As a part of the “EL Anatsui: When I Last Wrote To You About Africa” exhibit, UMMA will be hosting a film screening of a documentary on the artists work. This film will discus the process, inspirations, and challenges of the world renowned artist. Tuesday, February 19th at 7 pm in the Helmut Stern auditorium. Read more information about the making of the film and its connection to the exhibit on UMMA’s website. Click here for a quick clip about the film and here to read a review. See you there!
On Thursday February 21st, Hill Auditorium will present Dobet Gnahoré an Acoustic Africa. An array of musicians from all over Africa, the group will perform rhythms and dance inspired by their native countries. Dobe Gnahoré, a vocalist, dancer, and percussionist, will be accompanied by bassist/singer Manou Gallo from the Sierra Leone, guitarist/singer/dancer Kareyce Fotso from Cameroon. In addition, the performances will feature Aly Keita on Balafon (from the Ivy Coast), Wendlavim Zabrone on percussion (from Burkina Faso) and Zoumann Diarra on guitar (from Mali). The performance will be eclectic and powerful.
In conjunction with the UMMA’s El Anatsui Exhibit, the Center for World Performance Studies is sponsoring the visit of these gorgeous African artists to celebrate their culture and their art. On Wednesday February 20th, there will be a roundtable discussion in 2435 North Quad. My Thesis Advisor Frieda Ekotto will be moderating in both French and Engish. The title of the round table is Music and the Experience of Female Performance. The discussion will be a great prelude to the fantastic show.
7 pm at Hill. Click here to check out the flier for more details. And click here to watch a video preview of the kind of performance you will see at Hill.
For months, the word on everyone’s lips has been “Silver Linings Playbook.” As far back as Thanksgiving break, my friends had been advising me to see it. I missed my chance because it left theaters, but after the big Oscar buzz struck, the film reappeared on the silver screen and is now playing at The State Theater. For the first time in….decades (?), all four major acting categories draw nods from one film: Best Actor/Actress and Best Supporting Actor/Actress. With that knowledge in mind, I had high expectations for the film. And yes! It absolutely met my expectations, and exceded them.
Its hard to decide who I fell more in love with, JLaw or BCoop, as my celebrity-savvy housemate might call the duo. Bradley Cooper’s character, Pat, has recently been released from a mental institution after serving a sentence for reacting violently to his wife unfaithfulness. In the process of recovery, he discovers that he suffers from far more severe personality disorders, which he inherited from his father- a relationship that still challenges him upon his return home. As he re-integrates into his former lifestyle, he struggles to forget his wife, but in the process discovers a love that is far more passionate and whole hearted.
Jennifer Lawrence’s character plays Tiffany, an equally wounded but independent and caring character who helps Pat get back on his feet by teaching him to dance- literally (and figuratively I suppose). In the process she falls in love with him and waits for him to come around and realize how very much in love he also is with her. The chemistry between them is very natural but also electric. (I will add here that it is, indeed, a great movie date if you are looking for a way to celebrate Valentine’s day. I noticed a good number of couples in the crowd).
The film did a very refined job of telling an atypical story while maintaing a sense of realism. It was about family, struggle, finding love, letting it go, and keeping it without getting too crazy. These characters were very familiar; it was not a period piece or a computerized fantasy story- often the winners of Oscar awards. The acting was so real, so believable, and so authentic- that surely is why this film has garnered so much praise. One particularly touching and truthful scene was when Robert Deniro, an aging father, opens to his son for the first time about his love for him and his mistakes as a parent. I was moved and nearly found myself in tears as well!
My favorite part about this movie was that I went by myself. If you’ve ever avoided going to a movie by yourself because you fear it will be uncomfortable and pitiful, the way a solo restauteur sometimes appears, I highly recommend you revamp your opinions. Going to moveis by myself is the most therapeutic alone time I can think of! I was so happy to spend my Monday evening watching this adorable movie. It’s only in Ann Arbor for the week, so get yourself to the theater- with or without a date!
The same place where Robert Frost recited his poetry 51 years ago and Jerry Garcia led the Grateful Dead, Scott and Seth Avett stepped onto Hill Auditorium’s stage on February 12 to play a nearly sold out show.
The Avetts, with Joe Kwon on cello and Bob Crawford on upright bass, stood on oriental rugs facing an audience of close to 3,300. When you’re a four-piece indie folk-rock band from North Carolina, what’s your next move?
True, the modest-mannered band didn’t play in the Big House, but Hill Auditorium is the Big House for music on campus. And bands like the Avett Brothers, who perform their music with the utmost sincerity, almost always require a small venue. Or, at least that’s what I thought.
With a humble guitar and banjo, beneath tranquil lights, the Avetts began playing “Down With the Shine” from their new album, The Carpenter. It was lovely. It was peaceful. They played “Will You Return.” My feelings didn’t change; I was relaxed, enjoying the music.
And then came the “La da, la da da’s,” both from Seth and Scott, but from the audience, as well. “Do not sing if you don’t want to!” Scott yelled. People sang louder, so he repeated himself. “Don’t sing! Especially if you don’t want to!” The more he said it, the more “la da, la da da’s” came from the mouths of people sitting next to me and behind me and in front of me.
Atmosphere and audience engagement are a big selling point for me when I go to a live show, and if you manage to persuade 3,000+ people in the same room to sing, clap their hands to a beat, stomp their feet to the rhythm, and bounce their heads, then that’s something indescribable. That’s music, that’s magic.
The Avett Brothers played other songs as Joe Kwon made terrifying faces with his cello and Seth Avett waltzed around the stage with his guitar. Scott fluttered back and forth between his banjo and the piano. There was a lot of jumping up and down from band members. They played “Head Full of Doubt” with appalling energy (I’ve never seen someone bounce and dance as much as Seth Avett onstage), as well as “Laundry Room” – my favorite Avett Brothers song.
After bluegrass jam sessions that made me anxious because I couldn’t get up and dance, Scott Avett took the stage solo, with just a guitar. He played a song I didn’t know – “Murder in the City” – with such elegance that after my heart was racing from such exciting music played beforehand, I didn’t know what to do with myself besides listen to the beautifully crafted lyrics. In such simple words, the Avett Brothers manage to tell heartbreaking stories: “A tear fell from my fathers eye/I wondered what my dad would say/He’d say I love you and I’m proud of you both/In so many different ways.”
The band was clearly deflated from such an energetic opening thirty minutes, but they carried the show eloquently, all the way through their four-song encore. When they left the stage, they did so bashfully, modestly, waving and smiling, because the night before, they’d be on Late Show with David Letterman, and Ann Arbor would just be another place they had 3,300 people on their feet to hear the two brothers from North Carolina strum on their instruments.
Setlist 2/12/13
Down With the Shine
Will You Return
Go to Sleep
74
At the Beach
Geraldine
Head Full of Doubt
Live and Die
Paranoia
Laundry Room
Old Joe Clark
Through My Prayers
Murder in the City
Ballad
Father’s First Spring
Living of Love
Buck Owens
Slight Figure
Kickdrum
Michigan
ILY
ENCORE//
Carpenter, Indolence, Rollin’ My Sweet Baby’s, Shady Grove
Ty Segal
Described to me by a friend as “the hardest working musician right now,” Ty Segall has come out with 3 albums in the last year and tours continuously, spreading his skills and sound around the country.
http://pitchfork.com/artists/27962-ty-segall/
I personally hadn’t had much exposure to him before his show at The Blind Pig on the night of Thursday February 6th 2013. The evening was relatively cold and The Pig was PACKED. My friends and I arrived around 10:30, doors opened at 9:00pm.
We Heard:
Ex-Cults; fun, indi, energetic (female bassist)
K-Holes; who are very punk/ grunge/ sca sounding, attractive musicians
http://k-holes.bandcamp.com/
And finally TySegall:
http://ty-segall.com/
The Mosh-Pit started during the K-Holes. The energy people were throwing about was quite contagious. No injuries occurred and we all created a nice dynamic with the bands, showing our appreciation through sweat and perhaps some blood and tears. There was a good amount of crowd surfing and a couple essential articles of clothing were lost in the fray.
Over the course of the night each band provided their own level of excitement. Although many of us were antsy to hear Ty, I was pleasantly surprised with the quality of the opening acts and was nicely oiled up for Ty’s smack-down blowout performance when the time came.
Although it was an enjoyable evening all in all, I found it difficult to appreciate the quality of Ty’s musical skills due to the level of physical disruption going on around me. I look forward to experiencing his music more in other contexts and will be physically preparing for his next tour through Ann Arbor.
On Friday, February 15th, the School of Music, UM Chamber Choir, and UMMA collaborate to create an evening of sounds inspired by Alice in Wonderland. Faculty from the school will perform a selection from Iriving Fine’s “Alice in Wonderland” as well as several other composers from the same era as well as a contemporary, visiting composer. The music will be performed alongside Florencia Pita’s “Alice” inspired artwork. The dual representation of imagination, fantasy, mystery, and magic will surely create a dynamic and intriguing performance. 7 pm at the UMMA.
