watsonsauce – Page 3

Review: Carter Lezman – A casual Thursday on S. State St.

September 28, 2014September 28, 2014 watsonsauce

Last Thursday the 25^th of September, a former classmate of mine, Carter Lezman, took the stage at World of Beer on South State Street with his friend David Heilig. The two serenaded the bar of friends, family and strangers with 90s throwbacks, current favorites, some original tunes written by Carter and a few classics like Sweet Home Alabama.

Carter has a strong tenor voice, which works very well for the ballads he chooses to sing. His passion and love for music comes across in his performance. David and Carter pair harmonic chords well together on the guitar and clearly enjoy playing with one another.

I had the pleasure of meeting one of Carter’s inspirations for playing music, his mother Lori. Her enthusiasm and excitement for Carter’s show was infectious. Many of his friends turned out to see him perform as well.

Be sure to keep your eyes open for the next time Carter Lezman is performing in Ann Arbor.

Follow Carter on Facebook.

Preview: Slow Magic at The Blind Pig

September 28, 2014September 28, 2014 watsonsauce

What: Slow Magic: DJ, musician, beat genius

Where: Blind Pig, Ann Arbor

When: Wednesday 1 October, 9pm

Who Can Come: Ages 18+

How Much: $12 in advance/ $14 at the door

Little is known about the origins of the musical artist known as Slow Magic, he wears a colorful animal mask and never refers to his own name.

In an interview last year with D Magazine, Slow Magic said this about his anonymous status:

“… the reason I wanted it to be this way from the start was that so people get focused on the music before they focus on a state or a location or a story,” he says. “I wanted to challenge the way music could be presented. I’m not the first anonymous musician but it’s fun for me to try and figure out things sometimes with other bands and other musicians too.”

Slow Magic came to The Blind Pig last year and put on a very good show. His beats are creative and highly conducive to dancing the night away.

Listen to Slow Magic’s music on Soundcloud.

Review: Space Jam – SOLD OUT!!!

September 26, 2014September 26, 2014 watsonsauce

Before the film started one of the ushers at The State Theater told the audience “We had to convince our booker to show this film, he didn’t think anyone would come. We’ve had to turn 50 people away tonight!” The audience of late-night moviegoers cheered in various states of sobriety.

State Theater Saturday midnights are really quite an experience, especially with a film as iconic and ridiculous as Space Jam. There was no moment without the sound of laughter, callbacks to the screen with many “That’s what she said” moments. People quoted lines, heckled actors and athletes, and most importantly sang along with the timeless sound track of 1996 popular culture.

Space Jam is a hilarious, ridiculous and somewhat scandalous film about Michael Jordan, cartoon aliens and the Looney Tunes! (Oh and of course Bill Murray)

The audience cheered, booed and laughed together for 88 minutes. Some of us relived our first time seeing Space Jam in the theaters in ’96, others harkened back to the first time their lives were altered by this film.

If you have never witnessed the phenomenon that is Space Jam, get a bunch of friends together, gather some popcorn, Furbies, Pogs and push pops, maybe some treasure trolls, pigtails with butterfly hairclips, and press play.

For future Saturday midnights go to The State Theater’s website.

Review: The Drop – Well played sir.

September 26, 2014September 26, 2014 watsonsauce

The Drop approaches a common subject in an original and surprising way. Dennis Lehane (Mystic River, Shutter Island) has crafted another brilliant crime narrative that shies away from cliché and common narrative tropes that tend to pepper cross-cultural, urban crime plots.

The film follows Bob Saginowski (Tom Hardy) who tends bar at a local bar in Brooklyn owned by his ‘cousin Marv’ (James Gandolfini). Cousin Marv’s bar occasionally acts as a cash drop for the local Chechen mob. Two amateur thieves rob the bar, which creates tension between Marv and the Chechen mob, putting the lives of Bob and Marv at risk if they aren’t able to recover the stolen money.

Throughout the film we learn more about Marv and Bob’s pasts, their attempt and ultimate failure at establishing a gang when they were young and Marv’s reverberating desire to be infamous. Family ties play an important role in Marv and Bob’s relationship as they work to ensure their own survival.

Early on in the film Bob finds an abused puppy in a garbage can one night on his way home from work. This is how he comes to know Nadia (Noomi Rapace) a young woman with a troubled past and problematic ex. The puppy, who Bob names Rocco, is a catalase for Bob and Nadia’s friendship.

I would hate to say too much more about the plot for fear of spoiling your experience of the complexities of these characters and the many layers at play throughout the plot.

The Drop is a very well crafted script directed with precision by Michaël R. Roskam (Bullhead) in his English-language directing debut. Hardy, Rapace and Gandolfini bring expertly bring Dennis Lehane’s narrative to life. This film is extremely satisfying to watch, I highly recommend it.

Currently showing at The State Theater and other nearby locations.

Preview: The Skeleton Twins

September 20, 2014September 20, 2014 watsonsauce

What: The Skeleton Twins

Where: The Michigan Theater

When: Opens Friday 26 September

How Much: $8 for students and veterans, $10 general admission

Starring Kristen Wiig (SNL, Brides Maids), Bill Hader (SNL), Ty Burrell (Modern Family) and Luke Wilson (The Royal Tenenbaums, Legally Blonde).

The Skeleton Twins is about the reuniting of estranged twins Maggie (Wiig) and Milo (Hader) who are each struggling in their individual lives. Together they trace back to where things went so wrong for each of them and realize that repairing their relationship with one another could provide the solution to fixing everything.

1 hour, 33 minutes, rated R.

Preview: Carter Lezman at The World of Beer

September 20, 2014September 20, 2014 watsonsauce 1 Comment

What: The Musical Talents of Carter Lezman

Where: The World of Beer on South University St.

When: Thursday 25 September, 9:00pm

How Much: FREE

21+ Event

Carter Lezman is a senior at The University of Michigan. For the purposes of this article I contacted him to ask him about his musical inspirations, geographic origins and why he would recommend you attend his first concert in Ann Arbor this Thursday.

WatsonSauce: Where are you from?

Carter Lezmand: I am from Holland, MI, a beautiful town right on the shore of Lake Michigan

WS: What do you study at U of M?

CL: I am currently pursuing a bachelors in History and Political Science with a minor in Classical Civilizations.

WS: When did you start learning to play music, when did you start writing your own music?

CL: I got my first guitar when I was 10, and have been playing music ever since. Since then, I have learned how to play several other instruments, including piano, drums, bass guitar, ukelele, and of course learned how to sing!

WS: Who are your musical inspirations?

CL: First and foremost is God. Growing up in church and playing in the worship team allowed me the opportunity to get better at music. Even now, I may not write “Christian music,” but I write songs that make people feel a little better about themselves. I have God to thank for my musical gift.

My second inspiration is my mom. She is the one who drove me to band practice, encouraged me when I just was starting, and even now is my biggest fan. I would not be the person or musician I am today without her inspiration.

WS: Who are some of your favorite bands to listen to?

CL: My favorite bands… uh this is a tough one… I would say that U2 probably tops the chart for me, but I also enjoy Coldplay, Mat Kearney, John Mayer, Maroon 5, and Bastille.

WS: What would you say to a potential audience member/ why should people come and hear you play!?

CL: The first thing I would say to a potential audience member is have fun!! That is the sole reason why I got into music, it is fun! Have a good time: laugh, clap, sing, cry, do whatever it is that defines your personage best. I will sing my heart out, share some songs that you maybe haven’t heard yet but will love, and most of all give you a sound that is unique and 100% original.

I will be doing both covers and original work, so I think there will be something great for everyone.

Visit Carter Lezman’s FaceBook, BandCamp and/or YouTube Channel.

RSVP to this event and ‘share’ it with your friends HERE.

A little preview: