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(05/20/12 11:20pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Writer Chris Jefferies said he has always been a fan of beatnik author Jack Kerouac. Kerouac became a household name in the late 1950s and early 1960s for his novel “On the Road.”“I started reading Kerouac books in the ’80s,” Jefferies said. “Most were out of print by then, of course, but every time I went to a used bookstore I would look for his books. I kept hearing about ‘Maggie Cassidy’ but could never find it.”Jefferies, a Yale graduate, finally found the book. His musical adaptation of “Maggie Cassidy,” which was commissioned by Seattle-based A Contemporary Theatre, debuted Friday at the Bloomington Playwrights Project. Jefferies said he received support from the Jack Kerouac estate to write the first stage version of a Kerouac novel. “On the Road,” a film recently released in the United States, is the first big-screen movie adaptation of a Kerouac novel. But a Kerouac musical?“Most people would assume that, as a musical, there would be a lot more wild jazz that (Kerouac) models himself after,” Jefferies said. “This is modeled after America with swing still on the radio and even older stuff. I feel that the question that great musicals ask is ‘What is America?’ The conflict within Jack Kerouac is which American dream to follow.”Like a lot of Kerouac’s work, “Maggie Cassidy” is highly autobiographical. The novel tells the coming-of-age story of Kerouac’s first love — Maggie Cassidy — while growing up and having to face difficult decisions. “He’s 17 in the book,” Jefferies said. “He’s in Lowell, Mass. It’s a view of Jack Kerouac that you don’t know exists. It lends itself to being a musical. There’s a lot more room to picture it as a musical.”Jefferies said the musical is far from being complete. But thanks to cast members and director Chad Rabinovitz, the show is strengthening. “It’s a work in progress,” Jefferies said. “There have been a lot of different hands helping me revise the material. Chad has had a lot of excellent suggestions. Thanks to Chad’s feedback, some numbers have been redone.”For Rabinovitz, Kerouac isn’t just another novelist.“He created a whole subculture,” Rabinovitz said. “Up until now, there has been no show, no movie about his early life. A lot of us read ‘On the Road’ in school. I hadn’t read ‘Maggie Cassidy’ prior to this.” Brianna McClellan, an IU senior majoring in theater and drama, took notes from the novel when it came to portraying Pauline, Maggie Cassidy’s arch-nemesis, in the musical.“The musical follows the storyline pretty closely,” McClellan said. “Chris carries a highlighted, underlined copy of ‘Maggie Cassidy’ with him everywhere. Everyone we worked with was very professional, and we rehearsed for about three and a half weeks from the read-through.”
(11/21/11 4:13am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Singer-songwriter Paul Simon of 1960s folk-rock duo Simon and Garfunkel fame performed for a sold-out IU Auditorium crowd Sunday.Tim and Amy Brown traveled with their son, Spencer, from Indianapolis to see Simon. Amy Brown said this was an excellent opportunity and experience for her son who she said loves live music.“Always been a big fan, but we saw him probably about 10 years ago in Indianapolis,” Tim Brown said. “That was one of the best shows that I’ve ever been to. We got the opportunity to see him again and wanted to come down.”Bluegrass group The Punch Brothers opened the show with a mix of original songs and covers, including The Band’s “Ophelia.”“His staying power is just amazing. It just seems like the music is current,” said Ryan McCormick, who also came from Indianapolis to see Simon perform. “He’s not relying on a lot of the stuff that he did in the ’60s or ’70s.”Ryan traveled with his wife, Colleen and said she is a big Simon fan and has attended many of his concerts. Both said they like Simon’s most recent CD, “So Beautiful or So What.”“He’s a legend,” said Colleen McCormick. “He’s just a fantastic songwriter and a fantastic storyteller through music, and he’s been around for decades.”Singing to a packed Auditorium, Simon started his set with the song, “The Boy in the Bubble.” He later continued to play hits like “50 Ways to Leave Your Lover” and "Mother and Child Reunion.” Simon sang a few covers as well, including the old blues song, “Mystery Train” by Junior Parker.Senior Dylan Cowley bought a ticket for her mother, Deborah Vogel, who traveled from Ohio to see Sunday’s show. Vogel said her daughter bought her the ticket as a birthday present.“I saw Simon and Garfunkel in Central Park when I lived in New York, so I thought this was an especially good concert for me,” Vogel said.Cowley said she remembers listening to Simon and Garfunkel in the car with her mother and said she wasn’t too familiar with his most recent works.“The opening band should be really good. I listened to them when they came to the Auditorium, last year or two years ago,” Cowley said.The Punch Brothers performed at the IU Auditorium in April 2010 and returned this year as Simon’s opening act.Vogel said she thought it was cool to see the different ages who attended the performance.“It was my generation in the ’60s,” said Vogel, “I think Simon and Garfunkel stand for what’s really good. They talk about love and peace and doing what’s right in the world. What’s not to like about that?”
(11/18/11 4:52am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>School of Journalism instructor Sarah Neal-Estes saw Paul Simon years ago in Deer Creek, Ind. She was with her then-boyfriend, her mom and her mom’s partner. Neal-Estes said that was the best concert she has ever seen.“I mean, you’re 22. You’re going to a concert with your mom,” she said. “We thought it would be fun, but we didn’t expect it to be the best concert ever. He was just so full of energy.” Neal-Estes said one of her favorite moments of the concert was when Simon played “You Can Call Me Al.”“The best part, which I will remember forever, was when they played that song,” she said. “Everybody sang it all the way through together, and we got to the end, and we stopped, and he said, ‘That was really fun. Let’s do that again,’ and he started the song again, and everyone went crazy. It was just wonderful.”Simon, of the 1960s folk-rock duo Simon and Garfunkel, has written songs such as “Mrs. Robinson” and “The Sound of Silence.” He will perform at 7:30 p.m. Sunday at the IU Auditorium. Simon will play various older hits and new tracks from his newest album, “So Beautiful or So What.” The Punch Brothers will open for him.The singer-songwriter has won various awards and was inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist in 2001. Simon is also the recipient of a Kennedy Center Honor.Junior Sarah Greengross will attend the concert and said she knows a fair amount of students who will also attend. She said she purchased tickets as soon as she heard they were on sale.“There’s a lot of nostalgia that comes with his music for me,” Greengross said. “Whether it be his solo records or Simon and Garfunkel, his music was something that my parents would always play. I remember from a very early age listening to Paul Simon.” Greengross said Simon is a solo artist whom she admires for his musicality and song writing.Music professor Glenn Gass talks about both Simon the solo artist and Simon and Garfunkel in his History of Rock and Roll classes.He said Simon is one of the greatest poets, if not the greatest poet, in rock music.“I don’t think Paul Simon would mind being called a poet,” Gass said. Gass said there is no fixed Paul Simon style, and he has a very curious mind when it comes to music.“He knows his limitations and works well with them. (He) knows what he can and can’t do and does what he does do very well,” Gass said.
(11/16/11 5:20am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>"Shrek the Musical” doesn’t start like any of the three movies it’s based on. The show begins with a little, green ogre whose parents kick him out of his home at the age of 7. From there, the adventures and scenes throughout the play are the familiar ones borrowed from the Dreamworks “Shrek” franchise that has gained much acclaim and many fans.“I liked the movie,” alumna Maggie Lee said. “I love Mike Myers. I think he’s hilarious, but I also like the gingerbread man. I wonder how they’ll do that,” she said before the curtain went up Tuesday at the IU Auditorium. She proceeded to do a reenactment of the scene in the film when Lord Farquaad mocks the gingerbread man by reciting the classic children’s poem about the cookie with personality.The cast of misfit fairytale characters evoked bursts of laughter from children in the audience with their comical acting during the first song and dance number. This group included familiar characters like Pinocchio, complete with a working growing nose and the three little pigs with German accents. Their exaggerated personalities matched the way they’ve been portrayed throughout the “Shrek” movie saga. The movies’ influence on the musical continued when the audience was introduced to the character Donkey, whose voice was reminiscent of Eddie Murphy’s.Three IU Alumni returned to campus to perform in the theatrical production. Two took their place in the orchestra pit, while one who was a ballet major played the part of Fiona’s mother.Mother and daughter Georgia and Lauren Woods traveled from Mitchell, Ind., for the opening night.Eleven-year-old daughter Lauren said her favorite part was “when the fairytale creatures get dumped into the swamp and they have an argument over where they’re supposed to go.”Lauren’s mother Georgia said deciding to come to the performance was easy, given her daughter’s interest in the genre.“She’s always enjoyed musicals,” she said. “She’s seen so many over the years. When we found out ‘Shrek’ was going to be here at the Auditorium, we bought tickets.”Alumna Laura Dusard, her four kids and her mother-in-law all got tickets for Tuesday’s show to celebrate Dusard’s birthday.“All the kids have seen the movie. They’re absolutely loving it,” she said as she chased her 2-year-old around the lobby of the auditorium. “It kept him entertained for the most part.”Dusard said she was mainly impressed with the female dragon that guarded Princess Fiona’s tower. In the movies, the anthropomorphic dragon is not given a voice. The musical version of Shrek’s story offered its own take on this character by giving the female dragon its own song and dance number.“It was a unique take on the dragon,” Dusard said. “(The dragon) feeling like no one wanted it was a good twist on the original. It was good to shift the focus from the rescuing of Fiona to another character.”
(11/14/11 2:36am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>For three nights this week, the kingdom of Far, Far Away will come to Bloomington.“Shrek the Musical” will be at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at the IU Auditorium. The musical is based on antics from the first “Shrek” film and the original book, “Shrek!” by William Steig, which spawned the idea for the movie.“Most shows play Indy first, but we were able to sneak in under the wire and get it before Indy did,” Auditorium Director Doug Booher said. “We are expecting folks to come down from Indianapolis.”Booher said one of the major factors in bringing “Shrek the Musical” to the auditorium is the show’s appeal to all ages and “great comedic value,” specifically, the double entendres the movies are known for.“These are incredibly well-received movies,” Booher said. “This is a huge opportunity in itself.”Auditorium Events Manager Maria Talbert said the auditorium tries to include something in the season “for the kids.”“About a quarter of ticket sales have gone to IU students and children 12 and under,” Talbert said. “People just love Shrek. We booked because we knew would have wide appeal.” Both Booher and Talbert said ticket sales are strong.“We are doing well,” Talbert said. “We do have great seats available for all of our shows.” Talbert said those interested in getting a glimpse of the show, seeing what it’s about and how the movie and book are translated onto the stage can visit the auditorium website to watch videos.“There’s never a dull moment,” she said. “It literally takes hours to transform Shrek from a person to a green ogre. It’s just amazing. It’s just a whole lot of fun.”— Barb Anguiano
(10/31/11 6:47pm)
About a year ago, Todd Rundgren visited IU as a guest professor. Now, the ’70s rock star and producer returns as grand marshall for the IU Homecoming parade.
(10/31/11 1:08am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Booker T. Jones has long been graduated from IU, but appreciation and admiration for the award-winning musician is still high on the IU campus.The sound of applause echoed from alumni to current students to professors who showed up Friday night to watch the legendary Jones perform at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater. Senior Chad Alexander said he became aware of Booker T. at an early age but learned most about Jones in Professor Glenn Gass’ History of Rock and Roll I class. Alexander’s appreciation for Jones goes as far as working on a film, what he called his “senior project,” about Jones’ life. The film focuses mainly on Jones’ days at Stax Records in Memphis, Tenn., and his days in Bloomington.“For me, listening to him as a kid and then learning who he actually was as a person was really cool,” Alexander said. “And the fact that we get to see an alumni that doesn’t get a lot of credit is also really cool.” After an opening act from the African American Arts Institute ensemble, the IU Soul Revue, which included songs showcasing the group’s grasp on everything from soul to funk, Jones was awarded Honorary Member of the IU Soul Revue and a lifetime membership of the IU Alumni Association.Senior Amir Gray, who plays the tuba with the IU Soul Revue, said he was happy with the turnout at the concert.“It was a really nice concert, being able to watch Booker T. and the band afterwards,” Gray said. “I knew a lot of his music, actually. I definitely liked ‘Green Onions.’”Jones then took a keyboard on stage, along with his band: Vernon “Ice” Black playing guitar, Darian Gray playing drums and Jeremy Curtis playing bass.They played through a variety of hits, such as “Green Onions,” from his early days as a high school student working at Stax in Memphis to his most recent album. The band even did a few covers of songs by artists such as Bill Withers and Otis Redding. When they played “Dock of the Bay” by Redding, Jones jokingly led the crowd into a whistle chorus.IU Alumnus David Randle said he wanted to see Jones receive honors. As an alumnus bass player for the IU Soul Revue, Randle says he often sees their performances.“I thought it’d be nice to see him in person,” Randle said. “I’ve never had the opportunity. When I heard about this, I wanted to come back and check it out. It’s kind of a statement for someone like him to be the homecoming concert.”
(10/28/11 3:07am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>What began as a love for the “Rocky Horror Picture Show” and a need for quick money has turned into a Halloween phenomenon at the Buskirk-Chumley for the last six years.It all started when Randy White, artistic director for the Cardinal Stage Company, wanted to direct “The Rocky Horror Picture Show” live but had few funds to do so. “I started asking around why no one ever showed the movie,” White said, and shortly after that he decided to do it himself.He said the Cardinal Stage Company approached the Buskirk-Chumley with the idea. The show has the same basic template that it had when it first began.“It’s a mood. It’s a good excuse for letting your hair down,” White said. “I think the message in ‘Rocky’ is that whatever anyone wants to do, as long as it doesn’t hurt anybody, is OK. Don’t judge. Don’t try to stifle anyone or judge anybody else’s identity.”Money raised from “Rocky Horror” funds educational endeavors of the Cardinal Stage Company, such as making tickets affordable for under-served students.“It allows people to be campy, be wild, be sexy,” said Danielle McClelland, executive director for the Buskirk. “It’s been going on for a number of years as a fundraiser. It’s a great event and we’re glad that it’s here.”According to McClelland, two full houses mean a lot of work for the staff at the theater. The two shows are at 7:30 and 11:30 p.m. The later show includes a “devirginzation ritual” for those who have never seen the movie.There are also contests and prizes. White said the midnight show is better because of all the “hardcore ‘Rocky’ fans” that show up.“The audience does a lot of participating. You always see crazy costumes,” said Sarah Dresser, graduate assistant at the Cardinal Stage Company. “You never really know what you’ll see people dressed as.” Dresser said she enjoys the singing along and prop bags, which are sold at the beginning of every show.Last year, the tickets for the midnight show were sold out, and a majority of them were bought at the door. This year, discounts are offered through advanced purchasing versus the discounts offered for wearing a costume in years past.Tickets are on sale now at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater Box Office for $10 in advance and $15 at the door.
(10/28/11 12:50am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU alumnus Booker T. Jones is a Grammy Lifetime Achievement award winner and a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee. Today, Jones will perform with the IU Soul Revue at the Buskirk-Chumley in association with the IU African American Arts Institute.Danielle McClelland, executive director for the Buskirk, said AAAI has been a long-time partner with the Buskirk-Chumley. She also said Dr. Charles Sykes, executive director of the AAAI, told her about his dream to have Booker T. Jones perform with the IU Soul Revue.“I thought it was a great concert and opportunity for the community, as well,” McClelland said. “There’s a lot of excitement and involvement from the Alumni Association with Homecoming and all. There are a lot of AAAI alumni who are making a specific trip for this concert.”Among other accomplishments, Jones is known for his contribution to the genres of soul and R&B.“I have long been a fan of Booker T. Jones and the soulful, southern grooves he and his MGs laid down on many Stax recordings,” Sykes said. “I was really excited when I found out that he is an IU alum and thought that it would be great to get him back to Bloomington for a concert.”Dr. Sykes added he was particularly interested in having the IU Soul Revue, an ensemble that has performed a number of Booker T.’s tunes throughout the years, interact with such a legend. “Opening the show for Booker T. is truly an honor,” Sykes said.The IU Soul Revue, along with the African American Dance Company and the African American Choral Ensemble, are part of the AAAI. The IU Soul Revue is celebrating its 40th anniversary with today’s performance.Jones spent a lot of time working and recording with other artists at Stax Records in Memphis, Tenn. Music history professor Glenn Gass said Jones spent weekends working and recording at Stax and would drive up from Memphis for a week of classes at IU.“He did as much as anyone else to define soul music as instrumental,” Gass said. “Booker T. and the MGs were everyone’s dream band. From Neil Young to the Beatles to even playing at Bob Fest, they’ve definitely had an impact on music.”
(09/12/11 2:10am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Sometimes a professor’s forte doesn’t exist just within the classroom walls. When you’re a Rock and Roll History professor, that can even mean taking your know-how to the stage.Andy Hollinden took the stage at Bluebird Nightclub once more Saturday night.He and his band barreled through a few rock hits, some they hadn’t performed since Hollinden’s regular “semester shows” began four years ago.Among these were “In Memory of Elizabeth Reed” and songs from Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon” album.“By the end of the night, we had definitely settled into a groove,” Hollinden said. “No one really plays at their best in the beginning of the first set.”Hollinden said the band’s performance can be attributed to how long they’ve been playing together and their camaraderie.“They don’t just play like a few guys that got together and learned a few songs, but rather as an ensemble,” he said.The area near the stage of the Bluebird was packed with fans reaching out to Hollinden. But the rest of the bar remained mostly empty.“When people go out and party all day and then go to a football game, they don’t seem to really want to go out drinking afterwards,” Hollinden said.However much competition there was with the athletic department, the Bluebird was still able to draw a lively crowd that was one of the best that Hollinden said he has seen thus far.“The crowd might not have been that big, but it was definitely off the hook,” Hollinden said. “It was one of the most responsive crowds we’ve ever had.”Tim Lukasik, who works security for the Bluebird, said the Hollinden shows always bring a diverse crowd to the bar.“There was a good mix of parents and students tonight,” Lukasik said. “Most of the students are in Andy’s class or have a friend in his class. He really introduces an atmosphere of live music for the kids. He doesn’t fake his playing. I give him props for that.”Senior Andris Jurevis has seen Hollinden twice and said he enjoyed the “crazy party atmosphere” each time.“It’s cool that he does Rolling Stones stuff,” Jurevis said. “He does what he teaches in class and plays the guitar well for someone his age.”Hollinden, however, said he would like to start focusing on his own music.“I want to start working on Operation Original Music,” he said. “I want to start experimenting with my own music again. I have a fear that people will start to think that all I do are covers and Pink Floyd stuff. It’s not what I’m about.”
(09/09/11 1:44am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Every semester for four years, Andy Hollinden has been playing the Bluebird the Friday before finals week. This time, however, he’ll be playing early in the semester.“There’s a built-in novelty when the rock and roll history teacher plays,” he said. “It’s sort of a ‘put up or shut up’ type of thing. You’d be surprised how many people throw the ‘those who can’t do teach’ quote at me, and it bugged me that I was only teaching and not doing.”Some students, such as senior Maneli Reihani, have yet to see Hollinden perform. Reihani is currently enrolled in Hollinden’s “music of Jimi Hendrix” class and said he’s thought of going to Hollinden’s shows before but never had the chance.“I had a friend who took Andy’s class last year, and he was always trying to get me to go,” Reihani said. “I’ve always heard that the shows are awesome. I always have a good time at the Bluebird, too, so I imagine it’ll be a fairly entertaining show.”It’s not only students who look forward to Hollinden’s nights at the Bluebird. Between the home football game this weekend and the demand for another show, Bluebird owner Dave Kubiak said he hopes to draw a diverse crowd Saturday.“The crowd is usually big,” Kubiak said. “There are a lot of college students who take his class and love him, but there are also a lot of people around town who have seen him before. The home football game this weekend should give some alumni a chance to come see him.”Hollinden said this semester’s performance will be a “best of” show. He said the band tried to choose songs that are not overplayed and highlight the band’s ability to play music other bands don’t often play. Jenn Christy and her band will open for Hollinden again, something he said he’s looking forward to.“I guess you can say I gave Jenn (Christy) a singing assignment, and that assignment is Sinead O’Connor’s ‘Mandinka’,” Hollinden said. “She can sing ‘The Great Gig in the Sky,’ what can’t she sing? These are iconic performances. We plan to do them justice,” he said.Cost of the show is $6 and open to those 21 and older.Hollinden said he’ll keep the shows going as long as he can, “‘til I’m too old or too deaf to do it.”
(04/27/11 3:54am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Andy Hollinden played at The Bluebird long before he started teaching rock and roll. He’s been organizing Rock History Night at The Bluebird every semester since the end of the fall semester in 2007. Ever since he and the band Atom Heart Mother performed part of Pink Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon” last semester, he said his shows have since been deemed to have a theme. “When I talked to the guy at The Bluebird he asked, ‘What’s the theme?’ We figured The Beatles were the obvious choice. You can’t go wrong with Beatles,” Hollinden said. This year’s show will include a more pronounced presence by Intro to the Beatles’ professor, Glenn Gass. “Glenn is participating way more than ever before. He’ll be on stage for more than a half hour, versus the few songs that usually feature him,” Hollinden said. Gass said the show is still Hollinden’s show and is grateful that Hollinden is letting him be a part of it.“I’m not going to go up there and try to sing like Ringo,” Gass said. “We’re just having fun with it and are treating it as a bar band more than anything.” Gass said that there is a difference to being a cover band and being a tribute band, that he has no intention of imitating any of The Beatles and that there really is no need because that’s not what the crowd expects. “The audience is pretty ideal, totally appropriate for this kind of show,” Gass said. “Everyone knows it’s for fun, they’re there to be supportive.” Some students, such as junior Desi Rybolt, can’t be there to show support because of the age restriction. “I remember Hollinden playing his music before tests,” Rybolt said, then 17 and taking Hollinden’s 70s and 80s rock class. “I’m 20 now and I still have to wait until next year to go,” she said.Rybolt said she bought one of Hollinden’s CDs when she was in his Intro to Frank Zappa class and said she imagines his performances to mirror his teaching style to a certain degree — laid back and fun.“I worry about saturation point,” Gass said. “But there’s a lot of word of mouth about it. It’s becoming almost a rite of passage, ‘Finally 21, finally get to go.’ It’s built up tradition, it’s become tradition.”Both professors agree that the singing has proven to be the most challenging aspect of covering Beatles’ music. “There’s definitely some pressure when covering Paul McCartney and John Lennon,” Hollinden said. “We’re trying to achieve the same feeling that the songs have on the albums, trying to make the songs sound Beatle-esque.”The material that will be performed ranges from the Beatles’ 1966 “Revolver” era to the time that the band split up. The Woomblies will start the show at 10 p.m. and Hollinden will take the stage at 11 p.m. and perform a 21-song Beatles set. Gass will be featured during the second half of the Beatles set. The show will end with classic rock songs and original songs by Hollinden. “Anybody can get together and learn easy material. We tend to try to do things that other bands kind of shy away from,” Hollinden said. “We’ve been rehearsing for about two months. We’re not willing to go on stage and half-ass it.”
(01/27/11 4:48am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Freshman Nicole Silvernell has never seen the Blue Man Group live, but is a fan thanks to YouTube videos. “There’s something about the way that they perform.” Silvernell said. “Visually appealing, the music, all of it is an environment of fun.” As an usher for the IU Auditorium, Silvernell will finally be able to see the primarily percussion-influenced group when they stop at IU as part of their 21-city U.S. national tour.“It’s one of those events that has taken the entertainment industry by storm.” Doug Booher, director of the IU Auditorium, said of the group. “We are looking forward to bringing it to students who have asked for it in the past.”The Blue Man Group is a sit-down engagement, meaning that they perform at certain venues for certain months, even years at a time.So it’s not unusual that the first glimpse people get of the group is from online videos, like Silvernell or junior Jimmy Lewis, who has never seen the group perform live, either. “I’ve heard they put on an amazing show,” Lewis said. “I have seen their online stuff and think that they are a very talented group. The way they combine music with comedy aspects in their shows makes it almost like a two-in-one deal with them.”One venue that the Blue Man Group has called home in the past, the Briar Street Theatre in Chicago, has a seating capacity of 632 people, a small show compared to the IU Auditorium, which seats 3,200.Booher saw them in New York, and said he is looking forward to seeing the enhanced production. “We jumped at the chance to bring them here when we heard they decided to put on a tour,” Booher said. “We’ve seen an enormous response to the show. We know we’re going to have very excited full houses.”Because of the national tour, and the increase in venue sizes, some modifications have been made to the regular set. One of them is the addition of an LED screen to make sure the whole audience can witness the spectacle.“I think the fact that it’s an outside group, not from around here, makes it much more interesting as well as just the fact that they combine music, comedy and different multimedias makes them something that we don’t normally get around here,” Lewis said.
(12/13/10 2:58am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The last day of classes meant another “end-of-semester show” organized by music professor Andy Hollinden on Dec. 10 at The Bluebird Nightclub. “I think the performance was really good. I think maybe one of our best ones yet, as far as just the tightness of the band.” Hollinden said, “I think the biggest difference is now the incorporation of Jenn Cristy.”Cristy opened the show with a set of original music. She later made several appearances on stage during Hollinden’s performances. Cristy started working with Hollinden and the band last spring for the “Dark Side of the Moon” album when the band needed a female vocalist for the song “The Great Gig in the Sky,” which was performed at the show, along with “Time” and “Money.” “She’s been worked into the band like a full member,” Hollinden said. “The original set that we did, that was the first time that she performed on those songs.” The show also featured professor Glenn Gass, who appeared on stage in black with a fedora, sunglasses and an unlit cigarette and then proceeded to sing a cover of Elvis Costello’s “Watching the Detectives.” Backed by the members of the band Atom Heart Mother, Hollinden performed a set of original music, along with a classic rock set, including a section of the Beatles’ 1969 Abbey Road. Hollinden also chose specific music for the show that could showcase the saxophone and flute player Tom Clark. Clark and his flute took center stage during the band’s cover of Jethro Tull’s “Cross-Eyed Mary.” “It’s always my favorite show of the year. I liked Jethro Tull ‘Cross-Eyed Mary’ because nobody covers ‘Cross-Eyed Mary,’ and they played a flute,” said senior Jordan Fenwick. “There’s only two songs in rock and roll that use a glockenspiel,” Hollinden told the crowd. “One is by Hendrix, ‘Little Wing’ and the other is ‘Born to Run.’”The crowd sang along to Gass’ other covers, which included The Beatles’s “Lady Madonna” and Bob Dylan’s “Like a Rolling Stone.” Gass ended his stage appearances with “Imagine,” a tribute to John Lennon, during which the crowd sang along. “I think we really should have done more John Lennon songs,” Hollinden said. “I’ll admit that in planning for this gig, it didn’t occur to me that it was the 30th anniversary of his assassination.” Hollinden closed the more than three-hour show with a cover of the Rolling Stones’ “You Can’t Always Get What You Want,” to which the crowd sang along to as well. When the song ended, the crowd knew it was time to go. Longtime Rolling Stones fan and senior Marisa Markovich has been to two end-of-semester shows and said her favorite song of the night was “You Can’t Always Get What You Want.” “It was great to see people I know covering it. If you’re 21 and can get into The Bluebird, there’s no reason for you to not be here,” Markovich said. “I don’t care if you’re studying for finals.”
(12/13/10 12:10am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The last day of classes meant another “end-of-semester-show” organized by music professor Andy Hollinden on Friday at the Bluebird Nightclub. “I think the performance was really good. I think maybe one of our best ones yet, as far as just the tightness of the band,” Hollinden said, “I think the biggest difference is now the incorporation of Jenn Cristy.”Cristy opened the show with a set of original music. She later made several appearances on stage during Hollinden’s performances. Cristy started working with Hollinden and the band last spring for the “Dark Side of the Moon” album when the band needed a female vocalist for the song “The Great Gig in the Sky,” which was performed at the show, along with “Time” and “Money.” “She’s been worked into the band like a full member. The original set that we did, that was the first time that she performed on those songs,” Hollinden said. The show also featured professor Glenn Gass, who appeared onstage in black with a fedora, sunglasses and an unlit cigarette and then proceeded to sing a cover of Elvis Costello’s “Watching the Detectives.” Backed by the members of the band Atom Heart Mother, Hollinden performed a set of original music, along with a classic rock set, including a section of the Beatles’ 1969 Abbey Road. Hollinden also chose specific music for the show that could show case the saxophone and flute player Tom Clark. Clark and his flute took center stage during the band’s cover of Jethro Tull’s “Cross-Eyed Mary.” “It’s always my favorite show of the year. I liked Jethro Tull, ‘Cross-Eyed Mary,’ because nobody covers ‘Cross-Eyed Mary,’ and they played a flute,” said senior Jordan Fenwick. “There’s only two songs in rock and roll that use a glockenspiel,” Hollinden told the crowd, “One is by Hendrix, ‘Little Wing’ and the other is ‘Born to Run.’”The crowd sang along to Gass’ other covers, which included The Beatles’s “Lady Madonna” and Bob Dylan’s “Like a Rolling Stone.” Gass ended his stage appearances with “Imagine,” a tribute to John Lennon, during which the crowd sang along. “I think we really should have done more John Lennon songs. I’ll admit that in planning for this gig, it didn’t occur to me that it was the 30th anniversary of his assassination,” Hollinden said. Hollinden closed the more than three-hour show with a cover of the Rolling Stones’ “You Can’t Always Get What You Want,” to which the crowd sang along to as well. When the song ended, the crowd knew it was time to go. Long time Rolling Stones fan and senior Marisa Markovich has been to two end of semester shows and said her favorite song of the night was “You Can’t Always Get What You Want.” “It was great to see people I know covering it. If you’re 21 and can get into the Bluebird, there’s no reason for you to not be here,” she said. “I don’t care if you’re studying for finals.”
(12/09/10 4:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>It’s been three years since professor Andy Hollinden came out of retirement as a musician and began performing his “end-of-the-semester blowouts.” Holliden’s shows, which are the Friday before finals week, are quickly becoming an IU tradition as students flock to The Bluebird Nightclub to see him perform. There is also the usual guest appearance by professor Glenn Gass. “I teach about a thousand students a year,” Hollinden said. “One thing that all those students have in common is that they’ve all taken a class with either me or Glenn. Almost everyone in the Bluebird is unified. There’s uniformity to the mindset of those people.”For the 2010 spring semester show, Hollinden and his band, Atom Heart Mother, performed the complete 1973 Pink Floyd masterpiece, “Dark Side of the Moon.” It is something that Hollinden said he took some heat for and gave the audience the impression that the semester-ending shows have a theme. Earlier this semester, the band also performed “Dark Side of the Moon” in its entirety at the Monroe County Fall Festival. Senior Chris Gordon, who is in one of Hollinden’s classes, has never been to one of Hollinden’s performances.“I heard a lot about when he did the Pink Floyd cover, and I’ve heard really good things about it,” Gordon said. “He obviously loves music, has a passion for rock and roll and has always played.”Besides performing three songs from “Dark Side of the Moon,” which Hollinden said is more like “One Side of the Moon,” Hollinden and the band will perform songs that can be found on his Z301 Music of the 70s and 80s listening list for his class. One of the highlights of the show will be saxophone/flute player for Atom Heart Mother Tom Clark, who will play alongside both Hollinden and Gass. “Glenn will do certain songs that utilize a sax player, like The Beatles’ ‘Lady Madonna,’ ‘Like a Rolling Stone’ by Bob Dylan and ‘Watching the Detectives’ by Elvis Costello, which is also on the listening list,” Hollinden said. The band will also perform the six song suite of Abbey Road by The Beatles. “We kind of painted ourselves into a corner with ‘Dark Side of the Moon,’” Hollinden said. “After that performance, our undertaking was kicking around ideas of other albums, and we decided on the six songs of the ‘Abbey Road’ melody.”Junior Ryan Alexander saw Hollinden two years ago at the Bluebird. “It was awesome. It was a lot of fun, but it was really packed at the Bluebird,” he said. “Overall, it was a great performance. I think Hollinden has a good stage performance, good stage presence, gets the crowd excited. I mean, it’s a lot of fun to see your teacher up there.”Jenn Christy will open the show at 10 p.m.Hollinden will follow, performing a set of original music, followed by the classic rock set. During the show, Gass will perform a special number in memory of the 30th anniversary of John Lennon’s death. “It’s good music. We play well. There’s the added novelty of seeing your professor play, and you get to drink. It’s a win, win situation,” Hollinden said. “It’s the last Friday night that people are in town. People are just ready to let go. There will be people ready to party.”
(11/18/10 5:44am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The much awaited move to digital downloads by the Beatles finally happened Tuesday, and within a day, the band’s music ranked top 50 on the iTunes music store albums chart.Though many welcome one of the most influential bands in all of pop and rock to iTunes, some, such as professor Glenn Gass, who teaches a class on the Beatles, are not the least bit surprised that the music is finally available via iTunes. “I’m surprised at how off the radar this is. All of a sudden I get this notice in my e-mail. I would have thought there would have been a much bigger deal, the way they marketed the remasters to death for weeks ahead of time, same thing with the Anthology. You’d think they would have made more of Apple on Apple,” he said. Apple Corps, the Beatles’ recording label, and Apple Inc. have had several legal disputes since the 1970s, which began with the Beatles’ claiming that Apple Inc. had purposely taken the name and logo from their label. The two settled their last dispute in 2007.Gass is surprised at how long it took before the Beatles catalogue was available in this format. “It’s inevitable. I’m shocked it took this long,” he said. “What year is this? 2010? I can’t believe it’s taken this long since Apple computer and Apple Beatles settled their big lawsuits years ago. Everyone was waiting for this to happen then, and it didn’t happen then because they were waiting on the big Beatles CD remasters.”Senior Kim Black didn’t realize that the Beatles would be available on iTunes so soon, but said she is happy about the release because young people don’t really consider going to the record store and buying CDs anymore. “I would hope that people would buy the entire albums and not just specific songs. You can’t really just choose one song. I do think people will be able to give a whole album a chance now,” she said.Gass said Neil Aspinall, best friend to the band and former head of Apple Corps, guarded their legacy jealously, always thinking about what John Lennon and George Harrison would have wanted. “I think he had the sense that it was somewhat cheapening the Beatles to have them downloaded and downloaded outside of any regards to the album. I think that all the things that bother me bothered him even more,” Gass said. Senior Debbie Newman, who is also a student in Gass’ Beatles class, said the biggest difference between the Beatles being an album band and on iTunes is that people will be able to get the music when they want. “I think that people who aren’t too aware of the Beatles will be more curious about them. Not only that, but they will be able to get the music more quickly. It’s a good way to further their curiosity,” Newman said.Only the stereo mixes are being sold by iTunes. The CDs in the mono mix, however, can only be purchased as a box set and not on iTunes.Gass said although students are more apt to use iTunes as a means to get music on the spot, there is still something lost that goes along with buying an album.“I’d much rather have the CD so that one, it will sound better when I play it on the stereo, and I can rip it to my iPod to my heart’s content, keep the albums intact more easily,” Gass said. “Personally, for me it’s not a big event. I bought the remasters last year, but for people who were waiting to download, it’s huge. This is epic. I just hope that it sounds good.”
(11/01/10 3:44am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>It’s been more than five years since Wells Scholars professor for the 2010 fall semester Todd Rundgren has performed a solo show. “It’s kind of embarrassing to say, but my parents really like him. I’m in marching band, and he directed us. He seems like a really cool guy. We played “Bang on the Drum All Day” in band,” freshman Elizabeth Szymanski said.Fans stood in line waiting for the Rundgren recital, “CLUSTER: The Birth of the T-Chord”, well before the doors to Auer Hall opened. “I’ve been a fan of Todd Rundgren since I was in high school. The opportunity to catch all of the events going on during his visit are important to me,” Alumnus Jeff Green said. Professor Andy Hollinden stood in line as well. A fan of Rundgren’s Utopia album and prague rock, Hollinden said he was confused when he heard Rundgren’s earlier works. “I was 14 or 15 years old, so I was only into what I liked. When I heard the earlier stuff, to me it just seemed more like radio music, you know, sort of pop music. Now that I’ve become more knowledgeable about song writing and music production, I can see why that stuff’s his most successful, maybe most critically acclaimed,” Hollinden said. Rundgren got the audience involved in conversation too.“I swore off these kinds of shows. Imagine my chagrin at finding myself up here on stage with a guitar around my neck,” said Rundgren, who got the crowd to laugh then gave them a mock vocabulary lecture, telling them that ‘chagrin’ is a bad word, and they shouldn’t laugh at his chagrins. The free show, which was open to the public and broadcast on the school of music’s website, featured Rundgren on stage at Auer Hall with an acoustic guitar, grand piano and the C.B. Fisk Organ in Auer Hall. Professor Christopher Young played the organ while Rundgren sang along. “I swore off playing the piano solo because I don’t feel I’m any good at it, and I don’t feel I have any business charging people to hear me play the piano,” he said. Rundgren’s catalogue featured samples of music from different periods of his musical career. The final song of the close to two hour recital was “The Wheel,” which Rundgren described as “another of these sappy hippie songs.”After that, Rundgren said goodnight to the crowd, wishing them a “Happy Halloween” and told them that those were all the songs that he remembered.
(10/29/10 3:33am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>“This is the closest I’ve ever sat to the front of the room,” one of the audience members at Todd Rundgren’s lecture, “LONGHAIR: Todd Rundgren on The Beatles’ Effect,” told the rockstar.Lecturing during Professor Glenn Gass’ Music of the Beatles class, Rundgren spoke about the effects of the Beatles as pop icons, influencing the lives of the baby boom generation in everything from hair styles to religion. “I had few goals in life. One of those was I wanted to grow my hair long,” Rundgren said. The lecture was open to the public and the room was filled.First-year graduate student John Vanors said he hadn’t realized how popular Rundgren was until he stepped into the lecture hall.“I was kind of surprised at the turn out, I just kind of thought I knew who he was and that everyone had kind of forgotten who he was,” Vanors said.Sophomore Sarah Mosier tried to sign up for lunch with Rundgren via an e-mail invitation. “I tried to sign up that very same day, and I couldn’t because it was already full,” she said.After the lecture, Rundgren opened up the floor for a Q&A with the audience. Rundgren answered questions dealing with everything from touring with Ringo Starr to what he believed “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” was really about. “I still think John wrote it about LSD, and I will take that to my grave,” said Rundgren.Rundgren’s public performance during his visit at IU will be at 8 p.m. Sunday at Auer Hall, in which he will be performing solo, something he hasn’t done in years. “This is sort of a retrograde experience for me because I haven’t done a solo concert like this in at least five years or more than that maybe, and the reason why is because I kind of swore off this kind of presentation because of two reasons,” Rundgren said. Rundgren’s reasons stem from his lack of having any material that is appropriate for a solo artist and a solo instrument, making his shows nostalgic because they contain songs that he wrote a long time ago. “In my mind, this event is a combination of performance but also a little of explanation about my song-writing process and more importantly my particular harmonics and how that got developed and where it is exhibited in my music,” he said. “Less than being a straight ahead concert or recital, it’s going to be a lot of talking.”
(10/28/10 1:20am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Todd Rundgren, who has toured with Ringo Starr’s All Starr Band and has worked with the other three former Beatles in the studio in the past, will be talking about the Fab Four during his lecture today.Rundgren’s public lecture, “LONGHAIR: Todd Rundgren on The Beatles Effect,” will be at 7 p.m. in Ballantine Hall 013 during professor Glenn Gass’ The Music of The Beatles class.“He’s uniquely well qualified to talk about them,” Gass said. Rundgren will be in Bloomington for two weeks while teaching a course for Wells’ Scholars called “The Ballad of Todd Rundgren: Musical Journeys of a Lifetime.”Rundgren held a Q&A during Gass’ Z201 History of Rock class earlier this week. He answered questions from the audience, primarily made up of students, for the entirety of the class and was around long enough to shake hands with and greet a few people from the audience. “I would really love to see a large student turnout,” Gass said. “The lecture is interesting, of course, but he is a musician, and the concert is the real event.”Rundgren’s concert, “CLUSTER: The Birth of the T Chord,” will be at 8 p.m. Oct. 31 in Auer Hall in the Jacobs School of Music.