Items filtered by date: November 2007

They call themselves The Pink Floyd Experience, and what an experience it was. From the moment you step into the theater, you can see the haziness on the stage, as if it were a Pink Floyd concert. I have seen The Australian Pink Floyd Show and Think Floyd USA, and in my opinion, these guys did what those other two tribute bands can't do. The Pink Floyd Experience is made up of 6 guys. Tom Quinn on lead guitars and vocals, Howard Pattow on lead vocals and guitars, Gus Beaudoin on bass and vocals, Jesse Molloy on saxaphone, keyboards and vocals, John Cox on keyboards and vocals, and John Staten on drums. Wait, there's no female backup vocalists? That's right. These 6 guys did all the vocals themselves. These guys showed those other Pink Floyd tribute bands what you can do when you have 6 guys doing everything. Besides, less is more. The only drawback I had was I was waiting for the lasers, but they had a cool light show, and the videos were phenomenal. They started off the night playing the entire album of “Animals” from front to back. Personally, I'm not the biggest fan of that album. I've always been a “Dark Side of the Moon” fan. But the guys really pulled it off. The best song they performed off that album in my opinion was “Dogs”. There's just so much emotion in that song. After they performed the entire album, they took a 15 minute intermission.

The second set was unbelievable. The guys played all sorts of Pink Floyd songs from their catalog. They were playing everything from “Time” and “Money” to “Run Like Hell”. The performances of each of these players was very unique. Howard Pattow on lead vocals was a pleasure to listen to. His vocal range is unbelievable! He was able to mimic Roger Waters perfectly. To be honest, it's hard to find good vocalists who can sound like Gilmour and Waters. But these guys were able to do it really well. Jesse Molloy on saxaphone really blew me away! I've seen other sax players playing Floyd, but this guy outdid them all. He blasted through “Shine On You Crazy Diamond” and “Money”. The lead guitarist Tom Quinn looked and sounded like Dave Gilmour. The biggest highlight of the night was “Comfortably Numb”. These guys rocked the hell out of that song! With the disco ball whirling and the dazzling light show, everyone was cheering, because they knew the words. There were about 1,500 people at this concert. All Pink Floyd fans. It felt like you were at a Floyd concert. There was the stench of marijuana and alcohol everywhere, screaming fans and audience sing-a-longs. It was like being at a huge party. By the end of the night, they closed with “Another Brick in the Wall Part 2” from “The Wall”. All topped off by a giant inflatable pig being thrown into the audience, which was very cool. Overall, The Pink Floyd Experience lived up to its name and was a great experience.

To find out more, check out their website: www.thepinkfloydexperience.net

Annie Baker’s acclaimed play "Circle Mirror Transformation" won the 2010 Obie Award for Best New American play and for good reason – the production is funny, moving, well-crafted, includes characters that are easy to identify with and is refreshingly simple. Effectively directed by Dexter Bullard, "Circle Mirror" projects a warmth and familiarity from its five cast members that is essential to the play’s success.

"Circle Mirror Transformation" takes the audience to a six-week community acting class that brings together a somber teenager, a former actress, a divorced carpenter, and an upbeat teacher along with her hippie husband. From a series of extroverted acting exercises in which some students take to with an over zealous nature while others perform on the opposite, more timid, end of the spectrum, to the general interactions between characters, this is a play that has audience members laughing out loud – and often.

Each cast member deserves kudos. Carmen Roman delivers a splendid well-rounded performance as acting teacher "Marty", while Steve Key ("Schultz") and Joe D. Lauck ("James") display their big time abilities to draw laughs. Rae Gray ("Lauren") nails her character’s downtrodden humor while Lori Myers ("Theresa") is nothing less than outstanding, delivering demanding physical comedy and punchlines in a seemingly effortless effort.

"Circle Mirror Transformation" is the prefect play to see if you are looking to stay away from the heavy or complicated and take in something light and funny that doesn’t make you think too much. The humor, though simple, is smart and the message, though simple, is endearing.

"Circle Mirror Transformation" is currently playing at Victory Gardens Theatre through April 10^{th. For more information visit www.victorygardens.org.}

I like to celebrate my birthday. I learned that from my mom who would always tell us before we got to the restaurant on her birthday to please discreetly inform the wait staff and ask them to sing to her when they bring dessert to the table. Many of my friends scoff at celebrating their birthdays. They say it’s no big deal and that it doesn’t mean anything.

It does mean something, something important and not just to your mother. It means something even to those strangers sitting in Red Lobster who applaud your birthday for ten seconds, and will never see you again.

For one thing, it means that you as an earthling, physically made it this far and to this day, the same date as the first day you shot out of your mother and into the atmosphere of our hostile world. It means you may have made it past many possibly fatal threats to you being alive eating at Red Lobster on this day, your birthday.

You may have out dodged childhood diseases, car accidents, poverty, plane accidents, all the adult diseases, boating accidents, skiing accidents, maybe even hurricanes and tornados came your way and couldn’t take you down. You have been on the planet this many years and are still here!! Albeit you may be lurching about a bit, but you are still here for your loved ones.

Also, if you find any value in astrology, Eastern, Western, and everything astronomical in between, then investigating the archetypal meaning of your birthday can have great eye opening power for you as it did me.

For example, I was relieved when I read that the week of my birth is considered to be the week of "The Loner". It really explained to me why I have always chosen to spend so much time alone at home, in libraries or out in nature, often going to movies or dance clubs alone. I’d see large groups of girls going in and out of bars or shops and wonder what’s wrong with me? Why don’t I have that many friends? Why don’t I even have the desire hang out with that many people? Am I alone a lot because I’m a "witch" or "weird"? When I read that description about my being a loner by nature, I realized I’m not a pack animal. It’s not a problem; it’s just the way I was designed to roll.

March 5^{th, The Day of Heaven and Hell}

I actually remember the first time I opened to that paragraph in the BIG, giant, Book of Birthdays while standing in a Barnes and Noble bookstore on the upper west side of New York. I was hungrily searching for clues about my spiritual self and was pretty sure my birthday was going to be called something lovely and impressive like "Dances in Rain On the Day of Beauty and Roses" or "The Day of Laughter and Unicorns" at the very least "Super Duper!!- You’ve got the very best birthday in this whole book!" But no, there it was, mine was the ultimate good news/bad news birthday-"The Day of Heaven and Hell".

The good news? You bring out the very BEST in people! That’s GREAT!

The bad news, you bring out the worst in people. Holy sh-t, that sounded horrible. Almost like an oxymoron, impossible!

Now I think everyone has had that experience of seeing a person clearly and positively at the beginning of a relationship and then maybe a few weeks or months when the masks usually come down, suddenly see the person completely differently, maybe even negatively. This is a normal experience and when there is the desire and the time, this unmasking doesn’t have to mean the end of the relationship, it can actually mean the very beginning of the real relationship.

So what happens for a "piercing insight, able to easily access the feelings of others, and naturally psychic" March 5th baby like myself is that the heavenly, falling in love process, and the hellish, unmasking process, happen very quickly, almost simultaneously and very, very intensely. I say almost simultaneously because they cannot happen at the same time. Heaven and Hell are two opposing forces or concepts and cannot occupy the same space at the same time. Also because "Heaven" or "light" is real, it really exists everlastingly and "hell" or "darkness" is not real and does not really exist or last.

Most people get to play out the above "getting to know you" scenario over a few candlelit dates, or over a period of years or-for a blessed few there is no big change in image, but for those born on March 5th the heaven and the hell are going to make a soul shaking appearance right away, no matter what.

So here’s what happens when I encounter a person I am attracted to, someone I think may be soul mate material (because at my age I’m not looking for anything less.) I’m used to this process, this is old hat for me but for the guy, he’s probably never seen or psychically felt one of "these" ever before. By "these" I mean the unique collection of planetary energies that make up my birthday and year.

I was born in 1965, the Year of The Chinese Wood Snake, considered the most wise, beautiful and psychic of the Eastern traditional signs. I have also four planets or pairs of dolphins in Pisces, also considered by experts to be the most psychic and impressionable "mirrors" of the Western Water signs. Don’t forget four planets in Virgo, the earthy, analytical, fastidious Virgins, and one eternally youthful, Aries Ram Moon, behind the steering wheel of my emotions.

Picture the image of a large powerful mirror, carried by four very careful Virgins. The mirrors’ reflective surface is not made of glass it is made of water, with eight dolphins living in the water, and the mirror is being shoved forward by a ram with a happily coiled snake riding on his back, that’s a pretty good illustration of what I look like astrologically.

At first my guy sees heaven, reflected in the mirror of my eyes. Because I have four planets in Pisces, the very archetype of the Eternal Soul Mate in my lineup, he sees a very real personification of his very own heavenly soul mate, completely equipped with all the heavenly qualities he heretofore only prayed for.

And he sees that I see the heaven in him too. Not just the younger more successful him, maybe 35 years old, when he may have been at the top of his career but the 11 year old him, the pure dreamer with a pure dream, the vast unmolested potential of him still perfect and unbruised in it’s tightly closed bud.

In just one stunning, powerful glance we both get to see clearly the heavenly archetypes we both currently embody including The Victor, The Accomplished Artist, The Spiritually Mature, The King, The Queen, The Humorist, The Hero, The Survivor, The Free Spirit and The Lover.

He also senses that I have enough Pisces power or fairy dust and four times the Virginal earth to make the heaven he only dreamed of real on earth as well.

This is a wonderful process, fantastical at first, but like the Woody Allen quote about not wanting to belong to any club that would have him as a member, he immediately feels certain that I am not seeing the real him, the hellish Devil he fears he has become or that he is seeing the real me.

To any other girl, born on a day not as "naturally psychic" or "piercing" he might suddenly reveal that he leaves his socks on the floor, is lactose intolerant, or is isn’t happy in his work, but in my case I quickly get to see the real "Hell" him. These shadow archetypal versions of him might include the hellish Hypocrite, The Coward The Procrastinator, The Pervert, The Failure, The Bully, The Misogynist, The Cheater, The Liar, The Psycho, The Icy Cynic, The Cheapskate, The Hermit, The Impotent, The Weakling, The Depressive, The Idiot, etc.

Now I’m not like Lady Gaga, I don’t want your "bad romance", your disease, your revenge or your horror, I only want your love.

I SEE that perfect child still alive in you. It is one of my gifts that I have the ability to actually see and touch the real, eternally ageless, heavenly version of you and that’s the only one I want.

Because I’ve been through this experience already with several other soul mates in my 46 years I already know that the "Hell" version of you is not even real. At most, these thoughts and behaviors are just collections of symptoms left over from not being in true love with a soul mate for a while.

I know too that the fearful hellish images he temporarily imposes on me, i.e.,

The Whore, The Goody-Goody, The Critic, The Prude, The Bitch, The Workaholic, The Cry Baby, The Old Maid, The Needy One, The Jokester,

The Victim, are all unfounded too, just shadow figures, just reflections of fearful thoughts quickly passing across the surface of my water mirror.

Now, it’s in my nature to butt heads and then quickly swim, slither, and run away from someone who appears so demonic and threatening to me. That’s a good thing, a protective safety hatch in nature. I believe we have more than one soul mate in this short life and it is crucial to choose to spend time with the right one at the right time for that union to be truly positive and fruitful emotionally for both people, as truly heavenly in every way possible. Connecting with one of your soul mates in this brief lifetime is always amazing but choosing the wrong Soul mate to connect with at the wrong time can lead one down a path of disaster that takes you off your true, spiritually prosperous life path for many important years, maybe for the rest of your life.

I guess this is an open letter to my future soul mate, letting him know not to be afraid of what he sees in my mirror or of what he sees me seeing in him. Yes, I see it all; mostly the good, but also the bad and the ugly and I reflect it all. For lack of a better term, I’m a psychic-reflective-visionary! It’s a good thing, one of my gifts. Apparently I can’t hide it and I can’t help that you SEE me, seeing it ALL.

But know that if our timing on earth is right, we can just laugh at the distorted "Funhouse mirror" versions of ourselves, set the mirror straight and see heaven clearly, together.

I have had a "Peter" on my mind for some time. I had not been thinking of the word in one of its common meanings (a wiener) or it being short for a "Peter Pumper," either. Rather, I was obsessing about a band whose name I mistakenly had thought was "Peter Rabbit." The correct name of the self-proclaimed bossa nova/pop/psychedelic band is "Pepper Rabbit," which is more fitting since they are not silly rabbits, as far as their skills are concerned.
 
Plus, the duo, comprised of Xander Singh and Luc Laurent, present peppered, magical musical ingredients and chemistry that indeed have the potential to stretch a person's imagination, and make the cells in his head grow. And, that is putting it mildly because I can say with the utmost of confidence, no people will be asking for their money back after having seen one of Pepper Rabbit's shows.
 
However, LA based Pepper Rabbit did take me by surprise with their performance last weekend. People did not seem to want to touch them with a 10-foot pole, or even a 6-inch pole! To elaborate, patrons at Chicago's ultra cool Subterranean venue and lounge stood far way from the stage while Pepper Rabbit played.
 
Yet, during Pepper Rabbit's first song the room filled quickly, and the Subterranean is known for being a tough crowd to please. But, while I looked around I saw just about everyone's eyes fixated on, and in awe of Pepper Rabbit's performance.
 
I truly believe the physical distance between the customers and the stage was due to them being utterly taken back by Pepper Rabbit's, just about as unique as can be, showmanship and total musical components.
 
Xander Singh, eventually invited the audience to come closer to the stage, and it appeared as everybody did, although they were still pretty stiff, probably by all of Pepper Rabbit's songs zapping them like lightening rods. Pepper Rabbit's worldly and highly complex arrangements were shocking in a such a good way, I could easily conceive flocks of people risking going miles down to Mexico. (In a desperate attempt to get the same feeling in a pill form.)
 
A "Hallelujah" is in order that people can skip the possible Mexican Prison time, and who knows what else, by simply buying Pepper Rabbit's critically acclaimed albums and tickets for their shows instead (http://www.myspace.com/pepperrabbit.)
 
Pepper Rabbit's performance, all in all, also induced lots of foot thumping amongst the crowd, as well as, praise. For instance, a beautiful girl named, Maren, I spoke to during the show said she played all the same instruments as Pepper Rabbit in her band, The Photographers. And, in her professional opinion she stated "Pepper Rabbit are real tight!"
 
Pepper Rabbit's performance displayed marveling multi-tasking abilities, memorization skills and dedication needed to pull out, and use so many instruments so often while singing, too! They pulled out a slew of joyous-invoking instruments including a mandolin, banjo, ukulele, tambourine, drums, pianos, flat 7ths and so on!

Plus, Singh's voice had a charming boyish sound, that was also powerfully loud and from the gut at the same time, showing off lyrics stemming from their personal experiences. In addition, some of Peppered Rabbit's songs have lyrics that are delightfully playful. I kid you not, Pepper Rabbit will make you feel like a child, again, excitingly discovering music for the first time.
 
It would be a crying shame if the incredibly talented and passionate Pepper Rabbit do not receive a much larger fan base and more album sales. I believe they will, though, as long as they go after a significantly larger amount of exposure--you know how fast rabbits can multiply!

You can go to: http://www.myspace.com/pepperrabbit to get their new album, BEAUREGARD, and tour information. 

What’s not to love about Celtic punk music that glorifies drunken shenanigans and their love of hard-working Americans? The answer is absolutely nothing. In a glorious pre-St. Patrick’s Day kickoff, The Dropkick Murphys brought an abundance of Celtic pride to the Congress Theater to promote their recently released album, Going Out in Style.

Not many punk bands have the mainstream appeal of The Dropkick Murphys. After banding in 1996, Dropkick has won over punk crowds, sporting arenas, and even landed on a major motion picture soundtrack. Despite their rise in popularity, Dropkick has always stayed true to their original sound.

To paint the scene, imagine a crowded venue inhabitant by people of all walks of life. A buzz is in the air making everything feel electric. The crowd, without much prodding, was properly amped and ready to see the main event. The crowd begins chanting, “Let’s go Murphys,” while the anticipation level hit a fever pitch. Dropkick, never a band to disappoint, graced the stage and kept the intensity level up for the rest of the evening.

The set began with a song off of their new album. True to form, Dropkick came out strong and took the crowd on majestic journey through their discography with minimal hesitation between songs. Personal favorites, crowd pleasers, new, and even more obscure tracks fed the already captivated congregate of fans. Words cannot describe the feeling of seeing Dropkick perform tracks like “I’m Shipping Up to Boston,” live. Simply put, their live performances are phenomenal.

Since high school, Dropkick’s infectious sound has peppered the soundtrack of my life. Below is a sample of some of my favorite tracks. Give ‘em a listen.

1). “Barroom Hero”

2). “The Gauntlet”

3). “The Spicy McHaggis Jig”

4). “Finnegan’s Wake”

5). “Boys on the Docks”

6). “I’m Shipping Up to Boston”

7). “Gangs All Here”

8). “Rocky Road to Dublin”

9). “Going Out in Style”

10). “The State of Massachusetts”

If any musical is a precursor to the rock opera, it's 1967's very own Hair. I saw elements of Rent, Godspell, and Jesus Christ Superstar, among others, embedded within the music, choreography, and even the costumes. This show is great fun but with serious things to say. Written and set in the late sixties, Hair speaks to many of the hot button issues of the time: the emergence of the hippie culture, freedom of sexuality, the generational gap between young adults and their parents, the prevelance of androgynous young men growing their hair long, and most importantly, the Vietnam War. Yet, the messages are still more than relevant today.

Act One opens with the show's most famous tune, "Age of Aquarius," then takes the audience through a sort of roll call of the characters, who address and speak to (and sometimes dance with) the audience. We learn about the male characters' rage and fear over being drafted and watch them scheme and worry over getting out of it. But the upbeat songs and energetic people moving around onstage allow you to put the misery on the backburner for awhile and enjoy celebrating "Peace! Flowers! Freedom! Happiness!" with the colorful members of the fringe culture.

I found that I liked the cast even before I saw them, reading through their bios in my program. Nobody had boastful lists of regional or touring credits, but rather tidbit philosophies on life (on karma, Zen, art), shout outs to family and friends, and -- a cute touch -- their astrological signs. This cast was young, enthusiastic, and a very strong ensemble. And brave. I've never once gone to the theatre and seen any actor, let alone an entire cast, stand unabashedly nude before the audience. If you happen to get bored with all the peace and love, just hang on, because that'll wake you right up.

Some of my favorite aspects of the show included three white girls singing about how much they love "Black Boys" followed by three black girls singing about how much they love "White Boys," the prayer of "Sodomy" (and cunnilingus, and fellatio, and masturbation...), the beautiful, shirtless hippie men (abs!), and Claude's profound defense to his parents of his opposition to the war, "I Got Life."

Obviously, the anti-war sentiments still ring true, but the part of the show where I really got chills, thinking of all the bullying and suicides that have taken place among the young gay community, was when a cast member dressed as an older woman (the embodiment of the conservative generation) turned to the audience and said, "I wish every mother and father in this theatre would go home tonight and tell their kids: 'BE FREE. Be whoever you are, and do whatever you want to do.'" Adding, "As long as you don't hurt anybody." As messages go, this is about as clear as it can get. 

I've known the music of Hair for years, but this was the first time I actually saw the show. It was wonderful to finally put a story and characters to the songs I love so much, and it was everything I'd imagined it would be. A celebration of being alive, of friends, of music, of freedom, of LOVE LOVE LOVE! However, it wasn't all flower-power optimism; by the end you will be left with a haunting reminder of the consequences of war. Not to fret, though. The cast continues the celebration by bouncing back up onstage for curtain call and a "Let the Sun Shine In" dance party with the audience, half of whom joined the cast onstage to dance and sing, some running down the aisles for their chance, some being somewhat reluctantly lead by hippie cast members. And good fun was had by all!

I wish I would have been around for the original Hair production, just to see what 21st-century changes had been made. Whether it's a direct reitterance of the 1967 production, I can't say, although I doubt that it is. No matter what, though, I can safely say that this revival stays faithful to the ideas and convictions of the sixties original and perpetuates them in a way we can relate to. I think everyone should go see it. I walked in with a question mark over my head in regards to what I was about to witness, and I walked out with flowers in my hair, an invitation to a Human Be-In ("Bring Your Own Pot!"), and "Let the Sun Shine In" thrumming through my head. The Hair revival is here until March 20th at the Ford Center/Oriental Theatre, so don't miss out on the peace, love, and astounding cultural significance.

The lights go out and I wish I'd gone to church this morning. Cradle of Filth bassist Dave Pybus takes stage with guitarists Paul Allender and James McIlroy. The three of them strike a chord and I can feel that my trip to hell has officially begun. People in the audience are raising their fists and their heads start bobbing like popcorn popping. Lead singer Dani Filth takes the stage and stands on a riser that seems as short as he is, but he can still deliver a powerful punch. With a fury of words machine-gunning out of his mouth, Dani Filth performs lyrics that cover everything from rape to Greek mythology and, of course, demons from hell. The problem with Filth’s lyrics isn't necessarily the content, but trying to figure out what he's actually trying to say.

Filth has mastered the art of deep growling vocal abuse while spouting a tale of England’s medieval history. As a matter of fact, Filth has become so good at his graveling vocals, that perhaps only Cookie Monster could understand what he's trying to say. Cradle of Filth's performance stays true to their recordings; they sound exactly how they do on their album. And, Dani Filth sounds just as intense on CD as he does live. For black metal fans, this was one hell of an amazing show. However, if you've never understood black metal, you might feel lost. But, you can't deny a strong performance when you see one, and Cradle of Filth leaves fans knowing why they've set the bar for English black metal.

SPACE in Evanston has to be one the coolest places to see live music acts! Not only is it a small intimate setting, but you can meet the acts that perform right after their concert for a meet and greet. The atmosphere is very relaxing, and tonight it's “Songwriters Night.” The two songwriters tonight are the legendary Jimmy Webb, who has written thousands and thousands of songs for famous recording artists. Then, after Jimmy was Alice Peacock, a great singer/songwriter, who is from Chicago. The night was calm and fantastic. First up, we had Jimmy Webb. Jimmy is a legend, and an incredible songwriter and performer. His compositions include “Up, Up and Away”, “By the Time I Get to Phoenix”, “Wichita Lineman”, “Galveston”, and “MacArthur Park.” His songs have been performed or recorded by Glen Campbell, The 5^th Dimension, Thelma Houston, Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand, R.E.M., Elvis Presley, The Supremes, and Richard Harris. He is the only artist to have received Grammy Awards for music, lyrics and orchestration. Jimmy's performances were heavenly, as he was performing his magic on the piano. Not only is he a great performer and songwriter, but he is a great storyteller. Throughout the night, he was telling the stories behind his songs. He also talked of his experiences with the people that helped him and inspired him, and he has a great sense of humor. The show was sold out. There were Jimmy fans everywhere. People I talked to knew exactly who he was. They were telling me how they grew up with his music, and how it's affected their lives. Being a singer/songwriter myself, I felt a deep connection to his music, growing up with songs. But the small, intimate setting made this concert magical. He started off with songs like “Galveston” and “By the Time I get to Phoenix.” The concert lasted about an hour and a half. Now the cool part was when he came out to meet his fans and sign CDs. Jimmy just released a new album he supporting on the tour called “Just Across the River.” The album has duets with Vince Gill, Billy Joel, Willie Nelson, Lucinda Williams, Jackson Browne, Glen Campbell, Michael McDonald, Mark Knopfler, J.D. Souther, and Linda Ronstadt. If you get a chance, listen to this CD. It's incredible! Overall, a magical, elegant performance from the great Jimmy Webb. Thank you Jimmy!

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jimmy_Webb

Check out more of Jimmy Webb at his website: www.jimmywebb.com

It was late in the night, and next up was Alice Peacock, a fantastic singer/songwriter. She was there with her guitarist/co-producer/co-writer Danny Myrick. The two found the commonalities in their backgrounds – Myrick is the son of a southern Baptist preacher, Peacock the daughter of a northern Methodist minister – strongly influenced their co-creation. What I love about Alice is that you can easily relate to her music. Danny told me that night, “Songwriting is such an interesting thing.” The thing about it is you never know where the idea for a song can come from. But all the songs she played were flawless. They both were entertaining conversing with the audience and also telling the stories behind the songs. One song that I thought was so beautiful was “Time,” where Alice sat behind the piano playing solo. Other great moments were “Sunflower,” which was in the film Because of Winn-Dixie and the song “Bliss,” which was featured in the clothing ads for “J. Jill” and in “Hershey's” commercials. For just two people on stage, Alice and Danny knew how to rock the crowd! Whether it was the audience sing-a-longs, or Alice and Danny taking turns singing. Very entertaining and very energetic! Before their show, Danny and I were talking about today's music, and how we process classic songs to today's music. Alice has four albums released already. Her first, “Real Day,”, her second, the self-titled “Alice Peacock,” featuring John Mayer and Indigo Girl Emily Saliers. Her first two albums were more folk-rock. Alice sounds like the love child of Joni Mitchell, Shawn Colvin, and Laura Nyro all put together. Her third album entitled “Who I Am” was a beautiful pop record with Alice at the piano throughout the whole album. Most recently she released a brand new album “Love Remains,” which is the first collaboration for Peacock and Myrick. Great rocking album! Before Alice's two hour set last night, I caught up with Alice for an in-depth interview with her, while Danny was minding his own business at the coffee maker.  Thanks Alice for letting us be a part of your family for two hours!

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice_Peacock

Check out more of Alice Peacock at her website: www.alicepeacock.com

Buzz:   So Alice, who are your influences?

Alice:   There are so many. Everything growing up. The songwriters, Randy Newman, Jimmy Webb, Laura Nyro. You really learn from the craft. Mostly, the classic singer/songwriters. In Nashville, song is king. It's just you and the guitar.

Buzz:   Were you born here?

Alice:   I was born in Minnesota, but I'm currently living in Nashville. I moved to Nashville 2 years ago, after living in Chicago in Lincoln Park for 12 years.

Buzz:   What is the life of a Singer/Songwriter?

Alice:   I think when you're a songwriter, you have to give your antenna up. You never know where your inspirations are gonna come from. It's all about balance. You have to stay open.

Buzz:   What do you think of today's Music compared to the classics?

Alice:   I'm not a fan of noise. I'll always get surprised by something good. There's great artists like Radiohead, Coldplay and Ray LaMontagne.

Buzz:   What made you go into music?

Alice:   I had no choice.

Buzz:   What do you like to write about?

Alice:   Life, everything, anything. Last night, I was very inspired to see Shawn Mullins. I think it's always good to see other artists performing. It's like that antenna. Always staying open, like a TV. I haven't written about my son yet, but eventually it will happen. I think I need to write about myself. Some of my best stuff has been solo. I call it your deposit into your creative bank.

Buzz:   How does being a musician make you a better person?

Alice:   I think being a mom has made me a better person.

Buzz:   What made you want to pick up the piano and guitar? Which came first?

Alice:   Well, I was originally a Theatre major. I was in Musical Theatre. But I started playing music at an early age. I played piano first, and then eventually got to guitar.

Meet one of the stars of the Video Game Reunion here. The show is going on at this link, right now!

http://vgr.atom.com/#!s1/episodes/episode_1

Tonya Kay is an entertainer. Tonya Kay is a good steward of animals and earth. Tonya Kay is the voice of Green Girl, a lead comedic actor in the "life of it's own" movie Bold Native, Princess Peach on March 8th's launch of the Comedy Central special Video Game Reunion, has performed for Conan O'Brien, Japan, and toured in 2007 with Panic at the Disco.

Tonya also toured with STOMP, landing the opportunity in New York, and as a former Bridgeport  (Chicago) resident, she knows a few things about Chicagoland. Meet a person who's been in the business and makes the best of it. In a position to influence people with messages of vegan-living principles Tonya Kay does. She truely is a Bold Native in every sense of the phrase.

A vegetarian/vegan for approximately 30 years, when on tour with Kenny Rogers a while back, a road-stop to eat convinced Tonya that it was time to go entirely vegan after a slew of neon-color-packaged food with little to no appeal or health value finally drew the line.

If you’ve ever worked a day in your life, ever waited a table or slaved the day away in a cubicle, then you’ll love the Broadway musical Working. This upbeat, funny, hauntingly true-to-life musical capturing the stories of everyday working people has something for everyone.

Working is a musical based on the book by Chicago’s own Pulitzer Prize winning author, Studs Terkel. With songs written by Tony Award winners, Grammy winners, and Broadway composers, it should come as no surprise that the songs are not only catchy, but beautifully composed. Quirky and funny songs like “Delivery” about a fast food worker enjoying the days he gets to deliver and breathe fresh air, to songs like “Cleaning Woman” about a woman ending the cycle of her family becoming cleaning women and working to give her daughter a better future and better occupational options. There are over twenty characters portrayed in the musical through various scenes all seamlessly strung together, played by an all-star cast made up of only six actors and actresses. E. Faye Butler gave standout performances, stealing the stage every time she belted out a ballad, portraying a project manager, a housewife, a prostitute, and a cleaning woman. Emjoy Gavino captured our hearts as the hilarious flight attendant, a millworker, a receptionist, and a caregiver. Gabriel Ruiz was an absolute crowd favorite as a food delivery boy, a receptionist, a community organizer, a caregiver, and a young ex-newsroom assistant. Michael Mahler, Barbara Robertson, and Gene Weygandt rounded off the cast with memorable portrayals of workers in all types of professions from all walks of life. With so much talent in this six person cast you’d think there were more than twenty cast members in the company and throughout the show the transitions from one character to another are so seamless that it’s hard to comprehend that the steel worker just became the hedge fund manager in the blink of an eye.

You don’t have to be a fan of musicals to enjoy this show as it appeals to anyone who has ever had a job for any reason. Studs Terkel believed that our work became a part of our identity and his interviews in 1974 shed light on the lives of those whose occupations may be less than desirable, but more than necessary to our society. The musical was originally adapted for the stage by Stephen Schwartz (the brilliant mind behind Wicked, Pippin and Godspell), who made it both entertaining and believable. Throughout the play you’re introduced to hard working people we might overlook every day, from a cleaning lady to an architect and construction worker. Have you ever sat in your cubicle in your building and thought of the people that designed the building? Built the building? How about those who clean the building each night? Ever thought about the lives of those people, where they come from, what their dreams are? Perhaps not, but after seeing this play you might think twice about those people. We all work for a living, no matter what our job is. It isn’t the job that defines us, but we who define our jobs.

Tickets are a little on the pricy side, but in my opinion they are worth every penny. Any musical that can bring both humor and truth to everyday life and open your heart with inspirational and hopeful tales of hard working people. Working is playing at the Broadway Playhouse, for more information and tickets visit www.broadwayinchicago.com.