The Double Door is one of my favorite live venues in Chicago. It's got this great atmosphere that lends itself perfectly to a myriad of genres of music. It's just the right size to be big but not too big, small but not too small. The venue is at its finest, though, when the acts are local.
Scotland Yard Gospel Choir (SYGC) opened for the Smoking Popes. SYGC reminds me of bands my friends were in during high school, only grown up and with better music. (No offense to any friends' bands...) The band was just fun to listen to and very entertaining, with some hilarious lyrics. Josh from the Smoking Popes joined in on vocals for one song, after the lead singer told the story of how he was kicked out of Double Door some years ago.
And then there were the Smoking Popes. Always an awesome band to see live, they didn't disappoint this time either. Their set *almost* made me forget how unbearably hot it was at Double Door. It's difficult not to get sucked into a band that so obviously enjoys performing live in front of fans. Plus, their music just forces you to be engrossed- if the people singing along around you don't beat the music to it.
June 9, 2009
April 11, 2009
Andrew Bird at Civic Opera House
It’s difficult to articulate exactly what seeing Andrew Bird in concert feels like. There’s an energy, an electricity in the air that’s not replicable. It’s just incredible. He has more hometown pride than just about any
March 2, 2009
3 (newly discovered) by Tennessee
On Saturday I went to see three newly discovered one acts by Tennessee Williams at the EP Theater for the second of the two nights they were being performed for the first time in Chicago.
The Palooka is about two boxers preparing for their respective fights, and is an intimate look at the concept of the childhood hero, as well as the debate about whether to burst someone's "bubble" about his or her hero.
Mr. Paradise involves an exchange between an author and a college student, and discusses the serendipitous events that can lead us to discover works of art that change our lives. However, what happens when the creator of those particular works wishes to remain in obscurity?
The Pink Bedroom explores the intricacies of extramarital relationships, and takes place (you guessed it) in a very pink bedroom. Jealousy and anger come into play and there is an ironically hilarious conclusion.
All three plays were brilliantly acted and staged very well. Tennessee Williams has a definite feel to his work that is undeniably his own. Having worked on The Night of the Iguana, I remember that feel and it was recreated to perfection.
Each one act was introduced and followed up by live music from the band Pet Peeve, a group of Chicago locals who sing in French and introduced their song in English as "a foreign language." They're a great live band, and fit the mood perfectly with their guitar and violin blend.
The EP Theater is an intimate venue which is a rehabilitated store front. It looks very much like a 1920s speakeasy with exposed wooden rafters that have white Christmas lights strung along them and old movie theater seats in the lobby. There's a piano with an Ouija board propped up on the music stand on the way into the house. From the lobby, you can look down into the green room/dressing room area. The walls are painted red with the exception of the wall behind the bar, which is wallpapered with Victorian women's faces. Some of their lips are red to complement the red walls. Inside the house, there are antique looking light fixtures that light up the metallic red and silver walls nicely. It's a great venue and a place I look forward to attending again.
www.eptheater.com
www.myspace.com/mypetpeeve
The Palooka is about two boxers preparing for their respective fights, and is an intimate look at the concept of the childhood hero, as well as the debate about whether to burst someone's "bubble" about his or her hero.
Mr. Paradise involves an exchange between an author and a college student, and discusses the serendipitous events that can lead us to discover works of art that change our lives. However, what happens when the creator of those particular works wishes to remain in obscurity?
The Pink Bedroom explores the intricacies of extramarital relationships, and takes place (you guessed it) in a very pink bedroom. Jealousy and anger come into play and there is an ironically hilarious conclusion.
All three plays were brilliantly acted and staged very well. Tennessee Williams has a definite feel to his work that is undeniably his own. Having worked on The Night of the Iguana, I remember that feel and it was recreated to perfection.
Each one act was introduced and followed up by live music from the band Pet Peeve, a group of Chicago locals who sing in French and introduced their song in English as "a foreign language." They're a great live band, and fit the mood perfectly with their guitar and violin blend.
The EP Theater is an intimate venue which is a rehabilitated store front. It looks very much like a 1920s speakeasy with exposed wooden rafters that have white Christmas lights strung along them and old movie theater seats in the lobby. There's a piano with an Ouija board propped up on the music stand on the way into the house. From the lobby, you can look down into the green room/dressing room area. The walls are painted red with the exception of the wall behind the bar, which is wallpapered with Victorian women's faces. Some of their lips are red to complement the red walls. Inside the house, there are antique looking light fixtures that light up the metallic red and silver walls nicely. It's a great venue and a place I look forward to attending again.
www.eptheater.com
www.myspace.com/mypetpeeve
February 22, 2009
Midsummer
A Midsummer Night's Dream will always have a special place in my heart, as it was the first show I stage managed. As such, I was practically obligated to see the Short Shakespeare incarnation of this show at Chicago Shakespeare. Also, it's the only series of shows at that venue that I can afford, unless there are deals on main stage tickets (so much for the Scottish play).
The costumes were updated to a contemporary style, with the lovers sporting prep school uniform styled costumes, Theseus and Hippolyta wearing stylish and elegant outfits, and the mechanicals maintaining their role as comic relief in more silly outfits. Puck, however, resembled the Batman villain Riddler in a white suit and Derby hat. Oberon and Titania looked out of place in Marie Antoinette styled garb, and their puppet attendant fairies did not match their outfits at all. I was confused as to that choice of costumes, and it really distracted me from their abilities as actors.
The set was simple yet functional, a necessity when dealing with a script whose location changes constantly to accomodate the ever-changing plotlines. Lights and music were nothing outstanding and served their respective purposes.
I found Hermia and Titania difficult to understand because they didn't project well, nor did they articulate particularly well either. Helena, on the other hand, added a touch of personal flair to the role and did a fantastic job. Puck was delightfully mischevious and just goofy enough- too much more and he would've grossly overdone it. The mechanicals were fantastic and provided wonderful comic relief from the serious stretches of the play- I was in stitches throughout the play within a play due to the props and great overacting (I'm of the opinion that you need to know how to act in order to know how to overact and these people KNEW how to overact).
Overall, the show was fairly good, but again, nothing outstanding. Certainly not as good as when I stage managed it......... ;-)
www.chicagoshakes.com
The costumes were updated to a contemporary style, with the lovers sporting prep school uniform styled costumes, Theseus and Hippolyta wearing stylish and elegant outfits, and the mechanicals maintaining their role as comic relief in more silly outfits. Puck, however, resembled the Batman villain Riddler in a white suit and Derby hat. Oberon and Titania looked out of place in Marie Antoinette styled garb, and their puppet attendant fairies did not match their outfits at all. I was confused as to that choice of costumes, and it really distracted me from their abilities as actors.
The set was simple yet functional, a necessity when dealing with a script whose location changes constantly to accomodate the ever-changing plotlines. Lights and music were nothing outstanding and served their respective purposes.
I found Hermia and Titania difficult to understand because they didn't project well, nor did they articulate particularly well either. Helena, on the other hand, added a touch of personal flair to the role and did a fantastic job. Puck was delightfully mischevious and just goofy enough- too much more and he would've grossly overdone it. The mechanicals were fantastic and provided wonderful comic relief from the serious stretches of the play- I was in stitches throughout the play within a play due to the props and great overacting (I'm of the opinion that you need to know how to act in order to know how to overact and these people KNEW how to overact).
Overall, the show was fairly good, but again, nothing outstanding. Certainly not as good as when I stage managed it......... ;-)
www.chicagoshakes.com
February 19, 2009
Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band at Double Door
So, there's this band from Indiana........
The drummer has a 5-gallon bucket on his kit. The singer looks fresh out of the Old West.
And there's a woman who plays............................the washboard?
Yes, the washboard. And she's fantastic.
Meet Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band. I first saw them open for Flogging Molly last year at House of Blues. Their live show is almost unrivaled in terms of energy and overall awesomeness. Seriously, the album really doesn't do them justice. There's no bass player- as the Reverend says, "My thumb plays the bass." The drummer is his brother, Jamie Peyton, and the washboard player is his wife, "Washboard" Breezy Peyton. Their performance at the Double Door in February was nothing less than electrifying.......again! The fact that any band can be this good consistently is purely....well, I'm not sure there are words. But, the energy and chemistry this band has on stage will rivet you from the second they start playing.
The sound is very southern blues, Mississippi Delta. The Reverend's guitar isn't electric, and as he won't hesitate to tell you, it's definitely in tune. He will give you an advanced guitar lesson to make sure that you know that for a fact. He doesn't use distortion pedals or any kind of effects. They will get you involved by yelling back at them. And you will like it by the end of their set. When the Big Damn Band first came on stage, not many people at Double Door knew what to make of them. However, as their set went by, and we heard about Mama's Fried Potatoes and the famous Peyton family recipe for persimmon pudding, they began to grow on the audience. By their last few songs, the whole place erupted into cheers and whistles. People were yelling "Two bottles of wine!" back at the band at the top of their lungs.
This, my friend, this is why I love concerts. That whole audience discovered the awesomeness that is Reverend Peyton together, whether it was for the first or second or third time. The camaraderie that goes with that is just incredible. After the set, the Band was at the merchandise booth talking to people, taking pictures, and signing autographs. They seemed genuinely happy to interact with fans new and old, which is a rare thing these days.
www.bigdamnband.com
The drummer has a 5-gallon bucket on his kit. The singer looks fresh out of the Old West.
And there's a woman who plays............................the washboard?
Yes, the washboard. And she's fantastic.
Meet Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band. I first saw them open for Flogging Molly last year at House of Blues. Their live show is almost unrivaled in terms of energy and overall awesomeness. Seriously, the album really doesn't do them justice. There's no bass player- as the Reverend says, "My thumb plays the bass." The drummer is his brother, Jamie Peyton, and the washboard player is his wife, "Washboard" Breezy Peyton. Their performance at the Double Door in February was nothing less than electrifying.......again! The fact that any band can be this good consistently is purely....well, I'm not sure there are words. But, the energy and chemistry this band has on stage will rivet you from the second they start playing.
The sound is very southern blues, Mississippi Delta. The Reverend's guitar isn't electric, and as he won't hesitate to tell you, it's definitely in tune. He will give you an advanced guitar lesson to make sure that you know that for a fact. He doesn't use distortion pedals or any kind of effects. They will get you involved by yelling back at them. And you will like it by the end of their set. When the Big Damn Band first came on stage, not many people at Double Door knew what to make of them. However, as their set went by, and we heard about Mama's Fried Potatoes and the famous Peyton family recipe for persimmon pudding, they began to grow on the audience. By their last few songs, the whole place erupted into cheers and whistles. People were yelling "Two bottles of wine!" back at the band at the top of their lungs.
This, my friend, this is why I love concerts. That whole audience discovered the awesomeness that is Reverend Peyton together, whether it was for the first or second or third time. The camaraderie that goes with that is just incredible. After the set, the Band was at the merchandise booth talking to people, taking pictures, and signing autographs. They seemed genuinely happy to interact with fans new and old, which is a rare thing these days.
www.bigdamnband.com
February 10, 2009
Lookingglass' Our Town
Our Town is timeless for a reason. I, for one, believe that many of us are too young when we are first introduced to it, or rather, it is forced on us. After reading it in high school, my initial reaction was most likely along the lines of "What a stupid play. Nothing happens."
True, nothing really happens. That's not to say that Our Town is lacking in plot, though. But, it's definitely one of those pieces of literature that you will not understand until you're older- or at the very least, out of high school.
Lookingglass' production of Our Town is the first time I've ever seen the play performed on a stage. This is a company that has grown together for the past 21 years, which contextualizes this production more, particularly when artistic director David Catlin says that "We swore we'd NEVER EVER do Our Town!"
However, the tender, loving approach the company takes to Wilder's classic is well performed. Having abandoned their usual flashy style of production, often incorporating acrobatics and circus arts and starting with a very blank concept (save for the mishmash of furniture and costumes- everything including the kitchen sink- suspended from the ceiling), Lookingglass relies more on the interactions of its ensemble of characters. They are able to create Grover's Corners so vividly that the audience can see Mrs. Gibbs' garden, can read Editor Webb's newspaper, and remember the awkwardness of a first date with someone who eventually becomes an integral part of your life.
This production of Our Town is one that exposes the rawness and reality of the relationships between a group of people who have worked and grown together for more than two decades. As an audience member, you will feel privy to something special, like you are getting an inside view of the web of ties this ensemble has spun between its members, and how inextricably connected each person is to every other.
When I left the theater, I really understood Our Town. I didn't expect to, but I got it. It was heartbreaking and beautiful at the same time, and the emotions it stirred within me were very difficult to reconcile. That was the point I believe Wilder wanted to make. Which is one of the many things that make this production worth seeing.
www.lookingglasstheatre.org
True, nothing really happens. That's not to say that Our Town is lacking in plot, though. But, it's definitely one of those pieces of literature that you will not understand until you're older- or at the very least, out of high school.
Lookingglass' production of Our Town is the first time I've ever seen the play performed on a stage. This is a company that has grown together for the past 21 years, which contextualizes this production more, particularly when artistic director David Catlin says that "We swore we'd NEVER EVER do Our Town!"
However, the tender, loving approach the company takes to Wilder's classic is well performed. Having abandoned their usual flashy style of production, often incorporating acrobatics and circus arts and starting with a very blank concept (save for the mishmash of furniture and costumes- everything including the kitchen sink- suspended from the ceiling), Lookingglass relies more on the interactions of its ensemble of characters. They are able to create Grover's Corners so vividly that the audience can see Mrs. Gibbs' garden, can read Editor Webb's newspaper, and remember the awkwardness of a first date with someone who eventually becomes an integral part of your life.
This production of Our Town is one that exposes the rawness and reality of the relationships between a group of people who have worked and grown together for more than two decades. As an audience member, you will feel privy to something special, like you are getting an inside view of the web of ties this ensemble has spun between its members, and how inextricably connected each person is to every other.
When I left the theater, I really understood Our Town. I didn't expect to, but I got it. It was heartbreaking and beautiful at the same time, and the emotions it stirred within me were very difficult to reconcile. That was the point I believe Wilder wanted to make. Which is one of the many things that make this production worth seeing.
www.lookingglasstheatre.org
January 26, 2009
Spamalot
Spam, spam, spam, spam, spammity spam!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now that I've got that song into your head, let's talk Spamalot.
If you're not all that familiar with Monty Python this may have been a stretch for you. There were several references to their other film The Life of Brian (what Monty Python show would have been complete without Always Look on the Bright Side of Life?) as well as many to their sketch comedy, including the Dead Parrot Sketch and the Ministry of Silly Walks. But if you've watched at least some other work by them, you probably picked up most of the references.
Everything about this production was grandiose- the Auditorium Theatre venue, the costumes, the set, the effects, but then again, Monty Python itself is grandiose and its hilarity lies in that.
My favorite part of the whole show was definitely the French guard's taunts- I had heard they were regionalized but they picked on Blagojevich...I was in stitches. Also, the killer rabbit. So adorable, I just had to buy one of the puppets available at the merchandise booth.
All in all, this was an excellent show, but if you're unfamiliar with Monty Python or not particularly keen on British humor, definitely one to skip.
www.auditoriumtheatre.org
If you're not all that familiar with Monty Python this may have been a stretch for you. There were several references to their other film The Life of Brian (what Monty Python show would have been complete without Always Look on the Bright Side of Life?) as well as many to their sketch comedy, including the Dead Parrot Sketch and the Ministry of Silly Walks. But if you've watched at least some other work by them, you probably picked up most of the references.
Everything about this production was grandiose- the Auditorium Theatre venue, the costumes, the set, the effects, but then again, Monty Python itself is grandiose and its hilarity lies in that.
My favorite part of the whole show was definitely the French guard's taunts- I had heard they were regionalized but they picked on Blagojevich...I was in stitches. Also, the killer rabbit. So adorable, I just had to buy one of the puppets available at the merchandise booth.
All in all, this was an excellent show, but if you're unfamiliar with Monty Python or not particularly keen on British humor, definitely one to skip.
www.auditoriumtheatre.org
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