Category: Music

Preview: Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán

krithika

I can’t remember any another event for which I have been as excited as for this one-  Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán’s performance at the Hill tomorrow! I have really waited for this show for a long time now (well, since I came to know that they were coming!).

Anyway, I am learning Spanish presently and so am getting exposed to a whole lot of new stuff- culture, music, dance and of course the language! So as part of the class, we learnt a little about the music in Hispanic countries and we learnt about ranchera and of course, mariachis of Mexico. I spent some time listening to mariachi music  on youtube and guess who  is considered to be among the best and the finest of the mariachi bands – the granddad of all mariachis, Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán.

This group is really old (it was started in 1897) and has been passed down five generations! For once, ‘old is gold ‘ is an expression perfectly suitable for this kind of music.  This is the kind of music that will make you want to dance with no inhibitions. The band sings the traditional Mexican folk  (like boleros, rancheras, sones) and have incorporated a lot of modern music as well without sacrificing the charm of the original music. It will be a fun evening and I really hope that you get to be part of this fun!

So people, I will see you tomorrow (Friday, Nov 5) at the Hill Auditorium @ 8 pm, verdad? Tickets at Michigan League Ticket Office.

Hasta pronto!

Review: Bob Dylan – A True American Icon

Danny Fob

In a time when it becomes hard to look at your own culture and find pride because all you see is fast food and bad TV, an American legend can still restore your hope. Bob Dylan, icon of the counterculture movement of the 1960’s, performed tonight at Hill Auditorium. Though I come from a different generation (and I assume the same is true for you), I can still respect the effect he had on our nation’s youth. I could actually see it tonight in the packed, sold out auditorium, with the majority of the guests being from the Flower Power generation. Even after all of these years, they still come out to see a man who’s touring hasn’t ended since the 80’s. That is an impression.

“Who is Bob Dylan?” is a question I’ve heard a few times recently, which is really just sad (though of course I didn’t know any songs that he sang until recently soooooo…). And the really sad thing is that even if the people asking this question had gone tonight, they would still not understand. You see, because Bob’s voice has been going bad for a while now; after years of smoking and drinking it happens. Going to this concert without any background of his influence, one might wonder why the tickets cost so much. But really, it’s Bob Dylan. There is no price on one of the major musical influences in American history.

I thoroughly enjoyed myself. Many of the songs I recognized and learned that Bob is the person that sings them, such as Highway 65. The crowd was great; so much screaming and love going out there that the atmosphere was perfect for Dylan’s appearance on stage. He sang a full concert and switched between keyboard, guitar, and harmonica. He’s still so talented with each of the instruments, and the band was awesome. Great stage presence and excellent, excellent playing.

This experience is definitely something that I will never regret. I feel like by seeing him, I have actually been part of history. It’s a difficult feeling to explain and not sound crazy. It’s just that we learn about this artist in history classes, see his image reproduced, and hear his name thrown around casually. And I got to see him. He is still around, and still performing, and I got the chance to see him. So basically, it was amazing.

I don’t even know what else to say…I mean it’s BOB DYLAN! I think that pretty much sums up anything I could possibly say.

As always,
This is Danny Fob: Artist and Art Reviewer

REVIEW: Venice Baroque Orchestra

hannahrye 2 Comments

I’ll be the first to admit I’m not the kind of person who can listen to recordings of classical music and muster up any kind of emotion whatsoever. If I try to use it to improve my concentration while I’m working on something, it only serves to distract me further. That being said, I absolutely love listening to orchestras play live. There is strength and passion in a live performance that never properly transfers into the CD or digital format.

The Venice Baroque Orchestra, who played at Hill Auditorium this past Wednesday night, was no letdown. They played both Vivaldi’s masterpiece The Four Seasons and Philip Glass’ interpretation of The Four Seasons, titled The American Four Seasons. I discovered at the end of the show that Philip Glass was actually in attendance to watch his work performed – he seemed overjoyed and perhaps a little overwhelmed by the group’s talent. The orchestra was a much smaller group than I’m used to seeing, consisting only of eighteen members. The lead violin, Robert McDuffie, also doubled as the conductor. There was no shortage of sound, however – the auditorium was full of their music. Most of the musicians stood for the entire performance (about an hour and a half, total). Although it looked exhausting, I liked the effect this had on the show – the lack of chairs gave the performers more freedom of movement on the stage. Their expressiveness, coupled with the movement of the music, built up the illusion that the performers were in constant, graceful dialogue with each other. It was a beautiful thing to watch.

The collection of instruments was interesting, too. There was a lute being played during the Vivaldi piece – I don’t think I’d ever seen one played outside of a Shakespeare production! That plus the harpsichord added a lot of dimension to the work. In Glass’ piece, they removed the harpsichord and lute, and added a keyboard. My initial reaction when I saw that being set up was trepidation, because I tend to associate keyboards with the ubiquitous synthesized pop music on our radios today. I was afraid the modern instrument would somehow cheapen the sound of the orchestra. As soon as they started playing, however, I was proven wrong. As it turned out, the only part of the concert I didn’t like were the songs in between movements of The American Four Seasons; the second one especially was too repetitive and grating. The movements themselves, though, were well done. It was sometimes hard to hear the relationship between Glass’ work and The Four Seasons, but the last two movements really brought that connection to the forefront. Glass’ music was unmistakably modern, but no less beautiful than Vivaldi’s.

Preview: Halloween Concert at the Hill

krithika

It’s halloween. While you are  scratching your heads for finding affordable yet funky costumes ( hopefully and definitely not a ‘Snooki’ or  ‘Lady Gaga’ one- Puhlease!) and choosing which party you want to attend, do not miss this Halloween tradition in Ann Arbor- the Halloween Concert by the University’s Orchestras!

The concert will feature the University Symphony Orchestra and the University Philharmonia Orchestra and will be conducted by grad students in conducting. This  concert is an absolute annual favorite-  a true “of the students, by the students, for all” event! For once, no stuffy suits and mournful all-black attire on stage as the orchestra will be dressed in costumes (so don’t forget yours and of course, please no ‘snooki’ or ‘lady gaga’)!

Photo from 2008 Halloween Concert, courtesy, Ann Arbor News
Photo from 2008 Halloween Concert, courtesy, Ann Arbor News

The graduate students arrange the entire concert- right from selecting the music to selecting the costumes. And they do dress very creatively. Most of the times, the string section dress alike. I am sure it does get spooky for the conductor to be leading an orchestra full of zombies, devilish ghouls and ghosts! But that is the fun part!

The program offers a whole lot of spooky music like  Debussy’s “Fetes from Nocturnes” and Holst’s “Jupiter from The Planets” as well as pieces written for Halloween like Chadwick’s “Hobgoblin” and March of the Little Goblins. For those who are classical music aficionados, the music is definitely worth it and is truly “concert” quality. For those who think orchestral music is not for them, you are mistaken and this is your chance to get to know the ‘cool’ side of classical music.

So see you at your spookiest best then at  Hill Auditorium on Sunday October 31 2010 @ 3 pm.

Tickets ($8) at the League Ticket Office.

Stay Scary!

Preview: BOB DYLAN- Need I say more?

Danny Fob
circa 1966
circa 1966

That’s right folks, Bob Dylan is coming to the University of Michigan, and lucky me, I’m going to see him. He’ll be at Hill Auditorium this Thursday evening at 8:00pm. I am so excited for this concert that it’s not even funny. This is one of the most influential musical artists in history. He’s pretty much the reason people don’s sing like Elvis anymore. Here’s the deal though, I just checked Ticketmaster.com and apparently the tickets are SOLD OUT! That’s how huge Bob Dylan is, Hill is sold out. That’s about 3,500 people!

Current
Current

For next time I guess I would just say get them early, because you don’t want to miss moments like this. Artists like Bob Dylan are not going to last forever, and this tour may be our last chance to see in live.

As always,
This is a very excited Danny Fob: Artist and Art reviewer

REVIEW: Benoit Pioulard, Windy & Carl & Hitoko, Man the Hunter

Pencil Pete 1 Comment

Shows at the Yellow Barn on Huron can be hit or miss, either packed with great energy or awkward with only a handful of patrons.  Thankfully, this one was a total hit right from the beginning with a large diverse crowd of Ann Arborites dressed in their Saturday-night best arriving even before the first act.

The show began with a short unannounced set by Skate Laws, aka Forest Juziuk of Hott Lava, the experimental film outfit that booked tonight’s show.  Perhaps one of the strangest live performances I’ve seen in recent memory, Forest orated and gyrated to a prerecorded soundtrack of vaguely hardcore music, played off an iPod connected to the house PA.  As unexplainable as his music is, it is thoroughly entertaining and maybe you’ll learn a thing or two from his musings on, I don’t know, the American educational system.  It was kind of hard to follow, but in a really charming way.

Full disclosure: Man the Hunter is a close friend of mine, so I’ll keep this super-duper-objective (what up, Evan!).

I’ve seen Ann Arbor’s own Man the Hunter perform several times in the past, and this show was among his best.  Joined for the first time by Ezra Noble on bass, his nostaliarock sound took on a groovy new dimension that ultimately led to a more danceable set.  The catchy-ness of his songs paid off, with the crowd singing and shouting the lyrics to his songs, sometimes louder than the PA.  You guys remember summer 2010?  Are you nostalgic about it yet?  Come to a Man the Hunter show and you will be.

I must admit, I missed most of Windy & Carl & Hitoko because I needed a pizza really, really bad.  Upon my return from Papa John’s, they were playing a sustained tone that gently undulated, but never appeared to really change.  I’m 95% sure it was the same note they were playing when I left.  Historically, I have had a hard time approaching ambient music, especially live, but I will admit I regret missing the majority of their set.  The other concertgoers seemed to really enjoy it.

Benoit Pioulard will always remind me of riding the University of Michigan buses the winter of my freshman year, when I lived on North Campus.  His gentle and compelling music set the perfect mood to watch the snowy Ann Arbor landscape pass, and allowed me to forget for at least a minute how bogus it is to live up there.  Seated in front of an extensive collection of guitar pedals, Benoit seemed completely at peace in front of the mesmerized crowd, most of whom sat in rows on the Yellow Barn’s unfinished wood floor.  Making slow and deliberate music, he crafted a beautiful soundscape of heavily effected vocal and guitar tones for each song.  His melodies are either haunting or slightly awkward; I have yet to decide which, but I don’t think it really matters.  He’s moving to England shortly, so make sure to catch him next time he’s stateside.

Overall, the show was fantastic, but I found the lineup to be a little strange.  Following the high energy sets of Skate Laws and Man the Hunter, Windy & Carl & Hitoko and Benoit Pioulard seemed a little out of place with their relaxing offerings.  Not to say it didn’t work, but I’m used to leaving a concert after the highest energy act.  Perhaps that is why I was restless on my way home from the Yellow Barn, but hey, at least I didn’t have to catch a bus to North Campus.