Movie Review: ‘Young@Heart’

By Jennifer B. Kaufman

Get a bunch of irascible and lovable old people and have them sing the songs of the Ramones, the Clash and Bruce Springsteen. It almost sounds like an “After School Special” for the AARP set, filled with lots of schmaltzy life lessons. Instead, Young@Heart is an original and affectionate look at our often-ignored elderly and how they bring a whole new meaning to the words “rocking chair.

British documentarian Stephen Walker focuses his lens on the Young@Heart Chorus based in Northampton, Massachusetts. Started in 1982 by choir director Bob Cilman, the Young@Heart Chorus is preparing for a 2006-2007 tour. Already used to performing and the rigors of the road, the chorus is gearing up for learning new songs as the film begins.

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A Different Kind of Festival? Rothbury Prepares to Rock Michigan’s West Coast

By Andrew William Smith, Editor

May 23, 2008

Back in the day, events like Woodstock and Monterey Pop created legendary legacies for the future of American rock festivals. Today, festivals like Coachella, Bonnaroo, and Lollapalooza set the gold standard for getting your groove on outdoors with thousands of your best friends.

Although the Woodstock myth would be incomplete without the gate-crashing that created health hazards and financial holes, many of today’s festivals have been triumphs of better logistics and the bottom line. While most festivals try to be green in terms of raising the environmental awareness of the attendees, they can also be green in terms of lining the pockets of the promoters.

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Book Review: ‘Rock On: An Office Power Ballad’ by Dan Kennedy*

By Jennifer B. Kaufman
2008.05

Described as a cross between the TV show The Office and the mock documentary This is Spinal Tap, Rock On: An Office Power Ballad by Dan Kennedy seemed right up my alley. Always interested in the music business, I picked up this memoir with some high expectations.

In 2002, Dan Kennedy got a dream job with a major record label. A huge music fan since he was a teenager, Kennedy thought he had it made working in music marketing. He figured he’d get to meet his favorite musicians and come up with amazing marketing campaigns that would blow people away. [Read more]

Rock Legends and a Little Rain Fill Memphis in May*

By Landin King
2008.5

Welcome to the home of the blues and the annual Memphis in May Beale Street Music Festival. Offering a first-rate soaking of rain and some encouraging tornado warnings, this three-day festival got off to a wild, wet, and wonderful start.

With a wide array of acts, no set demographic of people comes out for The Beale Street Music Festival. Bands from every decade bring a different group of people day and night to the different stages in this beautiful park. This festival plays an important enough role in Memphis culture that people who don’t even know the music participate in this great event.
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