Category: Music

PREVIEW: Ben Rolston CD Release

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Ben Rolston CD Release Concert

Little is more exciting for a musician than the long awaited launch of his very first CD. This Friday, April 20th, U of M Music School grad Ben Rolston will be celebrating this very event. “Fables” is a debut creation by the bass player/song writer. All the compositions are original works, written and recorded over the past year.And if you’ve never been to the Kerrytown Concert House, where the show will take place, that alone is worth the ticket. One of the coziest venues in town, the Kerrytown Concert House is the perfect spot to sit back and hear some Friday night  jazz. The walls feature rotating works of art by various artists from the area. Currently on display are Cathy Barry’s esoteric, abstract oil paintings, a sight to behold.

A great deal of work has been leading up to this special evening performance. “The songs are from a  variety of periods,” said Ben. “Some were written specifically for the CD (For Continuing Curiosity and Wonder, Branches and Bark for example) and some were written earlier and adapted or reworked to be played on the album. The Cd has been a goal of mine since last spring.” And a year later, the work is complete.

The show will feature a slew of well known faces in the U of M music world. Student musicians include Ingrid Racine on trumpet, Marcus Elliot on saxophone, Alex Levine on guitar, Ian Finkelstein on piano, and Julian Allen on drums. Profs who will be joining are Andrew Bishop of the Jazz Department and Steve Rush of The School of Music. Not only is the performance an act of student collaboration but the album design as well. Recent School of Art and Design grad Katharine Drake’s large scale clay sculptures are elements of the album art (see the image below to get a visual). Many aspects of this creation can be attributed to energetic collaboration between campus artists on the rise.

I got an “exclusive” first listen to the entire CD last week. All ten tracks. Some are short, instrumental pieces while others are as long as ten minutes. Most have a jazzy flavor, but some, like (mineral) have a more experimental sound to them (thats my favorite track). One thing I really enjoy about this album is that in every song, the bass has a very commanding presence. They always say you don’t know the bass is there unless it isn’t, but in this case, the deep string sounds take center stage in a refreshing way. Another prop about the album is that it flows comfortable between foreground and background sound. I listened to the whole thing while doing my homework and was able to balance the harmonies with my concentration. But also, I paused at moments to listen only to the rhythms and let it be my entire focus. A great listening experience, this release is bound to be everything the recordings are and more.

To get a listen yourself, check out Ben’s Bandcamp. The site is in development so only one song is currently available (more to come). Click to listen to the track Leafy. The CD will be available at local record stores, itunes, bandcamp, amazon, cdbady, and more, but only after the release. The concert is the first place the CD will be available.

Below is a picture of Ben on bass, Marcus Elliot and Julian Allen playing a gig at Bakers in Detroit.

Ben Rolston in the studio recording “Fables”

Some info about the concert:

Friday, April 20th 2012

8 pm

Kerrytown Concert House

415 N. 4th Street, across from the Farmer’s Market

REVIEW: Atlas Sound feat. Fthrsn

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Atlas Sound and Fthrsn

On Tuesday, April 10th, The Center for Campus Involvement presented Atlas Sound in The League Ballroom. The name is an alias for Bradford Cox, who you may recognize as a music maker in  the local band Deerhunter. The ambient punkrock performance drew a decently sized crowd, especially for a Tuesday  night. Synthesizers and electric mixing brought a whole new meaning to guy-and-his guitar. In Deerhunter, Cox plays guitar, but does not always take center stage—the reason he has branched out to command his own act. Apparently, the singer songwriter works in stream of consciousness. Not sure if that means improv on the spot, but apparently he doesn’t write his lyrics beforehand. Pretty bold! Each song he played was incredibly lengthy, loud, and and mesmerizing- almost hard to tell one track from another. At one point, I laid down on the carpet in the back and closed my eyes to listen. Despite the volume, it could have lulled me to sleep. A rage nap, if you will.

I wonder if the majority of the crowd was there for the headliner or the opener, Fthrsn. (I was definitely there for the latter). As an award for winning this semester’s East Quad Music Coop’s Battle of the Bands, Fthrsn got the opening gig for this performance. Performing Arts Technology student, Macklin Underdown’s homemade musical alias, Fthrsn, is on the rise. Under the genre of Ann Arbor Bedroom Glitch Pop, Fthrsn is a spacey, technologically altered mixture of voice and computerized sounds affect. I’m going to go ahead and boldly say that of all of the current college groups making waves, this one is my favorite. I listen to his Soundcloud regularly while doing my homework and felt embarrassingly like a groupie when I knew all the words to the songs he played. But not too embarrassed to happily sing along. Normally the one man band acts alone, but for this particular performance, he called on the help of fellow music school students Evan Layborne on the drums, Peter Felsman on the keyboard, and on guitar, Jeremy Malvin of Ann Arbor’s pride Chrome Sparks. The set was paired with visuals of psychedelic nature, flowers, birds, and, of all things, hoolah dancers- an instructional video for the audience? Who knows, but I danced along.

Maybe it was because the concert was school sponsored or maybe because it was held on school grounds, but something about the evening felt incredibly prom like. The dark and open space of the ballroom was crowded in the middle with floaters milling about on the outskirts of the room, hesitant to join in at first though certainly wanting to. Also, I was there with a date and for all I know, I might as well have been wearing a corsage and slow dancing. But the evening was certainly enjoyable and, if nothing else, it was exciting to see Fthrsn play live when it usually only plays loudly in my headphones in the library.

Check out Fthrsn on Soundcloud and on Bandcamp. And get a listen to Bradford Cox as Atlas Sound and Deerhunter. And lastly, Ann Arbor’s DJ Peter Wiley as SUBVADER played beats at the very beginning of the show while the crowd filed in. All local, all awesome. All great music for summertime (Happy last day of classes!)

Below, pictures of Fthrsn and Atlas Sound respectively

PREVIEW: The MORE Senior Thesis Show

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The MORE Show

Tis the season of senior art shows and, really, what could be better? All month long, you will be perusing free exhibitions of preprofessional work. It will be displayed all across campus: The Work Galleries, The Jean Paul Slusser Gallery, The Ann Abor Art Center, The Warren Robins Gallery, and more.

Two life long friends and freakishly talented art students, Ellen Rutt and Megan O’neil, are putting together thesis’s of their four years of work  in the School of Art and Design.  The title of the show, The MORE Show, is an acronym of their initials (see Ellen’s graphic design on the poster below for a better idea of how that works). Unlike most other senior thesis shows, this one will be held off campus. The two found a vacant warehouse on South Industrial Highway (by RoosRoast coffee) across the street from the ReUse center, and refurbished it for their purposes. After much trash sorting, wall scrubbing, sweeping, painting and repainting, the space is now gallery ready. Not only are the canvases a part of their exhibit, but the very space itself.

It is fitting that this particular show would take place across from the ReUse center because the theme is closely tied to environmental justice and sustainable creativity. “MORE art, less waste.” As many aspects of the exhibition as possible have been locally sourced and reused or recycled. For example, the opening reception will feature locally farm-grown snacks and appetizers served on reusable plates and utensils. Even the musicians who will be playing live music  are Ann Arbor locals.

Not only that, the entire assembly has been a result of inter-talented trade; the cost of the production has been internalized through artistic cooperation. By that, I mean Ellen and Megan are paying their collaborators with art, not cash. As a graphic designer, Ellen has the ability to do all sorts of snazzy things for business people who need to look good on paper. In exchange for writing this article, she jazzed up my resumé using InDesign; she did the same for the photographer who will document the reception, and the musicians, who are coming out with a new CD soon (Fables by Ben Rolston), are receiving much advice on the color palette for the album art.

Ellen’s work is based in graphic design while Megan’s is in large scale oil and acrylic paint. She mostly paints figures but has an array of other pieces as well (I even did some nude modeling for her to help her prepare for the show and she traded me with a print. At first I was nervous, but Megan is so passionate about and deft with crafting the human form that her translation of my body into painting was an enlivening and surprisingly comfortable experience). You may recognize Megan’s work from a mural she was commissioned to paint about the  Ann Arbor Farmer’s Market. As for Ellen, you may recognize her work from the pamphlets for the “Arts at Michigan” program or from The Vintage Twin, the revamped clothing store that used to be on South University (but now operates online). These ladies are preprofessional artists in the works. Be sure to ask for an autograph when you see them at their show; they won’t forget you when they’re famous.

Details on the Don’t Miss Show:

Opening Reception:

Saturday, April 14th 8pm,

1080 Rosewood, Ann Arbor 48104

Live music and refreshments

Click Here for directions

Additional gallery hours:

Monday April 16th- Friday April 20th

11am-5pm

AND! Furthermore, there will be  taxi shuttling students between The MORE Show and other off campus senior thesis opening receptions happening same night: a free ride departs every 15 minutes from 8-11 pm at the Cube behind The Union, The Ann Arbor Art Center on Liberty and Main Street, and on Rosewood where The MORE Show will be held.

Finally, to get more info straight from the artists themselves, check out the website: www.erutt.com

Attend the event on Facebook!

And be sure to pop into other exhibits this month. Info at the Arts at Michigan Website here.

Below are images of Ellen and Megan hard at work in the warehouse

Samples of Ellen and Megan’s artwork respectively

PREVIEW: F.O.K.U.S Vanguards

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F.O.K.U.S Vanguards

If you are strolling through the Diag this Saturday, April 14th, you will see something like a circus taking place. A velcro wall, a bicycling, skateboarding, and bedazzling stations, throwback food, live music, live artwork, and, of course, lots of dancing. The student group F.O.K.U.S (Fight Obstacles Knowing Ultimate Success) is holding its 8th Annual Vanguards Event. Music by Maimounna Yousef and other fabulous performers will be sounding from the Diag from noon to 5pm, so be sure to walk by and add a little flavor to your Saturday. I attended last year and had a celebratory time being creative and collaborating with other students who were excited about creativity and social justice through the arts.

F.O.K.U.S. strives to create and foster a diverse community by using the arts as a common medium.
We encourages artists, art enthusiasts, and other communities to work together and expand their comfort zones
through arts-related events and dialogues; we provide inspiration for artists to follow their dreams,
for perspective artists to attempt an art and for audiences to enjoy it all through our productions. F.O.K.U.S. events
attract artists and audiences from all walks of life as we see this inclusive nature as the only way to truly grow and
develop as a community. Since 2003, F.O.K.U.S. has been creating exciting spaces for people to explore themselves
and widen their appreciation for the arts.

art is…what unites us.

For more information, check out their website and Facebook event. See you there!

Photos from last year’s Vanguards




REVIEW: The Steel Wheels

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The Steel Wheels at The Ark

On Thursday night, I did two things that every dignified, rising adult Ann Arbor-ite should do: have a tasteful glass of wine with an Italian dinner at a restaurant on Main Street and see a show at The Ark. The glass of wine being because I recently turned 21 and a friend’s uncle was in town and treated us to a fancy meal, hadn’t had a drink at a swanky restaurant yet. The show at The Ark because, its my third year at U of M and I’ve never set foot in the famous concert house. Following dessert, we crossed the street and entered into an evening of blues and bluegrass that was absolute entertainment. As part of their album release tour. The Steel Wheels were in Ann Arbor, all the way from Appalachia, bringing sounds and songs of the mountains. Think “O Brother Where Art Thou?” with a modern twist;  a younger Old Crow Medicine Show, though no less soulful.

The Steel Wheels have produced six albums in their seven year run together. Band members include Trent Wagler, Jay Lapp, Brian Dickel, and Eric Brubaker.  Of the four, the only locally sourced musician was Jay Lapp, who, half way through the show gave an adorable shout out to his wife and baby daughter who were in the audience. Their instruments ranged from bass, guitar, banjo, fiddle, mandolin, a stomping stick, and a stomping block. But best of all, in my opinion, were the a Capella renditions. One of the charming things about the performance was that all four musicians shared one centrally-hung microphone, so when they sang in unison they had to lean together and be close. Their harmonies were pitch perfect! The band mates shared a heart felt energy for one another that was evident throughout the entire show. And hose musicians were workin’! Sweating profusely through their neatly buttoned up oxfords, suspenders, and cowboy boots they entertained the entire crowd of folks for ours on end.

To get a taste of what I experienced- minus the wine and fancy Italian dinner- check out The Steel Wheels! Either listen to a taste of their newest album, Lay Down Lay Low, on their Soundcloud. My favorite songs are Endure, Rain in the Valley, and the one that shares the name of album title. Fun facts about the song  Halfway to Heaven and Nola’s First Dance: they named after The Steel Wheel’s specialty coffee blend and Jay Lapp’s daughter respectively. How precious.

Do all that and enjoy, or, just cut to the chase and watch their most famous song, Red Wing.

The main act was prefaced by an equally talented group called Honey Honey. Another band absolutely worth clicking on. Another bluesy-bluegrass group, Honey Honey made a great appetizer for the harmonies that were to follow. Suzanne Santo and Ben Jaffe, who appear to be a duo in more than just a musical way, performed perfectly, accompanied by a bassist and drummer in their traveling band. Funny thing about their gig, the lady singer sprained her ankle and had to sit throughout the very danceable performance. Somehow though, she still looked stunning and absolutely captured the audiences hearts, mine included. Last year I saw Alice Glass of Crystal Castles rock out with a crutch on stage and it was awesome. Turns out the crutch is the most underestimated prop.

Check out Ohio, my favorite from their repertoire of the evening.

PREVIEW: Things Both Hushed and Grand

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Performance Ark presents

Things Both Hushed and Grand


Performance Ark is a U of M “student-led hub for developing artists looking to collaborate.” As part of a two day event, the group is producing its first ever evening length performance, titled Things Both Hushed and Grand. According to the artists, “this performance applies ‘dance party colloquialisms and tailored contemporary technique to a lo-fi bedroom pop sound to investigate the courage it takes to be “an absolute nobody.”

The piece is choreographed by U of M Department of Dance students Tehillah Frederick, Julia Smith-Eppsteiner and Katy Telfer. Dancers include Tehillah Frederick, Edith Freyer, Allie Harris, Natalie Niergarth, Maddy Rager, Molly Ross, Julia Smith-Eppsteiner, Katy Telfer & Cara Zonca, also students in the department. The show is paired with music by funky, up-and-coming local band Fthrsn (click here and here to get a sonic taste test).

I asked Julia Smith-Eppsteiner a few questions about her collaborative work and she gave me a hearty glimpse into her process:

Is this related to school at all? Yes and no. We have established ourselves as a student organization at the University, all the dancers we’re using are in the dance department of SMT&D, as is the musician, and we are partially funded by Arts at Michigan mini-grant. But in a lot of ways it is independent from the school … Firstly, we met Macklin Underdown (fthrsn) at a music concert/dance party at Arbor Vitae. Secondly, we also are funded by independent donors via Kickstarter. And most importantly, we’re doing this production on our own time. This isn’t our BFA Senior Thesis, we’re not getting any credit for it and aside from the assistance and encouragement from faculty members we approached, this project is independent of our departments.

How did you get the idea to make this performance happen? The three of us (Tehillah, Katy and I) have been interested in each other as collaborators/choreographers/movers for a long time and sort of joked about making a show together at the end of our freshman year (we’re all juniors currently). Tehillah brought it up to us again at the end of this past summer and until we saw Mackie perform at a party in October we didn’t get concretely going on anything. Once he was on board and making songs, we were pushed to make it actually happen and create deadlines for ourselves to generate movement phrases and keep us moving forward (deadlines such as Collage Concert and a Telluride Lecture Series we did titled Defining Movement). We’ve been seriously working on Things Both Hushed & Grand since November, us four responsible for everything on both the creative and business sides of the production.

Who did the posters? Jessica Ford, a BFA student in the Art and Design School, with a focus in painting. She’s been a dream.

All performances are free of charge and open to the public. For more information on the show, check out the Performance Ark Facebook page. One of the exciting and novel things about this particular performance is that it will shift venues with each of the three iterations:

Friday, March 23rd

Studio 1 black box theatre in Walgreen Drama Center on North Campus

Doors are at 4:30pm, performance at 5 pm.


Friday, March 23rd

Ann Arbor Art Center, 117 W. Liberty St

Exhibition Gallery

Doors at 8pm, performance at 8:30


Saturday, March 24th

Campus Chapel, 1236 Washtenaw Ct.

Doors at 1:30pm, performance at 2pm