The Smashing Pumpkins at USANA

The last time I saw The Smashing Pumpkins it was an absolutely amazing concert so I was really excited to get to see them again at USANA Amphitheatre last night.  I was definitely not disappointed!  The setlist was an eclectic mix of the band's biggest hits, deeper tracks from their extensive discography, as well as a few songs from ATUM, their latest release which has been billed as a rock opera in three acts, so I spent half the time screaming and singing along to my favorite songs and the other half just listening to the shredding guitars and Corgan's signature voice on some of the more unfamiliar (to me) songs.  I really enjoyed "The Everlasting Gaze," "Doomsday Clock," " Perfect," "The Celestials," "Purple Blood," and "This Time," despite the fact that I didn't remember all of the words, and the new songs "Beguiled," "Empires," and "Spellbinding," even though I wasn't familiar with them, because the band sounded as good as I've ever heard them.  However, it was when they performed "Today," "Disarm," "Ava Adore," "Bullet With Butterfly Wings," "Jellybelly," and "Hummer" that I really came alive because these songs took me back to the 1990s when I would listen to Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness and Siamese Dream almost continuously on repeat!  They also played several covers and I have to admit that their version of "Once in a Lifetime" by Talking Heads was really cool but almost unrecognizable!  My favorite moment of the show was an incredibly beautiful acoustic version of "Tonight, Tonight" by Corgan and James Iha.  Corgan dedicated it to SLC because of the lyric about a city by the lake.  The crowd was incredibly chill (almost everyone around me sat for most of the show) but the final three songs, which were "1979," "Cherub Rock," and "Zero," got the crowd up on their feet and it was the perfect way to end the concert!  The stage featured interesting (if somewhat strange) visuals and included dramatic lighting that was almost mesmerizing.  Corgan is such a weirdo and he was in fine form with white makeup on his bald head and face and a long black tunic featuring Masonic symbolism.  He was very tentative with the crowd at first and delegated all of the usual frontman duties to Iha (who favored us with a hilarious rap) but he eventually warmed up.  I had such a great time at this concert because it was filled with so much nostalgia and it was the perfect summer night for an outdoor show (not too hot with a nice breeze as the evening wore on).  I even got out of the USANA parking lot within 10 minutes!

Talk to Me

After hearing lots of praise for Talk to Me I was really excited to have a chance to see it at the Broadway last night.  The hype is definitely real because it is incredibly unsettling.  Mia (Sophie Wilde) is a teenager who is still traumatized by the suicide of her mother Rhea two years prior.  She reluctantly attends a party with several of her friends, including Jade (Alexandra Jensen), Riley (Joe Bird), Daniel (Otis Dhanji), Hayley (Zoe Terakes), and Joss (Chris Alosio), and one of them proposes a game that has been making the rounds on social media which uses a mysterious statue, purported to be the embalmed hand of a medium, in order to summon the spirits of the dead.  The subject lights a candle, holds the embalmed hand, and says "Talk to me" to meet a spirit then "I let you in" to be possessed by it but the candle must be blown out within 90 seconds or the connection will not be severed.  Mia volunteers to be the first subject and, even though she is possessed by a malevolent spirit who resists leaving, she is energized by the experience and all of the teens eventually have a turn and feel the same adrenaline rush that keeps them coming back for more.  However, when Riley takes a turn, Mia is convinced that he is being possessed by the spirit of her mother and events quickly spiral out of control.  There are some truly terrifying scenes (with mostly practical effects) but what kept me so unnerved is the way the filmmakers create escalating tension with ominous sound design and disturbing imagery.  In this regard it really reminded me of Hereditary because I felt the same sense of unrelenting dread (although, thankfully, I did not scream out loud).  The young and relatively unknown (to U.S. audiences) cast is outstanding, especially in the possession scenes, but I was particularly impressed with Wilde because her fully committed physical performance is electrifying.  Finally, I really enjoyed the exploration of how grief and trauma can take possession of someone interspersed between the scenes of gore.  I highly recommend this to fans of the horror genre.

Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real at Sandy Amphitheater

 
I am a huge fan of Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real!  I have seen them at USANA (backing Neil Young), at the Commonwealth Room, at Red Butte Garden, and at Sandy Amphitheater.  Last night I went back to Sandy Amphitheater to see them again and I absolutely loved the show!  They were in town promoting their latest release Sticks and Stones (it is so good) and the majority of the songs in their main set came from this album.  They started the show with "Alcohallelujah" and continued with the title track, "Every Time I Drink," "If I Didn't Love You," "Overpass," "Icarus,""All Four Winds" (my favorite from the new album), "The View," "Lying," "Wrong House," and "Ladder of Love."  I really enjoyed hearing these new songs performed live because Nelson and the band looked like they were having such a great time playing them and they sounded really tight despite the fact that they haven't played them as much as the older songs.  However, I was thrilled to hear so many of my favorites, including "Fool Me Once," "Four Letter Word," "Just Outside of Austin" (with a really cool piano intro), "Carolina," "(Forget About) Georgia," "Die Alone," and "Find Yourself" (with lots of participation from the crowd during the chorus).  They also sang a cover of Willie Nelson's "Bloody Mary Morning" which was awesome!  I was really hoping that they would play "Set Me Down on a Cloud," which is my favorite Promise of the Real song, so I was absolutely thrilled when I heard the opening notes!  It was the perfect song to end their main set with!  For the encore, they performed a rousing rendition of "Something Real" with an extended intro featuring the drums.  I am not a big fan of country music but I absolutely love this band (they do have more of a rock-country sound) and I love Nelson's voice (he sounds like his dad Willie Nelson but a bit edgier).  Nelson wasn't as talkative as I have seen him be but he and the band gave a really energetic performance with very little down time between the songs.  They had a stripped down stage filled with lots of instruments and, since I was sitting on the fifth row (he definitely made eye contact with me), it was fascinating to watch Nelson playing the guitar.  There was a major thunderstorm near the end of the show but even the rain couldn't dampen my enthusiasm (the rain stopped just before "Set Me Down on a Cloud" which made me very happy).  I had so much fun and I hope they come back again next year!

Note:  I have loved every Promise of the Real concert but if I had to pick a favorite it would be the show at the Commonwealth Room.  This was right after the movie A Star Is Born came out (Promise of the Real portrayed Jackson Maine's band) and they played "Shallow."  It was sans Lady Gaga but it was epic!

The Hunchback of Notre Dame at Tuacahn Amphitheatre

I always like to see at least one show at Tuacahn every year so I took a quick road trip to St. George for The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Tarzan and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory are the other shows being performed in repertory) last night.  I really love this musical and I knew it would be spectacular against the red rock!  Quasimodo (Justin Luciano) has been hidden by his master Frollo (Randal Keith) in the bell tower of Notre Dame Cathedral all of his life because he is deformed.  He wonders what it would be like to leave the cathedral and decides that he will be safe on the streets of Paris during the Feast of Fools.  He is eventually crowned the King of the Fools but when the crowd turns on him the gypsy Esmeralda (Sophia Marie Guerrero) rescues him.  She also catches the eye of the captain of the cathedral guard Phoebus de Martin (Sean Thompson) who falls in love with her and she bewitches Frollo who becomes obsessed with possessing her.  When Esmeralda rejects Frollo, he orders Phoebus to arrest her but when he refuses they both become fugitives who are given sanctuary in the cathedral by Quasimodo until the final confrontation in the bell tower.  The four main leads are amazing!  My favorite song in the show is "God Help the Outcasts" and Guerrero sings it beautifully; Keith's version of "Hellfire" is incredibly dramatic (it is also staged brilliantly with a projection of Esmeralda dancing in flames on the rose window of the cathedral); Luciano's rendition of "Heaven's Light" brought tears to my eyes; and Thompson is so romantic when he sings "Someday" with Guerrero.  The ensemble also does an excellent job narrating the story in "The Bells of Notre Dame" and its multiple reprises.  One of my favorite aspects of the show is the use of gargoyles as characters who help and inspire Quasimodo.  Most productions that I've seen use three actors who are costumed as actual gargoyles but this show features many of them who appear on the outside of the cathedral and the bell towers and then are brought to life as puppets by the ensemble.  This change is particularly effective in the song "Made of Stone" when they accuse Quasimodo.  The choreography is very energetic and engaging, especially in "Topsy Turvy" (I loved the ribbons) and "The Rhythm of the Tambourine."  As with most productions at Tuacahn, there are lots of fun details which set this apart from the other versions I have seen.  Phoebus appears in the cathedral square for the first time on horseback, King Louis XI visits Frollo in a carriage pulled by horses, real fire is used to burn the brothel down, Quasimodo really swings from a rope to save Esmeralda from the pyre, and he really throws Frollo from the bell tower (with some amazing special effects).  Finally, the set is absolutely spectacular!  The stage is dominated by a Gothic cathedral with two large bell towers on either side.  A large screen behind the cathedral features various projections (I especially loved the beautiful rose window when the inside of the cathedral is shown) and I think they are used very effectively.  The area in front of the cathedral becomes a square with the addition of a few set pieces and it becomes the inside of the cathedral when the doors open and pews and votive stands are added.  I was very impressed with this show and I highly recommend it (go here for tickets to this and the other shows this season).

Rain: A Tribute to the Beatles at the Eccles

I love the Beatles and, even though I never had the opportunity to see them live, I have seen many tribute bands.  One of the best is Rain and I was so excited to be able to see them again last night at the Eccles Theatre.  It was an amazing show and I sang every single word (so did everyone around me).  Steve Landes (John Lennon), Paul Curatolo (Paul McCartney), Alastar McNeil (George Harrison) and Aaron Chiazza (Ringo Starr) look and sound a lot like the Beatles so it really feels like you are actually seeing them and the background images turn the concert into an incredibly immersive experience (the crowd even screamed as much as the early fans).  The concert was divided into different sets (or eras!) and it began with the Beatlemania set.  The lads were dressed in their signature black suits and Cuban-heeled boots and they performed "All My Loving," "Please Please Me," "This Boy," "I Want to Hold Your Hand," "Roll Over Beethoven," "A Hard Day's Night," "If I Fell," "You Can't Do That," and "Yesterday" with background images from the Ed Sullivan Show.  The next set was Shea Stadium featuring "I Feel Fine," "Day Tripper," and "Twist and Shout" (which got the crowd up and dancing) with costumes and background images from that epic concert.  Next came the Revolver & Rubber Soul (my favorite albums by the Beatles) set with performances of "Drive My Car," "The Word," "Eleanor Rigby," "In My Life," and "Nowhere Man."  During this set they were dressed casually with video footage of the Beatles from that period projected on the screens.  After the intermission came the Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band set with the iconic uniforms and lots of psychedelic images on the screens.  I really loved this set because it included "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band," "With a Little Help From My Friends," "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds," "She's Leaving Home," "Lovely Rita," "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (Reprise)," and "A Day in the Life" which was brilliant!  Then came the Rooftop Concert set which mimicked the concert the Beatles performed on the roof of their Apple Corps headquarters in London.  They wore the same outfits the Beatles wore then (including John Lennon's fur coat) and the images on the screen made it seem like they were really on the roof.  They performed some of the setlist from this show, including "Get Back," "Dig a Pony,"and "Don't Let Me Down," with a bonus performance of "Let It Be."  The final set was Abbey Road and the costumes were based on what the Beatles wore on the cover of this album and the images on the screen were from the famous recording studio.  They performed "Come Together," "You Never Give Me Your Money," "Mean Mr. Mustard," "Polythene Pam," "She Came in Through the Bathroom Window," "Golden Slumbers," "Cary That Weight," and "The End."  Of course they performed "Hey Jude" for the encore and the entire crowd sang along which was really fun!  I'm so glad that I decided to see this show again because it featured a completely different setlist so I got to hear quite a few songs that I have never heard performed live before (I can't believe I still remember the words to "She's Leaving Home" and "Lovely Rita").  Due to popular demand another show was added tonight and there are still a few tickets available (go here).  I highly recommend it to all Beatles fans.

Newsies at HCT

There was a time when Newsies was at the top of the list of shows that I wanted to see. I was so eager to see it that I went to Los Angeles because it was playing at the Pantages Theatre and then the Broadway touring production came to SLC the following year so I got to see it again! I have since seen it multiple times (it is very popular in Utah) but I really love it and was so excited to see HCT's version last night! It is a fun production and I thoroughly enjoyed it! A group of newspaper delivery boys (and girls in this production) led by Jack Kelly (Matthew Sanguine) decide to go on strike when Joseph Pulitzer (Douglas Irey) raises the price of newspapers. With a little help from a fledgling reporter named Katherine Plumber (Rachel Martorana), the so-called newsies get the attention of Governor Theodore Roosevelt (Ryland Despain) and score a victory for all of the working children in New York. I love all of the music in this show but my favorite song has always been "The World Will Know." Sanguine and the ensemble performed it with so much passion that I had goosebumps! I also really enjoyed Martorana's rendition of "Watch What Happens" because she infuses it with both vulnerability and determination to succeed and Gunnar Russell (as Crutchie) gave the best performance I’ve seen of "Letter from the Refuge" because it is incredibly poignant! The highlight of this show has always been its high-energy choreography and HCT did not disappoint! Everyone in the ensemble is an amazing performer and the big production numbers "Carrying the Banner," "The World Will Know," "Seize the Day," "King of New York," and "Once and for All" are outstanding. The choreography features a few of the iconic leaps and spins from the original Broadway production but it is also innovative enough to keep it fresh and exciting. At first I felt that Sanguine was too old for the role of Jack (who is supposed to be a teenager) but he eventually won me over and I enjoyed his charisma and bravado. The other standouts in the cast for me were Hyrum Smith as Davey and Flynn Mitchell (who steals every scene he is in) as Les because they play off of Sanguine so well. The set also maintains the spirit of the original Broadway production but, because it is Hale, it is even more dramatic with one large multi-level metal tower in the middle of the stage which splits apart and is reconfigured multiple times. It is quite thrilling to see the actors climbing and swinging on all of the different levels and configurations. I did find the use of an actual chalkboard for the newspaper headlines, while clever, to be a bit underwhelming and it was hard to see Jack's drawings. The previous production of Newsies at HCT utilized the LED screens that surround the theatre for the headlines and drawings and I think that was more effective. Other than that minor complaint, I had a great time with this show and I highly recommend seeing it with your kids (the children and teens in my audience absolutely loved it).  It runs on the Young Living Centre Stage through August 26 (go here for tickets).

Dark Corners

My July Book of the Month selection was Dark Corners by Megan Goldin (the other options were The Connellys of County Down by Tracey Lange, The First Ladies by Marie Benedict and Victoria Christopher Murray, Hello Stranger by Katherine Center, and Immortal Longings by Chloe Gong). I picked it because I recently read and enjoyed The Night Swim (the first in the Rachel Krall series) and was eager for another case involving the popular podcast host. I think I liked this one even more! A violent criminal named Terrence Bailey, who was once the main suspect in a series of brutal murders against women, is about to be released from prison after serving time for breaking and entering. Two days before his release he receives a random visit from a young and successful social media influencer named Maddison Logan and then she disappears several hours later. In the course of their investigation, the FBI discovers that Logan spoke with Bailey about Krall during their meeting and they want to know why so they reluctantly ask for her help. Both Krall and the FBI come to believe that Bailey is somehow responsible for Logan's disappearance and she suspects that she might be the next victim. The narrative alternates between Krall's POV as she investigates Logan's last movements at an influencer convention and those of a rideshare driver who may or may not be Bailey's accomplice and an FBI agent racing against time. This is a fast-paced mystery filled with lots of suspenseful twists and turns that kept me reading into the early morning hours (and kept me guessing until the very end) but I especially enjoyed the deep dive into influencer culture because it is a lot more cut-throat than I imagined and I was absolutely fascinated (and, as someone who follows a few influncers on social media, I was also appalled). Rachel Krall is a great character (I love intelligent, strong, and independent female protagonists) and I particularly liked her development from a passive role as a reporter looking into a crime that happened years ago in the first novel to a more active participant in an on-going investigation in this one and I hope to see more of her in future installments of the series. The only aspect of the narrative the fell flat for me was the sudden romance between Krall and an FBI agent because it was a bit cringe-worthy and seemed out of character but this is a minor criticism. Even though this is the second in a series I think it works as a standalone (there are only a few references to the first novel and they are thoroughly explained) and I definitely recommend it to fans of mysteries.

Barbie

Last night Sean and I returned to the Broadway to see Barbie and, as with Oppenheimer the night before, it exceeded my already high expectations! A Stereotypical Barbie (Margot Robbie), along with various other Barbies who who perform specific occupations within the matriarchal society (portrayed by Issa Rae, Hari Nef, Alexandra Shipp, Emma Mackey, Sharon Rooney, Ana Cruz Kayne, Dua Lipa, Nicola Coughlan, Ritu Arya, Emerald Fennell, and Marisa Abela), is living the best day ever in Barbieland while a Stereotypical Ken (Ryan Gosling), several other Kens (portrayed by Kingsley Ben-Adir, Simu Liu, Scott Evans, Ncuti Gatwa, Rob Brydon, and John Cena), and Allan (Michael Cera) do anything they can to get her attention.  Barbie soon experiences an existential crisis and seeks out a Weird Barbie (Kate McKinnon) who has been played with too hard.  Weird Barbie tells her that she must go to the Real World and find the child who plays with her to resolve any issues lest she end up like her.  However, things do not go as planned in the Real World because Ken stows away with her and is influenced by the patriarchy, the CEO of Mattel (Will Ferrell) wants to put her back in a box, and her child Sasha (Ariana Greenblatt) berates her for giving girls unrealistic standards of beauty.  Barbie eventually discovers her true purpose with the help of Sasha's mother Gloria (America Ferrera) and Barbie's creator Ruth Handler (Rhea Perlman).  I loved everything about this movie!  The message about identity is so incredibly powerful and a brilliant monologue about the travails of being a woman in today's society elicited applause from my audience while a montage to Billie Eilish's song "What Was I Made For?" reduced me to tears.  This is definitely an ode to female empowerment but I also really appreciated Ken's character arc as he goes on his own journey to self-actualization (in a hilarious 80s music video featuring a power ballad called "I'm Just Ken" performed by Gosling).  Gerwig (I love her unique voice as a filmmaker) effectively straddles the line between social commentary and nostalgia for a beloved toy through brilliant production design (the Barbie Dreamhouse with a slide to the pool is amazing), costumes that recreate some of Barbie's most famous looks, and witty self-referential dialogue that will have audiences laughing out loud (I loved a throw-away line about wearing high heels).  I can't think of anyone better to embody the iconic doll than Robbie and I loved her performance but Gosling is an absolute hoot who steals the show (especially in the aforementioned musical number) every time he is on screen.  It was such a fun experience watching this with a capacity crowd dressed in pink (they let me and Sean into the theater despite our lack of pink attire) and I highly recommend it!

Note:  After seeing both movies I stand by my recommendation to see Barbie and Oppenheimer on different days.  The shift in tone will be much too jarring!

Oppenheimer

Sean has been looking forward to Oppenheimer for months so we absolutely had to go to an early access screening in 35mm at the Broadway last night!  Even though it is three hours long with lots of dialogue and very heavy themes, we both found it to be riveting and we loved it!  J. Robert Oppenheimer (Cillian Murphy) is a brilliant but highly-strung scientist who conducts theoretical research on quantum physics while teaching at U.C. Berkeley, dabbling in unionization, and beginning relationships with women (Florence Pugh and Emily Blunt) who have ties to the communist party.  Despite his dubious extracurricular activities, he is approached by General Leslie Groves (Matt Damon) to head the Manhattan Project to develop an atomic bomb in Los Alamos, New Mexico.  Oppenheimer assembles a team of scientists and they succeed in creating a bomb but he is conflicted because he knows that it is needed as a deterrent but is horrified by the prospect of using it.  Once the bombs are dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, he is devastated and becomes a vocal opponent against the proliferation of nuclear weapons against the Soviet Union.  Oppenheimer's position angers Lewis Strauss (Robert Downey, Jr.), the head of the Atomic Energy Commission, and he surreptitiously convenes a hearing to revoke Oppenheimer's security clearance because of his perceived ties to communism.  This hearing and Strauss' Senate confirmation hearing for a cabinet position in the Eisenhower administration are interspersed with the events leading to the so-called Trinity test of the bomb and I honestly can't decide which scenes were more fraught with tension!  This is in large part due to the brilliant sound design and the intense score by Ludwig Goransson (the ticking sound that mimics a clock is especially effective is creating an anxious atmosphere).  The visuals are striking, particularly those used to portray the quantum realm, and give the audience access to the cataclysmic visions inside Oppenheimer's mind.  Murphy gives the performance of his career (which will undoubtedly be rewarded during awards season) and the scenes where Oppenheimer envisions the consequences of his actions are some of the most powerful I have ever seen (the closeups on Murphy's blue eyes are haunting).  Downey, Jr. also give a powerhouse performance!  I have always believed him to be a great actor but he is next-level here and I had goosebumps in a scene filled with his character's righteous anger.  In addition, I was very impressed with Blunt when her character goes toe-to-toe with the special prosecutor (Jason Clarke).  The narrative is incredibly dense with lots characters and many actors make a big impact in relatively small roles (my favorites include Josh Hartnett, Benny Safdie, Dane DeHaan, Kenneth Branagh, Alden Ehrenreich, David Dastmalchian, Tony Goldwyn, Rami Malek, Casey Affleck, and Gary Oldman).  This movie is a masterpiece and I think what intrigued me the most is that the exploration of power and accountability is morally complex and thought provoking.  Much has been made about the release of Oppenheimer and Barbie on the same weekend (Sean and I are seeing Barbie tonight) with many opting for double features but I think the tonal shifts will be too much and recommend seeing them on different days.

Note:  Sean and I were both dressed in black and we ended up in an elevator at the theater filled with people wearing pink.  Someone said, "I guess you can tell which movies we are all going to!"

Taylor Swift at Empower Field

I saw Taylor Swift when she was in SLC for the 1989 Tour and it was one of the best concerts I've ever seen so, when the Eras Tour was announced, I really wanted to go.  Even though I ended up on the waitlist for the Verified Fan presale, I was still hopeful until the entire Ticketmaster site crashed.  Such was my mania to see this concert that, even though everyone was up in arms over the outrageous prices charged by scalpers (It's me, hi, I'm the problem, it's me), I resorted to StubHub and convinced my sister Marilyn to get a ticket as well.  We both spent the equivalent of the GNP of a small country for these tickets but it was absolutely worth it!  We drove to Denver for the show last night at Empower Field and it was an amazing three hour set celebrating all of Taylor Swift's studio albums, or eras, with pyrotechnics, intricate choreography (I love that she has backup dancers of all ethnicities and body types), multiple wardrobe changes (my favorites were an asymmetrical black catsuit embellished with red snakes for the Reputation era, a sparkly while and gold sequined princess gown for the Speak Now era, and a flowing white gown for the folklore era), a runway that extended across the floor of the stadium with a diamond-shaped stage in the center, and wristbands that lit up in sync with each song.  The Lover era was first and included "Miss Americana and the Heartbreak Prince," "Cruel Summer," "The Man," "You Need to Calm Down," "Lover," and "The Archer."  For the Fearless era she sang "Fearless," "You Belong With Me," and "Love Story."  Next came the evermore era and she performed "'tis the damn season," "willow," "marjorie," "champagne problems," and "tolerate it." The reputation era featured "...Ready for It," "Delicate," "Don't Blame Me," and "Look What You Made Me Do." Marilyn's favorite era is Speak Now and Taylor played her favorite song "Enchanted" and "Long Live" which was recently added to the set.  Next came Red, which is my favorite era, and she sang "22," "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together," "I Knew You Were Trouble," and "All Too Well."  For the folklore era she included "the 1," "betty," "the last great american dynasty," "august," "illicit affairs," "my tears ricochet" (one of my favorite Taylor Swift songs), and "cardigan."  The 1989 is another favorite era of mine and I loved hearing "Style," "Blank Space," "Shake It Off," "Wildest Dreams," and "Bad Blood."  Next came the surprise songs (which are exclusive to each show).  I have been paying attention and, after seeing a lot of my favorites get performed already, I was really eager to see what the Denver songs would be.  On the drive Marilyn and I decided that we wanted to hear "Back to December" and I about lost my mind when she actually played it (she also played "Starlight").  The show concluded with the Midnights era including "Lavender Haze," "Anti-Hero," "Midnight Rain," "Vigilante Shit," "Bejeweled," "Mastermind," and "Karma" (another one of my favorite Taylor Swift songs).  Swift is a consummate performer and every song felt like an elaborate theatrical production (my favorite performances were for "willow" because she and her dancers wore green velvet cloaks and carried orbs of light while cavorting in a circle like druids, for "the 1" because she was lying on the roof of a moss covered cabin while patterns of trees appeared in the crowd from the lights on the wristbands, and for "Vigilante Shit" because she and her dancers executed stylized Fosse-like choreography with chairs).  Marilyn and I both really loved this show (and so did the tens of thousands of appreciative fans all around us).  The tickets were ridiculously expensive and we had to drive eight hours but this experience is one I won't soon forget (and I would do it again in a heartbeat).

Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One

I love the Mission: Impossible franchise (I have very fond memories of watching Ghost Protocol the day it opened with my Dad and I included Fallout in my top ten of 2018) so I was really excited to see Dead Reckoning Part One last night in a packed theater!  I think Fallout is still my favorite but I absolutely loved this!  An experimental AI achieves sentience and infiltrates all major military and intelligence agencies and the only way it can be controlled, or destroyed, is with two parts of a cruciform key.  Every government around the world wants to find the keys for possible world dominion, including the U.S., so CIA director, and former IMF director, Eugene Kittridge (Henry Czerny) sends Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) on a covert mission to acquire one of the keys which leads him to disavowed MI6 agent Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson).  Ethan ultimately decides that this AI, now known as the Entity, is too powerful for one government to possess so he, Ilsa, and his team, Luther Stickell (Ving Rhames) and Benji Dunn (Simon Pegg), go on an unsanctioned mission to acquire the second key in order to destroy it.  Not only must they elude U.S. government agents (Shea Whigham and Greg Tarzan Davis) sent to stop them but they also run afoul of a talented pickpocket with ambiguous loyalties (Hayley Atwell), a ruthless French assassin (Pom Klementieff), and the international arms broker Alanna Mitsopolis (Vanessa Kirby) before Ethan comes face to face with Gabriel (Esai Morales), a nemesis from his past who gives him a devastating choice.  This is a big action blockbuster (it should definitely be seen on the biggest screen possible) with some amazing set pieces, including a thrilling car chase through the streets of Rome, the much-hyped motorcycle jump off a mountain (Tom Cruise is a madman), hand-to-hand combat on top of a moving train, and the epic derailment of the aforementioned train, but the story is also incredibly compelling (and timely) with high stakes for both the world and for Ethan personally.  Cruise is not only brilliant in all of the action sequences but he gives a really affecting performance as a man forced to evaluate all of the choices he has made and all of the collateral damage those choices have caused.  Atwell's performance is also a highlight from a strong ensemble cast.  I had a great time watching this (I was often on the edge of my seat and even laughed out loud a few times at some great one-liners from Benji) and the 163 minute run-time flew by.  I can't wait for the conclusion next summer!

Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella at Murray Park Amphitheater

Last night I had so much fun at another summer outdoor performance.  This time I saw a production of Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella at Murray Amphitheater and it is enchanting!  In this more contemporary version of the classic fairy tale, Cinderella (Kennady Call) is a social reformer who must rescue Prince Topher (Mark Carter Williams) from the evil Lord Protector Sebastian (Alan Lafleur) who is deceiving him about the conditions in his kingdom.  Her stepmother Madame (Wendy Richhart) and stepsister Charlotte (Emma Thomas) treat her badly but her other stepsister Gabrielle (Katie Revels) becomes a sympathetic co-conspirator in pursuit of her own romance with a revolutionary named Jean-Michel (Remick F. Lafleur).  An old beggar woman named Marie (Katie Hill) becomes her Fairy Godmother after Cinderella shows her some kindness and, while she does help her get to the ball, she tells her that she herself has the power to make her dreams come true.  After falling in love with Cinderella at the ball, Topher takes her advice and turns his kingdom into a constitutional monarchy where everyone can live happily ever after.  I really liked the entire cast but Call and Hill are standouts for me because their roles require an impressive vocal range and they definitely deliver in the songs "In My Own Little Corner," "Impossible," "Glass Slipper/ It's Possible," and "There Is Music In You."  Williams also has a lovely voice and he has great chemistry with Call in the songs "Ten Minutes Ago" and "Do I Love You Because You're Beautiful."  Richhart and Thomas steal the show with all of their antics and I especially loved Richhart's evil laugh and Thomas' hilariously awkward rendition of "Stepsister's Lament."  The choreography is really clever, especially when the dancers mimic the hands of a clock in "Ten Minutes Ago."  I also enjoyed the staging of "Me, Who Am I" because Prince Topher rides his horse out into the audience and "The Pursuit" because members of the ensemble look for Cinderella in the audience with lanterns (the children were giving them lots of directions) and the transformation of the Fox, the Raccoon, and the Owl is ingenious (be sure to watch these puppets during the whole show).  Speaking of transformations, Marie's Fairy Godmother dress and Cinderella's sparkling ball gown are beautiful and the rest of the ball gowns are a lot of fun.  Finally, the set is one of the best I've seen at the Murray Park Amphitheater!  There is an elaborate palace with marble columns and a grand staircase leading to a balcony, a forest area, and the exterior of Cinderella's stone cottage.  Various set pieces are also brought in and my favorites were a water fountain used in "The Prince Is Giving a Ball" and Cinderella's golden carriage.  This is a wonderful show for families to enjoy in an outdoor setting and I highly recommend it!  There are performances on July 10, 13, 14, and 15 (go here for tickets).

Bryan Adams at the Maverik Center

I was a huge fan of Bryan Adams (he's Canadian!) back in the day so I pretty much lost my mind when I saw this concert announcement because the last time I saw him was for the Waking Up the World Tour in 1992 at the Delta Center!  That concert was one of my very favorites so I have been counting down the days until I could see him again and he certainly did not disappoint!  He was in town in support of his latest album So Happy It Hurts and he played several songs from it, including the title track, "Kick Ass," and "I've Been Looking For You," but he mostly played his biggest hits for close to two hours and I sang along to every word!  I especially loved "Somebody," "Please Forgive Me," "One Night Love Affair," "Heaven," "(Everything I Do) I Do It For You," "Summer of '69," and "Run to You," which is my favorite Bryan Adams song.  He gave a heartfelt performance of "It's Only Love" and dedicated it to Tina Turner (who recorded the duet with him).  In the middle of the set he said that he liked to take requests from the audience.  I screamed "Cuts Like a Knife" as loud as I could and I don't know if he heard me (everyone in my section turned around to look at me when I did it) but it was one of the songs he sang along with "I'm Ready" and "Kids Wanna Rock."  He ended his main set with a cover of "Can't Take My Eyes Off You" by Frankie Valli and he dedicated it to the crowd in appreciation for supporting him throughout his career.  For the encore he came back to the stage alone and performed acoustic versions of "Straight From the Heart" and "All For Love" which were amazing!  I really love the distinctive rasp in his voice and he sounded great, especially during all of the big power ballads.  He was also really funny in his interactions with the crowd.  He said at the beginning of the show that he would be playing a lot of songs because he has 16 albums but not every one of them because he can't remember half of those albums!  The stage was very stripped down with just a piano, a drum kit, and rows of guitar racks and amplifiers in front of a large screen.  He didn't need any pyrotechnics or other effects because he came to rock!  I have to admit that I was a bit twitterpated seeing him again after all of these years and I had so much fun revisiting my youth at this concert!  Nostalgia seems to be the theme for many of the concerts that I have seen (Shania Twain, Duran Duran, and The Cure) and will be seeing (The Smashing Pumpkins, Foreigner, Sting, and U2) this year and it all started with buying a ticket to this show!

Note:  The opening act was Joan Jett and the Blackhearts and it was a fantastic set!  I especially loved "Cherry Bomb," "I Love Rock 'n' Roll," "I Hate Myself For Loving You," "Crimson and Clover," and "Bad Reputation."

Joy Ride

Last night I went to an advance screening of Joy Ride at the Broadway (there have been a lot of early screenings for this around town but I always like to support the Salt Lake Film Society whenever I can) and I laughed so hard I had tears in my eyes and then I had tears in my eyes for real!  Audrey Sullivan (Ashley Park) was adopted from China as a baby and her Caucasian parents encouraged her to befriend Lolo Chen (Sherry Cola), the only other Chinese-American child in the neighborhood.  She is now a high-powered lawyer in an exclusive firm and, when she is sent to China to close an important deal, she brings the ne'er-do-well Lolo with her to translate and Lolo invites her eccentric cousin Deadeye (Sabrina Wu) along for the ride.  In China they meet up with Audrey's college friend Kat (Stephanie Hsu), who is now a famous actress, and eventually decide to find Audrey's birth mother to impress her prospective client. When they run afoul of a drug smuggler and are removed from a train without their passports, they are forced to take a wild cross-country trip and hi-jinks ensue (my favorite is when they try to board a private jet by impersonating K-pop stars).  This is hilariously outrageous (some might find it too raunchy but I laughed out loud through the whole thing) but it also has a lot of heart with really affecting themes of friendship, empowerment, and identity.  There is an incredibly moving scene near the end about knowing where you come from that took me by surprise because it is so tender.  Each of the four characters (who are very different and defy many Asian stereotypes) have compelling arcs and the actresses playing them are fantastic with great comedic timing and genuine chemistry with each other.  It won't be for everyone (it is definitely a hard-R) but it is a really fun movie to see with a big crowd and I recommend it to fans of these kinds of comedies.

Fourth of July at the Property

I joined my sister Kristine and my brother-in-law Trent at the property for the long Fourth of July weekend and it was an amazing trip!  I love staying at the property and it was so nice to have several days to relax this time!

When we got to the property we drove around to all of our favorite places nearby (my favorite is this formation that looks like the face of a Native American chief).  Then we came back and grilled brats and sat by the fire.

The next morning we took a day trip to Moon Lake on the back end of the Uinta Mountains.  It was a bit overcast but it was beautiful (I made a reservation to stay in one of the cabins in August).

Ebony was living her best life fetching the world's biggest stick from the lake (we brought it with us when we left and she played with it later that night).

On our way to Rock Creek we saw the Upper Stillwater Dam (the water is at historic levels!).

We had a picnic at a site in the Rock Creek campground at it was so beautiful (it started raining as soon as we finished).

When we came back to the property we barbecued burgers and I made a flag cake (I make it every year even when I am camping!).  After dinner we built another epic fire and sat outside until really late.  It was such a perfect evening because it was cool and overcast but only rained for a few minutes after we went to bed!  It was the best trip!  I hope you had a wonderful holiday with family and friends!

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

I am mixed on the franchise (I loved Raiders of the Lost Ark and Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade but I didn't care for Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and I absolutely hated Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull) but I was incredibly excited to see Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny last night.  While it is not quite as good as my favorites, it is loads better than its predecessor and I had a lot of fun watching Harrison Ford don the fedora in his final outing as the iconic character.  At the end of World War II, Indiana Jones (Ford) and fellow archaeologist Basil Shaw (Toby Jones) are attempting to retrieve antiquities stolen by the Nazis.  They eventually claim a part of Archimedes's Dial, which is thought to be able to predict fissures in time, and Indy decides to keep it hidden.  In 1969, Shaw's daughter Helena (Phoebe Waller-Bridge) locates Indy, who has become a grouchy old man being forced into retirement from his position at Hunter College, and contrives to steal the Dial from him.  He follows her to Morocco where she tries to sell the Dial on the black market but it is stolen by Jurgen Voller (Mads Mikkelsen), a former Nazi who wants to use it to go back in time to win the war for Germany.  Indy, Helena, and her sidekick Teddy Kumar (Ethann Isidore) decide that the only way to stop Voller is to find the other half of the Dial before he does and an adventure around the world ensues.  I really liked the story, particularly Indy's relationship with time and his preference for history as the world changes around him.  The action sequences are exhilarating, including a thrilling fight on a moving train, a chase on horseback during a ticker-tape parade in honor of the Apollo 11 moon landing, another chase through the streets of Tangier in a motorized rickshaw, and an epic aerial battle for the ages, but I found some of the visuals to be a bit dark and murky at times.  All of the callbacks to the previous movies are a lot of fun (the crowd cheered out loud the first time we heard Indy's iconic theme and again the first time a map showing Indy's route appeared on the screen) and I found the reconciliation between Indy and someone from his past to be very affecting.  Ford at 80 years old is still every bit the action star and delivers a great performance but Waller-Bridge steals the show and her morally ambiguous character is a great foil to Indy.  This is not the best in the franchise but it is certainly not the worst and I recommend it as a fitting farewell to the character.

Note:  Harrison Ford has now reprised the roles of Han Solo, Rick Deckard, and Indiana Jones.  Who should be next?  I'm thinking Jack Ryan...

No Hard Feelings

I'm not usually a big fan of raunchy comedies but the trailer for No Hard Feelings made me laugh and I like Jennifer Lawrence so I decided to give it a go last night.  It is a definitely R-rated but it is not as crude as I was expecting and I really enjoyed it.  Maddie Barker (Lawrence) is a bartender in Montauk, New York who supplements her income by working as an Uber driver.  After her car is repossessed she fears that she will lose her childhood home without that extra money.  When she searches on Craigslist for a cheap used car she finds an intriguing proposition.  Helicopter parents Laird and Alison Becker (Matthew Broderick and Laura Benanti) want someone to "date" their awkward and introverted son Percy (Andrew Barth Feldman) to bring him out of his shell before he leaves for Princeton in the fall and they are providing a car as payment.  She takes them up on their offer but her attempts to seduce Percy go hilariously awry so she resorts to spending time with him to form a connection.  Complications ensue!  This is quite funny with lots of laugh out loud moments but I especially liked the heartfelt interactions between the two characters.  Maddie helps Percy become more social but he also helps her realize that she is just as stunted as he is and that she needs to break free from her dead-end jobs and relationships.  Lawrence has fantastic comedic timing and she really commits to all of the outrageous physical comedy.  She has great chemistry with Feldman and he is sweetly adorable (I loved his "Maneater" scene).  This was a fun time at the movies and I think that studios should make more of these mid-budget comedies (audiences agree with me because the theater was absolutely packed on a Wednesday night during the second week of the run).  Give this one a chance!