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Entries in The Carolina Theatre (14)

Wednesday
Aug182010

The Weekend's Top Five

Check out this weekend's top five events!

1. Pub Iron Chef Competition — Think you have cooking skills? Show your stuff Sunday at the West 94th St. Pub at 4pm. Submit dishes in one of three categories: meat (flank steak), vegetable (squash) or seafood (shrimp). The dish must contain 16 ingredients, serve at least six people and be prepared at home. For additional questions call 403-0025. 4711 Hope Valley Rd.

2. Winter Time Fun — Come out to Durham Central Park Friday at 8:30pm for a "mischievous program of music and cinematic whatnots". This week's topic is Winter Time Fun and Safety. Don't forget to bring a lounge chair or blanket. Admission is free. For more information call 794-8194. 534 Foster St.

3. Rising Stars Benefit — Don't miss some jazz, R&B and neo-soul by Kevin Jones and the Kevin Jones Experience, Tanya Ross and the Tanya Ross Project and Pete's Kids Saturday at 7:30pm at the Hayti Heritage Center. Help raise money for aspiring law students. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door. For more information call 683-1709. 804 Old Fayetteville St.

4. Kim Waters and Maysa — Jazz saxman Kim Waters and soul vocalist Maysa will hit the stage at The Carolina Theatre Sunday at 8pm. Tickets are $45-$52. For more information call 560-3030. 309 W. Morgan St.

5. Look Away Dixie Land — Artists McArthur Freeman, Titus Brooks Heagins and Dave Alsobrooks explore Southern racism through paintings, photography and mix-media at the LabourLove Gallery at Golden Belt. The opening reception is Friday from 6-9pm. For more information call 373-4451. 807 E. Main St., Ste. 2-130

Thursday
Aug122010

The Weekend Best Bets

Be sure to attend one or more of these cool events this weekend! 

Comedian Bruce Vilanch1. N.C. Gay and Lesbian Film Festival — In its 15th year the festival continues to share and celebrate the gay and lesbian culture. The festival starts today and runs through Sunday at The Carolina Theatre. Individual tickets are $9. There will be a performance by comedian, actor and Emmy-winner Bruce Vilanch Friday at 9:30pm at the theatre. Tickets are $15-$37. For show times click here or call 530-6060. 309 W. Morgan St. 

2. Risse Band — The six member R&B and soul band has wowed audiences for almost three decades. Now, it's going to wow audiences at Brightleaf Square Friday from 7-9pm. Expect to hear great instrumentation and great vocals. For more formation click here or call 682-9229. Gregson and Main Streets

3. Authors of North Carolina — Authors from across the state will share their books about the history and culture of North Carolina Saturday at Bennett Place State Historic Site. From 10am-4pm enjoy hearing their stories and witness living history programs. Admission is free, but donations are appreciated. For more information click here or call 383-4345. 4409 Bennett Memorial Rd. 

4. Shop 'Til You Rock — Parents bring your teenagers to The Streets at Southpoint at Main Street this Saturday and let them experience life as a rock star. There will be a live concert, a mall tour, games and a chance for them to rock the runway with Fusion Model Management. The party is from 10am-3pm. For more information click here or call 572-8800. 6910 Fayetteville Rd. 

5. Summer Children's Festival — The festival, Saturday from 10-4pm, showcases art and crafts by people under the age of 21 and vendors who create and sell items for children. There will be music, dance, storytelling, games and more at the Duke Homestead State Historic Site and Tobacco Museum. Admission is free, but donations are accepted. For more click here or call 477-2254. 2828 Duke Homestead Rd. 

 

Thursday
Jul082010

Weekend Best Bets:Birthday Bash, Fiery Explosions and A Bike Ride

Check out this weekend's best bets. If you attend one or more of these cool happenings, drop us a line. We'd love to hear from you.

1. N.C. Central University 100th Birthday Bash — Celebrate the 100th birthday of the first state-supported liberal arts college for African American students today from 3-6pm. The celebration includes dedications of the newly installed Centennial Garden and the Centennial Chapel (the relocated Holy Cross Church), music, and, of course, birthday cake. The birthday bash will take place at the NCCU Brant Street Plaza. Parking is available on Nelson and Lawson streets. For more information call 530-6295 or click here

2. Chemistry of Combustion — Watch the night sky light up with luminescent chemicals and fiery explosions at the Museum of Life and Science tonight at 6:30 and 7:45pm. Watch Dr. Ken Lyle, Duke University chemistry students and museum staff in amazement. Tickets are $8. For more information call 220-5429 or click here. 433 W. Murray Ave.

3. Bull Moon Ride — Join Wool E. Bull and Habitat for Humanity of Durham for a 17-mile bike ride through downtown Saturday at the Durham Bulls Athletic Park. Registration starts at 7:30pm and the ride at 8:30pm. Children must be 10 years old and accompanied by an adult. Tickets are $20 for children and $35 for adults. For more information call 682-0516 or click here. 409 Blackwell St.

4. Kirk Whalum — Enjoy an evening of smooth and uplifting melodies by the unparalleled sax-man. The show is Friday at 8pm at The Carolina Theatre. Tickets are $38.50-$48.50. For more information call 560-3030 or click here. 309 W. Morgan St.

5. To Kill a Mockingbird Scenes — In celebration of the 50th anniversary of To Kill a Mocking Bird, a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Harper Lee, local actors will perform select scenes from the novel. The event, under the direction of Jay O'Berski, takes place at Durham County Main Library on Sunday at 3pm. For more information call 560-0100 or click here. 300 N. Roxboro St.

Thursday
Jun102010

Weekend Best Bets

Check out this weekend's best bets. There's something for everyone — dance, crafts, movies and, even, bubbles (Yes, I said bubbles). If you attend one or more of these cool happenings, drop us a line. We'd love to hear from you.

African American Dance Ensemble1. American Dance Festival — The African American Dance Ensemble kicks off the ADF's 2010 season with performances Thursday-Saturday at 8pm in the Reynolds Industries Theater at Duke University. The ensemble combines African traditions and music with high energy to create an electrifying performance. Tickets are $27. For more information on the festival click here or call 684-6402. 125 Science Dr.

2. Herb, Garden and Craft Festival — Don't miss this annual festival featuring herb and craft vendors, food, music, a tour of the Homestead and lots of fun. Saturday's festival is from 10am-4pm at the Duke Homestead. For more information click here or call 477-5498. 2828 Duke Homestead Rd.

3. Bubble Blitz Festival — Enjoy a bubblelicious day at the Museum of Life and Science on Saturday from 10am-4pm. Bring the kiddies and learn about bubbles through demos, experiments and hands-on activities. The event is free with museum admission ($9.50-$12.50). For more information click here or call 220-5429. 433 W. Murray Ave.

4. Classic Crime Noir Film Series — Catch a flick at The Carolina Theatre this weekend. The film series starts Friday and runs through next Thursday. The feature movies include The Third Man, Elevator to the Gallows, Diabolique and Diva. Individual tickets are $8 and a four-movie pass is $20. For more information click here or call 560-3030. 309 W. Morgan St.

5. Movie Night at The Pinhook — Just in time for the 2010 World Cup, The Pinhook is screening classic World Cup moments with Duke's Laurent Dubois as a part of its A Month of Sports Movies series on Saturday from 6-7:30pm. For more information click here or call 667-1100. 117 W. Main St.

Wednesday
Apr212010

Top 5 Weekend Picks

Check out this weekend's top five events. If you attend one or more of these fun happenings, drop us a line. We'd love to hear from you.

Durham Earth Day Festival 20091. Durham Earth Day Festival — Join fellow Durhamites at the CCB Plaza Saturday from noon-5pm and celebrate our earth. There's going to be a mix of music, fun activitities and educational booths to promote a cleaner Earth. For more information call 560-4355, ext. 228 or click here. 201 Corcoran St.

2. N.C. Youth Tap Ensemble — The "globe trotting" ensemble will perform Saturday at 7:30pm and Sunday at 2pm at The Carolina Theatre with alumna Michelle Dorrance . Their varied repertory will be accompanied by live music. Tickets are $15. For more information call 560-3030 or click here. 309 W. Morgan St.

3. Duke Gardens Spring Plant and Crafts Festival — Saturday's festival, from 9am-2pm, features plant and craft vendors, food, entertainment and a plant information booth with horticulturalists and master gardeners. The free festival takes place at Sarah P. Duke Gardens. For more information call 684-3698 or click here. 426 Anderson St.

4. Jazz Night at Saladelia Café — Enjoy great mediterranean cuisine, a warm atmosphere and jazz by Sawyer and Emmerman.  Lou Sawyer and Scott Emmerman will perform at the cafe Saturday from 7-9pm. There's no cover charge. For more information call 489-5776 or click here. 4201 University Dr. 

5. Teresa's on Main Tent Sale & Smitten Yard Sale — Be sure to stop by Teresa's on Main Saturday from 10am-6pm. She'll be joined by neighbor Smitten Boutique out on the lawn. There's going to be an array of scrath and dent, overstocked and never-before-seen items for a bargain. Smitten's featuring a "Buck for a Bracelet bin" and "The Really Ridiculous Rounder markdowns." For more information click here or here. 1105 W. Main St.

Thursday
Mar252010

Ta-Ta to the Town of Titipu

So it's been a few days since the final curtain fell on the Durham Savoyards' four-night production of The Mikado at The Carolina Theatre, and I'm just now catching my breath.

We here at the mag have spent the first half of this week feverishly working to put the finishing touches on our April issue, which will hit stands in a little over a week, so please forgive this tardy debriefing of my Savoyard stint.

First, the good - nay, great - news. The Savoyards broke its own attendance record, set in 1999, by drawing 2,859 people total to the four shows. (Please enjoy the video below, a highlight reel from our Thursday show.)

We had enthusiastic audiences throughout, something for which we're all exceedingly grateful. And Byron Woods, theatre critic at The Independent, gave the show 3.5 stars in his review.

That's all utterly fantastic. Too bad I was little more than dead weight.

After weeks of practice to nail down my minor duties as a Royal Chorus member, I got terribly ill on Thursday night after our awesome preview night performance. That made me a no-show for the Friday production, and more or less unable to sing, at least not loudly or well, the last two nights. I tried my best, but, taking a Hippocratic stance of "first, do no harm," I was forced to lip-synch my way through a good bit of the show from my box-seat perch.

It was unbelievably disappointing to not be able to "put in my oar" with folks whose dedication and talent I could not admire more. Plus, I came to really, really love this production, and wanted nothing more than to sing my heart out.

But I'm looking on the bright side. It was amazingly fun to get to know Gilbert & Sullivan from the inside out. (Those dudes were geniuses – wacky, silly, satirical geniuses.) I got to see some great talents – Kate Farrar, Keely Freeman Phillips, Erin Moorman, Katie Weeks, Richard Palmer, Steven Lumpkin, Stuart Albert, Jim Burnette and Michael Rowe – really nail their principal roles, led by director Derrick Ivey and assistant director Evelyn McCauley. (I get goosebumps just thinking about Kate's soaring performance in the Act I finale, and Keely's beautiful rendition of The sun whose rays are all ablaze. And pretty much everything Jim did with Pooh-Bah cracks me up. How do you like that, my buck?!) Under the patient-but-demanding leadership of music director Alan Riley Jones, I actually learned a thing or two about ensemble singing and think I can actually manage to sing in harmony now, a skill I never quite honed back in my high school choir days. (My voice: now with 33% less suckiness!)

Most importantly, I'll take with me some great memories of being a part of a record-breaking year for this nearly half-century-old Durham institution. At the rollicking strike party held at the lovely Trinity Park home of producers Sarah and David Nevill, one cast member gave me this assurance: "Once a Savoyard, always a Savoyard." From the bottom of my heart, I am so proud to claim my tiny part of that legacy.

Can't wait til next year...

Wednesday
Mar172010

Weekend Picks

It's not Friday yet. I know. But it's not too early to plan your weekend. Take a look at our top picks. If you attend one (or more) of these fun happenings, drop us a line. We'd love to hear from you. 

NCSSM Food Drive Student Planning Committee 1. NCSSM Food Drive — Help the N.C. School of Science and Mathematics break the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest 24-hour-food drive in one location. They want to help collect more than 500,000 pounds of nonperishable food. The event starts Saturday at 7am and ends at 10pm. For more information contact Sue Anne Lewis at NCSSMFoodDrive@gmail.com. If you would like to volunteer email NCSSMFoodDriveVolunteer@gmail.com. 1219 Broad St.

2. The Mikado — Don't miss your chance to catch The Durham Savoyards perform one of Gilbert & Sullivan's classic comic operas. Witness the 25-member orchestra and nearly 50 vocalists, under the direction of Derrick Ivey, perform in a ficticious Japanese village. The show starts at 8pm Thursday-Saturday and at 2pm on Sunday at The Carolina Theatre. Tickets are $10 on Thursday (preview show) and $15-$25 the remaining nights. For more information click here or call 560-3030. 309 W. Morgan St.

3. Durham Crop Hunger Walk — Walk and raise money for hungry people all around the world. The annual event will start at Duke Chapel on Sunday at 2:30pm. Registration begins at 1:30pm. Walkers should have someone sponsor them with contributions of $5 and up. For more information click here or call 683-1179. 101 Chapel Dr. 

4. Bike Show and Chili Contest — What do cool motorcycles plus chili eqaul? A whole lot of fun. Saturday from 9am-4pm come out to Shelton's Harley-Davidson and enjoy a chili cook-off, a Harley-Davidson motorcycle show, door prizes and much more. For more information call 596-9511. 300 Muldee St. 

5. Mama Juggs: Three Generations Healing Negative Body Images — A one-woman show that challenges black female body images in a California housing project. The characters, ages 17, 27, 47 and 100, deal with breast cancer, late puberty bra stuffing, old age and breast feeding. The play runs Friday at 8pm and Saturday at 2pm and 8pm at the Common Ground Theatre. Tickets are $25. For more information click here or call 698-3870. 4815B Hillsborough Rd. 

Monday
Mar152010

Meet the Savoyards Part II: The Men

On Friday, you met three of the female leads in this weekend's production of The Mikado by the Durham Savoyards. (The fourth, Keely Freeman Phillips, figured prominently in our story about the Savoyards in the most recent print edition. That did not stop me from calling Keely "Kelly" in Friday's blog post. Aargh! Sorry, Keely.)

Today you'll meet the male leads, minus Michael Rowe as Pish-Tush, who, again, you've already met if you read the last issue. Trying to spread the Durham Mag spotlight around here, people.

Tickets are selling well, but there's still time to see the shows at The Carolina Theatre, which run Thursday-Sunday (all shows 8pm except for Sunday 2pm matinee). Click here to purchase. And I'm told there's usually some tickets left for those who spontaneously decide to catch a show this weekend. Come on out!

Without further ado, I give you: The Men...

RICHARD PALMER as The Mikado of Japan

BIO: Born, Austin, Texas; BS, UT Austin; US Navy, Pacific Fleet; PhD in Chemistry, Urbana-Champaign (while acting on the side with the University Theater); postdoc in Copenhagen; Duke Chemistry faculty '66-'08; age 74; lives in Durham; no formal voice training until recently; now directs The Focus Program at Duke as professor emeritus and teaches a Focus seminar, "The Drama of Science", in the fall.

SAVOYARDS EXPERIENCE: "I did special effects for The Sorcerer some years ago, and I've been in the cast of productions for the past three years, including Lt. Cholmondeley in Yeomen of the Guard. I've watched the Savoyards since their beginning and decided to get back on stage and directly involved as I phased out of my chemistry career."

ABOUT HIS CHARACTER: The Mikado is a very dramatic part, and, at the same time, a bit ridiculous – and has some great music."

HOW WOULD YOU GET SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T KNOW GILBERT & SULLIVAN TO COME CHECK OUT THE SHOW?: "The music is intricate and beautiful, and the plot, lyrics and dialogue are very witty."

 

STEVEN LUMPKIN as Nanki-Poo

BIO: "I'm pretty much a Triangle native by this point. I moved to Raleigh with my family when I was 10, went to UNC-Chapel Hill (for vocal performance, no less!), lived in Durham for 2 years after graduating, and now live in Raleigh again. My day job is a Quality Assurance tester for Funcom, a Durham-based videogame company, but I also conduct my church's choir. I'm 24.

SAVOYARDS EXPERIENCE: "This will be my third show in a row with the Savoyards. I had a friend in college (who is with the group to this day) who participated when we were at UNC. Once I got out of school and was looking for different opportunities to use my voice, I remembered the Savoyards and eagerly showed up at auditions for Yeomen of the Guard!

OTHER THEATRICAL PURSUITS: "I perform whenever I can, though I'm generally found on the more classical side of the fence. I'm currently working with the North Carolina Master Chorale's Chamber Choir on their Time Passages concert, which goes up the Thursday after The Mikado closes. I'm also working with a group producing a new musical based on the biblical story of Esther. I've worked with both Capital Opera and Opera Company of North Carolina, and I sincerely look forward to working with the new North Carolina Opera once it gets fully up and running!

ABOUT HIS CHARACTER: "I most enjoy Nanki-poo's cunning. It's a challenge to play a character in such a way that the audience realizes he knows what's going on, but is acting (for those on-stage with him) like he doesn't. My favorite song in The Mikado (besides A Wand'ring Minstrel, I of course) would probably be Miya Sama/ From ev'ry kind of man – the song the Mikado sings where Katisha jumps in all over him. It's both incredibly catchy and, I think, very entertaining."

HOW WOULD YOU GET SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T KNOW GILBERT & SULLIVAN TO COME CHECK OUT THE SHOW?: "I would tell them it's in English, it has both singing and spoken dialogue, it's not expensive, and it's absolutely riotously hilarious. Some of the stuff Koko and Katisha do onstage together leaves me in stitches every time."

ANYTHING ELSE?: "I find carnivorous plants fascinating, maintain an online blog, take lessons from a tenor named John Daniecki, and live with my wonderful wife and our two characterful cats."

 

STUART ALBERT as Ko-Ko

BIO: "I was born and raised in the tiny town of Robbins, North Carolina, in Moore County. I've never had any formal voice training; this is the first time I've had to sing on-stage. I grew up acting in the school drama club for the first 18 years of my life, but proceeded to get distracted for the next 18 years with other things. I'm 36 years old now, and this is my first time back on stage since high school. I live in Cary, where I work as a freelance Japanese translator and editor."


SAVOYARDS EXPERIENCE: "This is my first year with the Savoyards, but they're so welcoming that I think I will be auditioning for them again many times in years to come. I didn't know they existed until a friend of mine told me about the auditions for The Mikado."

ABOUT HIS CHARACTER: "I love comedy, and Ko-Ko is one of the funniest characters ever to appear in the works of Gilbert and Sullivan. Ko-Ko is the pinnacle of the G&S "topsy-turvy" fantasy, where a character is thrust into a position he definitely should not be in, with hilarious consequences as things in his newly-elevated world start to fall apart. I have two favorite songs, only one of which I sing: Hearts Do Not Break, as sung by our Katisha, Kate Farrar, perfectly showcases her stunning voice, while The Criminal Cried has me in a position where I am put on the spot and have to come up with the convincing lie that starts everything spiraling out of control. (Plus, I get to flex my guns for all the cute girls as I'm singing it!)"
 
HOW WOULD YOU GET SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T KNOW GILBERT & SULLIVAN TO COME CHECK OUT THE SHOW?: "If for no other reason, come and watch me make a complete fool of myself in front of an audience."

 

JIM BURNETTE as Pooh-Bah

BIO: "I live in Raleigh. Originally from Charlottesville, Virginia, but I am a Tar Heel since the age of 4! I studied voice with Joyce McDonald of New York and Raleigh. In real life, I am Director of the Structural Pest Control and Pesticides Division for the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. If, like Frederic in Pirates, I had been born on the 29th of February, I could say I am only 14.5 years old. Since I wasn't, I can't, but you can do the math anyway!!"


SAVOYARDS EXPERIENCE: "I have been most fortunately a part of the Savoyards' family since 2005, when I was cast in their production of The Pirates of Penzance as the Pirate King. I have performed in every mainstage production since that time. I had seen Savoyards productions previously in Raleigh many years, and more recently at The Carolina Theatre. I saw their audition notice for Pirates printed in their Ruddigore program in 2004, contacted Karen Guidry their producer to schedule an audition. The rest is, as they say, history! Following Pirates, I was elected to the Board of Governors as a Member-at-Large, and have served on that Board ever since, for the past two years as President.
 
OTHER THEATRICAL PURSUITS: "I been performing onstage in Triangle-area community theatres for nearly 30 years, having gotten my start at the Raleigh Little Theatre, where many other Savoyards have and do perform. My interest is musical theatre, especially musical comedy."

ABOUT HIS CHARACTER: "Pooh-Bah is a pompous, corrupt politician who openly accepts bribes for his services – I mean, how timely is that?. The opportunities for comedy in such role are mind-boggling, especially with a character who can trace his ancestry back to a primordial, protoplasmal, atomic globule!    Favorite song: I am so proud, where Pooh-Bah laments the fact that he must set aside his inconceivable family pride and decline the high honor of being named Lord High substitute – the first to be beheaded by the Lord High Executioner – even though such appointment would realize his fondest dreams!

HOW WOULD YOU GET SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T KNOW GILBERT & SULLIVAN TO COME CHECK OUT THE SHOW?: "It's simply great fun and the best entertainment value this side of New York. Musical comedy at its best: great performances, hilarious dialogue, catchy tunes, completely family-friendly fun for all ages. We're the only community theatre around to perform with a live orchestra, and where else can you enjoy an evening at the theatre with Queen Victoria and her entourage in attendance???"

Friday
Mar122010

Music Monday: Train Show Brings More Than 1,000 to The Carolina Theatre

Here are the good things about the fact Train, that band that formed in San Francisco and got sort of big in the early 2000s for the song "Drops of Jupiter (Tell me)", came to Durham last Wednesday night.

 1) The sold out show packed an auditorium with more than 1,000 people, and everyone there was pretty happy to see the Train guys shake their aging moneymakers, stay on tune, and shine a bunch of pretty lights on them. I saw dancing, clapping and a generally smiley, happy crowd.

A shot of the crowd watching Train.

2) It was at The Carolina Theatre, which is a beautiful building with a super fun staff (the communicationsBetty Rhodes and Aaron Bare, of the Carolina Theatre. guy, Aaron Bare, is a trip, and showed me on Wednesday before the show a video on his phone of his cute 3-year-old son eating mac n’ cheese and soy nuggets).

 3) This type of group brings a lot of people to Durham. A sampling of things about our city I heard from the hoards of people from Raleigh, Cary and Apex that came to see Train: “I love to see an old town renovated.” – Debbey Schaffner, from Raleigh; “It’s a lot better than it used to be. It used to be scary. Now it’s not so scary anymore, with Revolution and the American Tobacco District.” – Brittany Lovell, from Charlotte; “It’s nice to see a nice, clean atmosphere.” – Antonio Olferral, from Raleigh.

Yep, it's definitely "nice" and "not scary," and so, so much more.

These people like Train: Nic Ougel, Tina Greene, James Iadanze, Melissa Ardakoc and James St. Peter, all from Raleigh.

Now, for details on the show itself.

I was not a Train fan when I went to the show, but that impression was solidified after it. The band that had its heydey in the early 2000s has not changed much. Their sound is still that mass appeal pop music with the simple lyrics that one person described before the show as perfect “drive-to-the-beach-music.”Patrick Monahan at The Carolina Theatre.

Lead singer Patrick Monahan's stage antics weirded me out a bit. More than once, he invited girls up on stage and asked them to sing with him -- that's not the strange part. Part of his schtick included outfitting them. He asked one young woman to put Superman boxers over her pants and stand by him for the song, “Save the Day”, (a song where he also wore blue pajama pants and a Superman T-shirt). And before he sang, “She’s on Fire,” he brought five preteen-to-teen girls up there, called them "Trainettes," and making jokes about how it was a good thing Simon Cowell wasn't there (they were singing with him, and yeah, they were off key, but he's the one who invited them up there). He also made a joke about how long it takes girls to get ready after they struggled to pull the T-shirts he gave them over their clothes. The interactions were just sort of awkward, in my opinion.

I do give the man kudos for being able to sing on tune for the a capella number “Calling All Angels”, a song he dedicated to military families. He stood in the center of the stage and did it without his band or microphone, triggering praise from one of the few Durham people I met that night, Greg Reiter.

“He has a great voice, and you can’t beat this venue, this small venue,” he said.

It’s true. I could hear the song, clear as a bell, even in the back. The acoustics in the room were stellar.

Before a song called “Marry Me,” from his 2009 Save Me San Francisco album, Monahan told another story, talking about how often men fall in love, like every 15 minutes or so, and how finally there’s a moment when they get the courage to say, “Will you marry me?”

This got some grins from the audience, (though I’m bewildered by what exactly that story means) and he sang about how “Love has finally shifted my way.”

And then he went in for the falsetto, belting out: “Marry Me.”

At this point I left, wondering what’s wrong with me. Why don’t I like Train? Why don't I like these love songs, and Superman shirts and smiles and purple lights?

It’s best not to think too deeply about it. I will try The Carolina Theatre again  - those acoustics are some of the best I’ve heard around here, the vibe is welcoming, and they choose a diverse array of acts, appealing to normal people who like Train – and weird people like me who don’t.

Friday
Mar052010

Film Friday: Full Frame Festival 2010

It's coming up on the best time of year for all you documentary film lovers out there: The Full Frame Documentary Film Festival is afoot. This year's dates are April 8-11. More than 100 films will be screened downtown at The Carolina Theatre, Durham Convention Center, Durham Arts Council, Rigsbee Hall and Durham Central Park. For a list of the first 51 films announced click here. (The full schedule will be posted by March 18.) An estimated 15,000 movie goers are expected to attend the festival. So, don't hesitate to purchase tickets when they go on sale April 1. Full festival passes are on sale now and tickets are going fast. For more information about the festival click here or call 687-4100. 

As always, the festival can use additional support and festival sponsorship is available. But, deadlines are approaching quickly. For more information contact Jill DeWeese-Frank at sponsor@fullframefest.org or call 433-9804.