Xoonco

Archive for the ‘Music’ Category

• Dog Company in Dallas

  Wednesday, February 24th, 2010

  The golden age of punk rock was never so golden anyway, and whatever people might be complaining about today, history is already revealing that we don’t know much.  Even when it comes to our own tastes.  It seems like the groups that are remembered with the most enthusiasm now weren’t all that well-liked when they were around.  It might be one of the big occupational hazards of that particular school of music, where there is always a bit of a threat of violence even when the fans really love you.  It’s also true that they won’t realize they love you until after it’s all over.  But while the going is still good, it wouldn’t hurt to head out to Dallas and stay here, and have a listen.

  Try to not hate Dog Company, because this is one of the groups that the fans will likely remember loving.  We won’t notice that it’s been love, however, until we’re in our thirties, talking about the scene here with old friends after our 12-step meetings, but perhaps that’s the way it’s supposed to go.  If it was good enough for the last generation, then it can happen to us, too, and maybe there’s a little more sense each time the wheel spins.  We also have a chance to help our idols not take their roles seriously enough to let it destroy them, and maybe having idols is not going to help us anyway.

  That’s one of the basic tenets of punk rock in all the waves, and it’s something that Dog Company has down solid.  They started in 2004, so they are definitely riding the recent wave of this art form.  The rhetoric is solid, with a political idealism that has no room for negotiation, and is almost utterly realist in its core.  The first wave happened too fast for us to realize what we were doing, and the second one brought along some sudden philosophers that had to make it up as they went, trying to narrate what the first wave was doing.  By this, the third or possibly fifth, the philosophy has died down or at least been overwatered, until now, and suddenly there is a great hope in the midst of the despair.

• Singapore Cantonese Opera Meets Expectations

  Wednesday, October 14th, 2009

  One of the most incredible performances I’ve ever seen took place at an international theatre festival in Edinburgh, Scotland. The performance was of a Cantonese Opera by a company from Singapore. This was about twelve years ago and I had never seen anything that came close to it since. Meanwhile, I’ve seen a lot of great Western theatre and I have a great deal of respect for performers, directors and playwrights, well everyone involved in the production. And perhaps it’s not fair to compare what I see in the United States to the Singapore company. I don’t mean to imply an inherent superiority, which I do not believe exits, I mean that at the basic level they are completely different genres, and perhaps I just prefer the other. Or, never having seen a production of Cantonese Opera by a traditional company before, I may have just been amazed by due to its newness to me.

  So, three months ago, when I had the opportunity to go to Singapore on a business trip, I absolutely jumped at the possibility, because it meant that I would be able to see a production right there and in their own theatre. And that’s exactly what I did. The first night there we had something of a company dinner at one of the best Singapore hotels that lasted well into the evening hours. It wasn’t until the second night that I actually got a seat in a theatre. And it was just as I expected, absolutely amazing. The performers were incredible, and many of them study for years to be able to make the intricate and symbolic movements. It is extremely subtle yet also seems to be direct sometimes. There is an incredible harmony between movement, expression and music that completely touches me. And there is a ritualized attention to detail in all areas of the performance, from the costumes to the make up and also the set pieces. I wondered what it would be like to grow up with this art being part of my heritage and tradition for me. And while I have a tremendous amount of respect for the opera and the performers, I also realize that I have an equal amount of respect for other forms of performance and theatre. Cantonese Opera has a strong inspirational effect on me though.

• The Balearic Beat

  Thursday, September 24th, 2009

  Having a reservation for a hotel in the Balearic islands, off the coast of Spain, might be one of the best feelings in the world. It’s got all sorts of associations, and none of them bad. Considering the time away, and the possibility that time itself might cease to matter when the beaches begin to make perfect sense, is exquisite. But still, the daydreaming is nothing compared to being here. The Balearics have so much to offer, and can make any traveler feel as though they’ve finally come home for the first time again. When it comes to 5-star hotels, Balearics are even more gracious. We’ve selected some of the finest choices on the islands, to offer you a sumptuous combination of hospitality and style, to put you where you want to be.

  The Balearic islands are a treat for travelers of all ages. The sea is a source of pleasure and fascination for everyone, and it’s possible to while away the days gazing at the sky, or gazing into the waves, and forget to even set your feet in the water. But the beach culture here can be pretty animated, so if you’re looking for fun and water, then you’re in the right place. The food around here is as exquisite as one might imagine, being in the heart of the Spanish Mediterranean. There are culinary traditions here that go back for many generations, informing the contemporary chef on how to prepare fresh seafood for a discriminating clientele. It doesn’t get better. The nightlife, of course, is superb, in a place that gave birth to the Balearic
  beat.

  This, of course, refers to the electronic dance music that made Ibiza what it is today. It’s a relatively slower version of some of the more aggressive types of electronic music being played on the islands, and seems to sync up with the tastes of the tourist public here. In Balearic beat, the djs are given more free reign in terms of crossing genres and lines than in other types of music, and one of its characteristics is an openness to form. It is, like the place itself, the warm and friendly musical genre that’s keeping the kids up well past midnight.