Friday, November 11th the Oregon born band Blind Pilot is expected to land in Ann Arbor, MI. Tickets cost $15-20, so why not spend a few shekels on what will be the perfect hybrid of folk-inspired music mixed with west coast indie pop, especially for fans of The Shins, Iron and Wine, Coconut Records, and Fleet Foxes. Scheduled to take off at 9pm, Blind Pilot’s performance will take center stage at local downtown Ann Arbor venue The Blind Pig, located at 208 South 1st Street.
Amongst the hustle and bustle of a busy college life, it seems as though there’s hardly time to breathe. So, when the moment strikes and there’s a minute to spare, why not venture to the University of Michigan Museum of Art? Certain places on campus such as the art museum and graduate stacks provide the perfect temporary escape. Environments such as these enable students to loose themselves and to momentarily disconnect from the whirlwind of academics. The UMMA encourages students to engage in something cultural, but proves to be more energizing than mind draining. Who knows how many times a day students pass the art museum on their way to class, glance into the glass box that is The UMMA Projects, and wonder what in the world is in there. After a long day of back-to-back classes, a sudden calm awaits by simply wandering the gallery stalls and taking a few minutes sitting down, or rather standing around, Mark Di Suvero’s current exhibit: Tabletops.
Perhaps Suvero’s work is unfamiliar, but chances are readers know more about the American artist than they imagine. The mammoth red-painted steel sculpture outside the art museum is in fact a Suvero sculpture, as is the smaller, rusted swing structure nestled between the new and old wings of the museum. Rumor has it, if you look at the red beams from any direction the word “art” appears. Similarly, many of the structures within the exhibit express hidden symbols.
In his youth, Suvero worked in construction but after a close encounter with a crippling injury, Suvero was unable to work construction and turned to welding. With time, Suvero became a skilled sculptor and his art became well known in the realm of Abstract Expressionism. Suvero’s work employees recycled materials and salvaged industrial metals, synonymous with public art. Surely many communities outside of Ann Arbor have noticed an increase in the number of modern art popping up around town.
Tabletops is a caprice of Suvero’s work, varying in year of creation and materials. Suvero’s pallet includes various materials such as steel, wood, titanium, and treated metals married together to create something unrecognizable. Suvero’s sculptures thoughtfully consider physics, music, balance, and play with shape, proportion, and movement. Perhaps the boldest works of Suvero’s artistic expression are the vibrant, large-scale, abstract paintings positioned on two of the four walls of the glass box. In the center of the gallery lies a multilevel platform with a multitude of sculptures, each displaying a unique arrangement of angles, amorphous shapes, lines, and curves. Many of the sculptures look antiquated, either tarnished with time or covered in rust. 
Some materials appear to be ‘found objects’ that Suvero discovered and morphed into something new. Certain facets of the metal structures are comprised of familiar objects like an old mechanical wheel or a rusted nail. Items such as the steel beams and rusted gears bring to mind the increasing number of abandoned buildings and factories close to home, such as the Packard Plant in Detroit. Historical landmarks such as these once housed the machinery and workers that built Industrial America. However, the nuts and bolts that once held our country together continue to crumble. Today, the architectural units America built itself around are relics, or ruins, of history standing still.
Tabletops is on exhibit at the University of Michigan Museum of Art until February 26th, allotting plenty of time to plan a visit or to stop by when it’s least expected. At some point between now and February make a promise to visit, break through the glass walls, and investigate. Most importantly, continue to search for hideouts on campus. Maybe you’ll love the UMMA, maybe you’ll hate it, but I promise you will appreciate the time you give yourself to consider it.
Shakespeare’s Hamlet is coming to the University of Michigan. Put on by the Rude Mechanicals, a student theater group here on campus. They’re giving a new setting to the classic tragedy; the costume and set design being themed on the AMC show Mad Men. It should be a really exciting and innovative show. Tickets for students are only $3 and the show plays Friday 8pm, Saturday 8pm, and Sunday 2pm. I’m going for the Friday show, but I encourage everyone to find the time to go and see it!
Sending you love and light,
Danny Fob
On Friday, November 11th at 8pm in Hill Auditorium, prepare to be blown away by the rhythm and jazz of “A Night in Treme: The Musical Majesty of New Orleans.” As part of the student package of Arts and Eats performances, for $15 you can experience the performance with pizza and a pre-show, guest speaker. The UMS website says, “The Treme (pronounced truh-MAY) neighborhood of New Orleans has been a source of African-American music and culture.” My only reference to fall upon for New Orleans music is from the Disney-fied version in The Princess and the Frog. As fantastic as that is, I am looking forward to hearing something a little more authentic and true to New Orleans culture and the rich, vibrant music that is created there. It should be a magical evening with Donald Harrison, Jr., Christian Scott, Glen David Andrews, and Dr. Michael White alongside the Rebirth Brass Band (UMS). Buy your tickets soon! Hope to see you there!
Here’s a link to the description at UMS if you are interested in reading more about the performance: http://ums.umich.edu/s_current_season/artist.asp?pageid=666
On Friday, October 28, at Hill Auditorium, an amazing performance made many people realize how much talent and tradition exist at the University of Michigan. If you have not yet made your way to Hill Auditorium, I would suggest doing so because it is historic, beautiful and a bit famous.
Band-O-Rama featured U of M’s Concert Band, Symphony Band, and Marching Band. The Concert Band began the concert with both fast and slow pieces that got the crowd excited and made us want to hear more. The acoustics of Hill Auditorium added to the quality of the already brilliant sound of the band. The Symphony Band played tribute to America, U of M and Russian culture by playing all different types of medleys. Carol Jantsch, a U of M alum, was featured on the tuba for a pice called “Czardas.” She was proof of the fine teaching and learning that happens at Michigan because she is the principal tubist of the Philadelphia Orchestra. After a brief intermission, the Michigan Marching Band got the crowd on their feet with tunes reflecting the spirit of U of M and also popular hits from artists like, Ah-Ha, the Beatles, Nirvana, Madonna, Daft Punk, Eminem and many more. It was interesting seeing and hearing the Marching Band in an actual auditorium rather than in the huge Big House stadium because the sound was captured much better and the movements that were planned so thoughtfully were much more visible. The drumline was featured during the show as they often are during the Michigan football games and their choreography as well as percussion technique was incredible. If you would like to see a bit of what they do you can go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8eYZlDeNhto&feature=related
The Marching Band also paid tribute to the Michigan Symphony Band’s expedition to Russia in the 1960s with classic Russian pieces such as the Great Gate of Kiev by Mussorgsky and Russian Sailors’ Dance. Overall, each of the three bands brought something different to the stage and they all featured immense skill and a great presence. If you would like to see any of the Michigan Bands perform, which I highly recommend, you can go to www.music.umich.edu for a complete listing of events and performances.
“A Long time ago in middle Europe, a decrepit, forbidding castle stood. Casting an ominous shadow…” Don’t bother reading through the description on the Michigan Theatre website, we all kind of already know the story of Dracula: boy falls in love with girl, boy cheats on girl, boy gets girl. Or something like that? It doesn’t matter.
What’s really important to know is that this is a rare, once in a lifetime screening of the famed, 1922 German Expressionist film, Nosferatu: A Symphony of Terror, and that there will be a LIVE ORGAN ACCOMPANIMENT (The Michigan Theatre is one of the few places in the entire country that has a working organ and actually uses it).
So, I hope to see you at the Michigan Theatre at 7:30. I’ll be that kid stuffing his kid with popcorn.
Fun fact: most of the original score was lost, so contemporary composers/musicians have provided their own soundtracks. I’m not sure what version this organist is playing, but I’m sure it will be fantastic!
