TeenTix Blog

Trailer for Prodigal Sons, playing March 5 - 11 at SIFF Cinema. Early on in this very personal film, the audience learns that the director, Kimberly Reed, was once known as Paul, a star quarterback in high school before her sex-change operation. Reed’s gender reassignment, however, turns out to be a mere side note—and hardly the most surprising one—in this exploration of her family’s past."SUPERB. No one could make this believable if it were fiction." - SF ChronicleProdigal SonsMarch 5 - 11SIFF Cinema

Subtle Like a T-rex is heavy metal? That's a pretty laughable statement.

Review of Sound Off! Semifinal #3 by Jennifer E.The young quintet, Seacats, opened the 3rd night of Sound-Off Semifinals with an upbeat performance that can only be described as fun. With impressive music than cannot be written off as simple “bubblegum pop”, they energized the crowd and started the night off right. It’s no wonder why the Youth Advisory Board chose them as the “Wild Card” band for the Sound-Off Finals next weekend.

Seacats Photo by Brady HarveyNext up, Subtle Like A T-Rex took the stage with an intense progressive-rock show. A diverse range of music influences their heavy metal, and their long songs and unique sound is meant for true music fans.After, Great Waves commanded the stage with a phenomenal performance that deserved the first place prize and Finals spot that it won. As the only female singer of the night, lead-singer Ashley Bullock captivated the crowd with a voice powerful enough to silence the room. With a diverse mix of soulful blues and more upbeat sounds, their music does the talking for them and has as much personality as the band members. They have the potential to make it big, which is why they also won the audience response award for the night.

Great Waves Photo by Brady Harvey

With big shoes to fill, Us On Roofs ended the night with such energy that some crowd-members were surprised they didn’t receive an award. As the smallest band, they had the largest stage presence and truly connected with the audience. They evoked such happiness in both their music and body language that the crowd couldn’t help but love them. They were a fantastic finale to an incredible night of music! Congratulations to the winners of the night, we will see both Great Waves and Seacats at the Sound-Off Finals on March 6th at the EMP Sky Church.

Us on Roofs Photo by Brady Harvey- Jennifer E.February 27th, 2010The Sound Off! Final competition is this Saturday, March 6th at 8:00 PM at EMPSFM. For more info, visit the Sound Off! page.

This is little too much fun:It's called Art Thief, and it's a video game wherein you pilfer expensive works of art from the "Muggenheim" (ha ha) museum and then party down in your sweet Jetsons-chic pad with your new hover sofa. Teen Tix officially does not support the playing of video games, even art-related ones, when you should be doing something productive with your life.Okay, uh...gotta go...do some work. Yeah, that's it. Work. (h/t to Jen Graves on slog.)

Stranger writers Bethany Jean Clement, Lindy West, Matthew Richter, Paul Constant, Christopher Frizzelle, and, of course, our own Professor Kiley talk with Young Critics Workshop students. February 25th, 2010

Yeah dude, no guitar or cello. Hopefully we were all watching the same show. Facts are important before you attempt to review a show correctly.

Concerning Pan Pan, I'm not sure who you're talking about or if you were even watching them but there was no Cello and no guitars. Just bass, piano, drums and horns.

http://www.pixmaven.com/phrase_generator.htmlhttp://slog.thestranger.com/slog/archives/2010/02/24/the-instant-art-critique-phrase-generator

Review of Farewell at Spectrum Dance Theater by Kaya P.Going in, I had no idea what to expect, all I knew was the dance was supposed to be about the relationship between China and the United States. I was expecting not to get the dance but, I was pleasantly surprised to find the performance to be meaningful even with no prior understanding. The choreography and music tells the story sufficiently, no pre-studying necessary. The venue is very intimate with audience on three sides of the stage. Often, the dancers come within inches of you so no stretching your legs! Be prepared for a bit of stiffness after sitting in metal bleachers for ninety minutes straight.

Meaghan Sanford. Photo by Gabriel Bienczycki, Zebra VisualThe music alone is well worth it. Melodies are layered with live percussion, speech and bicycle wheels, punctuated by the sounds of the dancers. Each performer plays a character and I enjoyed watching the relationships develop as the dance progressed. A lot of the partner work confused me I didn’t feel it conveyed as strong or as clear of a message as the group segments did. At times I was overwhelmed with how much was going on onstage I had to force myself to relax and accept that I could not see everything, and maybe that was the point. Overall I enjoyed the intensity of the piece. I liked walking out feeling like I had learned something. I would definitely recommend staying for the discussion afterwards. Even if you are too shy to ask questions its cool to learn some of the motivations behind the creative decisions. Anyone is fair game to ask questions to the choreographer, musicians, and dancers so go for it!

Tory Peil, Geneva Jenkins, Amber Mayberry & Joel Myers Photo by Gabriel Bienczycki, Zebra Visual- Kaya PFebruary 20th, 2010Farewell is closed. For more information about Spectrum Dance Theater's upcoming performances and workshops, visit spectrumdance.org

By Yvette JRemember in the last episode of Glee, when Rachel Barry claimed that “you either want to go first or last?” To go first means that everyone gets compared to you or it is great to go last because you’re fresh in the judges’ minds. I was a firm believer in that statement, until I attended the second round of the semifinals of the Sound Off! competition put forth by the Experience Music Project. The superstars of the night would be three great bands: A Cozy Kitchen, The Cat From Hue and Pan Pan alongside a solo superstar, Hooves and Beak. Clearly the order the artists went in did not matter much here. If anything, the better acts played 2nd and 3rd, not first or last.

The Cat From Hue. Photo by Brady Harvey.The night started with A Cozy Kitchen, a three person band from Bellingham. This trio gladly reminded me of Modest Mouse. The lead guitarist’s vocals surprised me, in a good way. Their music wasn’t particularly a favorite of mine, naturally not being a fan of folk music, but they simply weren’t bad. As they kept playing their set, they performed better with time. Not bad for a first act.Next up was Camano Island’s The Cat From Hue. It was clear that the audience was mostly made up of their fans—the audience response was great. They clearly brought the whole island with them and packed the EMP. This band was a personal favorite of mine and as I sat in the back listening intently to their lyrics and swaying to their music, I imagined doing the same exact thing at Bumbershoot, just a couple of months from now. Their music helps me to appreciate folk music much more and they had a much stronger stage presence as they were performing. Their lyrics related more to the simple things in life and to something that matters a lot to us Washingtonians: the Pacific Northwest.

Semifinal #2 winner Hooves and Beak. Photo by Brady Harvey.

Review of the BFA Dance Concerts at Cornish College of the Arts by Anna B.The BFA dance concerts need some sort of more attractive name. One glance at the title and you yawn, thinking of your little sister’s ballet recitals in third grade and the humdrumness of watching little girls in tutus forget their steps and wave at their parents. Which, actually, can be really entertaining, but not entertaining enough to intentionally go see unless dragged to.Photo by Chris BennionDon’t worry; the BFA dance concerts aren’t anywhere near as boring as their title. Young dancers from Cornish College of the Arts perform original pieces from choreography students; solos and large ensemble pieces. The music ranges from bizarre to lyrical to quirky to classical, and the dance pieces themselves are all over the place. It’s a fantastic chance to see a wide variety of dance styles and ideas smushed into one night; instead of a candy-box assortment of chocolates, it’s like someone threw the whole candy store up on stage—not usually recommended for any concert, but somehow they pull it off.Photo by Chris BennionThere are six BFA dance concerts, but three different shows, which unfortunately means you won’t be seeing the same one as me (my show only played the 18th and 19th). Nevertheless, I’m sure you’ll find awe-inspiring dancing in whatever show you go to. Some of the pieces will be breathtaking, some funny, some quirky, some puzzling, and some will just be blah. It is student work, and some of the pieces fell flat. But I assure you, the rest of the program will more than make up for the flops. At the end of the night, you’ll wish—like I did—that you could dance too, just to join in this creation of new art.- Anna B.February 18th, 2010You have three more chances to catch the BFA Dance Concerts:Tonight, Saturday, February 20th at 8:00 PM andSaturday, February 27th at 2:00 and 8:00 PMAdmission is free for everyone, but you do need to reserve tickets in advance (though some may be available at the door). Go to cornish.edu to reserve your tickets.

Cry Danger and The Mob Double Feature @ SIFF CinemaPart of the Noir City: Lust and Larceny seriesCry Danger

One of the most wicked and witty revenge yarns of the original film noir era. Until recently, theater's were screening star Dick Powell’s personal 16mm print as no 35mm copies existed. We’re thrilled to present this terrific film—Parrish’s debut as a director—in a brand new 35mm restoration courtesy of the Film Noir Foundation and the UCLA Film and Television Archive. Costarring ravishing Rhonda Fleming and the redoubtable Richard Erdman, one of the great wisecrackers of all time.Saturday, February 20th @ 2:00 PM and 7:30 PMThe MobOn the heels of their Cry Danger success, Bowers and Parrish were contracted by Columbia Pictures to craft a hard-hitting crime picture for Oscar-winner Broderick (Born Yesterday) Crawford. The tale of an undercover cop (Crawford) infiltrating a waterfront labor racket was a huge hit and a forerunner to 1950s crime exposés, subsequently overshadowed by the higher pedigreed On the Waterfront (1954). The Mob stands as a terrific film in its own right, featuring early work from actors Charles Bronson, Neville Brand, and Ernest Borgnine.Saturday, February 20th @ 4:00 PM and 9:20 PMMore info @ siff.netNOTE: These films are not rated and may contain mature content, including sex and violence.

Home @ Northwest Film ForumAs upbeat, jazzy music sets the mood for fun, a happy family in roller skates finishes the match point of a hockey game played out on a strip of nondescript tarmac. Thus begins Swiss-French filmmaker Ursula Meier’s debut feature, Home—in stark contrast to what lies ahead.Marthe (Isabelle Huppert), Michel (Olivier Gourmet) and their three children live a peaceful existence in a remote house that borders a long-unused stretch of highway. When the route one day suddenly opens to commuters, this bohemian clan’s daily routine is thrown into disarray: Ever-sunbathing Judith must endure the catcall honking that overpowers her portable stereo, while it quickly becomes impossible for the younger children, Julien and Marion, to safely “cross the street” to catch their school bus. What begins as annoyance and inconvenience soon crosses over into paranoia, as the incessant traffic noise leads to sleep deprivation and fears concerning prolonged exposure to exhaust loom large. Refusing to relocate, in an obstinate yet futile attempt to maintain some semblance of the normality they once enjoyed, Marthe and Michel resort to isolationism and a literal blockade. With its unique style, dark humor and tragic-hopeful denouement, Meier’s film is sure to be one of the most discussed of the quarter.Watch the trailer:HomeFeb 19 - Feb 25 @ NW Film ForumSponsored by the Consulate General of France, San FranciscoFriday, Feb 19 at 7:00PM and 9:00PMSaturday, Feb 20 at 7:00PM and 9:00PMSunday, Feb 21 at 7:00PM and 9:00PMMonday, Feb 22 at 7:00PM and 9:00PMTuesday, Feb 23 at 7:00PM and 9:00PMWednesday, Feb 24 at 7:00PM and 9:00PMThursday, Feb 25 at 7:00PM and 9:00PM

Teen Steering Committee member Timothy C went to see Spectrum Dance Theatre's Farewell last night. This morning, he sent me an email with his thoughts on the show:"Spectrum Dance Theater describes Farewell as a feverish, dreamlike theatrical meditation on America's relationship with China. The production is an interesting blend of dance and sound, with the auditory backdrop of news reports and articles about Tienanmen Square, 9/11, and the relationship between China and the United States. The performance, itself, was quite well done. The dancers are very talented, and the sounds were a unique blend of Chinese folk music and classical music. For this production, seats were brought onto the stage, adding to the contemplative mood with a more intimate environment. Being the rather down-to-earth type of person I am, I was trying for most of the performance to figure out what it all meant. In the brief Q&A session with Artistic Director Donald Byrd, though, he remarked that it doesn't matter what his ultimate goal is. What really matters is what you, the audience member, gets out the performance -- what feelings, emotions, and thoughts the performance evokes within you. There isn't supposed to be a nice, neat storyline to be understood, since real life doesn't give us nice, neat storylines with resolution. Since Farewell has certainly gotten me thinking, though, I would say it was thoroughly successful."Farewell runs this weekend only (Friday & Saturday) at the Moore Theatre. For more info, go to spectrumdance.org- Holly A.Did you see something? Got thoughts? Send us an email and we may post them on the blog! [email protected]

SEAFEVER 4 LYFE-Krust

Farewell by Spectrum Dance Theater @ the Moore Theatre

A feverish, dreamlike theatrical meditation on America's relationship with China, Farewell is part of Spectrum’s ground-breaking three-year Initiative, Beyond Dance: Promoting Awareness and Mutual Understanding (PAMU). PAMU brings collaborators from across the nation and world to create dance theater pieces that examine issues relating to personal liberty, freedom, security and social justice.Spectrum Dance Theater (SDT) was founded in 1982 to bring dance of the highest merit to a diverse audience composed of people from different social, cultural, ethnic and economic backgrounds. SDT’s principal objective is to make the art form of dance accessible

Alex Prior: Crush of the MonthInterview by Tavis Hamilton, February 10th, 2010

Photo by Lorna Roach/ObserverTo describe Alex Prior is to describe the flowering of an Ancient Rose. It is unprofessional to flatter; however, the dichotomy between the cleansing shock of an exotic flower, and the captivating charm of Prior’s mind, is all too accurate to forgo. On a level rare even among the profound, his seventeen-year-old mind incites an exuberant mix of matured artistic command and wonton boyish wonder. For example in explaining the importance of teen interest in art, Alex believes "there is no such thing as 'classical music.' Teens shouldn't be interested in classical music. Teens should be interested in everything that's beautiful and fantastic in this world, and great music is part of that.” To him, music’s purpose is to elate the soul and bring out the rawest emotions. Whether they be fear, love, woe, or joy, these emotions are to be drawn out of us by the beauty of music, and experienced not only to further enlighten ones soul, but to further enlighten one’s knowledge of oneself. Now, this may sound like the ramblings of yet another young Bohemian, however, Prior’s sincerity and enthusiasm nowhere nears the realm of the artistically hackneyed; he’s 100% the real deal; he is 100% brilliant.Alex on his current work Arriving in Seattle only three weeks ago, Alex has been set to the busy task of not only entertaining the press with his prodigious career, but he has also taken on hats as both Seattle Symphony’s Assistant to the Guest Conductors, and as independent composer. This means he learns to conduct every stanza of music that Seattle Symphony performs under a guest conductor -- even if his chances of performing are low, he is in charge of conducting Seattle Symphony’s upcoming Discover Music performance of Peter and the Wolf, and -- to top that -- he composes his own, independent, commissions; and what commissions they are!

Having studied at the St. Petersburg Conservatory for four years, Prior’s original work is extremely mature. Much of his inspiration is drawn from tribal music and the sounds of a globalizing, multicultured, multivariate, world; however, he certainly draws from the modern masters. Those among the ranks of Wagner and Prokofiev have greatly influenced his work; work which is also fueled by his artistic crush on the prolific modern composer, John Adams.Alex on SeattleWhether one finds themselves being treated by his theatrics in the concert hall, or his bombastics on the staff, Alex Prior is the hottest composer in modern music, and is definitely worth checking out. Currently he is working on a Piano Concerto for a European film, of which one should certainly listen to upon its release. If it is as good as the rest of his work, then following his career will not just be the adoration of a fan, but rather, it will be the participation in a great history to come.

Review of Sound Off! Semifinal 1, February 13th, 2010, by Jordan B. Showcasing the local music scene of the future, maybe even the present, Sound Off! began back in 2002 at the Experience Music Project in Seattle, designed for age 21 and under artists to have a place to get their name out. Many artists such as 2003 runner ups the Schoolyard Heroes and 2007's 2nd place winner, Natalie Portman's Shaved Head, have enjoyed some success from the competition's raising awareness of the bands. Tonight's winner, Candysound, received a spot in the upcoming finals on March 6th.

Sound Off! Semifinal #1 winners Candysound. Photo by adamsayswhatt

Review of Company at Seattle Musical Theatre by Emma M.In 1970 Stephen Sondheim and George Furth wrote a musical that changed the way we think of musical theatre. That play was called Company, and it was the first nonlinear “concept” musical. It is made of little scenes that weave together to tell the story of Robert, a single thirty-five year-old in the heart of New York City. Throughout the play he watches his friends work out their relationships and struggles with his own desire to be married, and his fear of being alone. Now Seattle Musical Theatre brings back this fun play from Broadway’s archives.

Allison Standley, Danielle Barnum, Julia Beers, and Ryan Demerick in Company at Seattle Musical Theatre. Photo by Dan SuiterOn the whole, the cast is good but there are some standout performances. Julie Drummond as Jenny is very funny and has a lovely voice. Kat Schroeder as Amy performs her song “Getting Married Today” superbly.The good writing, songs, and performances could be better supported by a simpler set. The many stairs that actors are constantly ascending and descending distract the audience from the story and slow the pace. The play’s unusual style calls for a very quick pace both in scenes and in scene transitions. Also faster pace would allow the audience better to follow the story and retain interest in the challenges Robert and his friends were facing. A more consistent sound quality would make the challenging songs lyrics easier to hear and understand.Company is humorous and touching. Although this production has inconsistent aspects, there are some lovely songs and performances that make it enjoyable.- Emma M.February 12th, 2010CompanySeattle Musical TheatreThrough February 28th

Review of Stefan Jackiw Plays Barber at Seattle Symphony by Anna B.

If you’ve never been to a classical music concert, your first time can be a little terrifying. You might think to yourself, what if I don’t like classical music? What if I’m terribly bored and prove to be a barbarian who can only understand the Jonas brothers?

Don’t worry. The first half of this concert will leave you breathless. You’ll be passionate about classical music for the first time. I can guarantee you won’t be bored.

Then, once you’ve discovered all this, I would advise going to that delicious gelato shop on the corner. And then going home.

It’s unfortunate, but the last half of the concert completely didn’t live up to the first half. Brahms is nice, and Schonberg’s interpretation of Brahms’ piano quintet as a symphony is—simply nice, not thrilling. The work has interesting connotations for music-minded individuals and probably, for any other second half, would have been good.

The first half is really the problem—it’s so amazing, the second half just can’t compete. The Seattle Symphony plays two of Samuel Barber’s pieces—the first, a piece based on Medea from Greek mythology, and the second, Barber’s famous violin concerto. Medea’s Meditation and Dance of Vengeance is fantastic; it’s a wonderful introduction to Samuel Barber’s sound and style of composition, and the themes carry powerful images of jealousy, vengeance, and love turned to hate.

Now comes the moment of truth: Samuel Barber’s violin concerto. Stefan Jackiw, an well-established young violinist, playing one of the more famous and difficult violin concertos with an orchestra decades older and wiser than him.

I have a confession to make; Stefan Jackiw is totally and completely crushworthy. As an aspiring violinist, I can only gape at his perfect intonation, flawless shifting, precise fingering, effortless bowing. Indeed, his performance as a whole was completely and totally effortless—never once did he leave the audience in suspense; will he miss a note? But despite his natural ease with the concerto, he played with such dramaticism that the audience—and I—were drawn right in from the very beginning. I held my breath between movements and glared at anyone who dared cough. First and second movements went by in a rush of fingers and hushed pauses.

The third movement is only about four minutes long, and there’s a legend associated with it. Samuel Barber wrote this for a specific violinist, and gave this violinist the first two movements of the piece. This violinist merely sniffed; it was too easy. Barber, in a huff, then wrote the third movement. For about the first page and half, it’s impossible to tell whether the solo violinist and the orchestra are actually playing together or not. Many a lesser violinist has fallen beneath the violent attack of triplets.

Not Stefan Jackiw. It was four minutes of flawlessness. So seriously, Stefan Jackiw, will you marry me?

- Anna BFebruary 11th, 2010You have one more chance to see Stefan Jackiw perform: TONIGHT, Saturday, February 13th at 8:00 PM. For more info, visit seattlesymphony.org.