river Archives - MediaMikes

Kansas City Concert Review: Little River Band

 
LITTLE RIVER BAND
 Ameristar Casino - Kansas City, MO
 May 3, 2019

Maybe it’s my age but to me the best music ever created was done so in the 20^th Century. Great music. Great lyrics. Amazing voices. Today the majority of what I hear I can’t understand, even when it’s Autotuned! Which made my first time listening to the Little River Band live so amazing.

If you grew up in the 1970s/80s (I graduated high school in 1978), then LRB was surely part of the soundtrack of your life. Their musical gifts, and incredible harmonies, made songs like “Reminiscing,” “Lonesome Loser,” “Cool Change” and “The Night Owl” so memorable.

Now led by bassist/singer (and Kansas City native) Wayne Nelson, who joined the Australian band in 1979, the show was an amazing retrospective of both their greatest hits and some newer material. Their song “The Lost and the Lonely,” from the band’s 2014 album “Cuts Like a Diamond,” a tribute to the troops, was well received, as was an extensive piano intro by keyboard maestro Chris Marion before the band played “Cool Change.”

An enjoyable evening was capped off by the band coming out front and greeting the fans, which I found to be a pretty incredible thing, especially after playing a 90 minute gig! If you’re a fan of “classic” rock and pop, then LRB is a band you’ll want to catch.

For more information on their current tour, click HERE.

Read Complete Article

Filed Under: Concert Reviews Tagged With: band, city, concert, kansas, review, river, ...

Durga McBroom-Hudson talks about working with Pink Floyd on “The Endless River”

Singer/songwriter Durga McBroom-Hudson has worked with the band Pink Floyd as a backing vocalist consistently on almost all of their shows since the 1987 “A Momentary Lapse of Reason” Tour up to the final concert of “The Division Bell” in 1994. In 1989, she formed the band Blue Pearl and had several hit songs including “Naked in the Rain”. Recently, she came back together with Pink Floyd to record on their supposed last album “The Endless River”. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Durga about her work with the band and her plans for the future.

Mike Gencarelli: Tell us how you ended up perform backing vocals for Pink Floyd?
Durga McBroom-Hudson: My sister was recording an album on Capitol Records in New York with Nile Rogers, and I was doing backing vocals for her. Meanwhile, Pink Floyd had started the Momentary Lapse Of Reason Tour with only 2 singers. The man who ran the production company shooting the initial concert videos recommended my sister, and she recommended me. They needed someone to sing bottom, so they asked me to join the tour.

MG: You toured with the band for their album “A Momentary Lapse of Reason” and “The Division Bell” tours; what was your most memorable experience?
DMH: Probably Pink Floyd Live In Venice.

MG: After your first tour with the band for “A Momentary Lapse of Reason”, what was it actually getting to go in and record in the studio for “The Division Bell”?
DMH: It was wonderful. Bob Ezrin had wanted all English singers, so they recorded the whole thing that way. But David thought the low parts weren’t right, so they flew me over from Los Angeles and I re-recorded all of those parts. He really likes the tone of my voice. It’s a huge honor to know one of your biggest teachers appreciates you.

MG: What is your favorite Pink Floyd to sing and why?
DMH: I don’t have only one. That is like asking which of your children is your favorite. Most people would assume “Great Gig In The Sky”, but I have a love/hate relationship with singing it because it’s so difficult.

MG: What is a fun fact about David Gilmour that a lot of people might not know?
DMH: I personally believe he’s a bit shy, despite the fact that he has quite an imposing presence. I am very fond of him.

MG: How did you get approached to come back for Pink Floyd’s last album “The Endless River”?
DMH: Youth, who is my partner in my own band Blue Pearl is a co-producer on “The Endless River”. He asked me, and we surprised David with what I came up with. Luckily, David loved it.

MG: Did you work exclusively on “Louder than Words”?
DMH: No. I am also singing on “Talkin’ Hawkin'” and “Surfacing”. David asked me to come in to add to what I had already done on “Louder Than Words”.

MG: What was it like working with David Gilmour again after a 20 year break?
DMH: He is the best, and he makes me do my best. I love working with him. It was like coming home.

MG: Was it challenging coming back to work on the music that Richard Wright created without him there?
DMH: He was there. I could feel him.

MG: Tell us about your involvement with the animated film “Strange Frame”?
DMH: I sang on the soundtrack, including a cover of “The Gunner’s Dream” from “The Final Cut” with Roger Water’s approval.

MG: What else do you have planned for the rest of the year and next year?
DMH: I expect to get more mixes in from Youth from the new Blue Pearl album, and next year I expect to see it released, as well as doing A LOT of shows. The rest of this year will mostly be spent with family. The new Culture Club album will be released in January, and hopefully George will have recovered enough from his throat injury to go back on tour – I hope to do some shows with them too. I already have at least 15 dates lined up from Brazil to Finland, some with my sister Lorelei. Keep your eyes open – chances are I’ll be in a city near you!

Read Complete Article

Book Review “Over the River and Through the Wood”

Author: L. Maria Child
Illustrator: Matt Tavares
Age Range: 3 – 7 years
Grade Level: Preschool – 2
Hardcover: 32 pages
Publisher: Candlewick
Release Date: August 27, 2013

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

L. Maria Child’s verse about Thanksgiving Day has been given new life in this Matt Tavares-illustrated new book. Matt Tavares’ illustrations have given new life to this classic poem. His beautiful take on a family’s trip to Grandfather’s house through a blustery cold and snow-filled Massachusetts of yore, is reminiscent of any antique Christmas card.

There have been so many ways in which Child’s verse has been put to use throughout the past, but with this beautifully illustrated book, it speaks to a new generation who will benefit from seeing what it was like to have to travel to Grandfather’s house in a horse drawn sleigh. This is something that can bridge the gap and bring families together each year to read the poem and enjoy these beautiful illustrations on a cold, Thanksgiving night. It helps bring back tradition and really would be a fantastic addition to any holiday season.

Matt Tavares outdoes himself with this particularly detailed book. Each page creates a sense of nostalgia and warmth. Whether you are in the mood for the holidays or not, you will be in full-on holiday mode after immersing yourself in this delightfully engaging holiday classic. There is also a very nice nod to L. Maria Child at the end of the book and it allows the reader to understand where this holiday classic came from and more about the incredibly talented author who penned it.

Read Complete Article

Filed Under: Book Reviews Tagged With: book, review, river, wood

Jourdan McClure talks about directing horror film “Rogue River”

Jourdan McClure is the director of the recent horror film “Rogue River”. The film is a great entry into the genre, it doesn’t re-create the wheel but it kicks some major ass. Media Mikes had a chance to chat with Jourdan about his new film and what he has planned next.

Mike Gencarelli: Can you tell us how you got involved with “Rogue River”?
Jourdan McClure: I had the story but I needed someone with the ability to take the screen play in the direction it needed to go. I turned to Kevin Haskin, who I had known before and he then brought in Ryan Finnerty, who is another talented screenwriter. Together they created this little world of contained nastiness that “Rogue River” became.

MG: How do you feel this horror film differs from others that are out there?
JM: I think the film is a bit more hyper-realized in terms of its color and photography. I really wanted to pay attention to the aesthetics of the film. We knew going in that we weren’t making the most original plot. We really wanted to play with the idea that execution was going to be key. This film relies more on atmosphere and tension. The thought of something really fucked up happening inside this surreal environment was what we were after. I also wanted the craziness of what was going on to look really pretty. For me this was a great way to start with this being my first film.

MG: What was the biggest challenge on the shoot?
JM: Pre-production was very short on the film combined with this being my first movie made things a little difficult, but we were just running on adrenaline. The weather was pretty tough as we had a stretch of days that the temperature was about 9 degrees. I felt bad for the actors who had to be out in that working while I watched wearing a parka.

MG: What do you enjoy most about the horror genre?
JM: The horror genre incorporates everything. You can throw drama, comedy and or action into these types of films. I love when a movie tries to just be a movie. It takes you to a place you may not necessarily be able to go while adding in some real life elements. I like the idea of stylized fiction. Horror is great because you can be thrown in to hell and at the end of the film you can walk out. It’s like when someone cuts you off while driving and you want to stab them in the face. Being a horror directo,r I can write a scene like that, have it acted out and not get arrested. (Laughs)

MG: What other projects do you have coming out?
JM: I have a film titled “Children of Sorrow” which stars Bill Oberst Jr. The film involves a girl who loses her sister to a cult. The film is a POV movie. So you will see the story from each of the characters. It’s not a found footage film, but it takes aesthetics from that. This is a much more sinister film than “Rogue River”.

Read Complete Article

Filed Under: Film Interviews, Interviews Tagged With: directing, film, horror, jourdan, mcclure, river, ...

Zachery Bryan talks about producing horror film “Rogue River”

Zachery Bryan is known best for his role in the TV series “Home Improvement”. He is currently spending his time working on his production company, Vision Entertainment Group. Their latest film is titled “Rogue River” and is a excellent entry to the horror genre. Media Mikes had a chance to discuss the film with Zachery and find out what Vision has planned next.

Mike Gencarelli: How did you become involved with producing “Rogue River”?
Zachery Bryan: I was a child actor for quite a few years and then made the transition into adult acting. My producing partner, Adam Targum, and I were at a Dodgers game talking back and forth about what we wanted to be doing and we were a little frustrated with the creative side of our business. We decided to start Vision Entertainment Group. Right off the bat, we found a script that we attached a director to and sold that project to Lionsgate. We were not very involved on the physical side of that project. For the next project, we raised the money and produced it ourselves. We found a phenomenal investor and we started looking for scripts. “Rogue River” was one that came very quickly to us. We liked this script for a few different reasons. The price point of the film was pretty reasonable as we didn’t want to start with a large budgeted film. We actually filmed it in the Rogue River area of Oregon. We also liked it because it was a script that wasn’t reinventing the wheel from a plot stand point. There were some original set pieces however. This had all the “it’s” that we needed. We are really excited for the film to be coming out.

MG: How would you categorize the film?
ZB: It is definitely horror genre. Our log line would be that the lead character has lost her father and takes his ashes to spread at the Rogue River. Things ultimately go wrong and she ends up being held captive. The film has quite a few twists and turns.

MG: What do you like most about working in the horror genre?
ZB: It’s good from a business sense as there is a great demographic out there. Horror has an extremely strong and dedicated fan base. The film will make its way out there and people will hopefully see it.

MG: What was the biggest challenge of working on the film?
ZB: From a production stand point, I would have to say the weather. We filmed from November in to December in Southern Oregon…and it was freezing. We had things breaking all the time due to the weather. Other than that things went really smooth.

MG: Having grown up in the TV business with “Home Improvement”, how do you compare from producing?
ZB: They are both so different. Acting is much more emotional. Producing is long hours and you are with the project from start to finish and sometimes even longer. I like producing because I like making decisions. I look at it as you are the painter not just the paintbrush. You get to work on every aspect of the project not just one specific part.

MG: What do you have planned next to produce?
ZB: Our next film titled “The Grief Tourist” is not horror at all. This film is a very art house type film about a guy obsessed with following serial killers. The film stars Michael Cudlitz and Melanie Griffith.

Read Complete Article

Filed Under: Film Interviews, Interviews Tagged With: bryan, film, horror, producing, river, rogue, ...

DVD Review “Rogue River”

Directed by: Jourdan McClure
Starring: Bill Moseley, Michelle Page, Lucinda Jenney, Art Alexakis, Chris Coy, Michael Cudlitz
MPAA Rating: R
Distributed by: Lions Gate
Release Date: June 5, 2012
Running Time: 81 minutes

Film: 4 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3 out of 5 stars

I watch a lot of horror films and I usually see a lot of the same. “Rogue River” easily stands out among the rest. It is so brutal yet extremely subtle. The film stars Bill Moseley, who is such a horror legend. He does a lot films where he plays the crazy psycho but this one really stands out as some of his best recent work. If you are looking for a great tribute to slow-burn horror this would be the film for you. This has it all character development and yet stills delivers the thrills and the gore. Kudos to first time director Jourdan McClure as well, can’t wait to see what he does next. The film is produced by Vision Entertainment Group, co-owned by Zachery Bryan (TV’s “Home Improvement”) and if they keep it up with film’s like this they are going to be a force to reckon with.

While heading out into the isolated wilderness of Oregon to scatter her father’s ashes, Mara meets Jon, who offers to give her a ride after she discovers her car has been towed by the local sheriff. She would soon regret this decision as she becomes abducted and cannot leave after attending dinner. That is only in the first few minutes of the film though, the crazy shit starts happening when she is thrust deep into their madness and needs to find a way out before it is too late.

The film was only released on DVD, not Blu-ray unfortunately, though looks good in its widescreen presentation. The audio is impressive with its Dolby Digital 5.1 track. The special features are decent starting with a fun cast and crew commentary track. There is also decent behind-the-scenes featurette called “Rogue River: A Look Inside the Madness”. There is also a mix of deleted and extra scenes with “Rogue River: The Extra Bits”. Lastly there is also a trailer gallery included. Horror fans overall this is a MUST WATCH!

Read Complete Article

Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: dvd, review, river, rogue

DVD Review “The River: The Complete First Season”

Created by: Oren Peli
Starring: Bruce Greenwood, Joe Anderson, Paul Blackthorne
MPAA Rating: Not Rated
Distributed by: ABC Studios
Release Date: May 22, 2012
Running Time: 344 minutes

Our Score: 4 out of 5 stars

“The River” is a great combination of “Lost” and “Blair Witch Project and really takes the found footage genre to the next level. Oren Peli, the genius behind the “Paranormal Activity” series created and produced this show and his involvement is very apparent. My main issue with the show is that it is short running only eight episodes, although it also keeps the show tighter and not stuffed with a lot of filler. Unfortunately this show was not renewed for season two, so the season cliffhanger will have the serve as the series finale. Who knows maybe Netflix will revive this fantastic show! Hint…Hint!

The premise of the show follows the disappearance of Dr Emmet Cole, the host of a wilderness reality show, into the depths of the Amazon. He is presumed dead by friends and family until a signal from his communication device shows up on radar. His son & wife along with, his producer and colleagues head out to into the jungle to try and rescue him. While on this journey they decide to bring a camera crew along to document. The group finds that Dr. Emmet Cole was in a lot deeper than everyone thought and they might have a hard time leaving the jungle once they enter it.

Besides coming from the amazing mind of Oren Peli, this series was also Executive Produced by Steven Spielberg. Having a horror thriller on TV these days are incredible rare and like this one they unfortunately don’t last. This DVD does not only include the complete first season, there is also some decent special features. There are various deleted scenes included, worth checking out since you can imagine how much footage they shot for this season. There is a making of featurette, which is a little short but still worth watching. There is also commentary available for the episode “The Magus” and “Row, Row, Row Your Boat.” They are two of my favorite episodes and the commentary tracks are very welcomed.

Read Complete Article

Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews Tagged With: complete, dvd, review, river, season

William Holden’s daughter, Virginia, to appear at screening of “The Bridge on the River Kwai” in Omaha

In conjunction with the release of her new book, “Growing Up with William Holden,” his daughter Virginia Holden will appear at a benefit screening of director David Lean’s masterpiece “The Bridge on the River Kwai.” The screening will be held at the Joslyn Art Museum in Omaha, Nebraska on Friday, November 4, 2011 and will benefit the Nebraska Kidney Association.

The 1957 film stars William Holden, Alec Guiness and Jack Hawkins and received seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director (Lean) and Best Actor (Guiness).

Copies of the new book will be available for purchase at the event and Ms. Holden will be available for autographs. This is the 29th Class Film Event presented by Bruce Crawford and his Omaha Film Event organization. Previous screenings include “The Godfather,” “Jaws,” “Singing in the Rain” and “Young Frankenstein.”

Tickets are $20.00 and are available at all Omaha area HyVee Food Stores. A limited number of tickets will be available at the door the night of the screening. For more information, or to find out how you can obtain tickets from outside the Omaha area, please call (402) 932-7200. For more information on Bruce Crawford and previous Omaha Film Event screenings go to www.omahafilmevent.com.

Read Complete Article

Filed Under: Film Headlines Tagged With: bridge, daughter, holdens, kwai, omaha, river, ...

Page 1 of 1