The Temptations and The Four Tops – DPAC

Posted: March 14, 2014 by MichaelSmithNC in All, Concert, Music
Tags: , , ,
0
Two Legendary Motown Hit-Makers

The Temptations

And

The Four Tops

Durham Performing Arts Center
Friday, September 26, 2014

Rock and Roll Hall of Famers The Temptations and The Four Tops return to DPAC on September 26, 2014.  Their last two performances were sold out and Triangle fans can expect this show to follow suit.

Tickets on sale at:

Online at DPACnc.com

DPAC Ticket Center: 919.680.2787, 123 Vivian Street, Durham, NC

Ticketmaster.com / Ticketmaster Charge by phone at 800.745.3000

“We are thrilled to welcome back two of the biggest acts in American music history to the DPAC stage this fall. Fans love hearing their all-time favorite songs performed live, and DPAC provides a perfectly intimate, indoor setting for audiences of all ages to enjoy these timeless classics,” said Emily McLoughlin, Marketing Director for Concerts at DPAC.

The Temptations

1641566

For more than forty years, The Temptations have prospered, propelling popular music with a series of smash hits and sold-out performances throughout the world.

The history of the Temptations is the history of contemporary American pop. An essential component of the original Motown machine, that amazing engine invented by Berry Gordy, the Temps began their musical life in Detroit in the early sixties. It wasn’t until 1964, however, that the Smokey Robinson written-and-produced “The Way You Do the Things You Do” turned the guys into stars.

An avalanche of hits followed, many of which (“My Girl,” for instance) have attained immortality. “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone,” “Since I Lost My Baby,” “Get Ready,” “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg,” “Just My Imagination (Running Away With Me),” “I Wish It Would Rain” – the hits kept coming.

The Four Tops

The-Four-Tops

The Four Tops were constantly producing songs about love, happiness and romantic heartbreak in the quintessential Detroit sound/Motown tradition. No other popular quartet has stayed together with original personnel intact for as long as the legendary Four Tops. And no other group associated with the American 60s sound has succeeded in remaining as fresh, joyful, lively and timely. The Four Tops have created a special magic that continues to delight audiences of all ages and nationalities, and their reign as the Grand Gentleman of Rock and Roll is far from over!

The Four Tops’ list of top 10 hits, many of them gold records and No. 1 chart toppers, include “Baby, I Need Your Loving,” “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch),” “It’s the Same Old Song,” “Reach Out I’ll Be There,” “Bernadette,” “Walk Away, Renee,” “Standing in the Shadows of Love,” “Shake Me, Wake Me”, just to name a few. They have recorded 35 albums during their illustrious career – 21 of them for Motown which reaffirms their power, punch, and enormous appeal.

 

 

The Truth Is, This Show Will Never Leave You

Posted: March 12, 2014 by Melissa Anne Cain in All, Broadway, Show Review, Theatre
Tags: , , , , ,
0

EDFE4000-0D0C-F147-3446C472D9B41E03

Your queen is dead, your king is through, she is not coming back to you…

I traveled to a beautiful city last night; one with beautiful lights, amazing architecture and vivid culture. The city was Buenos Aires, Argentina, during the 1940s and 50s. This is the city and time of Eva Peron, the central figure of the most recent Broadway production to come to DPAC; Evita. This story is a colorful journey of a young actress rising up through the ranks of men, eventually becoming the First Lady of Argentina.

The story opens with a gripping montage dedicated to the life of the powerful figure that is Eva Peron. The scene is reminiscent of the dark streets of France as depicted in Les Miserable; the somber mood is palpable as the death of Peron is announced to her country.

Josh Young, playing the role of Che, stole the show. Young was nominated for a 2012 Tony Award for his performance as Judas in Jesus Christ Superstar. He portrayed the role of Che with beautiful articulation and intonation; he brought passion and intrigue to the character. Some actors feel success if the audience can relate to the character they have taken on; Young went even farther. I could easily feel every emotion that pours from his soul; the mere look he would display at the thought of Peron told you exactly how much disdain he had for her and the government she represented.

As great as Young’s performance is, the role of Eva played by Carolina Bowman can only be described as adequate. In the scene where Eva steps out onto the balcony wearing that iconic white sequined gown, and delivers the famous “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina,” Bowman did not disappoint. Aside from that one scene, she appeared to struggle with some of the dynamic shifts from singing with her “chest voice” to hitting the needed note with her “head voice” leaving her sounding unfocused or breathy. Aside from a few touching moments of vulnerability her portrayal mostly fell flat.

Director Michael Grandage is also to be commended for his work with this production. His attention to detail was evident and appreciated. His use of technology from the digital age added a dynamic connection of the opening scene with Che to the closing scene on the balcony with Eva.

Choreographer Rob Ashford added creative blocking and dance moves that easily identified the socio-economic status of each character.  Strong, rigid movements from the elitist military were in stark contrast to the lyrical movements of the lower class.

Neil Austin’s deliberate light design choices of back and side lighting added sharp angles and strong shadowing. The lighting accentuated the shady personality traits of Eva and Colonel Peron. Austin’s use of the backlighting also led the audience to believe that they were the townspeople, basking in the glow of Eva’s powerful personality.

Christopher Oram served in two major capacities as the set designer and costume designer for the tour. The costumes were incredible, especially the customary white ball gown of Eva’s. Peron’s subtle transition from a young and naïve girl, to the strong and rigid leader is defined through the style, line, and color of each and every costume change.  Those changes were also poignant in the way they occurred… onstage.

An exquisite, yet simplified, set design from Oram gives the audience a unique perspective of the home of the Peron’s. The powerful image of the opulent mansion was understated when you consider the wealth and prestige that the Peron’s embodied. As the scenes change the genius design granted the audience the ability to travel through walls with only the movement of a chandelier.

The performance of Josh Young, the direction of Michael Grandage, the costumes, the lighting, and the set all come together in perfect harmony to bring the story of Evita to life in all its glory. It is not in the repertoire of Andrew Lloyd Webber to disappoint, the fantastic cast and creative team of the tour of Evita do not let us down either.

photo-4

Vampire Weekend w/ The Cults – Red Hat Amphitheater

Posted: March 10, 2014 by MichaelSmithNC in All, Concert, Music
Tags: , , ,
0

Vampire Weekend

w/ Special Guests

Cults

Red Hat Amphitheater, June 12

Tickets on sale at:

Livenation.com
via the Live Nation mobile app
Belk Box Office at Walnut Creek Amphitheatre
Duke Energy Center box office
Ticketmaster outlets or charge by phone at 800-745-3000

For further details visit www.livenation.com.

Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons come to DPAC – August 9, 2014

Posted: March 10, 2014 by MichaelSmithNC in All, Concert, Music
Tags: , , , ,
1
Frankie Valli 1
When: August 9, 2014
Where: Durham Performing Arts Center, Durham
Tickets: Here

Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons

“Frankie is a legendary artist that we have been hoping to book for years. Our fans have requested this show ever since SunTrust Broadway at DPAC’s 2012 presentation of the smash-hit musical Jersey Boys. Frankie Valli is sure to electrify the stage with hits that span decades,” said Rachel Gragg, Senior Director of Marketing at DPAC.

Frankie Valli, who rose to fame in 1962 as the lead singer of the Four Seasons, is hotter than ever in the 21st century. Thanks to the volcanic success of the Tony®-winning musical Jersey Boys which chronicles the life and times of Frankie and his legendary group, classic songs as “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “Walk Like a Man,” “Rag Doll,” and “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You” are popular all over again. With the musical in its seventh blockbuster year on Broadway, and five other casts performing Jersey Boys nightly from Las Vegas to London, the real Frankie Valli is also packing venues around the world.

Please don’t say that Frankie is back. The truth is, he never went away. Sure, the majority of the 71 chart hits of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons (including 40 in the Top 40, 19 in the Top 10 and eight Number 1s) came during the 1960s, but the music didn’t just disappear. He has toured almost continuously since 1962, sharing hits like “My Eyes Adored You,” which reached No. 1, “Swearin’ to God”, “Who Loves You” and “December 1963 (Oh, What a Night)”. His songs have been in such movies as The Deer Hunter, Dirty Dancing, Mrs. Doubtfire, Conspiracy Theory, Grease and The Wanderers. As many as 200 artists have done cover versions of Frankie’s “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You,” (written by Bob Crewe and Bob Gaudio), from Nancy Wilson’s jazz treatment to Lauryn Hill’s Grammy-nominated hip-hop makeover.

Born Francis Castelluccio on May 3, 1934, he grew up in a public housing project—Stephen Crane Village—on the tough streets of Newark, New Jersey. As the character of Tommy DeVito, Frankie’s friend and fellow Four Season, says in Jersey Boys: “If you’re from my neighborhood, you got three ways out: You could join the army. You could get mobbed up. Or—you could become a star.” At an early age, Frankie chose Door No. 3. When he was seven, his mother took him to New York City’s Paramount Theater to see Frank Sinatra. “I saw Sinatra coming out on stage,” Frankie recalls, “and the way he was lit up, it was like he had an aura around him. I decided then and there that’s what I was going to do—be a successful singer.”

For as far into the future as anyone can see, Jersey Boys will introduce the music of Frankie Valli to new generations. For as long as he wants to sing, people will want to listen.

Coming Soon: Movies In Theatres This Week

Posted: March 10, 2014 by MichaelSmithNC in All, Movies, Trailers
Tags: , , ,
0

Need For Speed

Tyler Perry’s: The Single Moms Club

Veronica Mars

Cher: Dressed to Kill Tour at PNC Arena – May 7, 2014

Posted: March 7, 2014 by MichaelSmithNC in All, Concert, Music
Tags: , , ,
0

cher

Closertothetruth

PNC Arena

Raleigh, NC

May 7, 2014

It’s now official. The one and only Cher herself revealed that she will kick off her “Dressed To Kill” 49-city North American Tour beginning in Phoenix on March 22 with stops around the country, including Raleigh, NC. Cher shared the news with her fans following her performance on the Today Show on September 23.

Cher’s previous tour “The Farewell Tour” later dubbed “The Never Can Say Goodbye Tour” was one of the most successful tours ever by a solo artist and played for a record-breaking 325 dates and seen by over 5.5 million people.

For all online tickets purchased (presale and general public), ticketholders will receive a free copy of Cher’s new album “Closer To The Truth,” out September 24 on Warner Bros Records.

For more information visit www.Cher.com

Tickets: HERE

Need for Speed – Review

Posted: March 6, 2014 by MichaelSmithNC in All, Movie Review, Movies
Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,
0

need_for_speed_movie_poster_1

Need for Speed

Rated PG-13

for sequences of reckless street racing, disturbing crash scenes, nudity and crude language

In 1994 Electronic Arts unleashed on the world one of the most successful video-game franchises of all time. The Sony PlayStation, Sega Saturn and 3DO were the first platforms to take on the title that would eventually spawn 22 sequels. Need for Speed set the standard for what racing based video games were to be going forward. Over time the gameplay was modified, the graphics improved and the physics of cars included but always true to the core; go as hard and fast as you can to win the race in some of the most iconic exotic cars ever made by man.

There are few things as exciting or iconic in movies as the car chase. A good chase scene can elevate an okay movie to the good or great level pretty quickly. Good use of high-speed cars engaged in precision driving and performing, often impossible, stunts can make up for most any flaw an action movie has. The car chase is what Need for Speed used to get through to audiences and successfully adapt an iconic video-game into a feature film.

The movie is about a street racer, Tobey Marshall (Aaron Paul), who lives in upstate New York. Marshall is betrayed by a former rival turned business partner, Dino Brewster (Dominic Cooper), and left to go to prison for the consequences of a street race that went horribly wrong. When Marshall is paroled, upon completing his sentence, he sets out on a mission to get revenge by taking out Brewster on the biggest stage in street racing, The DeLeon.

The stars of this movie are billed as; Aaron Paul, Dominic Cooper and Scott Mescudi (Kid Kudi) but I would dare to say that the real stars are listed here under the heading “Stunts.” The 40+ men and women that made up the stunt and precision driving teams are what made this movie as thrilling as it is. In an effort to be as real as possible, most of the racing scenes in the movie are done on closed courses with real cars being driven to their limits by these amazing professionals.

If the stuntmen and women are the stars, then the best supporting nod has to go to the menu of amazing vehicles used in the story. In one scene the head of the DeLeon race, The Monarch (Michael Keaton), states that the combined value of the cars in his race is around $6 million and average 200mph. Yeah right! Maybe if you are getting some major discounts from the manufacturers and ride the brakes!

track11-1278259808

Bugatti Veyron Super Sport – $2.5 million and a verified top speed of 265mph

AgeraR_configurator-860x595

Koenigsegg Agera R – $1.7 million and an estimated top speed of over 270mph

Lamborghini_Sesto_Elemento_4

Lamborghini Sesto Elemento – $2.9 million and a verified top speed of 205mph

56024

McLaren P1 – $1.3 million and its top speed is electronically capped at 220mph (It’s also a hybrid!)

SaleenS7Silver

Saleen S7 – $500,000 and a verified top speed of 248mph

gta-spano-1261

GTA Spano – $725,000 and an estimated top speed of 220mph

Add all those up and you get… (Drumroll please) a whopping $9.65 million dollars in cars with an average top speed of around 240mph! Thank God the ones that were abused and wrecked were all replicas.

As impressive as that list of cars is, they are not all that appears. A modified 2014 Ford Mustang GT 500, that is rated at 900hp with a top end of 236mph, is the central car figure for most of the movie. There is also a bevy of classic muscle cars from the 60s and 70s that make appearances.

Image0000123

With the sheer volume of cars that are featured in this movie it is easy to jump to the conclusion that this is just another Fast and Furious style movie; ”show a bunch of cars driving fast and add some special effects and hope it works.” The makers of Need for Speed went in a different direction with the way they portrayed the street racing scene and driving in general. The developers took the time to make sure this movie honors the great car chases of the past by focusing on realism as much as possible. Aside from two scenes where I shook my head and thought, “was that really necessary,” the movie uses driving skills and stunts that are very believable and realistic.

As a part of the respect to car chases from the past, you see Bullitt playing at a drive in an early scene, the Pontiac Trans-Am from Smokey and the Bandit makes an appearance, there is even a nod to the Blue Brothers movie. One of the more obscure references is a scene where the Mustang being driven by Marshall is being chased around and around a traffic circle a la The Dukes of Hazzard. Homages to Thelma and Louise and The Great Gatsby are also cool if you catch them and appreciate them. There are countless other subtle references to car chase movies from the past that appear in the dialogue as well.

One of the most important aspects of this movie that I found the most refreshing is in the way the story does not insult you intelligence or seem to be “on the take” from a car manufacturer. An example of what I mean is in the car chase in last year’s The Last Stand, there is no way on this round earth that a bone stock Camaro is going to run down an 1100hp Corvette Blue Demon. Need for Speed, delightfully, chooses to respect the knowledge of the fan base that this movie will appeal to most and not slap them in the face by having a Mustang torch the Veyron SS or anything absurd like that.

I would be remiss if I wrapped this up without really mentioning the various actors and acting. They all played their various roles well with no one really standing out as a positive or negative. I get the impression that they all accepted the fact that they were in a video game movie that was all about the driving and not about them. Aaron Paul as the hero, the brooding Tobey Marshall was a good fit. Dominic Cooper as the manipulative Dino Brewster was also easy to accept. Michael Keaton as The Monarch was fun. I specifically enjoyed the character Julie Maddon played by Imogen Poots, maybe it is just a screen crush or infatuation with the accent.

For the first time in 2014 I am going to put my seal of approval on a movie with no restrictions or caveats. Need for Speed is fun and worth the trip to the theatres, no questions asked.

Eastern Carolina Style Interviews: Jim Jefferies of FX’s show LEGIT

Posted: March 6, 2014 by MichaelSmithNC in All, Comedy, Interview, Stand-Up, TV
Tags: , , , , , ,
0

Jefferies_2014tour_A2legit_xlg

MAS – With your show Legit coming back for a second season, how has your life changed? I’m sure you are quite a bit busier, but in general what is going on in Jim Jefferies’ life right now?

JJ – It’s the same as when the first seasoned launched. This time, more people know about the show and it has a bit of a fan base. The first season, people were trying to figure out what the show is and now we are trying to live up to the first season. I think this new season is substantially better than season one.

Other than that, doing all the press and stuff, I enjoy that. I’m doing Kimmell soon and hopefully I can do all the other ones. I enjoy that aspect, getting on the couch and talking with people.

MAS – With the show moving from FX to the new network FXX, are you expecting any type of impact from that?

JJ – There will be a small drop-off in the ratings because FXX is available in less homes, it is just simple math. The thing about FXX is, it’s a start-up network. It’s good to be on the ground floor and to be a flagship show of the network. I get to be the face of the station, if you will. It’s us, The League, and Its Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and they also just bought The Simpsons for that channel. They are also working on 4-5 new shows. I think this time next year this station will be said in the same breath as FX. It will be its own identity, obviously, with more comedy on it than FX.

MAS – That’s one of the things I am enjoying about seeing the show on FX, or in the FX family. In watching the show, I tried to think of where else you would fit. There aren’t a lot of networks that would give you the freedom that you have now.

JJ – I don’t know if we have gone too far to ever be syndicated or to be put on TBS or anything like that. It’s probably, in a business point of view, a bad idea to do that. There is something about making a show that is genuinely unique. I don’t think anyone has seen anything on TV similar to it. People can argue, that Louie is a comic playing himself or Seinfeld is a comic playing himself. But the storylines that we are doing, I don’t think you are seeing anything like it. Especially considering one of our main characters has muscular dystrophy in a comedy.

MAS – Are you still shooting now, or are you all completely done?

JJ – No we finished shooting in December. There are only three of us that write the show. I try to write all the storylines and the other guys direct while I act in them. We don’t have several different directors so we can edit while we are making them, we have to edit after. We have to finish up with enough time to get the first episode out. So we finished filming a couple of months ago.

MAS – You mentioned having a character such as the one DJ Qualls plays. What kind of feedback did you receive after, or during, season one with his depiction of an individual with a physical limitation?

JJ – Everything we have received has been very positive after it aired. Before it aired, we were getting a lot of mail that said we were being insensitive and they hadn’t even seen it yet. I think that they thought that since it was a comedy that we were going to be doing disabled gags the whole time. I mean we did do a couple of them, but the point of the whole show is that his character is treated the same as everyone else’s character. We worked very hard at that. Obviously his character has limitations when you are writing for him, but we involve him in every scene. When you get the other disabled actors on… I know from just working with them, they enjoy working on my show more than do working on a Hallmark movie where they may be a depressed, sad kid at school. Or they may be in a PSA after it. Once you see the show, you don’t feel sorry for anybody on it. I don’t think there is any hate or malice in it.

MAS – With the premise of the show being you playing a comedian, you pull things from your day-to-day life. With the upcoming season, are we looking at more of the same or are you going in some different directions with the characters?

JJ – Each episode is more serialized in this season compared to the first one. Season one was more vaguely serialized, not saying you can’t watch individual episodes out of season two and still get enough out of it to enjoy it. My character has a full arc, Steve has a full arc where he goes into alcoholism… I think we learned a lot from writing the first season which was largely based on my stand-up.

The entire first season was written before we cast anybody. So we didn’t know what the actors were going to be good or bad at. We didn’t know we’d get DJ Qualls or John Ratzenberger. So now, we start writing it based around the strength of the actor and where they are going to be able to take the character. Where you never thought the character could go before.

In season one Steve Nugent was so one-dimensional, then Dan Bakkedahl came along. He is such a good “improver.” I realized that he made such a good drunk that this year I made him an alcoholic.

MAS – The tour you are on now is obviously new material. Is it something that you are using towards a new comedy special or are you just focused on Legit?

JJ – Some bits and pieces I did on the last tour, but for the most part it is all new material. There is nothing that you have ever see me do on one of my specials. If you only have ever watched me on TV, you have never seen any of these jokes.

I will be recording a new special in Boston in couple months. It will probably be 6 months later when we release it. I am fine with the network who will release it, I can’t say who it is yet. I could do that special tomorrow. I am ready to retire some of this material and start fresh again.

There will be a lot of stuff that I will be doing in the show at the theatre that won’t make it into the special or even the next special after that one. I try to keep an hour ahead of myself.

MAS – As far as the future, most talents tend to pick one or the other; stand-up tours or TV. Are you the type that is going to try and do both or do you see a time when show like the one in Durham will be less frequent?

JJ – I think I will always be a little better at stand-up comedy than I will be at acting. Maybe I will get good at acting or something. I always feel like that when I am acting that I am having an affair from comedy. Comedy is my wife and acting is this mistress that I see occasionally. Comedy is my main gig and I think it always will be.

MAS – I recently spoke with Gary Owen from Think Like a Man and Ride Along and he said he has to keep doing stand-up to stay sharp because acting makes him soft. Is that true for you too?

JJ – Once I finish a TV show it takes me another month to get back into the swing of things. I have to push myself and go out every night until I get good at it. I am back in the swing at the moment, everything is good. When I get to Durham it will be great.

MAS – If you could get anything across to the folks attending the show coming up, what would it be?

JJ – In my mind I would say something like, “There is no God” or something else like that. I just don’t give a shit anymore.

The main thing I want to get across is that I want them to have a good time. I’m not going to try and change anyone’s opinion. I’m going to give my opinions and you can do with them what you want. If you don’t agree, keep yours and just wait for the next joke.

 

Amos Lee: Mountains of Sorrow, Rivers of Song comes to Cary – June 13, 2014

Posted: March 4, 2014 by MichaelSmithNC in All, Concert, Music
Tags: , , , ,
0

AmosLee6_PhotoCredit_HarperLee

amos_lee_mountains_of_sorrow_rivers_of_song-portada

When: June 13, 2014
Where: Koka Booth Amphitheatre, Cary
Tickets: Here

The New York Times hailed his latest album, Mountains Of Sorrow, Rivers Of Song (Blue Note Records), as a “serenely sure-footed effort from Amos Lee, a singer-songwriter who rarely delivers anything else” and Elmore observed, “‘Mountains of Sorrow’ may be Lee’s finest yet.” Entertainment Weekly praised his “strikingly soulful voice” while Paste noted, “Lee makes sorrow shimmer…Like Jackson Browne for another generation, Lee understands the staining traces of love.” The album, which is the follow-up to 2011’s chart-topping Mission Bell, was produced by Jay Joyce (Emmylou Harris, Eric Church, Cage the Elephant) and features guest vocals by Alison Krauss and Patty Griffin.

Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo w/ Rick Springfield to play Red Hat Amphitheater – June 29, 2014

Posted: March 4, 2014 by MichaelSmithNC in All, Concert, Music
Tags: , , , ,
0

2226459-Benatar-Giraldo-617-409rs_7_web

pat_neil_rs_poster
When: June 29, 2014
Where: Red Hat Amphitheatre, Raleigh
Tickets: Here

Pat Benatar is acknowledged as the leading female rock vocalist of the ‘80s – a feat marked by her unprecedented winning of four consecutive Grammy Awards between 1980 and 1983, as well as three American Music Awards – but Benatar and Giraldo remain a rock ‘n’ roll powerhouse today, selling out concerts and still wowing audiences after over three decades in music together. Theirs is a chemistry that will, undoubtedly, be thrilling music-lovers forever.

Rick Springfield is an iconic rock star that has been touring for more than 30 years. His shows are legendary for their rock heavy, high energy, full band sets. Although Rick has known Pat & Neil for more than 30 years he has never had the chance to tour with them, until now. Springfield says, “Although I first met Pat and Neil when Neil played on the original recording of Jessie’s Girl in 1980 it took 35 years before we got together to tour. It should be one for the books.”

Older Entries
Newer Entries