By Rachel Bui
I’m not sure if it’s because this was my first concert since the pandemic first hit, or if it’s because this was the last stop of the Pink Moon Tour, but there was a special energy that I hadn’t felt in a long time at this concert.
By Harrison Lorenzen
Following a hiatus in 2020, the South by Southwest festival returned in March 2021 with its same international renown as ever before. SXSW 2021 was presented in a fully virtual format, which had its pros and cons, but was able to provide much of the content that festival-goers have come to expect from the event.
By Rachel Bui
SXSW 2020’s cancellation due to the coronavirus had many of us wondering how SXSW 2021 would look like for almost a year. Their response: host SXSW virtually.
By Jacob Pellegrino
2021 was an immensely unconventional year for entertainment: from concerts and cinema to large festival events. SXSW 2021 was no exception to the necessity to improvise around an established in a new, remote format. Although nothing can fully match the experience of large crowds and the movement of a festival atmosphere, SXSW created a simple app and website driven experience that allowed for compartmentalized viewing of the festival’s events. This interface removed a lot of the chance occurrences that would happen at the physical festival but also allowed for convenient viewing and an easier ability to see everything one might want to.
Upcoming website content:
KTRU will be covering SXSW Online 2021 this year. While SXSW ’20 was cancelled, we went forward with conducting interviews with artists from the lineup (as well as other artists) over Zoom, and we will be releasing them here at ktru.org, on our Youtube channel, and on our Soundcloud.
We are excited to release new content. Stay tune!
At the Ruins bar in Dallas, TX
The North American Tour of Come From Away Photo Credit Matthew Murphy
By Harrison Lorenzen
As writer Elie Wiesel once said, “Even in darkness it is possible to create light.” There is no better story to prove this than what occurred in Gander, Newfoundland, in the week following September 11th, 2001. Opening Tuesday at the Hobby Center, Come From Away presents how the townspeople of Gander came together when 7,000 travelers were stranded by the closure of the American airspace. While addressing such subject matter can be depressing, Come From Away focuses on the relationships formed and the countless selfless acts performed throughout the week.
The Company of the North American Tour of ONCE ON THIS ISLAND. Photo by Joan Marcus. 2019
By: Harrison Lorenzen
The North American tour of Once On This Island drifted into Houston this week, as part of the Theater Under the Stars’ 2019-2020 season. The 2018 Tony-Award Winner for Best Revival, this show brings rushes of emotions throughout, such as both joy and sorrow, love and loss. Providing something for everyone, wrapped up as beautifully performed Caribbean-style storytelling, Once On This Island is a must-see while it is in Houston through March 1st.
By: Harrison Lorenzen
Water by the Spoonful, by Quiara Alegría Hudes, tells a story about making connections and forming relationships, whether its family or friends, both near and far. The show follows Elliot, a marine who struggles with his own drug addiction, attempting to reconnect with his mother, a former heroin addict who runs an addiction support chat room. In addition, the other users on the site are forming connections, both digitally and physically, and breaking down emotional walls in order to connect through their shared experiences. Water by the Spoonful is being produced by Stages at The Gordy, open through February 23rd.
By: Harrison Lorenzen
Stages’ brings a storybook quality to The Fantasticks, its first production inside their new theater complex, The Gordy. As has become a coincidental tradition for Stages, this is their third time producing The Fantasticks during their first season in a new venue. Presenting a story about love, family, and friendship, this show leaves many lessons for the audience to take with them. On-stage through March 15th at The Gordy, everyone should make time to attend The Fantasticks.
The Fantasticks follows the story of two young “forbidden” lovers, whose clever fathers have erected a wall to keep them apart. While the kids fall in love, thinking their fathers forbid it, the fathers, secretly friends, must devise a ploy to revise their faux conflicts so the lovers can marry. The mysterious El Gallo arrives with his services to assist the fathers, and, in effect, corrupt the innocence of the children. Complete with a has-been Shakespearean acting duo, the show keeps audiences engaged on the edge of their seats, while also laughing hysterically throughout.