Author: Danny Fob

I'm a Junior in LSA majoring in Italian and minoring in Art History. I love writing for art[seen] because it gives me the opportunity to show all of these amazing shows that the University brings to Ann Arbor. We get some world class performers and I would be really bummed if I missed out on anything that I'll never have to opportunity to see again. What you need to know about me? I'm not a writer, an art expert, and I didn't grow up around this much culture. I am a busy student at UofM, so if you are judging me for something, it's okay because I won't have time to respond. I'll just keep seeing shows and you can be jealous!

Preview: Love in an Elixir? Can Such Things Be?

Danny Fob

Could it really be that easy? Just drink and Bam! Love? I guess I’ll just have to see this Thursday night, won’t I? I’m very excited to see The Elixir of Love. This Italian Opera, L’elisir d’amore, is a comic opera in two acts, with music written by Gaetano Donizetti and the Libretto written by Felice Romani. For those who have never experienced an opera, I would especially suggest a visit to this one. The University opera productions are always fantastic and they include subtitles to make the show more accessible for those that have a hard time interpreting the music. I find that they really help you understand the drama and comedy of the show instead of just having an idea of what’s going on.

The music is going to be fabulous. I know this because I have three friends in the show and have heard bits and pieces. I also know this because Italian opera is one of the most beautiful song forms in the world. I would urge everyone on campus to buy tickets, mostly because I already bought mine and I already have my seats, so it is allowed to sell out. Student Rush tickets are only $10 and the seats are great. Details you ask? (or maybe you didn’t ask, but I’m going to tell you anyway. If you really don’t want to know than you can stop reading, but I know that you really want to go to the show and you won’t stop reading).

When: Thursday, November 11 at 7:30 PM
Friday, November 12 at 8:00 PM
Saturday, November 13 at 8:00 PM
Sunday, November 14 at 2:00 PM

Where: Power Center for the Performing Arts (My favorite Venue on campus)
How much: $10 Student Rush. $18 regular price (Available at League Box Office)
Who: School of Music, Theater, and Dance
Why: Do you really have to ask?

More info and Story Overview

As always,
This is a very excited Danny Fob: Artist and Art Reviewer

Review: Bob Dylan – A True American Icon

Danny Fob

In a time when it becomes hard to look at your own culture and find pride because all you see is fast food and bad TV, an American legend can still restore your hope. Bob Dylan, icon of the counterculture movement of the 1960’s, performed tonight at Hill Auditorium. Though I come from a different generation (and I assume the same is true for you), I can still respect the effect he had on our nation’s youth. I could actually see it tonight in the packed, sold out auditorium, with the majority of the guests being from the Flower Power generation. Even after all of these years, they still come out to see a man who’s touring hasn’t ended since the 80’s. That is an impression.

“Who is Bob Dylan?” is a question I’ve heard a few times recently, which is really just sad (though of course I didn’t know any songs that he sang until recently soooooo…). And the really sad thing is that even if the people asking this question had gone tonight, they would still not understand. You see, because Bob’s voice has been going bad for a while now; after years of smoking and drinking it happens. Going to this concert without any background of his influence, one might wonder why the tickets cost so much. But really, it’s Bob Dylan. There is no price on one of the major musical influences in American history.

I thoroughly enjoyed myself. Many of the songs I recognized and learned that Bob is the person that sings them, such as Highway 65. The crowd was great; so much screaming and love going out there that the atmosphere was perfect for Dylan’s appearance on stage. He sang a full concert and switched between keyboard, guitar, and harmonica. He’s still so talented with each of the instruments, and the band was awesome. Great stage presence and excellent, excellent playing.

This experience is definitely something that I will never regret. I feel like by seeing him, I have actually been part of history. It’s a difficult feeling to explain and not sound crazy. It’s just that we learn about this artist in history classes, see his image reproduced, and hear his name thrown around casually. And I got to see him. He is still around, and still performing, and I got the chance to see him. So basically, it was amazing.

I don’t even know what else to say…I mean it’s BOB DYLAN! I think that pretty much sums up anything I could possibly say.

As always,
This is Danny Fob: Artist and Art Reviewer

Preview: BOB DYLAN- Need I say more?

Danny Fob
circa 1966
circa 1966

That’s right folks, Bob Dylan is coming to the University of Michigan, and lucky me, I’m going to see him. He’ll be at Hill Auditorium this Thursday evening at 8:00pm. I am so excited for this concert that it’s not even funny. This is one of the most influential musical artists in history. He’s pretty much the reason people don’s sing like Elvis anymore. Here’s the deal though, I just checked Ticketmaster.com and apparently the tickets are SOLD OUT! That’s how huge Bob Dylan is, Hill is sold out. That’s about 3,500 people!

Current
Current

For next time I guess I would just say get them early, because you don’t want to miss moments like this. Artists like Bob Dylan are not going to last forever, and this tour may be our last chance to see in live.

As always,
This is a very excited Danny Fob: Artist and Art reviewer

Preview: Open to New Things?

Danny Fob

Come to Open Mic night tonight at the Michigan League Underground. This weekly event brings together many aspiring artists and amateurs that have the hopes of getting their names out there and winning the $40 prize at the end of the semester. I’m not exactly sure what to expect, but I’m excited to go out and support my fellow students and enjoy different genres and artistic styles

Presented by Michigan Unions Arts and Programs
Presented by Michigan Unions Arts and Programs

You should join me!

When? 8:30pm
Where? Michigan League Basement- The League Underground
How much? FREE (bonus!)
Why? Because it is fantastic!

Also, if you are a mucsician, singer-songwriter, or spoken-word artist, feel encouraged to sign up between 7:30 and 8:30 to perform in the show.

As always,
This is Danny Fob: Artist and Art Reviewer

Review: My Story? …

Danny Fob 1 Comment

First of all I just want to say wow… just wow. This production was so well put together and performed. It was incredible. Incredibly incredible. For those who don’t know what the “What’s Your Story?” event was, it is an innovative play, new this year, created from the stories of students around campus. Anonymous stories were requested and received and then retold through the talent of actors from our campus. It contained a spectrum of different stories, from ridiculous exploding thermoses anecdotes to dramatic coming out and soul searching tales. The show was deeply emotional, yet still provided us with the comedy that makes our weekends so great.

The Pendleton Room in the Union was a terrible choice for venue. It was way too small for the huge crowd gathered to attend. Many of us were left standing around the edges listening intently to each portrayal, the standing of which is really just a reflection of how big the event was. No matter, it was worth standing, and definitely worth the small $5/person donation requested. All proceeds went to a good cause to help high-schoolers in Ann Arbor: The Neutral Zone, which is a place that teenagers can go to hang out and to receive guidance.

There were so many good stories and amazing actors to relive them. The setting is a street in Ann Arbor where a table is set up with a woman collecting stories in anonymous journals. Actors approached the table and delivered their reflections to the audience. One girl read us a letter written for her ex-boyfriend. She explained what he had done to her and how he had so easily forgotten her once she went to school. It was such a great performance, the actress actually cried as she poured her heart out on stage.

Another one of my favorites was one about a girl that had a secret. She never told anyone, but she had spent four months in a psychiatric hospital for an eating disorder. No matter how close her friends were, she couldn’t bring herself to tell them, so she wrote it in this journal. And of course there was a great coming out story from the flamboyant and energetic guy. He told us all about how his Jewish parents accepted it so easily and tried to help him find boyfriends and about how the CAPS program at the University helped him through his own problems with his sexuality. His story was funny and emotional as it needed to be.

“What’s Your Story?” reminded me of Yoni Ki Baat’s show, except that it was about different issues. Both are poetic masterpieces, but in this case I think that the actors in WTS were closer to the pieces they were performing. Where I had seen disconnects in YKB’s show, I saw none in “What’s Your Story?” The actors all seemed more genuine and realistic with their stories.

I really hope that this show comes back next year. I think it would be an awesome production to take part in, whether sending in a story of my own or acting in. Leaving the Union (and heading to support friends at Dance Marathon) I started to think of my own story and its many values. That is what I think this show was trying to leave us with. And I am so glad that arts@Michigan was able to help put this on. Just another reason I should thank my fabulous employers!

As Always,
This is Danny Fob: Artist and Art Reviewer

Review: Ring of Steel For Real

Danny Fob

Exciting! That is the one word that can be used to embody this event. So many magnificent swordfights and weapon expertise all in one morning really made the day start better than a cup of coffee does. They had the showcase at the Student Theater Arts Complex (which is down by Chrysler Arena connected to some kind of “plant operations” building). I had never heard of it before today, but I realized that it so far away because it needs a lot of room for all of the mats, props, scaffolds, and other theater equipment that this organization owns.

This open house was an interesting experience. While we waited for the show to begin, some of the other club members showed us the slew of weapons on display and described where they came from, what they were for, and told us the history behind them. It was very educational and we learned a lot about medieval weapons and their evolution through time.

The host of the show and leader of the group, the Maestro, began by telling us a brief history of “The Ring of Steel.” Apparently they have performed in venues from student productions to movies like “Hook” with Robin Williams and Disney’s “Three Musketeers.” Some of their favorite events are smaller, like a wedding in which they abducted the bride and than the “bridesmaids” rescued her back. So funny!

When the production began, it was exhilarating! So much fast movement and all of the clashes of sword collisions really got our hearts beating. The performers all had such aggression and concentration on what they were doing. And the passion…just beautiful. The actors were able to put stories into their scenes, from Shakespearean lines to funny babysitting battles. And they even used some parts from “Princess Bide” to liven up the show. It was great, especially since that is one of the best movies of all time (disclaimer: my opinions, no matter how correct, are not endorsed and do not reflect any specific opinions of art[seen] or the University of Michigan. They are mine and they are not considered theirs through affiliation).

We saw many different types of weaponry, including rapier, rapier and dagger, rapier and buckler, two-handed broadsword, staff, and the leather whip. There are 16 different classes of weapons that one can be trained in, and this group can train in most of the classes and also teach many of the stunts done in movies. The whip master was amazing! He had great stage presence, entertainment value, and comedy. He used plenty of targets, from flowers thrown from his own hand to a hat on his head, to show off his skill. We learned from him that the whip is the first human invention to break the sound barrier. The “crack” of the whip is actually a sonic boom! I thought that this was a really cool little trivia fact.

David Melcher-Whip Master
David Melcher-Whip Master

This group practices multiple times a week to build up an endurance. In movies they don’t show you how tired one gets after a few minutes of swordplay. But these actors were keeping it up and doing so beautifully. They are doing another show in May, so feel encouraged to look them up and go see their show!

As Always,
This is Danny Fob: Artist and Art Reviewer.