Thursday, March 21,2013

Gig Report

A rundown of Lansing shows this week

by Hannah Scott

Thursday, March 21 — Funky electronica and young rappers are a few more shows hitting the Lansing area this week. Brooklyn-based Dopapod and Chicago-based Kids These Days join a host of unique bands coming to Lansing.

Thursday, March 21,2013

A state treasure

Grand Hotel’s resident historian speaks tonight

by Marisol Dorantes

Thursday, March 21 — The Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island is a National Historic Landmark, overlooking Lake Huron since its construction in 1887. Bob Tagatz, the hotel’s resident historian, will speak at 7 tonight at the Capital Area District Library’s downtown branch. He will guide Lansing listeners through some of the rich oral history of the Michigan treasure.

Wednesday, March 20,2013

Patterns within patterns

Big new exhibit fills Broad Art Museum with brain food and eye candy

by Lawrence Cosentino

In the tug of war between art and architecture, Broad Art Museum curator Alison Gass has been sandbagging until now.

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Wednesday, March 20,2013

Recovery is a process

by ALLAN I. ROSS

The brutal 1998 murder of Matthew Wayne Shepard in Laramie, Wyo., is one of the country's most high-profile hate crimes, and is considered a watershed for the gay rights movement. In 2000, "The Laramie Project" was produced, a play that was composed entirely of interviews with a cross-section of the community.

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Wednesday, March 20,2013

New in town

Arty Party Studio

by ALLAN I. ROSS

Last weekend, the festively named Arty Party Studio celebrated its grand opening in Okemos, and co-owner/operator Susan Brewster said the response was overwhelming — about 200 folks turned out, mostly friends and members of the community.

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Wednesday, March 20,2013

Turn it down

A survey of Lansing's musical landscape

by Rich Tupica

Steppin' In It lead singer Joshua Davis releases his third rootsy solo album, "A Miracle of Birds," Friday at (SCENE) Metrospace. Backing Davis is Laura Bates, Jen Sygit, Mike Lynch and Geoff Lewis. Davis' new album was inspired by a trip he made last year to the West Bank.

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Wednesday, March 20,2013

Hitchcock of the walk

Winning spy farce pays homage to film noir

by Shawn Parker

Farces are a tricky business. When done well, they can evoke the subtle humor of Noel Coward or the broad slapstick of the Monty Python troupe. When they misfire, you can be left with something akin to a second-rate Wayans Brothers dud, which is better off being entirely avoided.

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Monday, March 18,2013

Titans and titillation

Wharton’s performing arts series blends flash and substance

by Lawrence Cosentino

Pull the modest levers within your reach and big things roll your way — with a little luck. That’s how Michigan State University’s Wharton Center pieced together a big-city performing arts series in a middle-sized market for 2011-2012, drawing big names like Tony Bennett, Wynton Marsalis and the Vienna Symphony to the capital area.

Monday, March 18,2013

Organic sounds

Lansing Symphony Orchestra pulls out the stops in new season

by Lawrence Cosentino

Steady on the podium, gentle in person, Lansing Symphony maestro Timothy Muffitt is the last person you’d cast as a mad organist. But Muffitt and his legions are sounding mighty chords in next year’s season, which was announced Sunday.

Monday, March 18,2013

'Inspiration' installation

It took a lot of perspiration and patience to get Lansing's new sculpture in place

by Lawrence Cosentino

At 7 a.m. Thursday, a flatbed truck backed into the parking lot of the Lansing City Market and aimed a 24-foot-long wooden crate toward the riverbank. Two workers unbolted one end of the crate. The morning sun caught a gleaming curve. Something very large, sleek and silver was sleeping inside — something from California. Was the majestic humpback whale being returned to the Grand River at last?