{"id":37273,"date":"2017-11-02T16:41:13","date_gmt":"2017-11-02T20:41:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/?p=37273"},"modified":"2017-11-02T16:41:20","modified_gmt":"2017-11-02T20:41:20","slug":"on-stage-phantom-is-back-in-philly","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/?p=37273","title":{"rendered":"On Stage: &#8216;Phantom&#8217; is back in Philly"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>By Denny Dyroff,<\/strong> <em>Staff Writer, The Times<\/em><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_5645\" style=\"width: 360px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/phantom-new.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5645\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-5645\" src=\"http:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/phantom-new-350x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"350\" height=\"200\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-5645\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Phantom of the Opera<\/p><\/div>\n<p>It was inevitable that &#8220;The Phantom of the Opera&#8221; would become the longest-running musical of all time &#8212; both on Broadway and London&#8217;s West End. It is the longest running show in Broadway history by a wide margin. Based on fan response and ticket sales, Andrew Lloyd Webber&#8217;s show is also one of Philadelphia&#8217;s favorites &#8212; along with \u201cLes Miserables\u201d and \u201cCats.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe Phantom of the Opera\u201d is a musical with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Charles Hart and Richard Stilgoe. Lloyd Webber and Stilgoe also wrote the musical\u2019s book together.<!--more--><\/p>\n<p>Based on the French novel \u201cLe Fant\u00f4me de l&#8217;Op\u00e9ra\u201d by Gaston Leroux, its central plot revolves around a beautiful soprano who becomes the obsession of a mysterious, disfigured musical genius living in the subterranean labyrinth beneath the Opera Populaire.<\/p>\n<p>The musical opened in London\u2019s West End in 1986, and on Broadway in 1988. It won the 1986 Olivier Award and the 1988 Tony Award for Best Musical, and Michael Crawford (in the title role) won the Olivier and Tony Awards for Best Actor in a Musical.<\/p>\n<p>Cameron Mackintosh\u2019s spectacular new production of \u201ct<em>he Phantom of the Opera<\/em>\u201d has returned to Philadelphia as part of a brand new North American Tour. \u201cThe Phantom of the Opera\u201d will run now through November 12 at the Academy of Music (Broad and Locust streets, Philadelphia, 215-731-3333, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.kimmelcenter.org\/\">www.kimmelcenter.org<\/a>) as part of the Kimmel Center\u2019s \u201cBroadway Philadelphia\u201d series<\/p>\n<p>The production features a brilliant new scenic design by Paul Brown, Tony Award\u00ae-winning original costume design by Maria Bj\u00f6rnson, lighting design by Tony Award\u00ae-winner Paule Constable, new choreography by Scott Ambler, and new staging by director Laurence Connor. The production, overseen by Matthew Bourne and Cameron Mackintosh, boasts many exciting special effects including the show\u2019s legendary chandelier.<\/p>\n<p>The beloved story and thrilling score, featuring songs such as \u201cMusic of the Night,\u201d \u201cAll I Ask Of You,\u201d and \u201cMasquerade,\u201d will be performed by a cast and orchestra of 52, making this<em> The<\/em>\u00a0<em>Phantom of the Opera<\/em> one of the largest productions now on tour.<\/p>\n<p>The cast of the National Tour has Derrick Davis as The Phantom, Eva Tavares as Christine Daa\u00e9 and Jordan Craig as Raoul, Vicomte de Chagny.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI\u2019ve been with the show for a year-and-a-half,\u201d said Craig, during a recent phone interview from a Canadian tour stop in Ottawa, Ontario. \u201cI jusy had my one-year anniversary of playing Raoul.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhen I joined the cast, I was in the ensemble as an understudy for Raoul. The guy playing Raoul left, I asked if I could audition and they agreed. It\u2019s kind of rare for an ensemble member to move up to a principal role.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Craig got most of his early training performing with Houston Grand Opera and the Alley Theatre, after graduating from Sewanee: The University of the South with a double major in English and Theatre Performance.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cBeing in this show is an amazing experience, said Craig, who was born and raised in Houston, Texas. \u201cIt\u2019s like Christmas every day. Every show, I get to sing these amazing songs.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI first auditioned for \u2018Phantom\u2019 in January 2016. \u201cI was interviewing for several shows when I got a call from my agent telling me I had a role in \u2018Phantom.\u2019<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI needed a job because I wanted to ask my girlfriend to marry me. When my agent called, I was on a bus. I got off the bus in East Harlem and walked all; the way home. I was ecstatic that I could get married \u2013 and that I got a role in a show like this.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Craig knew that \u201cThe Phantom of the Opera\u201d was a special show.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s hard not to be impressed by the sheer spectacle of it,\u201d said Craig. \u201cIt\u2019s so well-written \u2013 and the music is so moving.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Craig is also impressed by his character in the show.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe approach Raoul as very masculine,\u201d said Craig. \u201cMy Raoul laughs a lot. He is a 23-year-old male and he enjoys himself. But, in the second act, he gets downright murderous.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI like his production because we get to approach the show as real people. We get to react realistically. It\u2019s a fresh take on this idea.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Craig offered his insight on the show\u2019s continuing popularity.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cPeople love it because it\u2019s so well-written,\u201d said Craig. \u201cThe show deals with very basic emotions on a grand scale. Most importantly, it tells a story that people react to genuinely. 30 years later, it\u2019s still here. That\u2019s how good this show is.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Performing in a show like this is a dream-come-true for Craig \u2013 and an avenue for another dream-come-true for the young actor. He recently got married to the love of his life &#8212; Iuliia Alekseeva, an actress from St. Petersburg, Russia.<\/p>\n<p><em>\u0412\u0421\u0415 \u0425\u041e\u0420\u041e\u0428\u041e \u0414\u041b\u042f \u0418\u041e\u0420\u0414\u0410\u041d\u0418\u0418<\/em> (Russian for \u201cAll is good for Jordan\u201d).<\/p>\n<p>Video link for \u201cThe Phantom of the Opera\u201d \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/3XVMrtVLQoI\">https:\/\/youtu.be\/3XVMrtVLQoI<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe Phantom of the Opera\u201d will run now through November 12 at the Academy of Music<\/p>\n<p>Ticket prices range from $20-$159.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_5646\" style=\"width: 360px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/king-crimson_910-520.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5646\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-5646\" src=\"http:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/king-crimson_910-520-350x200.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"350\" height=\"200\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-5646\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">King Crimson<\/p><\/div>\n<p>The Kimmel Center is also presenting a show of a very different nature on November 2 and 3. For two nights, the Merriam Theater (250 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, 215-893-1999, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.kimmelcenter.org\/\">www.kimmelcenter.org<\/a>) will host King Crimson, one of the oldest and most-revered prog rock bands in the world.<\/p>\n<p>King Crimson was formed by Robert Fripp in London in 1968. The band has undergone numerous line-up changes over the year with Fripp as the only consistent member of the group. The band introduced itself to the rock world in 1969 with its debut album \u201cIn the Court of the Crimson King,\u201d an album that blended elements of jazz, experimental music and rock.<\/p>\n<p>Since then, King Crimson has released close to 20 studio albums and has performed with a variety of line-ups and a wide array of formations including conventional and unconventional, such as a double-trio live act.<\/p>\n<p>The configuration heading to the Merriam is unique to the world of rock.<\/p>\n<p>With three drummers up front including Pat Mastelotto, Gavin Harrison and Jeremy Stacey, as well as the return of multi-instrumentalist Bill Reiflin on keyboards, Fripp, states that this \u201cdouble quartet formation\u201d is likely to make more noise than ever before. Rounding out the eight-piece line-up are guitarist and vocalist Jakko Jakszyk, long-time bassist Tony Levin, and saxophonist Mel Collins, who was a mainstay of Crimso from 1970-1972.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe all got the call in September 2013,\u201d said Jakszyk, a native of Watford, England. \u201cThe current line-up has been together ever since.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI was an enormous fan of King Crimson as a kid. I saw King Crimson play at a local town hall back in 1971 when I was 13. I felt my life had changed. Now, all these years later, I\u2019m living out this dream.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI got to know Pete Sinfield (one if Crimso\u2019s early lyricists) in the 80s when he had become a successful pop lyricist. I was a session musician at the time. Robert (Fripp) was getting together another King Crimson line-up and Pete suggested me to Robert.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI was playing in a King Crimson tribute band called 21<sup>st<\/sup> Century Schizoid Band. Robert called me to ask how rehearsals were going. That\u2019s how I got to know him. I asked him to play on my solo album and he did.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAround the same time, they were remixing all the King Crimson albums in the catalogue. I ended up remixing the \u2018Thrapp\u2019 album. A little while later, Robert invited me to his house for lunch. A year later, he invited me to his studio to work on some King Crimson stuff. Then, in 2013, I became king Crimson\u2019s lead singer and second guitar.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Now, King Crimson is on the road with perhaps its most powerful line-up ever.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHarnessing this power takes a combination of a lot of rehearsal and listening,\u201d said Jakszyk. \u201cOne thing Robert has done with this line-up is to put the three drummers up front and the band behind them. It\u2019s an egalitarian thing. It\u2019s like a mini-orchestra with a lot of different focuses.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere has been enormous progress for this band in the last few years. When the tghree drummers play, it\u2019s like one drummer with 12 limbs. This line-up is capable of playing any song from any era \u2013 and we do.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Video link for King Crimson \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/24wD_Tcapxg\">https:\/\/youtu.be\/24wD_Tcapxg<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The shows at the Merriam Theater will start at 8 p.m. each night. Tickets prices range from $49-$99.<\/p>\n<p>The show on November 2 at MilkBoy Philly (1100 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, 215- 925-6455, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.milkboyphilly.com\/\">www.milkboyphilly.com<\/a>) will have its focus on duos.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_5647\" style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/whitehorse-2.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5647\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-5647\" src=\"http:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/whitehorse-2-300x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"300\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-5647\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Whitehorse<\/p><\/div>\n<p>The headline act is Whitehorse, a Canadian rock band featuring husband-and-wife duo Luke Doucet and Melissa McClelland. The support act is Nalani &amp; Sarina, a pop-rock-funk duo featuring talented twins from New Jersey \u2013 Sarina and Nalani Bolton.<\/p>\n<p>Whitehorse\u2019s brazen sonic breadth encompasses psychedelic surf, arid border rock, lo-fi ingenuity and icy 80\u2019s sparseness. Luke Doucet\u2019s Gretsch White Falcon and impeccable tone, combined with Melissa McClelland\u2019s blazing vocals and badass P- Bass playing, have made the duo\u2019s sound unmistakably, inventively \u201cWhitehorse.&#8217;\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The couple\u2019s songwriting is distinguished by its cinematic fiction, full of flawed characters, foiled plans and anti-fairytales that transform real life into sleek, stylized collages of neo-noir drama and high-gloss.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhitehorse has existed for seven years,\u201d said Doucet, during a phone interview Wednesday afternoon. \u201cMelissa and I have been playing music together for 14 years and we\u2019ve been married 11 years.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI was a solo artist and she hired me to produce a record for her. After that, we played a lot of music together \u2013 she on my projects and me on hers. We bring really different things to the table. There is very little redundancy. I have a very special way of doing things. With what she brings, my work benefits from a different perspective.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI was really struck with what an empathetic singer she is. Melissa had it the first time she opened her mouth. Everything she does vocally is the perfect choice. She plays guitar that way too. Everything that comes out of her fingers is perfect.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The Toronto-based band\u2019s latest album \u201cPanther in the Dollhouse\u201d finds the band rocking out harder than ever.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe started out very much in the Americana world,\u201d said Doucet, who grew up in Winnipeg. \u201cThat was an honest thing \u2013 no mistaking it. It was our natural home. Our second album \u2018The Fate of the World Depends on This Kiss\u2019 expanded things.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe moved more away from folk music. We decided to take some chances and have some fun. We thought about things we\u2019re not supposed to do musically \u2013 hip hop, fiction songs and songs about sex.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe had a good time making the new album. We recorded it in Toronto at Revolution Studio last winter. We play all the instruments but sometimes we pull other people in. We even worked with two beat makers who were recording at the studio. Then, we went to Brooklyn to mix it at The Boiler Room.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Video link for Whitehorse \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/u8LtWhQgVpE\">https:\/\/youtu.be\/u8LtWhQgVpE<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_5648\" style=\"width: 360px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/nalani-sarina.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5648\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-5648\" src=\"http:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/nalani-sarina-350x256.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"350\" height=\"256\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-5648\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Nalani &amp; Sarina<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Nalani &amp; Sarina have been building a huge fan base in the Mid-Atlantic region for the last five years. The duo has performed at a variety of venues around the area \u2014 including Kennett Flash, the Eagleview Concert Series in Exton, World Caf\u00e9 Live at the Queen, and the Ladybug Festival.<\/p>\n<p>The highly-talented twins have already established themselves as top-flight vocalists, songwriters, and multi-instrumentalists.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019ve been working in the studio a lot lately,\u201d said Sarina Bolton. \u201cWe\u2019ve been recording a lot. We\u2019re taking a pretty relaxed approach \u2014 doing it piece-by-piece\u2026song-by-song.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere are no deadlines and that makes it a lot less stressful. We\u2019ve been recording at Carriage House Studio in Stamford, Connecticut and at the home studio in Wayne (PA) or our engineer Julian Herzfeld.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWith the songwriting, we had a new approach this time. The songs on our last album were based on personal experiences. This time, it\u2019s other people\u2019s stories \u2014 more of a world-wide approach.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s a combination of first person and third person. We\u2019re writing about people our age \u2013 observing other people\u2019s stories. It\u2019s like a story about kids\u2019 lives from their early to late 20s \u2013 love, first relationships, work.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe songs are about what life is like for people our age. But, people of all ages can relate to these songs. We\u2019ve had older people tell us that they can identify with these songs.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>With roots based in rhythm-and-blues, soul, rock and especially funk, the sisters create vocal harmonies that only twins can make.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re identical twins,\u201d said Nalani. \u201cWe graduated early from Hunterdon Central High a few years ago and we\u2019ve been doing music ever since. We both started playing classical piano when were six and then studied operatic vocals when we were in sixth grade.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cClassical music and opera provided good basics for us. Our mom was a folkie so we listened to a lot of folk music when we were young \u2014 great songwriters like Leonard Cohen and Bob Dylan. And, we\u2019ve listened to a lot of classic rock.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe always have the funk. It\u2019s impossible for us to keep the funk out. We\u2019ve always had funk in our blood. We play shows with just the two of us, it always sounds more singer-songwriter. When we do shows with our band, it gets more funky.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Video link for Nalani &amp; Sarina \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/OMe0lVy6eMM\">https:\/\/youtu.be\/OMe0lVy6eMM<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The show at MilkBoy Philadelphia, which has Nalani &amp; Sarina as the opening act, will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $12.<\/p>\n<p>Other upcoming shows at MilkBoy Philly are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.milkboyphilly.com\/event\/1551334-zach-deputy-philadelphia\/\">Zach Deputy <\/a>on November 3, Foxtrot &amp; The Get Down along with Lionize on November 4, Humming House and Becca Mancari on November 5, Jazz Under the Stars on November 7, and The Reverend Peyton\u2019s Big Damn Band on November 8.]<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_5649\" style=\"width: 360px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/missio.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5649\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-5649\" src=\"http:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/missio-350x233.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"350\" height=\"233\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-5649\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">MISSIO<\/p><\/div>\n<p>MISSIO, which is performing on November 2 at Coda (1712 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, 267- 639-4630, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.codaphilly.com\/\">http:\/\/www.codaphilly.com<\/a>), is an Austin, Texas-based <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Electronic_music\">electronic<\/a> duo that features Matthew Brue (vocals, producer), and David Butler (producer, instrumentalist).<\/p>\n<p>MISSIO was formed in 2014 by Brue who created a series of songs in a 1974 airstream trailer in which he was living. After the completion of his demos, Brue hired Butler, a friend and local producer\/engineer, to collaborate on the self-titled EP, which would later be released in November 2014.<\/p>\n<p>After unexpected online success, Brue made his debut appearance under the name MISSIO at the <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/South_by_Southwest\">SXSW<\/a> festival in 2015 with help from Butler. As the project progressed months later, the two joined together to officially become MISSIO.<\/p>\n<p>A few weeks ago, MISSIO released \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fr20.rs6.net%2Ftn.jsp%3Ff%3D001j-ykZlGbMRTmVUi_Pk4OUPsQGst7I6omD9QoBADzVOZToDcKQaYlhWaQy90RCkdX3T9UxfCe06EWZ9RsFMGUZERLotehwmmTrWOTyOlBYMRvDu7UASD8iTV3YJEKMJs3t9ImK-l6Gf-TTXnQ4zAymBbf_NVsgM7fBbxj42M21vSKRq1PYdMNzVtkzcENBmOYLOcBPoDUUsM%3D%26c%3DPLbX-AzATjGLA0Cwi5CMc8m5CEgn5z0-a079barLiGG7DzpKVW688g%3D%3D%26ch%3Dma-qTlY0W24iLkWEffYN31QeJfVVD8pdKO_UrfdrPhrd3yDjmHkazw%3D%3D&amp;data=02%7C01%7Cresident23%40msn.com%7C0bca507ffe774f40955808d517d4534f%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C636441123055174846&amp;sdata=AAAcyDJmfiXm%2BqnPNH2dAt8h8MqOOSGj2NmVtU09OJU%3D&amp;reserved=0\">Skeletons+ (Part II)<\/a>,\u201d the second chapter of an exclusive new docuseries chronicling MISSIO\u2019s story thus far. The first two installments of the three-part film &#8212; directed by longtime MISSIO collaborator Jeff Ray (Sigur R\u00f3s) &#8212; are now streaming at MISSIO&#8217;s official\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fr20.rs6.net%2Ftn.jsp%3Ff%3D001j-ykZlGbMRTmVUi_Pk4OUPsQGst7I6omD9QoBADzVOZToDcKQaYlha-N820STBiRPy_tZyHE01k4b0iVSPd7QUZN0-hIq48XCM0kdDxlIAh-0cn7gEj_5iSP6uZbTXzVaA504Gvhy2ny2SFgJB81DwGJQeXFg00B3RRuKwT721GiqHmMfz_mPEKsHq0gdmKNHT7M1ipVoDzasMtUF8HyQI1k8L5A1SMI%26c%3DPLbX-AzATjGLA0Cwi5CMc8m5CEgn5z0-a079barLiGG7DzpKVW688g%3D%3D%26ch%3Dma-qTlY0W24iLkWEffYN31QeJfVVD8pdKO_UrfdrPhrd3yDjmHkazw%3D%3D&amp;data=02%7C01%7Cresident23%40msn.com%7C0bca507ffe774f40955808d517d4534f%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C636441123055174846&amp;sdata=gzB1eTk5UqHsAYaJCNG4%2FuhGlT38iY6zx2sBAmIDA%2Fg%3D&amp;reserved=0\">YouTube<\/a>\u00a0channel., \u201cSkeletons (Part III)\u201d made its debut on October 31.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSkeletons (Part I)\u201d featured acoustic versions of songs originally featured on MISSIO\u2019s acclaimed full-length debut,\u00a0\u201cLoner,\u201d an LP that featured the duo\u2019s breakthrough single, \u201cMiddle Fingers.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re roommates in Austin,\u201d said Brue, during a phone interview <u>Wednesday from a tour stop in New York.<\/u>. \u201cWe have a studio in our garage so we go there and write. Sometimes we write together and other times individually. We balance each other out with our strengths and our weaknesses.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Butler said, \u201cMatt sings and does a lot of the melody and lyric work. I do more the nitty gritty of the production. Some songs come fast \u2013 sometimes in a day. Others may take a long time to finally come together.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Brue said, \u201cMost of the tine, it starts with a scratch track. We try to get the melody down and go from there. The music tracks tell me where to go with the lyrics.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>The duo has reached a good working balance.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018Our normal way of writing is with me at the computer pulling up sounds while Matt is on the keyboards,\u201d said Butler. \u201cWe also play a lot of drum machines. We\u2019re just two songwriters trying to write a song. Every song is made a little differently.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Brue said, \u201cWe do most of the work at the studio at our house. Then, we take it to a bigger studio. By that time, 565-70 per cent of the song is already done.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Brue and Butler create a lot of sound in the studio0 fo9r just two guys. On the road, it\u2019s a little different.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe play with a drummer live \u2013 three of us onstage,\u201d said Butler. \u201cWith writing, we have our own way. We\u2019re not interested in having a third member on a permanent basis.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Not long ago, MISSIO was named by\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/eur02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fr20.rs6.net%2Ftn.jsp%3Ff%3D001j-ykZlGbMRTmVUi_Pk4OUPsQGst7I6omD9QoBADzVOZToDcKQaYlhbvtiI0_cGaR_i51UfzKDMz1HDgHarHRitFBVGnZlfzePb4aN9qq5bbUCw-ZlsLBc3H6xHwVe4FCE7-w57waOPOISdB5jA22z_QLcazKvn_4GERhMeefstJeoBKUknaYf-rEgxG6q1CdtR6WBV4iYa7XuupzS0m2WBvNnmrxmeDmHo_PIlw9khxLxjx5vOxmUkcLqMXtS6MZWqud9A208BxLYy3BeJFuwJQj6DyVxBiY%26c%3DPLbX-AzATjGLA0Cwi5CMc8m5CEgn5z0-a079barLiGG7DzpKVW688g%3D%3D%26ch%3Dma-qTlY0W24iLkWEffYN31QeJfVVD8pdKO_UrfdrPhrd3yDjmHkazw%3D%3D&amp;data=02%7C01%7Cresident23%40msn.com%7C0bca507ffe774f40955808d517d4534f%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C636441123055331099&amp;sdata=7ROrIyKJF0M2JJaYw72jrsffe6Hx7hel%2BRxtt101ifU%3D&amp;reserved=0\">Rolling Stone<\/a>\u00a0as one of \u201c10 New Artists You Need To Know.\u201d You can find out why by checking the duo\u2019s show at Coda.<\/p>\n<p>Video link for MISSIO &#8212; <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/o0kbu5AOFlc?list=PLmWvdgelz3VysuC1tnwz-lsSK-OI4h8zw\">https:\/\/youtu.be\/o0kbu5AOFlc?list=PLmWvdgelz3VysuC1tnwz-lsSK-OI4h8zw<\/a><\/p>\n<p>The show at Coda, which also features Nothing But Thieves and Airways, will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_5650\" style=\"width: 261px\" class=\"wp-caption alignleft\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/new-kingston-2.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5650\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-5650\" src=\"http:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/new-kingston-2-251x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"251\" height=\"300\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-5650\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">New Kingston<\/p><\/div>\n<p>New Kingston, which is performing November 2 at the World Caf\u00e9 Live (3025 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, 215-222-1400, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.worldcafelive.com\/\">www.worldcafelive.com<\/a>), is a progressive reggae group from New York featuring a trio of siblings with Jamaican heritage \u2013 Tahir, Courtney Jr., and Stephen Panton.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019ve been playing music together since we were really young,\u201d said Tahir Panton, during a phone interview Tuesday from his home in New York.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOur father\u2019s roots started in Kingston, Jamaica. He was a musician and the reason he left Jamaica is because he was in touring bands with Pablo Moses and Sugar Minott. He eventually settled in Brooklyn.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOur dad taught us music. I always had a piano in my house and every morning I would play scales before I went to school. One morning, a drum set, keys and a bass were set up in our basement and that was the beginning of us being a band. I was about 13 \u2013 right before my freshman year in high school.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>A first-generation Jamaican-American, Courtney Panton, Sr. was active in New York&#8217;s reggae scene before turning his sons on to the music of their island heritage. Born out of jam sessions in the family\u2019s Brooklyn basement, the brothers began their career playing Bob Marley and Earth, Wind &amp; Fire covers at parties and gatherings around the neighborhood.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe actually started playing out right away,\u201d said Panton. \u201cWe did bar gigs playing covers \u2013 R&amp;B acts like Michael Jackson and Earth, Wind and Fire and reggae acts like Bob Marley and Dennis Brown. We got pretty popular at that time.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEven from the very beginning, our father wanted us to do originals. He wrote original songs for us. Now, we all write songs collectively.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>By 2010, the brothers had become focused on their own writing, which fused R&amp;B, hip-hop, and dancehall with traditional reggae sounds. With each brother writing and offering vocals, Courtney Sr. filled in on bass. Following their self-released debut, \u201cIn the Streets,\u201d New Kingston went on a European tour with rising reggae star Collie Buddz and played a number of prominent festivals.<\/p>\n<p>The band\u2019s sophomore LP, 2013&#8217;s \u201cKingston University,\u201d earned them a deal with New York label Easy Star Records, which issued their third LP, \u201cKingston City,\u201d in early 2015. Boasting an increased production value and guest spots by the Tribal Seeds, The Wailing Souls, Sister Carol, and Sugar Minott, \u201cKingston City\u201d raised the band\u2019s visibility considerably. The brothers released an EP titled \u201cKingston Fyah\u201d in the summer of 2016.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cOur new album \u2018A Kingston Story: Come From Far\u2019 came out August 25,\u201d said Panton. \u201cWe spent most of this year recording it at our house studio in Brooklyn \u2013 Kingston Studio. It\u2019s all digital but we run a lot of things through our tape machine.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s a rock reggae album. That\u2019s our foundation. We feel like we can be a bridge to a new generation \u2013 that it can be digestible to everybody. It\u2019s reggae. It\u2019s rock. And, it has a conscious message.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Video link for New Kingston \u2013 <a href=\"https:\/\/youtu.be\/XhaAb3Q5Bsc\">https:\/\/youtu.be\/XhaAb3Q5Bsc<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The show at World Caf\u00e9 Live (3025 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, 215-222-1400, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.worldcafelive.com\/\">www.worldcafelive.com<\/a>), which alswo features The New Movement, will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $17.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_5651\" style=\"width: 360px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/beru-revue-kennett-flash.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-5651\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-5651\" src=\"http:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/11\/beru-revue-kennett-flash-350x271.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"350\" height=\"271\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-5651\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Beru Revue<\/p><\/div>\n<p>Kennett Flash (102 Sycamore Alley, Kennett Square, 484-732-8295,\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.kennettflash.org\/\">http:\/\/www.kennettflash.org<\/a>) will host \u201cBeru Lite &#8211; A Beru Revue Workshop\u201d on November 3, and Open Mic with guest host Frank Sokolovic on November 5.<\/p>\n<p>The Steel City Coffee House (203 Bridge Street, Phoenixville, 610-933-4043, <a href=\"http:\/\/www.steelcitycoffeehouse.com\/\">www.steelcitycoffeehouse.com<\/a>) will host Megan Slankard and Alex Wong on November 3 and Sarah Ragsdale and Michaela McClain on November 4.<\/p>\n<p>Burlap &amp; Bean Coffeehouse (204 South Newtown Street Road, Newtown Square, 484-427-4547,\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.burlapandbean.com\/\">www.burlapandbean.com<\/a>) will present Callaghan and Jesse Terry on November 3 and Beth Wood and Heather Mae on November 4.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Denny Dyroff, Staff Writer, The Times It was inevitable that &#8220;The Phantom of the Opera&#8221; would become the longest-running musical of all time &#8212; both on Broadway and London&#8217;s West End. It is the longest running show in Broadway history by a wide margin. Based on fan response and ticket sales, Andrew Lloyd Webber&#8217;s [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":37275,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8457],"tags":[10580,7426,10577,10579,854,10578],"class_list":["post-37273","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-d-arts-entertainment","tag-beru-revue","tag-featured","tag-king-crimson","tag-missio","tag-phantom-of-the-opera","tag-whitehorse"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37273","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=37273"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37273\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":37274,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/37273\/revisions\/37274"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/37275"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=37273"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=37273"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unionvilletimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=37273"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}