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Tuesday, September 17, 2002

Arts & Entertainment writers offer capsule comments on this, that and the other thing ...

Dance Alloy

Dance Alloy's industrial-strength gala Saturday night at the stylish First Avenue Garage provided perhaps the best chance to watch the company's newest work, "Get Out of the House," by New York City choreographer Sarah Skaggs.

The company had previously performed the piece in East Liberty, The Waterfront in Homestead and Dominion Plaza. Now, with the surrounding Pittsburgh skyline as a backdrop and a welcome break in the stormy weather, the Alloy dancers literally made the earth (concrete ramps in this case) move with high octane choreography that bedazzled a knowledgeable dance crowd.

Skaggs' piece was designed to appeal to first-timers as well as dance aficionados, the former getting the familiar -- running, jazz-inspired kicks and leaps, gymnastic balances -- at an aerobic pace and the latter watching the expert landscape and sculptural patterns with complex multiple fronts.

It wasn't what you would find on a typical Dance Alloy indoor program, for outdoor performances require larger-than-life movements to fill the open spaces. But one of the Alloy's trademarks is the sheer strength, power and determination of its dancers, and "Get Out of the House" heavily capitalized on those elements.

Kudos to the secondary crew of Pittsburgh dancers who enhanced the performance with improvisational phrases beforehand and a dance bubble that blew in and out near the climax.

-- Review by Jane Vranish, free-lance dance and music critic

By the way ...

Midtown rocks the user-friendly, up-with-Tommy-Tutone sound of classic '80s MTV in the catchier moments of its latest effort, the splendidly titled "Living Well is the Best Revenge." It rocks so much, in fact, that one fan from Connecticut was moved to post on Amazon.com that "Midtown is the most rockin' band of all time," for which the band itself should no doubt give it up for drummer Rob Hitt, who more than lives up to his family's drummer-friendly name. You can see for yourself tonight at Club Laga when Midtown brings its hook-intensive Jersey brand of pop-punk to fans of all ages at 7, with openers Recover, Taking Back Sunday and Armor for Sleep.

If you're going to the Sudden Infant show tonight at the Mr. Roboto Project, don't miss the Party of Helicopters, a headbanging band out of Kent whose latest effort, "Space ... and How Sweet It Was," is art-rock for the emo generation with plenty of screaming, just to let you know they really feel it (and an artier bonus disc that, oddly, tops it off with richly textured harmonies). The show is all-ages, beginning at 7. Admission is $6. For more information, call 412-247-9639.

In reviewing Mason Jennings' "Century Spring" at Rollingstone.com, David Sprague wrote, "Much like kindred spirit Billy Bragg, this young Midwesterner can't quite decide if he wants to use his guitar to kill fascists or to coax some amour from a prospective lover -- but he's got a pretty good batting average from either side of the plate." You can see for yourself tonight at Club Cafe, where Jennings is joined by opener Matt Nathanson at 7 and 9:30. Tickets are $12. Call 412-323-1919.

-- Previews by Ed Masley, Post-Gazette pop music critic