review

Hot acts, cool Canadians make Osheaga worth the trip
By Seth Sommerfeld
August 5, 2010 - 9:21am
Review: Spectacular sets from Arcade Fire and Pavement top Montreal music festival.

Montreal’s Osheaga Festival is so quintessentially Canadian. 

The crowds are respectful and polite, the surroundings are calm and peaceful, and the lineup is filled with Canadian musicians.

Staged in Parc Jean-Drapeau on Saint Helen's Island, the festival effectively mixes the urban and natural world. I was only able to attend one day (Saturday) of the two-day weekend festival, but the homeyness and simple charm of Osheaga made the trek up north well worth it

Stumbling out of the gates

Welcome to wonderland at Syracuse Stage
By Carren Jao
March 9, 2010 - 10:27am
The Syracuse run of Lookingglass Alice alley-oops, flies and tumbles triumphantly into our hearts — all with just five people on stage.

Lookingglass Alice is writer-director David Catlin’s acrobatic re-imagining of Lewis Carroll’s beloved Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Through the Looking Glass and What Alice Found There, now playing at Syracuse Stage. Based more on the latter story, Catlin charts Alice’s progression from pawn to queen (or metaphorically from child to woman) and in 90 minutes gives audiences a gasp-inducing, awe-inspiring visual and aural treat.

Musically controlled chaos
By Jessica Novak
November 16, 2009 - 10:57am
Review: Medeski, Martin and Wood's concert on Sunday night at the Westcott Theater.

Music was pulsing on Westcott Street until midnight as Medeski, Martin & Wood pushed the boundaries of musical form Sunday at the Westcott Theater. 

Although the band played simple instruments—a keyboard, bass and drums—the essence of the show radiated with intensity. 
    
The doors at the theater opened at 7 p.m., but staff held the show until after 9 to allow more people into the venue. As the crowd trickled in, the old theater’s sticky floors filled with concertgoers from teens to graybeards. 

The glory of The Felice Brothers
By Leah Dennison
November 14, 2009 - 1:55pm
Review: Despite a run-in with the police, the New York-based quartet keeps things cheerful during the local stop of their tour.

The Felice Brothers had plenty of cause for low morale on Friday night, yet their spirit and energy hit a climactic high by the end of their show at the Westcott Theater.  

The band of four, who travels by Winnebago, had been pulled over by police within yards of the venue and issued seven tickets (for what exactly, they didn't specify). Consequently, The Felice Brothers kicked off their set about an hour and a half past the original 9 p.m. start time.  

The Everson brings Turner and Cezanne to Syracuse
By Bonnie Rosenberg
November 7, 2009 - 4:50pm
European Modernism migrates to Central New York in Turner to Cezanne: Masterpieces from the Davies Collection, National Museum Wales.

Pick up a book on the history of 19th century European art and you’ll be more than adequately prepared to enjoy and perhaps curate the artistic coup that is the Everson Museum of Art’s Turner to Cezanne: Masterpieces from the Davies Collection, National Museum Wales.

Mike Posner sets it off in the Underground
By Drew Carr
October 29, 2009 - 2:04am
Review: Hip-hop artist and Duke senior stages an energy-packed party to celebrate his new album release.

Early Wednesday night, 21-year-old musician and Duke University student Mike Posner strolled leisurely into the Schine Underground. Scheduled to perform two hours later and still appearing tired from his flight, Posner sat down to relax after a routine sound check.

“Today’s a really special day because my new CD just came out,” Posner said. “It leaked a day early, so I’ll be singing several songs from that CD I’ve never sung before.”

Hail St. Vincent
By Trevor Jett Wells
October 23, 2009 - 10:20am
Review: Annie Clark rewards Ithaca’s surprising turnout with a legendary performance.

Hoards of college students and locals pressed the stage at local dive bar Castaways in Ithaca to get a glimpse of St. Vincent and lead singer, Annie Clark. Clark approached the microphone with her soft eyes and her innocently sweet voice, and as the band opened up with their hit single, “Strangers,” Clark let out her silky voice.

Ra Ra Riot kick off one last run for 'Rhumb Line'
By Nathan Mattise
September 11, 2009 - 7:14am
Review: Syracuse's indie rocker plays an intimate and energetic show at Castaways in Ithaca.

It felt like they never left, but no one was complaining about musical deja vu.

Lead singer Wes Miles called it their, "first show of their last tour of the first album" throughout the night, and Ra Ra Riot reminded fans and friends why they became nearly instant campus heroes at SU not long ago.