Music

What would The Beatles have sounded like if they had the chance to perform live in concert with a symphony orchestra? 

Find out when Classical Mystery Tour performs live with the Columbus Symphony on September 27 and 28 at the Davidson Theatre. 

The four musicians in Classical Mystery Tour look and sound just like The Beatles, but Classical Mystery Tour is more than just a rock concert. The show presents more than two dozen Beatles tunes performed exactly as they were originally recorded. Hear “Penny Lane” with a live trumpet section, experience the beauty of “Yesterday” with an acoustic guitar and string quartet, enjoy the classical/rock blend on “I Am the Walrus,” and relish the cascading crescendos on “A Day in the Life.” 

From early Beatles music on through the solo years, Classical Mystery Tour is the best of The Beatles like you've never heard them before. You might say it’s the best show the Beatles never did!

Ahmir Questlove Thompson wrote a book detailing the first 50 Years of Hip Hop. Questlove’s book: Hip Hop Is History.

Ahmir Questlove’s Thompson is the drummer for the Roots. Do you have a favorite Roots song? I’m biased towards the Roots song, The Next Movement. I find some of the lyrics empowering.

The Roots are headlining the Essence Festival at the superdome in New Orleans as I type this review….

Questlove is the bandleader during the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. Excuse me, Questlove is the music director for everyone’s dream late night show. Every time I look at this……I’m still impressed.

Questlove directed the Summer of Soul. Summer of Soul won an Academy Award in 2022 for Best Documentary, won a Grammy for Best Music Film and won Sundances Top Jury Prize in 2021.

Ahmir Thompson is a best-selling author for Mo Meta Blues, Music is History, Creative Quest, and The Rhythm of Time. He was nominated for A James Beard Award for somethingaboutfood.

RJD2 is one of Columbus, Ohio’s most beloved local creatives.

RJD2’s newest album, Visions Out Of The Limelight is break heavy, which should please people who loved Dead Ringer’s “Let The Good Times Roll.” I’ve known RJD2 for years. My usual RJD2 interview would mention RJD2’s graffiti friends – me, Wands, and Cram. Or I would ask him if someone who reads Howard Zinn would critique advertising circa Mad Men era? I figured I would avoid my usual questions.

Instead, we find where out where the party’s at.

RJD2’s Visions Out of the Limelight’s release party is Saturday June 22,  2024. Tickets 25 dollars.

We discuss a couple of my favorite RJD2 rap songs. We deconstruct a review I didn’t write with a written podcast.

I quote Playboy’s description of RJD2 – “Hipster Hop.”

I forgot about soliciting RJD2’s opinion about Campus Target.

Wes Flexner: Did you know there is a street called Ramblewood near Bethel Road?

RJD2: Ramblewood. I don’t think so.

I started last week with a question…

Should I review Sugarhill Gang?

The legendary crew transitioned rap recordings from NYC Gypsy Cabs of live routines into platinum commercial success with “Rapper’s Delight” in 1979.

Rappers were party rockers. People hadn’t sold songs, yet.

Rapper’s Delight sold 14 million records, ensuring Hip Hop wouldn’t be relegated to a live performance genre like DC GO-GO’s community. The Fatback Band’s King Tim 3 preceded Sugarhill Gang’s “Rappers Delight.’ In 1979. Fatback Band didn’t have “Rapper’s Delight’s” commercial success. Fatback Band didn’t sell 14 million records.

RockTheBells.com listed 21 Rap Records Released in 1979:

Sinkane’s new album is called We Belong, released by City Slang records.

Where you’re from, and where you belong are fundamental ideas of existence. For a reader, so is deciding if Sinkane is in their realm of music. Where does Sinkane We Belong in music?

Sinkane previously released music from LCD Soundsystem’s James Murphy label DFA. Is Sinkane a dance hipster with alternative rock radio possibilities? Sinkane’s latest, We Belong falls under wherever his Okay Africa culture could take someone in  American music.

I’ve found amusement that North American College Community radio, or NACChart.com, considers Sinkane college R&B. Consider the Weeknd, Sinkane’s friend Solange, sister Beyonce and Erykah Badu’s influence on music over a mass of music over a sustained period.

College R&B is a genre with interesting possibilities. Kids starting bands in school, and then releasing underground DIY R&B records like punk bands until labels sign them?

Bilal is featured from We Belong’s second song “Another Day” trading verses with Stout and harmonizing with Sinkane about black peoples’ past 400 years.  

I’m woefully bored. I feel like instead of krautrock. We are living in an era which didn’t respect histories poem. I’ve tried looking into why Reconstruction wasn’t effective, I’ve determined our government appeased unlikable fascist losers. Trump’s cultural dishonesty receives too much appeasement.

Prior to sleeping I scour several cities Craigslists for where I might escape. I try to determine if Donald Trump’s Ohio domination over Hillary Clinton, and Biden is why I shouldn’t live in Columbus, Ohio.

If you know…..anywhere is better than here is my constant mantra.

I received an email. Kraftwerk at Express Live Friday May 17. I pondered….who would open for Kraftwerk?

A quick web browsing determined Kraftwerk performs for two hours, prompt without openers. Kraftwerk is one of the groups who invented everything. Kraftwerk influenced Juan Atkins and his friends who invented Techno in Detroit.

DILLA.

We are saddened to learn that Victoria Parks left us on Friday, May 10, 2024. We will miss her provocative satirical political songs and her participation at Comfest and other events. Well-known in the city as a songwriter and folksinger, many people don’t know she was also a talented artist, poet, writer, holistic medicine practitioner, community activist, election integrity advocate, and one of the founders of the local WGRN radio station.  

Sunday, June 2, 5-9pm
First Unitarian Universalist Church, 93 W. Weisheimer Rd.

Get Your Free FrackStock w/ Justin Nobel Ticket/s Here:  https://events.humanitix.com/frackstock-w-justin-nobel
Face Book Event Page Here:  
https://www.facebook.com/share/9yorGqb4TmgANuzu/?mibextid=9l3rBW

1 NIGHT of LOVE, JUSTIN & MUSIC 

Justin Nobel is coming through Columbus on a nationwide tour to present his landmark book, "Petroleum-235: Big Oil's Dangerous Secret and the Grassroots Fight to Stop It!" 

AND 

(This article first appeared in the Buckeye Flame)

What happens when Ohio’s feminist chorus, a prestigious university and a philosopher all get angry about racial injustice?

Audiences in northeast Ohio are about to find out as Windsong, Cleveland’s feminist chorus, has teamed up with Case Western Reserve University’s chorale and author and philosopher Dr. Myisha Cherry in “A Concert for Rage,” which will be performed on Saturday, April 27th at 6 pm at the Maltz Performing Arts Center in University Circle.

The Buckeye Flame spoke with Jessica Steuver, Windsong’s artistic director, about this unique upcoming event. To listen, click play directly below or read our (edited) conversation beneath the audio link.

For folks who don’t know about Windsong, tell us about the chorus?

Kids: Songs for and about Children
Sunday, April 28, 2024, 3:00pm (promptly at 3:00--don't be late!)
First Unitarian Universalist Church93 W Weisheimer Rd, Columbus 43214

We'll sing our typically eclectic mix of pop, folk, and classical music, including one by Bob Dylan, one by Stephen Sondheim, a fun arrangement of nursery rhymes, and an inspiring song from the Barbie movie.

Tickets are $15 for adults and children over the age of 12. Sliding scale (pay what you are able) is available at the door. You can buy tickets in advance at  https://www.colswomenschorus.org/donate-buy-tickets or pay at the door.

Group packages available - to purchase packages of 7 or more tickets, please contact info@colswomenschorus.org.