Author: watsonsauce

Preview: The Paths to Rogue Wave

watsonsauce

Friday March 22, 8-11pm

New Beat Happening and the Center for Campus Involvement are excited to present Rogue Wave at the Michigan League Ballroom!

Formed by Zach Rogue in 2002, Rogue Wave has a reputation for crafting classic, inward-looking pop songs highlighted with psychedelic guitars, pastoral sound effects and intricate rhythms. Their decade-long career has spanned four albums (Out of the Shadows, Descended Like Vultures, Asleep at Heaven’s Gate and Permalight), and includes their hit song “Lake Michigan.” With a new album coming out later this year, Rogue Wave is back to the performance circuit and sure to bring an electric performance.

For music, check out http://www.roguewavemusic.com/

Opening up for Rogue Wave are The Paths (formerly Rospoem) – This year’s Battle of the Bands winner! Before opening for Rogue Wave, The Paths are headed to South by Southwest to showcase their unique “indie-ambient rock.”

For music, check out http://www.thepaths.org/

Tickets on sale now at the Michigan Union Ticket Office (MUTO)!

Students: $10 (with UMID)
Adult: $15

Review: Yoyo, yoyo, yo, yo. Ma

watsonsauce

Yoyo Ma is an incredible performer. His performance this Saturday in Hill Auditorium was truly breath taking. I am not Classical Music’s most fond participant. However, Yoyo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble put on a beautiful and captivating show. I hope to have another opportunity to experience this world treasure again.

If you have never listened to Yoyo Ma’s music I suggest you do, immediately.

http://www.silkroadproject.org/AboutUs/Leadership/YoYoMa/tabid/197/Default.aspx

Preview: Yoyo Ma; Cello Skill That Takes Your Breath Away

watsonsauce

Yoyo Ma is a world renowned cellist. I personally have never heard anyone play a stringed instrument the way this man does. He is amazing to listen to and apparently just as enthralling to see in person.

Yoyo Ma will be performing with The Silk Road Ensemble at Hill Auditorium Saturday March 16th at 8pm.

More information on Yoyo Ma:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yo-Yo_Ma

Information on his Performance:
http://ums.org/performances/yo-yo-ma-and-the-silk-road-ensemble

Beautiful Sounds of Yoyo Ma:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHzfD6XLK7Q

Review: Passion Pit, Matt and Kim

watsonsauce

We came late to the concert by an hour or so. I had never been to this specific venue and didn’t know what to expect, there was a large congregation of people on the covered hockey rink, that is where we ended up, amidst throngs of pre-pubescent looking girls in spandex, tipsy twenty-somethings, bobbing heads, shouldered girls, flailing bodies, glow sticks and splashes of alcohol.

Matt and Kim have a lovely musical sound and stage presence. Their playful vocals were partnered by crowd interaction, conversation and grinning facial expressions. Kim decided to take a walk on the audience at one point. They were very pleasant to watch and listen to.

“Daylight”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgBeu3FVi60

Passion Pit had a very cool light show. There were white fabric orbs suspended above them, which were illuminated by different colored lights for each song. Unfortunately the bass was so high that much of the more impressive falsetto from the singer and keyboard were lost. Which is a shame, the higher vocal experimentation is one of the more enjoyable aspects of Passion Pit, in my opinion.

“Sleepyhead”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0RvPYRRRbE

All in all I was somewhat disappointed with Passion Pit’s performance. The poor quality of the sound was coupled with a lack of Performance zeal, the whole experience was overpowered by the largeness of the arena. I still enjoy listening to Passion Pit and have no doubt I will be for a long time. I hope I’ll have another opportunity to see them in a smaller venue in the future.

Ty Segall: Enduring Neck Pain, Crowd Surfing and Epic Mosh Pits

watsonsauce

\"Thank God For the Sinners\" -Ty Segall

Ty Segal
Described to me by a friend as “the hardest working musician right now,” Ty Segall has come out with 3 albums in the last year and tours continuously, spreading his skills and sound around the country.

http://pitchfork.com/artists/27962-ty-segall/

I personally hadn’t had much exposure to him before his show at The Blind Pig on the night of Thursday February 6th 2013. The evening was relatively cold and The Pig was PACKED. My friends and I arrived around 10:30, doors opened at 9:00pm.
We Heard:
Ex-Cults; fun, indi, energetic (female bassist)

K-Holes; who are very punk/ grunge/ sca sounding, attractive musicians
http://k-holes.bandcamp.com/

And finally TySegall:
http://ty-segall.com/

The Mosh-Pit started during the K-Holes. The energy people were throwing about was quite contagious. No injuries occurred and we all created a nice dynamic with the bands, showing our appreciation through sweat and perhaps some blood and tears. There was a good amount of crowd surfing and a couple essential articles of clothing were lost in the fray.
Over the course of the night each band provided their own level of excitement. Although many of us were antsy to hear Ty, I was pleasantly surprised with the quality of the opening acts and was nicely oiled up for Ty’s smack-down blowout performance when the time came.
Although it was an enjoyable evening all in all, I found it difficult to appreciate the quality of Ty’s musical skills due to the level of physical disruption going on around me. I look forward to experiencing his music more in other contexts and will be physically preparing for his next tour through Ann Arbor.