Theater Review: Cirque du Soleil: Corteo

All good things must come to an end at some point. Even life. Mauro the clown has passed on and his friends and family gather to celebrate his life and career.

Cirque du Soleil: Corteo reveals what goes through the mind of a parade clown when his time has come. Will he go to Heaven and receive wings to become an official angel, or slide down into the hotter location?

Climbing ladders into the skies, silk performers, chandeliers and bouncy beds are all brought into the mix as this classic is renewed for today's audiences.

Having seen several Cirque shows, this ranks No. 2 on my list of favorites for the story line and addition of the chandeliers and more multi-performer sets. (No. 1 still is Quidam, about the stranger on the street whom you never notice.)

Although I do not expect perfection, and understand these are skilled gymnasts and acrobatic performers, a few slips and drops in this show made it seem as if a few more rehearsals were needed.

Upcoming shows within the one-tank distance from Indy, include: Evansville and Detroit.

Elizabeth J. Musgrave is a travel, features, food and wine writer, travel and food photographer, and performing arts, hotel and restaurant critic. Follow her on Twitter @GottaGo, LinkedIn and Facebook.

Concert Review: Bob Seger

Rock god to the working man, Bob Seger, tore up the stage at Conseco Fieldhouse creating a 2 hour and 20 minute Rock and Roll memory for 13,000 fans. Noticeable was the vast age difference among attendees from teenagers to retiree age, including Seger himself.

Just celebrating his 66th birthday, and appreciative of the birthday banners waving in the crowd, the legend of rock music ripped into his classic hits beginning with Roll Me Away, Come to Poppa, Old Time Rock & Roll, The Fire Down Below and, playing acoustic guitar, Main Street. After a brief intermission, Seger and The Silver Bullet Band slid into songs which receive less radio time such as Beautiful Loser, Nutbush City Limits and Her Strut. With vocals as strong as ever, he finished with two separate encores wrapping up the night with Against the Wind, Hollywood Nights, Rock and Roll Never Forgets and Nights Moves.

The Detroit native drew from his vast collection of albums, including Face the Promise ('06), Against the Wind ('80), Nine Tonight ('81), Live Bullet ('76) Night Moves ('76) and Stranger in Town ('78). Don Brewer (Grand Funk Railroad) hammered away at the drums while Alto Reed brought in the sweetness of his saxophone.

Seger's genius lies in his innate ability to reach down into his soul and share through lyrics raw emotions, life's ironies and inner struggles in a gritty, tough guy style. Touching the core of the everyday man and woman is signature Seger. Continuing the successful relationship with his fans since the '60s cements his status as an American rock legend.

Bottom Line: Bob Seger's high energy and strong vocals demonstrate he, and his songs, have stood the test of time with a packed house of fans celebrating life proving the man has been right all these years: Rock and Roll Never Forgets.


Elizabeth J. Musgrave is a syndicated columnist, travel writer, music, restaurant and performing arts critic. Catch her as Indy’s Arts & Entertainment Adviser on 93 WIBC and follow her on Twitter @ejmusgrave1 and Facebook or email her at elizabeth@gottago.us.
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