‘Ringing Out’ extended through Thursday

For those who missed it — or those who want to see it again — the production of Josh Wagner’s play, “Ringing Out,” at the Crystal Theatre has been extended through Thursday night, Jan. 26. Performances begin nightly at 7:30 p.m.

Sax appeal: an encore

Last week, I revealed my longtime dislike for the sound of saxophones. Since then, I’ve realized I’m hardly alone. There is a Facebook group devoted to the anti-sax “cause,” and a lovely song by Sean Na Na, and a pretty awesome tee-shirt…It seems “I hate saxophones” almost qualifies as a meme.

Perhaps not surprisingly, a handful of local saxophonists responded negatively to the column – one in private email; two in a joint letter to the editor of the Missoulian.

As is customary for matters covered in the paper, I’ll let that back-and-forth stand on its own, with one minor clarification: I’m right and they’re wrong.

Kidding!

But I do think the conversation reflects two broader points that are near and dear to my heart. And if you’ll hear me out, I promise a fun little treat at the end! [Read More...]

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The strange sounds of Satan

We received a doozy of a “press release” today that I thought I would share, unedited, in its entirety (after all, according to the release, failing to do so would mean I’m perpetrating evil!). Maybe I was right about saxophones all along….

From: For Immediate Release
Date: January 18, 2012 1:14:26 PM MST
To: Sherry Devlin
Subject: Strange Sounds Being Heard Are Extremely Dangerous

Those who fail to report this story are no better than the ones who are perpetrating this evil.

It is imperative that people wake up to what the NWO is now up to.  The strange sounds that are being heard in many different parts of the world inclusive now of multiple locations in North America, are a full out Satanic assault of the most hideous kind. [Read More...]

UPDATED: ‘Ringing Out’ brings post-apocalyptic, post-Christmas fare (and fine food) to Crystal

(See show details at bottom of post for updated information about schedule)

It is not uncommon for people to feel ready to be rid of holiday-themed music and entertainment by the time Santa flies through town. But as December morphed into January of this new year, Rebecca Schaffer found herself still preparing for the premiere of a new play in which Christmas figures prominently.

Before you chalk up the upcoming opening of “Ringing Out” as just a late arrival to the holiday party, however, know this: This feast of the senses won’t taste anything like the traditional turkey.

“Christmas is an important part of the play; but at the same time, I don’t think it’s really about Christmas,” said Schaffer, who directs the upcoming production of local playwright Josh Wagner’s script, at the Crystal Theatre. “Christmas is kind of a catalyst that serves as an instigator of what happens. But ‘A Christmas Carol’ this is not.”

If anything, “Ringing Out” will more likely appeal more to fans of post-apocalyptic speculative fiction. [Read More...]

I might consider sax with Verdi

Every true music-lover has an indefensible pet-peeve, and this is probably my biggest one: There isn’t a song in the world so beautiful that it can’t be ruined by a little saxophone.

Oh, I’ve heard the squawk-back: The sax is the most expressive of the woodwind instruments, the closest mechanical approximation of the singing voice, yada yada. I suppose I could name a couple of sax-soaked tunes that don’t annoy the crap out of me (Coleman Hawkins’ “April in Paris” springs to mind). But I can name ten times as many songs that might have been bearable if the reedman had only called in sick. (I’m apparently not the only one who feels this way.)

It is for that reason that I find a certain double-negative allure to Rob Verdi’s upcoming concert at the Ronan Performing Arts Center, next Thursday, Jan. 18.

Titled “Saxophobia,” the concert figures either to be my worst nightmare or best proof of bias. [Read More...]

A helluva way to ring in the New Year…

I know that accidents sometimes happen, but really. If you’re gonna spend the exorbitant money necessary to get into a concert by the New York Philharmonic, at least turn off your cellphone. Or, at least, turn it off after the first ring.

Otherwise, this might happen.

Anyone who knows the music of Mahler knows that there could hardly be a worse time for this to happen. If you don’t know what I mean, here’s a taste.

Deleted Scenes need a new script, but the soundtrack is nice

I received a rather baffling press release recently, about a show coming up next week at the Badlander.

Witness the one-sentence pitch:

“Deleted Scenes are an interesting DC-based quartet with occupations outside of the band ranging from medical research to stop severe bleeding to teaching English as a second language.”

Okay, forget that band names are singular rather than plural, thus demanding is rather than are. And let’s try not to get caught up in whether that list includes two professions or three (is “stop severe bleeding” a job?).

Here is the thing that really gets me: Is this band so musically uninteresting that their main appeal is the stuff they do when they’re not on stage?

Hardly, it turns out. [Read More...]

Adult Animation: Smetanka premieres new film tonight; don’t bring the kids

It’s a little bit late notice, but then this one probably isn’t for everyone. At the Top Hat this evening, local filmmaker and writer Andy Smetanka will present a short program of films, highlighted by the second-ever public screening of his animated ode to Missoula, “City in Shadows,” and the public premiere of another film, “The Miller’s Daughter.”

The first of those was produced during a month-long residency at the Missoula Art Museum this past spring, and features music by locals Gibson Hartwell, Lisena Brown, Hermina Harold, June West, and Smetanka.

The second one…well, that’s a little bit of a different story. [Read More...]

Musical menagerie: Live owls to attend “Chickadee Symphony” concert at UM

Earlier this week I wrote a preview of a fascinating performance that will take place tonight (Thursday) at the University of Montana. The UM Symphonic Wind Ensemble will perform composer Craig Naylor’s “Chickadee Symphony,” which drew its inspiration from real biological research done on the vocalizations of chickadees — including, notably, research done in part by a UM graduate student and Kate Davis of Raptors of the Rockies, concerning so-called “alarm calls” that chickadees use to alert each other of the presence of raptors or other dangers in the area.

For tonight’s concert, Davis will be in attendance with two such raptors, a great horned owl and a pygmy owl named Gillian and Dot Com, respectively.

It should be, ahem, a hoot!

Missoula Symphony spins golden yarns in Gypsy-themed concert

Every classical music concertgoer learns that there are things one simply does not do during a performance. Among the no-no’s that will typically get you tsk-tsked: laughing at the visiting soloist while he is playing, standing and cheering between movements of a longer work, and clapping while the orchestra is still playing.

All of these things happened in the auditorium of the University Theatre on Sunday during a performance by the Missoula Symphony Orchestra.

And all of them merely amplified the raucously joyous sense of occasion in the hall. It was a concert so stuffed with highlights, humor, brash power and ravishing beauty that the packed house of listeners found it necessary to create its own opportunities – before, during and after the music – to show its enthusiasm. [Read More...]