LIKE IT OR LOOP IT
11/03/2013 - 23/03/2013
Capital E National Arts Festival
Production Details
Did you know that your name alone has enough rhythm to create the sounds of a drum kit? Have you ever considered the sound of a passing bus to be the same as an opera singer’s voice?
Award-winning trans-Tasman multi-instrumentalist Adam Page takes you on a journey through a normal day – exploring its sounds and finding the music in everything from brushing your teeth in the morning to falling asleep at night. He’ll play the audience as his orchestra, using samples, live recording and looping on stage. You’ll walk out of the performance with a new-found love of music that surrounds us in the most random of things.
“…a soundscape emerges as rich and as full as if he is accompanied by a tight five-piece. Magical? Yes and it’s all in the hands of just one talented musician.”Arts Hub, Adelaide“His creativity and ability to improvise is second to none. He makes everything from a crowd member’s name to a plane flying overhead musical”.The Advertiser.
“Adam Page is a musical wizard… (He) provides a feel good hour of entertainment that would please just about every musical taste…” one4review.com (Edinburgh Fringe 2008) ****
“…part theatre, part concert… part stand-up, and maybe even a whole new genre… hugely entertaining, impressive, engaging and fun.” Theatreview
Education Dates: Mon 11 – Fri 15 & Mon 18 – Fri 22 March
Public Show: 2pm Sat 23 March
Venue: Paramount Theatre
Age: 4 – 14 years
Duration: 40 minutes
40 mins
Dancing with doo-dackies
Review by Moana Ete 11th Mar 2013
In the age of loop pedals and songs arranged entirely in a capella, Adam Page, multi-instrumentalist extraordinaire, is a living Forefather to this mind-boggling musical form. Adam brings to the Capital E National Children’s Theatre Festival a story about his unique learning journey and his lifelong love for music.
In Like it or Loop It, Adam, the bearded school boy, guides us through a typical school day in an atypical way. His fascination with everyday objects and the potential for music in them is the simple premise on which this show is structured. He goes about his day turning mundane acts, like eating breakfast and brushing his teeth, into a beat that we cannot resist dancing to.
It seems that to do live looping well is to have a Jedi affinity with the technical equipment. At Adam’s feet is an impressive array of sound altering doo-dackies. Some loop his voice and other’s will enhance or distort it. As Adam records sounds into the microphone, he masterfully taps away at the machines with his foot, building funky beats on the spot.
Where the magic of this show lies is Adam’s interaction with his audience. The excitement amongst the children is electric. Today I am joining students from Brooklyn School who, of course, get Brooklyn-themed shout outs throughout the show. It’s recess time and headed toward the stage are two brave volunteers: Nicky and Molly. They get a chance to try looping for themselves. Cool kid Nicky is confident as he yells into the mic when instructed by Adam whereas giggling Molly is a bit more ‘OMG, shame!’ about the whole ordeal. Adam finds a place in the beats for her giggles too, making sure his new mate isn’t left hanging.
On leaving the venue – Paramount Theatre – all the children are in the lobby singing the new songs they helped make in the show. What a wicked thing to take away from it!
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