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The sheer intimacy and immediacy of theater lends itself splendidly to the holidays. It’s as though, facing the stage, we are basking as one in … Continue reading
James “Jimbo” Mathus, bandleader with Dixieland jazz revivalists Squirrel Nut Zippers, says stories of “weird old New Orleans” inspired Beasts of Burgundy, the band’s first … Continue reading
Set in 1928 Arizona, The Shedd’s revival of Whoopee! is populated by rootin’ tootin’ cowboys, rich tourists and the occasional hypochondriac. Based on the 1923 play The Nervous Wreck, this goofball musical comedy by Gus Kahn and Walter Donaldson was made famous by both the Ziegfield Broadway production of 1928 and the 1930 Eddie Cantor film. In the vaudeville era, shows like Whoopee! cobbled together already popular tunes with a loose plot, peppering zany narratives with plenty of jazz standards and daffy jokes. And it’s still a winning combination. Continue reading
If we’re going to be honest, the Decemberists hit their peak a while ago. This said, the macabre, folksy offshoot Black Prairie is on the up and up, and the group hits town on Friday. A completely separate project from the Decemberists, Black Prairie features some of the same members, but a sound all of its own: Blending strings, accordions and often virtuosic, swampy classical licks, it’s the sort of band that will make you want to lie down in the grass and watch the sunset. And when it’s dark, the romp and stomp can begin. Continue reading