Suzanne Vega: Artist-Citizen

Suzanne Vega is an enigma. I've known her name and song "Tom's Diner" for a long time...yet until recently I didn't have a clear picture of her place in music and culture. With her engagements in Madison coming up I figured it would be good to dig a bit deeper.

While Vega is, of course, an important figure as a folk-pop singer-songwriter of the 80's and 90's, looking at her career more closely reveals a much larger cultural relevance. Indeed she's a powerful musical figure (and voice), who has elevated the place of female songwriters by addressing issues - such as including childhood abuse ("Luka"), personal loss, and reflections on urban place and identity (Beauty & Crime) - that challenge us listeners to take a renewed look at our role in the world around us. And she's done so within a sophisticated sonic realm most in the pop world wouldn't dare attempt.

At the same time she's been on the cutting edge of tech advancements for more than a decade, including being one of the first stars to embrace MP3s (remember when those were new?), and Second Life (the first artist to perform digitally as an avatar). Vega's sense of artist-citizenship goes further than her art-making; for years, she's been dedicated to (quietly) helping raise awareness for charitable causes like Amnesty International, Casa Alianza, and the Save Darfur Coalition.

Most impressively, though, she fought against the "machine" to preserve her artistic voice, and has managed to collaborate with some of the biggest names in pop music, finding a place in that echelon, without abandoning her roots. And now she's giving back to the next generation of artists, through professional workshops that promise to offer an exciting and fruitful dialogue!

Here's a taste, a recent clip of her performance on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon:


Hope to see you at Overture tomorrow, and please post your feedback....

April Arts Roundup: Wisconsin Film Festival Edition

So I know I've gone off on a tangent in my recent posts, straying far from my original intention to form a dialogue on the current state of professional artistry and entrepreneurship in the arts. But I've been thinking lately about the importance of not only embracing a holistic palette of arts interests, but also of incorporating such a scope into the more specific discussion of how one becomes a fully-formed and independent artist in today's world.

This stems from two of my earliest memories which are coupled within the framework of artistic expression. I vividly remember seeing movies on VHS from the time I was a toddler (classic 80's fare like Indiana Jones, Ghostbusters, Back to the Future, and all those Disney classics) that changed the way I viewed storytelling and led me to pursue early visual arts training (in drawing, sketching, painting, and even writing a few hack-comic books). During the same time, my exposure to music with my parents, Aunt, and Grandmother in our Toronto apartments (everything from Vivaldi and Dvorak to Creedence Clearwater Revival and the Beatles) obviously hit a chord (oops, sorry about that), igniting a passion for musicmaking. The first experience led to lifelong penchant for watching new (and often fringe) films, while the other has led me to a career! My tastes have changed, but it's hard to say omitting the one hobby in favor of the other profession could have been productive in the path my artistic pursuits have taken.

With that in mind, I'm excited to frame this Arts Roundup post around the Wisconsin Film Festival, one event that I look forward to year after year. (Note: please comment and add other non-film festival arts events that are coming up in April!) I finally have the time to see more than a couple of films, and I spent much of my time in the airport two weeks ago mulling over my options in the WI Film Fest edition of the Isthmus. Here are my six picks, although there are about 200 more that should fit anyone's fancy!

Father and Guns: 04/14 - 7:30pm @ Orpheum Main

One of the French Candian movies at this year's festival. I missed 2008's Bon Cop, Bad Cop but this comedy looks like it will provide an opportunity to redeem myself. This is not only one of the opening movies of WFF10, but also will be a Wisconsin premiere! C'est bon!

The Topp Twins: Untouchable Girls: 04/15 - 6:00pm @ Orpheum Main

Much has already been written about this movie (Audience Award winner, 2009 Toronto Film Festival), and as a fan of documentaries this was a no-brainer. But I have another reason to see this film: during my time in New Zealand back in 2005 I read about the Topp Twins but never saw them in person. Can't wait to catch a glimpse of these enigmatic Kiwi legends, and to see more of Christchurch and Wellington.

The Host: 04/15 - 10:00pm @ Orpheum Main

When I saw Memories of Murder about two years ago, I knew I had stumbled upon another great South Korean director. Each of the installments of the four-film retrospective on Bong Joon-Ho at WFF10 are worth checking out, but this is a great entry to begin with (especially if you want to sample his work before committing to six additional hours of Joon-Ho's work). Also, I used to own about a dozen old Godzilla movies, and I'm not ashamed to say it.

Harmony and Me: 04/16 - 7:45pm @ Wisconsin Union Theater

Will this be the 500 Days of Summer of 2010? I don't know, but this looks like an entertaining and different take on the classic 80's love story. The filmmakers should be present, so get ready for a post-film Q&A.

Sat. Afternoon Shorts: 04/17 - 3:00pm @ Play Circle

I love short films. Short stories too, but especially short films. These are always a highlight of the WFF, so, naturally, I had to include at least one set. While Monona Terrace is my favorite venue for shorts, I highly recommend going to the Play Circle to experience it's intimate setting for (at minimun) one film. Saturday afternoon includes everything from an essay on condiments, to the life of a fowl actor, to some excerpts of the Wisconsin's Own series.

The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo: 04/17 - 7:30pm @ Orpheum Main

This is the main event (or one of them). I've been reading about this movie for over a year, and it's finally in Madison! This Swedish thriller, based on the book by Stieg Larsson, is a good bet for "breakout" international film of 2010. It's being reviewed (mostly positively) across the U.S., and is being hailed for it's depth, style, and taut narrative. OK, so you don't HAVE to go to WFF to see it, as it may hit theaters later...but then it's an amazing experience to see a movie at the Orpheum Main Stage when it's packed to the walls (that means about 1,600 people)! Don't miss it!

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To see all the films playing at this year's Wisconsin Film Festival, find showtimes, or order tickets, click here or on the logo at the top of this post.

Happy Easter + Viva Santa Fe!

I'm finally back from the New Mexico-Texas excursion, which was laced with traveling drama, a national conference of unexpectedly rich research, and some cultural sight-seeing.

Taking a day to recover from the hectic MTNA schedule, we took advantage of our proximity to the famous Turquoise Trail and spent an afternoon cruising some of the most dramatic and beautiful scenery in North America. Whether you're an outdoors enthusiast, Wild West buff, or just plain curious, the 60 mile highway that traverses the western plains from northern Albuquerque to Santa Fe is well worth your time.

And the destination makes this fun day even more satisfying. Santa Fe has been embedded in my mind ever since I first saw it 7 years ago, seeing it again was a real treat. With a quaint historic center made up of winding pedestrian streets, this classic Western town boasts excellent weather, plenty of museums, fantasic cuisine, and, of course some of the best artwork in the U.S.

This equation amounts to probably one of the best 12-hour mini-vacations around. Three of our highlights:

Madrid, NM: This ghosty town has charm and quirkyness to spare. Double the fun if you make this stop on a motorcyle.
The Shed: Quintessential New Mex cuisine, and the best margheritas around (literally, there was nothing even close in Albuquerque). The blue corn quesadillas are a delight, and makes sure you try both the red and green chilis...a Shed specialty!
Marble Brewery: Actually founded on Marble Street in Albuqeurque, this Santa Fe location boasts 10 beers on tap (in rotation, but I recommend the Marble Red and Brown Ale) for those of age, a rooftop patio (with historic city center views), and made-to-order wood-fired flat-bread pizzas made with local ingredients. Viva Santa Fe!

Now on to Texas! It was great to have another week to hang out with Chris, and to see Denton after all these years. My foray in Tex-Mex cuisine continued, but I must say that each and every beer fanatic must visit a Flying Saucer (I think there are three in the Dallas-Fort Worth area). With an impressive list from around the world, and many local micros as well, this is THE place to hang and enjoy a night out with friends.

Oh, and the recital was a success...although recording mishaps plagued us again, but I'll try to salvage some data to post soon. Now I'm in Madison, enjoying the turning to Spring...and all the pleasures this great town has to offer!

Speaking of which, coming up next will be a special post devoted to the Wisconsin Film Festival, surely one of Madison's best annual events! Til then, Happy Easter to all!