Jersey Boys in Perth

April 25, 2013
by Rodney Olsen
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JerseyBoys

If you have young children who enjoy the music of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, buy them an album or DVD, but don’t take them to see Jersey Boys. If you have a friend or family member who is offended by frequent coarse language, don’t take them to Jersey Boys. (Unless you think you can convince them the cast is just saying ‘fudge’ or ‘funk’ an awful lot.)

If, however, you’re prepared for a fair bit of language and some occasional sexual themes, you’ll have a %#$&#@# good night out. The show’s website warns that it’s not recommended for children under 12 due to strong “authentic Jersey” language. I wouldn’t recommend it for anyone not prepared for the strong content.

JERSEY BOYS is the story of how four boys from the wrong side of the tracks became one of the biggest American pop music sensations of all time.

Frankie Valli, Bob Gaudio, Tommy DeVito and Nick Massi, The Four Seasons, wrote their own songs, invented their own sounds and sold 175 million records worldwide – all before they were thirty.

JERSEY BOYS features their hit songs
“Sherry”, “Big Girls Don’t Cry”, “Rag Doll”, “Oh What a Night” and “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You”, among others.

Having sounded that warning, I need to say that the show is amazing. Pauline and I were at the opening night show and thoroughly enjoyed the performance. It tells the story of the band well and had me searching details online when I got home. I wanted to know even more about their rise to fame.

One of the things I found in my search is that Frankie Valli himself believes the show to be about 95% accurate. Not a bad endorsement.

The music is stunning and the band members work well together to provide the harmonies that you’d expect from a show about The Four Seasons. I’m sure that the original band members have seen a rise in royalty cheques since Jersey Boys started on Broadway back in 2005. As the show continues you hear hit after hit and you’re reminded what great songs the band produced before they called it a day.

Jersey Boys is structured as four “seasons” with each season each narrated by a different band member giving different perspectives on the group’s history and music.

Jersey Boys is playing at the Crown Theatre until the 9th of June.



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Cirque Du Soleil – OVO

April 16, 2013
by Rodney Olsen
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ovo

Pauline and I were privileged to be guests at the opening night of Cirque du Soleil’s OVO on Sunday night. It’s difficult to judge the Cirque du Soleil shows against each other but I reckon that Ovo is my new favourite. I think I’ve seen about four of Cirque Du Soleil shows.

OVO is a headlong rush into a colourful ecosystem teeming with life, where insects work, eat, crawl, flutter, play, fight and look for love in a non-stop riot of energy and movement. The insects’ home is a world of biodiversity and beauty filled with noisy action and moments of quiet emotion.

When a mysterious egg appears in their midst, the insects are awestruck and intensely curious about this iconic object that represents the enigma and cycles of their lives.

It’s love at first sight when a gawky, quirky insect arrives in this bustling community and a fabulous ladybug catches his eye – and the feeling is mutual.

OVO is overflowing with contrasts. The hidden, secret world at our feet is revealed as tender and torrid, noisy and quiet, peaceful and chaotic. And as the sun rises on a bright new day the vibrant cycle of insect life begins anew.

I posted an update on Facebook during the intermission. “I’m sure that most of the performers are aliens. The thing they’re doing are not humanly possible. Incredible.” It’s hard to believe that the human body can bend into so many different shapes. I reckon that I could probably force my body to bend like that if I had my skeleton removed. The performers were absolutely amazing.

Check out this video for a sample of the amazing show.

The action is so fast that I reckon that even if you went a couple of times you’d still miss bits and pieces. We get so spoiled in this TV age don’t we? Have you ever found yourself wanting to freeze frame a real life moment or watch something you’ve just seen again in slow motion? Wouldn’t it be wonderful if our brains were all fitted with hard drive recorders? I guess they are in a way … that’s where memory comes in to play … but sometimes it’d be great to see things again. I felt a bit that way watching OVO. There were times when it would have been good to be able to rewind and slow the action down a bit.

The costumes and the set were incredible and gave the performance a wonderful sense of the surreal. It all combines to transport you to another world.

If you get the chance to go and see OVO make sure you grab it with both hands.



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What Can I Do?

March 12, 2013
by Rodney Olsen
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Compassion

Anyone that knows me should know that I’m a passionate supporter of a number of organisations that seek to deliver justice and hope to those in desperate situations.

I’ve got to admit that when I see what others are doing to help I feel so very inadequate. I’ve been overseas and seen courageous people working for change in ways that I never could. They have skills that I not only don’t have but could never learn. I’m just not wired like they are.

The good news is that if that’s not how God has put me together, then that’s not what he’s asking me to do. That’s why I use my cycling to raise funds and awareness as well as being an advocate for organisations that are doing great work in various places around the world.

One of the organisations that I strongly support is Compassion Australia, an international Christian holistic child development and child advocacy ministry working to release children from poverty.

Yesterday I learned that the Fundraising Institute of Australia (FIA) has announced 89-year-old Wyn Finlayson from Perth as Volunteer of the Year for 2013. For the past 24 years, Wyn has been a supporter and volunteer with Compassion Australia. Check out the video below to find out a bit more about Wyn’s passion to see children released from poverty.

I reckon if Wyn can keep finding new ways to release children from poverty then we can all find ways to be part of the bigger solution. If you see injustice and then throw your hands up saying, “What can I do?”, let me encourage you to look to Wyn for inspiration. If you have a will to make change you’ll find a way.

Melissa French, Compassion’s Child Advocate Network Coordinator, says Wyn has become an inspiration to all 120 staff and over 2500 volunteers of Compassion Australia and doesn’t let age stand in the way of her passion for volunteering.

“When age began making it difficult for Wyn to be as active as she once was, she decided to start selling homemade jam—made from a recipe passed down from her mother—to raise money for Compassion’s work.

“Wyn uses every opportunity to speak to people in her sphere of influence including her butcher, hairdresser and her doctor! Younger volunteers are often overheard saying ‘my aim is to be like Wyn Finlayson’.”



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Soweto Gospel Choir in Perth

March 6, 2013
by Rodney Olsen
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choirimage

Many people consider South Africa’s Soweto Gospel Choir to be the most exciting group to emerge in world music in recent years. That claim is backed up by the fact they’ve won two Grammies.

The Choir’s repertoire reflects their faith and spiritual journey, sung in six different languages.

Since its first international performances in Australia in 2003, Soweto Gospel Choir has become a worldwide phenomenon performing sell-out concerts across the world and singing alongside superstars including Bono, Queen, Annie Lennox, Diana Ross, Jimmy Cliff and Celine Dion, Red Hot Chilli Peppers and others.
shimmy
They’re currently in Perth for a concert and I was very pleased to welcome founding member Shimmy Jiyane to the studio this morning during my radio program on 98five.

I’ve seen the choir in concert and I can assure you that they put on a show that you’ll never forget. The smiles on other concert goers after their concert suggest that they certainly know how to please an audience. I can’t imagine anyone leaving their shows without feeling uplifted.

If you want to hear a little of the history of the choir, their faith story and more about their performances, just click the play button on the audio player below.



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Benny Prasad brings his ‘Bentar’ to Perth

January 31, 2013
by Rodney Olsen
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BennyPrasad

I had the privilege of chatting with Benny Prasad a couple of days ago. He’s a man who went from being a sick, depressed 16 year old, shunned by his family and considering suicide, to a musician who has performed at events like the Olympic Games and FIFA World Cup. He also holds the world record by becoming the fastest person to travel to every nation on the globe. That includes 245 nations, including Antarctica, visited in 6 years, 6 months and 22 days.

Benny Prasad is an instrumental guitarist from India. He is well known for designing the Bentar which is the World’s First Bongo Guitar. Today, through his music, Benny brings the Hope in God to thousands of people, traveling to 40-50 countries every year. – Wiki

Benny’s guitar, or bentar, is quite an amazing instrument.

Benny designed this 20 String Harp/Bongo Guitar in October 2006. The building of the guitar was completed on May 14, 2007. It was built by Tulsi Guitars – (Chennai, India). It has 6 strings, 2 Bongos and a 14 String Harp.

If you want to hear my chat with Benny about his incredible life, and hear him play, click the play button on the audio player below.



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