Items filtered by date: November 2007

In a cloud of fog the band REV LUV took the stage at Chicago’s House of Blues with a vengence. This local area band raged out with power stealing the show from the headlining act. As they played with every bit of drive, determination, and their soul, it was clear this band was put on Earth to entertain a crowd. They are just amazing!!

  They say a picture is worth a thousand words. But what happens when you combine photography with live art? This is one of the core questions that is explored in the new Neo-Futurist play “I Am a Camera” written and directed by Greg Allen.

One of the great things about this Neo-Futurist play is that it requires the audience to really intellectualize what they are viewing. “I Am a Camera” leaves room for interpretation from the audience as well as the interpretation of its two person cast. Jeremy Sher and Caitlin Stainken lead the audience through various photographic exercises that lead us to ask “What is photography?” “Can a picture convey more meaning than words?” “Can a picture accurately replace an emotion?” “Can a single image depict an entire experience?” “Can a photograph capture a memory?” “Can we replace memories, or diminish the value of them, with a photograph?” All of these questions and concepts are explored throughout “I Am a Camera.”

The play uses still photography as both “the medium and the message” to convey abstract emotions and experiences to illustrate issues of vulnerability and identity in the 21st century. Set to a background of eclectic music, a mix of classic modern rock, and using all aspects of photography from Polaroid snapshots to digitally projected images onto objects, screens and human bodies, “I Am a Camera” is as much a visual experience as it is a thought-provoking one.

One of the best scenes in the play seemed more improvised than rehearsed. Sher and Stainken sat together at a wooden table, dozens of 8x10 photos in front of them, and the booth technician coached them with a buzzer about the exercises they had to do. In exercise one they asked one another questions and had to find still photos that described the emotion they felt, the next exercise asked them to find photos that conveyed what they thought the other was feeling when sharing a memory.  In one instance, Sher asked Stainken “how did you feel when you farted in English class and cried?” She then, laughingly, finds a photo of herself curled up in a ball in the corner of a room, an image that the audience could both laugh at and empathize with. Another question had Stainken asking Sher, “where do you see yourself in five years,” to which he finds a photo of a small hand reaching up to grasp a man’s finger, leaving the audience to interpret a family, a child, a future of hope. This was one of the more hilarious, yet simultaneously provocative moments of the play.

Sound confusing? At times I thought so too. While the visual experience of the play was incredible, at times it ventured so far into the abstract that the interpretation of the play began to drift away from the core concepts. But Allen’s play is nothing short of beautiful, and one that theater goers would be sad to miss. Sher and Stainken provide the perfect balance of humor and charm, offering an accessible and relatable experience for the audience, one of the more intriguing common aspects at the heart of Neo-Futurist plays.

So go, enjoy, and experience the Neo-Futurist interpretation of photography on our lives, and don’t forget to bring a Smartphone (you’ll see why as soon as walk into the waiting room…)

On the Run (photo by Tracy Walsh)

Have you ever wondered the sound whales make while they hump? A certain Chicago musician claims he knows and that it's one of his musical influences. I have to say I've never heard that one before!

The musician is, Mike Romanzow, and he has longed to be in a band or a telepathic dolphin interpreter since he was very young. He's a member of the band named, On the Run, whose name reminds me of the phrase: To go on a beer run. I'm eager to see if their live performance is any fun without having to have a "cold one."

Prior to going on stage, I overheard the band ordering bottles of Miller Lite and Quesadillas, it was refreshing to hear they were polite to the bartender and did not have a "My shit don't stink" and demanding "wait on me hand and foot" attitude. On the Run also appeared to be down-to-earth with their fans and not aloof or rude.

On the Run (photo by Tracy Walsh)

When On the Run first came out, they hit me sort of like a tsunami--they had displayed such an amount of energy I would've sworn they were all manic or "running high" on cans of Red Bull! But, before the show, I did not see them order any energy drinks or pop any amphetamines.

It was so extreme-energy-wowing I don't know how any sane non-polluted human beings could maintain it all the way to their ending. And, they didn't, but On the Run's bass player was "a real looker" and charismatic as all hell, plus the entire band played together impressively well. They clearly had positive chemistry and played tight throughout the whole night.

The Lead Vocalist and Guitarist, Tyler Imbrey, of On the Run was founder of the now deceased group, "The Liquid Courage Band." He was raised in North Carolina while Lead Guitar/Vocalist (Luke Gale) and Percussionist and Drummer (Tim Williams) are from Chicago. Plus, Mike Romanzow grew up in the Chicagoland area, and is noted for: "his smooth double-finger rhythm action [that] can "funkify" the rockiness of your soul while stimulating your senses. And, he plays bass in the band! (www.ontherunmusic.com 2010")

On the Run played predominately upbeat tunes, yet threw in some soulful slow and smooth ones, too. The fans and I were especially moved when they covered the Beatle's song "Come Together" and sounded like them almost identically.

All in all, On the Run led a fun show--they were entertaining enough for me and most of the people in attendance to not have to leave and order more alcohol or flee to go potty. Their only downfall, in my opinion, was they did not sound unique--however, who truly can these days anyway. I had thought they would since they have some mighty pricey customized and high-tech instruments, but they reminded me of the Dave Matthew's Band. On the Run had their saxophonist, Justin Keirans, and a local keyboardist play with them during over half of the show. The ingredients of On the Run include a dash of rock, reggae, blues and funk.

I concluded where the band played, Martyr's Restaurant and Pub, was pretty cool since they have two bars, and a mural of dead music legends (Bob Marley, John Lennon and Jimi Hendrix.) Their walls also featured individual posters of The Tragically Hip, Iggy Pop and the band, Government Mule. Martyr's had delicious food, too, allowing for drinking more alcohol and having extra dancing fuel.

Oh, and I can't go without mentioning the band who performed before On the Run (Surrender Dorothy) whose Lead Singer swirled up a stellar vocal performance and their electric guitar player was thrilling to watch, jumping high time after time.

Every single member of the band, consisting of "Guitarist/Singer Chris Barker, Joe Barker on Electric guitar, Bill Bush on Guitar, Josh Clark on Bass Guitar and last but not least Brian Kutanovski on drums" gave a wicked pure rock-in-roll performance (www.myspace.com/surrenderdorothyorelse 2010.)

Chris Barker later sang with On the Run, covering the Marshall Tucker Band's song, "Can't You See," having me to firmly believe the guy can really sing!

Hopefully, if On the Run makes it big, they'll remember their poop still stinks. "On The Run competed in the Emergenza Chicago Finals this past June 21, 2009 and did take home first place (www.ontherunmusic.com 2010.") Besides, I can easily see Lead Vocalist and Guitarist, Tyler Imbrey, and Bass player, Mike Romanzow being each a Rock Star because of their magical instrumentals, stage presence and friendly way (before they took the stage) with patrons of the bar. Plus, On the Run's new ep, "Stage Lights," reveals the band's goal to be in California and has indeed the potential to go that far.

By Tracy Walsh

Sources:

www.myspace.com/surrenderdorothyorelse

 Everclear is back. That’s what Art Alexakis shouted anyway, to the crowd at House of Blues Chicago on the night of Wednesday, January 27, 2010. With the fiery performance the group put on you’d have to believe them, too, and maybe even start to wonder if they ever really went away in the first place.

Watching Brian Dennehy, still as handsome, graceful and light on his feet at 71 as at 51, I have to ask myself in disbelief, has it really been twenty years since I last saw him perform on the Goodman stage in “The Iceman Cometh”?  It seems just like yesterday. The great thing about an actor’s actor like Dennehy, is the way he can utilize all the knowledge he has acquired during his long and illustrious career and still bring a freshness, a youthfulness, an energy and presence that is uniquely his own to every role. 

The story of Annie, the optimistic red-headed orphan, is one that still resonates with the same power and charm today as it did when it melted the hearts of theater-goers on Broadway in 1977...

Once again making a triumphant return to Chicago is Mamma Mia!, now playing at the Rosemont Theatre (5400 N. River Road, Rosemont) through Sunday, January 24^th. With a national touring cast that is as energetic as they were talented, Mamma Mia is a wild ride full of catchy ABBA songs, laughs and well-choreographed dancing. .

 The Bowerbirds headlined Saturday, January 16^th, at Lincoln Hall as part of the Tomorrow Never Knows festival. The Bowerbirds are an indie folk band consisting of Phil Moore on guitar and lead vocals, Beth Tacular on accordion, keyboards and vocals, and Dan “Yan” Westerlund on drums, keyboards and vocals.

Imagine that you are a talented young woman raised by a loving father who has instilled in you the value of an education and your own inestimable worth in the world. Imagine that your father, your only ally, dies just as you are on the brink of independence.