Category Archives: Arts

Short Attention Span Theater

For a little extra cash (and to not work overly hard), I’ve taken up ushering, first at the stadium and the arena/center downtown. Last night was the first time I ever helped oversee a studio audience as the biggest professional wrestling corporation staged a show, primarily for cameras but the assembled masses seemed happy.

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Part of what fascinates me is seeing what goes into actually staging an event of this magnitude, being part of a large event as it comes together. The variety of reactions and interaction is fascinating stuff.  The WWE was something to behold, turning the entire First Niagara Center into a tv studio. What are usually nondescript hallways were suddenly sets.

An interesting transformation, although still a little scary to what crowd reaction, but as you could imagine, the people watching was pretty choice.

Don’t Drink the Water

My lovely daughters like to tease me about multiple versions of songs they find in the Itunes on my computer. The eldest complains “just how many versions of this do you need?”

Kid is way to uptight to understand some groups, but sometimes choice is really good, like this from Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds

Got on my boots….

Now what?

One of my favorite bands has been U2 since my halcyon years in college radio. They’ve endured fairly well. The last record that I was really fond of “All That You Can’t Leave Behind” The recent records since have had their moments, but as a whole, are well, okay. The lads did provide me, however indirectly, with what might be my zenith in parenting when I took my eldest to her first rock show when U2 played Buffalo toward the end of 2005.

That said, I thought it was pretty interesting that there were many great reviews from the shows played then because they were in arenas with the focus on the music.

I saw the attached photos from the National Post in Canada and thought maybe stadium shows are getting too large. When it is that big, how important is it to say you were in the building, when all you did was pay lots of money to watch the Edge on TV?

It is an awe-inspiring site and a cool picture, but I must be getting old.

I was at a free show last week and somebody complained that I was blocking their view of a tv-screen at a free show. It happens more at the free shows and there are plenty of great ones in our area, but they do attract folks who go so they can say they were there, not because they were interested in the show.

It’s interesting to see and I think paid shows aren’t immune. I was fascinated by the amount of people who used the slow songs at the April Bob Seger show in Buffalo for beer runs. Really? There must be something I’m missing in those eight dollar beers that make them so addicting.

By all means, do check out the pretty fair review from U2′s show on Monday, found here at http://arts.nationalpost.com/2011/07/12/concert-review-u2-at-the-rogers-centre-in-toronto/

It’s interesting to me that great songs transcend anything and when Seger was here, he said the heck with everything and just played.

One of the forum posters on the National Post site hit it on the head that the band would be great in front of a brick wall.

Play decent music and people will come….

My Sweet Lord

February 25th was George Harrison‘s birthday. The good folks behind his website put the Concert for George up for a streaming feed as a tribute. It is a great show, with plenty of english rock royalty paying tribute to the quiet beatle. If you never have seen it, go rent, borrow, what have ya.

It’s a great send off of great music. Check out this band

Can’t Find My Way Home

Apparently there was a youtube contest for people to cover this song some months back, but nothing touches the original voice. I’ve been hearing the phrase a lot over the past few days, so one quick search for Steve Winwood later, yielded this.

The fire crackle made it art.

You’re welcome

Run Like Hell

Roger Waters is a freaking genius. His current tour of The Wall is a sight. I was in the audience for the Buffalo stop and it was a a complete show, literally, flawless sound, the erection and destruction of the Wall, complete with updated graphics from the old Pink Floyd animator. The first view of the model airplane crashing into the “Wall” served notice that this wasn’t just any rock concert. This wasn’t a rock concert in the traditional sense as the performance was of just the entirety of The Wall, the legendary Pink Floyd album created by Waters. It was one of those albums that we all had, but there was no sense of nostalgia in the playing of the 30 year old album as a performance piece.

The show was unlike anything I’ve ever seen.

From waiting for the “Construction” to the performances of songs that are so familar

Comfortably Numb

In the end, the Wall did come down, but it was a glorious end. Even my Iphone had a good time.

This video is from Boston a few nights ago, but it gives you an idea

Great show, catch the tour if you can.

Absolutely the Last Airbender

or so we could hope. Had all the ingredients to escape the heat and humidity at the movies, a couple of passes, popcorn, drinks, an obligation free late afternoon and the great company of my terrific 12 year old son. At his request, we were going to check out “The Last Airbender.” Since I’m never too far from my inner 12 year old, I thought why not? M. Night Shamaylan, who better allow for a typo on his name, has made a few decent films in his time.

Sadly, this was not one of them. The beginning was fine, the end came at the appropriate time, but they were exceedingly far apart. A quasi-mystical story laden with some decent CGI imagery couldn’t cover up for the craptastic product being display before our rapidly reddening eyes.

The movie ended with one of those screaming for a sequel in 2013 endings. I mused “hmmm” outloud and my lovely boy in perfect deadpan allowed instantly thereafter how “Yeah, that really sucked.” Funniest line of the whole experience.