Joyful! RE|dance group Presents A Place At The Edge Of The World To Call Our Own at The Hamlin Park Fieldhouse Theater (January 12, 2017)

Most dance shows are very difficult to follow, but this performance is narrated with chapter titles and poetic language. This allows the audience to clearly understand what is happening in the dance. For example, the scene titled “Looking At Constellations” features one dancer lying on the floor looking skyward as another dancer is held up holding a pose, as if they were a constellation of stars. Another one is called “Gusting Winds” and features the dancers being blown across the stage. In “Foraging For Nuts”, the dancers become squirrels. It’s joyful to watch each of these ideas come to life through dance.

The soundtrack is expertly put together. It’s a mix of classical and modern music. When Each Coming Night by Iron & Wine plays, the scene is set for a beautiful dance. The same can be said for The Moon Song by Karen O & Ezra Koenig (from the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Vampire Weekend respectively).

The final song is Darude by Sandstorm. The cast dances along to this infectiously fun song as if they were at a rave. It’s a fantastically joyful way to end the show and it sends the audience out with smiles on their faces. If the audience were invited to dance along, everyone would get up to dance after being inspired by this show!

Going to a show at The Hamlin Park Fieldhouse Theater, one would expect an odorous gym or an old fitness type room. This is not the case as the space is well designed and professional. Chairs are arranged on ascending levels giving everyone a great view. It definitely exceeded expectations.

Quinn Delaney

RE|dance group : http://www.redancegroup.org/

Pick of the Week: Where’s Walden? at Knowhere (January 13, 2017)

Where’s Walden? is a young alternative rock band that has proven themselves capable of encapsulating a medley of emotions in each song as though it were a simple recipe.

The first song of theirs I heard was “Green,” which I loved. The staccato guitar strumming is a favorite sound of mine. The lyrics are truly vulnerable, as they are both innocent and truthful. As I kept listening, I realized that no song was the same. These guys aren’t a “heard one song and heard it all” type of group. By listening to their Bandcamp page, I could tell that they had mastered a variety of different techniques and made it their own. Despite their band being a 5-part harmony, they manage to weave each part together beautifully. It’s very cohesive—it almost comes off as one sound.

Whether it’s with their heavier, deeper lyrics, light electric guitar riffs, or psychedelic melodies—the point is, you feel something. And that’s what good music does (as corny as it may sound). This group has become experts at taking these feelings and translating them, making us see why music is poetry in every way.

Where’s Walden? is performing at Knowhere in Chicago on January 13^th. Doors open at 7 p.m. Stop by to hear something worthwhile.

Liz Lawson

Charming! Alan Cumming at The Eccles Center (December 31, 2016)

Alan Cumming is truly a charming and professional performer.  His show feels like the audience is just sitting in his living room, listening to him sing songs with his friends. Alan says he was hesitant about doing a show like this because it made him so vulnerable, as he didn’t have a character to hide behind like in a theatrical production. Everyone was glad he came over this fear and put his heart into this show. Alan definitely made new fans and matched the goal tattooed on his arm: “Only Connect”.

Cumming is a fantastic story teller. He tells a great story about his former tattoo.  After being in a relationship for a wild two weeks, he and his boyfriend got tattoos of each other’s names near their crotch. After they broke up four months later, Alan considered changing his Raven tattoo to say craven or ravenous. But in the end, he decided to have it completely removed.  Alan met up with his wild ex recently and he had to ask about the tattoo. The ex-boyfriend changed it to say balance! “If I could bring a little bit of balance to Raven’s life, then it was all worth it!”

Cumming’s stories naturally blend into songs as he explains their personal meaning to him.  His amusing tale that leads up to the song Ecstasy which is about a Trojan condom commercial is quite funny!

Catch Alan Cumming on tour in a city near you!

Quinn Delaney