Ghost PR and our beloved Doug Deutsch Publicity Services.  So sit back, have a cold one and check out our reviews of these three artists.

mimes-of-war-cover

Artist NameMimes of Wine

Album NameLa Maison Verte

Label:  Accidental Muzik

Genre:  Avante-garde folk

Track Listing:  1.  Below a Fire; 2.  Jai Singh; 3.  Hour; 4.  Last man on Mount Elysian; 5.  Birds of a Feather; 6.  Gates; 7.  Shemkel; 8.  Lovers’ Eyes; 9.  Road 

Publicist:  Noisy Ghost PR

Review:    To fully appreciate the sound of Mimes of Wine, imagine that you are watching Cabaret, however, instead of Liza Minelli performing, it’s PJ Harvey or Tori Amos, doing what they do best, but in a 1940’s jazz style.

Mimes of Wine is led by the creative force known as pianist and singer Laura Loriga, originally of Bologna, Italy.  She is joined in the band by Stefano Michelotti, Matteo Zucconi, Luca Gugliemlino and Riccardo Frisari.  La Maison Verte is their third release, and was two years in the making.  It is their first album released in the United States.

Loriga’s vocals are breathy and ethereal, creating mental pictures with her tone and lyrical delivery.  The mood she creates is relaxing and reflective, making the album perfect for those times you just want to sit back and chill.

Recommendation:  While this album is not your typical indie artist, Mimes of Wine is definitely unique, which is reflected in this eclectic and tasty collection.  Their music will not appeal to everyone, but if you happen to like the sounds of artists like PJ Harvey or Tori Amos, then it’s a must have.  We are proud to give it a rating of Get It.

peach

Artist NamePeach & the Almost Blues Band

Album NameA Night in Copenhagen

Label:  Magic Music

Genre:  Blues

Track Listing:  1.  Tonight I’ll be Stayin’ Here With You; 2.  Never Make Your Move too Soon; 3.  Little by Little; 4.  Love-Itis; 5.  Tell me you Love Me; 6.  Come up and see me Sometime; 7.  Same as I’m Over You; 8.  Ain’t got no Money

Publicist:  Doug Deutsch Publicity Services

Review:   Blues music is an American icon, and this live recording captures it in all its glory.  Americans Peach Reasoner and her long time keyboard player Ken Stange travelled to Copenhagen in February of this year and hooked up with local musicians Michael Engman Rønnow, Helge Solberg and Niclas Campagnol to create this masterpiece.  All of the songs with the exception of track 5 “Tell me you Love Me” are covers, but that’s what makes blues music special.  Reasoner has the perfect voice for the blues, and her guitar licks have that same feel as Bonnie Raitt.  Best tracks include “Little by Little,” “Love-Itis,”Tell me you Love me,” and “Come up and see me Sometime,” but the entire album kicks ass.

Recommendation:  If you love blues music, then this one is a no-brainer.  This is one of the finest blues recordings I have heard, and I would have loved to be in the room when it was recorded.  Run, don’t walk to your computer and definitely Get It.

thegalaxyelectric_everythingislightandsound_coverart

Artist NameThe Galaxy Electric

Album Name:  Everything is Light and Sound

Label:  none

Genre:  Indescribable

Track Listing:  1.  Relaxation Tapes Vol 1; 2.  Calm Down; 3.  Temporal; 4.  Lux Lux; 5.  Luminosity; 6.  Dreamland; 7.  Buchia Coconut; 8.  Murder in the Garden; 9.  Nightmares; 10.  Goes Around Comes Around; 11. Doorbell; 12.  Please Come Home Soon 

Publicist:  Noisy Ghost PR

Review:  Composed of Jacqueline Caruso and Augustus Green, The Galaxy Electric creates their own form of music through the use of lo-fi recording techniques, among other tricks.  The resulting music almost sounds like the band went back to those science fiction films of the 50’s and 60’s and used their soundtracks for inspiration.  It is a strange, dreamy sound that we have never heard before, except in the strange world of David Lynch.  The best part about the music is the incredible vocals of Caruso, which float on the eerie music like cream on coffee.

Recommendation:  Unless you live in Twin Peaks, or love the eerie tone of music that Lynch uses to paint his creations, you’ll probably just want to leave this one alone, and we regrettably must give it a rating of Forget It.

Categories
Fringe Shows

Zootown Fringe Festival recap (revised)

The Zootown Fringe Festival in Missoula, Montana kicked off its fourth annual event on August 16 with an opening ceremony party at its host location, The Silk Road/Crystal Theater.  Unlike other US Fringe Festivals, such as Seattle, San Diego and Hollywood, the Zootown Fringe is not built around the theater arts, but instead focuses on a myriad of artistic endeavors, more akin to the Canadian Fringe Festival circuit, which makes sense since Zootown was just accepted into the Canadian Association of Fringe Festivals.

Over its five day run, Zootown featured events such as Porchfest, a concert that moves from porch to porch nine times during a seven-hour window; River Fringe, which featured a trip down the river through Alberton Gorge; Lolo Fringe, which featured events at a horse ranch; Fringe River Float Sing-a-long; Fringe Costume Bike Ride; Fringe Comedy Cabaret; and the Montana debut of the Canadian documentary On the Fringe.

Theatrical productions were limited to just the last two days of the festival, with one venue being used on Friday the 19th and two venues on Saturday the 20th.  This reviewer checked out two of the five productions offered on Friday, which included physical comedy, dance, drama, comedy and a lecture, and one production on Saturday.  The other two productions that we had planned to review were cancelled on Saturday.

ASA Zootown front SMALL

First up was A Sorted Affair: A Bureaucratic Adventure, a hilarious piece by the Oakland, California duo Figment, which combined physical comedy, mime, magic, juggling, dance and clown antics into a delightful and whimsical romp through the red tape of government bureaucracy.

Composed of Eric Parthum and Drea Lusion, Figment bills themselves as a “theatrical clown duo,” a description which is spot on.  These two performers were amazing and refreshing, as they kept the audience engaged and enthralled with their comedic shenanigans.  Definitely check out their final show on August 20th at 7 p.m. at the Downtown Dance Collective.

The next show wasn’t for a couple of hours, so there was time to grab a bite to eat at one of the dining establishments on Missoula’s Hip Strip before heading to the Boone & Crockett parking lot for a performance by D. Ryan.  The band played high energy rock and roll and the lead singer was constantly on the move, shifting from the stage into the audience and back.  He was completely engaged with his fans and provided a wonderful interlude as he warmed up the crowd for the artisans of MASC, who once again wowed Missoula with their aerial stunts.

No Refunds

The second show was No Refunds, a meta-sketch performance written by local phenom Sean Kirkpatrick, who debuted his material two years ago at Zootown.  The cast , which included Kirkpatrick in the lead as The Performer, also featured Curen Feliciani as The Audience Member, Dani Sather as the Female Ensemble, Adrian Adams as the Male Ensemble, Zach Krell in a video role as The Producer, Winnie Lohof as the Stage Manager and Brit Garner as The Sexy One.

The show could best be described as an episode of Saturday Night Live, hosted by Seth McFarlane and featuring guest performances by Christopher Walken and Miley Cyrus.  It combined live sketches with video snippets, and provided a belly-full of laughs along the way.

The show was not for the faint of heart, nor is it intended for children.  The cast did a magnificent job of not taking themselves seriously, thereby providing an almost non-stop comedic performance that highlighted each member’s abilities.

We highly recommend you catch the final performance on August 20th at 8:30 p.m. at the Crystal Theater.

Oh Man

The last show we reviewed was a solo show by Canadian comedienne Jo Dworschak called Oh Man!  The show centered around her life up to and through the delivery of her baby boy, and the anxiety she felt bringing another man into the world.

Dworschak is a talented performer who mixes comedy and fact together in a most cohesive way.  Unfortunately, it seemed her show ended prematurely, as she did not go into how her outlook changed after the birth.  We would have loved to see a much longer version, although she may have had to shorten the show to fit into the Fringe’s one hour maximum time slot.  At any rate, the show was definitely worth seeing, and earned the Zoonie Award for best solo show.

From a theatrical point of view, this year’s Zootown Fringe was disappointing because it only offered a handful of productions.  On the other hand, at least the few that were offered were all first rate productions.  Hopefully the next Festival will offer a better variety of theatre shows.