April 5th 1986, at 8.15pm, Downtown Houston is aflame. A kilometer long wall of skyscrapers is illuminated by DCA projectors, fireworks and beamed images. Over one and a half million people witnessed for the very first time an entire city in concert.
… Jean Michel Jarre’s commemoration of the 150th anniversary of Houston and Texas, and of the 25th anniversary of NASA, was one of the most spectacular concerts in the history of music.
… Rendez-Vous Houston: A City In Concert gained an entry in the Guiness Book Of Records for having attracted the largest audience ever for an outdoor concert.
… The event is also dedicated to the memory of the astronauts who perished in the Challenger tragedy. One of them, Ron McNair, astronaut and saxophonist, should have interpreted “Ron’s Piece” in space (a title specially composed for him – it was to have become the first musical piece played and recorded in space.)
“Put together, Bolt come up with a flamboyant, brash, almost theatrical chunk of ’70s throwback rock, a cross between the boogie parts of the Rocky Horror soundtrack, The White Stripes (particularly the stomping groove of ‘The Man Who Couldn’t Save the World’) and, weirdest of all, Bowie. This is seriously retro-rock crafted by a bunch of guys who sound like they spent their formative years digging through their older brothers’ record collections and loving every second of it.” – Jeremy Hart: SPACECITYROCK.com & FREEPRESSHOUSTON.com
“Bolt is almost a dead ringer for Ziggy Stardust-era Bowie. Watch out for these guys.” – Chris Gray: HOUSTON PRESS
“You guys sound great! It was just like KISS! I think you have a real hit on your hands and I think you should be on MTV! I’ll make a couple calls.” – Daniel Johnston: American songwriting icon
One man’s obsession with a lucky card trick turns the fates of three in Tchaikovsky’s vibrant melodrama. Russian tenor Vladimir Galouzinereturns to HGO as the tormented Herman, internationally renowned soprano Tatiana Monogarova makes her HGO debut as his beloved Lisa, and Vasily Ladyuk is the dashing Prince Yeletsky. Canadian mezzo-soprano Judith Forst is the keeper of the fated secret. This award-winning production is a visual treat with imaginative puppets and mixed-period costumes. Italian maestro Carlo Rizzi conducts.
Prog-math rockers Motion Turns It On & the Dublin-based Autumn Owls are the musical guests. Community guest and ‘audience of one’ is Ruben Dominguez, a founding member of rock group Toho Ehio and former freelance journalist for local rag Thorazine.
With this episode LFSH welcomes producer Gina Miller as the new co-host alongside award-winning record producer, Dan Workman.
Autumn Owls are a four-piece post rock-meets-folk band from Dublin. The band was one of the 10 selected by Hot Press to represent Ireland in the New York Tisch School of Arts 2007 Music Video Project. The song selected, went on to feature on Dave Fanning’s television program The Last Broadcast. After two EP releases, they began work with acclaimed producer Ciaran Bradshaw of Westland Studios. The band was nominated in the newcomer category “Hope for 2009 Award” in the Meteor Irish Music Awards. At the time of this filming Autumn Owls are currently recording their debut album and on tour in the U.S. Behind every great band lies a story waiting to be told.
For Houston-based Motion Turns It On, a local trio that roller coaster ride began, as stories of this nature often do, with misguided youth living in the suburbs. Manufactured living leads young ones to the kind of restlessness that occasionally sparks dormant creativity. MTIO formed in 2004 and the original members have transformed their vision into something truly cutting edge. Their stunning debut E.P. entitled Rima garnered rave reviews from Houston Calling to Amplifier Magazine. Now MTIO is a seasoned band with a new album entitled Kaledioscopic Equinox and a remarkable live performance thats been called schizophrenic, kinetic and controlled frenzy.
This sparkling folktale is one of Donizettis most popular operas. Lovesick Nemorino falls madly in love with the young landowner Adina knowing well that she is out of his league. Luckily, the scheming Dr. Dulcamara has just the cure to what ails him. Russian soprano Ekaterina Siurina sings the minx Adina and John Osborn is Nemorino. Internationally renowned Italian bass-baritone Alessandro Corbelli plays Dr. Dulcamara, and Liam Bonner is the flamboyant Sergeant Belcore. Directed by Annabel Arden, this delightful production takes place in a rustic Italian town square.”
