Film Review: Twilight

[Teen Vamps] Compared to a lot of other much-loved books, Stephenie Meyer's Twilight seemed like a perfect candidate for cinematic interpretation. After all, there's little about the story that couldn't be improved upon by removing Meyer’s writing.

Simmer down, Edward-ians. I recognize the appeal of the basic premise Meyer created for her literary phenomenon; I give her props for creating both a love story and a complex mythology with uniquely fascinating elements. But actually hiking through the author's mountains of exposition and her clumsy prose? Yikes.

So there’s much to be said for giving that story a platform where the visual side can take over. And that story remains the same: Bella Swan (Kristen Stewart), a solitary 16-year-old, moves from Arizona to live with her single father (Billy Burke) in the drizzly small town of Forks, Wash. There she meets Edward Cullen (Robert Pattinson), a mysteriously dreamy high-school classmate whose initial expressions of disdain towards her mask deeper feelings. See, he’s got a secret to hide, and a side of himself that he fears …

Aw, c’mon, let’s not pretend it’s a “spoiler.” Edward and his “family” are a clan of vampires with a personal moral code that precludes feeding on humans, and the heart of the story is the tension in the romance between Bella and Edward. Will she abandon her humanity to be with him eternally? Can they ever consummate their love? As plot devices go for keeping romantic heroes separated, this one’s a humdinger, and director Catherine Hardwicke (Thirteen) and screenwriter Melissa Rosenberg (TV’s Dexter) do a terrific job of translating it to the screen. The scenes between Stewart and Pattinson really sizzle, including a drawn-out prelude to a first kiss that should have audiences shrieking with glee. When the focus is squarely on this forbidden love, Twilight proves surprisingly potent.

Unfortunately, there’s also the part of the story that’s a supernatural thriller. Here, Hardwicke either had a seriously goofy vision for how vampire behavior would actually look, or her special effects team needed to be fired mid-production. The combination of funky super-speed effects and stylized slow-motion do little to convey the graceful movements of natural predators, and the leaping wire-work doesn’t rise to the level of a community theater production of Peter Pan. The producers clearly hired Hardwicke for the human part of the Twilight story, and that’s pretty much all she delivers.

Also, maybe that’s enough. Her casting proves uniformly superb, from the two leads, to Burke as Bella’s laconic police-officer dad, to Anna Kendrick as Bella’s giggly best friend. Hardwicke and Rosenberg grasp both the mundane and operatic elements of Bella’s teenage life, and they convey Meyer’s singular way of exploring temptation and moral choices. Twilight the movie knows what to keep from the books—and what it has the good fortune to be able to discard. (Scott Renshaw)

NKOTB in WVC!

[Concert Review] On Saturday, Nov. 15, the New Kids on the Block played a two-hour show at the E Center in West Valley City to a mixed audience of 30-plus-year-old moms and their pre-teen and teen daughters.

Although some of the singing was off-key, the first of the boy-band generation didn’t disappoint their audience. The live show featured a series of hits from the new-New Kids album, The Block and, of course, all of their classic hits from the early '90s.

Mid-show the men of NKOTB disappeared, only to pop up in the middle of the floor seats doing a small in-the-round performance on a stage just slightly bigger then the piano it held as a series of screaming middle-aged women rushed the tiny, turning stage.

Although the fab five from Boston certainly don't appear to be Kids anymore, they can still dance, and Jordan Knight even performed "Baby I Believe in You" with a wide-open, white button-down shirt as many of their fans from the ‘90s, now in their 30s and 40s, screamed and cried with delight.

After a 15-year hiatus from touring, the New Kids on the Block are continuing their reunion tour into January 2009 and still feature their original members, Jordan Knight, Donnie Wahlberg, Joey McIntyre, Jonathan Knight and Danny wood. (J.T. Mackenzie)

David Byrne: Live Review

[Music] "When an angel fucks a whore," Park City goes wild. At least, when David Byrne is delivering the news in his distinct, persuasive voice. The former Talking Heads frontman greeted his Utah audience Saturday night with a head-to-toe white uniform to complement his shock of white hair.

Accompanied by three backup singers, two percussionists, a bassist, keyboardist and three interpretive dancers, Byrne soared through a seamless set of material culled from his work with Brian Eno, both 27 years ago with My Life In The Bush Of Ghosts and the 2008 (now) digital-only release Eveything That Happens Will Happen Today (physical copies will be shipped to stores later this year).

Byrne stepped onstage following a lengthy introduction by the evening’s organizer who preached to the choir, encouraging the sold-out crowd dominated by liberal baby boomers to vote for the maverick—in Utah, that is. Which is to say, Obama.

The concert, held in the Eccles Center—which doubles as Park City High School’s auditorium—at first received a rather modest response from audience members who are apparently accustomed to behaving themselves. After two or three songs most of them realized who they’d come to see—a man who has never played by the rules and continues to march however he pleases to the most unexpected beats of his own drum.

And so bodies began popping in and out of seats, at first resulting in the occasional hushed “sit down!” until the whole room stood to salute Byrne and Co with wild, varying interpretations of dancing.

Onstage dancers, who could have proved distracting, fell in lockstep with Byrne’s quirky aesthetic and infused added spunk to the already festive evening, particularly during the brilliant, slightly unnerving “I Feel My Stuff.”

Byrne wrapped up the night with material from Talking Heads’ heyday, including “Once In A Lifetime,” “Take Me To The River” and “Heaven.” He closed out the night—three encores later!! Way to step up and surprise a touring band with your unexpected enthusiasm Park City!—with the predictable, but always pleasurable, “Burning Down The House.”

“Some things sure can sweep me off my feet.”

Indeed.

Here's a clip of "I Feel My Stuff" live at Austin City Limits. Pretty much a carbon copy of last night


(Jamie Gadette)

Pump Up The Volume

[Music Review/Preview] Man oh man, did Dead Meadow kill last night or what?! I must have looked like a burned-out lunatic closing my eyes and rocking back and forth against the window where I could best feel the vibrations. It helps that the Los Angeles-based stoner/psych-rock trio brought no less than 10 Orange Amplifiers to kick out their heavier-than-hell jams. The ragtag virtuosos played an ear-splitting mix of new material off their latest release Old Growth (Matador) and older jams, including one of the first tracks they ever wrote. They dedicated the latter song to Iota's Oz, their SLC brother in arms who cozied up against the giant Orange stack, banging his head in appreciation. The crowd--which included a lot of super young hippie chicks gyrating in not-always rhythmic motion--rushed the stage before the show and remained there with giant grins and blissed-out expressions til the bitter end. Bitter only because Dead Meadow had to keep on rollin.

All that after two killer sets by Pink Lightnin (who offered to play more all-ages shows if the kids want them) and the Furs, who are tighter than ever. If you're reading this and feel like a road trip, the Furs are hitting the road today and heading to Vegas. Maybe you can tag along.

For those who'd rather stay in the city, this weekend is crazy packed with awesome shows. White Denim and Tapes 'N Tapes play one side of In the Venue while Atmosphere drops new material on the other side. Brilliant booking guys!

Also tonight, Destroyer plays The Urban Lounge and Cavedoll joins Simple Shelter for a multi-media extravaganza at Trapp Door.

Tomorrow, check out Matt Hopper and The Roman Candles, also at Urban with Drew Grow and Dead Horse Point.

And last but not least, motherfucking M.I.A. at The Depot, Sunday!! This show has not sold out ... yet. Get in while the getting is good.


(Jamie Gadette)

Does It Offend You? No, Not Really

[Music/Review] Generally when I am on the prowl for music, I get annoyed by the employees’ musical picks blasting on the record store’s stereo. It’s usually too damned loud (get off my lawn!). Of course, there’s an exception to every rule, as I discovered while browsing Graywhale recently. I found my feet tapping to an unfamiliar sound. I honestly don’t do this often but I asked the employee what he was playing. He informed me that Does It Offend You, Yeah? was rocking my socks off. I’m glad I heard their music first because that name has hipster bullshit written all over it.

I picked up a copy of You Have No Idea What You're Getting Yourself Into (which I didn’t, really), took it home and immediately started tracking down the band’s whereabouts tour wise. I found that they were located in the UK, but just for me, they decided to come to Urban Lounge on May 9. I am pretty selfish when it comes to new music discoveries and usually not hip enough to catch everything that has come my way in time, so selfishly, I always hope a band is under wraps before I catch them for the first time. After that they can have as many fans as they want.

Does It Offend You, Yeah? were on the bill with Laserfang and Yo! Majesty. Laserfang, I am ashamed to say, I have not seen enough since their bassist moved and they restructured the band. This is especially embarrassing because my roommate Shane “Awesome” Asbridge doubles as their frontman. They were so amazing and had all of the elements that I long for in rocking out: keyboards, amazing drums, and of course, the vocals. From now on, I’m going to make Shane serenade me to sleep every night.

Does It Offend You, Yeah? went on stage as scheduled, (what? weird!) but I had camera issues so I stepped outside to give old ma a call. My mommy fixes things: Shattered dreams, cameras, and boys teasing me. As she gave me detailed instructions I was confronted by two such boys asking me what I was taking photos for. I said an article, and kind of got mocked by them asking if the supposed article was my blog. I am sooo going to blog about them later.

The Urban Lounge is ideal for these types of shows, especially on a Friday night when the downtown bar is right on the cusp of being too packed, but not so badly that I want to cry and blog about it. The energy of the crowd was amazing, the sound of everything right on track, and I was still able to get my beers in a timely manner.

Urban eventually did grew to near capacity without me noticing (thanks beer) and everyone was crammed up to the front of the stage and en route had a run in with someone’s cigarette—my concert war wound for the night. It beat the usual—someone spilling a pitcher of beer on me.

Does It Offend You, Yeah? were actually much better live than on their album. They are an orgy of sound that compares to VHS or Beta, Bloc Party, Daft Punk, and a dash of LCD Soundsystem. If you like all that stuff, than you will love this band, if you don’t then fine don’t love them.

What made their set even more impressive is that this music is normally done by pre-recorded tracks, DJs and then some singing to top it off. These guys went all out organic to make the sounds they did and played all of their instruments without the bulking of pre-recordings to come to their rescue.

For their future albums, my constructive criticism: play zero slow songs so hard and so fast that yer fingers bleed. That is how I like them the best. And I will tell them that next time we are out shopping or having lunch.

Unfortunately I didn’t get to catch Yo! Majesty, I heard a lot of people were there to see them as well, (thanks beer AND Pina Coladas earlier) but in way sometimes when you go to a concert and you just saw something that is seemingly untopple, I just want to end scene and bask in what I just witnessed. So begins successfully my summer of oh so many concerts. (Dominique LaJeunesse)

Sweet Caroline

[Theater Review] It’s scary when a venue is small enough that the cast of a musical could be bigger than the audience. But up close is good for Wasatch Theatre Company’s production of Caroline, or Change.

In the Tony Kushner musical (few words are not sung), Caroline (Erica Richardson), a black single mother of four, cooks and cleans for—and butts heads with—a Jewish family in 1960s Louisiana. She also argues with her friends and kids about how to get ahead in a hostile world.

Requiring a mostly black cast singing pop and gospel, it’s an enormous challenge for a small Utah company. But with solid direction from Jim Martin, this is a winning group. Richardson, especially, is compelling and completely believable as a 37-year-old woman stuck in a job she hates and a family situation she can’t escape, denying dreams that have pretty much dried up like a raisin in the sun. This is no longsuffering, sympathetic Mammy; she’s angry and she’s bitter, and she lets the world know it. Without a missed step, Richardson draws us with a voice that seems energized by pain and deepened by hard experience.

I can’t think of any other actor in Utah who could have pulled off this performance, and I can’t think of any other play that would have given her the chance. Which means this is also a chance for us to see this blazing new talent in action before she (we hope) moves on to the bigger audiences she deserves.

Rose Wagner Studio Theatre, 138 W. 300 South, 801-355-ARTS, through May 17 (Christy Karras)

Gull Trouble

[Theater Review] I had high hopes for Pinnacle Acting Company’s production of Chekhov's The Seagull. It is a great script, and I have been impressed by PAC’s work in the past (though I was unable to express my opinion to the public at the time, due to a confluence of human error and technical trouble).

The previous PAC production I saw (Someone Who'll Watch Over Me) did an excellent job of turning the constraints inherent in a fledgling company--mostly low budget and limited space--into advantages, as the bare stage and intimate environment served to highlight the tremendous talent of the three actors on stage. It was a remarkable piece of work, and it has bothered me ever since that I was unable to say so.

With their current production, however, they have neglected their strengths. It suffers from over-reach. By making do with cheesy sets and some sub-par performers, PAC does a disservice to the work.

Not that it was all bad, mind you. Some key players--notably Alexandra Harbold as Arkandina and Jared Larkin as her tortured artist son, Treplyev--were strong throughout. Others, like Morgan Long as Nina and Rob Luckau as Trigorin, did well in key scenes, but were otherwise unfocussed.

Yet I still look forward to another small piece from PAC’s core group. If the company can get on its feet with a few productions of more limited scale, I have no doubt that it’ll be up to bigger challenges soon enough. (Rob Tennant)

New World Odor

[Music] Strobe lights can make anything seem more exciting than it might actually be. Like the Ministry concert at In the Venue last Friday night--early evening, really, since showtime was 8 p.m. and cursed sunlight was bleeding in.

No amount of sun could detract from the strobes, though--those suckers were cranked for two solid hours while Al Jourgensen & Co. goose-stepped through the catalogue of Ministry hits. Al rarely strayed from his ornate cow-skull mic stand, which propped him up center-stage. While the boss was underplaying it, guitarist Tommy Victor (Prong) pranced and posed like a odd cross between Kiss' Paul Stanley and a WWE rassler, prompting the crowd to get those hands up every 10 seconds. He even got around to playing his guitar a couple of times, the multitasker.

Still, Ministry was absolutely on fire when they ripped into songs like "So What," "Thieves" and "Rio Grande Blood," the title track of what's arguably the band's last great album (The Last Sucker is well-named, and the new Cover Up is pure filler). All that hate for Dubya does a band good.

Reaching back to '91 and Bush 1, Fear Factory singer Burton Bell (fresh from hitting on ladies in the audience and pulling the "Don't You Know Who I Am?" card, by first-hand reports) took the lead on "New World Order" while Al strummed a coffin guitar to the side. It was another sonically brutal moment, of which there were enough to outweigh the phone-it-in feel of the newer numbers--Ministry has nothing to prove, but they did anyway.

But encoring with "Roadhouse Blues" and "Just Got Paid" from Cover Up? Dick move, Al. Not quite Dick Cheney, though ... (Bill Frost)

Liars, No Age & A Whole Lot Of Sweat

[Music] Better late than never, right? The following is an account of the Jan. 31 Liars/No Age show as told by our ace A&E stringer, Jacob Stringer, who put into words a more eloquent version of my review: "They rocked the shit out of us!"

It was questionable at best that the show would even happen. There were all sorts of unforeseen forces at work apparently trying everything within their powers to keep the No Age / Liars tour from ever getting off the ground.

First, Liars frontman Angus Andrews just happened to throw his back out something awful just before they were to head off on the road. But, since, as he put it, he didn’t want to be the one responsible for killing everyone’s fun, Andrews pulled himself up by the boot straps, determined to deliver the goods—even if that meant he would be sitting for a good portion of the show.

Then there was the snow. According to an aspirated Dean Spunt, the singer/drummer half of the No Age duo, they barely made it to Salt Lake City due to a harrowing trip down from the lands of Idaho. But still, as he busied himself setting up his gear, getting ready to open for the Liars, he couldn’t help but just be happy to finally be on tour, and out of the van.

Perhaps it was that pent-up frustration and relief from having faced perilous road conditions to even make it to The Urban Lounge on Thursday, Jan. 31 that added something extra to their energy and mystique—guitarist Randy Randall never even taking off his faux fur-lined parka. In any case, it was definitely Salt Lake City’s treat as No Age charged through a set that include a mix of both tracks off of their critically celebrated Weird Rippers and their forth coming Sub Pop release Nouns.

Even though most fans of the Liars are on board with never quite being able to pin down where these guys are going to go next with their sound or look, things this time around seemed even more precarious. Andrews had hinted at this tour being different due to his limited motion capabilities, even poking fun at the fact that maybe now he could focus on singing since he obviously couldn’t be doing his standard cartwheels and such on stage. And within minutes of hitting the stage I quickly understood why Andrews typically spends most of his time writhing and ranting about.

Looking around at all the people crowded within two feet of a seated Andrews provided ample more fodder; even while debilitated, the sheer driving beats and sonic wailing of the Liars couldn’t help but propel most into uninhibited motion.

Sure every once and awhile Andrews couldn’t help but stand up and belt through a couple of tunes, but really it didn’t matter. With or without a strong back and sitting or standing painfully erect, in any case the Liars delivered the goods they have built their reputation on as one of the better live acts around. If not the various roadblocks they have already come face to face with, it is truly hard to imagine what could possibly stop these guys. (Story by Jacob Stringer; blogging by Jamie Gadette; photos by Benjamin Stringer)

Keen Insight

[Interview/Concert Review] I've never been to a concert where an audience chanted the performer's name demanding an encore. But on Jan. 18 at Harry O's, the crowd stomped their feet, chanting "Robert Earl Keen! Robert Earl Keen!" over and over until the man stepped back on stage.

It was the culmination of more than two hours filled with music, laughter and lyrics everyone could sing to. Lyrics like “The road goes on forever / and the party never ends,” have made Keen’s song by the same name exceptionally popular. “I never thought it’d become an anthem,” Keen explained in a pre-show interview. “I sat down and wrote it in a fit of passion.”

But those cool, anthem-like lyrics belie this modern Bonnie-and-Clyde tale. “I like the idea of the chivalrous man and woman who are survivors,” Keen said. It’s easy to believe, given Keen’s love of great writing and degree in English.

The audience was going crazy before Keen—who took the stage in a cowboy hat and suit jacket—had even played a chord. Soon they were singing along, jumping up and down with fists in the air. Keen even broke mid-song for a poetry slam. “Lubbock, Texas is not like Park City…we don’t have trees in Lubbock, Texas…” It’s great because it’s real.

Keen’s songs could be dismissed as cowboy poetry, but it’s hardly an accurate description. He’s thoughtful about his process, explaining, “I look at great writers and think, ‘This is how the great writers put it together.’” And it’s the tone and visuals that tend to stick with him, so his songs are also filled with images, not run-of-the-mill emotions. They’re passionate, relating all the best parts of Middle America. It’s made his fans devoted, adoring and lively. It’s what makes them chant for more, even though they’ve been dancing, singing and stomping for more two hours. (Tawnya Cazier)

Someone Who'll Watch Over Me

[Theater Review] I'm a "less-is-more" kind of guy. Whereas much contemporary live theater seems to be taking Hollywood’s lead with big special effects, gauche gimmicks and stunt casting, Pinnacle Acting Company has chosen to go the other way with their production of Frank McGuinness’s Someone Who'll Watch Over Me. The show is a testament to the simple power of talented actors working with a good script in an intimate space. It's everything that live theater can and should be.

An Irishman, and Englishman and an American are being held hostage in Beirut. No, it’s not a bad joke; it’s three men chained by the ankle to cinder blocks in the middle of a room. We see them traverse the full spectrum of human emotional terrain from boredom to visceral grief to dark and absurd humor as they all go a little bit mad. I swear, you will never laugh so hard at a play about fundamentalist terrorism.

The fewer-than-50 seats in the theater are arranged on either side of the not-quite stage in facing rows. In this unusual configuration, no patron is ever more than a few feet from an actor; high drama plays out quite literally at your feet. More than once, I had to lean back because I was afraid I had invaded an actor’s personal space. I almost kicked somebody.

All of this came together to create one of the best theater-going experiences I’ve had in a long time. With not quite a whole year behind them, Pinnacle Acting Company has a bright future—assuming they continue to stick to the basics.

Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me concludes its run Jan. 17-19 at Sugar Space, located at 616 E. Winchester (2190 South). (Rob Tennant)

Open Mike Night

[Review] Whether you like geeky comedians, rock & roll impersonators or laid back, quiet jokers, you got what you wanted at Wiseguys last weekend. The lineup included local host Aaron Burrell, who was a perfect opener for a Utah crowd. His bits about simple silliness like graduating as valedictorian of Kearns High School with a 2.0 GPA got people’s attention and started them laughing, even though it was a very small audience.

It was the perfect setup for featured comic Marcus, the City Weekly Artys favorite known only by his first name. Even though his act was suspiciously Dane Cook-esque, his high energy and ability to engage the audience energized the crowd. His closing impersonation of Adam Sandler as Jesus killed, and he left the audience wanting more—a respectable set for any comedian.

Then came headliner Mike Siscoe (pictured above). In the 10 years he’s been performing, Siscoe has had the opportunity to open for notable comedians, and won "Best New Face" in the 2004 New York Underground Comedy Festival. But it took a few minutes for the audience to get into Siscoe. He was almost too soft-spoken, and received only mild interest at first. Once he got into his groove though, his bits poked fun at Muslims, deaf people and Southerners, and his apparently wicked pot habit. His jokes were varied enough to get a laugh from everyone in the audience, even though it wasn’t all of them at once. His last bit involved members of the audience shouting out names of countries, whereupon Siscoe would do an impression of a man from that country having an orgasm. He finally got the cheers from the audience he'd been working for, and he closed on that high point.

At the end of the show, patrons ventured out into the freezing night air with smiles on their faces, eagerly accepting the coupons for upcoming shows that were being handed out at the door. (Jennifer Heaney)

Review: Blithe Spirit

[Theater] Playwright Noel Coward created Blithe Spirit in six days, and presumably rested on the seventh. Pinnacle Acting Company recreated the play just shy of three hours, and audience members presumably drank heavily on the fourth hour. Or at least I did.

Considering it is a non-profit performing arts organization, Pinnacle Acting Company performed a decidedly professional rendition of Coward’s 1941 play. The stage was set with authentic period scenery, and the players were adorned in classic vintage style. Coward’s story began with the protagonist Charles Condomine (Justin Bruse) inviting the proclaimed medium Madame Arcati (Vickie Pugmire) over for dinner and a séance. Lights dim and chants are called, accidentally awaking the spirit of Charles’ deceased first wife (Melanie Nelson); while currently-alive second wife (Melanie Rees) sits by his side. Charles’ sisterwives begin to haunt and torment him for his attention and undying oath of love.

Witty and cleverly written, the dialogue was sharp and humorous. Two hours into the play, I was agreeably entertained yet stiff in my seat. I began to wonder how—but more importantly, if, or when—the romantic-comedy saga would end. And I found myself daydreaming of extra-dry martinis and cucumber sandwiches of which the players partook during the play.

However, the actors did fine work in the community theater setting. Sporting a cast full of expertise, the play was executed with a professionalism that you would find in any other theater setting. Only a year old, Pinnacle Acting Company is founded and supported by talented actors. I will be keeping an eye out for future, shorter, yet still pleasantly performed productions. (Kris Heitkamp)

Black Magic Woman

[Music: Review] Two arts merged to create a magical night of auditory hallucinations and visual fantasy at the Utah Symphony with illusionist Lyn Dillies (left). Wind, strings and percussion from the orchestra composed musical dreams that music inspires; lights, mirrors and three white doves fabricated child-like awe.

The night of tricks and treats began with Dillies conjuring Utah Symphony assistant conductor David Cho out of thin air. Dillies then disappeared backstage until the second half, allowing the audience to build up anticipation and excitement while listening to the spooky sounds of Gounod’s Funeral March of Marionette and John Williams’ suite from Harry Potter. The first act was properly concluded with a perfect pizzicato performance of Anderson’s Plink, Plank, Plunk. The precise plucks of the stringed instruments provoked passion in the audience. Pure magic.

The second half commenced with Dillies taking center stage and conducting her own magical movement, complete with "slicing and dicing" her male assistant Marc LeBlanc. An anomaly in the male-dominated magic kingdom, Dillies—superbly backed by the powerful music of Holst’s The Planets' "Mars, the Bringer of War"—vertically boxed in LeBlanc and in an Alien-esque moment proceeded to push herself, from behind, through his belly. However, humor was not lacking in the LynFlex trick, a Dillies invention to keep fit while on the road: to the accompaniment of Kabalevsky’s The Comedians, LeBlanc stretched and shrunk Dillies small frame to extremes.

Neither music nor magic dominated the performance; each accentuated and complemented the other, leaving symphony-goers chatting in the halls of fabulous musical moments and the wonderment of "How on earth did she do that?" (Kris Heitkamp)

Believe the Hype

[Review] I will fully admit that I'm a recovering ballet snob. I spent many years in pink tights and a black leotard, with my hair slicked back into the most flawless bun I could manage, believing that every other form of dance was totally inferior to ballet. A big part of my self-prescribed rehabilitation program is to branch out and expose myself to as many non-ballet dance performances (and classes) as possible.

Attending Transfusion Hype’s Rebirth Sept. 18 made me realize that I’m steadily overcoming my ballet snobbery. Three years ago, Rebirth’s energetic mix of hip-hop, jazz and modern dance would have sent me fleeing for the nearest exit. But I’m far enough along on my rehabilitation schedule to sincerely congratulate choreographer Ashlee Prentice for creating a thoroughly entertaining and engaging evening of dance, even if I had to fight for the first 20 minutes not to scream "high school dance company calibre!" at the top of my lungs.

Transfusion Hype’s passionate and able dancers (most notably Prentice, Lynn Palermo and Rachel Clayson), tight choreography and sharp musicality certainly had me clapping by the end of the show. (Jenny Poplar)