Now that we’re all out and about, after a long winter of hibernation, and local college students are wrapping up another semester of classes, it’s time to take a breath and check out what cultural and community opportunities await you in May. Here’s a list of some upcoming local event highlights. READ THE REST HERE

Let me say this up front: although I was a U-M student at exactly the right time (1989-1993), I did not see Nirvana play the Blind Pig either time – opening for the Flaming Lips in October 1989, or headlining in April 1990. Nor did I see Smashing Pumpkins in 1991, Pearl Jam that same year, or Dave Matthews in 1994.

So who did I see at the Pig back in the day? His Name is Alive, Crossed Wire (multiple times), Toad the Wet Sprocket, and Map of the World. (Possibly Throwing Muses too, though my memory’s hazy on this point.) I saw bands that had found some success, and regularly drew young fans and crowds to the then-smoky club, but weren’t fated to ever land on the cover of Rolling Stone.

That’s OK. I still had a great time. I remember asking HNIA’s former frontwoman Karin Oliver, seated at the Pig’s bar between sets, to sign my red flyer for the show. (She seemed surprised but delighted by my request.) During Crossed Wire shows, I danced up a storm while jockeying for position, hoping to catch lead singer Chris Moore’s eye. And I shamelessly belted my favorite Toad tunes, closing my eyes while harmonizing with Glen Phillips.

Lots of locals have been revisiting their personal history with the Pig lately, since Swisher Commercial listed the building for sale in February. Though whoever buys it may choose to keep the space a music venue and bar, the Pig’s location within Ann Arbor’s exploding downtown business district makes it a hot prospect for a broad range of potential buyers.

No one knows what the future holds for the Pig. But we can know its history, how its identity has changed over time, and the place it’s held – for years and years – in Ann Arbor’s live music scene. READ THE REST HERE

Conor Ryan stars in “Into the Wild” at Dexter’s Encore Theatre. (Photo by Michele Anliker Photography)

Being confronted with Christopher McCandless’ true tragic tale – now being told via “Into the Wild” at Dexter’s Encore Theatre – during young adulthood is a very different experience from watching it unfold as a parent. As a teen or twentysomething, you think, “He’s so gutsy and true to himself!” while the older you thinks, “Dear God, why did he plot this doomed course for himself?!”

It’s like generational “Rashomon.” You’re seeing the same story, but your subjective filter skews how you perceive this cult figure.

Based on Jon Krakauer’s bestselling book, “Into the Wild” (as well as a collection of McCandless’ own writings, postcards, and photos called “Back to the Wild”), the in-development stage musical – with music and lyrics by Niko Tsakalakos, and book and lyrics by Janet Allard – focuses fairly tightly on McCandless’ post-college years. Upon graduating from Emory, McCandless (Conor Ryan) donated the remaining $25,000 that had been set aside for his education to charity and started hitchhiking around the country, working odd jobs while having no contact with his frustrated-but-loving parents (Sarah Briggs and Greg Bailey).

McCandless lived this free-spirit life for two years before deciding to go to Alaska, a landscape he viewed as largely uncorrupted by mankind and civilization. Aiming to live off the land, McCandless hiked off into the Alaskan wilderness, woefully unprepared for all that Mother Nature might throw at him, and he soon made camp in an old, abandoned bus.

The show’s creators (along with director Mia Walker) are seeing the show on its feet for the first time at Encore, after years of work, and there’s a good deal to be excited about. Tsakalakos’ music is, on the whole, terrific, with achingly beautiful melodies and harmonies – delivered by Encore’s vocally top-notch ensemble, and guided by music director Tyler Driskill – that made me want to run out buy a cast recording that doesn’t even exist yet. Continue reading →