Tag: Music

REVIEW: UMICH Welcomes Chance the Rapper

Jane Ziecik

Michigan welcomed 20-year-old singer and rap artist Chance the Rapper to the U of M campus last night. The concert was produced by Big Ticket Productions, a branch of the University Activities Center (UAC). Chance’s first mixtape, 10 Day, was released in 2012. Since then he has come out with his second mixtape, Acid Rap, in 2013 which has had incredible success: named the #1 mixtape of 2013 and ranked 4th best album this past year by Complex Magazine. Having been featured on tracks with artists like Childish Gambino, Rapsody, Justin Bieber, and James Blake, Chance has been quickly gaining popularity in recent years.

The concert was held at 8 p.m. Saturday, March 22, 2014 in the Hill Auditorium on campus. The first opener, Quinn, began right on time and his performance lasted about a half hour. Quinn performed slow-tempo songs, having a lower energy than expected. Freshman Maher Hachem described Quinn’s songs as having “slow, summer vibes.” Though talented, the feel of his set didn’t quite seem to match the expectations of the crowd. The second opener, Noname Gypsy, was more up-beat with powerful backup singers. Her performance ended around 9 p.m. Both of the opening artists, Quinn and Noname Gypsy, had rap/hip-hop music styles.

Though there was a bit of a gap between the performances of the openers and Chance, his high energy and exciting stage presence quickly made up for any disappointment during the first half of the event. Chance put on a show. Including crowd pleasers like,”Cocoa Butter Kisses,” “Pusha Man,” and “Chain Smoker” kept the audience enamored throughout the night. He really got the crowd involved, the lights were on point with the music, and his transitions between songs was very professional. Chance entertained from the moment he came on stage to his very last song.

After speaking with a few other students who attended the concert, it seemed very evident that seating played a major role in the quality of experience. Though students who had seating in the balcony said they enjoyed the concert, they made it clear that their experience would have been greatly enhanced with better seating. Freshman Corey Johnson admits, “My seats were all the way in the back on the balcony. It would’ve been better with better seats, but Chance was great and I would go again.” Other than some discontent with the openers and some reservations about seats, the overall consensus was a good show and a good time.

If you happened to miss the concert last night and want to see Chance in concert, he will be performing at various locations and music festivals over the next couple of months (including Good Times, Ultra, Coachella, and more).

Special thanks to Maher Hachem and Corey Johnson.

REVIEW: Israel Philharmonic Orchestra

Chelsea Zabel

When’s the last time you listened to music by itself? Not in the background, not while walking to class, not as you’re watching the music video, but just on its own; when was the last time? Before the evening of March 15, I probably could not have given an accurate answer. It seems that we’re always multitasking nowadays, and that being busy reduces our ability to sit and listen. That’s what I did during the performance from the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, and I would recommend it to you.

The music hardly paused once the first note was played, and the entire performance was rather intimidating. Hill Auditorium’s stage was filled with extraordinarily talented musicians who played Bruckner’s 8th Symphony, a rollercoaster of tempo and dynamics, for 90 minutes. 90 minutes that flew by because so much of the audience was entranced by the sounds the Israel Philharmonic was able to produce. I don’t know why I keep being surprised by how talented professionals are at their professions, but all of the musicians occupying the stage played their parts passionately (especially you, triangle player and cymbal player. You both played for just a handful of measures an hour into the performance and stole the show, at least from where I was sitting).

Of course, I’m no expert because most of the time, if I am listening to classical music then I am also studying. This time, however, there was nothing else to pay attention to but the orchestra. While listening to them, I got the full force of fortissimo without the ability to turn down the volume, not that I would have wanted to. I felt the floor shake under my feet with the vibrations emitted from the low brass section. When’s the last time you avidly observed someone play the timpani?

I would imagine that most of the audience would agree that what we heard was a brilliantly executed performance from the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. I feel privileged to have received that performance live; I know now that live symphonies are so much better than a YouTube playlist can produce.

Again I’m no expert, but I think that should make the following advice mean even more: don’t be afraid of classical instrumental music. I don’t think you’ll be bored, and I hope you’ll enjoy yourself. The university gives us great opportunities to see extremely talented people, so take advantage of it! In a few years you’ll have to pay full ticket price.

PREVIEW: Israel Philharmonic Orchestra

Chelsea Zabel

Who: Israel Philharmonic Orchestra

What: Performance of Bruckner’s Symphony No. 8 in C Minor

When: This Saturday, March 15 at 8:45pm

Where: Hill Auditorium

The University Musical Society presents the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra for this one-night only event. Tickets are still available on the UMS website, and there are special discounted prices for students.

If you would like to know what you’re getting into, here’s a link to the symphony they’ll be playing, but don’t think that listening to this version is comparable to what you’ll hear on Saturday. I’m sure the 1955 version in this video is significantly different from the 1890 version that the Israel Philharmonic will be performing.

PREVIEW: Collage Concert at Hill

Phillip Wachowiak

Who: The School of Music, Theater and Dance

What: A collection of pieces by students for you, the audience.

Where: Hill Auditorium

When: 8 PM

Cost: $10 with a student ID

This Saturday
This Saturday

The collage concert is just that–a collection of student pieces interweaving aspects of dance, music, and theater all into one. This year the concert celebrates the 100th anniversary of Hill Auditorium, so it should be especially awesome.

As the Michigan Daily puts it: “The ensemble conductors and selected groups collaborated to form a diverse and kaleidoscopic program. The wide variety of performance material and participating groups should make the concert appealing to an audience with diverse tastes and expose the participants to new kinds of performance.”

 

Preview: The Barber of Seville, Saturday 11/16/13 8PM

Zoe Marie
Barber of Seville
Barber of Seville

The University SMTD Opera Studio is putting on The Barber of Seville by this weekend at the Power Center! The cast is made up of Doctor, Graduate, and Upperclassmen voice students. The plot is super funny, involving disguises, and trickery! Student tickets are only $10 at the Power Center ticket office.

You don’t want to miss this one!

Thursday 11/14/13 7:30 PM Power Center
Friday 11/15/13 8:00 PM Power Center
Saturday 11/16/13 8:00 PM Power Center
Sunday 11/17/13 2:00 PM Power Center

Review: James Blake – Blown Away

watsonsauce

James Blake came into my auditory life about a year ago through a friend who’s taste in music I hold in high regard. After adding Blake’s music to some play lists and burning a couple CD’s for car trips (yes, I still make mix ‘tapes’) Blake became a staple. It wasn’t until this past summer that I started learning more about this phenomenal musical talent.

Blake released his first EP “Air and Lack There of” in 2009, at the ripe age of 21. It was picked up by BBC Radio 1 where he was later asked to come in and do some mixes. In 2010 Blake’s single cover of Feist’s “Limit to Your Love” was released and made 47 on the UK Singles Chart. After this rating Blake received nominations for awards in the UK as well as increasing interest from the press. His self titled album was related in February 2011, later that year he collaborated with Bon Iver. His second album “Overgrown” was released in April 2013. This album awarded him with the UK’s Mercury Music Prize for best new album, Blake has previously been nominated for this award in 2011. This past Summer Blake toured Europe and entered the states to continue his tour in October.

Which brings us to his performance on Monday night at the Michigan Theater, sponsored by UMS. Michigan Theater has beautiful acoustics. It was an interesting choice for this type of music because of the permanent seats, which aren’t very conducive to ‘grooving’ to the music. However, the audience compromised by standing in their rows or clustering against the lip of the stage.

Nosaj Thing (http://www.nosajthing.com/) opened with an excellent DJ set whilst people were milling about the lobby sipping beer and wine. He could hardly be seen as a black silhouette illuminated by a strikingly blue light.

When James Blake and his fellow musicians Ben Assiter on drums and Bob McAndrews on guitar and sampler, the light show began and the crowd was captivated for the next two and a half hours. James Blake’s music isn’t just something you listen to, it is something you experience. I have never said this about any other musical talent I have had the pleasure to witness live; Blake’s music goes inside your body and captures you in an entirely unique way. The beats he uses in his music reverberate through your bones, his smooth, versatile voice slides into your ears and activates something within you. Seeing Blake live was a visceral and emotional experience. I have never been so affected by a performance in my life. In addition to the sound, this performance had the added sensory experience of Chris Bushell’s lighting design. Light of red, orange, white, blue and purple flickered in rhythms and patterns. They reflected off the walls, the audience and the atmospheric fog blown on to the stage. The musicians were alternately lit from above, behind and from all sides creating beautiful silhouettes and visual landscapes.

James Blake is by far the most talented musician I have ever seen perform live. This performance completely blew my mind.

Do yourself a favor and go listen to him immediately. If you are able to buy one of his albums on vinyl and put it on a decent sound system you will be much happier than digital. Barring that, hook your i-whatever up to some speakers and ride the wave.

James Blake: Measurements