Classic Albums Live—Sticky Fingers

Review by David Malahoff

In the beginning, it felt like rock and roll church. The congregation gathered at the Confederation Centre. The ceremony was the Classic Albums Live performance of Sticky Fingers, the famous zipper album by the Rolling Stones.

The Classic Albums franchise puts together talented musicians and singers to perform famous albums, track by track,

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All Aboard: From Scotland to Vienna
PEI Symphony Orchestra

Review by David Malahoff

Many years ago during a visit to London, I had three hours to spare. So, in a moment of callow tourism, I decided to “see” the British Museum. Strolling past the Elgin Marbles and the Egyptian antiquities, I gave a passing nod to the Rosetta Stone before entering the Documents Room. Three hours later I was still there, mov

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PEI Symphony Orchestra with Chucky Danger

Review by David Malahoff

An empty rock drum kit sits centre stage as conductor James Mark and the PEI Symphony Orchestra launch into “Overture to Gypsy,” from the musical based on the life of stripper Gypsy Rose Lee. After dispatching enthusiastic snippets from Gypsy’s most famous song, “Everything’s Coming Up Roses” and sliding into convincing burlesque house musical rau

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Definitely the Opera

PEI Symphony Orchestra

Review by David Malahoff

The late Paul Willis, comedy writer, once created a satire of a typical day of programming on CBC Radio. In it, a spokesman for the serious music channel reveals a new plan to boost ratings. "We’ll play classical music," he says, "but just the good bits."

"Definitely The Opera," the PEI Symphony Orchestra’s November concert, was a

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Gems of the Romantic Era
PEI Symphony Orchestra

Review by David Malahoff

Lord was the featured soloist in the first half and he delivered captivating music (with the not so captivating title of Concerto No. 4 in C Minor Op.44 for Piano and Orchestra) composed by Camille Saint-Saëns. This complex but musically fascinating concerto had Lord perform passages of melodic beauty highlighted by delicate

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Music of the Americas
PEI Symphony Orchestra

Review by David Malahoff

For an event held indoors, the PEI Symphony’s “Music of the Americas” concert thrived on fresh air.

The “Four Dance Episodes from Rodeo” by Aaron Copeland were full of jaunty cowhand vigor. Many a TV western and movie theme owe their birth to this work and their echoes can be heard throughout this famous and familiar piece of music. Ins

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PEI Symphony Orchestra

Review by David Malahoff

Symphony concert etiquette requires one not to applaud until all the movements of a piece are completed. But it would have taken 1000 pairs of handcuffs to prevent the capacity crowd at the Confederation Centre from reacting to Jamie Gatti’s riveting bass solo, and that was just the first crack in the etiquette wall. But I’m getting ahead of the story.

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PEI Revue: Shack Happy

Review by David Malahoff

Remember the controversy over the death announcements being dropped from the radio? Now recall the news about the popular musical “Canada Rocks” not being produced this year. Using this as source material for one brilliant sketch, PEI Revue’s “ShackHappy” offered a new musical production for the Confederation Centre stage: Death Notices: The Musical.

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Pan and Jupiter: Music of the Gods
PEI Symphony Orchestra

Review by David Malahoff

Here’s how a symphony Sunday begins at our house:
Watch Coronation Street; Let the cat out; Go downtown for breakfast; Watch U.S. political talk shows; Let the cat in; Do household chores; Let the cat out; Get changed; Let the cat in; Go to Confed’ Centre.

But recently there’s been a change. Now, I arrive more than an h

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Stories and sightings from Rolling Stones concerts that I have seen

by David Malahoff

My first Stones event was no rock show. It was a court trial. As a journalism student, in 1978, I wangled a seat at the press table a few feet from Keith Richards. Pale, tired, wearing a drab brown suit, he looked every inch the pathetic junkie facing serious jail time for drug possession. But even here the circus

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