Art Hounds: Afrobeat, a fond farewell and questionable vocal talent
This week on Art Hounds: Zuluzuluu at the Cedar, the closing of the Minnesota Centennial Showboat and "Souvenir" at Commonweal Theatre.
Zuluzuluu at the Cedar
Music critic Ali Elabbady is psyched to see local band Zuluzuluu open for Afrobeat master Femi Kuti Friday night at Cedar Cultural Center.
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Zuluzuluu blends hip-hop, funk, soul and Afrobeat into a richly layered Afro-futurist package. Given the times we live in, Elabaddy says he's looking forward to their positive energy.
"Under the Gaslight" on the Minnesota Centennial Showboat
Attorney and freelance arts writer Bev Wolfe is sad to see that the Minnesota Centennial Showboat is closing after more than fifty years of presenting melodrama on the river, but she says the University of Minnesota's theater department is ending the summer tradition with a great production.
"Under the Gaslight" features both great music and comedy, says Wolfe, and is a nod to the showboat's history. It was one of the first productions performed on the boat in the late 1950s. Performances run through Aug. 27.
"Souvenir" at Commonweal Theatre
Lanesboro Arts Gallery Director Robbie Brokken absolutely loved Commonweal Theatre's production of "Souvenir" — a play based on the true story of Florence Foster Jenkins, a moneyed socialite who thought she had great vocal talent ... but didn't.
The show features bad singing — and good — as audiences here how she really sounded vs how she thought she sounded. Performances run through Sept. 3.