TUESDAY, JULY 7, 2015 lifestyle MUSIC & MOVIES Fireworks at Grateful Dead Fare Thee Well Show. Bruce Hornsby, from left, Jeff Chimenti, Mickey Hart, Bob Weir, Phil Lesh, Bill Kreutzmann, Trey Anastasio of The Grateful Dead perform at Grateful Dead Fare Tears flow as Grateful Dead Thee Well Show at Soldier Field on Sunday.—AP photos say farewell in Chicago he Grateful Dead gave what they say will dressed followers, known as “Deadheads,” often Those who couldn’t get tickets to the sold- be their last group performance on attended multiple concerts on a tour. Phish gui- out concerts followed simulcasts on cable televi- TSunday, playing to some 70,000 singing, tarist Trey Anastasio filled in for Garcia at the sion around the country. At a “watch party” on dancing and tearful fans in Chicago’s Soldier Chicago shows, joined by original members Bob Chicago’s northwest side Chris Wainscott, 42, of Field. The four surviving members of the band Weir, Phil Lesh, Mickey Hart and Bill Kreutzman Milwaukee, said the time was right for the band ended their 50-year-run this weekend with three who have toured, along with other musicians to end its run. “After 50 years, you’ve had your Chicago concerts. The shows come 20 years and under various names, for years. Jeff chance to take what you wanted to take from it,” after the death of lead guitarist Jerry Garcia, Chimenti and Bruce Hornsby played keyboards said Wainscott, who had seen dozens of con- who played his last show in the nation’s third- for the Chicago shows. certs since 1994. Heidi Kehler of St Louis said she largest city in 1995. Known for their poetic lyrics The seven musicians started and ended the felt lucky for what the band had brought her, and constant improvisation which can turn a show with group hugs. They started the show including lifelong friends. “This music has given three-minute song into an 18-minute experi- with one of the group’s most psychedelic early me a lot,” she said. Before the last songs, bass ment, the Grateful Dead emerged from the San songs - “China Cat Sunflower,” paired with the player Lesh told the crowd, “Godbless you all, Francisco Bay area to become one of the longest folk blues standard, “I Know You Rider.” The sec- and thank you for listening.” “Be kind,” said drum- lasting and most influential bands of the era. ond half included extended jams on crowd mer Mickey Hart. “Be kind.”—Reuters Inspired by blues, bluegrass, country and favorites “Truckin’” and “Cassidy,” and ended with jazz, the band became the model for groups Buddy Holly’s “Not Fade Away;” the Dead’s such as Phish, Blues Traveler and others in the biggest popular hit, “Touch of Grey;” and the ele- “jam band” movement. The band’s colorfully- gaic “Attics of my Life.” Trey Anastasio, from left, Phil Lesh, Bob Weir of The Grateful Dead perform on stage. Kendrick Lamar delights Rock opera ‘Deep Love’ London’s ‘Wireless’ festival takes the long road to NYC he sun was out for double-Grammy- straight from Ethiopia / N-E-G-U-S definition: here’s not much to do in eastern Idaho award-winning US rapper Kendrick royalty, king, royalty - wait listen / N-E-G-U-S in the winter. It’s freezing, windy and TLamar this weekend as he performed description: Black emperor, King, ruler,” he depressing. Why not create a musical? an energetic set of his hits to an enraptured raps on “i”. Lamar follows a line of famous hip- T Stay-inside weather - plus a healthy dose of young North London crowd. On stage at the hop artists from the city of Compton in heartache - helped spark the creation in Wireless festival on Saturday, less than a week southern Los Angeles County, notorious for 2009 of “Deep Love: A Ghostly Rock Opera.” after winning “Best Male Hip-Hop Artist” at its gang culture, such as the rap supergroup the BET awards, Lamar performed a stream of N.W.A that spawned Dr Dre and Ice Cube. Six years later it arrives in steamy on 42nd favorites. “We gon’ be alright! We gon’ be Although his lyrics focus on the United Street in New York City, a snowball’s throw alright!” the crowd shouted along with Lamar States and its politics, they seemed to chime from Broadway. as they jumped up and down and pumped with the young, racially mixed London crowd The show is the creation of Garrett their arms in time with his latest single, the who rapped along enthusiastically with Sherwood, Ryan J Hayes and Jon Peter up-tempo “Alright” produced by US hitmaker “Compton”, Lamar’s ode to his hometown. Lewis, three artistic guys with little musical Pharrell Williams. Ella Asiegbu, 17, who spent much of her theater experience who shaped and grew it It has been a good year for Lamar. After childhood in Nigeria before moving to into one of the highlights of the New York winning two Grammy awards in February for London, had come just to see Lamar. “He’s Musical Theatre Festival. The show’s first real Jon Peter Lewis at the Signature Theatre his single “i”, his critically acclaimed album “To changed my life - it’s a very cheesy to thing to production was in Lewis’ living room in 2010 in New York. Lewis is co-director, co- Pimp a Butterfly” reached the top spot on say but it’s true. I’ve actually lost my voice for a handful of friends. He used Christmas book writer and stars in ‘Deep Love: A both the US and British album charts, in a first from screaming so much,” she said. lights to mark off the stage and filled bowls Ghostly Rock Opera’ at the New York for the star. And ask any hip-hop fan who Musically and lyrically Lamar breaks away with dry ice to make fog. Musical Theatre Festival.—AP they reckon is this generation’s most gifted from hip-hop stereotypes: “To Pimp A “I remember the dry ice was hissing and rapper and 28-year-old Lamar’s name is Butterfly” is accompanied by a jazz band. But popping during the performance,” he said. the knockout round on “The Voice” with among them. That is because of his skills as it was Lamar’s older songs that elicited some “It’s been a kind of learn-as-you-go type of Hayes as the folk duo Midas Whale. He an emcee and for his ability to produce of the most rapturous responses. After saying thing.” The show will be among 52 live hopes some of his TV fans will check out his catchy hooks while delivering a strongly goodbye, he returned to perform 2011’s events at the festival, including 22 full musi- new project: “I stayed long enough on both politicized account of life as a black man in “A.D.H.D.”, one of his first songs to get atten- cals. It runs from Tuesday to July 27 at six shows for people to kind of know me - to the United States. tion from the mainstream media. “It was venues in the city and all tickets are below remain a Z-list celebrity,” he said, laughing. “On how the infamous, sensitive N-word amazing,” Levi Laing, 17, said of Lamar. “I’ve control us ... Well this is my explanation never seen anything like it.”—Reuters Kendrick Lamar $30. Since launching in 2004, the festival has premiered more than 300 new musicals, Getting wasted some of which have gone on to a further life The show, featuring some crispy rock and on or off Broadway, such as “Altar Boyz,” “title soulful folk, is about love and loss set in a of show” and the Pulitzer Prize-winning 1880s graveyard. The audience is encour- Film Review: ‘April and the Extraordinary World’ “Next to Normal.” aged to attend in funeral attire. It stars Amy n the heart of Paris, a repurposed ers. Now think how different that Jacques Tardi imagined in “April and Tardi’s alternate vision of Paris, starkly Whitcomb who was on “The Voice,” too. monastery known as the Musee museum’s treasures might be had all the Extraordinary World,” which has brought to life by co directors Emerging artists Hayes and Sherwood, who both endured Ides Arts et Metiers serves as a tech- the world’s best scientists disappeared now inspired a dynamic animated sci- Christian Desmares et Franck Ekinci, The festival - known by its initials NYMF - difficult breakups in the winter of 2009, nological shrine to human innovation, from the face of the earth at the turn fi adventure that delivers on the lofty, appears choked by a heavy cloud of provides shows with theater space, lights, wrote the songs. “Rather than going out and where school kids marvel at all man- of the previous century, leaving Paris retro-styled promise of coal smog, many of its most famous sound equipment, front-of-house staffing getting wasted, they wrote a rock opera ner of inventions, from Foucault’s pen- mired in the Age of Steam. That’s the “Tomorrowland”-or more aptly, “Sky landmarks repurposed to serve the and marketing - all key to emerging artists about it,” said Lewis. Lewis helped write the dulum to the first robots and comput- alternate reality that graphic novelist Captain and the World of Tomorrow”- bleak world order-one in which nearly trying to mount resource- heavy musicals in story, co-directs and stars in the show. He in a way that stimulates the intellect of all the great thinkers have mysterious- one of the most expensive cities in the even worked as a lighting technician for four all who watch.