REVIEW: Ann Arbor Folk Festival Night One

When David Mayfield first came out onto the stage on Friday night, it was an understatement to say I was majorly confused. He started talking and making jokes, so at first I thought he was there to introduce the first act. But then out of nowhere he received a guitar and started playing and singing a song, and I was really confused. Was this The Ben Daniels Band? Was this the opening act before Ben Daniels?

This was my first experience at the 39th Ann Arbor Folk Festival, something I’d been waiting for since December when I got my ticket. When I was in high school, I sat on my bed and listened to a simple song called “The Girl” over and over until I needed more, and finally, I’d get to see the singer/songwriter live. But even though I was thrilled to see City & Colour headline, I was more excited to have the opportunity to see the Ann Arbor Folk Festival at all, since it was something I’ve been hearing about since I started going to school here.

It definitely did not disappoint. Though the seats were nowhere near to being filled, The Ben Daniels Band definitely started off things right. Although it was more country influenced than I usually prefer, I still enjoyed the upbeat songs, and was definitely a great start to the night. Their set really picked up around the third song, which saw Ben trade his electric guitar for an acoustic. The singer also told the audience it was a love song, already a crowd-pleaser, and also informed us it’s been five months since she married Ben, getting a hearty applause. Although opening for so many bands can be rough, they set the tone for the night that all the other acts had to match.

Next up was Penny and Sparrow, a duo from my home state of Texas that I absolutely adored. Simply coming out with one guitar, I was amazed at how quickly I fell in love with their music. It was definitely a change of pace, as all their songs were slow and quite melancholy, but it definitely showcased one of the strengths of the folk festival – no two artists sounded the same. By balancing the upbeat Ben Daniels Band with the slower Penny and Sparrow, the night never became too slow or too fast or too country or too anything. Penny and Sparrow definitely surprised me the most, and I walked away that night a new fan.

After Penny and Sparrow, Nora Jane Struthers and the Party Line was a fresh change from the male dominated bands previously. She also kicked up the tempo, delighting and engaging the audience well. This was the part of the night when I definitely regretted being in the balcony of Hill Auditorium. Nora was more bluegrass and Americana than straight folk, which again showcased the variety, but also made me want to get up and dance. As someone who’s from Texas, even though I’m not a huge fan of bluegrass and country, I know how to dance to it. It was also an interesting change of pace when she sang with the emcee David Mayfield.

After Nora Jane was The Oh Hellos, a band I looked forward to, as my friend liked their music. I didn’t have time to listen before the show, but I trust her musical taste. As it turns out, she was more than right – The Oh Hellos performed the best set of the night by far. They brought out and entire troupe – 9 total, although the actual band is just brother and sister Maggie and Tyler Heath, again, from my home state. They were definitely the closest to indie on the roster, perhaps only being passed by City & Colour slightly. I fell in love with their song “Exeunt,” which although short rises to an amazingly satisfying climax. While they were playing, too, they were jumping all around the stage – not just to jump, but because that’s what the song feels like. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen a headbanging violinist, but I did that night, and he was having the time of his life.

The last act before the intermission was a group that everyone should know, Yo La Tengo. For some reason, their set was my least favorite – they played about an hour, but each song was similar in that they were all slow, dreamy songs. It was definitely entertaining when they played “Friday I’m In Love” and everyone in the crowd sang along, but after the youthful energy of The Oh Hellos, it felt a bit off. Nonetheless, they still played a great set, and at intermission I was pleased and excited for the last two acts.

I’m not familiar with folk music or the folk community, although after Friday night I realized I should be, because I love folk music, but the next act is apparently a legend. Richard Thompson came out and there are no words for his set. He was alone, no band, just a guitar, and what a guitar player he was. At one point, he sounded like he was playing two guitars at once. He also did a sea-chanty-type-song that was call and response, and was immensely fun for an audience that had already seen five acts previously. Although I wouldn’t go listen to his music on my own, I immensely enjoyed his set.

And then, finally, what I had been looking forward to all night – City & Colour. I had listened to his new album while at work that day, so I was already in the mood, and I had bought it as well as a t-shirt at his merch table. I was ready.

I guess, though, other people weren’t, because during his set – about two or three songs in – people started leaving. People had been coming and going all night, which was mildly annoying, but not horrible – it was more the venue and my annoyance at not getting front row seats (but hey, poor college student). But this was somewhat confusing – he was the headliner, right? And I mean, it was late, but 7 bands are going to take a while.

I thought maybe they had only come for Richard Thompson, but if so, why not leave when he left? After a minute, I decided to ignore it and focus on the amazing songs Dallas Green was playing.

And he was performing beautifully. He was everything my high-school heart could desire. He even started off his set with his older music, starting with “We Found Each Other In The Dark,” “Sleeping Sickness,” “Hello I’m In Delaware,” and even “As Much As I Ever Could.”

But then, maybe 5 or 6 songs in, after exchanging his guitar for the umpteeth time (he even switched mid-song at one point), he hung back near his drummer. Perhaps he was getting water or something, but it lasted for more than a few seconds, and after a minute he comes back and says “Sorry, I was having a team meeting.”

And then, right before his last song, he asked people to sing along, or, you know, leave. While at the time sounded a bit tongue-in-cheek to me (people were screaming from the balcony how much they loved him), but looking back at it, he was probably upset. After that song, he ran off stage abruptly – no goodbye, thank you, maybe he waved, but besides the song that was it. He was gone.

And worst of all? No “The Girl.”

I’m not going to lie, I was heartbroken. We were sitting right behind a railing, and I leaned over it, arms outstretched, waiting for him to come back. He had only played for around an hour, maybe less. And where was my song?

David came out one last time to thank everybody but I don’t even remember what he said. I was too dazed. The house lights came up, and my small hopes for an encore dwindled to nothing.

I’m not going to blame anyone for what happened, because I don’t know whether it was him, or if the stage managers were telling him he was out of time, or if someone else’s set had lasted too long. There are a thousand reasons his set could have been shorter than I had expected, and maybe it was always going to be that short. So I’m not going to blame anyone. But this is my honest review, and honestly, I was upset.

I had a great night overall, but it was hard to wipe that feeling from my memory. I will definitely be returning for a show at The Ark, hopefully The Oh Hellos, and I’m grateful that I found so many new bands to enjoy. But I wish it hadn’t ended quite like that.  

PREVIEW: Electronic Dance Music (EDM) Concert on the Diag

For the second time in University of Michigan history, LIVE EDM is coming back to… the DIAG!

When: Friday, April 3rd 6 PM – 10 PM

Where: See above

Cost: FREE!

On campus, there is just not enough student talent showcases. Though EDM is very popular, there is even less of a showcase of EDM as a genre. This is why Stamp Nation: United by Music is hosting a FREE outdoor EDM concert. So come and support your fellow students showcasing their talents and enjoy the music! Also, since this is in the weeks before finals, it’s the perfect break from studying.

PERFORMERS:

6:00 – 6:10 Brahj ft. Anu Vora
https://soundcloud.com/anuvora

6:10 – 6:30: Jack Kennedy
https://soundcloud.com/ItsJackKennedy

6:30 – 7:00: Arbor Reign

7:00 – 7:20: Matt Daniels

7:20 – 8:00 Brian PerezFLORO
https://soundcloud.com/florobeats

8:00 – 9:00: Adam Westing https://soundcloud.com/adamwesting

9:00 – 10:00: Aash Mehta
https://soundcloud.com/aash-mehta

You can also RSVP for the Facebook event here

GET READY TO DANCE

REVIEW: Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra

What most interested me about seeing this performance was first of all the fact that this orchestra was from abroad, and that they would come all the way to Ann Arbor to perform. I have experienced orchestral and piano performances abroad as well and found that a lot of the charm of the event is in how it is presented and the social ritual attached to seeing a concert and how it varies in different parts of the world.

The first piece the Rotterdam Philharmonic performed was Maurice Ravel’s Suite from ‘Ma Mere l’Oye’ (Mother Goose). I had never encountered the piece previous to that night and I found myself surprised by the modernity of it. Maurice Ravel (1875-1937) was a French composer who was prominent during the early part of the twentieth century. Listening to this I was reminded of a time in elementary school when I was taught the different instruments and sections in the orchestra, and how each instrument was often used in plays or ballets to represent animals. I found this sentiment to be delightfully expressed in this piece by Ravel. He plays with the tempo and dynamic of the woodwinds such that they invoke images of fluttering birds or scurrying animals. This, in combination with the strings, brings a very full and vibrant environment to life and I think Ravel is very successful in this. As I have not seen this piece performed elsewhere, I find it hard to make comparisons or critiques of the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra’s performance to others. I think that this piece was at least, in relation to the other pieces that the orchestra performed, the most successful and seemed like the most enjoyable to play.

Another aspect of this event that I enjoyed was the concert pianist, Hélène Grimaud. I studied the very basics of piano growing up, so watching her play and her fingers effortlessly and accurately play was quite enchanting for me personally. The way that the conductor and pianist take the center of the orchestra and both share in a leading role in directing the orchestra is an entrancing scene. The only point of critique for me was the way the pianist played was very humble and sometimes it felt like the orchestra overshadowed her presence in the some of the pieces played of Tchaikovsky. Besides that, I thoroughly enjoyed the performance and all of the new sensory experiences it brought to life.

The highlight of this evening was the Ravel pieces for me. Besides the Suite, the orchestra also performed a piano Concerto in G Major. It was easy to distinguish the story-like performance of the Suite from the concerto. I found the concerto to be excellent because of it’s experimentalist and innovate style. The tone was very reminiscent of jazz and that whole era and the culture of the time, it did not surprise me to discover afterwards that Ravel was heavily inspired by the rise of jazz during this time. I did find it surprising how the concerto was able to inspire that style while also maintaining some more classical orchestral moments in it as well. It thought it was a highly stylized piece with that always seemed to be dancing and changing and never losing interest with itself, and that was what I think kept me as well as much of the audience engrossed in the piece.

Overall, I found the experience to be a fall into a space of beauty and of listening. As a student, it was a welcome exclusion of words in favor of sounds. As an event to appreciate music, I found myself surprised and grateful to have experienced the sounds of an orchestra from so far away performing pieces of the not so distant past, but which do not occur as often as I think they should in the repertoire of contemporary music exposure.

REVIEW: Knox Hamilton at the Blind Pig

What do you get when you bring a band from Little Rock to the Blind Pig on a Tuesday night? Catchy music and a great excuse to avoid the week’s workload.

Knox Hamilton is rare in two cases: not only are they a three man alternative rock band with a full sound, they also toured on the strength of a single song “Work it Out.” That is correct, you can only listen to and/or buy one of their songs.

For some bands, you might shrug and move on to the next Taylor Swift single, but Knox is one of the best bands I’ve seen at the Blind Pig. Not only did they joke around with the confidence of a more mature band, but their music was downright full of energy. Their EP should be dropping sometime in March and this is one collection of music I highly recommend purchasing.

Knox HamiltonUnder the trippy blue-red glow of the Blind Pig’s lights, we stood for a little less than an hour as the band played through its entire set. It was disappointing because their sound was infectious, and even better, there was only 1 filler song for the entire hour.

Knox Hamilton said they would return to Ann Arbor in the future and I fully recommend seeing them in concert.

Even better, they are active Twitter users: @KnoxHamilton

 

 

REVIEW: Collage Concert

Now in its 38th time, Collage Concert by the School of Music, Theater, and Dance on January 17, 2015 put together another incredible show featuring many departments within SMTD. This unique performance, in which one act followed another without pauses, showed how interconnected different disciplines of art can be.

On a performance style like that of Collage, where works from old and new come together to create one performance experience, Maestro Gustav Meier (former professor at Eastman School of Music and U-M School of Music) states:

“…[A] quartet called the Five Century Ensemble, a soprano, a tenor, cello, and harpsichord, … performed music from every period with the last note of each work overlapping the first note of the next composition. … We were all just stunned. It never occurred to me that such a programming technique could happen. What a contrast — old music, new music — so close together.” (Quoted from The Instrumentalist, February 1980)

At the University of Michigan that night, in our own Hill Auditorium, we created a gigantic Five Century Ensemble — or rather, Five Century and Disciplines Ensemble. We are lucky to be at a school where many departments are top-notch in their fields, and the School of Music, Theater, and Dance is no exception. However different the appearances may be, all performances were tied to the core of artistry.

This kind of performance requires a lot of careful planning, both logistically and artistically. First of all, there are hundreds of performers in Collage, who are all students with different, busy lives. Organizers have to connect with all of them to make sure they are at the right place at the right time. In addition to this, the lighting cues can be complex, and stage setups can require special knowledge. I wonder if the logistics coordinators for this performance got to sleep at all in the past few days with all of this in mind. All of these were executed perfectly, at least to my knowledge.

Artistically, the directors put together a program that just flows. There is no worry about the quality of the performances, as the individual acts are very strong. However, the program — which included various types of music, skits, and dance works — somehow needs to make sense without any gaps for applauses and reset. With that said, the performace order was truly stunning, especially in the first half. My most favorite was a reading and stunt of Shakespeare’s “Henry V” by Ian Johnson and Ben Reitemeier, going into Gandolfi’s Flourishes and Meditations on a Renaissance Theme, played by the Symphony Band. The music seemed to compliment the Shakespeare play so perfectly. Many other surprising yet understandable combinations happened throughout the two-hour show.

I have been on two sides of the Collage: performer and audience. I performed in the Collage last year as a Symphony Band member, and it was such a wonderful experience. Now, I am happy to see the performance from the other side, sharing the surprises with the general public. It excites me that I share practice rooms with these students, and I can only imagine how great they will become in the future in their arts. (And perhaps me too — hopefully?)

PREVIEW: Collage Concert

Collage_Poster

Collage Concert is an eclectic collection of performances representing all departments of the School of Music, Theater, and Dance. Unlike in other performances, all the acts in the Collage Concert are presented without pauses. Solo organ, dance pieces, jazz combo, theater company, choir… You name it, they’ll have it. If you are thinking of attending just one performance by SMTD this year, this is the one — it’s a night of virtuosic performances that would never fail to amaze you.

WHEN: Saturday, January 17 at 8pm

WHERE: Hill Auditorium

TICKETS: $10 with student ID; available online or in person at the League Ticket Office