REVIEW: Down the Rabbit Hole of Deceit in Dear Evan Hansen (Orpheum/Hennepin Theatre Trust) Arts Dance Music Theatre by Brian Bix - May 30, 2019June 1, 2019 The company of the North American tour of the Tony Award-winning musical Dear Evan Hansen. Photo by Matthew Murphy. If you do not already know the plot of Dear Evan Hansen, be warned: this review is chock full of plot spoilers about the musical now playing at the Orpheum Theatre in
REVIEW: A Musician’s Musician, Back on the Road: David Bromberg at the Dakota Arts Music by Brian Bix - May 20, 2019May 20, 2019 David Bromberg in concert. The artist performed at the Dakota Jazz Club on Friday, May 17. David Bromberg made his reputation in the 1960s and 1970s, starting as a skilled and versatile sideman and session musician. He played with everyone from Bob Dylan to Willie Nelson to Jerry Garcia to Carly
REVIEW: Python Rides Again in Spamalot (Ordway) Arts Dance Music Theatre Visual Arts by Brian Bix - April 4, 2019April 4, 2019 Kasidy Devlin (center) as Sir Robin in the national tour of Spamalot. Photo by Lance Evans. Nerds and geeks of a certain age grew up with the British comedy group Monty Python’s Flying Circus. The Python television shows were broadcast late at night on PBS, and by the next morning, we
REVIEW: Trumpeter and Poet: Avishai Cohen at Vieux Carré Arts Music by Brian Bix - March 21, 2019March 22, 2019 Avishai Cohen in concert. Photo by Brian Bix. The Chicago Reader describes Avishai Cohen as “arguably the most exciting Israeli jazz musician in the world.” This might initially sound like praise so faint that it risks turning into criticism – like a building being described as “the tallest one in Cokato,
REVIEW: Buddy Guy & Mavis Staples: Two Icons, Still Going Strong (Mystic Lake) Arts Music by Brian Bix - February 25, 2019February 25, 2019 Songstress legend Mavis Staples in concert. Last night at Mystic Lake, the audience was privileged to see two icons of American popular music, Mavis Staples and Buddy Guy. Staples may be best known as the lead singer for the family group the Staples Singers, whom she started singing with them at
REVIEW: Captain Fantastic’s Last Trip – Elton John (Target Center) Arts Music by Brian Bix - February 22, 2019February 23, 2019 Elton John performing at Target Center on Thursday night. Photo courtesy of Elton John. Elton John is saying good-bye to concerts, but not before he has one last, multiple-year, trans-world “Farewell Yellow Brick Road” tour. Last night the tour stopped in the Target Center, and he will be there for
REVIEW: The Memorable Return of Les Miserables (Orpheum/Hennepin Theatre Trust) Arts Dance Music Theatre Visual Arts by Brian Bix - December 19, 2018December 19, 2018 The cast of the national touring company of Les Miserables takes to the barricades. Photo by Matthew Murphy. In 1832 in Paris, at a time of growing inequality, the funeral procession for a popular public figure led to an eruption of violence. Hundreds died fighting at makeshift barricades with stolen weapons.
REVIEW: Spyro Gyra’s 40 Years of Music from the Heart (Dakota Jazz Club) Arts Music by Brian Bix - November 17, 2018November 17, 2018 Spyro Gyra performing in Huntington, NY. Photo by Brian Friedman/B-Freed Photography. The band Spyro Gyra has been around for over 40 years and has performed over 5,000 shows. They have recorded over 30 albums, including two gold albums and one platinum, racked up 13 Grammy nominations, and sold 10 million albums. While
REVIEW: A BeautifulTrip to Days of Songwriting Past (Orpheum/Hennepin Theatre Trust) Arts Dance Music Theatre by Brian Bix - October 23, 2018October 26, 2018 The cast of the national touring company of Beautiful do the Locomotion. Photo by Joan Marcus. There was a time when singers just sang and performed, leaving the songwriting to others. Frank Sinatra, Sarah Vaughan, and Elvis Presley did not write most of their own songs. For them, and for generations
REVIEW: Wild David Sanborn in Concert (Dakota Jazz Club) Arts Music by Brian Bix - October 20, 2018October 20, 2018 A publicity photo of alto saxophonist David Sanborn. Photo by Scott Chernis. Saxophonist David Sanborn is often associated with the sound or style know as "smooth jazz". He has, after all, been a featured artist a number of times on the annual Smooth Jazz Cruise. That cruise bills itself as The Greatest Party