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Calgary Herald
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Calgary Herald
Concert review: Rain doesn't stop the party as Cake close Calgary Folk Music Festival
The rain returned to Prince's Island Park Sunday evening just as headliners Cake broke into Rock 'n' Roll Lifestyle, the 1993 single from the California band that began their journey as unlikely rock stars. Article content Roughly half-a-dozen or more songs into the evening, lead vocalist John McCrea looked out into a sea of bopping, sloshing fans in rain-slicked ponchos and asked 'Is it sorta raining out there?' Article content Article content Three days of wet weather had turned much of Prince's Island Park into a muddy mess on Sunday evening, but it would be hard to find anyone in attendance who wasn't wearing a smile during Cake's set. It might be one of the most entertaining, f finales of any folk festival in recent memory. Thirty years after the band hit the mainstream with its unique brand of 'quirk-rock,' McCrea remains one of the most unusual frontmen since David Byrne. These days, he gives off a vibe that suggests a goofy, near-retirement grade-school science teacher letting his hair down on a field trip. But there is no denying his magnetic appeal. Article content Article content After a comically long and epic intro of piped-in triumphant music, the band appeared on stage and eventually kicked off the set with the clever Frank Sinatra and Sheep Go the Heaven. The latter became the first of many endearingly odd singalongs. It happened again with an extended run through the catchy Sick of You and Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps, their 1996 English-language cover of the Cuban favourite. McCrea even managed to turn the 2024 single Billionaire in Space, the first new music Cake has released in more than seven years, into a singalong despite the fact that it likely has not be widely heard yet. Steve Berlin, saxophonist for one of Saturday night's headliners, Los Lobos, joined the band for their 2007 cover of Black Sabbath's War Pigs and audience enthusiasm hit a frenzied peak when the band played hits such as The Distance and Short Skirt/Long Jacket. On the surface, the band seems like an unlikely stadium act. But those disco bass lines, blasts of trumpet and catchy hooks remain endlessly endearing. Article content Article content It was a nice send-off for audiences after a mucky few days of inclement weather. Article content The festival survived what artistic director Kerry Clarke called 'the soggiest event we've had in years if not decades,' with a sudden thunder storm and downpour halting the music temporarily on the main stage on Saturday. Article content But the show otherwise went on Saturday, with main stage acts Madeleine Peyroux, Le Mamans du Congo X Rrobin, Los Lobos and Steve Earle shaving five to 10 minutes from their sets to accommodate the delay. In the end, the evening came to an end only half-hour after the planned 11:30 p.m. finish. Article content 'We've had bad rain, but probably the worst was 25 years ago where it poured all day,' says Clarke. 'There's always rumours of rain at our festival. In the afternoon the skies open up for half an hour and then it's clear. It's my fault, last year I was complaining about how dry the site was and how there was no grass.'
Calgary Herald
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Calgary Herald
CAKE to bring 'more frenetic, louder, messier' show to close Calgary Folk Music Festival
Article content When John McCrea returned to the stage after a lengthy break caused by the pandemic, he felt rare pangs of stage fright. Article content It was a strange development since the lead singer of CAKE has been performing as part of the California band since 1991, often in front of large festival or amphitheatre crowds. Article content 'Weirdly, after playing thousands of shows, I started having a bit of anxiety,' says McCrea, in an interview with Postmedia. 'I think I was just having anxiety about everything, about the world. But getting on the stage when you have anxiety is a tall order.' Article content Article content So, in the tradition of NASCAR races and Nickelback concerts, McCrea began to incorporate the T-shirt cannon into his band's act. Article content Article content 'Having that foil, as it were, this excuse for distance, this powerful T-shirt gun thing that made a nice, satisfying (pop), it actually got me back on stage,' he says. 'I could be playing music, but mostly here's what I'm doing: I'm shooting something into the sky. I guess that explains a lot of the gun-fetish culture. It gives you a reason to exist, I guess, in that moment. I'm not making any pro or con statement. I'm saying I'm playing music, but mainly I've got this physically demonstrative gesture. I can't explain it, but it really helps me.' It should add another layer of colour to CAKE's live show, which will take over the ATB Main Stage Sunday night to close the Calgary Folk Music Festival. Like most artists, McCrea has other ways of dealing with the anxiety the world, and his country in particular, has increasingly brought. At the end of 2024, the band released a single called Billionaire in Space. Initially broadcast as part of Texas Public Radio's Live from the Freight Elevator, the song has a folk-punk flavour and features McCrea's trademark nasally delivery. It's also the band's first new material since 2011's Showroom of Compassion and will be part of an album likely to come out in early 2026. Article content Article content While the title Billionaire in Space may seem on the nose in terms of the point McCrea is trying to make, the song has broader content than simply criticizing Jeff Bezos' and Richard Branson's costly and self-indulgent jaunts into the cosmos. It was inspired by wildfires in 2020. Article content 'We were going through the pandemic and down here on the West Coast, we were covered in smoke for weeks,' he says. 'There was a period of time when we were just buried, and it was very surreal. In the sky, the only colours you could see were brown and orange and grey for weeks, and there was very little difference between day and night, and the air was just toxic. It wasn't just trees of smoke, it was burned-down sporting-goods-store smoke. Anyway, at that same moment, we had two billionaires flying their rockets, orbiting the planet. It was poignant at that moment.' Article content Of course, politically thorny times have tended to produce good music in the past. Article content 'Inspire is a nice word for it, but I think maybe trigger would be a better word,' he says. '… I'm sort of at the mercy of whatever is going on around me in terms of subject matter.' Article content While the new album will have what McCrea refers to as veiled political content, he seems reluctant to pinpoint specific themes or musical direction it may take. Since forming in 1991, CAKE has never followed any rule book, except to offer a droll, dance-ready antidote to the humourless grunge acts that were ruling the music world in the mid-1990s. Article content CAKE became an unlikely platinum-selling group, offering a mix of disco, funk, folk, country and alt-pop — gamely referred to as 'quirk-rock' by some critics — that seemed to arrive fully formed on the band's 1993 self-released debut Motorcade of Generosity and its massive follow-up,1996's Fashion Nugget. Songs such as The Distance and an endearingly deadpan cover of Gloria Gaynor's I Will Survive became staples on the radio. Article content Article content The band's early success was with the independent label Capricorn Records, although they did eventually sign with Columbia for a short period. While CAKE did face occasional pressure from label brass, their early success put them in a good place to steer their own ship creatively. Article content 'We released our first album on our own label and we were lucky enough to find distribution and it did pretty OK before we got signed,' he says. 'I'm pretty sure our song (Rock 'n' Roll Lifestyle) was on the college-radio charts before we got signed. So they were kind of like, 'We don't know what this is, so let's just let them do whatever the hell this is.' That was cool. Mostly that's what they did. Here and there, they messed with us. A lot of bands, when they sign, it's a very unequal relationship and they can dress them up funny, put them with producers that are wrong for them, etc., etc.' Article content Article content As for the live show, we will presumably see some T-shirt cannon action, but beyond that, the band tends to be unpredictable on stage. CAKE never relies on a setlist for concerts, which should give the Sunday night showcase a sense of spontaneity. Article content 'We do that to stay alive inside and not feel like a machine that is being forced to play a certain song at a certain time,' McCrea says. 'That said, we tend to play songs from all of our albums. Most of the time, we remember to play a song that was popular in a country or a town. We remember to play that song sometimes, and sometimes we don't. But it is a more spontaneous, slightly more frenetic, louder, messier than our studio albums.'
Telegraph
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
The off-Broadway play imagining Prince George as gay
Last Saturday, Prince George cut a dignified figure as he joined the royal family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace for the Trooping the Colour ceremony. But, across the Atlantic, a very different picture is being painted of the future king in a controversial new off-Broadway play with a gasp-inducing title: Prince Faggot. Canadian writer Jordan Tannahill 's highly speculative royal romp, which this week premiered at Playwrights Horizons, is set in 2032 and sees 18-year-old Oxford student Prince George, nicknamed 'Tips' (played by British actor John McCrea), return home to introduce his Indian boyfriend Dev (Mihir Kumar) to the Prince and Princess of Wales (African-American actor K. Todd Freeman and transgender actress Rachel Crowl). Dev is nervous, quipping that George's parents might fear 'We've got another Meghan'; Prince Andrew also gets a name-check in the context of the royal family's fraught history. Tannahill's juicy drama then envisions the tabloid feeding frenzy that follows their relationship going public (including fury from Piers Morgan), and internet comments such as 'Glad someone's adding some spice to that Yorkshire pudding'. Audiences at Prince Faggot must place their phones in lockable Yondr pouches to prevent anyone taking pictures or videos. The reason for that soon becomes apparent: McCrea and Kumar appear naked during graphic sex scenes. They experiment with poppers, acid and S&M fetish: Prince George appears in bondage and shares a kinky fantasy of being walked like a puppy. Prince George also imagines communing with the ghosts of former allegedly gay monarchs: Edward II, Queen Anne, James I, and Richard the Lionheart. Tannahill wraps in postcolonial angst too, with Dev fretting: 'Getting f---ed by the Prince of England? My ancestors would never forgive me.' N'yome Allure Stewart plays a feisty Princess Charlotte (Prince Louis doesn't appear). When her father, concerned about Prince George's explosive fling, says 'Our job is to serve, not to make spectacles of ourselves', she shoots back that they already make a spectacle 'with capes and crowns and motorcades'. Tannahill, an experimental, gay writer, frequently has his 'queer and trans' cast break the fourth wall, refracting their own life experiences through this provocative premise. Stewart talks about earning her version of a royal title at a New York drag ball, and there is discussion around those in power versus marginalised communities. Earnest explorations aside, this is the latest example of a peculiarly pervasive trend: Americans turning our royal family into an explicitly gay soap opera. The jumping-off point for the play is the viral 2017 photograph of the real four-year-old Prince George visiting a military helicopter in Hamburg. The young prince gasped in delight when he spied the chopper and struck a dramatic pose with his hands clasped to his face. Addressing the Prince Faggot audience, actor Mihir Kumar compares the image to a fey photo of himself as a boy, stating: 'We know one of our own when we see one because we ourselves were once queer children.' Internet commentators were certainly gripped by the 'Sassy Prince George' phenomenon. Posts on Twitter (now X) included: 'Prince George is already a bigger gay icon to me than Boy George', 'Do we have our first openly gay royal?', and 'Guys what if Prince George is gay and it causes a constitutional crisis?'. American writer Gary Janetti, who worked on TV shows like Will & Grace and Family Guy, went viral with his spoof Instagram posts imagining Prince George delivering catty zingers to his family – especially Meghan Markle. In one post, 'George' responds to a news story about Meghan doing her make-up in the back of an Uber by sneering 'Does she get dressed in the back of an Uber, too? Because that would explain a lot.' Janetti's work grew so popular that HBO turned it into an animated sitcom called The Prince in 2021, starring Orlando Bloom, Alan Cumming, Sophie Turner and Dan Stevens. Two years later, streamer Amazon Prime Video premiered the film adaptation of non-binary author Casey McQuiston's steamy novel Red, White & Royal Blue, about a gay romance between a closeted British prince and the son of the female President of the United States. Nicholas Galitzine starred as Prince Henry, who bears a physical resemblance to Prince William, but, as the rebellious 'spare' in a contentious relationship, is more obviously inspired by Prince Harry. Perhaps it's the Montecito exile who has turbo-charged this American fascination with royal figures who both benefit from and chafe against their hereditary privilege. Putting a queer spin on our princes allows these writers to indulge in the fantasy of regal luxury – a sort of real-life Disney fairy tale, or a more refined version of their celebrity culture – while also rebelling against it by introducing a transgressive element, and comparing the stuffy Brits unfavourably with the enlightened Americans. In Red, White & Royal Blue, Prince Henry's lover Alex accuses him of being a conformist snob, and the prince eventually confesses that he feels trapped by tradition. Indeed, the disapproving King, Henry's grandfather (played by Stephen Fry), thunders: 'The nation simply will not accept a prince who is homosexual.' In contrast, Uma Thurman's liberal President warmly welcomes her son's coming out, cheerily asking: 'So are you gay? Bi? Fluid? Pan? Queer?', and offering to help him get on the HIV-prevention drug Truvada. Amazon also gifted viewers the bizarre historical fantasy series My Lady Jane in 2024, featuring a gay King Edward VI, plus characters who turn into animals and are 'othered' by society, in another clunky marginalisation metaphor. This trend arguably reached its apotheosis with the horrifically kitsch musical Diana, about the late Princess of Wales, which (dis)graced Broadway in 2021. Although none of the characters were gay, it is unarguably camp trash. Are all of these depictions a grave insult to the institution? Not really. When the material is this navel-gazing, fluffy or downright dumb, it's hard to take it seriously. If anything, it's an odd compliment: a sign that the Americans still can't get enough of our royals, even if they have to view them through a fictionalised, flamboyantly queer modern lens to justify their enduring obsession.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Memorial Day programs, a rodeo and more things to do in Dallas County this weekend
Through May 26 at Perry Fareway and Hy-Vee stores. The grocery bill round-up for Perry's annual fireworks drive will return from May 19-26 at the Perry Fareway and Hy-Vee stores. Customers can round up at the register at both stores. All proceeds will support the Perry Chamber's Fourth of July fireworks show. 7-8 p.m. Thursday, May 22 at 1655 NW Douglas Pkwy, Waukee. The spotlight is set to shine on the Waukee Wavettes as they prepare for their inaugural synchronized swimming showcase. The showcase will be held at 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 22 at the state-of-the-art Waukee Community School District Natatorium. The Waukee Wavettes program offers students an opportunity to explore the unique blend of athleticism, artistry and teamwork inherent in synchronized swimming. Open to all skill levels, the program emphasizes strength, flexibility, endurance and musicality. May 23-24 at Adel Fareway. Everyone who visits the Adel Fareway Store on Friday, May 23 and Saturday, May 24 will be able to receive a poppy in honor of the service of military veterans from the Adel American Legion Auxiliary Unit 464. All poppy donations help the ALA assist veterans, the military and their families. Inspired by the poem 'In Flanders Fields' by Col. John McCrea, the custom of wearing the poppy can be traced back to WWI. The Adel American Legion Auxiliary encourages residents to wear a poppy proudly. May 24-25 Dallas County Fairgrounds, Adel. The Honey Creek Rodeo returns on May 24-25 at the Dallas County Fairgrounds. The weekend includes clinics, round robin team roping, Honey Creek Queen Contest, Cowboy Church and more. Rodeos will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 24 and 7 p.m. on Sunday, May 25. Admission is $10 for the Honey Creek Rodeos, five and under are free. Free admission to other events. Food trucks will be available on site. Find more information on the Honey Creek Rodeo Facebook page. 8 a.m. Monday, May 26 at Iowa Veterans Cemetery, 34024 Veterans Memorial Drive, Adel. The Iowa Veterans Cemetery is hosting its annual Memorial Day ceremony, which honors and remembers those who have served in the U.S. military. The free ceremony is 8-9 a.m., and it also will be livestreamed on the cemetery's YouTube channel. 9 a.m. Monday, May 26 at Oakdale Cemetery, Adel. The Adel American Legion Penoach Post 464 and Auxiliary Unit 464 would like to extend an invitation to everyone to attend the Memorial Day Ceremony at Adel Oakdale Cemetery on Monday, May 26. This day is our opportunity to give thanks to the heroes that died and the loved ones left behind to make sure that their sacrifices are remembered and that their service to this nation will always be honored. Please bring a lawn chair, since no seating is available. In case of inclement weather, the ceremony will not be held. 9 a.m. Monday, May 26 at Fairview United Methodist Church, 2162 Deer Ave., Perry. Fairview's annual Memorial Day program will be held at 9 a.m. on Monday, May 26. The program will include music, readings and a short message by veteran and Pastor Jon Williams. The program will conclude with a gun salute in the cemetery by the Rippey American Legion. Refreshments will follow in the basement of the church, which is a handicapped accessible facility. 9:30 a.m. Monday, May 26 around Minburn. The Minburn American Legion Post 99 will be conducting a Memorial Day Service honoring veterans at the following cemeteries on May 26: Brown Cemetery at 9:30 a.m., Kimrey Cemetery at 10 a.m., Elmwood Cemetery at 10:30 a.m. and at the Raccoon River Bridge (west of Minburn on F-31) at 11 a.m. Following the last service, the Minburn American Legion Auxiliary will be serving a lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Food Stand in Minburn (Legion Hall if cold or rainy). Hot dogs, chili dogs, baked beans, chips, and drink will be served. A free-will offering will be taken, with proceeds going to help fund the Elmwood Cemetery Mapping Project. 10 a.m. Monday, May 26 in Memorial Park, Dallas Center The Dallas Center American Legion and Auxiliary will host the annual Memorial Day program at 10 a.m. on Monday, May 26 at Memorial Park. Attendees are encouraged to bring a lawn chair. 1 p.m. Monday, May 26 at Veterans Memorial Park, 8th and Bateman. The Perry VFW Post 2060 will host a Memorial Day service at 1 p.m. on Monday, May 26 at Veterans Memorial Park. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own chairs. 7 p.m. Monday, May 26 at Eden Acres Campus, 1300 28th St., Perry. Perry Lutheran Homes is bringing music, joy, and community connection to Perry this summer with its Live Music Concert Series. This four-concert lineup aims to bring community, family, and seniors together at free, family-friendly events open to the public and held on the Eden Acres Campus. The series will kick off with Jamie Aaron Kelley, a Boone artist performing rock 'n' roll, country, blues, and rockabilly on May 26 (the concert was postponed from May 19). Upcoming concerts include Richie Lee & The Fabulous 50's on June 9, Greater Des Moines Community Band on June 30 and Jim Quales Ministries on Aug. 18. 6-9:30 p.m. Friday, May 30 at Pattee Park Bandshell, Perry. Kick off the summer with live music by RUKKUS, food and family fun during the Perry Chamber's Friday Fest on May 30. Bring your own lawn chairs or blankets, yard games and your own basket of refreshments (beer and wine permitted; but no glass allowed). Pack a picnic or purchase food from local vendors on site. Food vendors include Perry Volunteer Fire Department (grilling burgers & steak sandwiches), MS Softball Program (brownie sundaes), PHS Music Department (mac & cheese bar). Kids activities include Barrel Rides, sponsored by Optimists Club of Perry from 6-8 p.m., Foam Party from 6-8 p.m. and Glow Foam Party from 8:30-9:30 p.m. 7-9 p.m. Friday, May 30 at Mound Park. Come 'Blast into Summer' on Friday, May 30 for opening night of the Dallas Center Roller Skate Rink. The rink will be open from 7-9 p.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays through August and 6-8 p.m. Fridays in September, weather permitting. Quad and inline skates are available to use for all ages at no charge, in all ages/sizes. Skating games, music, and prizes are free to participants. Concessions will also available. Find the full schedule and theme nights on the City of Dallas Center website. 9-11:30 a.m. Saturday, May 31 at Snyder Tract - North Raccoon River Wildlife Area, 21468 Minburn Rd, Minburn. Kickoff your summer of outdoor activities by connecting with one of the wildest spaces in Dallas County: our rivers! Join a naturalist for a gentle paddle on the North Raccoon River from the Snyder Boat Ramp near Minburn to the Highway 44 Boat Ramp. We'll explore and highlight some of the natural features of the valley and the river itself. Attendees must provide their own boats, paddles, and life jackets. Registration is required through the DCCB's Eventbrite page. June 6-8 around Woodward. The Woodward Friends and Neighbors Day will return on June 6-8. The event kicks off on Friday, June 6 with a beef burger supper, Little Mister and Miss Woodward crowning, BYOB beer garden and live music. The event continues on Saturday, June 7 with a 5K, vendor show, parade, carnival games and cake walk, inflatables, car and tractor show, petting zoo, bingo, live music, fireworks and more. The weekend will wrap up on Sunday, June 8 with a community church service. Check out a full list of activities on the Woodward Friends and Neighbors Day Facebook page. June 6-8 around Van Meter. The annual Raccoon River Days will kick off on Friday, June 6 with the Little Miss and Mr. Van Meter Contest at Memorial Park. The festivities continue on Saturday, June 7 with a Foam Fun Run, water parade, bags and kickball tournaments, carnival, dessert auction, live music, fireworks and more. The weekend will wrap up with a non-denominational church service on Sunday, June 8. at the Van Meter Legion Shelter. Find more details on the Van Meter Raccoon River Days Facebook page and at 10:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. Saturday, June 7 at Perry Public Library. Come celebrate summer with the annual Perry Public Library KidsFest! This family-friendly, free event will kick off the Summer Library Program activities. Enjoy a variety of age-appropriate activities for children like the Foam Blaster, creating bubbles, PBS Kids STEAM stations, outdoor games, family photos, the dunk tank and a petting zoo. New this year, as part of our Summer Library Program theme, Level Up at Your Library, we will have a Gaming Truck filled with a variety of consoles. The Perry Volunteer Fire Department will also offer a $1 meal of either a hot dog or pork loin as a fundraiser. To submit events to be included in the Around the County round-up, email news@ or news@ This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Attend Memorial Day programs or a rodeo this weekend in Dallas County
