Vox Lux
A Star Is Mourn
Official Site | Trailers & Mo
R | 110 min

Brady Corbet (yes, that guy!) aims for the (pop) stars in his second feature Vox Lux, which is part masterful, and part questionable.  All in all, there’s a lot to take in, and a majority of the praiseworthy work belongs to Raffey Cassidy (and to Brady and cinematography by Lol Crawley for all those beautiful New York City building shots!!), who plays our fragile heroine Celeste in younger times, and then later on, when Natalie Portman portrays the older, crustier, unhinged version of Celeste, Raffey plays her daughter.  Confusing, a bit, and especially so when Portman enters the movie and acts like she’s doing one of those ‘silly’ an SNL raps, and a lot of the built up luster turns to bluster, but when the finale concert is staged, and the Sia songs blare, and the Mr Portman Benjamin Millepied dance move groove, they turn the beat around, and everything feels perfectly in sync

Verdictgo: Jeepers Worth A Peepers

Vox is currently sounding off in limited release

and until next thyme the balcony is clothed…

I bought more CDs this year than I probably have in an entire decade!  it’s TRUE!!!! I WILL NOT LET PHYSICAL MEDIA DIE!!!

here’s what I listened to in 2016!!  all certified thightastic!

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you know my theory – see your favorite musicians in concert before you or they die…

Live By Night!

Raul Malo @ City Winery

31st Annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony (Deep Purple / Ste ve Miller / NWA / Chicago / Cheap Trick(  @ Barclays Center

David Gilmour @ Madison Square Garden

Pearl Jam @ Madison Square Garden

Flight of The Conchords @ The Heath at The McKittrick Hotel

Ellie Goulding @ Madison Square Garden

Guns N’ Roses @ MetLife Stadium

Paul McCartney @ MetLife Stadium

Pitbull @ the Prudential Center

Willie Nelson @ the Amphitheater at Coney Island Boardwalk

The Bangles @ Irving Plaza

Jeff Lynne’s E.L.O. @ Radio City Music Hall

Cat Stevens/Yusuf Islam @ Beacon Theatre

Brian Wilson presents Pet Sounds – Celebrating the 50th Anniversary with Al Jardine and Blondie Chaplin @ Beacon Theatre

Tidal X 10/15 @ Barclays

Sia @ Barclays

https://www.instagram.com/p/BE7i-7_G315/

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here’s a bunch of misc music junk from TWS in 2016…

The The and They They

believe it or not, in my adolescents, I used to be even angrier about really dumb stuff

stuff auctioned off from The Estate of the late Syd Barrett, in 2006

Bantha 8-Tracks

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it sucks the most when musicians die, cause you can never relive their greatness visually like you can with actors.  it’s true!

Goodnight Sweet
Prince & Princesses

Sia
Barclays Center
October 25th

https://www.instagram.com/p/BMAe2LlD-ai/

Sia isn’t quite herself, because she doesn’t want to be herself, and usually wants someone else to be her.  She’s written a slew of hit songs for other chart topping artists, and even made hits for herself, and even even made hits that were meant for other people, but they rejected the songs, and so their awesomeness reverted back to her.  If you’ve seen any music video of hers, you know that she’s nowhere to be seen and makes you seek her in the form of other people acting out as her

So what would a Sia concert be like?  Would she hide?  What would we see(k)?

Well, if you have seen those music videos, the live show is essentially the same thing, except she’s on stage, in the shadows singing along, while performers play her part in the foreground.  But is it really her singing?  Or is it a stand-in?  And with the videos on screen mimicking what’s on stage, are the performers even themselves?  It’s highly doubtful Paul Dano, Tig Notaro, Maddie Ziegler, Kristen Wiig, Gaby Hoffman and the GREAT Ben Mendelsohn are actually touring with her, and so whatever is actually going on, on stage – live or staged, is a sight to be seen.  Obviously, the sounds are definitely to be heard!

What’s real and what isn’t may be up for debate, but all I can say is I’d Sia her again.  Sia now, and Sia LATER!!

Setlist – Alive / Diamonds (Rihanna cover) / Reaper / Big Girls Cry / Bird Set Free / One Million Bullets / Cheap Thrills / Soon We’ll Be Found / Fire Meet Gasoline / Elastic Heart / Unstoppable / Breathe Me / Move Your Body / Titanium (David Guetta cover) / Chandelier

Encore – The Greatest

https://www.instagram.com/p/BMAwGrSDtkX/