Connect with us

Entertainment

Review: Phish mounts a human-scale spectacle at Las Vegas Sphere

Published

on

Review: Phish mounts a human-scale spectacle at Las Vegas Sphere

The massive LED video screen that forms the interior surface of Sphere can be used to transport audiences to the tops of mountains, to outer space, to beneath the feet of an elephant standing as tall as a 20-story building.

On Friday night, Phish turned the place into a car wash.

Playing the second date in a sold-out four-night stand at this state-of-the-art venue just off the Las Vegas Strip, the veteran jam band from Vermont took full advantage of the technological capabilities that cost the building’s mastermind, Madison Square Garden Entertainment Chief Executive James Dolan, five years and more than $2 billion to bring to life last fall.

At one point in the nearly four-hour gig, the 160,000-square-foot screen — said to be the highest-resolution in the world — became a starry night sky so crisply rendered that you could almost believe the roof had retracted; at another point, Sphere transformed into an underwater kelp forest with sunlight streaming down from the top of the dome. The venue’s sound system was just as impressive, with a finely detailed mix and seatback haptics that allowed you literally to feel the oomph of bassist Mike Gordon’s low notes.

Advertisement

Phish’s show Friday was the second date in a sold-out four-night stand at Sphere.

(Alive Coverage)

Yet Phish’s production — the second by a band to play Sphere after U2’s opening engagement — wasn’t about excess or grandiosity; it was homey, friendly, deeply quirky. After the car-wash bit, which replicated the experience of crawling through one, a gigantic dog appeared and proceeded to lick what looked like the other side of the screen in slow motion as the band performed its song “You Enjoy Myself.”

The approach certainly differed from that of U2, whose 40-date residency launched in September and ended last month. Built around the Irish group’s 1991 album “Achtung Baby,” U2’s show riffed on big ideas about celebrity and media and the intersection of politics and capitalism; it used Sphere’s eye-popping tech to uphold the band’s distinct brand of rock-star heroism, reasserting U2’s place in a cultural lineage stretching from Frank Sinatra to Elvis Presley to the Beatles to Prince.

Advertisement

For Phish, perhaps music’s biggest cult band, Sphere wasn’t a means of self-glorification but of community-building: One thing you thought about over the course of the band’s two sets and an encore was how tiny the players looked onstage — the same size, in other words, as any of the 18,000 or so people in the crowd. Even when the screen would show a close-up of one of the players — Gordon, singer-guitarist Trey Anastasio, keyboardist Page McConnell and drummer Jon Fishman — the image would be warped almost beyond recognition.

Jam bands, of course, have a long history of elaborate visual presentations. Ahead of Phish’s run in Vegas, fans of the band wondered online whether its lighting designer, Chris Kuroda, would have the space to do his thing properly amid Sphere’s digital overload. (The answer was kind of.) So it makes sense that Sphere might become a destination for other acts in the tradition; indeed, next up at the venue is Dead & Company, which will begin a 24-show stint in May after saying that its 2023 tour would be its last.

Phish surrounded by visuals at Sphere in Vegas.

Phish performs.

(Rene Huemer / MSG Entertainment)

With no fear of being overshadowed by the room, Phish leaned into Sphere’s immersive potential with an assortment of water-themed visuals: hundreds of swimmers floating in doughnut-shaped inflatables atop the waves of a rippling sea; marine life darting through the columns of a vast sunken monument; a psychedelic waterfall pouring over a cliff that seemed almost untouchably far away from wherever you were sitting in the steeply raked amphitheater. As part of a production team parked behind dozens of glowing monitors in the middle of the room, Abigail Rosen Holmes, Phish’s creative director, manipulated these images in real time, responding — sometimes subtly, sometimes dramatically — to the twists and turns of the band’s improvisations.

Advertisement

In a funny twist, Phish’s lack of anxiety about being upstaged by what was happening on Sphere’s wraparound screen — the members themselves seem well aware that they’ve never been much to look at — meant that Friday’s show actually felt like it was about music, which was clearly the point for a band that famously never repeats a set list.

“Bathtub Gin” was jaunty and playful, with McConnell threading a bit of Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” into the song’s fabric; “Lonely Trip” was a lilting ballad with one of the evening’s few convincing vocal turns from Anastasio. “Split Open and Melt,” which came just before the evening’s intermission, was the highlight of the concert: a demented boogie-rock freak-out that landed somewhere between early Sonic Youth and electric-era Miles Davis.

For its encore, Phish played the plaintive “Wading in the Velvet Sea” as photos stretching back to the band’s beginnings in the mid-1980s flickered across Sphere’s screen, and for a moment the musicians seemed to be indulging in the kind of rock-god mythologizing the rest of the show resisted. Then you realized that most of the pictures depicted these guys in various humble backstage scenarios: just four lifers getting ready to go to work for their people.

Advertisement

Movie Reviews

“Inside Out 2” is Good, but is that Good Enough? (Movie Review)

Published

on

“Inside Out 2” is Good, but is that Good Enough? (Movie Review)
IMG via Pixar

When it was released in 2015, Pete Docter’s “Inside Out” was a seminal moment for Pixar. Coming on the heels of a pair of films that didn’t connect with audiences or critics in the same way that much of the studio’s earlier work had (2012’s “Brave” and 2013’s “Monsters University”), “Inside Out” saw Pixar out to prove they still had it. And as it turned out, they absolutely did.

After some decidedly unflattering discourse discussing the studio’s new penchant for favoring sequels and prequels over original material, “Inside Out” was an original film that hit every possible benchmark for success: it became one of the best-reviewed films Pixar had ever made, grossed just shy of a billion dollars, and won an Oscar. “Inside Out” is a truly stunning film, one that builds upon a bedrock of remarkably nuanced emotional intelligence to deliver an animated feature just as engaging philosophically as it is as a piece of entertainment.

Now, in 2024, Pixar is in a very different position. Despite the fact that the overwhelming majority of Pixar’s recent output has been incredibly well-received original films, these films have not been released in theaters. This is partially due to COVID-related lockdowns and partially due to Disney’s insistence on betting every chip possible on their streaming service, Disney+. As a result, films like “Soul,” “Luca,” and “Turning Red” (all of which are absolutely wonderful and unique works that deserve to be acknowledged as modern classics within the Pixar oeuvre) were not released in theaters and in their place, the aggressively lackluster films “Lightyear” and “Elemental” were. Thus, Pixar has been pushed back into a very similar corner, one in which their artistic and commercial viability has been questioned from every side, including parent-company Disney most of all.

So Kelsey Mann’s “Inside Out 2” finds itself being released to a scrutinizing media environment, trying to hit every possible quadrant for success once more, just like its predecessor. But does “Inside Out 2” have what it takes to live up to the critical, commercial, and cultural juggernaut that was the first film?


5. Weak Spot: Commodity Over Character

One of the first things to strike this writer as strange in the lead-up to “Inside Out 2” was the lack of returning creatives, both in front of and behind the digital camera. While Amy Poehler is back, as are several others, there are numerous highly notable absences that one does not typically see in Pixar sequels. Neither Bill Hader nor Mindy Kaling have returned to their roles of Fear or Disgust, respectively, and even composer Michael Giacchino, whose score for the first film has become so indelibly ingrained in the minds and memories of audiences, is woefully missing here.

Advertisement

This is all strange, given the lengths Pixar has gone to actively preserve these kinds of creative teams in the past. All four Toy Story films have kept the core voice cast involved as much as possible, and you don’t see Randy Newman not returning to score one of those sequels. In and of itself, this observation is not a problem, but it’s indicative of a larger systemic issue. “Inside Out” was a film about characters, and “Inside Out 2” flattens those characters into commodities in practically every way.

Part of this has to do with the sheer number of characters in “Inside Out 2.” By introducing four new Emotions to the cast, “Inside Out 2” is a far more crowded film, one that feels ultimately unable to devote worthwhile time to properly defining or developing its characters.

As an easy example, in “Inside Out,” Bill Hader as Fear felt like a real character. We spent meaningful time with him, both with the rest of the Emotions and in solidarity, and came to understand his role within Riley’s emotional state on many levels. In “Inside Out 2,” Fear is a caricature of Hader’s original performance. New voice actor Tony Hale does a great job, but the character himself is defined by the broadest strokes imaginable here, and it’s to the overall detriment of the character and the film. In juggling so many more characters and moving pieces, “Inside Out 2” loses the stark clarity, focus, and impact of the first film and muddies the central metaphor at the series’ core.

4. Maya Hawke as Anxiety

The one new emotion who truly shines in “Inside Out 2” is Anxiety, voiced delightfully by Maya Hawke.

Without delving too deeply into specifics to preserve some of the film’s later surprises, Anxiety’s role in the story stands out as a highlight where the emotional intelligence of “Inside Out 2” matches that of the first film. The portrayal of Anxiety manages to convey with genuine subtlety and nuance the ways in which anxiety can impact someone, especially during adolescence.

Advertisement

Maya Hawke’s vocal performance is exceptional, effectively capturing the complexities of Anxiety’s motivations. Supported by the strong writing of the character in Meg LeFauve & Dave Holstein’s script and stunning animation, Anxiety emerges as one of the most skillfully crafted and impactful elements of “Inside Out 2.”

3. Weak Spot: Maintaining the Status Quo

There are several instances throughout the runtime of “Inside Out 2” where it feels like the filmmakers are yearning to break free from the confines of delivering ‘another Inside Out’ and instead offer something beyond that preconceived notion. Throughout the film, concepts such as Riley driving herself without the influence of any Emotions, delving into the emotions that constitute the Emotions themselves, and exploring how one’s primary emotions evolve over time are all hinted at. However, disappointingly, none of these ideas are explored with any real depth.

Instead, “Inside Out 2” appears determined to cling to the status quo established by its predecessor, often to its own detriment. While these ideas suggest potential avenues for a transformative story involving Riley and her emotions, the film fails to fully realize any of them. Instead, the overarching theme of the film feels like a slight variation on the deeper theme of the first film. Similarly, the narrative of “Inside Out 2” feels deliberately reminiscent of its predecessor, lacking the imagination in staging, settings, or character development that made the original so memorable.

2. Weak Spot: A Lack of Imagination

The first “Inside Out” feels bursting with creativity, imagination, and monumental stakes. While the external story is simply about Riley and her family moving to a new city and her contemplating running away from home, the narrative feels almost mythic due to the meticulous interweaving of a propulsive narrative and profound themes by Docter and his team.

In contrast, “Inside Out 2” often feels oddly insular and small-scale in the wrong ways. While using a weekend away at hockey camp as the narrative’s core is not a bad idea, as it serves as a microcosm of Riley’s impending adolescence, the film fails to emotionally convey the magnitude of this event as effectively as it does intellectually.

Advertisement

This is exacerbated by an in-brain adventure for the Emotions that feels more like a straightforward task than the grand odyssey of the first film. While the first film also revolved around retrieving a MacGuffin, it did so to facilitate character growth and thematic exploration. In “Inside Out 2,” this narrative structure remains, but the essential components feel far more scarce and less impactful.

1. The Vault

The true standout scene of “Inside Out 2” revolves around a vault within Riley’s head dedicated to safeguarding her secrets. Within this vault lies a plethora of hilariously clever gags, including a recurring one that parents of very young children will undoubtedly find immensely enjoyable. What sets this sequence apart is its utilization of a mixed-media style of animation, which deviates from Pixar’s typical aesthetic in unexpected ways, enhancing the scene’s impact. There’s a genuine exuberance and innovative energy to this moment, which the film could have benefited from incorporating more extensively.


(B-)

“Inside Out 2” is a very well-made film. It’s funny, charming, and compelling, but it doesn’t quite reach the same level of humor, charm, and emotional resonance as the first “Inside Out” film. While it represents an improvement over Pixar’s previous theatrical releases, “Lightyear” and “Elemental,” it falls short of the artistic fulfillment and singular vision found in recent works like “Soul” by Pete Docter and Kemp Powers, “Luca” by Enrico Casarosa, and “Turning Red” by Domee Shi.

Although “Inside Out 2” isn’t a disaster, it feels like a movie that prioritizes mass appeal and accessibility over passionate storytelling and creative vision at every turn.

Advertisement

Continue Reading

Entertainment

Traffic alert: Biden, Obama will appear at downtown L.A. fundraiser Saturday evening

Published

on

Traffic alert: Biden, Obama will appear at downtown L.A. fundraiser Saturday evening

President Biden arrived in Los Angeles early Saturday for a star-studded fundraiser expected to break records by bringing in more than $28 million from thousands of supporters. But many more Angelenos are likely to be affected by the presidential visit — because of traffic.

The gathering — featuring former President Obama, actors George Clooney and Julia Roberts and other celebrities — is scheduled to take place Saturday evening at the Peacock Theater in downtown Los Angeles. At least one protest is planned outside.

Roads and street parking in the area, including the L.A. Live entertainment complex that is home to the theater, will be blocked at times, and heavy traffic is expected. Additionally, it’s unclear where Biden, First Lady Jill Biden and Obama will be staying during their time in Los Angeles, but freeway closures should be expected when their motorcades carom around town.

Los Angeles transportation and police officials referred questions about road closures to the U.S. Secret Service, which declined to provide details but warned of potential congestion.

Advertisement

“The U.S. Secret Service works closely with our local law enforcement partners to minimize disruptions to the public while ensuring the highest level of safety and security,” said Melissa McKenzie, a spokesperson for the Secret Service. “For security reasons, we are unable to release specific motorcade routes in advance, but the public can expect intermittent road closures and parking restrictions as part of the visit.”

A spokesperson for the Los Angeles Department of Transportation was more blunt.

“Travelers should anticipate delays in the downtown area and plan accordingly,” said spokesperson Colin M. Sweeney.

The Federal Aviation Administration has restricted airspace for “VIP Movement” over a swath of the region from 4:45 a.m. Saturday to 3 p.m. Sunday for pilots who are not flying presidential, passenger, cargo, military, law enforcement or air-ambulance aircraft.

Traffic jams prompted by presidential visits are not surprising given the enormous security resources needed to protect the leader of the free world, particularly when he is not in a secure site such as the White House or an event space that has been thoroughly prescreened.

Advertisement

But in Los Angeles, the ensuing traffic jams are also legendary. They were so bad during Obama’s tenure that the phrases “Obamajam” and “Obamageddon” became part of the local vernacular.

“Mr. President, I elected you to be in the White House, not on the 405,” one commentator wrote on Twitter during a 2012 Obama visit to Los Angeles for a fundraiser at George Clooney’s Studio City house. “There are times other than rush hour during which you can visit L.A.”

Obama’s handlers clearly learned from such experiences, increasingly using helicopters to ferry the president around the city to reduce road and highway closures.

Biden has also created traffic jams when he has visited the region, such as when parts of the 405 Freeway were shut down during a weeknight rush hour so the president could travel from Century City to media mogul Haim Saban’s sprawling Beverly Park estate for a fundraiser in February.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Movie Reviews

'Inside Out 2' movie review: Featuring the feels, their feats and then some

Published

on

'Inside Out 2' movie review: Featuring the feels, their feats and then some

Nearly 10 years after the first instalment, out of the classic Pixar-Disney partnership, comes a peek into the life of a teenage Riley in the sequel to Inside Out. Much like its predecessor, the movie is intense, uplifting and, understandably, emotional. 

The introduction of new characters — emotions and beyond — succeeds in keeping the audience guessing. True to form, the script and animation hold several inside jokes and lean heavily on wordplay. Amidst the dry, chuckle-drawing humour, the writers have also managed to pepper in more complex concepts. This imagery is likely to stick with you after the viewing, drawing reflections from the outside in, ironically. 

Even in the innovation and progressing timeline, there is definitely a sense of familiarity. Characters navigate the mind landscape, and make an arduous journey with obstacle after obstacle, which sometimes does seem to drag on. 

The voice cast powers this delicate script forward with noticeable nuance, despite some replacements and additions. Amy Poehler continues to be a convincing (and this time, a more likeable) Joy, while Maya Hawke’s Anxiety carries a nervous and excited energy central to the story. 

The actors also manage to keep pace with the development of their characters into more multi-dimensional personalities. For those who enjoyed, related to and fondly remember the characters from the first film, the second offers great story arcs to love, alongside new fun introductions. 

Advertisement

While Pixar’s bright, lively animation will work great to keep younger audiences entertained, depictions of mental health — particularly a panic attack — might warrant a conversation, context and maybe some reassurance for kids and teens. For older audiences, the movie can come off like one long session of therapy — loads of self-reflection, uncertainty, tears, awareness and hopefully, acceptance. 

The story peels back the layers of the confusion, hopefulness and embarrassment of the teen years in a way that feels uncomfortable at times, and profound at others.

In all, Inside Out 2, holds tears, laughs and a slew of, “Oh, I see what you did there”. While it isn’t the most gripping watch throughout, it is thoughtful and sweet, making the film a lovely choice for a quiet day with family or friends. My top tip is to make sure you stick around for the post-credits scene (there’s more than one)! 

Published 15 June 2024, 09:56 IST

Advertisement
Continue Reading
Advertisement

Trending