Blog — Page 175 of 278

SurlyFest 2018

The Hold Steady, Bad Bad Hats, Mixed Blood Majority, Static Panic, Rachel Kurtz, DJ Shannon Blowtorch

Festival Field (Surly Brewing Company)

Minneapolis, MN

October 13, 2018

SurlyFest is an annual tradition hailed by the brewery as a metaphor for their overall approach to beer. Much like Dogfish Head’s “Off-centered ales for off-centered people” core concept, Surly uses this Oktoberfest-inspired event to do their own thing. Yes, Surly releases an annual Oktoberfest-ish beer each year and throws this fest in that spirit, but the beer itself is well outside the rauch or Marzen flavors most associate with Oktoberfest. Surly’s version (which changes from year to year), embraces their hop-forward approach instead of highlighting that caramel malt base. Similarly, SurlyFest the even doesn’t emphasize lederhosen and accordion, but modern American indie rock.

This year’s lineup is a testament to that: diverse in style, generally from the vaguely-defined “indie scene” where bands are independent but have enough name recognition to highlight a festival. The lineup is usually local in focus, including this year, though technically The Hold Steady are from New York.

After missing the opening two acts due to schedule conflicts, I arrived just in time for Mixed Blood Majority, a hip-hop trio from the Twin Cities featuring rappers Crescent Moon (Kill the Vultures) and Joe Horton (No Bird Sing) and Lazerbeak (Doomtree) on beats. The crowd was still trickling in when their set began at 5pm but those up front where there for the music and not the beer, which is that fine line that sets an event like this apart from your average block party or parking lot event. Festival Field is built for bands, not just crowds. Mixed Blood Majority braved the temperate conditions, spitting lines as you could see their breath, and gradually shedding layers, ditching the winter coats but keeping stocking hats on. That’s kind of a theme for the night, besides the beer and music (of course). While I’m familiar with the artists and knew their first record, it was my first time seeing them in action. The chemistry between Crescent Moon and Horton was in full force, complementing each other’s flow and carefully sharing the spotlight as Lazerbeak worked his magic behind them. The two tradeoff for the most part, handing off verses and interacting physically at those points, otherwise taking up their own corners of the stage when it was time to shine individually.

Bad Bad Hats were a fitting segue. In full winter coats (to start) the dreamy pop band was less energetic on stage, befitting both of their style and that it was a chilly dusk. The set highlights their ability to straddle different styles: serious and fun, introspective yet universal, bouncy but with an inward-looking weariness. Autumnal music, for sure.

And then The Hold Steady took the stage. I haven’t seen them perform in any other city (not even St. Paul), but what always strikes me is that enormous grin on Craig Finn’s face whenever he takes the stage. It’s a homecoming show for the (half) Twin Cities-native band, and their enthusiasm is undeniable. The crowd also eats it up. Minnesotans take pride when one of our own strikes big. When a band like this – who namedrop everything from nationally-known landmarks to suburban strip malls in their material – achieve mainstream success, it’s embraced for life. They aren’t at a Purple Rain or Fargo level, but it’s a big deal.

Onto the actual show, though, which culled from their whole discography, opening with “Stuck Between Stations” and continuing for over an hour and a half. The ‘70s rock influence that overshadowed more recent albums was more subdued live. It’s ever-present in the light show and stage presence, but the solos and pomp added to the energy rather than taking something away. It’s a palpable energy that transcends from Finn’s grin to the shifting spotlight on stage that often turns to keyboardist Franz Nicolay. Nicolay adds the flair, while everyman Finn sings his stories and flails his arms like at a poetry jam. It’s a spectacle, in the good way. While the homage is certainly to an era of grandiose I’m generally not fond of, The Hold Steady keep a distinct balance. After all, the lyrics are accessible and relatable and Finn’s cropped hair, sportcoat, and vocal style are all more punk rocker than rock star.

So what’s the takeaway? In many ways it was a “greatest hits” show, and I’ve had the band in my head for the past week, even though I don’t know when I last listened to a full album. That’s the easiest way to say it was a rager. The band is always billed as a homecoming act in the Twin Cities, but it came across as a regular concert from a band that’s mastered their craft.

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Photos by Loren Green

An Enemy of the People

Belvoir Theatre

Sydney, AU

October 11, 2018

Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen’s prominent position on the forefront of the firmament of contemporary drama has never wavered as his artistic struggle against what he perceived to be the pig-headed middle class and political cowardice has found a myriad of incarnations and reinterpretations ever since he put a pen to paper.

An Enemy of the People (1882) was one of Ibsen’s more forward and direct emissions with the protagonists conveying large-type, stereotypical views and emotions that still resonate throughout this day and age – even more amplified through Melissa Reeves new contemporary version at Belvoir Theatre: Greed, politics, righteousness, corruption, complicit press and moral bankruptcy.

Fiery in delivery with well-calibrated and at times subtle comedic nuances, the ensemble lead by director Anne-Louise Sarks portrays the crisis of a small Australian country town; whose dynamics have more than obvious parallels to the macrocosm of worldwide big league political issues.

What Belvoir Theatre’s 2018 version accomplished is an extension of the surgical precision with which Ibsen smacked down the faults of his audience.

Not merely shedding light on the short sightedness of decision making along with the significance and implications of whistleblowing, but by adapting the main protagonist to feature a female lead (the vibrant Kate Mulvany), Reeves’ redux adds another dimension to Ibsen’s play by examining the discreditation and undermining of women in their endeavor to unveil the truth.

Part of the appeal of An Enemy of the People is that it is a play that switches its emphasis with each production.

Belvoir Theatre’s lively staging excels at displaying the dilemmas and intricate fabric of our society by emphasizing and embodying the fundamental and timeless questions that Henrik Ibsen originally raised.

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Photos by Brett Boardman

Mona Hatoum: Terra Infirma

Yale University Press

Dislocation, borders, political oppression are themes that are omnipresent and reverberate through Mona Hatoum’s oeuvre, which now spans over four decades.

In recent years, the illumination of the implications and contradictions of globalization has become part of her approach via either depicting or referencing mundane everyday household objects and altering or combining them in unusual manners with each other to reflect emotions such as alienation, instability and fear.

Terra Infirma is focused on Mona Hatoum’s solo exhibitions with mainly minimalist sculptures and installations that blur the line between reality and surrealism with the intent to subvert the familiar.

Highlighting the divide between technological advancement and regressions through conflicts and war, Hatoum explores gender issues, feminism and politics.

The copiously illustrated tome contextualizes Hatoum’s ominous work with essays that frame her significance in the canon of the arts as well imaginative interpretations which shed light on aspects that might only meet the eye upon further inspection from different angles.

An ode on book form to an artist that thrives on paradoxes and seems to enjoy frightening and entertaining her audience in equal measures with the aim to attack the barriers between art and life, self and structure, sense of belonging and nomadic uprootedness – the terra infirma we all dwell on.

Jersey Boys

Capitol Theatre

Sydney, Australia

October 4, 2018

The 2018 staging of Jersey Boys at Sydney’s Capitol Theatre opened its proceedings with a bit of a surprise: A hip hop version “Ces Soirées-La”, i.e. the French equivalent to “Oh, what a night” set the tone for the performance, which was bit of a surprise.

Luckily, the storyline that ensued followed the traditional narrative of the entity that became known as the Four Seasons, detailing the trial and tribulations of the troubadours Frankie Valli, Nick Massi, Bob Gaudio and the streetwise promoter Tommy DeVito and gang.

The first quarter of the show had a bit of a slow build-up, framed by lesser known numbers but it was not long until the ensemble found its stride and the affair picked up pace, delivering all the timeless classics in an impeccable manner.

What makes this Australian take on the quartet is that the ensemble infused the characters with its own flavours and the value of the production rests firmly on the talent and showmanship of the well-cast individual performers with their standout vocal deliveries and on-point choreography backed by a superb orchestration, which accentuates and amplifies the individual characters’ distinct personalities.

A feat which is further elaborated on by subdividing the show in four components, i.e. ‘seasons”, each narrated by one of the constituents, which with their at times contradictive points of view complete the mosaic leaving out unnecessary ballast.

The fact that individual segments of the show prompted spontaneous applause and eruptions from the audience reflects the infectious nature the creative team under the guidance of Director Des McAnuff and Musical Supervisor Ron Melrose have accomplished to create.

It proves difficult to not leave the Capitol Theatre in good spirits after being serenaded for more than two hours with catchy harmonies by a cast of eighteen performers.

The imaginative stage settings and their rapid, seamless changes of the troupe’s classic rags-to-riches real life rise to success story complement the story – a story of a conglomerate of artists that were firmly embraced by the American mainstream working class culture and the epitome of what can be described as a jukebox musical.

This show is everything one could hope for – no matter if you are an uninitiated first timer or have seen previous incarnations.

The Merchant of Venice

Pop-up Globe

Sydney, Australia

September 28, 2018

The Buckingham’s Company's comedic take on Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice is an exuberant exercise in engaging theatre.

Set in a three-story local pop-up equivalent to the second Globe Theatre built by Shakespeare’s company in 1613-14 under the open sky, the forum is explored to immerse the audience to the fullest, making it come close to what an original incarnation must have looked like when it comes to actors interacting with the audience with quick witted banter.

Having seem a myriad of interpretations of The Merchant of Venice, this was certainly one of the more entertaining ones and the bits that were improvised and left up to chance as the audience’s repartees are seamlessly incorporated into mono- and dialogues, were highlights of the evening that often left a smile on the faces both on- and offstage.

The fact that what is commonly perceived to be a play with anti-Semitic undertones, was reinterpreted so that the villain, i.e. Shylock found a representation through Peter Daubé’s nuanced portrayal in a manner that gave an inkling of an idea what has formed his character, that being the mistreatment by devout Christians.

Another connotation the play was infused with to make it relevant to modern times were allusions to current day Australia and the climate of prejudices, justice system and detention.

Despite these modern adjustments, the play was well-balanced and in some aspects very faithful to an original Shakespeare production, e.g. having an all-male cast (with one exception, i.e. the smart Portia, which given the nature of the role could have been a deliberate choice to make a statement) that was a pleasure to watch – specifically the female leads who were portrayed by male actors in all shapes and sizes adding to the resolutely comedic atmosphere but also something that can be further interpreted as a take on modern day gender identity issues.

The Merchant of Venice is not unlike any of Shakespeare’s plays a timeless classic, yet infused with the fresh blood of this New Zealand based production company and against the backdrop of a Globe Theater, it is given a new dimension and thereby builds a bridge between the 16th and the 21st centuries.

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Photo courtesy of Pop Up Globe Sydney

A veritable delight.