Family Band w/ Lys Guillorn 2/16/11 Bar

Woozy local Guillorn played singer-songwriter material as an opener to this show. I'm unnerved when the artist looks at the soundman and says " do I have time for five more?" Guillorn's smart lyrics were lost in her muddy delivery. Brooklyn hipsters the Family Band played fuzzy reverb drenched rock. I liked the female singer, but the set offered no memorable tunes or performance.

The Piano Lesson 2/9/11 Yale Repertory Theater

August Wilson's "The Piano Lesson" was expertly performed at the Yale Rep. Wilson's plays offer insight into the African-american experience of the early 1900s. The story has a brother and sister arguing over the fate of the family piano. Boy Willie wants to sell and move on, while Berniece wants to preserve the memories associated with the piano. The lessons are many and the acting was stellar. Musical notes took form as worksongs, railroad songs, and tales of Parchman Farm. Live theater really is a treat.