Already in a rut a month into the school year? Are you fearing that midterm around the corner? Well, if you would like to take a brief hiatus from your academics, perhaps you could take a dive into the movie, Jump directed by Tadeusz Konwicki. This movie is part of the series playing at the Michigan Theater entitled, Martin Scorsese Presents: Masterpieces of Polish Cinema.
Jump is particularly interesting because it focuses on the existential experience of a man returning to his village in Post-war Poland. Who is he now after the war? Is he the same again? What is he to others? Does he even know? Will others believe him?
So, if you are interested in trying to find the answer to this question, or go along for the existential journey, then this movie is for you. Check it out!
Category: Uncategorized
BTB Cantina Electronic Thursdays: Adam Westing
This Thursday evening I had the pleasure of seeing DJ Adam Westing Smith perform at BTB Cantina’s weekly Thursday electronic music event, “A2 Level Up”. Adam is a senior at the University of Michigan who produces and DJs electronic music in his free time, collaborating with other students to label his own work and create an aesthetic for his performances. Adam’s performance was impressive for a local amateur DJ in its own right, no qualifications that he is currently a full time student are necessary. I would also like to emphasize that BTB Cantina has been burgeoning into a fine night club of its own, a venue that adds a new and unique night life experience to Ann Arbor worth pursuing for those that enjoy loud music and life-affirming dancing.
Adam’s musical influences are manifold, to say the least. It is apparent he’s influenced by local Detroit Techno DJ’s such as Golf Clap and Erno the Inferno, and he remixes EDM heavyweights such as Bassnectar into his act as well, however the most impressive aspect of his musical influences, in my opinion, is that they spread far beyond the scope of EDM alone. Amongst his other sounds, listeners will hear references to metal and rock songs. This multifaceted, open-minded approach to electronic music helps differentiate Adam’s music. DJing is a magical, alchemical art – their equipment is a cauldron into which they can stir the various sounds they enjoy. This unprecendented artistic freedom is what challenges many DJs – how does one create a unique and coherent blend from a practically infinite number of possible ingredients?
As Adam’s performance demonstrates, a good DJ does not make this final decision alone. A DJ ought to read the audience and channel their energy into their own performance, take the dance floor’s vibes into account to refine your performance. Adam did a solid job of reading the dance floor, building excitement, and tearing the house down with well placed drops throughout the night.
I’d also like to give it up to BTB Cantina. They have, in the last 2 years, been able to increase their attendance on Thursday nights significantly. Their dance floor is open and accessible, and the venue provides lights and dancers to enhance the in-house DJ’s performance. The Cantina also does a great job of keeping their acoustics just loud enough to hype the crowd up without compromising sound quality. No matter how good a DJ is, if the venue they’re playing at doesn’t draw a good crowd, doesn’t have a chill vibe, and doesn’t do the performance justice, the night will not live up to the hype. So great job, Adam Westing Smith, and great job, BTB Cantina for providing a fun, accessible venue to promote local student talent.
Here’s a link to Adam Westing Smith’s soundcloud if you want to check out his music: http://soundcloud.com/adamwesting
Preview: Carter Lezman at The World of Beer
What: The Musical Talents of Carter Lezman
Where: The World of Beer on South University St.
When: Thursday 25 September, 9:00pm
How Much: FREE
21+ Event
Carter Lezman is a senior at The University of Michigan. For the purposes of this article I contacted him to ask him about his musical inspirations, geographic origins and why he would recommend you attend his first concert in Ann Arbor this Thursday.
WatsonSauce: Where are you from?
Carter Lezmand: I am from Holland, MI, a beautiful town right on the shore of Lake Michigan
WS: What do you study at U of M?
CL: I am currently pursuing a bachelors in History and Political Science with a minor in Classical Civilizations.
WS: When did you start learning to play music, when did you start writing your own music?
CL: I got my first guitar when I was 10, and have been playing music ever since. Since then, I have learned how to play several other instruments, including piano, drums, bass guitar, ukelele, and of course learned how to sing!
WS: Who are your musical inspirations?
CL: First and foremost is God. Growing up in church and playing in the worship team allowed me the opportunity to get better at music. Even now, I may not write “Christian music,” but I write songs that make people feel a little better about themselves. I have God to thank for my musical gift.
My second inspiration is my mom. She is the one who drove me to band practice, encouraged me when I just was starting, and even now is my biggest fan. I would not be the person or musician I am today without her inspiration.
WS: Who are some of your favorite bands to listen to?
CL: My favorite bands… uh this is a tough one… I would say that U2 probably tops the chart for me, but I also enjoy Coldplay, Mat Kearney, John Mayer, Maroon 5, and Bastille.
WS: What would you say to a potential audience member/ why should people come and hear you play!?
CL: The first thing I would say to a potential audience member is have fun!! That is the sole reason why I got into music, it is fun! Have a good time: laugh, clap, sing, cry, do whatever it is that defines your personage best. I will sing my heart out, share some songs that you maybe haven’t heard yet but will love, and most of all give you a sound that is unique and 100% original.
I will be doing both covers and original work, so I think there will be something great for everyone.
Visit Carter Lezman’s FaceBook, BandCamp and/or YouTube Channel.
RSVP to this event and ‘share’ it with your friends HERE.
A little preview:
Review: Pussy Riot comes to Ann Arbor
On Thursday 19 September 2014, The Michigan Theater Ann Arbor played host to two members of Russian activist group Pussy Riot. They spoke about their experience in Russian prison, their activism and some of their experiences in the US.
Nadya Tolokonnikova and Masha Alekhina have been traveling in the US this year performing and, more recently, speaking at Harvard and The University of Michigan about their new projects Zona Prava and MediaZona.
Zona Prava is an NGO aimed at providing support and human rights protection to individuals who “may be deprived of their liberty” in prisons and camps. Tolokonnikova and Alekhina spoke about the importance of education in the prison system as well as their own experience in the Russian prison system last year, which inspired them to establish this organization.
MideaZona is an independent news website aimed at countering the manipulative, censored and propagandistic flow of information released by Russian media. The website was launched on the 4th of September.
Tolokonnikova and Alekhina are well spoken and passionate about the ideals that drive their outrage and passions. They expressed their appreciation for the openness and accessibility of the American prison system, contrasted with the rigidity and complete inaccessibility in Russia.
The moderator asked about their thoughts about the overlap between activism, music and art to which they aptly responded that there is often no difference between the two. They spoke of the London graffiti scene and of course the international punk movement.
Tolokonnikova spoke about the importance of the voice of the people in a government system and how the corruption of Russian President Vladimir Putin has limited any possibility of this kind of social exchange. She did not respond to the inquiry about what kind of change she envisioned or if she was in fact an anarchist.
Tolokonnikova and Alekhina have been asked whether they would consider going into Russian politics. They replied that they are more interested in establishing grass roots, community based movements to create change instead of working through a centralized, and in the case of Russia, highly corrupt political system.
Having these two accidental celebrities come to Ann Arbor and speak about the work they have done, their experience living under a totalitarian regime, the country they live in and their continued efforts to bring about change in Russia, was very important.
Due to the history between Russia and the United States so much information has been skewed by political opinion and nationalistic pride. Although Pussy Riot is a specific, radical activist group, which is by no means representative of the greater Russian population, hearing the voices of two strong women speaking about their pride in being a Russian citizen despite all the injustices occurring in their country was very inspiring.
On the more critical side – The moderator of the discussion was disappointing. Her questions seemed uninspired and occasionally irrelevant to the experience and expertise of Tolokonnikova and Alekhina. It is also a question whether or not the message from Pussy Riot effectively translates to the United States.
Thanks to Michigan Radio, The Michigan Theater, U of M School of Art and Design, WCBN and of course Nadya Tolokonnikova and Masha Alekhina.
For more information about the Penny W. Stamp Speakers Series line up for this year click on this Link.
Preview: Space Jam – Midnight throwback to the 90s
Where? The State Theater
When? Saturday 20 September, 11:59pm.
How Much? $7
Released in 1996, Space Jam is a fictional account of basketball star Michael Jordan’s first retirement from the NBA in 1993. Jordan turns to a successful career in baseball.
A group of criminal aliens, the Nerdlucks, are plotting to capture the Looney Tunes from Looney Tune Land hidden in the center of the earth to enslave them in the Nerlucks’ failing amusement park, Moron Mountain.
The Tunes, unthreatened by the Nerdlucks’ petite stature, challenge the aliens to a game of basketball. The Nerdlucks steal the talents of a number of famous basketball players, turning the tables on the Tunes.
In order to win the game, Bugs Bunny abducts Michael Jordan. Hilarity, wit a never-ending puns abound as the classic 90s cartoon characters battle the alien Nerdlucks with the help of the talented Michael Jordan.
I haven’t seen this film since it’s release. At that time I was likely 7 years old. Definitely looking forward to revisiting this lost 90s saga! Come join!
REVIEW: Jaded Inc. (14KT + Mayer Hawthorne)
Going to the Blind Pig on a Saturday evening was the perfect way to numb the combination of a disappointing football game and several days of unwanted cold weather (in case you have never been, the main room in the Blind Pig is one of the warmest rooms in the city of Ann Arbor). Immediately I felt welcome in my black converses and flannel when I saw hordes of others wearing the same.
By the same token, I was not ready for the opening act.
You can check out “The Black Opera” at their web site here:
Describing themselves as “Rap’s first performing arts group,” The Black Opera hit hard and fast. They changed costumes between songs and made references all over the place, from the Black Power movement to the water crisis in Detroit (at least that’s what their chant about water made me think of). In other words, this was the black Blue Man Group.
Since I hadn’t researched the opening act, I was blindsided at the beginning, but by the end everyone in the room was chanting alongside these talented men. They were not just a rap group, but a collection of performance artists that made the entire bar their stage.
Jaded Inc. is a synth-pop/beat wave group composed of Mayer Hawthorne and hip-hop artist/DJ 14KT. Both men are from the Ann Arbor-Ypsilanti area so it was awesome to see these talented men come back to their roots.
All niceties aside, the bar was bangin’. Jaded Inc. is a hybrid collaboration of two accomplished artists and it showed. Each stationed at the front of the stage with his respective Macbook and synthesizer, they dropped the beats and we were happy to oblige.
From the strange yet sexual “Coconut Sofa” to the hip-hop inspired “The Big Knock,” these DJs covered all their bases and made a concert that was neither too chill nor too loud and obnoxious.
