Elvis Schoenberg at the Ford Amphitheatre - Los Angeles - 9-19-2003
Sep 23 '03
The Bottom Line This was easily the best concert of the season. The music of The Schoenberg Orchestre is accessible and stimulating to anyone who enjoys a panoply of quality musical tastes.
A Review by BlackEye
Elvis Schoenberg’s Orchestre Surreal
Live at the Ford Amphitheatre
Los Angeles California
September 19, 2003
How do you describe an event that was promoted and categorized as merely a concert under the stars when you’ve been infected with gamma rays and been transported across an unfamiliar universe? Was it a grand concert of fabulous music? Most definitely. But it was so much more. The experience could be described as live theatre with a backup orchestra. It was a musical. It was an opera of the absurd and a vibrant rock opera simultaneously. Artfully exhibited without pretension, exceeding the dynamic range of such productions as Alice Cooper, Kiss, and the Tubes. It was a dance recital. At times, more acrobatic than the Cirque du Soleil. It was international in musical styles and languages. It was intergalactic. It was amazing. This reviewer thought he’d seen it all. Maybe now. After witnessing this trip of the lights fantastic. Wow!
This was more than one step beyond the wonderful but sometimes stuffy LA Philharmonic, European Tenors, “Hair”, and a season of Richard Greenberg world premiers at the South Coast Repertory Theatre. This group rocked harder than most bands touring the local venues this summer and zapped Frank in his prime, no small compliment. The complex interludes, arrangements and segues were far more accessible than Arnold Schoenberg’s Moses and Aaron and just as foot movin’ as the King himself. The choreography (by Karen Russell Budge) and dancers were as good as any rendition of “Westside Story”. Ok, the San Francisco Ballet Company has a slight edge, but the brief swan moment in this production was fab just the same. What do you expect from an underpaid troupe with a couple of rehearsals?
Mr. Wright, a.k.a. Elvis Schoenberg, is a most multi-faceted maestro. Penning original songs like ”Fossil Fuel” (highly relevant considering the current Administration – by the way, what is so funny about peace, love and understanding anyway?), creating intriguing interludes, writing biting satire, singing, and waving a mean baton, this man is a true revelation and virtuoso. A renaissance man through and through. It’s as if he actually has antenna, recording all the sounds ever released into the vast array of radio frequencies in his mind, then makes a magical, melodious mélange of music that stays with the listener in a most engaging way. His interpretations of pop songs were so much fun that the audience couldn’t stop smiling. Combining them with recognizable strains of the classics (works by Carl Orff, Mussorgski, Puccini, Bizet, and other greats), atonal interludes and commentary that resurrect Rod Serling, is pure genius. He makes the innovative Radiohead sound like a Clear Channel play list regular. While not born in California, he grew up as a Lagunatic and maintains the implied sensibilities. And don’t let the stage name fool you. This is no cheap, avant-garde, Teutonic Elvis impersonator. This is the real deal with musical talent in spades. Beyond Berkeley and more jumpin’ than Julliard. If that weren’t enough, he’s a tall, lithe hunk with chiseled features and his hair is perfect. Yahoo, Werewolves of London. Down girls, down. But enough about him!
His accomplices in this dance of the macabre are the highly talented and versatile diva, The Fabulous Miss Thing (picture the smokiness of Diane Krall, the superciliousness of Nancy Sinatra, the rap of Bow Wow, and the sass of Eartha Kitt all in one voluptuous body), and Dangerous Dan O’Callaghan (all three tenors in one powerful package). Not only did these two deliver the goods vocally, alternating songs, they added hilarious theatrics throughout the performance AND intermission. It’s not everyday you have a diva and a tenor in the same troupe (ego clashes) much less ones that can act, dance, and entertain besides. Did I mention this extravaganza had its racy scenes as well? Oh yes. There was enough impressive T & A to hold the attention span of a dormitory full of adolescents with ADD. And that was just Dangerous Dan! Miss Thing holds her own (literally and figuratively) quite well in that department, thank you very much, as well as many of the dancers befitting the figures of Greek gods. Ooh La La!
The band/orchestre is excellent. It contains over 20 players, never missing a note or a beat, wearing galactically correct headwear, and even providing some of the contagious dancing. You get the feeling they could play any form of music and make it look effortless. Tight, crisp, and inventive, they seemed to have a great time on stage. You could just sense that all the boring hours they spent in band class in high school had paid off. Each had a solo under the spotlight (excellent lighting throughout) and each performed flawlessly. In a just world, there would be enough space to mention each by name and instrument. But they know who they are. Well, most of them do…
All instruments were covered with the exception of a banjo, harmonica, and harp. However, Miss Thing played the Theremin, which I haven’t seen since the 1970 Beach Boys tour. Ironically, surf music was about the only conspicuous type of music missing. I picture a little “Third Stone from the Sun” injected in the middle of “Purple Haze” with support vocals singing “Good Good Good Good Vibrations” softly in the background while the alien states that he “never wants to hear surf music again” in his own inimitable style. Maybe next time…
So, what do you do with all of the talent bursting with creativity when you get them on one stage? You write a 㣖’s B-movie script for a space opera and give it an Esquivelian bachelor pad theme, stir in modern political commentary, and an interracial, intergalactic wedding, making the subject of gay marriages pale by comparison. You hire a director (Allen Walls), and smuggle a creature from another galaxy past Ashcroft’s storm troopers. You thoughtfully arrange and intertwine the music, dance, monologues, actors, and special effects to tell the story, and the result is an exquisitely entertaining evening par excellence. When you put this LA based conglomeration of styles in the pristine beauty of a venue reminiscent of the city in it’s architectural prime, with fine natural acoustics within a bucolic canyon under a warm night sky, and add a balanced sound system (with excellent sound engineers), you have the makings of a memorable night.
This was most definitely a memorable night. This group of artists delivered on all levels and engaged all senses. From the opening screech of an introduction, to the Klezmer sounding Polka, to the ape/bone rendition of Nietzsche spraching Zarathustra to the music of Strauss, Schoenberg style, there was no doubt you were entering the twilight zone. Ensuing standouts included Santana’s “Evil Ways” with amusing commentary, a haunting, longing version of “Bad Moon Rising” that would have John Fogarty shaking his head in awe and amazement and lusting after Miss Thing, a lively version of “Dog Eat Dog” that may even change the Nuge’s political views, and “These Boots are Made for Walking” with the apropos foot fetish dialogue in German, natch. Who could forget Miss Thing, in chanteuse mode, singing Hendrix’s “Purple Haze?” “Born to be Wild” indeed! Or Dan Dangerous belting out Queen’s “We are the Champions?” You get the picture. It would be almost easier to mention what was left out than what was included.
And although the arrangements were on the edge of parody and brought smiles to everyone’s faces, they never crossed the line into mockery. Any comparisons to Weird Al are erroneous. The renditions also go beyond the rock/classical pop genre fashioned by ELO and ELP and are far more complex than the “add a Philharmonic to our live shows” formula adopted by the Beatles, Moody Blues, and Pink Floyd, etc. Though most of the songs are written by others, the treatment of this music is highly creative and the presentation is original in its own (W)right. The songs are a tribute to diversity and convey a complimentary cosmic celebration.
The show was about two hours, one on each side of an intermission. It wasn’t long enough. The crowd, about half the house, was disappointingly small considering the pool of eclectic hipsters in the 13 million-person radius, an accessible venue, a perfect night, and such a low price ($22.00). If there is a better entertainment value, I have no knowledge of it. What the audience lacked in numbers however, it made up in enthusiasm. Loud applause at the few opportunities when nothing was happening was the order of the day and the standing ovation at the conclusion was heartfelt and well earned. We were rewarded with a fine version of Ludwig Van’s Fifth. Bravo!!!
It was impossible to exit without a giddy feeling of complete intoxication and the knowledge that you were bequeathed a new ability to hear popular songs in a hundred different ways, especially the Wright way. You were aware that you hadn’t been to Kansas, but you knew that there are at least a few thousand people in Kansas (and everywhere) that deserve and NEED to experience this fabulous show in the flesh. If you ever get the opportunity to live this out-of body experience, do not deny yourself. Life is way too short. And besides, if you don’t indulge yourself, Dangerous Dan might drag you off to the Octagon of Death!
As a matter of fact, Elvis and his entire exceptional entourage evoke such esoteric, ecstatic emotions that they deserve a world tour. They could be especially huge in Japan. Of course Danny Boy would have to modify his moniker to that of “Sumo Dan” and exhibit a little more butt while doing his athletic, Belushi-esque cartwheels across the stage. Here’s to Elvis-San’s meteoric rise to the fame and fortune he deserves. It would be another tear in the ozone to allow this wonderful enterprise to fade into ephemeral extinction.
Copyright 2003 by T R Black
trblack@earthlink.net
p.s. The new CD, “It’s Alive” by the Orchestre Surreal is exquisite, standing on it’s own as musical experience. It contains many of the songs, interludes and repartee of the live show. Having seen the stage presentation does add to the dimensionality by bringing back arresting visuals for those who saw the stage show at the Ford Auditorium. As the concert was held in the heart of Hollywood, crack cinematographers were on hand to record the event, and maybe those of you who missed this special night in person, can share some of the enjoyment via an upcoming DVD. One can only hope the gamma rays didn’t destroy the digital data…
pps. The band played in Elvis’ hometown of Laguna Beach on Sunday, September 21, sans the bright lights, dancers and special effects. While the show holds up and entertains enjoyably, it didn’t produce the same fabulous feeling as it did Friday with the whole enchilada. This crowd didn’t know any better and loved every minute as well they should. All ages were having a wonderful time from beginning to end, and all left with an enriched musical state of mind.
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Epinions.com ID:
blackeye
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Location: So Cal
Reviews written: 24
Trusted by: 6 members
About Me:
Current Member of: Motion Picture Sound Editors; Review for: NOHO>LA, paper, Z Review, online
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