REVIEW: Panic! At the Disco, The Falling Leaves and Satoshi Dáte.

REVIEW: Panic! At the Disco, The Falling Leaves and Satoshi Dáte.

Retro is big again…in fact, it always was!

Today's review is about the past the present and the future. If you haven't noticed from the last review, there tends to be a thematic squiggle that wiggles its way into the conversation. I'm like that. Great art is thematic, regardless of whether its music or dance or painting or photography or drama or writing or anything. It reaches out and touches us, touches something deep within our souls, tapping into our hidden needs or fears or frailties. If it doesn't resonant, then it's just so much noise that we push into the background. So, when I speak about something being compelling, something commanding me to sit down and actual listen even through a bad download, then you know that I mean that yes, it found its mark—it made me pay attention by finding something in me that responded.

Any art in any form can do that to any of us. True, most of us are raised with blinders on, preconceived notions about what we ought to like and ought to hate. We hear terms like rap and some of us go, "oh, I don't like rap," regardless of whether we have actually heard any before. Or we go, "I like the classics or jazz." I guarantee you that I could probably find something in the classics or jazz arena that you hate—so that just means what? It means you like certain classical pieces, certain jazz tunes. So doesn't that mean you'll also like certain pop tunes, or rap tunes or maybe a particular piece of art, even if you do have to go to a museum to see it? Or maybe, you'll like street art and not always see it as just graffiti. Maybe you're from "the hood," so to speak but you discover that you love watching ballet and you want to do that. There's nothing wrong with that—there's nothing less macho or sellout about liking anything that resonates with you. (Besides, dance conditioning is actually a lot tougher than other sports conditioning, including football!)

It's called being true to yourself and you need to listen and be open-minded. Something in you NEEDS that thing you're drawn to and hopefully that something is going to be a positive influence on you. (So don’t justify illegal or violent behavior by saying it was just "in" you or that you "needed" it. That's anger about something you do need being acted out in a way designed to NOT get you the thing you really need but rather hurt other people so that you don't feel so insecure and small all the time. …and we are not going there.)

But back to this review, why am I reviewing Panic! At the Disco? Everyone already knows about them, everybody reviews them, ten percent of the people on MySpace have already been to their site and listened to them! They're all over the media, MTV, magazines, you name it. So why?

Because I see them in a different way, that's why, and yet, also, probably the same way as everyone else as well. I listen and I watch. Most of all, I remember the past when I see them and see the parallels. Then I hear a group like The Falling Leaves and realize the parallel is there as well, as it is with Satoshi Dáte's paintings. What has a painter got to do with an internationally known rock/indie/big beat band and a relatively unknown British powerpop/big beat/shoegaze band? Ah! Therein, lies today's review.

Originally, the review was going to be three visual artists rather than one painter and two bands, but two of the artists contacted didn't bother to get back to me. It happens, especially on the internet, and after all, it's just an online blog review, now isn't it? Nothing special, just someone wanting to talk about your work but not anyone or anything important like the New Yorker—something with status? Or is it? This is the internet after all, where identity is fluid and you need to be careful whom you talk to or what you say. Not everyone you meet is what he or she seems. Everyone on the 'Net has had some experience with predators if they stay online long enough—either sexual predators or trolls, so it's always wise to be careful about what you say or how much you reveal. Your image online is just as important as your image offline and that leads me right back into the arts since presentation is just as important as the technique itself.

Consistency and innovation, complexity/compelling theme…this runs throughout all great art and great artists. Personally, I want to see consistency because it shows hard work, dedication and passion for what an artist does. Anything less and you may simply have a one hit wonder on your hands rather than a professional artist, and I do mean "professional," regardless of whether they've ever earned a dime. As you might expect though, consistency is just part of it. Presentation is another part.

So, you ask? The music is the main thing for a musician, the only thing, right? Wrong. Media convergence has always been a part of music. Why bother with eye catching graphics on a CD, or going on tour so that fans can hear you live? Tell Pink Floyd that the story they would tell in their music didn't require a BIG SHOW, something visually compelling to add to the overall effect and help convey the message of the music.

It goes beyond music. Go to a movie without music or without sound even. It can be done, of course, but obviously, it's not what most people prefer. Go to a dance recital without music. Go to an art exhibit and realize that the curator and the artist both labored hours to figure out exactly how to present the work to give it the most impact. Presentation is part of it—the visual and the audio are intertwined, converged, merged and creating a greater whole, not detracting from the other. Together the presentation of the whole creates a greater experience than the individual components. (And yes, we're going to stay with only two of the five human senses in this article. Sight and Sound.)

So what's all this got to do with Panic! At the Disco or The Falling Leaves or the paintings of Satoshi? Everything. Each is taking something from history and adding to it, whether it be the influences of the seventies and eighties or the classic painting masters like Degas and Gauguin. They mimic the old but still give it a new interesting twist and give their audience a new perspective. Remember, worldviews vary. People that watch PBS, Bravo, Discovery and TLC get a very different view of the world (and a different media agenda) than do people that watch the WWF, Daytime soaps or even Fox. (Sorry Fox, but it's true.) The big three networks tend to copy each other or copy what they see is currently hot. Fox has indeed made some extreme choices in content—some pretty degrading—but at least they've been making choices and breaking some new ground. The WB (in spite of any new names) has done the same. Sometimes being smaller or less known allows you to find the new insights—this applies to content programming on networks as well as art and music trends. The risk is easier to take because the big guns are not yet at your head telling you that every move you make must be the right move, and every show, every CD, every image must be the big win every single time. No one can keep up a pace like that. Ask Pink, who was told that just because one of her CD albums only sold 3 million copies, it meant that it was considered a failure!

So when I hear Panic! At the Circus, I hear a band with a driving beat but with something socially relevant to say. When I see them, I see a band that is theatrical to the point of absurdity—something that reminds me of many bands of the late sixties and seventies, not to mention the television show, The Prisoner. There's a method to that kind of madness. It makes them visually compelling to watch and compelling to listen to. The musicality isn't that different from other bands, nor are the vocals, but these guys know how to put on a show, get your attention and then keep it—and it's been working.

The Falling Leaves are actually in the same vein but yet more like the shy sibling of Panic! At the Circus. Little known outside of England, they are a shoegaze band. For them, the visual presentation (from what I can judge from their websites, MySpace page and photos given…I have not seen them live) is stark and austere. They have an introspective, self-deprecating style that occasionally brings in the higher energy powerpop influences and the complex sampling of built-up structures of rhythm common to big beat bands.

Falling Leaves are musically complex while Panic! is conventionally simple. Falling Leaves are introspective and pondering while Panic! is mocking and reactionary. One is aggressive, seeking the fight, forcing you to see the issue whether you like it or not. The other is non-confrontational but guides you into the story, helping you gently, hoping you see the predicament of the world that they see. They take the methods and issues of the past, the ones that are still with us and probably always will—the human condition—and show it to you with an old-new twist. The presentation varies but the result is the same. It is more than the music or the medium. Ultimately, it's about delivering the message.

Finally, not to be left out, we have a painter that does visually what the other two do musically. Satoshi is a multi-mediast, meaning the artist also does music and fashion design and photography and who knows what else. Artists are often multi-mediasts. They have to be, for the more they explore their world and find new ways of seeing the world, the better they get at finding the right way to deliver their vision to the world. Some choose music. Some choose dance. Some are still choosing their best method of expression, like Satoshi.

Satoshi's paintings (the ones posted on MySpace as jpegs) struck me as old masters but with contemporary themes. The colors tended toward the bold and almost garish at times, the images obviously of modern life and modern people, but still, it wouldn't take much to see the same type of people or the same types of images in an older setting. It is almost as if a filter had been applied to a Degas, forcing some lines into sharp relief and altering the colors to a slightly off-center position. Just jarring enough to force you to pay attention—again, we see the theme of "compelling" arise again. You are forced to stop and take notice, you're forced to try to find an answer in the image—even if you're not sure what the question is.

Satoshi's modern pieces again reflect past modern masters, but with lighter more playful colors and fluid movement. I still prefer the more classic master-like pieces but I also see a discovery process in the works. Satoshi still seems to be searching for the right voice, the right tone that will fit how he wants to perceive and portray the world, but that's OK. It's better to be exploratory and take risks, than to stay with the safe, since usually, all you get with safe is consistent but boring. Every artist is constantly exploring and developing. The consistency comes with a better understanding of their medium, a mastery of their technique and an overwhelming drive and need to make their audience understand their vision.

That's how you make compelling art. That's also how you change the world.

So check out all these artists, especially The Falling Leaves and Satoshi Dáte, and give them a friendly shout at their MySpace sites. Let them know that you appreciate their dedication and fearless pursuit of their dreams.

Panic! At the Disco is at www.myspace.com/panicatthedisco
The Falling Leaves is at www.myspace.com/thefallingleavescom
Satoshi Dáte is at www.myspace.com/satoshidate and www.myspace.com/solzola look the Pics page.

And by the way, personally, I like boring web pages. They download faster and are easier to read. Hence, yes, that is why mine is so antiseptic looking. I want to see your work, your life and your personality but I want to see it without the clutter. Download blues are bad enough with music and horrendous with video—you want people to see you and your work, not give up and move on to another page. Then again, maybe that's exactly what you are after—art provokes reaction, good and bad. If it provokes some kind of reaction, it's successful.

If you know of an artist (music, dance, visual arts, theatre arts, etc.) that deserves some attention, give me a shout. They need to have a MySpace page or other website that showcases their work—this so I can look at it and so I can point readers to their work. If their art is kinetic (kinetic sculpture or dance—i.e. movement) then still photographs are good but a clean, clear video is better. You can find me at MySpace or can email me through this blog.

This article may be copied in whole or in part, as long as fair use rules are observed, no parts are modified from the original and credit is given when quoted or reposted.

CG Anderson is a 10 year new media provocateur involved in media, art, technology and the online world. Also a writer, blogger and novelist. CG's comments are personal and opinionated and solely the responsibility of the author, so there. Don't like the opinions, disagree, agree, don't know? Great, make a comment—clean ones will be allowed, netiquette-challenged ones will be ignored!
MySpace site: http://www.myspace.com/ahablogolicious Help me reach 1 million friends. Add yourself as my friend today and get your friends to do the same! Thank you so much! Together we can bring great artists to a wider audience!

Blog site: http://ahablogolicious.blogspot.com/
URL: http://home.myuw.net/cganders/

REVIEW: Justin Timberlake's FutureSex/LoveSounds and Summit Avenue's ReEmergence

REVIEW: Justin Timberlake's FutureSex/LoveSounds and Summit Avenue's ReEmergence

One hit song can sell an album—unfortunately…And a band you WANT to be listening to but probably haven't heard of -- YET!

With great anticipation that I am sure was shared by many, I purchased Justin Timberlake's new album/CD, FutureSex/LoveSounds. I had heard the song SexyBack and frankly, I'm crazy over that one song. I wasn't able to get the CD single, since it was sold out, so I did what many would do, I bought the album—knowing full well that often an album has other gems that don't get as much coverage as a hit single.

Not this time, unfortunately.

I know a great deal of work went into the album and I appreciate the talented efforts of Timberlake et al, however, for me, it was a bust. If it wasn't for the fact that it has SexyBack on it, I'd want my money back. One hit song can indeed sell an album.

SexyBack is clever, original, interesting and inventive. The music takes hold of you and keeps you interested, the lyrics are fairly normal but with enough twists that you actually find yourself listening. The melody is catchy and yet the clever twists (Take it to the bridge! Take it to the chorus!) play with the idea of musical construction and keep a sense of humor about it at the same time. It sets the song apart from other songs. It's a fusion of hip hop, rap and pop with enough differences and unique twists to set it apart from any genre as well. It demands your attention and doesn't disappoint.

However, the rest of the album tries but fails to keep up with that commanding performance. The fusion doesn't work here, and as well produced and high quality as it obviously was, it just doesn't measure up to SexyBack. It's the same as hundreds of other hip hop, rap, or pop mixes. The other tracks are less interesting, not clever, repetitive and often lacking in emotional power or sincerity. They are flat without any surprises. They do not demand your attention and only prove that a marriage of hip hop, rap and pop is too often something that should head for the divorce court as soon as possible.

There were highlights to note. Timberlake is obviously very comfortable (and with a great voice for lyrical) in the more pop/lyrical tracks such as All Over Again and What Goes Around. Also, Losing My Way almost creates the fusion again, but with less success than SexyBack and certainly with less power since it is more lyrical in nature. However, those lyrical songs still lack power and anything compelling enough about them to make you want to listen to them over and over again. Also, Chop Me Up which featured Timbaland and Three 6 Mafia was interesting when Timbaland and Three 6 Mafia were the ones dominating, rather than Timberlake, himself. They stood out, as did Timbaland on SexyBack (though on SexyBack the partnership was balanced…Timbaland did not outshine or upstage Timberlake.)

The album missed the mark of consistency and surprise. It fell short of the high expectation I personally had for it, considering how phenomenal a song SexyBack is—a song that will likely continue on into popularity well beyond the usual fifteen-minutes of fame. Perhaps Timberlake's next album will get the fusion right and more consistently—the potential for something great is there, that's why it's so frustrating that it just didn't gel for me with this album.

On the other hand, Summit Avenue's songs Self Portrait, California Gone, Farewell Song and Room to Breath, all presumably from their album CD release ReEmergence do deliver not only consistency but a high level of interesting, compelling songs that don't sound like "same old, same old."

Since Summit Avenue is an up-and-coming indie band with a soft rock, not quite pop feel, the CD isn't widely available. I didn't feel like chasing all over the state for a copy of the album, nor did I want to wait and order one online. (Hey, I like going into music stores and when I want my music, I don't want to wait on the postal service.) So, I did the next best thing. I went to MySpace and played the four songs mentioned since they are all available off the band's MySpace site, www.myspace.com/summitavenue. (Available as of this writing, that is.)

Now, downloads can be painful experiences and this was no exception. I'd hear a bit, and then there would be the horrible but not unusual pause while the buffering caught up. However, the difference here and it's a big one is this…

With the Timberlake CD, playing smoothly with no problems, I got bored. With the Summit Avenue downloads, with all the bits, pieces, delays, gaps, break-ups and glitches, I kept listening. I liked it enough that I wanted to keep listening—in spite of the problems with the download. All four songs got the same favorable I-want-to-hear-it reaction, though I personally preferred Self Portrait and California Gone over the other two and found the song, Room to Breath, the least interesting and most repetitive.

Chance Walker, the lead vocalist, has an interesting voice with great tonality and an emotional richness that seems to impart sincerity and power to even the most common of lyrics. The lyrics are often simplistic but they also have meaning and signify something. Walker's voice turns them into something intensely emotional and evocative.

While the lyrics have meaning but are easy to remember, so is the melody line, and if that were all there was to the band or the songs, I would've killed the download after the first few seconds. No, running counterpoint to the melody and lyrical prose, there is a deeper instrumental complexity that comes through from the other three band members (David Hall, Ben Coleman and Jared Coleman) that adds to the experience. It makes the songs more interesting and intriguing, without sacrificing enjoyment or that unique emotional connection to the audience.

The songs make good use of music as a way to convey energy and power. Yes, the songs are still shaded with meaning, depth, and emotional rawness or even darkness—but without sacrificing the entertainment value of the music and without sending the listener into too dark a place as a result. Self Portrait, for example, is powerful right from the start, demanding that the listener sit up and pay attention and then proving that that attention is justified in every beat, every note and every raw, emotionally exploding word.

This band deserves more attention than it's getting. It moves you through space with power, strength and a compelling need to embrace every note and word, but it still lets you enjoy the ride.

If I had to choose between the two, I'd still try to find a CD single of SexyBack, but I'd eagerly buy the CD album of Summit Avenue.

Especially since I wouldn't have to worry about the download nightmares anymore. Check them out.

Summit Avenue is currently on tour—mainly the East Coast and Midwest. Their MySpace site has a schedule of events for interested readers, as well as the downloads of the four songs.

This article may be copied in whole or in part, as long as fair use rules are observed, no parts are modified from the original and credit is given when quoted or reposted.

CG Anderson is a 10 year new media provocateur involved in media, art, technology and the online world. Also a writer, blogger and novelist. CG's comments are personal and opinionated and solely the responsibility of the author, so there. Don't like the opinions, disagree, agree, don't know? Great, make a comment—clean ones will be allowed, netiquette-challenged ones will be ignored!
MySpace site: http://www.myspace.com/ahablogolicious
Blog site: http://ahablogolicious.blogspot.com/
URL: http://home.myuw.net/cganders/

(HUMOR) Long lost CLONE of Film/TV Star Gordon Michael Woolvett finally discovered—"So You Think You Can Dance Star, " dancer Travis Wall

(HUMOR) Long lost CLONE of Film/TV Star Gordon Michael Woolvett finally discovered
—"So You Think You Can Dance Star, " dancer Travis Wall raised without knowledge of his true origins!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

By Ima Spoofer
Hollyweird, CA. Film and TV Star Gordon Michael Woolvett, best known for his starring performance as Seamus Harper on the hit TV series Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda, has a clone. Apparently, the clone was created without his knowledge and was raised as a normal child by a family in Virginia Beach, VA.

(Related Stories: Review of So You Think You Can Dance LIVE Tour Seattle Premier is below this article, see archives for articles on Seattle Seahawks Android Player Scandal and Gordon Michael Woolvett Wins Blogolicious Lifetime Achievement Nomination.)

Recently, highly unethical and secret DNA tests were performed by Secret Blogolicious Field and Stream Operatives on both men in order to confirm the rumors and recent speculation that there was some sort of genetic link between the two.

The results were positive—identical, in fact.

Sources not-so-close to Mr. Woolvett say that yes, there were times when he was about seventeen or eighteen where he claims that he had little recall of his activities. So it is possible, say experts, that Mr. Woolvett's DNA was stolen while he had been incapacitated in some way in order to take samples or perhaps when he simply had too much to drink at a party. It does not seem likely that the writer/actor/director had any knowledge of the DNA theft, nor is complicit in the actual experimentation and creation of the clone.

As for the alleged clone in question, eighteen year old jazz/lyrical/contemporary dancer, Travis Wall was the runner-up in the FOX summer hit, So You Think You Can Dance and is currently touring with the national LIVE show which sold out just thirty minutes after tickets went online. (Mr. Wall turns nineteen on September 16, 2006.)

The Wall family aggressively denies that Travis is a clone of the famous actor and that he came into the world in the traditional manner—they cite hospital records as proof. If any tampering were involved, say experts, it is possible that secret government agents from Canada may have been responsible and without the knowledge or consent of the family.

The height, build and eerily matching appearances of both men could simply be coincidence, say sources. After all, look how many supposed clones of Pamela Anderson are running around—even the ones without extensive silicon augmenting?

Experts say that at first, considering the amazing strength, flexibility and jumping ability of Travis Wall, they wondered if perhaps the young man was not a clone but an android. This wouldn't be the first time that androids were discovered masquerading as athletes (see earlier article on the Seattle Seahawks Android Players Expose on this blog.) However, DNA tests proved otherwise. They also state that talent often emerges differently based on environment, so the original being a gifted actor doesn't negate the likelihood of a clone becoming a gifted dancer.

How many clones there are running around of the Canadian actor is currently unknown, nor why Mr. Woolvett in particular was singled out. It is possible, say sources, that this is only the beginning of a new Canadian Cultural Offensive against the United States—meant to flood the American culture with talented copies of major Canadian stars.

Why you may ask? Perhaps, say experts, they are trying to improve the current state of American television. After all, experts point to all the American clones of not only actors but television shows that are currently running on U.S. and World televisions—but generally not with good result. This could simply be a counterplot to the current studio cloning projects.

Let's hope so.

This is a satirical spoof, meaning, don't take it seriously.

CG Anderson is a 10 year new media provocateur involved in technology, science and the online world. Also a writer, blogger and novelist. CG's comments are personal and opinionated and solely the responsibility of the author, so there. Don't like the opinions, disagree, agree, don't know? Great, make a comment—clean ones will be allowed, netiquette-challenged ones will be ignored!
Blog site: http://ahablogolicious.blogspot.com/
URL: http://home.myuw.net/cganders/

REVIEW: So You Think You Can Dance LIVE Tour 2006 Seattle Premier September 12, 2006

REVIEW: So You Think You Can Dance LIVE Tour 2006 Seattle Premier September 12, 2006

Benji Schwimmer, Travis Wall, Heidi Groskreutz, Donyelle Jones, Ivan Koumaev, Natalie Fotopoulos, Allison Holker, Ryan Rankine, Martha Nichols and Dimitry Chaplin Rock the House at the Paramount Theatre in Seattle!

FOX's summer hit, So You Think You Can Dance kicked off its first ever LIVE tour at the Paramount Theatre in Seattle, WA last night. The top ten dancers from the second season put on a stunning show for fans and critics alike.

Local son, Ivan Koumaev, season two winner Swing Specialist Benji Schwimmer and runners up Contemporary specialist Travis Wall, Latin specialist Heidi Groskreutz (Benji's actual cousin) and Hip Hop bootie-diva Donyelle Jones all gave stand-out performances as did the entire cast of the top ten—proving that they are indeed an exceptional group of young up-and-coming dancers.

The two month 35 city national tour sold out in just under thirty minutes, even with the addition of two extra performances (only on the east coast, sorry, folks.) The talented cast face a long, grueling road schedule, so one can only hope that the screaming fans and appreciative crowds will make the journey easier—and injury free.

My personal favorite Travis Wall was welcomed just as heartily as hometown boy, Ivan Koumaev. Wall gave several brilliant performances, most of them favorites from the television series already but also including one that he had apparently choreographed himself just for the road show—showcasing his talent as an emerging choreographer as well.

Several of the favorite routines, both the show pieces done by the cast and the individual, short competition pieces done by the pairs, were included in the show including the "Rama lama...," "Chicago," and "SexyBack" routines (the SexyBack routine was lengthened to include the entire cast and the Rama piece was cut down because it now has only 10 dancers.) Travis Wall, Ivan Koumaev, Heidi Groskreutz and Benji Swimmer were also standouts in their short solo pieces as was a spanish solo number by Dmitry Chaplin (and yes, the Ryan and Heidi 'bongo' number is in there, too, as is the 'Gyrate' aka 'Nerdolicious Tranji' number.)

This is not to detract from the fact that everyone of the ten were absolutely wonderful to watch—there just isn't time or space to cover everything in the two and a half hour show (including breaks—for the audience, since I'm sure the performers were running around non-stop before, during and after.) It was an opening night and there were bobbles though—nothing major and nothing that the fans wouldn't forgive. Many of the pieces weren't as polished as they had been during their original debut on the television show and others were more polished. Some of the competition pieces that were not altered or lengthened were noticeable in their uneasy brevity and odd cut-off. Given that the ten dancers had only ten days to pull the show together (even given the fact that almost all were pieces they had already done before), and that it was a grueling and tiring amount of dancing to do, it was a very polished and professional show—not to mention highly entertaining.

The show has not been without controversy and many viewers are still turned off by the need to show and embarrass the worst dancers (in the video segments of the TV show that were also shown during the live show) that tried out. It's unfortunately something that American Idol made popular (making fun of others, including ones that don't realize that they are 'bad' and then filming them as they are humiliated into tears) and now seems a standard requirement for any talent oriented reality show. That is a shame, a true shame.

There has also been a great deal of (shall we say?) discussion as to the sexual orientation of several of the dancers, especially on the show's website. Wisely, the producers and the FOX network took the high road and simply ignored the debate and didn't encourage their contestants to discuss it either. The rarified world of dance is likely a bit different from the realities of a hit TV series, especially considering the demographics targeted, and while the performer should never be confused with the performance, in television, knowing too much about the private life of a contestant can negatively affect ratings sometimes—especially when the performers are male. So kudos to FOX for clamping down on the gossip, even with Travis Wall's unfortunate choice in MySpace website name.

It's all to the good for fans looking to connect to their favorite dancer and find out more about their career and life, since most (possibly all?) of the contestants have MySpace profile sites now, but hopefully most of them seem to be more conservative in website name choice, not to mention easier to find if the sitename is based on their actual name. (I didn't check all of them.) It's always a tragedy when a brilliant performance is overshadowed by all things that rightly should remain private (even for "public" individuals --not just sex but anything of a sexual, drug, private, etc. focus--unless they choose to make it public themselves)—and especially since some of these very young dancers might find themselves being targeted and pulled into politically hot debates because of such incautious and potentially "Hollywood-career at least" damaging behavior. Luckily, the world of dance shouldn't care and will likely embrace this talented crop of names-in-the-making. The fans certainly don't mind.

However, since the show is sold-out and basically only to fans of the show, any dancing missteps, hiccups or curtailed dance routines (as well as any image issues) shouldn't be a problem. The show itself is worth the price of admission and FOX and the show's producers will hopefully realize that they should quickly get the season 2 DVD out for sale—assuming they are going to do a DVD of the second season. The collateral for sale at the Seattle opening was disappointing, from the quickie 'program' that didn’t include any photos or information on the show itself (just the ten very very very short bios—their pictures were nice though--plus two small photos of the understudies) and the T-shirts for sale were even more disappointing. This event, with better T-shirts, programs and other merchandising, could have made a small fortune based on the enthusiasm of the crowd. Perhaps the producers will do better in that regard with the later cities. Seattle got the short end of the stick in that situation—but happily, getting to see the premier definitely makes up for it.

If you've got tickets, don't scalp them. You want to see this show, especially if you're a fan. Congratulations, FOX, So You Think You Can Dance Producers, cast and crew. Keep up the momentum!

This article may be copied in whole or in part, as long as fair use rules are observed, no parts are modified from the original and credit is given when quoted or reposted.

Links to Online Reviews Found so far:

Seattle Times Review

CG Anderson is a 10 year new media provocateur involved in technology, science and the online world. Also a writer, blogger and novelist. CG's comments are personal and opinionated and solely the responsibility of the author, so there. Don't like the opinions, disagree, agree, don't know? Great, make a comment—clean ones will be allowed, netiquette-challenged ones will be ignored!