Preview: Who wouldn’t want to walk the Pink Carpet at a Celebrity Gala?

Spectrum Anniversary Doing it for 40 years!
Spectrum Anniversary "Doing it for 40 years!"

Have you heard? The University of Michigan Spectrum Center is celebrating its 40th anniversary of being here on campus and we have all

been invited to the multitude of events they are putting on, and have put on, all year long. This coming weekend is the biggest weekend of the year, full of events, shows, parties, alumni, food, football, and anything else you can think of to do here on campus. For those who don’t know, the Spectrum Center is the first ever office to deal with LGBT affairs on a college campus. It is now the oldest one and has inspired countless others in universities all over the United States. Founded by Jim Toy in 1971, the office helps students from all parts of campus to become active in the LGBTQA community, to become more comfortable with themselves, and educates the campus community about what it means to be LGBTQ or an ally.

That being said, let’s talk about this weekend! So many things are happening that I had to choose, so of course I went with the Gala full of Broadway celebs and David Burtka, American Actor and Chef, engaged to Neil Patrick Harris. The show includes performances from musical theater stars and also a tribute written specially for the Spectrum Center’s anniversary by Laura Anne Karpman, a UofM School of Music Graduate.

Cutest Dads EVER!
Cutest Dads EVER!

Feel encouraged to check out the Spectrum Center’s website for more info about other events happening this weekend and to explore a little bit more of their history and function.

The Pink Carpet Gala Event takes place at 8pm in Rackham Auditorium. Tickets are free, so I highly recommend coming to this event. How often do you get to see something so fabulous?

Sending you love and light (all that’s needed to make a rainbow),

Danny Fob

REVIEW: Just Like Mardi Gras

Treme is an area in New Orleans where the New Orleans brass band scene came to life and Rebirth brass band is a great representation of the spirit of Treme.

“A Night in Treme,” which was on November 11, 2011 at Hill Auditorium, was an energetic show that literally got the crowd on their feet. Rebirth brass band combines traditional brass band music with funk, hip-hop and jazz to create a sound that is unique and completely their own.

Near the end of the show, the band welcomed the audience to get up on stage to dance with them. It was so incredible that spectators were able to go on stage at Hill Auditorium and jam with a famous band. The Rebirth brass band was featured on the soundtrack of the HBO series “Treme.”

There were also many featured artists during the show including Donald Harrison, Jr. who played saxophone, Christian Scott (a trumpet player),  a trombone player named Glen David Andrews, and a clarinetist, Dr. Michael White. The featured artists were really talented and their solos were mind-blowing. A few of the soloists even sang vocals, too. The band played classics like “When the Saints Go Marching In” as well as some original pieces. The audience was so enthusiastic and many people were dancing and clapping along. The band really encouraged everyone to cut loose and let go of all the troubles they had encountered during the week.  Overall, it was a relaxing and carefree concert and it was a great stress reliever. The Rebirth brass band provided amazing entertainment and their talent was infinite. The show really made me want to visit New Orleans because I really got a feel of the area just from seeing Rebirth perform. Next time you want to let go of your worries, listen to some Rebirth brass band.

REVIEW: GAH-muh-lan

There’s nothing better than relieving all your anger and frustration on a gong. The resounding noise fills the room as you wail on that thing with all you’ve got. It’s incredibly satisfying. If you are like me and lack the proper funds for Javanese instruments, you probably don’t have one lying around. That’s why it’s good to stay informed about music events, especially Gamelan ones.

I walked in on the music co-op’s (MCEQ) event tonight with guest-speaker, Susan Walton, an RC professor who teaches about Indonesian music and dance. It was a little awkward at first, seeing as I’m not actually a member of MCEQ; however, with my camera and notepad, I felt somewhat dignified for being there. The tiny stage was littered with various red and gold painted instruments while Walton began with a brief introduction. She explained that Gamelan refers to an ensemble of Indonesian instruments. The Gamelan we were playing tonight was from central Java, an island off of Indonesia (hence, Javanese). She warned us that the instruments within the Gamelan are believed to be alive and, therefore, cannot be stepped over in fear of getting bitten (which is true because, as she related, she stepped over one before and got so badly bitten, she ended up in the ER).

Once the instruments were in organized disarray, she gestured for us to take our places on pillows, bare-footed, in allotted positions. She gave us simplistic melodies to mimic, numbering the notes accordingly. We repeated on our instruments, and actually managed to stay synchronized enough to create a decent sound. It reminded me of that music you hear that sounds, well, “asian,” but you can’t quite put your finger on where or why it sounds like that (or what that even means). It was incredibly awesome. Once we got good at our little tune, Walton came in on the drum, improvising with rhythmic syncopations. Just when I feared my arms were going to fall off from holding up the gong, she signaled the final refrain by changing up the rhythm on the drum. Dramatic pause, then I finished the song as instructed with a final gooooonnggg (she unfortunately failed to inform me in advance that it was supposed to be “much quieter.” My arm is still sore from how hard I hit that thing…).

It was truly a spectacular event hosted by music co-op and led by us, under the instruction of Susan Walton. I’m so glad I came and I’m excited to hear what other great events music co-op has in store. And, who knows, maybe I’ll even sign up for Walton’s one credit Javanese music class next semester!

Preview: Falstaff

Falstaff, opera by Giuseppe Verdi, will be opening at the University of Michigan on Thursday, November 10th, 2011 at 7:30pm in the Power Center for the Performing Arts. Verdi’s last opera, written in his 9th decade of life, explores what can happen when an over-the-hill bon vivant solicits two married ladies. The show will be sung in Italian with English projections and will be under the direction of Joshua Major. Student tickets for the show are $10 and can be purchased in the League Ticket Office.

Preview: Band-o-Rama

The Michigan Band Program has, for years, come together on Halloween Weekend to present what is always a great celebration of band music and Michigan tradition. On Friday, October 28th, 2011, at 8:00pm, the Michigan Band Program will present it’s Band-O-Rama concert. This year’s theme: Tributes. Join Director of Bands Michael Haithcock and the Michigan Concert, Marching, and Symphony Bands as they celebrate the 1961 Symphony Band on the 50th anniversary of their Russian Tour. Added to the celebration is the 100th anniversary of every Wolverine’s favorite college march: The Victors. Student tickets are $5. Come out to Hill Auditorium to enjoy what will surely be a night to remember.

PREVIEW: Gamelan Workshop

On November 1st at 8pm in the half-way inn (located in the basement of east quad), the Residential College music forum will be hosting a Gamelan workshop, taught by Susan Walton, an RC faculty member, to teach about the Gamelan tradition and demonstrate the instruments involved in Gamelan performances. Gamelan itself is an Indonesian ensemble of instruments, typically consisting of metallophones, xylophones, drums, gongs, and much more. Fiona Clowney, leader of the music forum, says, “[Walton] will bring instruments for us to play and teach us a short piece of music, as well as giving an intro to the music.” It sounds like an incredible opportunity to learn about an extraordinary and beautiful style of music. There is limited space available, so do RSVP for the event by emailing Fiona.clowney@gmail.com right away! Hope to see you there!

P.S. You can hear some U of M students playing gamelan at this youtube link to get a feeling of what the music is like: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxlKpWz_brk