I write about pop culture, mostly of the "chick flick" variety, and usually with just a little bit of cynicism. TV is usually my medium of choice, but you can also sometimes find me ranting and raving about movies, books, and music.
There is something about the theater that makes it feel like a sacred space. I grew up in the suburbs of New York City, so I spent many weekends watching theater, participating in theater, going to the ballet, being in the ballet, etc. As they say in one of my favorite musicals, “A Chorus Line,” everything certainly is beautiful at the ballet. When I walk into a theater, the outside world disappears. There is something about the soft lighting, the cave-like shape, and the fact that you are in a confined space with 1000 or even 10,000 strangers who are all there for a common purpose, that enables us to make that space our world for 2 hours or so. Receiving phone calls or email is not only discouraged, but usually pretty difficult given the noise and crowd; Chit chat is also discouraged and quite difficult; everything that annoys us in day to day life is not allowed in the theater. Reverence for the performer is required, and a certain amount of decorum is required. How fitting, then, that the legendary Joan Baez closes her concerts by asking the audience to rise and join her in singing “Amazing Grace.”
You knew I was going somewhere with this didn’t you? The other night, I had the opportunity to see Joan Baez play a concert in CT. I knew she was on tour this summer, and since she was one of the folk singers I have never seen live before, I thought I should take this opportunity before it’s uh, too late. I was worried about going to begin with, because I was in the middle of apartment hunting, and felt like if I had too much else to worry about, I wouldn’t be able to fully enjoy the show. That may have been true, but for those two hours, I took the opportunity to enjoy the calm and reverence in the air when Joan took the stage. Granted, I was the youngest audience member by about 30 years (I wish I could have taken my mom with me), but I really enjoyed the chance to be a part of a legacy that’s meant a lot to many people. The gold archways of the theater architecture, combined with the hushed responsiveness from the audience, then added with this sort of sage of a woman with an angelic voice who sings about peace and justice and all that, and the experience really did feel like church.
I will admit that I didn’t know many of the songs she sang towards the beginning of her set, but in the meantime I also enjoyed hearing her take on some songs I never knew she covered. For instance, “The House of the Rising Sun,” which I apparently know from the recording by The Animals in 1964. (I swore there was a cover of this by an alternative band in the 90’s, but it’s not mentioned anywhere on Wikipedia.) She also does a rousing, upbeat rendition of “The Scarlet Tide,” a song written by Elvis Costello, made most famous by Allison Kraus. I smiled when she started playing it, because I had been listening to a cover of it by Brandi Carlile and her sister Tiffany in the car, and hearing one of the originators of modern folk music sing it kind of made it all come together for me. If anyone ever tries to tell me again that Brandi Carlile, the Indigo Girls, Dar Williams and anyone of that ilk would still be around if not for Joan Baez, I will definitely win that argument.
However, the fun part really came at the end of the show. She packed her two encores with her most recognizable and singable songs, turning the theater into a sort of gospel choir. She finally pulled out “Forever Young,” “Diamonds and Rust,” “Imagine,”* and “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down.” The audience not only sang along enthusiastically, but she even got us to harmonize at one point. I’m showing my young, naïve age here when I admit that the first time I heard of Joan Baez was on the Forrest Gump soundtrack, which features her cover of Dylan’s “Blowin’ in the Wind.” Since then, I have been an avid fan of folk music and fascinated with the folk music movement itself. But I can only read about what it was like to be a part of this movement in the 60s and 70s, or try to relive it via today’s annoying retro-hipsters. What was fascinating and fun about last night’s concert is that the audience wasn’t there to relive their youth. They were reverent and nostalgic, and perhaps reminded of the messages of peace and common decency that are still relevant today.
*On a separate note, this marks the second time this summer that I’ve heard a live cover of “Imagine,” the first one being at the Glee concert. I wonder who will bust out with it next!
A few weeks ago, I had a dream. No, not that kind of dream. No, not that kind either - get your mind out of the gutter! It was one of those dreams I usually have when I've gone to bed too late and fell asleep watching a TV show. You know the type - where you imagine that you are one of the characters in said TV show? (Just me? Well, OK then.)
Anyhow, despite the fact that I hadn't seen the show in years, I dreamt that I was one of the characters on my old favorite, Dawson's Creek. The gang and I were sitting around watching, natch, Dawson's Creek (yep, just like in the series finale), and then suddenly, I was making out with Pacey, my TV jailbait boyfriend. I woke up with an extreme sense of urgency, one that required a trip to Target to see if I could acquire some episodes of the long gone TV show. Despite my lingering homework and housing woes, I needed to spend some quality with Dawson, Joey and Pacey. It was just my luck that the first two seasons were on sale as a bundle ($20 for both!), and I've been glued to them ever since. I am now nearing the end of season 2 in my TV marathon, and have just received the amazon package containing seasons 3 and 4 (the best ones, in my opinion - those were the ones written after Greg Berlanti took over the show).
What I've discovered is that watching the Creek some ten years after it aired is a completely different experience than the first time around. For one thing, as is true for all TV on DVD, knowing what's going to happen next, and then watching it half an hour later, certainly changes the way the drama plays out. For another, with the 90210's and the Gossip Girl's of the TV landscape now, Dawson's Creek doesn't seem nearly as risque and unique as it once did. It's fascinating to see how the tone of the show changed as well - the first season was so clearly the product of Kevin Williamson's showrunning, while the second season and onward had Berlanti written all over it.
Let me back up a little. I remember watching this show and constantly having my mouth hit the floor - these kids talked all funny, the acing was overwrought, and the storylines were preposterous. Don't get me wrong, all of that is still true. But having been through it once, I'm finding myself relating to the show perhaps a little more than I should be. Yeah, they express it in ways that 15 year olds would never speak, but these kids' thoughts are pretty on par with anyone who's experiencing any kind of transition or coming of age - whether you're 15 or 30. The fear, introspection, and general weariness they experience is pretty relatable, despite the overwrought acting and trite dialogue (which are precisely the parts that make the show craptastic!). It's obvious that Williamson and his successors were writing from personal experience, albeit ones that may have happened to them last week, rather than when they were teens themselves. Watching season 2 is fun too, because being a Greg Berlanti fan from watching the last few seasons of the Creek as well as Everwood, I can see where his voice takes over and changes the tone slightly from Williamson's earlier one.
I'm at the point in the season right now where Abby Morgan just drowned in the Creek (which, according to the commentary, Monica Keena asked to be killed so she wouldn't have to commute back and forth to Wilmington anymore!); Andie is having a nervous breakdown; Joey and Dawson just got back together; Jen's Grams kicked her out of the house for cursing too much; and Dawson's parents are debating getting back together. I remember watching this season when it was on, and being riveted by the 'Andie's gone crazy' storyline. But watching it years later, as a 31 year old with a slight anxiety problem, I have a whole new perspective - Andie is not crazy, she's normal. She's a woman going through a lot of transitions in her life, and she has a slight fear of everything - one that can only be calmed by Xanax and Prozac. Who can't relate to that?
And then of course, there's Pacey Witter, whose last name just now hit home for me, as I was about to type that he's "witty." Enough said about that, I think.
I think perhaps the problem with the show from beginning was that the writers decided to create their characters as 15 year olds, when really they meant for them to be in their early 30's. Their parents are conveniently absent, which makes them feel all the more adult. I find myself relating to this show more now than ever, and more so than I ever related to any show where the characters actually ARE in their 30's, like Sex and the City, et al.
So, as I myself face a road full of transitions, anxieties, and homework ahead, I find myself relying on the Creek once again for wisdom and security. Because I know that I'm not actually taking advice from teenagers, but from the alter egos of talented scribes like Williamson and Berlanti - ones who seem to have a firmer grasp on what it's like to constantly feel like you're growing up than say, Shonda Rhimes and her cohorts.
1. "Grey's Anatomy." Last week's flashback episode was a welcome change of pace, and aside from the bad hairdos, gave us a fun look inside some characters we hardly get to see. I loved Callie's stage fright, despite the fact that I didn't quite buy that Derek would make her do it when he knew she didn't want to. I liked, though, that we got to see a surgery that clearly happened off screen, but during the run of the show. I did like that Joe surfaced, though I still want to know whatever happened to the baby adoption storyline from season 3? 4? Whenever that was.
I do like Sarah Paulson, a whole lot, but I just didn't buy her as Ellis. She's too small and blonde, and looks nothing like a young Kate Burton.
2. "Life Unexpected." Yes, really. I love this show, despite it's increasing silliness. As if the pilot, with all of it's pretty orphans wasn't silly enough, it just manages to get sillier. But I'm really enjoying it.
3. "Being Erica." This show is also awesome. Erica Strange has a magical therapist, who is able to send her back in time so she can relive the past, knowing what she knows now. She uses this to not only change the trajectory of some her relationships, but also to learn from her mistakes and start fixing things in the present. It's the kind of magical power we all wish we had, and Erica is just relatable enough to strike a chord. For extra intrigue this season, she has found a kindred spirit in the local bartender, who also travels in time, but is unwilling to talk about it.
4. "American Idol." Normally, I hate this show. But I look in on it from time to time, and wanted to see whether Ellen would be any good or not. It turns out, this show still takes itself way too seriously, but that kid who sang "Heaven" was pretty damn good.
5. Speaking of which, why is a Bryan Adams power ballad suddenly turning up everywhere? Brandi Carlile and her band released a self produced EP for Valentine's Day, called XOBC. It includes 3 new songs, including one called "Love Songs," which she played at some her live shows a few years back, and I was glad to see it resurface. She also covers "All You Need is Love", where all four band members scream "LOVE!" into the mic at the same time. And yes, she covers "Heaven" as well. It's an acoustic cover of an 80's pop ballad, and it's very sweet. But I have to say, I liked it better when the twins and the Fighting Machinists covered it at their show at the Tractor, and kind of cranked it arena-rock style.
I originally intended on live blogging much of the Olympics, but alas, I have not updated this blog since November, so the live blogging didn't so much happen. However, I figured I would consolidate some of my thoughts here, list-style.
1. The Opening Ceremony. This is arguably the best television event in any Olympic year. It's better than the Oscars and the Super Bowl combined, and trumps any Lifetime movie by far. The pageantry! The human interest stories! The choreography! (Was that a Mia Michaels routine I spotted??) The celebrities I never knew were Canadian! The geography lessons from Bob Costas! I love all of it. While the Beijing Opening Ceremonies were an exercise in patience, ADD and Busby Berkely-esque mega-choreography, Vancouver toned it down slightly without losing its awe-inspiring look. I loved the tap dancers and the modern routine which I never remembered to look up, but made me wonder if Mia Michaels had anything to do with it. KD Lang, Sarah McLachlan and Donald Sutherland all turned in sublime performances, though Bryan Adams was slightly underwhelming.
2. The NBC anchors, commentators, and broadcast in general. As has been said ad-nauseum, boo on the tape delaying. Of any kind. Vancouver is in the same time zone as a third of the United States, so there is no reason why everything shouldn't be shown live. If you want to package it all later for the working stiffs among us who can only watch in the evening, that's fine. But at least give us the option of also watching the event live, so that we don't have to find out who won by accidentally opening a web browser in the middle of the day.
However, yay for silly commentators and some awesome editing and B roll. Being an ex-TV-production-assistant, I can just imagine that it must take all 2 years in between Olympics to plan the production logistics of the next one. That is a lot of cameras, interviews, B roll, and editors. Admittedly, my favorite things about watching the Olympics are the silly human interest stories, the medal ceremonies, and Mary Carillo traipsing around with polar bears for no apparent reason other than burning NBC's money. I love it all.
The combination of the skiing crashes, the short track controversies, the figure skating eating disorders, the triumph over adversity through sport stories, and the celebratory nature of the Olympics adds up to more excitement than The Amazing Race, and more tears than Extreme Makeover Home Edition.
Plus, what would the world be without Bob Costas' bad hair and silly puns, Scott Hamilton's pure passion for figure skating, and Mary Carillo's riding boots (seriously, how many pairs of those does she have)?
3. Johnny Weir. I love Johnny Weir so much, I'm about to get on the internet and join his fan club, who call themselves Johnny's Angels. First of all, he's one of Kathy Griffin's gays. That should be enough to love him, but I'll go on. This guy is a true performer, and he loves figure skating for all the right reasons - the fashion, the showiness, the performance art, and the hearts and flowers he receives from his fans. Unfortunately, those aren't the reasons most of the competitors cite for loving figure skating, which puts Johnny usually at the bottom of the ranks. He should have been a Broadway star, where there are no judges who care how "flamboyant" you are, which seems to be, along with "eccentric," figure skating's code for "gay." The fact that a sport like figure skating even needs a code word for gay boggles me, but sure. What puzzles even more, though, is that this man has done nothing to deserve those descriptions, other than the sole fact that he is a figure skater. What sets him aside from the others, I really don't know.
He also has a reality show currently airing on the Sundance Channel called "Be Good Johnny Weir." It puts into words all of the puzzlement we all feel when we hear how the figure skating community treats Johnny. Check it out, it's awesome.
4. Ice Dancing. Admittedly, I started watching ice dancing going, "what the?" It looks nothing like figure skating, and nothing like dancing. And... ok, now they're just making up stuff. Twizzles? That's not a dance step! But, as the competition went on, and the Russians got tripped up in their Leiderhosen or whatever, and the Canadians soared toward the gold medal, I got more and more hooked. When Tracy Wilson first described the free dance as something that only required the skaters to, uh, have some steps and some rhythm, I thought, "oh, come on. Even So You Think You Can Dance has more requirements than that!" But again, the medal winners actually came through on some awesome choreography and engaging music, and by the end, I was totally on board. Plus, I love it when the Canadians win, and they were so proud and teary eyed... I only wished I had a Canadian TV feed so that I could hear Jamie Sale and David Pelletier's commentary. Also, Tessa Virtue is just about the best name ever.
5. Team Canada! I just love it when they win... they never won a gold on home turf, and now they have what? 7? 8? It's just so heartwarming, the Canadian anthem is so fun, and I know that somehow they can turn all of this into fodder for Robin on How I Met Your Mother.
Honorable mentions go to short track speed skating for how ridiculously unfair it is that people can win a gold simply because somebody else confused it for roller derby; the ridiculous attractiveness of the US ski team and the Australian snowboarders; skate-bot Evan Lysacek for choosing a talented publicist; and ski and snowboard cross for how much fun it is to watch people fall down.
Not so honorable mentions go to the Korean short track speed skaters for repeatedly mistaking their sport for roller derby and losing out on the gold medal; Evgeny Plushenko for choosing a terrible publicist; and Julia Mancuso for her poor sportsmanship and whininess when teammate Lindsey Vonn was visibly injured, causing Macuso to have to re-do her run.
This past weekend, on our trip to New York for Thanksgiving, my Mom took me to see the current Broadway production of Hair. She had been dying to see it every time we'd been in NY for the past two years, but I was indifferent. I mean, I always like to see everything on Broadway, so I wasn't protesting, but it wasn't the first thing on my list (Next to Normal has been first on my list for a while, but somehow I'm never in the right place at the right time to end up with tickets to it). So when we sat down, and the lights started to dim, there was Mom, excited like a child at the circus, and me, skeptical at best. And by the end of the first act, my skepticism was tempered, but not by much. The first half of the show starts out slow. Really slow. I mean, there's something like 10 songs where not only is there nothing happening, but you also can't really understand what they're saying. Yet, there's something charming about the show, even in it's slow moments – I just hadn't figured out what yet.
I was still hung up on waiting for something to happen. I wanted a character to break free from the tribe (what they call the chorus in this musical) and do something… or at least say something I could understand. I had a lot of trouble connecting with the characters, and while I was on board with the whole "this is a period piece about the 60s" thing, I was still having trouble putting it in historical context. Yeah, the costumer did a good job with the bell bottoms and the wigs; yeah, the songs sound great with the choral arrangements and 20 part harmonies; yeah, I was amazed by how much choreography the show entailed. But I still wanted to know what it was about. All of this confusion led to the following hilarious conversation with my mom during intermission:
Me: I don't understand this play.
Mom: Well, they're hippies.
Me: But what is it about?
Mom: It's about them.
Me: But they don't do anything.
Mom: Sure they do.
Me: They just sit around, get naked, smoke a bunch of weed, and sing silly songs.
Mom: That's what the hippies did.
Me: Yes, but this is kinda boring. And I think maybe they should get jobs.
Mom: They're protesting the war – and see, that guy, he just got drafted, so there is a plot. They can't get jobs, they're in high school.
Me: They're not protesting anything, they're just sitting around.
Mom: See, but that's what the hippies did. They were disillusioned, and everyone thought they were losers.
Me: Well, they kind of are. And since I can't understand what they're saying, I'm inclined to think that these characters have no personality. I know that's what the hippies did, but why am I watching it?
Mom: Because this play brought attention to a movement that nobody paid attention to.
Me: I get that too, but they still don't do anything.
Mom: You're really a square, you know that?
And so on. I promptly went home and looked up what the hell "square" means. According to Urbandictionary.com, a "square" (other than a lyric from West Side Story) is "a boring person" and "A person who is regarded as dull, rigidly conventional, and out of touch with current trends." Hmmm.
In the second act, however, the action does finally pick up, when one member of the Tribe refuses to burn his draft card, leading to his inevitable demise – in many different ways. I will admit, once the actual plot got going, I was a lot more on board with the show. Plus, the kids finally organize some sort of protest, so they do something, and then I was really on board. (Don't get me wrong – it wasn't the hippie movement itself that I was whining about in the first act, it was the fact that the action was really slow and nothing was happening for a good 45 minutes.) The stakes and the music get more intense in the second act, and by the time the chorus broke into "Let the sun shine in," they had me. Their statement was made, and admittedly, watching the 20somethings in the audience, the ones who had won the lottery tickets, singing and dancing along, kind of took my breath away.
I had no idea this show had such rabid fans, and it reminded me of the type of connection we all felt to Rent when it first took the stage on Broadway. Upon thinking about it more, I realized that Hair has a similar message, and theater goers are connecting to a similar theme. The powerful last scene and song break of the show, followed by the joyful sing along with the audience joining the cast on stage were definitely the highlight of the show, and was a great way to leave us. I just wish it hadn't taken them two hours to get there.
You'd think I could come up with some kind of consistency for this blog, like doing a TV rundown every Friday and a music review every Saturday. Maybe one day, I'll remember to do that. For now, though here are my thoughts on the multiple shows I caught up on at the end of this week.
1. "So You Think You Can Dance": First of all, this screwy schedule with baseball is really confusing. Wait, it's on a Monday? And there is no results show? Wha? Otherwise, though, I liked Monday's performance show, and I actually thought it was a good idea to introduce us to all of the contestants. Of course, by Tuesday, I had already forgotten who was who, but at least they tried. I love all the tappers, especially... oh crap I forgot her name already - the girl one. I have to say, though, I have no idea what happened with Mia or where she went, but her absence is definitely noticeable. As annoying as she is, she really made the show fun to watch, in that yelling at the TV screen sort of way, and her choreography was a standout - it's absence makes the show lack something.
I would love to talk about the individual routines, but either I was trying too hard to finish homework while I was watching it, or nothing really stood out for me. I loved the tap routine. As far as dancers are concerned, I was taken with Billy, but I guess his stint was short lived... I kind of like that annoyingly perky Mollee - she reminds me a little of Allison from the second season.
By the time I got to Tuesday's elimination show, I was already weary from trying to keep track of everybody. I'm sure I will forget all about the people who were eliminated by the end of the season. I've always said that maybe this show could benefit from not having the results show, which I usually fast forward my way through. But this week's one-two punch of "dance, dance some solos, and... you're done" was just a little too much for me to follow.
2. Comedies: "Modern Family" and "30 Rock": I'm really beginning to like "Modern Family." It's funny, and it has heart, but not too much. Also, I'm a sucker for Julie Bowen - I've loved to watch her ever since she started guest starring everywhere, and her role as Carol on "Ed" will always stick out in my mind. I find her irresistible no matter who she's playing. I'm also consistently impressed that Cameron and Mitchell get their own storyline, even if their childcare antics are ripped off from "Friends" and every other TV show ever. (I couldn't help but go "Monica bang!" when they bumped the kid's head on the ceiling the exact same way that Monica did with Ben during the second season of "Friends".) As for "30 Rock," it's always funny. I love how well the writers know their characters - in Liz's argument with Jack about what makes an American, they always said exactly what you would expect them to. (I'm still laughing about Jack calling the President "Comrade Obama" from like, 3 weeks ago.)
3. "Grey's Anatomy": I liked watching Derek's thought process, even though this episode was total filler/time killer until the ladies come back from their movies and maternity leaves. I'm also glad they gave Derek something to do, and I'm glad we got to see him being a doctor again. I feel like this show so often gets caught up in it's own navel gazing that we sometimes forget that these people are doctors, and that they probably spend all day doing what Derek did last night, and not fighting with their fathers who just dropped in to the hospital. I fell in love with Derek (not in a McDreamy way, in a "he's an interesting character" way) in the first season because he seemed like such a talented, charismatic doctor. I'm glad we got to see him doctoring again. And that bit towards the end where the others were all sitting in the "peanut gallery", Cristina narrating on the phone to Meredith and Arizona hiding her eyes was really cute.
By the way, though... who the hell is Isaac?
I'm interested to see how they're going to get themselves out of this Izzie thing. We know she's coming back, so where on earth could she be that would make it plausible for her to come back? And while we're on the subject, the Chief firing everyone is getting old. Chief, if you fire everyone, no one is going to take you seriously anymore. See? Even Derek knows you don't mean it. I liked Arizona successfully guarding the door, too - she finally has a modicum of personality. (And no, I don't count her story about where she got her name from as "personality." We get it, you have a weird name. Who cares?)
Re: the new people. I still think they need to stop adding characters to this show and just be nicer to the old ones. But, I kind of like Lainie (or whatever her name is on this show) from Everwood, despite the fact that she's kind of a better version of Lexie (who I still can't stand). And, does it bother anyone else that the new guy, the one who got the surgery over Lexie, looks kind of like Alex? Speaking of Alex, he totally is a douche. But I still love him. Last thought - I really never want Cristina being my doctor. She has become completely one-note too. We know from previous seasons that she really does care about more than winning the competitions and getting the best surgeries. I'm sick of her insensitivity, it's like whoever's writing this keeps referring to the pilot script and going, "Oh yeah, Cristina is the competitive one," as if they forgot who their characters are.
In list form again, because I'm too lazy for sentences.
1. Hey! Those people from Mercy West look awfully familiar... oh look, that's Lainie, Colin's sister from Everwood. And hey - there's Hannah from Everwood! And Liz Danes is in this episode too. It's like I'm reliving the days of The WB via Shonda Rhimes. When is Keri Russell guest starring? 2. Really, can't they think of something better for Callie and Arizona to do? I can think of a few things. I mean, can't we ever have some lesbians on network TV whose entire storyline isn't about them being lesbians? I've never liked Arizona because I've always felt like she has 3 personality traits: a) she's blonde, b) she's a lesbian, and c) she has a weird name. This episode did not help with that. Also, the coming out to Dad thing? NOBODY CARES. It's been done on every TV show ever. Callie has so many issues in relationships, there are so many other things they could do with this. Like, we could start with the fact that she's gone ahead and fallen in love with someone who has no personality. 3. I know Izzie is not a popular character, but the entire time I've been watching this show, I've really been rooting for Izzie and Alex to make it. Please don't break them up again. 4. Speaking of which, how many times have they fired Izzie already? And now she's going to miraculously come back after Heigl is done with her maternity leave, or filming her movie, or whatever it is she's doing? Yeah, cause that's not obvious. 5. I heart Sarah Drew. 6. I really can't deal with Callie's tranny makeup anymore. She's a dyke, not a drag queen, people. 7. Sorry to be back on this topic again, but as if Callie being a doormat wasn't already annoying, now she has no personality either outside of "I'm a lesbian." I mean, didn't she just lose her job, get a new one, and then get a new one again? How come we barely saw that? 8. Meredith and Cristina were true to form tonight, and I totally love the two of them together. I'm really digging Meredith now that she's not obsessing over Derek anymore. 9. We barely saw Derek this episode! What a nice change of pace. 10. I have nothing else to say on this matter, but I needed a number 10. Hmmm... is saying "I still miss Erica Hahn" just annoying at this point? What, at least she and Callie actually got to have sex.
Allright. A couple of days ago, I did my best attempt at a concert review of the Brandi Carlile show in Northampton. Now that my 2 days of experiencing Brandi's fall tour have come to a close, I'm at a loss for what else to say. I think I've already showcased her music, told you how awesome she is on stage, and attempted to describe the energy in the room during one of her shows.
The only thing left do, I think, is tell you my personal experience at the show in Boston last night. I know the Red Sox are a hard thing to compete with in this town, especially when they're playing right across the street. And at first, I had my doubts. The show wasn't sold out, and the neighborhood was filled with hot dog vendors and rabid baseball fans before the show. As opener Katie Herzig took the stage and I could still hear chatting by the bar in fierce Boston accents, I was still a little worried about just how enthusiastic this crowd was going to be.
But my worries subsided the minute Brandi, the twins, Josh and Alli took the stage, stood angelically around one mic, and launched into "Oh Dear." The room was impeccably quiet, and the house had filled up to almost sold out. Let me back up for a minute here, though, because I need to express my gratitude to those wonderful forum members who were vigilant enough about standing in line and being organized, that we ended up standing exactly front and center the entire time. Even though I'm short and I usually try to squeeze myself in between the tall people, I don't ever get that good of a spot! Sitting in the front row of a seated theater doesn't even compare to being right at Brandi's feet, which were adorably bare last night.
They then brought the house down with "Looking Out," which I think is going to be my favorite off the new album. I'd only heard it acoustic before, but the driving bass and drums really gives it a rock anthem feel. What happened next is something I've only seen at Indigo Girls shows and maybe Hillel campfires... Brandi and the band started playing "What Can I Say," and the entire audience sang along. Now, I've heard audiences sing to this song before, as it is one of her most recognizable, but not like that. Usually, it's about 100 people in the first few rows that rally a little bit and try to encourage the rest of the audience. Last night, it was immediately apparent that almost everyone there had made the effort to come out just to see Brandi, and they knew exactly what they were getting themselves into. They came prepared to participate.
"Late Morning Lullaby" and "My Song," both from her album "The Story," were both filled with the same energy, and even Brandi was impressed with our singing. When she then stepped away from the mic and the twins picked up their acoustic guitars, she was able to quiet everyone down to near silent, and got away with playing "Dying Day" completely unplugged, even in a room where she said she wasn't sure she'd be able to do it. The last time I saw her attempt this in a venue around the same size - the House of Blues in Los Angeles, people at the bar were still looking the other way and chatting with each other, and it didn't work so well. In Boston, she had everyone's undivided attention for the entire 2 hours.
I'm so glad I moved to a city who loves Brandi, but I never expected this from Bostonians. I mean, this is a town who collectively loves things like baseball and Aerosmith. I never expected the same people to be Brandi Carlile fans. And before you go all, "Gabi, did you look around the audience? Did you notice anything about the majority of the people there?" I will say, yes, I know the culture of Brandi fans. Believe me, I know - I'm one of them (did I mention a certain website I frequent?) But while we had our requisite lesbians and hippie chicks, there were also plenty of straight guys in Red Sox caps who chanted right along with her when she introduced "Folsom Prison Blues" as a "song by the late, great, Johnny Cash."
What was even more great about the audience, is that we were so busy singing, there were almost no inappropriate comments from the audience, except for the one requisite "Marry me, Brandi" comment from some girl, to which Brandi gracefully replied, "Well, this is Massachusetts." Otherwise, though, everybody was mostly too busy actually paying attention to Brandi and the band instead of calling attention to themselves.
But seriously, back to the set list. I just about died when I was standing 5 feet away from Brandi, and the band launched into her cover of "Creep." As soon as I heard the first few drumbeats, I was in heaven. Remember that sexy growl thing I was talking about the other day? Nowhere is it more evident than in Brandi's throaty, all encompassing rendition of "Creep." A friend of mine said of the Northampton show that "music flows through her," and it certainly does. I've only heard her sing that live maybe once before, so it was a huge highlight of the show for me. I won't get into the inappropriate details of why I love that song so much, but... oh, what the hell, watch it for yourself. (Disclaimer: I wasn't really looking at the camera when I shot this...)
They closed the show with "The Story," and then launched into a 4 song encore, anchored by rocking renditions of "Folsom Prison Blues" and new song "Pride and Joy." It's a great note to end on - "Pride and Joy" has everything we've come to expect from a Brandi Carlile performance - a heart wrenching verse and chorus that starts off slow and crescendos into a rock anthem full of emotion, cello solos, electric guitars, driving drums, and lots of guitar sex. Rockstar!Brandi and the band finished with a flourish, and then practically skipped off stage, leaving us with their surge of adrenaline. Throughout the show, Brandi was all smiles and giddy excitement over the audience's enthusiasm, and I think she had a hard time leaving the stage.
Which brings me to my last few sentences about Brandi for a while. Before I sign off on writing about this fall tour, I need to address the issue of "Hallelujah." I know, I know. A lot of your eyes roll back into your head and glaze over upon seeing that song title written in conjunction with Brandi's name. But let me make my case. I love Brandi's rendition of "Hallelujah." I just plain love it. The first time I saw her play, back in LA, she played "That Year," and then said, "that was supposed to be my last song, but I just can't leave the stage," and started playing "Hallelujah." I was sold on it ever since. If our cynical LA audience wasn't already impressed with her voice, that song sealed the deal. Seeing her do it live really convinces you, 'this girl's voice is amazing.' So, I just don't get sick of hearing it, and I feel remiss whenever I leave a show where she didn't play it. I know this may get me in trouble, but I would trade "The Story" for "Hallelujah" any day. When the band finished "Pride and Joy," it almost looked like she wanted to stay... and that's what I wanted at the end. I wanted that, "you know what? I'm going to play one more song" moment, the one that made me fall in love with her in LA.
I apologize in advance that this is yet another post about Brandi Carlile. I'm sorry, I can't help it - I am once again amazed by that voice of hers, among other things. Her new album, titled "Give Up the Ghost" will be released on Tuesday, and she's currently on yet another tour to promote the album.
Last spring, I wrote about the quiet intimacy of the acoustic shows. These current shows are anything but... in a good way. A really good way. I didn't realize how much I missed the drums and electric guitars until they were taken away and then put back. When I first discovered Brandi, back in 2007, I went to a show much like these recent ones - full band, glitzy lighting, bigger venue. I fell in love with the fact that despite her songs being more on the folksy side, she plays like a rock star. A rock star with a fierce growl and raw sexiness.
Last night, she rocked Northampton, MA, reminding us all of why we fell in love with her in the first place. The set list included some old, old favorites off the first album, like "What Can I Say" and "Happy"; some sing along hits from The Story, like, uh, "The Story," "Turpentine," and hidden track "Hiding My Heart"; and tons of stuff from the new album, like rockers "Dreams" and "Pride and Joy," and acoustic turns with "That Year" and "Dying Day." There was an acoustic section, too, for those of you who missed the acoustic tour. But the best part about it was that rock concert feel. The band has a new drummer for this tour, Allison Miller, who kicks ass on the drums and makes every song sound better and more intense. The addition of the drums and electric guitars to songs I'd only heard acoustic made them sound like whole new songs, and allowed the band to play old favorites that just can't be done right acoustically. I really can't describe the energy Brandi exudes on stage. It's amazing how much different she sounds than the recorded albums; I always find it unbelievable how an album with so much quiet introspection can sound like arena rock when played live. I like my girls with guitars, but I like them even better when they're slamming on their electric guitars. And when Brandi does that thing on the guitar which has been dubbed and can only be described as "guitar sex," every audience member, no matter their sexual preference, falls instantly in lust.
What's more is that no matter how many times I've seen this woman play a concert, I'm always taken aback at the beginning of the show by how striking her voice is. Last night, Brandi and the band took the stage quietly, and after stopping themselves from giggling over the enthusiasm of the crowd, launched into "Oh Dear" - a song from the new album in which they all stand around one mic and breathe harmonies reminiscent of an old country-roots song. I was struck once again at the sound of her voice, that clear-as-a-bell meets sexy-growl thing that hits you right in the gut, and doesn't stop for two more hours.
Tonight she plays at the House of Blues in Boston, across the street from where the Red Sox are making their way into the playoffs (or maybe they're already in the playoffs... I really don't know, I just know I was warned about the traffic). In this town, that's hard to compete with, but I'm sure she'll emerge victorious. I invited some friends who have never seen her play before... I can't wait to hear what they'll say.
OK, no beating around the bush here. Here are my thoughts on last night's 2 hour season premiere of my beloved show, in list format. That's right. The show was so boring, and I'm still so deafened by Heigl's scenery chomping, that I can't even be bothered to write in complete paragraphs.
1. I'm so sick of this "Ohh, isn't it ironic when the doctor becomes the patient" bullshit. Enough already. Izzie as a cancer patient is worse than a Tori Spelling Lifetime movie. I just don't care. 2. Hasn't ER done enough with melodramatically killing off its doctors? Brain tumor on a beach, crushed by a helicopter, died saving people in a fire, stabbed in the ER, blown up in Iraq... thrown in front of a bus. Oh wait, wrong show. It's so easy to get confused these days. 3. Really? George was hit by a bus? Right before he joined the army? Come on. And nice use of the passage of time, by the way, so that by the second episode, we can pretend like George never existed. And is checking his freckles and such really the only they have to ID him? 4. RIP, George O'Malley. May you live on in TV heaven among the likes of Mark Greene, Dana Fairbanks, and oh, those are the only ones I can come up with right now, but every other TV character who died before their time. 5. Bad acting. Just plain bad acting, across the board. Poor Justin Chambers did the best he could to keep up with Heigl's scenery chomping, but he was helpless. 6. Note to network drama writers: please don't use curse words when you know you're not allowed to use them. "Freakin'" is really not a word people actually use, unless they're in one of those sitcoms with a token African American character or something. You're writers! Find another word that's more powerful, so that I don't have to listen to Katherine Heigl say "freakin" like a freakin white girl every two seconds. 7. How pregnant was Ellen Pompeo? Sheesh. 8. I'm really confused by the living arrangements on this show now. Does Arizona live with Callie now? Didn't Mark already have an apartment? What happened to the apartment Lexie shared with George? Are Izzie and Alex really going to live in the trailer? 9. OK, OK, I'll talk about actual content. Sorry, I don't remember there being any. 10. All that said, I will continue to watch this show. Because once upon a time, I got attached to these characters, and I want to know what happens to them, for better or worse. I still think Meredith Grey would be excellent as my doctor, and Alex is my broody boyfriend. I would never date Callie, but I wouldn't mind having a drink with her. Don't let her anywhere near me if I'm in the hospital, though. She, and especially her drag queen makeup, would make me cry. 10.5. I know I live in the past, but I still miss Erica Hahn. And Addison.
As much fun as I'd been having this past week stalking Brandi Carlile, driving around the New York suburbs, taking my grandparents to Costco, and collecting bagels and apple pies from my old stomping grounds, I felt as though something was remiss on this trip. It was something that I couldn't quite put my finger on until I got on a train to Manhattan, got off in midtown, and hit Broadway. Though seeing my favorite rock star do her thing in my hometown was certainly a trip, I was starting to feel like a traitor to Broadway. After all, in my world, usually the entire reason to come to New York is to support theater and feed my showtunes habit. I was already starting to feel the pangs of guilt and longing on Tuesday, the day that my friends in Chicago and I were supposed to go see the national tour of Rent, but I found myself on the outskirts of Manhattan, watching the farthest thing from a Broadway musical imaginable. Yesterday, I felt like I had finally returned to reality when I ended up wandering around Times Square, listening to the strains of showtunes pouring out of storefronts, and deciding which musical to check out that night. Unfortunately, there wasn't much to choose from, since Broadway has taken a huge downturn in these times of economic crisis. I forged on anyway, and ended up with a balcony seat to Billy Elliot. I was wary of this production at first, since I'm not usually a huge fan of non-musical movies being made into Broadway musicals, but the reviews for this from friends and critics alike have been positive, and I love musicals with lots of dancing, so I decided to check it out. Sitting in a Broadway theater, hovering over an orchestra pit, listening to the two old biddies sitting next to me kvetch, and watching a 12 year old ballet prodigy on stage was definitely a welcome change of pace from the rest of the week.
Billy Elliot The Musical is a fairly faithful adaptation of the film, both versions directed by Stephen Daldry. It's a story that's ripe for Broadway – a 12 year old boy with a dead mother is stuck in a dying mining town in Northern England, during the mining strike in the mid-80's. One day, while trying to recover from his usually disastrous boxing lesson, he finds his way into a ballet class and a mentor/surrogate mother named Mrs. Wilkinson. Ballet, it turns out, is his ticket out of working class minutiae, but first he has his striking family to contend with before he can make it to the auditions for the Royal Ballet. With music by Elton John, it turns out to be the perfect theme for the Broadway audience – an audience who can surely appreciate the desire to trade working class ideals for high brow culture in the big city, as well as the running "celebrate your individuality" theme.
There are definitely some changes in the pacing in order to fit Billy Elliot into his new medium – where the film rollicks along gently to a satisfying ending, the stage production hits a few snags along the way. Compared to the film, the stage play looks a bit clunkier, and though the musical numbers are mostly well worth the time it takes to sit through them, they do occasionally seem misplaced or misdirected. In the film version, when Billy accidentally stumbles upon his first ballet class, he does just that. In the stage version, he stumbles upon a hot mess of pre-teen ballerinas doing a silly dance number, an awkward tribute to musicals past that just misses the mark. They're led by the shrewd Mrs. Wilkinson, who becomes an unwitting mentor to Billy, but in this number, resembled an even shriller version of Miss Hanigan. That one number, along with the sound issues in the opening number were enough to make me worry for the rest of the production. Thankfully, though, the cast and the script recover quickly, and it only gets better from there.
As can be expected from a musical about a dancer, the choreography was probably the best part. Dance numbers ranged in style from ballet, to modern, to tap combined with Irish step dance. For a musical about ballet, Billy Elliot sure did have a lot of tap numbers, but they work to the show's advantage, in a rare moment of symbolism through dance that's not seen much on Broadway anymore. While Billy is pliè-ing his heart out in ballet class, his father and brother are facing a violent and chaotic strike at the coal mine they're trying to save. The raucousness of the tap numbers performed by the miners served to symbolize the chaotic nature of life in this mining town, and it provides a good contrast to the soft music and tutus of the ballet world that Billy lives in. Plus, the last time I saw this many tap numbers on Broadway was in 42nd Street, so it was refreshing to see a more contemporary use of the genre. At the beginning of the show, seeing the tough-guy miners break into a tap number was jarring, but it served its purpose until the very end, when all hell breaks loose in the unnecessary and silly dance-break finale.
Overall, this show does exactly what a dance musical should: furthers the story through dance, making the choreography the most expressive part of the show. Everything culminates in the second act, in a dream ballet no doubt inspired by the ones invented by Agnes DeMille for Oklahoma and Carousel. It's a pas de deux between Billy and his older self, and I will admit that when the stage cleared, revealing a cloud of smoke and the two dancers, I was a little worried. But by the middle of the piece, the strains of Swan Lake start to escalate, the dancing gets more impassioned, and we're amazed that a 12 year old can dance with so much maturity and earnestness. Unlike other musicals starring precocious children, the casting agents over at Billy Elliot managed to find pre-teen boys who can dance, act and sing with a maturity level way beyond their years. What results is a compelling and complex main character, and you forget that you're watching a 6th grader on stage.
When the show ended, and the silly production number at the end finally dissipated, we were reminded that it is, once again, the time of year for the Broadway Cares fundraiser. I'm only mentioning this because I'm a huge sucker for it – the ending of the show, though emotional, was marred for me by the dance number I disliked; but what really moved me at the end of the show were the Broadway Cares speeches. Broadway Cares is a nonprofit formed by members of Actors' Equity to raise money for people with AIDS. It was originally started in the mid-80's as a call to action for a community of performers who were losing friends right and left, and not getting recognition from the press about it. It's been around ever since I was old enough to attend Broadway shows, so to me, it's always just been a given part of going to the theater. It just moves me because it shows that even in the entertainment industry, where people can be ruthless, competitive, divas, etc., Equity has managed to band together on something and form a community around a tragedy that affects them all personally.
I'm an in-between-jobs librarian located in the Boston area of the US. I recently found a passion in making greeting cards and other paper goods, and can't wait to share my designs with you.
You knew I was going somewhere with this didn’t you? The other night, I had the opportunity to see Joan Baez play a concert in CT. I knew she was on tour this summer, and since she was one of the folk singers I have never seen live before, I thought I should take this opportunity before it’s uh, too late. I was worried about going to begin with, because I was in the middle of apartment hunting, and felt like if I had too much else to worry about, I wouldn’t be able to fully enjoy the show. That may have been true, but for those two hours, I took the opportunity to enjoy the calm and reverence in the air when Joan took the stage. Granted, I was the youngest audience member by about 30 years (I wish I could have taken my mom with me), but I really enjoyed the chance to be a part of a legacy that’s meant a lot to many people. The gold archways of the theater architecture, combined with the hushed responsiveness from the audience, then added with this sort of sage of a woman with an angelic voice who sings about peace and justice and all that, and the experience really did feel like church.
