When: Sunday, October 27th, 4:30pm
Where: Hill Auditorium
Cost: $12
What: The University Orchestras join forces for a Halloween concert featuring spooky classical music and Halloween favorites.
All of the orchestra members will be wearing costumes, so feel free to get in on the fun and wear yours!
Blur the Lines was a collaborative effort sponsored by SMTD Collaborative Student Assembly (CSA).
SMTD CSA’s Facebook
The performance was on October 19th in the Arthur Miller Theater at the Walgreen Drama Center. The cast was made up of student volunteers from several majors in the School of Music Theater and Dance. The goal of the event was to create, and perform, a one hour show in 24 hours.
Through Facebook promotion, Blur the Lines rounded up two volunteer composers, two writers, a director, several musicians, dancers, and actors, as well as PAT majors and a MUSIC THEORY major, to donate around 24 straight hours of their time to creating this show. First, the script writers and composers met at 8pm and wrote the show until 8am, when the performers joined in order to rehearse until the show started at 8 pm. Apparently this was the first year Blur the Lines had been organized, but I had no idea because the show was so put together, but it explains why so few people knew about it despite the Facebook efforts. However, I have no doubt, as the semesters progress, this will become a widely attended event.
It is honestly difficult to review the show because it’s such a unique situation for people to perform under, and it doesn’t seem to allow for much editing, which is arguably the most important part of the creative process. The concept of the show was supposed to be a day in the life of a person, starting in the morning, and ending at night. Honestly, that concept did not really come across. The whole show was made up of several, individual scenes about extremely varied topics. There was a scene with young love at the beginning and a scene revolving around a funeral towards the end but most of the scenes in between didn’t seem to have a strictly chronological order or revolve around time, like the theme suggested they would. The scenes also varied from great hits to scenes which could have benefited from much more editing. However, the show still had many great moments.
One of my favorite scenes was a monologue about a “Magic Girl”. I enjoyed the writing, which was very memorable, and the staging, which was active enough to hold the audience’s attention, while still complimenting the text, and music, instead of distracting from them. The scene following was also enjoyable, and extremely relatable for anyone who has grown up in a religious family, but is atheist. This monologue described how a person, forced to attend Sabbath every weekend with their family, struggles with a lack of ability to spiritually relate to the ceremony in a life “measured in Sabbaths”. The most entertaining scene was a monologue spoken by a girl about her desire for emotional and physical contact. What made this scene so unique was her “duet” with the violinist, who would respond musically to her advances, and eventually broke up with her. The two dancers in the cast also had a modern dance segment, which was very beautiful.
Honestly, what I recommend even more than seeing Blur the Lines next semester is PARTICIPATING in it. Everyone involved had the absolute time of their life and learned so much about themselves, and the creation process, no matter their major. It was also a great way for students to bridge the gap in SMTD, which is a school very separated by majors. But, what will lead to an even better experience is that the organization is planning on expanding it’s reach to the whole school, not just SMTD. I urge you to like SMTD CSA on Facebook and keep in touch about when the next Blur the Lines will be. This is an event which can only be made better by a bigger variety of student involvement, so I really hope you keep this on your radar and at least attend the next performance to see if you would like to get involved in it!
As of last night, I truly understand why EDM is meant to be experienced live rather than heard blasting from my earphones on a run through campus, studying, or any other non-live avenue. Krewella’s Detroit stop on the Get Wet tour at the Royal Oak Music Theatre far exceeded my concert expectations for their music after listening to their new debut album “Get Wet” on repeat for the past few weeks.
Although their Sunday all ages show was not a sell out, the energy in the venue remained high in part to the two opening acts, Candyland and Seven Lions. Although not familiar with their music before, I was pretty happy with what they had to offer. Both DJs combined their beats and drops with intense strobe lighting techniques that added to an already trippy atmosphere. I don’t mean trippy in the drugged out sense, but in a way that leaves you feeling like you’re outside of your body and element by moving in the same environment and to the same base-y music as so many other people around you. That spirit is really at the heart of why ravers and ragers keep coming back and seeing their favorite artists pump up a crowd and getting them to let loose. Although some concert goers may also be on other substances to enhance their experience, you don’t need to be on something to have fun here.
Krewella’s ability to mix pop vocals with an electronic sound was reinforced for me at this concert. Attendees shouted along to the fun lyrics while getting rowdy as the base built to some truly epic drops. The anticipation for these drops was so much greater live than non-live, exaggerated by the atmosphere and everyone waiting to go crazy when the base dropped. Krewella’s lights too, were quite the spectacle and the friend I was with commented on how high blast they were tonight. My favorite songs they performed were “Killin’ It,” “Live for the Night” and “Alive” because of how intense they got into their performance, making people want to dance and go harder. The Krew ended their set with “Enjoy the Ride” only to come back by audience demand for an encore, “Come and Get It.” But that wasn’t the end of the show either. Jahan brought up a guy named Andrew from the front row, announcing that this was his seventh show he’s been to on their tour. For his birthday coming up soon, we all sang “Happy Birthday,” after which point he got caked in the face, a staple at many raves. Krewella’s dedication to their fans knows no bounds, and with their fan base growing I hope they’ll be able to come back to Detroit soon in a larger venue.
Even though their set only lasted an hour and fifteen minutes, I could not have asked for a better time. While many students Sunday night were getting their studying on at Club Ugli, I “got wet” with the Krew.
With an almost full lower level at the Power Center for the Performing Arts, student performance groups across Michigan pulled together October 18 for G-Fest, a 2-hour extravaganza of singing, dancing, comedy, slam poetry, percussion and glow-stick dancing. Each act brought something fresh and new to the 5th Annual G-Fest. Alumni G-Men from the inaugural show had the honors of opening this one. Not only were the acts solidly executed, but the ever quirky, comical G-Men introducing them kept the show’s momentum running strong throughout the entire program. Personal favorite included when two G-Men made dubstep with their mouths, including dubbing the beats to Snoop Dogg’s “Drop it Likes it Hot” and Ginuwine’s “Pony.” I think this was when the crowd cheered the loudest the whole time, although each group received a respectable amount of loud, rambunctious applause, and for good reason.
I found myself feeling like I was an extra cast member in Pitch Perfect when the G-Men and Harmonettes sang in harmony and pitch together. The G-Men pulled off a catchy Spanish number to open the show, followed by a mash-up of Maroon 5’s “Harder to Breathe” and Adele’s “Skyfall.” Pure ear candy. In the second part of the show, the self-proclaimed always classy, sometimes sassy Harmonettes brought their girl power with Little Mix’s “Wings,” my favorite number from their set. To quote the movie, both groups were “aca-awesome.”
Asante, the only solo act on the bill, sang two original compositions at the piano. He described the process of creating his own music by visualizing different keys as different colors and putting it all together. His two pieces complemented each other perfectly well, and had the venue feeling like a small intimate jazz club. As a senior in the School of Music, Theatre and Dance, he was one of my favorite acts for his ability to silence and mesmerize the crowd with his smooth voices and even smoother piano playing. He’s got showmanship down, looking and sounding mighty classy. I loved every minute of it.
The first dance group, Michigan Raas Team, performed to traditional Indian music wearing traditional Indian costumes. Their fluid movements had me wanting to get up and dance too, if I knew how to dance like that. G-Fest ended with Photonix, a group that dances with glow sticks to create visual art with trippy trance music in the background. It takes a whole lot of talent to wave glow sticks up and down to create something magical, and Photonix’s did just that in this out-of-this-world finale.
Before intermission, Groove beat their trashcans and quad drums made of plastic bins to perform several numbers of carefully crafted percussion numbers. The intensity and speed at which these performers can go is remarkable, and I can only imagine how much time and practice they endure to get it just right. These guys nailed it, and the best part is all their instruments are random, common items one wouldn’t expect to find in a formal show. Groove’s ingenuity, coupled with their urban allure, made for a stylistic success to round out the first half.
Not only did talent lie in the musicality of performances, but in comics and poets, too. The first half featured six ComCo. members, campus’s oldest improv comedy group, playing various games with audience participation. They pulled off one of comedy’s greatest exercises, telling a story with someone else’s hands behind them guiding the action. Another game had the game master control the flow of dialogue, interrupting a “mother/daughter” pair whenever he didn’t like what they were saying and making them redo the line in a different way. The best part about the players was the sheer improvisation–these guys can think fast on their feet and that makes it all the more enjoyable and entertaining. One of the highlights of the night for me was being able to laugh at the absurdity of the situations the players acted out.
Four members of the Slam Poetry Club read their poems on stage, giving the audience chills with their themes of growing up, being there for someone in tough times and a poem chronicling Adam and Eve’s experience in couple’s therapy. Each poet slammed really well, slowing and quickening their voices at the appropriate times and really speaking from the heart. It takes a lot of guts to speak like that in front of such a large audience, and these kids nailed it.
I couldn’t have asked for a better Friday night listening to and seeing all the great talent this campus has to offer. Each group shined, and it made me even prouder to be a Michigan Wolverine. Even though G-Fest was just a sampling of the many performance groups on campus, it accomplished its goal of entertaining attendees. Bravo, everyone, for your amazing performances.
This Tuesday I listened to Flatbush Zombies perform at The Blind Pig. I believe attending a concert at The Blind Pig is a bucket-list item for students here—gotta once before you graduate or you’re missing out. It’s not the biggest or most glamorous venue. Neither of those words should ever be used to describe The Pig—sweaty and crowded are more appropriate adjectives. Nevertheless, this venue is a great spot to see talented groups on the cusp of stardom for reasonable prices (tickets usually $15 before fees).
Flatbush Zombies are a Brooklyn based group formed in 2010, consisting of MC’s Meechy Darko, Zombie Juice, and Erick Arc Elliott. New to the rap scene, Flatbush Zombies follow in the tradition of legendary New York rap group Wu-Tang Clan— minimalistic yet expressive production style, dissonant harmonies, and each MC embodies a unique persona on every track. Listeners can also appreciate the many references to hip-hop culture: frequent references to famous MC’s, particularly 2pac and Wu-Tang Clan, as well as plays on iconic lines from classic songs.
Flatbush Zombies, like many other hip-hop groups, fixate on drug use in their lyrics. It would be a mistake, however, to consider this group another run-of-the-mill group drawing on controversial subjects to gain popularity. Their lyrical content is distinctly existential, openly questioning the value of conventional morality and religion, opting instead for a morality derived from real life experience. Unlike mainstream hip-hop artists who advocate decadent, illicit drug use according to a purely hedonistic worldview, Flatbush Zombies depict drug use as an inevitable consequence of socioeconomic exclusion. Rather than glamorize drug use, they problematize the activity, prompting listeners to consider why drug use is prevalent, and how the activity is a conscious act of self-destructive escapism.
So how are the Flatbush Zombies live? They kill it. The venue was perfect for their musical style—informal setting mixed with ear-splitting acoustics complemented the minimalistic production style and the raw energy of the group. In my experience, hip-hop concerts rarely recreate the sound quality of studio recordings live, but this loss of sound quality is more than made up for when a performer brings enthusiasm and panache to the stage. Panache, pizzazz, x-factor, swag, whatever you want to call it—The Flatbush Zombies came packing heat, they lit up the stage with energy, adding a personal depth to their music which cannot be captured in the studio.
Fans of Wu-Tang Clan, Joey Bada$$, and Odd Future should definitely check out Flatbush Zombies—I think this group has a lot of potential to produce quality hip-hop music over the coming years. Fan or rap or not, definitely check out The Blind Pig, a venue that is integral to the Ann Arbor experience. The Blind Pig setting is ideal for discovering new music on an intimate level.
Listen to some Flatbush Zombies for free here (I recommend No Religion and Thug Waffle): https://soundcloud.com/flatbushzombies
Watch the Music Video that helped them gain popularity–you may notice inspiration from some of Tyler the Creator’s music videos
The School of Music, Theatre & Dance, brings Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler’s classic musical A Little Night Music to life in a new production. A Little Night Music presents the story of long lost lovers Desiree Armfelt and Fredrik Egerman, who, after 14 years, 2 children, and 1 new marriage find themselves together again. Of course life, and love, is never simple and this play seeks to discover what happens when the past and present collide during a summer weekend in the country.
Although slow to start, A Little Night Music found its stride during the very end of the first act and presented an interesting reflection on the nature of love and what can happen when love is lost but not forgotten. The strength of the production was the portrayal of the two leads, Desiree (Eleanor Todd) and Fredrik (Conor McGiffin), and the humorous supporting couple Count Carl-Magnus (Elias Wygodny) and his wife Charlotte (Jordana Grolnick). Todd and McGiffin had great on-stage chemistry and the ease with which they bantered and laughed with each other made all of their scenes together extremely enjoyable. Although they represented a different kind of love, the characters of Carl-Magnus and Charlotte were similarly fun to watch. Wygodny’s portrayal of jealous lover and mostly proper soldier Carl-Magnus was intriguing and humorous, and Grolnick’s deadpanned depressive one-liners provided a hilarity that often stole the scene. Together Wygodny and Grolnick presented a wonderfully amusing couple who shone in every scene they were a part of.
While the music was mostly enjoyable and the bits of witty dialogue were definitely appreciated, the overall production was not completely compelling and oftentimes I found myself wishing we were at the closing number. The plot itself was rather predictable and there were moments full of exposition and almost no action, which made it hard to be fully invested in what was happening onstage. Although not all of the cast’s individual performances were as strong as the leads, they did perform well as an ensemble, which made up for some of the awkward and duller moments.
Overall A Little Night Music was an interesting production. Although somewhat predictable, it did have humorous moments and some well sung songs, including the most recognizable “Send in the Clowns.” I’m glad to have seen it once, and am looking forward to see what the School of Music, Theatre, & Dance does next.
