Adelaide Symphony Orchestra. Adelaide Festival Theatre. 7 Nov 2014
For two years in a row the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra has programmed full concerts devoted to the music of Gershwin. Last year in August it was in the form of a Master’s Series concert, featuring signature works such as ‘Rhapsody in Blue’ and ‘Concerto in F’ and ‘An American in Paris’, and this year in the form of a Spectacular Series concert that concentrated on Gerswhin’s prolific output of songs.
Last year I doubted the merits of a Master’s Series concert being given over to the episodic music of Gerswhin, but I have no doubt about the format of tonight’s concert. It was toe-tappingly terrific, and the huge audience in the Festival Theatre just loved it, as they bobbed their heads in time with the infectious rhythms and unique melodies, including the ‘Three Preludes’.
Gershwin’s music has an appeal all of its own and brings different demographics into the concert hall (I note that Gershwin does not feature in next year’s ASO programme, which is appropriate, arguably). Gershin lived a short life – he tragically died in 1937 of a brain tumour when he was only 38 years old – but he was a prolific composer of catchy songs and tunes and his memory will survive for many years to come.
The Festival Theatre stage was swollen with additional instruments; apart from the usual ASO instrumental line-up there was also a grand piano, an enlarged percussion section including a drum kit, rhythm (double) bass, and guitar. Although several of the principal players were away on other assignments, it was pleasing to see the return of Ike See as Guest Concertmaster and several others step up as section leaders or associate principals, including Imants Larsens, Hilary Bruer, Julia Brittain and Cameron Waters. Pleasingly, the mighty ASO has great depth, and it was superbly conducted by the talented American guest conductor Keith Lockhart, who is the conductor of the internationally famed Boston Pops Orchestra (amongst others!).
The music of Gerswhin is quintessentially American: its rhythms and melodies are idiosyncratic; it is jazz inflected; it bears some of the impressionistic hallmarks of Ravel and Debussy. Lockhart was able to imbue the ASO with a clear understanding of what was required to bring these influences to the surface, and the result was a clear reading of the style. Gershwin’s ‘Three Preludes’ were beautifully performed, and the second in C Sharp Minor was a highlight. Ji Won Kim’s performance of Alexander Courage’s arrangement of Gershwin’s ‘Fantasy on Porgy and Bess’ didn’t quite reach the same heights of authenticity of style, although her superlative technique is undeniable.
The second half of the program featured soprano Julie lea Goodwin and bass baritone Rodney Earl Clarke who sang and acted their way through a set of Gershwin’s most iconic songs, including ‘Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off’, ‘A Foggy Day’, ‘The man I Love’ and ‘I Got (Fascinating) Rhythm’. Both Goodwin and especially Clarke have exceptional voices, with Clarke being a seasoned exponent in important roles on the operatic stage. They inhabited the characters of the songs, and their duets were sassy, humorous and sexy. A highlight was Clarke’s performance of ‘Slap that Bass’ alongside ASO bassist David Phillips who demonstrated an alternative, and totally appealing, side of an orchestral player!
The large and diverse audience left very happy.
Kym Clayton
When: Closed
Where: Festival Theatre
Bookings: Closed
The Governor Hindmarsh. 31 Oct 2014
I have to admit, I’m a sucker for old school blues rock, so when I heard that ‘Third Stone – The Hendrix Experience’ was set to take a berth at the Gov on All Hallows Eve, I just had to get down to check ’em out! And I’m pleased to say, the experience was well worth bracing myself against ensuing thunderstorms, rain and the odd trick-or-treater!
Opening for the night was Big Tom’s Blues Band, a trio who pay tribute to blues rock of the bygone era, incorporating everything from old school blues like Muddy Waters and Elmore James to the more metal side of the spectrum, with tunes from the likes of Zeppelin and The Doors. Very cool stuff, and the perfect opener for a night of Hendrix heaven!
Third Stone soon took the stage, and while guitarist Jimmy (who also plays in local metal bands the Loving Tongue and Raven Black Night) was channeling that other Jimi with his headband and tie-died singlet, this tribute act are well and truly focused on the music and not the image. And that is what makes a true tribute act stand out from the fakers… Of course, taking that tack requires significant talent, particularly when it comes to the music of Jimi Hendrix, and I’m pleased to note that these guys had plenty of that in the bag! As incense burned on the stage, the band opened with a bang with ‘Killing Floor’ and ‘Are You Experienced’, then a rousing ‘Stone Free’ really got the blood pumping, with interludes of ‘Gypsy Queen’ thrown in for good measure.
The pace was kept up with the thumping ‘Manic Depression’, complete with a behind-the-head solo, and a funky take on ‘Spanish Castle Magic’, before the mood mellowed slightly for a trippy quartet of ‘Bold As Love’, my favourite, ‘Little Wing’, ‘Wind Cries Mary’, and ‘Castles Made Of Sand’. The pace was quickly picked up again, with an awesome take on ‘Fire’, with a solo-by-teeth, before heading into a bit of Band Of Gypsies stuff, ‘Hey Baby’, and ‘Machine Gun’, which surely has one of the coolest bass lines in rock! It was back to the hits next, with the great-grandfather of the (crappy) pop song ‘Single Ladies’, the original ‘Foxy Lady’, and the bluesy ‘Red House’, complete with a special guest on blues harp.
Into the home stretch there was an earth shattering rendition of ‘Advance Australia Fair’ (beautifully taking the place of ‘Star Spangled Banner’!), seamlessly flowing into ‘Purple Haze’, and climaxing with the riff from ‘Sunshine Of Your Love’. But unlike a typical Hendrix set, things didn’t end there, as a sensational jam on ‘Voodoo Chile’ rang out, followed by the cruisy ‘Third Stone From The Sun’ bringing the main set to a brilliant close. Not content to end it there, the crowd cheered on an encore of ‘Hey Joe’, which wrapped things up beautifully. The guitar was on fire, and I’m sure Hendrix would have been looking down from the big band in the sky with a big smile on his face! Awesome stuff!
Luke Balzan
When: Closed
Where: The Gov
Bookings: Closed
Masters 8. Adelaide Symphony Orchestra. Adelaide Festival Theatre. 10 Oct 2014
Benjamin Northey, guest conductor, and Piers Lane, piano, headed the billing for the ASO’s homage to Spanish music, but it was a mostly French affair with the music of Ravel dominating the program and his iconic and much loved Boléro stealing the lion’s share of the applause from a otherwise restrained audience. Sure, the audience enjoyed the evening but I think many of them wanted a more substantial program.
Chabrier’s ‘España’ is probably his best known work, and once the first theme on muted trumpets establishes itself one senses that an old friend has come to visit and the toe tapping in the audience is almost audible.
Resplendent in his formal attire, shock of curly hair, and red and green socks, Piers Lane joined the orchestra as a first amongst equals in what is really an impressionistic score of three independent pieces that evoke the drama of nature. Piers played with just enough flashiness while Northey kept the dance rhythms fresh and lively and didn’t allow the clatter of a dropped bow, courtesy of one of the violists, to distract.
And then the rest of the evening belonged to Ravel. The ‘Alborada del gracioso’ and the ‘Rhapsodie espagnole’ evoke the very pulse of the life of Spain. The polished musicianship and skill of the orchestra was laid bare for all to see in the fast sections: crisp, rhythmic and dance-like.
The ‘Pavane pour une infant défunte’ aroused sighs of serenity from members of the audience but Northey did not plumb the depths of pathos that the composition should yield up. The dynamics at times overshadowed the woodwinds which should exemplify the deep piece’s intense introspection.
But the highlight of the evening for the audience was Ravel’s ‘Boléro’. Folklore has it that Ravel once said of the ‘Boléro’ that “it contains no music." As we all know it is a continuous repetition of two melodies with a persistent underlying pattern on the snare drum. Instruments are gently added one by one in waves, starting with the woodwinds, and it slowly builds towards a climax that shifts and builds into something expected but also surprising. The final and tremendous tutti chews you up and spits you out! It’s exhilarating and the audience roared with pleasure.
Kym Clayton
When: Closed
Where: Adelaide Festival Theatre
Bookings: Closed
Thebarton Theatre. 11 Oct 2014
Who ever knew having a Tea Party as an adult could be so much fun… as long as it involves Canada’s finest trio of musicians, of course! The air was thick with anticipation at the seated show at Thebbie, both for the main act (of course), but also for the support act; just like the real Jesus, Adelaide band the SuperJesus is back from the dead, and interestingly they still belt out their sound as though they never left the stage! And they still look the same too, though that could be because I too have aged since last seeing them back at the Uni Bar! They played all their old hits, ending inevitably with the biggie ‘Down Again’, and they got a deserving standing ovation.
Of course, we were all here for The Tea Party, and it wasn’t long ‘til the party began; with a Theremin up on stage, I knew this would be a killer show!
Tribal sounds emanated from the darkened stage with the scent of incense burning and anticipation building. The band came entered to a roaring crowd and opened with the sensational new tune ‘The LOC’, a killer Zeppelin-esque track with an awesome riff, which also opens the band’s new album ‘The Ocean At The End’. Definitely a fine way to kick things off! Next up was classic ‘The Bazaar’, and after a few notes of the distinctive eastern-influenced main riff, the entire audience was on their feet!
‘The Black Sea’, another new track from ‘The Ocean At The End’, followed and front man Jeff Martin got the crowd to sing along – the first of many moments of crowd participation! Always a band to provide balance between light and shade, the mood was taken down to a melancholic level with ‘Psychopomp’, before coming back up for ‘Fire In The Head’. As usual, Jeff was pretty chatty in between tunes, adding to the intimate atmosphere and making the experience rather personal.
Things got dark next with the not-so-settling ‘Lullaby’, fat with its chunky metallic riff and uneasy bass line the Theremin even featured in all its dissonant glory!
To lighten the mood, Jeff broke out his 12-string acoustic for another newie, ‘Water’s On Fire’, where the crowd happily sung along as the band seamlessly segued into an interlude from ‘Release’. Jeff showed off his sitar prowess, breaking out the instrument for a fantastic extended intro to the killer ‘Save Me’, where crowd participation reached climatic levels. They blended the tune with the band’s cover of ‘The Maker’, which also features on the new album, before Jeff invoked the spirit of Jimmy Page with a strings bow on his Les Paul, before returning triumphantly to ‘Save Me’ for a massive finish. The new album’s title track, ‘The Ocean At The End’ was up next, before the main set came to a close with a massive belting of ‘Temptation’.
Of course, after such a massive finish, there was no way the crowd would let things end there and Jeff soon returned to stage, solo with his slide guitar at first before being rejoined by the band for the bluesy romp ‘Turn The Lamp Down Low’, which bled seamlessly into new blues tune ‘The Cass Corridor’. The 12-string surfaced again for the awesome instrumental ‘Winter Solstice’, which led perfectly into the set closer, and my favourite Tea Party tune, ‘Sister Awake’. And what a way to end, with hurdy gurdy, djembes, darbukas, and massive guitars, the entire crowd was brought to their feet for a truly massive finish. What a night! The Tea Party are back, and looks like they’re here to stay!
Luke Balzan
When: 11 Oct
Where: Thebareton Theatre
Bookings: Closed
Photography by Aaron Vinall - VinDigital
Adelaide Symphony Orchestra. Adelaide Festival Theatre. 3 Oct 2014
The most recent instalment in the Adelaide Symphony’s Gala Series, Mozart and Magic, lived up to its name - and magical it was. The evening belonged to the woodwinds, which featured prominently throughout the program.
In ‘The Sorcerer’s Apprentice’, Mark Gaydon demonstrated that he is one of Australia’s eminent bassoonists, and he ‘nailed’ the iconic bouncy passage which we all associate with the 1940 Disney animated film Fantasia in which Mickey Mouse plays the apprentice. From my box seat in the auditorium I could clearly see a sea of heads bobbing in time.
Michael Collin’s performance of the exquisite ‘Concerto for Clarinet in A’ by Mozart was just sublime. What an absolute joy to have this famed artist once again delighting audiences in Adelaide. Collins is supremely comfortable across the full spectrum of the clarinet repertoire, from new works to classical mainstays such as the Mozart. He captured its lyricism, lightness and deeply expressed delicate emotion. The adagio movement is often associated with a moment in the 1984 film Amadeus directed by Miloš Forman when Salieri describes the entry of the clarinet in the following way: “Extraordinary! On the page it looked nothing. The beginning simple, almost comic. Just a pulse - bassoons and basset horns - like a rusty squeezebox. Then suddenly - high above it - an oboe, a single note, hanging there unwavering, till a clarinet took over and sweetened it into a phrase of such delight! This was no composition by a performing monkey! This was a music I'd never heard. Filled with such longing, such unfulfillable longing, it had me trembling. It seemed to me that I was hearing a voice of God.” Flowery language maybe, but it is a special moment, and Collins made the piece his. The audience applauded Collins at the end of the first movement – something quite unusual for an Adelaide audience – but they were stunned into an almost devout silence by the end of the second. However, nothing was going to stop an explosion of appreciated applause at the conclusion of the final third movement, and it was nearly deafening.
American guest conductor Michael Stern was in his element with Copland’s ‘Appalachian Spring’ suite, and for me this was the highlight of the evening’s programme. We do not hear enough of Copland’s music in our concert halls. Copland forged a distinctly ‘American style’ of serious concert music and made much of it as accessible as possible through the use of deliberate and slowly changing harmony and melodies that are evocative of the legendary at wild west. The music was in Stern’s blood and he was entirely successful in getting the ASO to play it as if the orchestra were resident in Stern’s native Kansas. At the conclusion, Stern left the podium an almost spent force but he returned to finish the program with a vigorous and stylish performance of Stravinsky’s popular ‘The Firebird’ suite.
This programme had something for everyone.
Kym Clayton
When: Closed
Where: Adelaide Festival Theatre
Bookings: Closed