Category: Music

REVIEW: A R I Z O N A with Electric Guest and Mikky Ekko

Angela Lin Leave a comment

On a spooky Saturday night on Halloweekend, three wonderful artists and musical groups pumped Hill Auditorium up with some electronic pop and rock music

Mikky Ekko started the night with his synthy retro, rock music that made my heart pound as he danced around onstage. He got so into it that during one song, he unfortunately broke a very expensive bracelet. However, that just proves how much of a show he was putting on for us.

Mikky Ekko ended his set with the hit song he co-wrote and performed with Rihanna, “Stay.” His beautiful solo rendition of it was tender and raw as he walked among the audience of the main floor, hugging people as his voice, so emotional and pure, carried throughout the auditorium, echoed by everyone else singing along. His new album comes out in a few days in November, so you can be sure to check that out soon.

Then, Electric Guest took the stage, Asa Taccone being led out as a colorful mask covered his face for the first song. More people were dancing along to the electronic pop that was lighter than the previous set. While their soulful indietronica was a slightly different vibe from Mikky Ekko, the two openers had their own style that made the entire show cohesive and enjoyable.

Finally, the crowd was fully energized and when A R I Z O N A came out, everyone was on their feet and dancing as the main act performed all their hit songs, including “I Was Wrong”, “Oceans Away”, “Cross My Mind”, “Let Me Touch Your Fire”, “Summer Days”, “Freaking Out”, and more.

Despite a PA system problem during their third song, the band carried on with poise, whether it was by playing guitar and singing despite no one being able to hear, playing on with the drums since that’s the only thing people can hear, or just dancing around on stage, making the best out of an unfortunate situation for a live music concert.

In between songs, lead singer Zachary Charles went into a long monologue about their struggles and perseverance as a band who followed their passions. He urged everyone to follow their dreams and do something they love because otherwise, they are wasting their lives. The amount of fun and joy the members of A R I Z O N A, as well as Electric Guest and Mikky Ekko, had onstage was proof enough that listening to what you truly enjoy doing, even if other people are doubtful or discouraging, will result in you being happy and content, and in this short life, there’s nothing more important than that.

The night was filled with dancing and passion and singing and joy and inspiration, and what more could you want from a concert on Halloweekend?

PREVIEW: Ann Arbor Symphony | Mahler 9

JM Leave a comment

On Saturday, October 27, the Ann Arbor Symphony will be playing Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 9 in D major. The concert will be at 8 pm at the Michigan Theater on East Liberty Street, with a pre-concert lecture at 7pm.

This event is on the Passport to the Arts, so use your voucher at the door on the night of the event to get a free student ticket! Even if you don’t have a Passport or if you already used yours, students get 50% off tickets to the Ann Arbor Symphony.

Written between 1908 and 1909, Mahler’s Ninth Symphony was his last, and it is regarded as a very personal work. It has been debated whether the symphony is more emblematic of life or death, and I am very excited to hear it performed. If you want to hear this profoundly emotional work for yourself, don’t miss the Ann Arbor Symphony’s performance of it! Hope to see you there!

 

REVIEW: The Rocky Horror Picture Show

Mary O'Byrne Leave a comment

“I wish to lose all morals, and accept decadence into my heart.”

The night starts off with crowds of people in sparkles and lingerie and all black  piled up outside of the Michigan Theater, eager to begin their Rocky Horror experience. An experience that is varied and cannot be restricted by just one adjective. An experience that is energetic, erotic, campy, and…. scientific?

With an introduction from a moth, who welcomes all of the groups who are out – the straights, the gays, the sorrorities – the crowd is riled up before the film has started. Prohibited items include: ice, confetti, water guns, candles or lighters, whole rolls of toilet paper, hot dogs, and prunes. But the moth pointed out that squares of toilet paper, or streamers, or 3/4 of a roll of toilet paper, are allowed. It is only the Leather Medusa’s second year putting on a shadow cast show of RHPS at the theater, but they’re sold out.

I stand for my virgin pledge, with about half of the audience who are marked with red lipstick Vs. Surprisingly, such a prominent cult classic still remains unseen by many. Not so surprisingly, the Rocky Horror virgins of the world are curious about the film and its culture, intrigued by its ostentatious reputation and loyal followers. And tonight, our curiosity is to be fulfilled. Soon everyone stands together, for the Rocky Horror pledge and with much anti… cipation – the show begins.

Newly engaged Brad and Janet get stuck in the rain, and wander into Dr. Frank-N-Furter’s castle, where they have a long night ahead of them. The shadow cast saunters around the stage, their costumes and movements perfectly matching those of the film’s characters. The audience yells “ASSHOLE!” at Brad, “SLUT!” at Janet, “WHERE’S YOUR NECK?” at the criminologist, and a variety of other more specific, seemingly-scripted, comments. The film can barely be heard. This culture is not exactly for the prude or sensitive – although they are the ones that the culture loves to deflower the most. Similarly to the audience culture around Tommy Wiseau’s ‘The Room’, some describe this movie-going experience as wildly inconsiderate and vulgar. But the lines of accepted norms are blurred in the midst of such a cult classic, one that drew counterculture crowds as a midnight movie at its release and still draws those audiences (or those who shapeshift into such for a night) today.

Attempting to watch the film over the yelling of the crowd, I do my best to stay in-tune while actively participating. But the participation doesn’t take away from the film’s grandeur. The unusual set, defined characters, theatrical costumes and makeup, peculiar sci-fi characteristics, lively songs and dances, canted angles, effective use of various lenses, irony, and sexual notions, are enough to interest audiences even when they are unclear of the plot (which is somewhat unclear, anyway.) I’m sure all of the other virgins sometimes sat just as confused as me, but also pleasantly entertained.

Seeing Rocky Horror is a uniting experience: the audience, together, are just as important as the film. Dancing the time warp, throwing cards and pieces of toast, everyone is in tune with one another. Even the virgins. We catch on. If all goes as planned by the Transylvanians, by the end of the film you’re going to want to dance and yell and touch everyone and be covered in sequins and dramatic makeup.

REVIEW: Pat Metheny

ajayw 1 Comment

This past Wednesday night, UMS brought in jazz guitar legend Pat Metheny to play on the Hill Auditorium stage.  He delivered a performance that was incredibly interesting and complex to listen to.  The night started with a solo piece by Mr. Metheny on what was probably the strangest guitar I have ever seen.  It looked like a regular guitar for the most part with a half of a short extra guitar stacked above the regular one.  In addition, there seemed to be other sets of strings on the body of the instrument and there might have been a kalimba or something hanging off the end.  It was hard to see everything because the strings were clear, but the sounds he made on whatever this hybrid instrument is called were absolutely wild.  He went on to improvise for about 7-10 minutes and it was all really interesting material.  He made it clear from the start why he is considered such a huge name in the jazz world, especially regarding jazz guitar.  After the opening improvisation, the rest of his band came out featuring a pianist, a string bass player, and a drummer.  From what I could tell all of the band members sounded fantastic.  They had multiple solo opportunities and were clearly more than qualified to play with a talent on the level of Pat Metheny.  I paid close attention to the drummer in particular.  His groove was really solid and he was jamming a lot, but the chops he showed off were pretty insane.  Throughout the performance, they deviated from the full band set up with some smaller arrangements of the ensemble.  Pat played on at least 6 guitars throughout the night.  I tried to keep track, but it proved to be too tall a task with a stagehand coming out every few songs to switch them out.  They all had a distinct character and suited the vibe of the music perfectly.  At one point in the performance, he took a minute to address the audience and explain that he really enjoyed his current tour because it wasn’t to promote an album or anything like most tours are.  He’s just touring to have some fun and play some old tunes that his most die hard fans love to hear.  He then reverted to telling a kind of awkward story about how he loves this area because he loves Detroit.  Artists often try to establish a connection with a local crowd with a personal story about the area they’re playing in, but I just didn’t feel like his was necessary.  Overall, the concert was well worth attending and the music was great.  However, I think it was too long.  The projected time of the concert in the email UMS sent around to ticket purchasers about the concert was 2 hours and 40 minutes with no intermission.  Everyone in attendance that night definitely loved the music of Pat Metheny, but, in my opinion, 2 hours and 40 minutes of sitting and listening to music is way too long without a break.

PREVIEW: Blue Moon over Memphis

Abby Z Leave a comment

Friday the 12th of October, the Univeristy of Michigan will be treated to to a unique take on Japanese Noh Theater, with a performance of Blue Moon over Memphis by the English speaking noh-drama troupe THEATER NOHGAKU.  It will be at the Power Center located right off central campus and completely free to the public. This unique east-meets-west theater experience explores one of the most revered and influential figures in American pop-culture history, through the unexpected lens of a several century-old form of Japanese theater.

This event is a part of the Toyota Visiting Professor 30th Anniversary Special Lecture Series and made possible by the Japanese Studies Department. The play itself  will explore one woman’s haunting loneliness as she makes a pilgrimage to Graceland on the anniversary of Elvis’s death, where she has an otherworldly encounter with the spirit world .

If you plan on attending, please head over to Eventbrite and RSVP for Blue Moon Over Memphis here.   The event is entirely free, but space is limited so don’t forget to RSVP and check for an email confirmation.

Additionally, if your interest has been thoroughly piqued as mine has, definitely check out the play’s brief promotional video bellow to get an idea what’s in store!

REVIEW: 2001: A Space Odyssey

Angela Lin Leave a comment

Fifty years ago, the cinematic masterpiece 2001: A Space Odyssey premiered. With its technological realism, scientifically accurate depiction of spaceflight, and innovative special effects, the 1968 science-fiction work became one of the most important artistic works of the 20th century. 2001: A Space Odyssey embodies the bold and creativity, serving as a spark of inspiration for many engineers, just as much today as fifty years ago. To celebrate the memorable anniversary of the movie, UMS teamed up with Michigan Engineering, Musica Sarca, and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra to bring a live multi-media presentation of this daring movie.

This was my first time watching 2001: A Space Odyssey, so I enjoyed watching this classic movie in the Hill Auditorium. However, just like most of the other people that came, we were there for the live accompaniment of the iconic soundtrack. The movie evokes the sublime on its own, but the live music of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra takes the experience to a whole new level. The sweeping classical music that the movie is characteristically know for filled the auditorium, and it brought the nonverbal experience of the movie to new heights.

From the majestic opening of Richard Strauss’s Also sprach Zarathustra to Johann Strauss II’s intricate The Blue Danube, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra set the mood in the Hill with every dramatic note and every spinning waltz. Maestro Robert Ziegler perfected the timing, ensuring that the soundtrack was brought to life alongside the movie.

Musica Sacra performed the sustained dissonant chords that slowly shifted over time during long space or slow action shots. Under the direction of music director Kent Tritle, the choral accompaniment added to the sense of wonder and suspense that enraptured your attention during the space scenes. With the chorus and the orchestra on the stage throughout the movie, everyone in the Hill Auditorium was able to experience this legendary movie in a breathtaking new light.