Tag: Transference

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

HFF19 day 17 – see it or skip it

I only took in three shows on Saturday, out of the seven I had originally planned, giving me time to spend some time talking to friends at the Plunge and actually eat a sit-down meal before hanging with my bestie Kimleigh Smith for a while.  Before we get started on those reviews, I’m sure you’re all anxious to know who won the Larry Cornwall Award for Musical Excellence, so here we go:

SOLO SHOW – Blackboxing

ENSEMBLE SHOW – An yet Another Evening with the Sistahs

Both shows have been extended, and we strongly recommend them both, so grab your tickets on their individual Fringe project pages.

TITLE OF SHOW:  Olivia Wilde Does not Survive the Apocalypse

VENUE:  The Complex (Ruby Stage)

REVIEW:  Another of the Matts, this time Matt Robinson, has come through with an amazing addition to HFF19.  This show is a masterpiece and his hand-selected cast are comedic geniuses in pulling out all the stops to make this the funniest damn show of the Fringe.  Featuring Sean-Michael Bowles as the “hack director” and Emilie Martz as the “snooty actress,” the amazing cast also included Francesca Manzi as Rodeo, Chelsea Langenderfer as Chandler, Everett Dailey as Marcus, Chris Bunyi as Crenshaw, Asia Pitts as Abbot Kinney and Ashley Frances Hoffman as Dr. Kelli Hu  The show was directed by Robby DeVillez, and he was brilliant.  My sides hurt so much from laughing, especially at all the inside jokes.  We will be quoting lines from this show for a long time.

RECOMMENDATION:  Although this was their last performance, they have been granted an extension, so we advise you to be first in line when tickets become available.

TITLE OF SHOW:  Transference

VENUE:  The Broadwater (Black Box)

REVIEW:  Certain Fringe actors have earned their reputation by consistently delivering quality work.  Two of those particular performers are Esther Mira and Lisa K. Wyatt.  They have brought this show to life which was written and directed by the equally brilliant Jim Blanchette. In what might be one of the most challenging roles of their lives, they play a therapist and her client, who is unintentionally “made aware” of her past lives during the therapy.  I will not give away the great story, but suffice it to say that this one is definitely worth your time and money, making it one of the best dramas of HFF19.

RECOMMENDATION:  This was their last performance, but if they do an extension, we strongly recommend that you attend.

TITLE OF SHOW:  Hell’s Kitty

VENUE:  The Broadwater (Main Stage)

REVIEW:  After hanging around the Plunge for a bit, Kimleigh showed up from a long day of work and we shared dinner from the food truck before heading in to the movie.  I had previously met Nicholas Tana at Starbucks and he invited me to see this show because of my history with horror films.  He had also invited Kimleigh, so we thought it would be a great chance to catch a memorable show.  It was that, although not the type of memories you necessarily want to remember.  The show was very campy and dark, and will probably be enjoyed by a much younger demographic.  It also seemed like the cast was not quite up to the challenge, as their were serious vocal issues.  The one shinning star was the over-the-top performance of Maeve Thompson Osgood as Lisa Graves.  Although not a total bomb, it could use some additional rehearsal time and maybe some recasting before going forward.  i truly see the potential in the show, but felt it was not nearly as strong as NMI‘s other entry, The Bully Problem.

RECOMMENDATION:  This was their last performance.

Categories
Hollywood Fringe Festival Theatre

Most anticipated shows at HFF19

It’s time once again for our annual list of the shows we are most anticipating at the 10th annual Hollywood Fringe Festival.  Unlike past years, not only are we reviewing shows and screening shows for our Larry Cornwall Award for Musical Excellence, but I am also doing my first solo show.  Needless to say, this is going to be a very interesting Fringe.  Here is our list, in alphabetical order.

Come on Down (The Broadwater) – This one’s directed and written by Jeff Scot Carey, features Emily Clark, CJ Merriman AND Victor Isaac, and was part of Serial Killers at Sacred Fools – what more reasons do we need?  This one is going to be epic.

Crabbe & Goyle are Dead (Studio/Stage) – The Harry Potter legend continues at Fringe with this latest creation from Kitty Keim.  That’s reason enough to see it.

Hollywoodn’t (The Lounge) – This one tells the story of the Hollywood scene before women were allowed to speak up and say no.  It also features writer, performer and lyricist Lisa Verlo.  It’s also part of the amazing Soaring Solo community and is directed by Jessica Lynn Johnson.  Can’t wait for this one.

Klingon Tamburlaine (The Complex) – I am a huge Star Trek fan, and have always love the Klingons.  This one sounds like a sure-fire hit, and the dream show for every nerd at Fringe.

Pockets (The Broadwater) – If ever there was a “sure thing” at Fringe, it would be anything put on by Robot Teammate.  They have brought us the incredible Turbulence and Thug Tunnel and their creativity and musical abilities are among the best we’ve ever seen at Fringe.

Tattered Capes (Studio/Stage) – We think this may well be the best thing Theatre Unleashed has ever attempted.  Written by Greg Crafts and directed by Corey Lynn Howe, this show looks to take TU into uncharted territory, and we have every confidence it will be amazing.

The Duchess & the Stripper (The Lounge) – Every year we look for a historical play, and this one is our selection for HFF19.  It tells the story of the Duchess of Windsor and Blaze Starr, one of the most famous strippers of all time.  It’s also highly recommended by the Cherry Poppins crew.

The Mayor’s Debate of Tranquility, Nebraska (The Complex) – we have always been a huge fan of Jim Hanna, and his latest projects looks to be as close as we will come to an actual intelligent political discussion until next year.  We also love his marketing campaign.

Transference (The Broadwater) – This one features a pair of our favorite actresses in Esther Mira and Lisa K. Wyatt and is written and directed by the incomparable Jim Blanchette.  That adds up to an amazing time at the theater.

Wigfield (The Hudson) – Last year we almost missed out on the stunning Pamela Eberhardt show The Runaway Clone.  This year we’re jumping on the bandwagon and making her latest show required viewing.  Based on the amazing marketing campaign she has run, this one looks to be even better than last year’s Clone.

And there you have it.  We can’t wait for Fringe to begin, and already have 32 shows on our schedule, including all  of the above.  We’ll be publishing daily reviews, so keep it here for our See it or Skip it articles.

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

Get it or forget it – Miss Freddye, Amanda Mair, The Rigs, Marmoset Music, Demons

And the cycle begins again.  Now that the LA Music Critic Award nominations for the second half of 2017 have been announced, we can start reviewing the first of the submissions for the first half of 2018.  We have five of them for you today.  Hope you enjoy them.  Don’t forget to vote for your Fan Favorite.  Voting closes 1/31/18.

Artist Name:  Miss Freddye

Album Name:  Lady of the Blues

Label:  missfreddyesblues

Genre:  Blues

Track Listing:  1.  Miss Freddye’s Gonna Fix Ya; 2.  Luv ya Baby; 3.  Lady of the Blues; 4.  Don’t Apologize, Recognize; 5.  Home Improvement; 6.  Use the Back Door; 7.  Chain Breaker; 8.  Doorway to the Blues; 9.  These are my Blues; 10.  Freight Train Blues; 11.  A Losing Battle

Publicist:  Broads 4 Blues

Review:  Traditional Blues are a special kind of awesome, especially when the vocals are throaty, sexy and female.  Miss Freddye is the perfect kind of blues singer, and she brings it all to the table when she sings, kind of like a combination of Aretha Franklin and Bonnie Raitt.  She has an amazing band that provides the perfect accompaniment to her down home sound, complete with an amazing horn section and a dynamic keyboardist.  The harmonies are also perfect, especially on “Luv ya Baby.”  The title track is a perfect representation of the quality of this whole album, and should hook you on Miss Freddye.  Other tracks we love include the amazing duet “Don’t Apologize, Recognize,” the jiving “Home Improvement” with its screaming sax and piano, “Chain Breaker,”  and the more traditional “These are my Blues” and “Freight Train Blues.”

Recommendation:  Definitely a winning combination, you simply MUST Get this one.

Artist Name:  Amanda Mair

Album Name:  To the Moon

Label:  Despotz Records AB

Genre:  Pop

Track Listing:  1.  Stay you and I; 2.  Rush; 3.  Wednesday; 4.  Hopes; 5.  Empty Blockings

Publicist:  Mystic Sons PR

Review:  Amanda Mair comes to us courtesy of Stockholm, Sweden, and we think she is just what American pop radio needs to survive.  Her sound is dreamy, airy, upbeat and truly radio ready.  Her sound lifts your spirits and gets you ready to face the day.  She should be required listening for everyone who has to go out and work.  The EP chronicles her personal struggles and encourages her fans that they can successfully overcome them as well.  “Rush” would make a great house mix for the dance floor.  “Wednesday” and “Hopes” are light and airy reminiscent of Enya, before closing out the EP with the upbeat and danceable track “Empty Blockings.”

Recommendation:  A great start, this is definitely one of the best International EPs we have ever reviewed.  This one is a no-brainer – Get it now!

Artist Name:  The Rigs

Album Name:  World on Fire

Label:  Sain Rogue Records

Genre:  Indie Rock

Track Listing:  1.  The Brave; 2.  Fault Line; 3.  Runaway; 4.  Fall or Fly; 5.  The Hunted; 6.  White Flag; 7.  World on Fire; 8.  When we Were Young

Publicist:  Magic Tree Productions

Review:  We fell in love with this band when we previewed their latest music video “When we Were Young” in our last Monday Mashup.  The EP is even better, as it shows a dynamic range of musical talent beyond that in the single.  This band hits the ground running on “The Brave,” and proceeds to blow their listeners away with strong vocals, well-written lyrics and a mind-blowing musical accompaniment that swells and grows to its climax.  The next track “Fault Line” continues that awesomeness, leaving no doubt that this band is ready for serious radio airplay, with a sound similar to Imagine Dragons.  Other songs that we loved include “Fall or Fly,” “The Hunted,” and the title track, basically everything on the EP.

Recommendation:  Don’t think twice – Get it ASAP!

Artist Name:  Marmoset Music

Album Name:  Transference

Label:  Marmoset Music

Genre:  Miscellaneous

Track Listing:  1.  Hot Time in the Old Town (Ural Thomas and the Pain); 2.  April Showers (Shaky Faces); 3.  Where the Glories Glow (Dear Nora); 4.  Play a Simple Melody (Trimountaine); 5.  Out Among the Sheltering Pines (The Helio Sequence); 6.  Wildflower Flower (Bouquet); 7.  The World is Waiting for the Sunrise (Distance (ft. Frankie Simone)); 8.  Beautiful Dreamer (Patternist); 9.  Shine on Harvest Moon (Mree); 10.  Me and my Gal (Hot Bloods)

Publicist:  Noisy Ghost PR

Review:  What makes this compilation so special is that every one of these songs came out of the public domain and have been reimagined and redesigned by this amazing mix of eclectic artists, through the oversight of Marmoset Music.  The result is a fun album of songs that have been modernized and brought back to life for modern music lovers.  Our favorite tracks include “Hot Time in the Old Town,” “Where the Glories Grow,” “Out Among the Sheltering Pines,” “The World is Waiting for the Sunrise,” “Beautiful Dreamer,” and “Harvest Moon.”

Recommendation:  This one definitely deserves a spot in your musical library.

Artist Name:  Demons

Album Name:  Embrace Wolf

Label:  Spartan Records

Genre:  Punk

Track Listing:  1.  (telebrothy); 2.  Always Your Own; 3.  wish; 4.  Nobody Loves you the way you Are; 5.  Dig; 6.  Decibel Farmer; 7.  17:9; 8.  Arranged Marriage; 9.  Assured Retribution

Publicist:  Spartan Records

Review:  The album begins with the instrumental track (telebrothy) before launching into the full-blown punk track of “Always Your Own.”  Unlike other punk we have reviewed, the lyrics are understandable and the music is low key but highly effective.  The volume and feedback go up starting with “Nobody Loves You the way you Are,” “Dig” and “Decibel Farmer,” making it more difficult for a non-punk lover to enjoy the music.  Our favorite tracks are “wish,” “Arranged Marriage,” and “Assured Retribution.”

Recommendation:  If you are a true punk lover, you will enjoy this one.  If not, you should probably Forget it.