Hockey and Opera: an incredibly long post

I have two major passions that I've developed over my adult life, and those two passions are hockey and opera.

The fascination with hockey was actually something that had lain dormant from my early childhood, as my father would occasionally take me to see the CHL's Oilers play in the mid-seventies when we lived in Tulsa. He was a sportscaster for various radio stations while I was growing up, so attending a sporting event with my father usually meant I was going along to listen to him work. Through my childhood and into my teen years I was taken along to baseball, football, boxing, wrestling, rodeo, tractor pulls, horse races… but there was always a mic in front of him, and his focus was on reporting. This was not the case with hockey; to the best of my knowledge, the only hockey game my father ever called was for an audition tape. Going to a hockey game [or indoor soccer match, another sport he never called on the radio] meant that it was his night off, so to speak – he could enjoy the activity from a spectator's point of view, and actually interact with me for longer than the commercial break. It was quality father-son time, something I still remember fondly.

My father didn't know at the time that exposing me to such a fast, graceful and violent exhibition as ice hockey would someday become a near-obsession for me – for him, I believe it was merely something to do to pass the time between when football ended and baseball began. It's likely that, from an analytical perspective, my interest in hockey is a repudiation of my father's interests… but when it comes down to it, I just like the speed, skill and toughness that it takes to play the game, and truly appreciate that there are no timeouts solely for the sake of replacing the players on the playing surface, which is one of the keys to what makes virtually all other team sports unwatchable.

When I moved to Kansas City in my twenties, it reignited my interest in hockey, and I went through all of the highs and lows that being a fan of the IHL's Blades could give. Around that same time, Martin Brodeur was called up to the NHL, and my appreciation for his skills and the team's history with Kansas City made me a fan of the New Jersey Devils. 

Around that same time, I started attending more and more performing arts productions, largely as a result of having a friend who worked at the UMKC ticket office. On occasion, he would provide me with 'comp' tickets when I could not afford to attend a performance. This wonderful gift was used as often as I could get it. After all, I was working retail and barely making a buck or so above minimum wage, but still had the desire to find beauty and meaning in my life, and the performing arts can do just that.

Once my friend graduated from UMKC (and was no longer working at the ticket office), I had to figure out the best way to continue enjoying the performing arts on my meager budget. My interest in opera actually sprang from a shrewd financial decision: come to find out, an opera production combines all of the classical arts to create a performance – in effect, going to the opera is like fitting three or four performances into one show. Extremely pleased with my money-saving discovery, opera became my primary point of interest for the classical performing arts. I would attend concerts, plays and the occasional dance recital, but for me these events were like hockey is to my father: something to do until the thing I enjoy comes back.

While there is a kernel of appreciation passed along to me for hockey, there is absolutely no familial foundation for my interest in opera. Most members of my family are actually surprised [perhaps confused] when I begin talking about it. I've lived my life apart from a large contingent of my family since graduating college, which plays a huge part of why they're sometimes not aware of my interests or point of view. In their mind, I'm suddenly into opera; what they don't appreciate is that my interest in opera stretches back twenty years, and the reason they aren't aware of it is that (until now, living in Houston) there hasn't been much need to discuss it. The operas I saw during my time in Kansas City were good, but they weren't doing anything to expand the state of the art.

Additionally, not very many people in my family or circle of friends have attended an opera themselves, and they generally envision stuffy elites politely clapping while some weirdo sings "Figaro! Figaro! FigaroFigaroFigaroFIG-A-RO!" until some fat lady with a Viking helmet sings to let you know it's over. I do my best to convince my friends and family that opera's really not like that [after all, those things don't even occur in the same opera!], but how can you fight the degrading effects of popular culture? DAMN YOU, YOGI BERRA AND BUGS BUNNY!!

My father came to visit me in Houston a few weeks ago. During his visit, we went to some events that I thought he and I could enjoy together, most notably trip to Galveston, a Sugar Land Skeeters baseball game [sadly, no Roger Clemens appearances] and a night of auto racing at the Houston Motorsports Park [the Palace of Power!].There was one event on my calendar I had RSVP'd for months before that I wasn't sure he'd be interested in or willing to attend, which was "Inspiring Performance: The Campaign for Houston Grand Opera" Houston Grand Opera's kickoff event for their massive fundraising campaign. The promise of a champagne reception beforehand apparently was the hook, and I was pleasantly surprised when he said he was willing to go.

Sadly, by the time we arrived there was no more champagne available, as they had run out of glasses. We actually saw some people drinking champagne out of water glasses, so I knew there wouldn't be any way to convince them to give us any if the catering staff was reduced to that. I was worried that the inability to score free champagne would turn my father off to the rest of the evening's activities, and he wouldn't want to stay. Luckily, this was not a deal-breaker for him, so into the Brown Theatre we went.

I am pretty sure my father's previous impressions of opera were changed by the end of the evening. While we did not get to experience an all-encompassing operatic performance, the numbers performed between the speeches and the short films [see below] kept him enthralled, and more importantly, awake! After a rousing "Anvil Chorus" from Verdi's Il Trovatore by the HGO Orchestra and Chorus, a playful "Je Cherche un Millionaire" by opera legend Frederica von Stade, and an electrifying "Martern aller Arten" from Mozart's The Abduction from the Seraglio  by Albina Shagimuratova, I think he was impressed by the skill, the grace and the beauty of what are some of the best musicians and performers working the stage today, mere feet away from where we were sitting. [We scored front-row seats, so I'm sure for him his first exposure to opera performers felt the same as the first time I had seats on the glass at a hockey game.] By the time Albina, Frederica and the HGO Orchestra performed "Barcarolle" from Offenbach's Tales of Hoffman, I could tell that his estimation of opera had grown, if only a little bit. It was a lot like our roles had reversed from when I was a child being taken to those hockey games by him – real son-father time, something that I hope he will remember fondly.

As we were leaving, he was asking me all sorts of questions about HGO and opera in general, and he even asked if there were any operas performed that were local to him. I don't know if he would actually attend a full-scale opera in the future, but one evening experiencing a taste of how much beauty, joy and meaning a night at the opera can bring to your life is a pretty good start.

Torches songs - What I'm listening to lately.

As a student I spend a couple hours a day riding public transportation throughout the city of Portland. Each morning I struggle with the right soundtrack for my commute. Lately, Foster the People's Torches has been my perfect morning mix. The album, Torches, is a great blend of percussion, synthesizer, poppy dance beats and some very catchy lyrics. Every single song, from "Helena Beats" to "Warrant" will get your bootie shaking! My personal favorite is, "I would do anything for you." The vocals are so tender and sweet, Marc Foster just pours his heart out. Listening to this album takes me back, it reminds me of my first summer love. I am not sure why, but I feel transcended, young and innocent.
It has been almost two years of straight touring, and the boys are now touring Europe. I hope, they return to write a new album, because I want more. Will they be able to come close to my beloved Torches? I don't know, but i am looking forward to finding out!
If you are ever in the Portland area and find a young, 41-year-old woman grooving at a bus stop early in the morning, she may be listening to Foster the People.

Love Affair with David Bowie.

My love affair, with David Bowie, began the day i heard "Let's Dance" and it has been going strong ever since. I am a little embarrassed to admit that i may or may not have "made out" with his photo on the "Let's Dance" album cover. As a teenage girl my walls were littered with posters, photos and anything and everything David Bowie, it was quite a sight!
Of course being a naive teenager, i did not know that David Bowie had a career before "Let's Dance", i soon found out I was wrong. My Uncle Bill introduced me to some of Mr. Bowie's older music," Suffragette City, Starman, Ch-Ch-Changes", my Uncle graciously recorded every record he had on cassette for me. " The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust, Hunky Dory, The Man Who Sold the World, Space Oddity" i played those cassettes until they died.
"The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars" is by far my favorite Bowie album. This album told a story, a story of a rock and roll character "Ziggy Stardust." Ziggy was an alien who was pretending to be human and he brought with him a message of hope, peace and love. Poor Ziggy Stardust did not live long, he was destroyed by his excessive drug use, sex and by the fans he inspired. Ziggy Stardust was a persona made up by David Bowie in the early 70's, a concert tour centered around it, where he wore some very elaborate costumes, it was a huge success.

David Bowie is one of the most important Rock Stars, of all time. He challenged Rock-n-Roll music's core beliefs and created one of the biggest cult followings in popular culture. He has inspired  many musicians, T. Rex, Joy Division, Lou Reed, The New York Dolls, Morrisey, Nine Inch Nails and The Pixies.  Ironically, some of the same artists that David Bowie inspired, later inspired Bowie, as an artist always reinventing his appearance along with his musical styles.
I have never been lucky enough to see David Bowie live in concert, but one can only hope. Bowie's last tour, the Reality Tour, 2003-2004, was plagued with problems, his own health issues, a technician killed by a bolt of lightening, and being struck by a lollipop in the eye while performing on stage. Mr. Bowie has not performed since 2006, and as of now has no intentions of touring anytime soon. Of course it is a life dream to see him in concert, but i am happy to have celebrated David Bowie's music collection since i was 12 years old. My relationship with David Bowie has been an exciting and rewarding lifelong journey and i look forward to growing old with him.

PINBACK "PROCEED TO MEMORY"

Pinback's fifth studio album, titled Information Retrieved, will be released on October 16. Yes, I'm very excited too. The song "Proceed To Memory" is the first single. Two other songs, "Sherman" and "True North," released as Record Store Day exclusives in 2010 and 2011 respectively will also me on the album. This is the band's first new material since 2007 and it doesn't sound like Rob Crow and Zach Smith will be making anyone regret the wait. Tour dates hopefully to follow soon. 

ODE TO AMY WINEHOUSE

It has been just over a year since Amy Winehouse left this world, but her voice still lives on. On July 23, 2011 Winehouse joined Cobain, Hendrix, Joplin and others in Rock-n- Roll history, leaving this world and the age of 27. Like all the artist before her, she died at the peak of her career. Her album "Back to Black" is the UK's best selling album of the 21st century so far.

She has been compared to the likes of Ronnie Spector and the Ronnettes, ironically, she was heavily influenced by girl groups of the 60s. With her teased beehive and "Cleopatra" make-up, sultry vocals, and bad girl image, she took the world by storm.

I think back to all the tabloid photo's of her, the images of her wasted, bruised and beaten, not the most flattering photos. Despite her incoherent state, she maintained her own style, it wasn't just a look, it was her style and she made it her own. Whether in full hair and dress, or a hot mess in jeans, heals and tank top, she rocked it and i for one loved it. An artist through and through from her vocals, to her beehive, a true artistic expression, a classic.

"Love is a Losing Game" brings me to tears each and every time i listen to it. Amy's vocals and this song are like a match made in heaven. Lost love, sung with such grace, pain and soul, cuts through me like a knife. Their is no denying her magical vocals, but a true artist puts all of themselves into their work and in this song i feel that, i cannot get enough of it. 

Despite Amy's short career, she has left a lasting mark in music, in 2012 she was listed at number 26 on VH-1's 100 Greatest Women in Music and helped pave the way for up and coming British soul singers Adele and Duffy. I cannot help but to think where her career would have taken her, it is terribly sad and the world is forever changed. Russel Brand, a close friend of Amy Winehouse, wrote a lovely tribute to her on his web page, titled "For Amy."  He spoke of their friendship, their struggles with addictions, i highly recommend you reading it.

I for one will miss her, but am very lucky to have her music which will live with me forever. Thank You Amy.

COLOR ME OBSESSED

A long ride into the influential world of The Replacements

    How do you tell the story of a rock band without showing any pictures or videos, playing any music, or interviewing the band? By talking to the fans. That is the idea behind “Color Me Obsessed,” a documentary about the Minneapolis band The Replacements.

     Director Gorman Bechard talked to over 150 Replacements fans and friends including actors Tom Arnold, Dave Foley, and George Wendt and musicians Tommy Ramone, Dan Zanes, members of the Goo Goo Dolls, and many more. But while the documentary is stacked with people telling tales of what the band has meant to them in their lives, the film flat by showing many of these fans searching for words and ideas in long takes that probably would have been more compelling through better editing. It seemed that Bechard felt that he needed to give all of the interviewees their due in the documentary regardless of how meaningful and important their information truly was. Bechard also included statistics showing sales of each of The Replacements album compared to the highest selling record that year. The difference was thousands compared to millions. This was apparently to show that even though The Replacements have been such an influential band, at the time there greatness was not recognized in album sales. This could be said for many other influential bands of the day also when compared to the likes of Bon Jovi, Prince, and Bruce Springsteen.

     Overall, the documentary mostly suffers from very loose editing. Rolling in at just over two hours, this would have been a much more compelling film if it were thirty minutes shorter. And while the idea of not showing any images or hearing any of the music of the band and only hearing stories of the drunken escapades and bad concert experiences of the band from the fans, I believe “Color Me Obsessed” will leave the casual viewer wondering what all this obsession is about.

R.I.P. DONNA SUMMER

TMZ is reporting that disco diva Donna Summer has died from lung cancer. The five-time Grammy winner was known for '70s hits like "Last Dance" and "Bad Girls" and the '80s hit "She Works Hard for the Money." Summer was 63 years old.
"Last Dance"

"She Works Hard for the Money"