Mannheim Steamroller
As promised, my review! Hubby and I did get to go last night, despite our little buggy haired boy. A friend was kind enough to watch him for the few hours, full knowing that she was going to have to probably do a comb-thru of the entire family. I shall offer my assistance if that happens.
Our first suprise of the evening came even before the music started. We trudged up to our reserved seats in the balcony level of Conseco Fieldhouse, only to find the section blocked off by a table. The seating arrangements had been changed, and so we were given tickets for the club level of the Fieldhouse, one section lower. WooHoo! Of course, the seats were still too narrow for our wide loads, but hey, we were closer.
There are times when I wish we were independently wealthy. The lucky stiffs with the floor seats were seated at tables with two cash bars available. They also had a quarter sized (I think) model train running around a track on the floor, guarded during the breaks by four "tin" soldiers, who would march around and wave. What do you know, dinner and a show.
The music was everything I expected from Mannheim and Chip Davis. They did not sacrifice quality for volume. It was lovely. The entire group looked like they were having a ball. They utilize video to accompany the music, so the light show was minimal. The first song was accompanied by a video of clips from their 20 years of doing Christmas music. Other songs followed, both old and new. The first hour sped by like the Enterprise at full warp.
The second half of the program contained a section that is my personal favorite. They had done a video several years ago with a medieval theme. Not completely period, but fun nonetheless. Chip and Arnie Roth, the violinist, kept picking on each other during this section. Roth would thrust with his bow, Chip would parry with his crumhorn. Chip got to laughing so hard he kept overblowing the crumhorn, which produces a sound not unlike a goose.
All in all, we had a good time. If you have not heard Mannheim, think again. They have produced some of the wonderful instrumental Christmas music you hear every year. And if you get to see them in concert, count the number of steamrollers you see in the videos.
Our first suprise of the evening came even before the music started. We trudged up to our reserved seats in the balcony level of Conseco Fieldhouse, only to find the section blocked off by a table. The seating arrangements had been changed, and so we were given tickets for the club level of the Fieldhouse, one section lower. WooHoo! Of course, the seats were still too narrow for our wide loads, but hey, we were closer.
There are times when I wish we were independently wealthy. The lucky stiffs with the floor seats were seated at tables with two cash bars available. They also had a quarter sized (I think) model train running around a track on the floor, guarded during the breaks by four "tin" soldiers, who would march around and wave. What do you know, dinner and a show.
The music was everything I expected from Mannheim and Chip Davis. They did not sacrifice quality for volume. It was lovely. The entire group looked like they were having a ball. They utilize video to accompany the music, so the light show was minimal. The first song was accompanied by a video of clips from their 20 years of doing Christmas music. Other songs followed, both old and new. The first hour sped by like the Enterprise at full warp.
The second half of the program contained a section that is my personal favorite. They had done a video several years ago with a medieval theme. Not completely period, but fun nonetheless. Chip and Arnie Roth, the violinist, kept picking on each other during this section. Roth would thrust with his bow, Chip would parry with his crumhorn. Chip got to laughing so hard he kept overblowing the crumhorn, which produces a sound not unlike a goose.
All in all, we had a good time. If you have not heard Mannheim, think again. They have produced some of the wonderful instrumental Christmas music you hear every year. And if you get to see them in concert, count the number of steamrollers you see in the videos.
posted by Beth | 1:34 PM
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