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Sia’s “Nostalgic for the Present Tour” is conceptual and unforgettable

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The doors of the BART open at the Coliseum station. Hundreds of people get off and start to walk in the direction of the twin stadiums in the distance.  The typical pre-show excitement from the fans making their way to the venue is palpable. Still, the smell of hot dogs from the vendors in the elevated walkways connecting the venues is a surprise. It’s 8:00 pm on a Saturday, and there is no sporting event scheduled.  

Rather, the occasion is Sia’s second show of her Nostalgic for the Present Tour in Oakland, California. The venue is the Oracle Arena, the home of the Golden State Warriors. Despite the festive ambience around me, I am only barely able to talk for fear that my voice will betray me; I am overwhelmed.  As I enter the Oracle, an 18,000-plus-seat arena, I keep thinking that this cannot be the venue where Sia will be playing. But the sights (men, women, girls and boys everywhere are dressed up in wigs, bows, and nude leotards) and sounds (there is already a roaring crowd enjoying the opener, Miguel) are real –  All these people are here to see Sia.

Continue reading ➞ Sia’s “Nostalgic for the Present Tour” is conceptual and unforgettable

Permanent, Forever, Rush

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Rush recording their album Permanent Waves at Le Studio, Quebec. Photo by Fin Costello.

Some loves are too big. These are the kind that affect you so completely, so profoundly, that to talk about them becomes daunting, almost embarrassingly difficult.  So it is with me and Rush, the Canadian prog-rock trio, my most constant and enduring musical love. But recently, in the context of what may be Rush’s last big tour (or tour, period), I was given the chance to talk about them on the radio. It was a gift, and the person who so kindly gave this gift to me probably only has a small idea how special this was for me.

Continue reading ➞ Permanent, Forever, Rush

Whiplash Offers a Dazzling but Flawed Tune

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When I was 18 years old, I quit university to dedicate myself to music exclusively. I had been studying piano and cello since I was 8 or 9 but had only gotten more seriously interested, if not confident, as I got older. I studied at the Conservatory of Music in Maracaibo (Venezuela), a revered institution among all musicians in the city. Apart from some serious heartbreak that I was going through at the time, those months of intense focus and dedication to my instruments were some of the most satisfying of my life. I gave myself a rigorous practice schedule and took to it almost immediately. Discipline can give you great pleasure, in particular through the feeling of mental and physical control it gives you. Every day, the slowly won victories–mastering a difficult exercise, moving from painfully learning a piece to being able to play it with feeling–gave me hope and kept me going.

Continue reading ➞ Whiplash Offers a Dazzling but Flawed Tune

Phillip Phillips Steps ‘Behind The Light’ And Emerges Triumphantly

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Phillip-Phillips-Behind-The-Light-album-cover-art (1) This review was originally published on PhillPhill.com.

We waited, listened to the snippets, counted down the days, and finally, it is here. To the sheer joy of Phillip Phillips fans everywhere, Behind The Light was released at midnight on Monday; within an hour, it had reached number 1 on the Pop Charts on iTunes, a testament to the enormous anticipation and the incredible support from Phillips’ ever-growing fan base. It’s only been a few hours, and a few listens, but I can say without hesitation that Behind The Light has exceeded all my expectations and hopes and keeps proving that Phillip Phillips has arrived and is here to stay.

Continue reading ➞ Phillip Phillips Steps ‘Behind The Light’ And Emerges Triumphantly

Blue Is The Warmest Color (La Vie d’Adèle – Chapitres 1 et 2)

Categories Movies2 Comments on Blue Is The Warmest Color (La Vie d’Adèle – Chapitres 1 et 2)

blue-is-the-warmest-color-poster

First love—passionate love—is the ultimate feeling, if there is one. Blue Is The Warmest Color is a story about the intense and life-defining experience of a first love. It’s a beautiful, highly sensual film directed by Abdellatif Kechiche. In 2013, it won the Palme d’or at Cannes.

Continue reading ➞ Blue Is The Warmest Color (La Vie d’Adèle – Chapitres 1 et 2)

12 Years a Slave: Feel The Weight Of History On Your Soul

Categories Movies4 Comments on 12 Years a Slave: Feel The Weight Of History On Your Soul

12 years a slave

After suffering through months of hype, last weekend, I finally saw 12 Years a Slave, the newest film by British director Steve McQueen. It tells the true story of Solomon Northup, a New York musician who was kidnapped and sold as a slave in 1841. Adapted from Northup’s 1853 memoir of the same name, the movie chronicles in detail the horrors Mr. Northup had to endure during his 12 years as a slave in the Deep South.

Continue reading ➞ 12 Years a Slave: Feel The Weight Of History On Your Soul