Toledo Free Press STAR – Feb. 8, 2012 by Toledo Free Press

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Stars of Brother Sun members shine through individuality the Week By Jason Mack Toledo Free Press Star Staff Writer jmack@toledofreepress.com

After crossing paths for years during their solo careers and recording on each other’s 19 solo albums, Greg Greenway, Joe Jencks and Pat Wictor decided to combine their efforts with the folk trio Brother Sun. “The circuit we play on is like a small neighborhood,” Wictor said. “You get to know all the other touring musicians by crossing paths at concerts and festivals. Joe and I met at a music conference and we’ve made music together off and on for a decade. We’ve all recorded on each other’s albums. By the time we decided to form a band, we didn’t have to do a lot of getting to know each other from scratch.” Along with each member of the band playing guitar, Wictor plays slide guitar, Greenway plays piano and Jencks plays the bouzouki, a Greek instrument that sounds like a lowerpitched mandolin. They decided to form a trio after performing together at the Southeast Unitarian Universalist Summer Institute in the summer of 2009. “There was this magical moment,” Jencks said. “It’s like dropping a stone in a pond and watching the ripples move outward. When we hit certain chords and certain notes, we could feel this sort of disturbance in the force, if you will. It rippled out throughout this entire auditorium. We all looked at each other. It was kind of a goose bump moment where we went, ‘Yeah, more of that.’ That was pretty cool.” Due to the conflicting schedules of their solo careers, the band wasn’t able to form until the spring of 2010 and started its first tour that December. “We’ve all had so much fun that we’ve in essence hit the pause button on a lot of our solo work in order to make room for Brother Sun,” Jencks said. “It’s some of the most compelling, dynamic and engaged music that any of us have ever had the privilege to make.” Another challenge for the band is working out a rehearsal schedule, with its members’ hometowns in New York, Boston and Chicago. “When we have a tour starting up, we have a limited number of hours to get done what needs to get done,” Jencks said. “It forces us into a place of focus and productivity. I think some really beautiful, creative things come out of that time constraint.” Their spread-out hometowns means the band mates travel separately to shows, which Jencks said is good for the sanity of them all. “We have so many things we have to nego-

Brother Sun, from left, Pat Wictor, Joe Jencks and Greg Greenway. PHOTO BY NEALE ECKSTEIN

tiate from day to day, there’s no need for us to negotiate which radio station is on or how to set the air conditioning,” he said. “The thing that allows us to all show up and give 100 percent is that we have time to ourselves in our vehicles to call who we need to call, check in with our wives, set the temperature where we want and listen to what we want.” Some of the band’s negotiating occurs during songwriting as each member adjusts to writing as a group after extensive solo careers. “As a songwriter, you write for your own best element,” Greenway said. “Now we’re writing for all of our best elements. We’ve expanded our vocabulary and our emotional capabilities. This is the end result of a lot of work, but when we’re singing together beautifully, it’s almost like we’re not doing anything. It’s a great deal of effort to get to that effortless moment, and when it happens, that synchronicity is indescribable. I think audiences feel that. It’s not resident in any one of us. It happens between the three of us.” A majority of the band’s songs were written individually and arranged as a group.

“We bring each other into a state of conscious intentionality about the choices we made as writers,” Jencks said. “It’s in the arranging of songs that we step into our truest place of collaboration. It’s a lot of trial and error and experimentation. There’s a need for letting go of preconceived notions of how a thing is going to sound and just exploring it in the moment.” The result of their collaborative arrangements is a cross between folk, blues and gospel. “Suffering and transcendence are what the blues and gospel both have,” Wictor said. “That speaks to all three of us and what we want to project with our music.” Another thing they want to project with their music is simply having fun. “We have a lot of fun in our rehearsals,” Wictor said. “We laugh a lot. It’s very spontaneous. We’re inventing stuff on the spot. It’s fun and creative, and we enjoy doing it.” “We have fun, which makes digging deep and exploring music much easier to do,” Jencks said. “There’s something about getting into a practice room that has a sort of heaviness and weight to

it. I look forward to our rehearsals weeks in advance. I think people respond to that energy as much as they do the music.” Brother Sun is stopping in Toledo during the first stretch of its 2012 tour on Feb. 16 for a 7 p.m. show. Tickets are $15 for adults and $7 for children and are available at www.brownpaper tickets.com/event/220996. Visit BrotherSunMusic.com for more information. The show is at Augsburg Lutheran Church, located at 1342 W. Sylvania Ave. “It’s not a religious performance that we give,” Jencks said. “It’s a secular, folkloric and contemporary acoustic kind of performance. What we need is a place where we can connect earnestly with the people that come to listen. We can’t do that at a bar. We can’t compete with our environment to make a connection with an audience.” “It’s a really entertaining night,” Greenway said. “One of the things that have made us appealing to festivals is that we have a broad appeal. We cross so many genres. I’m amazed at how many different audiences have loved what we have done.” O

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”No tears for us, think love and wear a smile” — “Our Day Will Come,” The Four Seasons

Shorts Oscar-nominated films exhibited at Detroit Institute of Arts.

By Jeff McGinnis Toledo Free Press Star Pop Culture Editor PopGoesJeff@gmail.com

For many watching the Oscars, the announcement of the Best Animated and/or Live Action Short Film usually means one thing — bathroom break. After all, the vast majority of viewers have never and will never get the chance to see any of the nominees. But things have changed for fans in the Detroit area. For the past few years, the Detroit Institute of Arts’ (DIA) Film Theatre has featured a program where all 10 films nominated for both awards are shown in one night. This year’s screenings will begin on Feb. 10, with several showings on the weekends until Feb. 19. “What we’ve tried to do from the beginning is to try and show the most significant, the most important, the most interesting and the best films from around the world that might not otherwise get shown,” Elliot Wilhelm, film curator of the DIA, said in an interview with Toledo Free Press Star. Of course, even for an establishment as respected as the DIA, there were challenges in exhibiting such a wide array of productions. For years, legalities and logistics kept such Oscar Statuette ©A.M.P.A.S.®

a program from becoming a reality. “It was difficult to get those films. Sometimes we would show those films, one of them, two of them in a year, if they happened to be available,” Wilhelm said. “It was just difficult to get a hold of all of them at any one time.” That all changed when a distributor, in conjunction with an organization named “Shorts International,” began making all the nominated films available — both animated and live action compiled into a feature-length program. “That sort of changed the ballgame, because it meant that selected theaters around the country could look forward to presenting those,” Wilhelm said. “It enables us to obtain those films from a single source. And that, when you’re running with a very small staff and very small resources in general, makes it possible to present all 10 of these films.” What makes the DIA’s program unique, however, is its presentation of all ten films in one night, as dual halves of a twin bill, so moviegoers have the chance to see all the shorts in one screening. With intermission, the whole event tends to run anywhere from three to three-anda-half hours. “It’s something that we find, in Detroit, is so satisfying that for the last three years we’ve virtually sold out every performance that we schedule of these,” Wilhelm said. Indeed, for the past few years the DIA’s screenings of the shorts have consistently been some of the most highly attended in the country — Wilhelm noted that only the showings in New York City drew bigger numbers, and even then Detroit was a close second. n SHORTS CONTINUES ON 5

‘The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore’

‘Raju’

‘Pentecost’

“Cause I love you so/Never gonna let you go” — “Marlena,” The Four Seasons n SHORTS CONTINUED FROM 4 “People really enjoy seeing these short films. They’re going to appeal to the people who come to the kind of films that we show here at the Detroit Film Theatre, because they’re all creative, and inventive, and surprising, and have an independent point of view,” he said. For many, the screenings at DIA are their only chance to see short films in any form. Practically all mainstream theaters have long since given up running any kind of shorts before their feature presentations, unless commercials count. “Which is a shame, because there’s so much creative activity going on in the field of short films, considering the digital video and computer animation techniques that are available to people, at much lower cost to filmmakers,” Wilhelm said. “Animation is being expressed on film in quantity and in ways that they simply weren’t before.” He also noted how attendees love the quantity of cinematic visions they get to experience. “Here, you get a real variety pack. You get a real feast of different visions, all going on at the same time,” Wilhelm said. “And by doing them just a couple weeks ahead of the Academy Awards themselves, people also get the fun of predicting.” Wilhelm himself gets to screen all the films in advance of the program. He had, in fact, just seen all 10 the day before this interview. He was still excited — giddy, almost — at the quality of many of the pieces, including Moonbot Studios’ animated film “The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore,” which he described as a “knockout.” “It’s extraordinary. It’s very beautiful, it’s evocative of so many different kinds of aspects of the cinema,” he said. “In a way, it reminded me a little bit about certain aspects of Martin Scorsese’s film ‘Hugo,’ in that there’s not just real film history in there, but allusions to film history that may just be subconscious for many of us.” “It’s one I can’t wait to see again, and can’t wait to see with an audience, because it’s quite breathtaking.” Indeed, for Wilhelm, sharing these remarkable pieces is the best part. “The real fun will come sitting down and watching them on a big screen with the audience,” Wilhelm said. “That’s when I get to see which ones work in a certain way with the audience and which ones don’t.” For more information on the shorts screenings and the Detroit Institute of Arts, visit www.dia.org. O

TOLEDOFREEPRESS.COM / FEB. 8, 2012 n 5

‘Lessmore’ is more Ohio native contributes to Oscar-nominated film.

By Jeff McGinnis Toledo Free Press Star Pop Culture Editor PopGoesJeff@gmail.com

On Jan. 24, the staff of Moonbot Studios all arrived to the office at about 7 a.m. An early morning by many standards, but no one complained. It was on this day that the members of this small animation company would learn the biggest news of the studio’s short history. At about 8:30 that morning, some text popped up on a screen in the office, confirming everyone’s hopes: Their film, “The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore,” had been nominated for Best Animated Short at the 84th Academy Awards. Pandemonium, naturally, ensued. “It was thrilling and exciting, and very gratifying,” Lampton Enochs, producer of “Morris” and partner at Moonbot, said in an interview with Toledo Free Press Star. “‘Morris Lessmore’ is the first project we did. We did that as a calling card, to kinda show the world what we were about, what we could accomplish here in Shreveport.” Indeed, for many at Moonbot Studios, the nomination comes as early validation, confirming their belief that something special is going on with this small studio out of Louisiana — a studio that is currently just a year and a half old. “The ‘Morris Lessmore’ project is very much emblematic of what Moonbot is about — telling a great story, referencing all the things that everybody here loves about film and animation and storytelling,” said Joe Bluhm, storyboard and character design artist for the film. The company is the brainchild of William Joyce, who, in addition to being an acclaimed children’s book author, has worked in animation for years, including the adaptation of several of his books into films. “Bill’s been involved in computer animation since it kicked in gear at Pixar. He did some concept work on ‘Toy Story,’” Enochs said of Joyce. Joyce had wanted to start an animation com-

TOLEDO

pany in Shreveport, his hometown, for years. His love of Shreveport shines through in “Morris,” which takes as part of its inspiration the national tragedy that reshaped the state of Louisiana. “Hurricane Katrina definitely hit him hard, and when he went down to visit some of the people, he noticed a lot of books scattered in the streets. That visual stuck with him, how people’s stories, and their homes, and their lives were lost,” said Bluhm, an Ohio native. The film’s story — about a little man who survives tragedy through the healing power of art — would be remarkably moving in any form. But it’s aided by remarkable direction and construction, utilizing a mix of CGI, stopmotion animation and miniatures to craft genuinely unforgettable settings and characters. It packs more real emotion into its 15-minute runtime than most Hollywood films could ever hope to achieve. Jamil Lahham, the film’s lead animator, said that one of the biggest challenges was the creation of the title character — a loveable guy clearly inspired by silent film great Buster Keaton. “It was just a matter of getting used to the style of how Morris moved — that was one of the hard points to hit. Sometimes it was hard to figure out how to animate the mix between 2-D and 3-D,” Lahham said. Bluhm said the inspirations for Morris were not limited to Keaton just as the film’s look was not tied solely to silent films. “It’s sort of a little bit of Bill Joyce, a little bit of Buster Keaton, and a little bit of caricature,” he said. “But it was pretty natural. We knew the inspirations we wanted, and we kinda tried to be straightforward with it.” In animation, even the most straightforward work is painstaking. For the creators of “Morris,” the animation took about six months to complete, and prior to that were a few months preparing to shoot the live action portions — including the creation of a miniature French Quarter and thousands of tiny books that populate Morris’ world.

‘The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore’

“I went to, I think, the Florida Film Festival, and watched it there. They did a little Q-and-A after,” Enochs said. “I made some comment that was really incidental, that was leading to some other point, about, ‘You see the miniatures in all the backgrounds and sets,’ and the whole audience gasped. And I had to ask, ‘Who here didn’t know that they were miniatures?’ And almost everyone in the crowd raised their hands.” Of course, everyone at Moonbot would love for the famous trophy to come their way on Feb. 26 — who wouldn’t? — but for a company so young to produce such an amazing piece of work as “Morris” is already a remarkable achievement, Oscar or no. “There was something about when we were working on it, when we were storyboarding it, when we first gathered around to watch the animatic — we were still a very small team, there was only maybe a dozen people in the room, and half of those people had been working on that storyboard and animatic, and it still made us cry at one point. Seeing that, I had a feeling that this was gonna get noticed,” Bluhm said. For more information on Moonbot Studios and to view “The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore” online, visit www. moonbotstudios.com. The film is also available for free on iTunes. O

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”No matter what people say, it didn’t happen that way” — “C’mon Marianne,” The Four Seasons

Intake and Output By Brigitta Burks Toledo Free Press Star Staff Writer star@toledofreepress.com

Two members of the University of Toledo faculty challenge the ideas of traditional photography with an exhibit at Flatlanders Art Galleries. “Intake and Output” features the work of Deb A. Davis and Seder Burns, now through April 28. A free artist reception with appetizers and drinks will take place from 2 p.m.-4 p.m. Feb. 12. Burns, a lecturer at UT, approached Ken Thompson, owner of Flatlanders, with the idea for the exhibit utilizing digital photography. “I’ve never been a huge fan of digital photography. The way a lot of people use it, it’s not people being creative, it’s the tools being creative,” Thompson said. But, he added, “[Burns and Davis] have moved beyond what the machine is capable of.” “Digital photography has democratized photography and it’s much more accessible to the masses,” Burns said. Burns uses a homemade digital camera that includes parts of a 1950s camera. Burns’ work displays Midwestern pastimes like fairs and skiing, photographed during a threeminute period. “The work is primarily concerned about how we’ve learned to read photographs and

my work is designed to challenge existing notions of the way in which we depict motion,” Burns said. When Burns approached Davis, dean of UT’s College of Visual & Performing Arts, with the exhibit idea, she was a bit reluctant to show her pieces because of her busy work schedule. However, she found creating the new pieces to be a release. “I’m kinda buried in paperwork in my position. To create the new works was really freeing for me, because I got a chance to get into my creative mindset,” she said. Davis’ portion includes multimedia pieces and work showing parts of flowers and plants up close. “A lot of what I’m examining is a birth, a growth and death cycle,” she said. Burns and Davis said they are excited to exhibit at Flatlanders. “I like the idea that Mr. Thompson continues to support local, regional artists. You wouldn’t expect to find a gallery on Route 223 on the way to Blissfield,” Davis said. Burns’ and Davis’ pieces will be on sale, Thompson said. Flatlanders is at 11993 E. U.S. 223, Blissfield. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday. Visit www.flat landersculpture.com for more information. O

UT faculty photography on exhibit at Flatlanders.

Photo by Seder Burns.

PHOTO COURTESY FLATLANDERS ART GALLERY

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DC announces ‘Watchmen’ prequels By Jim Beard Toledo Free Press Star Staff Writer star@toledofreepress.com

In many industries there is a dividing line drawn by an event or a work that stands as a complete game-changer; in comics, that line is delineated as “Before ‘Watchmen’” and “After ‘Watchmen’.” DC Comics has never extended that work in any form — until now. Twenty-six years after its landmark publication, the company has announced seven “Watchmen” prequel miniseries, all bereft of the original work’s creator, Alan Moore. Before they’ve even hit the shelves, these prequels have literally defined the word “controversial.” Commenting on the announcement to The New York Times, Moore, who’s waged a legal cold war with DC for years regarding the legendary series, called it “completely shameless” and “eager confirmation that they [DC] are still apparently dependent on ideas that [I] had 25 years ago.” He also noted that he has no inten-

tions on taking the matter to court. “From a retail standpoint, I guess I should be happy,” said Toledo comics vendor Jim Collins of JC’s Comic Stop. “But that’ll depend on how much support DC gives it when the actual comics ship. They can do all the press they want right now, but it’s all for naught if there’s nothing to remind those excited about it now, today. I’m expecting them to sell well, but not great. They have some top talent producing [the books] and it should be interesting to see if they can do Alan Moore justice. I think DC was pressed by Warner Bros. to create more ‘Watchmen’ comics for future movie ideas — best of luck to them. “From a fan’s standpoint, I’m torn. On one hand, I’m thinking DC couldn’t be bigger whores by doing this, and on the other I am excited to see if they can bring anything to the table that’ll ‘improve’ upon Moore’s masterpiece — was there really any more that needed to be said? It’s like a train wreck; you can’t help but want to stop and check it out. I think ‘Watchmen’ was an awesome stand-alone series, but I don’t lie awake at night wishing I knew more about The Comedian or Rorschach. I guess we’ll see how this plays out in six months.” O

“Every time you’re near/My courage disappears” — “I Make A Fool Of Myself,” The Four Seasons

TOLEDOFREEPRESS.COM / FEB. 8, 2012 n 9

From left, Jason Kappus, Colby Foytik, Brad Weinstock and Brandon Andrus portray The Four Seasons in ‘Jersey Boys.’ (Photo by Joan Marcus, courtesy Theater League)

Star of ‘Jersey Boys’ is real-life Jersey boy By Sarah Ottney TOLEDO FREE PRESS SPECIAL SECTIONS EDITOR sottney@toledofreepress.com

A real-life Jersey boy will be among the leading men to hit the stage when “Jersey Boys” comes to Toledo starting Feb. 7. Brad Weinstock, who portrays Frankie Valli in the Tony Award-winning musical, was born and raised in northeastern New Jersey and now calls Hoboken, N.J., outside New York City, home when he’s not on tour. “Jersey Boys,” the story of legendary music group The Four Seasons, portrays the ups, downs and coming-of-age experiences of four blue-collar kids — Valli, Bob Gaudio, Tommy DeVito and Nick Massi — from their starts on the streets of New Jersey through their rise to singing stardom. Although the two come from different backgrounds, Weinstock said home state pride helps him identify with The Four Seasons’ frontman. “Being from Jersey I have a unique, innate connection to him, but he’s from a pretty rough and tumble area of New Jersey,” the 27-year-old told

Toledo Free Press Star during a tour stop in Dayton. “I would be exaggerating if I said I was from the streets like he was, but I think a lot of people from Jersey have major state pride. Also, as someone who is still touring at age 77 right now, we have that in common. Just a love of what you’re doing — the singing and the performing. You submit yourself to this life on the road, but you love it because it’s the only thing you’ve ever known.” “Jersey Boys” opens in Toledo at 8 p.m. Feb. 7 at the Stranahan Theater, 4645 Heatherdowns Blvd., as part of the Broadway Series presented by the Theater League. It will run through Feb. 26. “It’s been going great,” Weinstock said of the tour. “We opened in Philadelphia Dec. 9 so we haven’t been going that long. It’s a pretty new production, but we’ve had great audiences in Philadelphia and Dayton’s been great as well. We’re excited to get over to Toledo.” The show is divided into four “seasons,” each narrated by a different band member to showcase four different perspectives on the events portrayed, Weinstock said. Valli’s high singing voice was instrumental to the success of The Four Seasons, Weinstock said.

“His unique voice, his freakish ability to sing in this falsetto, which is what he ultimately became so famous for, was a unique sound people hadn’t heard before,” Weinstock said. “A man singing that high was the hook that differentiated The Four Seasons from the other four-person groups at the time.” “Jersey Boys” is full of hit songs from The Four Seasons, including “December 1963 (Oh, What A Night),” “Working My Way Back To You,” “Who Loves You,” “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You,” “Walk Like a Man,” “Sherry” and more. Weinstock, the understudy for the role of Valli in the Las Vegas production of “Jersey Boys” last year, said people usually come to the show for the music, but end up loving the story as well. “I think people initially come because of all these hit songs that people are very familiar with, but then I think what they don’t expect is it’s a fascinating story about these four guys who came from the wrong side of the tracks and went on to become one of the top-selling groups in rock music history,” Weinstock said. “They did not take an easy way to the top. It was not a straight

line to success. There were definitely a lot of ups and downs. It’s really an intriguing story.” Weinstock, who graduated from Northwestern University with degrees in theater and communications, was first hooked on theater when he was about 10 years old, after trying it on a whim while bored at summer camp. Weinstock said his favorite part of portraying Valli comes near the end of the show. “You’d be hard-pressed to talk to someone who has played Frankie Valli who doesn’t love singing ‘Can’t Take My Eyes Off You,’” Weinstock said. “It’s near the end of the night and all the action has built up to that song, so people are really excited to hear that. It’s a great moment.” “Jersey Boys” contains smoke, gunshots, strobe lights, drug references, sexual situations and profane “authentic Jersey language” and is not recommended for all ages, according to the show’s website. Tickets range from $33-$128 and are available by calling the Stranahan Theater box office at 866-381-7469, Ticketmaster at 800-9822787 or online at www.theaterleague.com. For more information, visit www.jerseyboys info.com. O

10 n FEB. 8, 2012 / TOLEDOFREEPRESS.COM

”Soon you’ll be cryin’ on account of all your lyin’” — “Walk Like A Man,” The Four Seasons

Fun and success with music

Toledo native Lindsay has his head in the ‘Clouds.’

By Mike Bauman

Toledo Free Press Star Staff Writer star@toledofreepress.com

JT and the Clouds singer/songwriter Jeremy “JT” Lindsay is a creative guy who has fun making music, a passion that can be heard in his tunes with The Clouds, Po’ Girl’s Allison Russell and his solo work as JT Nero. But music is not the only area in which Lindsay has fun with his creativity. Read his artist bio and you’ll discover that the Toledo native’s two biggest musical influences were Meadowlark Lemon and Curly Neal of the Harlem Globetrotters, men he learned doo-wop songs and spirituals from while his father played with the Washington Generals, the most famous opponent of and lovable loser to the Globetrotters. Or not. “That’s a big fib that we’ve been jokingly putting around,” said Lindsay, whose parents were really English professors at the University of Toledo while he was growing up. “We kind of put that out there just for laughs, and also because I get so sick of boring artist bios. So I thought I’d put a little color in there.” Lindsay’s whimsy doesn’t stop there. The name JT and The Clouds came from a dream he had where he saw that displayed on a marquee, while JT Nero was birthed out of playful homage to Garth Brooks’ alter ego Chris Gaines. Prior to that, no one had ever referred to him as “JT.” “The music is very sacred to us, but we try not to take the rest of it too seriously because if you do, it’ll drive you completely insane,” Lindsay said. “It might drive you insane anyway, but that’s kind of our philosophy about it.” On Feb. 15, Lindsay — as JT Nero — will perform with Russell at The Ark in Ann Arbor in support of the duo’s upcoming record. The pair met when Lindsay was in San Francisco performing with Michelle McGrath in The Capital Sun Rays. When Lindsay moved to Chicago in 2002 to be with his brother Drew and other Toledo transplants Dan Abu-Absi and Chris Neal, JT and The Clouds — rounded out by Chris Merrill and Mike August — was soon born. After a few years of touring and building a name, Lindsay said things really took off musically when the band joined Po’ Girl’s first show in the Midwest.

Allison Russell and Jeremy ‘JT’ Lindsay.

PHOTO COURTESY JT AND THE CLOUDS.COM

The groups built a relationship and would trade shows in Chicago and Po’ Girl’s home base of Vancouver, and Russell asked Lindsay to accompany her band on tour overseas at the end of 2006. “They were actually doing a version of one of our songs —“’Til It’s Gone” — on their album, so they asked me to come,” Lindsay said. “And I just opened for them solo and then would often sit in with them. That was the first time that I was able to, like, cut ties with a job and was just out on the road and literally seeing the world for the first [time] to tour through the U.K. and Europe. “That was a pretty intoxicating experience, and it just felt right. It felt like I had found my job, you know?” After that, Lindsay said Po’ Girl and JT and the Clouds became “sister-brother” bands, col-

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laborating on each other’s music. The response to those collaborations led to the pair doing a project together. “In the music world, there’s so much music out there and there’s so many people,” Lindsay said. “And there’s a ton of music that either maybe you respect or you even like, but it doesn’t just grab you on a gut level or you don’t feel that kind of like, ‘Oh, that’s our tribe; that’s our family; that’s kin.’ “So when you do meet people that you have that connection with musically and personally, you’ve got to grab onto it, regardless of whether they’re in Vancouver or Madagascar. You’ve just got to make it happen, and we did.” Written in the Americana vein with elements of folk, rock, gospel and soul, Lindsay’s latest

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work as JT Nero —“Mountains/Forests” — was named the No. 2 album of 2011 by Americana UK, second only to Wilco. And while some bands get testy when its members pursue other projects, The Clouds and Po’ Girl fully support each other’s endeavors. “There’s different little permutations and angles that we put out there in the world, but it kind of always comes back to the same family of musicians,” Lindsay said. “Allie just, like, immediately fit right into that family. Nobody ever had to think about that twice.” On Feb. 15, JT Nero and Allison Russell will perform at The Ark, located at 316 South Main St. in Ann Arbor. Tickets are $15. Doors are at 7:30 p.m. and the show starts at 8 p.m. For more information, visit theark.org. O

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“Girl, you make me lose my mind” — “Sherry,” The Four Seasons

Spotlight on a champion

here are artists too young to call legends just yet, but their accomplishments and impact in the music industry have them poised to accept the title when it comes. And for Toledo native BLAQSMURPH, it will come. He was musically trained in the church as a child playing the keyboards. By the age of 12, the protege began to play for his Grammyaward winning pastor Rance Allen of New Bethel Bountiful Blessings Ministries. His talent was also recognized by Toledo gospel great Chris Byrd. BLAQSMURPH started playing in his shows and it was Byrd who gave him his first drum machine, jump-starting his career as a producer. He expanded his talent to include drum, bass and lead guitar; it wasn’t long before he was traveling back and forth between Toledo and Detroit. This put him in a position to network with the right people in a bigger city known for its musical talent and accessibility to major opportunities in music.

BLAQSMURPH’s hustle paid off and he has since worked with national acts as a producer and as musical director of tours for artists like Raheem DeVaughn. He is touring with Grammynominated artist B.O.B. and he has production credits on some of the biggest acts in the industry. Before I get to that, let me back up to how Toledo knows BLAQSMURPH. In 2000, BLAQSMURPH founded Positive Movement, aka PoS MoV, a music group of über-talented young artists who would blow your mind when you heard them sing, play their instruments, produce or do all of the above. In 2003, PoS MoV’s first artist to gain attention was a 14-year-old girl with a golden voice named Keyaira. The song “Nintendo” hit the airwaves and received regular rotation on The Juice FM 107.3 after winning DJ J Roc and DJ Kaj Boogie’s “Battle of the Beats.” His layered sounds often contain live instruments and arrangements that have a modern soul appeal peppered with a sig-

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BLAQSMURPH’s hustle pays off. nature gospel influence. BLAQSMURPH’S career as a professional musician in multiple genres will soon include scoring music for film and television. Still in his 20s, he has managed to accomplish what many veterans have not and feels like he’s just getting started. During our conversation, he provided insights and words of wisdom for musicians I thought I’d share with you. Martini Rox: What has been the most memorable moment in your musical journey? BLAQSMURPH: Ron Fair (Geffen Records) called me. I had just left my mom’s house and he called me and was like, “Is this Smurph?” I said, “Yeah.” He said, “This is Ron Fair,” so I pulled over at Baskin-Robbins, and he started asking me what I wanted to do. I had just finished a record that was supposed to be for the Pussycat Dolls. I did the string arrangements and I produced it and they had cut it. He is a real string guy; he recut the strings that I played with a live orchestra. He was like, “The work on here is amazing!” The track would later appear on the reality TV group Girlicious’ album alongside music by wellknown Hip-Hop producers Jazze Pha, Ester Dean and Danjahandz. Rox: Technology has changed how artists interact. Do you think it spoils them? BLAQSMURPH: It does because you forget that you can actually go see people. You go download software for free, go sit in your

BLAQSMURPH bedroom, get yourself a microphone, record yourself a song, upload it on the Internet, send it out and email it to a couple people, Facebook, Myspace and you haven’t even left your house yet. I spent years doing that, I didn’t really start moving stuff until I went and looked people in the face. Rox: What pitfalls should artists coming from Toledo avoid while waiting for their phone call from top industry execs? BLAQSMURPH: The main thing that gets people messed up is, they are looking for the guy with the most diamonds. You never know who you’re talking to. True. As we continue on ... O

12 n FEB. 8, 2012 / TOLEDOFREEPRESS.COM

“I didn’t even know her name/But I was never gonna be the same” — “December 1963,” The Four Seasons

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Broadway actor and film star Franc D’Ambrosio brings his impressive voice to the area just in time for Valentine’s Day with a solo performance in Monroe and at the Tecumseh Center for the Arts (TCA). D’Ambrosio, a New York native, formerly held the title of the longest-running Phantom in “The Phantom of the Opera” for his portrayal of the masked antihero from 1994-99. Audience members will get to hear “Music of the Night,” his “absolute favorite” song from the Andrew Lloyd Webber show at D’Ambrosio’s Tecumseh performance. “I think [“Phantom”] is a true love story in the purest sense of love. The music is just so exquisite,” D’Ambrosio said. “People can relate to the character. How can one relate to a phantom? Well, you can relate to his plight … everyone has been loved, and everyone has been left and we all know the sting of that.” But before D’Ambrosio put on the famous mask, he was plucked from a chorus and chosen to appear in “The Godfather: Part III.” While D’Ambrosio was performing in “Sweeney Todd,” five talent scouts picked him for the part of opera-singing Anthony Corleone. D’Ambrosio also sang the movie’s Academy Award-winning song “Speak Softly Love.” Despite the big jump from being a chorusmember to a movie star, D’Ambrosio said he was unfazed. “It was different, interesting, I felt very comfortable; it felt to me like it was a challenge that I was ready for. I was too excited to be scared,” he recalled. After D’Ambrosio’s film debut, he studied under Luciano Pavarotti, a well-known tenor, for about three months in Italy. “That was really quite amazing for me,” D’Ambrosio said. That would not be his only experience with a famous tutor. After performing as the Phantom, D’Ambrosio went on to play the lead in Barry Manilow’s production, “Copacabana.” He considers himself a “little bit of a protégé” of Manilow. “[Manilow] taught me how to relate to the audience. He taught me how to be a solo entertainer as opposed to a Broadway singer,” D’Ambrosio said. D’Ambrosio will bring Manilow’s teachings to Tecumseh with his solo show, “Franc D’Ambrosio’s BROADWAY — Songs of The Great White Way.” The two-act show will feature many love songs, including tunes from “Phantom,” “Man of La Mancha” and “Les Misérables.” After the performance, D’Ambrosio will head to the Czech Republic for “Broadway On Ice,” where skaters move around live performers. “We’re quite the hit in Czech Republic. We’re selling out arenas,” D’Ambrosio said.

D’AMBROSIO D’Ambrosio will also spend time teaching at The Juilliard School this year. “I love, love, love to teach,” he said. “I see a lot of young people who think having these big, impressive voices is enough to sustain a career and nine out of 10 times, that’s not enough. “I give 150 percent as if it were opening night of a Broadway show [in each performance] and that’s one of the reasons I’ve lasted so long.” Between touring and teaching, D’Ambrosio doesn’t spend a lot of time at his Manhattan condo or San Francisco home. “[Being on the road] has been a part of my life since as long as I can remember. When I was home a week in New York, I didn’t unpack because I was so used to living out of my suitcase,” he said with a laugh. Tickets are $23 for seniors and children younger than 18 and $25 for general admission. Call (517) 423-6617 for information on $40 dinner packages at JR’s Hometown Grill & Pub. “Franc D’Ambrosio’s BROADWAY — Songs of The Great White Way” begins at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 11. TCA is at 400 N. Maumee St., Tecumseh. Visit www.thetca.org for more information. D’Ambrosio will also appear at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 10, River Raisin Centre for the Arts, 114 S. Monroe St., Monroe, Mich. $15-$25. Call (734) 242-7722 or visit www.riverraisincentre.org for more information. O

“Shame on you, your mama said, shame on you, you cried in bed” — “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” The Four Seasons

TOLEDOFREEPRESS.COM / FEB. 8, 2012 n 13

Toledo poets reunite for NAOMI House On Feb. 26, from 6-8 p.m., five of the original The Almeda Street Poets will offer a round-robinstyle poetry reading at Grounds for Thought coffeehouse in Bowling Green, to benefit NAOMI Transitional House in ToHACKNEY ledo. The show is free and open to the public. Poets Michael Hackney, Michael Kocinski, Adrian Lime, Jonie McIntire and Kerry Trautman will be joined by Jane Butler, Andrew Michael Field and Matt Sradeja. NAOMI Transitional House is a Toledo organization supporting women in transition out of

homelessness. The poets ask that anyone attending the reading or anyone interested in getting involved, please make donations of money or items that are in need. The Almeda Street Poets began as a collective KOCINSKI of poets living in the Toledo area who regularly met to share each other’s work in one member’s Almeda Street home in West Toledo. For more information about this event, contact Jonie McIntire at jonier.mcintire@ gmail.com. O — Staff Reports

Sidney Poitier film festival continues with ‘Edge’ In celebration of Black History Month, Way Library in Perrysburg is playing a series of Sidney Poitier films on Sundays in February. The 1955 film “Edge of the City” will be shown at 2 p.m. Feb. 12. Poitier POITIER and John Cassavetes star as two dockworkers who befriend each other on the job. This groundbreaking film, directed by

Martin Ritt, was one of the first to explore interracial friendship. The film will be shown in the lower-level auditorium of the library. No reservations are required. Admission and refreshments are free. Bowling Green State University instructor of cinematography Jose Cardenas will discuss the film afterwards. For more information call (419) 8743135. Other films in the series will be “Lilies of the Field” on Feb. 19 and “A Patch of Blue” on Feb. 26. O — Staff Reports

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Compiled by Whitney Meschke Events are subject to change.

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www.theblarneyirishpub.com. O Steve Kennedy: Feb. 9. O Toast & Jam: Feb. 10. O Pilot Radio: Feb. 11.

MUSIC

Blind Pig

The Ark This small venue offers a showcase for lesser-known acts. 316 S. Main St., Ann Arbor. (734) 761-1451, (734) 761-1800 or www.theark.org. O Girlyman, Edie Carey: 8 p.m. Feb. 8, $22.50. O William Fitzsimmons, Denison Witmer: 8 p.m. Feb. 9, $17. O Newfound Road: 8 p.m. Feb. 10, $15. O Mustard’s Retreat: 8 p.m. Feb. 11, $15. O My Folky Valentine: 7:30 p.m. Feb. 12, $15. O Miss Tess and the Bon Ton Parade: 8 p.m. Feb. 13, $15. O Solas: 8 p.m. Feb. 14, $17.50. O JT Nero, Allison Russell: 8 p.m. Feb. 15, $15.

Bar 145° This new venue features burgers, bands and bourbon, if its slogan is to be believed. 5304 Monroe St. (419) 593-0073 or bar145toledo.com. O Piano Wars: Feb. 8 and 15. O Down Stroke: Feb. 9. O The Bridges: Feb. 10-11.

BGSU performances The university’s ensembles, choirs, quartets and more — and their friends — will present the music they’ve been perfecting. Halls are located in Moore Musical Arts Center, Willard Drive and Ridge Street, Bowling Green. (419) 372-8171, (800) 589-2224, (419) 372-8888 or www.bgsu.edu/colleges/music. O Christopher O’Riley: preconcert lecture, 7:15 p.m. Feb. 11, Bryan Recital Hall; concert, 8 p.m., Kobacker Hall, $12-$30. O Trombone Choir: 8 p.m. Feb. 14, Bryan Recital Hall. O Faculty Composers Forum: 8 p.m. Feb. 15, Bryan Recital Hall.

The Blarney Irish Pub Catch local acts while taking in the pub’s modern Irish and American fare. 601 Monroe St. (419) 418-2339 or

LIVE MUSIC THIS WEEK AT

”Now think what the future would be with a poor boy like me” — “Dawn,” The Four Seasons

A variety of rock, soul, pop and alternative acts perform at this bar. 208 S. First St., Ann Arbor. $3-$20 unless noted. (734) 996-8555 or blindpigmusic.com. O Karaoke: 9:30 p.m. Mondays, no cover. O OCD Moosh, Twist, Logic: 8 p.m. Feb. 8. O Cornmeal: 9 p.m. Feb. 9. O Heroes on Parade, Jack & the Bear, Undesirable People, VP: 9:30 p.m. Feb. 10. O The Love Bang! 9:30 p.m. Feb. 11. O The Static Dial, Fair Enough, Claremont: 9:30 p.m. Feb. 14. O Veronica Falls, Brilliant Colors, Swimsuit: 9:30 p.m. Feb. 15.

Bronze Boar Be sure to check out this Warehouse District tavern’s namesake, overhead near the entrance. 20 S. Huron St. (419) 244-2627 or www.bronzeboar.com. O Open mic: Wednesdays, Thursdays and Mondays. O Luke James: Tuesdays. O Stonehouse: Feb. 10. O Wood, May, Rowell Band: Feb. 11. O Mojopin: Feb. 17.

Caesars Windsor If you have your passport, consider hopping the Detroit River for this casino’s entertainment offerings. Ticket prices, in Canadian dollars, are for the cheapest seats; attendees must be 19 or older. Caesars Windsor Colosseum, 377 Riverside Dr. East, Windsor, Ontario. (800) 991-7777 or www.caesarswindsor.com. O Air Supply: 9 p.m. Feb. 10, $20. O Bill Medley: 9 p.m. Feb. 17, $20.

Cheetah’s Den A different band performs each week. 702 E. Broadway St. (419) 754-1903. O DJ Lamont: Tuesdays. O Devious: Thursdays (also open mic night)-Saturdays.

Clazel Theater

dinner, wine and dessert for two.

This venue has been rocking BGSU students (and others) for years. 127 N. Main St., Bowling Green. (419) 353-5000 or www.clazel.net. O itsnotyouitsme: 8 p.m. Feb. 8-9, free. O Kitty Glitter, Solar Eight, a Gun for Hire, Dianna Chittensdale: 9 p.m. Feb. 16, free. O Fire & Ice 2012 featuring Bourbon Street Band: 7 p.m. Feb. 17, $25. Wood County American Red Cross: (419) 352-4575.

O Leo Darrington: Feb. 16. O Cynthia Kaay-Bennett: 7:30 p.m. Feb. 17-18.

Club Soda This university hot spot from back in the day features ’80s and ’90s dance music by live bands on Fridays and Saturdays. 3922 Secor Road. (419) 473-0062 or www. toledoclubsoda.com. O Noisy Neighbors: Feb. 10-11. O The Polka Zone: 3-7 p.m. Feb. 12.

Dégagé Jazz Café Signature drinks, such as pumpkin martinis, plus live local jazz performers. 301 River Road, Maumee. $5 weekends for cafe seating. (419) 794-8205 or www.degagejazzcafe.com. O Gene Parker & Friends: 7-10 p.m. Feb. 8 and 15. O Jason Quick: Feb. 9. O Morgen Steigler Group: 7:30 p.m. Feb. 10-11. O Estar Cohen Quartet: 7 p.m. Feb. 14, $100 includes

This Thursday, Feb. 9th:

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The Distillery Karaoke is offered Tuesdays, but paid entertainers rock out Wednesdays-Saturdays. 4311 Heatherdowns Blvd. (419) 382-1444 or www.thedistilleryonline.com. O DJ Mark EP: Thursdays. O Kyle White: Feb. 8. O MAS FiNA: Feb. 10. O My Sister Sarah: Feb. 11 O The Eight-Fifteens: Feb. 15.

Doc Watson’s Named in honor of the owners’ forefather, this bar and restaurant serves a variety of dishes and entertainment. 1515 S. Byrne Road. (419) 389-6003 or docwatsonstoledo.com. O DFR: 10 p.m. Feb. 10. O John Barile and Bobby May: 10 p.m. Feb. 11.

Duncan’s 938 W. Laskey Road (419) 720-4320. O Open stage with Buzz Anderson and Frostbite: Wednesdays. O Scotty Rock: Sundays.

This Friday and Saturday, Feb. 10th & 11th:

The Bridges

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“Told my girl we’d have to break up/Hoped that she would call my bluff” — “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” The Four Seasons Frankie’s Inner City Toledo’s venue for rock. 308 Main St. Tickets vary between $5 and $15, unless noted. (419) 693-5300 or www. FrankiesInnerCity.com. O Abby Ray, Lesson 21: 9 p.m. Feb. 9. O Sworn Secrecy, Cavalcade: 9 p.m. Feb. 10. O Mouth Sewn Shut: 9 p.m. Feb. 10. O T-Town Dubstep, Konkrete Jungle: 9 p.m. Feb. 11. O Blue Felix: 8 p.m. Feb. 14. O The Toasters, El Blanco Diablo, Ego & the Maniacs: 8 p.m. Feb. 15.

French Quarter J. Pat’s Pub Live entertainment after 9:30 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays. Holiday Inn French Quarter, 10630 Fremont Pike, Perrysburg. (419) 874-3111 or www.hifq.com. O Luke James & the Thieves: Feb. 10-11.

Greektown Casino-Hotel Three stages — at Shotz Sports Bar, Eclipz Ultra Lounge and Asteria — offer competition for gamblers’ attention. 555 E. Lafayette Blvd., Detroit. No cover charge, unless noted; guests must be 21 or older. (888) 771-4386 or www. greektowncasino.com. O Karaoke: 9:30 p.m. Thursdays, Shotz. O DJ Zig Zag: 9:30 p.m. Saturdays, Shotz. O DJ Lee J: 9 p.m. Sundays, Shotz. O IKHONZ: 9:30 p.m. Feb. 10, Eclipz. O The Hips: 9:30 p.m. Feb. 10, Shotz; 9:30 p.m. Feb. 11, Eclipz. O Howard Glazer: 8 p.m. Feb. 10 and 17, Asteria. O Inside Out: 8 p.m. Feb. 11, Asteria.

Grounds for Thought This BG coffeehouse serves a mean brew of blues, jazz, rock and more by the world famous and locally renowned in an intimate setting. 174 S. Main St., Bowling Green. (419) 3543266 or www.groundsforthought.com. O Live jazz: Feb. 11, 18 and 25.

The Happy Badger This shop features fair trade foods and natural products, including talent, which will be featured in a series of musical brunches and dinnertime entertainment. 331 N. Main St., Bowling Green. (419) 352-0706 or www.happybadger.com. O Chris Buzzelli and friends: 12:30-2:30 p.m. Feb. 11.

Howard’s Club H Bowling Green comes alive at this venue for rock and more. Doors typically open at 9, with the show starting an hour later. 210 N. Main St., Bowling Green. (419) 352-3195 or www.howardsclubh.com. O All Hip-Hop Night: Feb. 9.

ICE Restaurant & Bar This local, family-owned enterprise offers food, drinks and

music in a sleek atmosphere. 405 Madison Ave. $5 cover. (419) 246-3339 or icerestaurantandbar.com. O Jerome Clark: 6 p.m. Feb. 9. O Mike Fisher: 8 p.m. Feb. 10. O Dan and Don: 8 p.m. Feb. 11 and 17.

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This “slice of the Big Apple” in the Glass City provides entertainment most weekends. 1516 Adams St. (419) 243-6675 or www.manhattanstoledo.com. O Open mic: 9 p.m. Monday nights. O Jam session hosted by Tom Turner & Slow Burn: 9 p.m. Tuesdays. O Cliff Millimen: 7 p.m. Feb. 8. O Dick Lange Trio: 6 p.m. Feb. 9. O Post Modern Blues Band: 9 p.m. Feb. 10. O Andrew Ellis & Lucky Lemont: 9 p.m. Feb. 11.

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Mickey Finn’s Pub A variety of genres to wash your drinks down with. Open mic nights, 8 p.m. Wednesdays, no cover; $5-$7 cover other nights. 602 Lagrange St. (419) 246-3466 or www. mickeyfinnspub.com. O Open mic: 8 p.m. Wednesdays. O Decent Folk: 9:30 p.m. Feb. 9 and 16, free. O Minglewood Labor Camp: 9:30 p.m. Feb. 10. O The Lux: 9:30 p.m. Feb. 11. O Violet Lights: 9:30 p.m. Feb. 17.

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Motor City Casino/Hotel This casino’s Sound Board offers big names, big sounds and a big experience. 2901 Grand River Ave., Detroit. Guests must be 21 or older. (866) 782-9622 or www.motorcitycasino.com. O The Whispers: 8 p.m. Feb. 9, $38-$40. O Manhattan Transfer, Slight Return: 8 p.m. Feb. 16, $30-$33. The casino’s Chromatics Lounge also features live performances. O Freddie James: 7 p.m. Feb. 8-9, 10 p.m. Feb. 10, 5:15 p.m. Feb. 11. O Ani: 5:15 p.m. Feb. 10.

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Motor City Casino/Hotel (cont.)

”Some day the sun will shine on me” — “Big Man in Town,” The Four Seasons

O Quick Trio: Feb. 11. O Skip Turner Band: Feb. 17.

O Serieux: 10 p.m. Feb. 11. O Nightline: 3:30 p.m. Feb. 12. O Reefer Men: 7 p.m. Feb. 13. O Hidden Agenda: 7 p.m. Feb. 14.

151 on the Water The former home of Murphy’s has reinvented itself as “Toledo’s only Chicago-style restaurant and music cafe.” 151 Water St. (419) 725-2151 or www.151onthewater.com. O The Good, the Bad & the Blues: Feb. 9. O The Cheeks: Feb. 10-11. O C.J. Manning: Feb. 14.

Omni This club is a venue for music (and music lovers) of all types. 2567 W. Bancroft St. (419) 535-6664 or omnimidwest.com. O Contracode, Edgewater Drive, Remember the Dead, Stranger Danger: Feb. 10. O Shadows in Red, Cold Conspiracy, Tirade: 7:30 p.m. Feb. 11, $5-$7.

Ottawa Tavern Casual meals with weekend entertainment. 1815 Adams St. (419) 725-5483 or www.otavern.com. O Univox, the Forest: 10 p.m. Feb. 9. O Victor Villareal, Meryll, the Saw Had Eyes That Sea: 10 p.m. Feb. 13. O The Saturday Giant: 10 p.m. Feb. 15.

One2 Lounge at Treo Live music starts at 7:30 p.m. 5703 Main St., Sylvania. (419) 882-2266 or treosylvania.com. O MightHaveBen: Feb. 10.

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Our Brothers Place

Uptown Night Club

Take in a movie with margaritas on Mondays, or laugh at Thursday comedy nights … but music takes center stage most nights. 233 N. Huron St. www.ourbrothersplace.com. O Wayne: 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays. O Disc jockey: Fridays. O Smooth jazz and R&B: Saturdays and Tuesdays. O Karaoke with Walt McNeal: 4 p.m. Sundays.

Rewired presents The Carnival at 9 p.m. Wednesdays. 160 N. Main St., Bowling Green. (419) 352-9310 or uptowndowntownbg.com.

Pizza Papalis Get slices with a topping of entertainment. 519 Monroe St. (419) 244-7722 or www.pizzapapalis.com. O Ryan Dunlop: Feb. 10. O Anthony & Allan: Feb. 11.

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Woodchucks The place to go for an eclectic mix of people and music. 224 S. Erie St. (419) 241-3045. O Constricted, Slug, Truth Ascension: Feb. 17.

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With its focus on swing music, Jeff McDonald’s group of musicians provides a peek into another era, with music from bandleaders such as Benny Goodman, Glenn Miller, the Dorseys and more. With combos from trio to full orchestra, the performers provide music for all occasions. (419) 7080265, (419) 874-0290 or www.swingmania.org. O Swing Revival Party: 8 p.m. Thursdays, South Briar Restaurant, 5147 S. Main St., Sylvania. (419) 517-1111 or (419) 708-0265. O Big Band All Stars: Dancing is encouraged. 8-10:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Trotter’s Tavern, 5131 Heatherdowns Blvd. (419) 381-2079 or (419) 708-0265. O Big band swing concert: 7-8:30 p.m. Feb. 17, Sullivan Center, Bancroft Street and Parkside Boulevard.

This sushi bar offers occasional entertainment to accompany the fishy dishes. 7130 Airport Hwy. (419) 720-9333 or spicytunasushi.com. O Karaoke: 10 p.m. Saturdays. O Kyle White: 6-10 p.m. Feb. 9.

Stella’s Nouveau cuisine gets a helping of music Thursdays through Saturdays. 104 Louisiana Ave., Perrysburg. (419) 873-8360 or www.stellasrestaurantandbar.com. O C.J. and Company: Thursdays and Fridays. O Brian Bocian: Feb. 11.

Table Forty 4 Upscale dining plus live entertainment is a welcome combination. Bands start at 6 p.m. Fridays and 9 p.m. Saturdays. 610 Monroe St. (419) 725-0044 or www.tableforty4.com. O John Barile and Bobby May: 6 p.m. Feb. 10 and 17.

Tequila Sheila’s This corner bar-type hangout bills itself as “Downtown’s hip-hop spot.” 702 Monroe St. Variable cover prices. (419) 241-1118. O YungProf Edwards Jr., Hatashifresh Princemoore, Kalyz P. Mansyn, OhighO’s Pysyn, mat Smiddy (smiddy): 10 p.m. Feb. 10. O The Lover’s Day Soiree; performers include Shanielle Kimble, Erin Wright, Gutta Dave, Tracy Haynes and Laketisha Floyd: 9 p.m. Feb. 11. O Valentine’s Day party featuring James Flames, DeaconFrost, Unique the Good, Out Spoke, Dime Dimension, DOE Boy, Money Watuiz: Feb. 14.

Country and rock with a little “Coyote Ugly” style. 3150 Navarre Ave., Oregon. (419) 691-8880 or www.yeehas.com. O Ladies Night: Feb. 10. O The Websters: Feb. 11. O DJ Heat: Feb. 17.

Swingmania

Atlanta Rhythm Section  The ’70s-era band known for songs such as “So Into You,” “Imaginary Lover” and “Not Gonna Let It Bother Me Tonight” will take the stage. 7:30 p.m. Feb. 10, Meyer Theater, La-Z-Boy Center, Monroe County Community College, 1555 S. Raisinville Road, Monroe, Mich. (734) 384-4274 or www.monroeccc.edu/theater.

Chamber Ensemble of the Shanghai Chinese Orchestra

According to the University Musical Society, this group “provides a window into the traditional Chinese classical music that dates back many centuries.” 8 p.m. Feb. 10, University of Michigan, Rackham Auditorium, 915 E. Washington St., Ann Arbor. $18-$38. (734) 7642538 or ums.org.

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What began as an antique store in Chicago turned into a string of more than 200 eateries nationwide, including Toledo. All of the shops feature live music. 4038 Talmadge Road. (419) 725-5037 or www.potbelly.com. O Don Coats: 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Wednesdays. O Alex Kenzie: 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Fridays. O Tom Drummonds: 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Tuesdays.

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TOLEDOFREEPRESS.COM / FEB. 8, 2012 n 19

Franc D’Ambrosio’s BROADWAY A lengthy run portraying the titular character from “The Phantom of the Opera” earned D’Ambrosio the nickname of “the Iron Man of the Mask”; he’ll perform songs from that musical and others from the Great White Way. O 7:30 p.m. Feb. 10, River Raisin Centre for the Arts, 114 S. Monroe St., Monroe. $15-$25. (734) 242-7722 or www. riverraisincentre.org. O 7:30 p.m. Feb. 11, Tecumseh Center for the Arts, 400 N. Maumee St., Tecumseh. $23-$25. (517) 423-6617 or www.thetca.org.

Valentine’s at the Valentine The Toledo Jazz Orchestra will perform music from the big band era (Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Tommy Dorsey) for ballroom dancing. “Strolling dinner” by Mancy’s and dessert are included. 7-10 p.m. Feb. 11, Valentine Theatre, 400 N. Superior St. $100. (419) 242-2787 or www.thetoledojazzorchestra.com.

“From Vienna to Paris to New York” The Toledo Opera gala will feature vocalists Laura Pederson, Marcy Richardson, Nora Graham-Smith, Cody Austin and Michael Krzankowski, conducted by Stefan Sanderling in works by Beethoven, Bizet and Bernstein. 8 p.m. Feb. 11, Toledo Museum of Art Peristyle, 2445 Monroe St. $25-$65; after party, $25. (419) 255-7464 or www.toledoopera.org.

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Cathedral concert Organist Paul Monachino will perform works by Bach, Widor and Mendelssohn and arrangements of early American hymns. 3 p.m. Feb. 12, Our Lady, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary Cathedral, 2535 Collingwood Blvd. (419) 244-6711, ext. 508, or www.toledodiocese.org/ index.php/cathedral-music/cathedral-concerts.

13–18 MONTHS

“Super Why Saves the Day” WGTE will help the Toledo Symphony Orchestra put on this Family Series concert featuring young readers’ favorite friends — Red, Pig, Princess and Whyatt. 2 p.m. Feb. 12, Toledo Museum of Art Peristyle, 2445 Monroe St. $20-$25. (800) 348-1253 or www.toledosymphony.com.

7–12 MONTHS

UT concerts The university’s music students and friends will perform the pieces they’ve been perfecting. (419) 530-2452 or www. utoledo.edu/as/music. O Guest pianist Peter Amstutz: 3 p.m. Feb. 12, Center for Performing Arts Recital Hall, Tower View Boulevard and West Campus Drive. O Jazz Night: 7:30 p.m. Feb. 13, Crystal’s Lounge, Ramada Hotel & Conference Center, 3536 Secor Road. $3$5. (419) 535-7070. O Jazz Valentine Dinner Dance: 8 p.m. Feb. 14, Ramada Hotel & Conference Center, 3536 Secor Road. $25-$80. (419) 530-2452.

Scholars of a Different Note This concert series features BGSU vocal and instrumental music students. 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Wildwood Preserve Metropark Manor House, 5100 W. Central Ave. (419) 407-9700 or metroparkstoledo.com. O Alan Smith’s cello students: Feb. 14.

Black History Month Blues Series The roots of American music are explored in this series of performances and talks. (734) 214-5277 or www. mymcls.com/blues.htm. O Lovefest 2012 featuring Shari Kane, Big Dave Steele, Rachael Davis and Dominic John: 7 p.m. Feb. 14, Dorsch Memorial Branch Library, 18 E. First St., Monroe. O Moozapalooza with Farmer John: 7 p.m. Feb. 15, Ellis Library & Reference Center, 3700 S. Custer Road, Monroe. O

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“I gave you love, girl, and got nothing in return” — “Tell It To The Rain,” The Four Seasons

LOVE STRUCK By Sarah Ottney TOLEDO FREE PRESS SPECIAL SECTIONS EDITOR sottney@toledofreepress.com

No matter what your dating status, organizers of a Valentine’s Day event featuring spoken word, instrumental jazz and vocal performances from area entertainers say they can make your night memorable. LOVE STRUCK, part of a series called Poetry & SOUL, will be hosted at the Downtown eatery Our Brothers Place, 233 N. Huron St., starting at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 14 Organizers Rhonda B. Sewell (aka RB Holiday) and Lonnie J. Hamilton regularly sponsor art and music events with an aim to edify, inspire and rejuvenate the heart, mind, body and soul, according to their Facebook page. The events are typically held the fourth Friday of the month at Our Brothers Place. “Whether you are happily single, dating, engaged or married, we guarantee you will not find a more romantic and soulful way to spend your Valentine’s Day,” stated a news release about the event. “Join us for a beautiful candlelit evening sure to arouse the senses and the soul, and bring out the Aphrodite and Eros in us all.” Cost is $5. VIP access, which features a no-

Valentine’s Day event features jazz and poetry.

wait entrance, reserved seating in front and a complimentary glass of champagne, is also available for $10 per individual or $15 per couple. The evening will begin at 7:30 p.m. with a Mingle for Single mixer, featuring champagne, icebreakers, WILLIAMS dancing and socializing. At 8:30 p.m., comedian Kool Keith (Keith Cook) will host an Open Mic Flow. Starting at 9 p.m., the entertainment lineup will include: O A spoken word performance from Kesha Machaterre of Toledo, who VATES performs under the moniker Azucar, and is “a gifted and smooth spoken word artist, whose melodic flow is sure to take you deeper and heighten your romantic mood,” according to the release. O Poets Brooke Campbell and Tavon Patterson, who “will bring sweet, romantic and po-

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TOLEDOFREEPRESS.COM / FEB. 8, 2012 n 21

etic words from a couple’s point of view.” O Vocalist Tracy “TheRareBreed” Haynes of Toledo, who will offer a miniconcert featuring an “intimate, romantic and soul-stirring performance” that will “croon you deeper into the romantic mood.” O Smooth jazz saxophonist Deon Yates of Detroit, who will offer “a flawless sound that will open up the floodgates of romance in your soul.” O Spoken word artist L. Jermaine, whose “sensual flow promises to pull your heart, mind, body, and soul all the way into romance.” O Vocalist Leah Williams of Toledo, who sings and composes music that combines jazz and neo-soul with classical influence. Williams, who has performed at several Poetry & SOUL events, said they are popular. “It’s been standing room only every time they’ve done it,” said Williams, who recently released a seven-song CD called “Opus I: Love Is…” and said her musical influences include Nina Simone and Billie Holiday. “I hope I leave people with a great feeling, whether it’s bringing them to remember the great things about their relationship or giving them hope that love is still out there, or just enjoying the show and being glad they

came out,” Williams said. The event will also include stepping and dancing to DJ Big Trav as well as giveaways for men, women and couples, including items from Victoria’s Secret, Bath & Body Works, a book of poetry and a romantic date night. For more information, call Our Brothers Place at (419) 244-5552 or search “Poetry & SOUL Vol. III” on Facebook. O

Group to offer singing valentines

Members of a local a capella men’s chorus will deliver singing valentines to loved ones on Feb. 14. Quartets from the Voices of Harmony chorus, part of the nonprofit Northwest Ohio chapter of the Barbershop Harmony Society, will deliver a love song in four-part harmony as well as a rose and personalized card for $40. The chorus can also deliver a song and personalized message over the phone for $10. The group typically delivers between 40 and 50 singing valentines in Northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan each year, said Jonathan Bell, co-chair of the fundraiser. To schedule a delivery, call 888-741-SING (7464). For more information, visit www.thevoicesofharmony.org. — Sarah Ottney

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22 n FEB. 8, 2012 / TOLEDOFREEPRESS.COM

“I can see/There ain’t no room for me” — “Opus 17 (Don’t Worry ‘Bout Me),” The Four Seasons

Celebrate Valentine’s Day with literature By John Dorsey Toledo Free Press Star Poetry Editor jdorsey@toledofreepress.com

Do you remember having to make your own Valentine’s Day cards in school? For most people that experience may well have been their first adventure in the ever-complicated game of love. I get sweaty palms just thinking about the whole ordeal. It may have also been your first attempt at turning a few simple terms of endearment into poetry. I have to admit, when I first started seriously writing poems it was with the silly notion that it might be a good way to pick up girls. Here I am at 35, some 20 years later, and I fully expect to spend the holiday microwaving a Dinty Moore dinner for one while listening to some overly emo indie rock. You win some, you lose some. Maybe I should start working on a new batch valentines. For those who haven’t completely given up, I may just have your romantic fix a few days early. Anyone who has paid attention to Toledo’s literary community in the past year knows about the readings being organized by Tara Lyn Armstrong, first at the Glass City Café and now at Olive Street Studios. Armstrong’s next event is an evening of erotic literature titled “Crave: An Erotic Literature Event.” The event features Armstrong, Cherie Bullock, Matthew Desmond, Ashley Eichner, Courtney Fillion, Rebecca Golden, Aaron Hensley, Arnold Koester, Leonard Kress, Douglas Lutman, Jonie McIntire, Gregory Peters and Kayla Williams.

Armstrong describes the reading as “a slew of the Glass City’s salacious slingers of sensual speech as they share words about carnal experiences, thoughts, ideas and processes.” For all my grumblings to the contrary, do you want to know why Valentine’s Day has been and will always remain my favorite holiday? It’s because for one day a year poetry gets to be part of popular culture; we get to wear our hearts on our sleeves without them having to be force fed to us by some Hollywood romcom or reality television show that cheapens the whole romantic experience. While an evening of erotic literature may not be the same thing as a classic tale of true love, it at least keeps the blood pumping, it keeps our hearts beating in our chests and proves that we are still alive, one night of steamy passion at a time. “Crave” is set to sweep you off your feet at Olive Street Studios on Feb. 10. The reading will run from 8-11 p.m. Olive Street Studios is at 252 Ottawa St. The event is for those ages 18 and older. For more information visit the event page at www. facebook.com/#!/events/309981112376591/ Looking for other romantic ideas? Why not skip the flowers and find that perfect book filled with sweet nothings, hopefully of the non-Fabio variety. Until next time ... keep your pencil sharp. O John Dorsey resides in Toledo’s Old West End. His work is widely published and has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize.

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Miracle Mile

By Lynne Walker, Toledo

The Miracle Mile Drive-In has been torn down No more beer, popcorn, steamy windows, rocking romance. There were a thousand babies conceived in that lot, a thousand teens saved from parenthood by flashlights. “Let’s see your heads.” Countless broken bottles, promises, hearts. I was broken in there. The Drive-In is gone. The Miracle Ballroom is a redneck bar, the White Hut, a shopping strip. My dad used to talk like this about nickel beers and free lunches. Why should I be sentimental? The son-of-a-bitch who seduced and abandoned me turned out to be a common little guy with three kids. He mows his Texas lawn with a push mower and trims around the sidewalk with fingernail scissors.

Suncatchers (For Etheridge Knight) By Lynne Walker, Toledo

(Previously published in the Essential Big Red)

Certain people attract heartaches and troubles. It’s nothing they do, it’s something they are. They are roosters in a yard full of banty hens. They are colorful, arouse jealousy. Things happen that they don’t generate. They stick their necks out,

don’t mean to strut. It is their nature never to be bored or content. They scratch out their jerky elegant dance. Too good for their own good, they catch hell. They catch sun.

Downsized

By Jonie McIntire, Toledo

Watch a bird and imagine feathers, their feel in the breeze, your feet dangling below you. Imagine the wet push of clouds, the blissful confusion. Do not concern yourself Editor’s Note

with rocks, constantly bumbling the stream, or water and its engulfing rant. Under your arms, air holds you without changing the reach of your wings

For this edition I attempted to select pieces that felt somehow romantic, with more than a little heartbreak mixed in. As always, send questions, comments, and concerns to glasscitymuse1@yahoo.com. We are currently seeking submissions. — John Dorsey

“I’ll forgive you anything/You can’t help the things you do” — “Fallen Angel,” The Four Seasons

TOLEDOFREEPRESS.COM / FEB. 8, 2012 n 23

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10400 Airport Hwy. (1.2 Mi. East of the Aiport)

Lunch & Dinner, 11 a.m. to Midnight Closed Sundays & Holidays

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24 n FEB. 8, 2012 / TOLEDOFREEPRESS.COM

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Catch “Jedi of Pop Culture” Jeff McGinnis on Tuesday mornings on 92.5 KISS-FM.

Best Picture nominees, Pt.1 I

A publication of Toledo Free Press, LLC, Vol.3, No. 6 Established 2010. Thomas F. Pounds, President/Publisher tpounds@toledofreepress.com Michael S. Miller, Editor in Chief mmiller@toledofreepress.com EDITORIAL

Mary Ann Stearns, Design Editor mastearns@toledofreepress.com James A. Molnar, Lead Designer jmolnar@toledofreepress.com Sarah Ottney, Special Sections Editor sottney@toledofreepress.com Jeff McGinnis, Pop Culture Editor PopGoesJeff@gmail.com Whitney Meschke, Web Editor news@toledofreepress.com ADMINISTRATION

Pam Burson, Business Manager pburson@toledofreepress.com CONTRIBUTORS star@toledofreepress.com Jim Beard • Amy Campbell • Zach Davis John Dorsey • Matt Feher • Jerry Gray Dustin Hostetler • Stacy Jurich Vicki L. Kroll • lilD • Martini • Jason Mack Rachel Richardson Julie Webster • Don Zellers

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(419) 241-1700 news@toledofreepress.com

Toledo Free Press Star is published every Wednesday by Toledo Free Press, LLC, 605 Monroe St., Toledo, OH 43604 • (419) 241-1700 Fax: (419) 241-8828 www.toledofreepress.com. Subscription rate: $100 /year. Reproduction or use of editorial or graphic content in any manner without permission is strictly prohibited. Copyright 2012 with all rights reserved. Publication of ads does not imply endorsement of goods or services.

t’s always been my goal to see all the films nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards before the Oscar ceremony. Of course, this was a little less complicated back in the days of only five nominees (ah, those nostalgic times of three years ago). Now, as fans are tasked with seeing up to 10 films, those who can say they’ve seen JEFF them all have become rare; rarer still if you hadn’t had the chance to catch any of them in their initial theatrical runs — like, say, me. Yeah, I’ve been busy. Sigh. So, in an effort to catch up, I have made it my business to see all nine of this year’s nominees in the space of about two weeks. (For those who are as crazy as me and are also interested in doing so, five of the films are still showing in theaters in the Toledo area and the other four are available on DVD.) Here are my reactions to the first four I’ve screened — the last five are coming next week! O “The Descendants.” Alexander Payne’s film about a man (George Clooney) whose wife has slipped into a coma, and the life he’s trying to piece together in her wake, starts out a little awkwardly, with a bit too much narration and exposition. But as it progresses, taking viewers down new paths and building its tale of a father reconnecting with his daughters, the film finds its footing and becomes very compelling. Clooney’s performance as a man whose life wasn’t all he thought it was is subtle and involving, and though the film doesn’t really build to a grand emotional climax, it doesn’t have to — we get the sense that life will go on, and for these characters, who we’ve grown to like and care about, that’s enough. It’s not quite the equal of Payne’s great film “Sideways,” but it’s a fine piece of work in its own right. (Now showing at Rave Franklin Park 16 and Rave Levis Commons 12.) O “The Tree of Life.” Many find Terrence Malick’s film so obtuse it’s practically unwatchable. Admittedly, any film with a scope so broad it includes the dawn of creation and the end of life is a little out there. But what I saw was a movie that uses the whole of existence to underscore the power and importance of just a few lives — a family in the mid-20th century. It tells a striking narrative in an unusual way, with a key performance by Brad Pitt. The end result is not conventional, to be sure, but it’s mysterious and involving. It’s arranged not like a film, really, but like a musical composition — when I caught onto the flow of the film’s construction, I realized I was witnessing a symphony of existence, filtered through one tale of adolescence. It may be unique and somewhat odd, but it’s also very beautiful. (Now on DVD.)

O “Hugo.” Only Martin Scorsese could have made a family film like this, yet it’s nothing like you’d expect a family film by Scorsese to be. A lyrical and enchanting tale set in a place that’s part Paris and part fantasy, this tale of a young boy who lives in the walls of a train station is a valentine to art of all kinds, filled with stirring images and moments. It is the sort of movie to savor every detail. As a film outside of Scorsese’s usual demographic, it most likely will appeal more to the adults in the audience than the kids, but it’s filled with enough delights — both visual and storytelling — to enthrall children as well. And through remarkable effects, an artist of Scorsese’s talent is almost able to make 3-D seem viable again. Almost. The best of the nominated films I’ve seen so far. (Now showing at Rave Franklin Park 16 and Rave Fallen Timbers 14.)

mCGINNIS

POP GOES THE

CULTURE

Reviewing every film up for the big Oscar prize.

O “The Help.” At one point about halfway through Tate Taylor’s film about AfricanAmerican maids in the 1960s South, Octavia Spencer’s feisty Minny turns to Emma Stone’s Skeeter and asks something like, “Why do you think we need your help to tell our story?” By that point, I was thinking the same thing. For all the movie wants to believe it’s telling a progressive tale of hardship and redemption, when you get to its core, here’s yet another movie where the problems of an oppressed minority are fought for mostly by the hero, an attractive white person. There are indeed some powerful moments here, all provided by Spencer and Viola Davis, whose performance generates true emotion. But these high points are diluted by useless side plots, broadly written moments of comic “payback” and a cartoonish villainess, Hilly, played by Bryce Dallas Howard. Real racism in this era was far more subtle and institutionalized than Hilly makes it seem, and as a result, much more complicated and evil than a “feel-good” movie like this can depict. The end result is a film that doesn’t come close to doing justice to the subjects it tries to cover. (Now on DVD.) O Email Toledo Free Press Star Pop Culture Editor Jeff McGinnis at PopGoesJeff@gmail.com.

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”I’d change her sad rags into glad rags if I could.” — “Rag Doll,” The Four Seasons