arts&life
Monday April 11, 2011
thelantern www.thelantern.com upcoming MONDAY Ticket Release: Auto-tune the News with the Gregory Brothers 5 p.m. @ Ohio Union A Comedy Night with Iliza Shlesinger 8 p.m. @ Ohio Union - US Bank Conference Theatre The Mountain Goats with Megafaun 9 p.m. @ Wexner Center - Performance Space
TUESDAY “Persona” 7 p.m. @ Wexner Center Film/Video Theater
‘Seinfeld’ star’s stand-up routine pleases crowds Erin Myers Lantern reporter myers.1207@osu.edu Jerry Seinfeld made a stop in Columbus Friday night at the Ohio Theatre to perform in front of two sold-out audiences. Based on popular demand, Seinfeld added a second show to his highly-anticipated tour, which immediately followed the first. Special guest Mark Schiff, a regular on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” and “Late Night with David Letterman,” warmed up the stage for a crowd eager to see the main act. Seinfeld was full of energy as he took the stage, jogging out to greet an admiring audience dressed in his signature black suit and tie. At 56 years old, Seinfeld turned to jokes about settling down in marriage, life as a father of three and the struggle with constantly
changing technology. In reference to Twitter, Seinfeld remarked, “Why say a lot of things to a few people when I can say virtually nothing to everyone?” A comedian with focus on stating the obvious, Seinfeld even took a jab at his sold-out show as “a bogus, hyped-up special event that you go to to convince yourself that your life doesn’t suck.” The audience was a diverse crowd of men and women of a wide variety of ages. Seinfeld’s ability to find the humor in the usual events of everyday life captured people of all ages and backgrounds, and crowds laughed for seemingly all of the show. The show ended abruptly just short of an hour. Despite the anticlimactic ending and the $64.50 fans spent per ticket (adding up to more than $1 per minute), Seinfeld was well-received by the audience with an opening and closing standing ovation. Seinfeld’s tour will continue through the summer as he travels across the country with a final stop in August in Atlantic City, N.J.
Photo courtesy of Teri LaPlante
Jerry Seinfeld performs a stand-up routine. Seinfeld performed twice at the Ohio Theatre Friday.
Ezra Furman and the Harpoons 7 p.m. @ The Club at Stage AE Neil Hamburger and Todd Barry with Brendon Walsh 8 p.m. @ Outland Live
WEDNESDAY OUAB Flicks for Free featuring: “127 Hours” 6 p.m. @ Ohio Union - US Bank Conference Theatre “No Woman, No Cry” 7 p.m. @ Mershon Auditorium Open Mic Night 9 p.m. @ Woody’s Tavern
THURSDAY Multicultural Comics: A Panel Discussion 4:30 p.m. @ Wexner Center Film/Video Theater Paging Columbus! : A Poetry Reading 6 p.m. @ OSU Urban Arts Space MFA Dance Concert: Naccarato & ReMalia 8 p.m. @ Sullivant Theatre
online
Drummer for Mountain Goats doing signing today
JOE PODELCO / Photo editor
Clark Manson performs at the 13th annual Battle of the Bands presented by Romophos at the Newport Music Hall on Friday.
Bands do ‘Battle’ at Newport Aleesia Forni Lantern reporter forni.4@osu.edu The Clark Manson Band consisted of a diversely dressed group of people. One wore a black shirt with a skinny red tie, another held a guitar in a plaid button-down and tight jeans and a girl stood by the keyboard in leopard-print leggings. But the moment lead singer Clark Manson opened his mouth, revealing his southern-rock twang to the expectant audience at Newport Music Hall, he was met with their roar of approval. The band had only been together for a month prior to competing in the
13th annual Romophos Battle of the Bands on Friday. “Clark has always been geared toward being a modern country vocalist,” said Nick Christian, guitarist for The Clark Manson Band. “He wanted me to pull together a band to diversify that sound and make it … an edgier approach to modern country music.” The band was chosen by a panel of judges to receive 12 free hours of studio recording time and a promotional press package as the winner of the Battle of the Bands. “Being that we’re a brand new band, it’s a great jump start to getting new gigs,” Christian said. “Our goal is to find a local bar that will allow us to perform once a week or once every two weeks and have a country night
featuring The Clark Manson Band, so this will really help us to push toward that goal.” Although the judges named The Clark Mason Band their winner, the audience had a different band in mind. By sound of applause, they chose the folk rock band, Deadwood Floats, as their victor. “We just couldn’t believe the sound from the audience when they asked them to cheer for us,” said Adam Schutz, guitarist and vocalist of Deadwood Floats. “We all kind of agreed that was way cooler to us than winning the judges’ award.” Drew Williams, vocalist and instrumentalist for Deadwood Floats, agreed that winning over the audience was “the most humbling outcome.”
“(Band mate) Katie (Kramer) and I looked at each other with just sheer disbelief,” Williams said. “We’d really made some kind of really special impact. (It was) pretty unreal.” The Battle also showcased some of OSU’s performing arts talents, from the all-men’s singing group, Buck That!, to the 3D Urban Dance team. The event was a fundraiser for the United Way of Central Ohio, ultimately hosting more than 400 people and raising $4,048. “It was unbelievably awesome. It went better than I expected it to or anybody expected it to,” said Cara Nadler, a second-year in English and earth science and Battle of the Bands chairwoman. “Enough people came out to surpass our high hopes.”
Sold-out Mountain Goats show set to rock at Wexner Center Aleesia Forni Lantern reporter forni.4@osu.edu
Photo courtesy of Shore Fire Media
The Mountain Goats, a California-based indie rock group, will be performing tonight at 9 p.m. at the Wexner Center for the Arts Performance Space.
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It’s been nearly two decades, a slew of band mates and more than a dozen albums. The climb for the indie rock band, The Mountain Goats, has been long and rocky at times. Yet it seems the band and its only constant member John Darnielle have truly found their footing with their new album, “All Eternals Deck.” The Mountain Goats will perform at 9 p.m. tonight for a sold-out crowd at the Wexner Center for the Arts Performance Space. The band will take the stage as part of the Wexner Center’s Next @ Wex series, which showcases independent musicians from around the country.
“These indie bands are doing incredibly creative work as young artists,” said Chuck Helm, director of performing arts for the Wexner Center. “I feel (they are) vital to showcase.” Darnielle first started The Mountain Goats from his studio apartment, recording his tracks on a dual-cassette player, according to the band’s website. The Mountain Goats gained notoriety for their unpolished sound and powerful story-telling lyrics. “Their literate approach to crafting lyrics and adventurousness as players trying new approaches makes them appealing artists for us to present,” Helm said. Max Griswold, a second-year in English and philosophy, said the band’s latest installment had a new sound, but “holds just as much merit” as previous albums. “I wouldn’t compare it to their
older stuff, though,” Griswold said. “The band has evolved considerably from Darnielle’s personal, lo-fi folk act to becoming a legitimate three-piece band.” Not all students are as taken with The Mountain Goats as Griswold. “The lead singer has kind of a nasally voice, and I usually don’t mind that, but this one got on my nerves,” said Kelly Lewis, a second-year in crop science. Helm said extra tickets are sometimes made available on the day of the concerts. “We will push out (the) message if we release a few more tickets,” Helm said. “The best thing to do is… sign up for our Twitter alerts.” Attempts to reach The Mountain Goats were unsuccessful. For more information on ticket availability, visit www.wexarts.org.