Concert Review: Beethoven Meets Coldplay, Indianapolis On
( + CONCERT REVIEW: BEETHOVEN MEETS COLDPLAY BY: CAVAN MCGINSIE “Coldplay explores, through their music and lyrics, universal themes such as doubt, fear, hope and love; many would assert that, out of any composer, Beethoven most directly and strikingly addresses these themes.” It is with this thought in mind that Steve Hackman sat down to compose his orchestral piece, “Coldplay V. Beethoven.” It was the perfect piece for the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra’s Happy Hour series. The Happy Hour is being utilized to bring the ostensibly sophisticated symphony to a younger, inexperienced crowd. This past Thursday’s Happy Hour marked the 5th anniversary of the affair — which is the brainchild of Steve Hackman and artists-in-residence, Time For Three — and it was evident that the event is effective. PHOTO CREDIT: CAVAN MCGINSIE Looking around the ornate, expansive lobby of the Hilbert Circle Theatre (home to the ISO since 1984,) I saw young, old, male, female, blue collar, white collar, pink collar, maybe even some teal and gold collars. The packed room was ebullient as everyone moved around one another, chatting over plastic cups filled with Shellback Rum & Coke, Stella Artois, Prairie Vodka Cucumber Cocktails, and red, red wine. Seeing the mass, buzzing around in anticipation for the sold- out event, it was hard to believe we nearly lost the ISO in 2012. It was a major improvement from my first experience with the Happy Hour series back in 2010, where the crowd was quite lacking. Despite the small crowd, the show, even at its conception, had been exhilarating for me. I had high hopes as I made my way to my seat.
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