Yungblud review and Duck Pond review
Rod Yates And Chantal Nguyen
MUSIC
yungblud
Qudos Bank Arena, January 11
Reviewed by ROD YATES
★★★★½
Despite having four albums to his name, British artist Yungblud admits some will be here because of his standout cover of Black Sabbath Changes last year Back to Top Ozzy Osbourne tribute concert.
If there were any doubts about the credentials of 28-year-old Dominic Harrison — courtesy of critics who have long cast a skeptical eye on his genre-bending voice and larger-than-life persona — this single performance did a tremendous job of dispelling them.
So is a night like this.
Like Ozzy, who gifted Yungblud the golden cross hanging around his neck, the singer does not stop working from the moment he steps on stage; an ever-moving, whirling dervish who delights with wild eyes in taking the crowd to even more insane heights.
Harrison is a surprisingly good soloist; Blessed with the swagger of Mick Jagger, the sexiness of Michael Hutchence, the manic energy of Iggy Pop and the flirtatious enthusiasm of David Lee Roth.
Throughout the show there’s fire, confetti canons, local jokes (“I love Chicken Twisties!”) and an impromptu invitation to a fan from Wollongong to play some light grunge guitar. flea bag.
It all sounds a bit cliche, but it is, but Yungblud’s ability to revive old tropes and breathe new life into them is undeniably exciting.
Monumental Changes Reaffirming her reputation as an excellent singer, this song is a dramatic counterpoint to pop-punk. Funeralin Gorillaz color low lifestring-laden pop-rock Idols Pt. 1 (one of the few songs to feature a four-piece string ensemble) and the nine-minute opening epic Hello Heaven, Hello.
And while the quality of his material hasn’t yet consistently matched his talents as an artist, Yungblud is one of the biggest young rock stars around right now.
CIRCUS
Duck Pond
Sydney Opera House, Concert Hall, 9 January
until January 12
Reviewed by CHANTAL NGUYEN
★★★★
Circus returns to town with Circa Duck Pond: a satirical mix The Ugly Duckling and ballet Swan Lake. Unlike Circa’s sociopolitical works or prestigious classical art collaborations, Duck Pond It is a comfortable trip for the whole family. Not a ballet flat in sight: just slippery sparkly one-pieces, wings for Cupid, killer red stilettos for Black Swan, and lots of yellow overalls and flippers for the obligatory duck joke (Libby McDonnell’s costumes).
Based on Jethro Woodward’s techno revival of Tchaikovsky’s iconic ballet music, the story flies by with a series of satisfying acrobatics. There are aerial silks, trapeze swings, somersaults, high balances, and (my personal favorite) aerial pole. Who needs the famous “thirty-two fouetté” variation of the Black Swan that can spin in the air and upside down?
The audience gasps as the performers throw and lock their bodies into human towers, slings and catapults. But the best moments always have a more artistic aesthetic; If you take a split-second photo, the resulting image captures clear ballistic lines, pointier feet, and the artists in formation like ancient Greek statues.
Swan Lake the story matches surprisingly well The Ugly Duckling. After all, both tales feature a waterfowl hero fighting bad guys and discovering his true self. Duck Pond‘s main character is also one of the underdogs (pun intended for my guests groaning “Underduck?”), which pushed Cinderella to carry feather pillows and vacuum up feathers.
There’s some social class commentary when the Prince raises an eyebrow at her lowly housekeeper status and modest Elizabethan neck ruffle and turns his attention to the more glamorous Black Swan, who flaunts the kind of glittering unitary outfit Taylor Swift might wear.
Features and features of Circa groundbreaking director Yaron LifschitzIt focuses on narrative rather than acrobatics, lyricism rather than exhibitionism. The costumes and set keep it stylish with dramatic monochrome and mood colours. There’s even a billowing fabric lake finale that Australian Ballet fans will recognize. Graeme Murphy’s popular production.
However Duck Pond is still notable for its endearing characters and Aussie sense of larrikinism. This is a tribute to artists; Even Cirque du Soleil doesn’t have character arcs that you can get emotionally invested in.
And when the main story ends, the fourth wall breaks with a joyful coda and the performers bare their hearts out for the grateful, laughing audience.
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