Women from all around the world are in a bidding frenzy, hoping to get their hands on the much-coveted tickets to see Australian actor Russell Crowe’s band “Thirty Odd Foot Of Grunts.” The concert will be held at Stubbs BBQ restaurant in Austin, Texas – tickets are presently going for around $200 on internet auctions. – The Age (Melbourne)
Blog
ALAN HOVHANESS —
— dies at age 89 in Seattle. The prolific American composer “embraced melody in an atonal age and drew heavily on music of the East.” – New York Times
CLAP WITH ME
Why is it that audiences at the end of a performance they like often end up synchronizing their clapping? “According to Steven Strogatz, a mathematician at Cornell University who has studied synchronization for 20 years, the same set of mathematical principles governs the phenomenon wherever it occurs – be it among applauding people, flashing fireflies, or roomfuls of grandfather clocks.” – Discover Magazine
SECOND CHANCES
Last week at the last minute, the US House of Representatives voted down a $15 million increase to the National Endowment for the Arts budget. This week the US Senate Appropriations Committee votes a $7 million increase. Will it pass? “While I anticipate a spirited dialogue, I have every confidence that the Senate will prevail in its strong support for the agency,” NEA Chairman Bill Ivey said. – Washington Post
DRUIDS, REVELERS AND DRUM-BEATERS
Why it must be summer solstice and a party at Stonehenge. Actually, since 1984, the partiers have been kept away from the site. But this year the gates were thrown open and about 6000 showed up to celebrate. “It was most definitely a success. We were delighted at the large turnout and we will consider more managed open access in the future”. – Times of India (Reuters)
ART: HOMEGROWN IN AUSTRALIA
- Australians wants to encourage cross-cultural exchange, just like the rest of us, but can’t help but wondering if they’re winning our losing by bringing widely popular international acts into the country – and exporting some of their prize performers to the outside world. Showing excitement over Cirque du Soleil is just fine…as long you are equally thrilled about Australia’s Circus Oz. – The Age (Melbourne)
POOH ON YOU
Disney has lost a round in its fight to hold on to royalties for the Winnie the Pooh characters. A Los Angeles superior court judge has ruled that Disney willfully destroyed documents to prevent them from being admitted as evidence in court. – CBC
KEEPING ART AT HOME
Australian curators are seeking a ban of exports of aboriginal art from the country. Next week there’s an important auction of about 1000 aboriginal works of art. “Alarmed by the number of early Aboriginal paintings being sold to overseas collectors, the curators and other critics were successful last year in having changes made to the Protection of Movable Cultural Heritage Act. Now, an export permit must be obtained for Aboriginal art works more than 20 years old and valued at $10,000 or more.” – Sydney Morning Herald
I AM CRITIC, I AM MAYOR
Frank Gehry’s proposed design for a new bridge in Chicago has run head-on into the city’s most prominent architecture critic – Mayor Daley. “I’ve designed 10 new ones since I heard he doesn’t like it,” Gehry says. “The bridge flap is the latest example of Daley’s involvement in aesthetic issues that other mayors typically delegate to aides. Daley personally reviews major building projects, and his passion for beautification has resulted in a string of initiatives – fountains, flowers, trees and median planter boxes – that make both the city and the mayor look good.” – Chicago Tribune
SEATTLE’S ROCK PILE OPENS TODAY
“Paul Allen, 47, is the third or fourth richest man on the planet, having earned something close to $30 billion by co-founding Microsoft Corp., and his zeal for greenbacks is matched only by his affection for the artifacts and totems of pop history. So when he decides to give the public a peek at his stash, he’s not going to build a shed.” So we get the Experience Music Project. – Washington Post