{"id":31015,"date":"2019-02-16T08:55:14","date_gmt":"2019-02-16T13:55:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/?p=31015"},"modified":"2019-02-16T08:55:20","modified_gmt":"2019-02-16T13:55:20","slug":"on-stage-neal-morse-continues-the-great-adventure","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/?p=31015","title":{"rendered":"On Stage: Neal Morse continues ‘The Great Adventure’"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff<\/strong>, Entertainment Editor, The Times<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

The Neal Morse Band<\/p><\/div>\n

The last time Neal Morse played a show in the area was a year ago when he visited the Sellersville Theater on his solo acoustic tour.<\/p>\n

That tour was sandwiched between a 2017 tour in support of a massive project \u2013 an intellectually challenging double-CD titled \u201cThe Similitude of a Dream\u201d \u2013 and his current tour in support of a massive project \u2013 an intellectually challenging double-CD titled \u201cThe Great Adventure.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Similitude of a Dream,\u201d which was released on Radiant Records via Metal Blade Records\/Sony with a running time of more than 100 minutes, is loosely based on the book \u201cThe Pilgrim\u2019s Progress.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Great Adventure,\u201d which was released January 25 on Radiant Records via Metal Blade Worldwide, is a perfect companion piece to TSOAD\u2019s partial retelling of John Bunyan\u2019s \u201cThe Pilgrim\u2019s Progress.\u201d It has everything that fans would expect from an album by the Neal Morse Band — rock, metal, classical and jazz elements.<\/p>\n

The 2017 band tour touched down locally at the Keswick Theater (291 N. Keswick Avenue, Glenside, 215-572-7650,\u00a0www.keswicktheatre.com<\/a>). On February 16, Morse and his band will return to the same venue to offer his fans more music based on \u201cThe Pilgrim\u2019s Progress.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s really quite a thing,\u201d said Morse, during a phone interview Monday morning. \u201cWhat I\u2019ve discovered \u2013 if the piece is right, it will deliver every night. \u2018The Great Adventure\u2019 is one of those pieces that delivers every night.\u00a0 And, it\u2019s great to be out with this band. We\u2019ve been together since 2102.\u201d<\/p>\n

The music made by the Neal Morse Band will never be classified as \u201ceasy listening\u201d music.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s not to say the music made by Morse and his stellar group of players is not enjoyable because it is fun to listen to. But, grasping the complexity of the music and following along with the stories in the lyrics is not so easy. Actually, it takes work on the part of the listener.<\/p>\n

The Neal Morse Band \u2014 singer\/guitarist\/keyboardist Neal Morse, drummer Mike Portnoy, bassist Randy George, keyboardist Bill Hubauer and guitarist Eric Gillette \u2013 have treated fans to a pair of musically and lyrically deep double-CDs.<\/p>\n

Both double albums are loosely based on the book \u201cThe Pilgrim\u2019s Progress.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n

Officially titled \u201cThe Pilgrim\u2019s Progress from This World, to That Which Is to Come.\u201d is a 1678<\/a> Christian<\/a> allegory<\/a> written by John Bunyan<\/a>. It is regarded as one of the most significant works of religious English literature<\/a>, has been translated into more than 200 languages, and has never been out of print.<\/p>\n

With \u201cThe Similitude of a Dream,\u201d the entire book is presented as a dream sequence narrated by an omniscient narrator. The allegory\u2019s protagonist, Christian, is an everyman character, and the plot centers on his journey from his hometown, the \u201cCity of Destruction\u201d (\u201cthis world\u201d), to the \u201cCelestial City\u201d (\u201cthat which is to come\u201d \u2014 heaven) atop Mount Zion<\/a>.<\/p>\n

True to the album\u2019s title, the creative process was indeed a \u201cgreat adventure.\u201d Unlike many previous Morse albums, which have often been written and arranged within weeks, this time around these prolific and world-class musicians spent almost a year working on the end result, producing an abundance of top-quality material.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe recorded \u2018The Great Adventure\u2019 in 2016,\u201d said Morse. \u201cNone of us really wanted to do a sequel. I had two songs that were in the vein of \u2018The Similitude of a Dream\u2019 and it went from there. It was a long process involving every member of the band. It took us one-and-a-half years to complete it.\u201d<\/p>\n

A key question that had to be addressed in the studio was how to pull all the ideas together into a coherent whole. In the end, what unlocked this \u201cadventure\u201d for Morse was the realization that \u201cThe Great Adventure\u201d needed a new voice and perspective. This time, it is that of the Pilgrim\u2019s abandoned son — a younger, perhaps angrier, voice than was heard on \u201cThe Similitude of a Dream.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe got together \u2013 in the same room at the same time — and had the first session in August 2017,\u201d said Morse. \u201cWe record a single disc \u2013 a non-concept album in January 2018. But I didn\u2019t feel it was right.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter the January session, I got the concept of an angry son. That\u2019s what clinched it for me. He exists in the novel but there isn\u2019t much bout him. I circled back and went to the book and followed my instincts. I made up as lot of things as I told his story.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe got together again in August 2018 to work on the double album. We left the session with the drum tracks complete. Then, we all went home to do overdubs.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter that, we all just sent our stuff directly to our mixing guy Rich Mouser, who has a studio in Altadena, California. We got our parts in by the end of September and the mixing was done in October and November. It was cutting it close for a January 25 release.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Great Adventure\u201d is the ninth studio album with Morse, Portnoy and George, and the third as a true collaboration with this current lineup.<\/p>\n

Morse has been a major player in the prog rock scene for the last two decades.<\/p>\n

In the mid \u201990s he formed the quirky Spock\u2019s Beard, whose debut recording, \u201cThe Light,\u201d was an unexpected success. Over the next seven years, Spock\u2019s Beard released six critically-acclaimed studio recordings and multiple live recordings while establishing a passionate fan base in the prog rock community.<\/p>\n

In 2000, he formed the prog supergroup Transatlantic with drumming legend Mike Portnoy (formerly with Dream Theater), Marillion\u2019s Pete Trewavas and The Flower Kings\u2019 Roine Stolt.<\/p>\n

In 2001, Morse became a born-again Christian, left Spock\u2019s Beard and began a Christian rock solo career, releasing many progressive rock concept albums about his new religious faith. In the meantime, he continued to play with Transatlantic and formed three new bands, Yellow Matter Custard, Flying Colors and The Neal Morse Band.<\/p>\n

\u201cI started going to church with my wife in the church she grew up in,\u201d said Morse. \u201cAfter a while, I experienced something I had never experienced before. I experienced the Holy Spirit.<\/p>\n

\u201cI quit Transatlantic and initially lost about half my fans because of the switch. Ultimately, I gained some. I gave my life to God and I\u2019m happy with what we have.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now, Morse is challenging his fans with his second weighty double album in the last few years.<\/p>\n

\u201cNormal music fans might not listen to a project like this all the way to the end, but prog fans will,\u201d said Morse. \u201cIn the prog world, the longer it is the better it will sell. They want the picture book and they\u2019re really ravenous for the music.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for Neal Morse Band \u2013 http:\/\/youtu.be\/hcq6xc26WQI<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at the Keswick Theater on February 16 will start at 8 p.m. Ticket prices range from $29.50-$65.<\/p>\n

Another show at the Keswick Theater this weekend will feature Jack Hanna on February 17.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

Marty Friedman<\/p><\/div>\n

Marty Friedman began his career as a Shrapnel solo recording artist and later recruited a then 17-year-old Jason Becker to form the yet unrivaled dual guitar unit, Cacophony. Amassing worldwide acclaim as a guitar superstar, he came to the attention of Megadeth. His time as lead guitarist for Megadeth spanned nearly the full decade of the 1990s.<\/p>\n

Racking up sales of over 10 million records with Megadeth, Friedman continued to record solo records, often embarking on adventurous musical forays far removed from his work with Megadeth, including an album with Golden Globe winner Kitaro. In a bold move, he left the legendary Megadeth to pursue new musical goals and has succeeded tremendously.<\/p>\n

In a move even bolder than leaving one of the most popular metal bands in the world, Friedman made an even bolder move. He relocated to Japan in 2003 and has lived in Tokyo ever since.<\/p>\n

Fortunately for his fans stateside, Friedman never abandoned America. His 14th solo album, \u201cONE BAD M.F. Live!!,\u201d was released October 19, 2018 on Prosthetic Records. It\u2019s an all-out celebration of his music in its rawest form with his Japanese band which features the stunning female bassist Kiyoshi, wunderkind guitarist Jordan Ziff, and \u201cThe Animal\u201d drummer Chargeeee.<\/p>\n

Now, Friedman has come back to America for a stateside tour in support of his new album. The tour touches down locally on February 19 at The Voltage Lounge (421 North Seventh Street, Philadelphia, 215- 964-9602, www.voltagelounge.com<\/a>).<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a live album that was done in Mexico City in April last year,\u201d said Friedman, during a trans-Pacific phone interview last week from his home in Tokyo. \u201cI wanted to use Chris Rakestraw as the producer. He\u2019s from Nashville and has a great remote recording studio. I just wanted to document this stage of my band\u2019s formation.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy band outshines me every night. You will fall in love with Kiyoshi`s stage persona and her playing. I have never seen or heard a bassist like her. Jordan follows in a well-documented tradition of mine, of only playing with super guitarists. Chargeeee will have you laughing as he seems to be straight off The Muppets, while effortlessly bashing through some quite complex drumming.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is my fifth year with this line-up. I haven\u2019t been in the studio lately. Now, we\u2019re just playing live a lot \u2013 starting on the West Coast and working our way east. After making my last album, \u201cWall of Sound,\u201d in 2017, I wanted to get away from the studio for a while. I like to stay on the road.\u201d<\/p>\n

Many successful American music acts prefer to live in the states and do an occasional tour in the Orient. For Friedman, it\u2019s the other way around.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve lived in Tokyo for a while,\u201d said Friedman. \u201cI used to go there a lot on tour. I went there so many times in my career, I realized I liked the music scene in Japan much better. I wanted to contribute to the music scene over there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Friedman\u2019s many accomplishments make him currently the only musician to be a fixture in the top class of the Japanese domestic as well as international music scene. Three performances on national TV with the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra and charting high with his own music and with Japan\u2019s top artists, has spurred Friedman into new celebrity territory. He has appeared on more than 600 TV programs and become a staple on mainstream media in Japan.<\/p>\n

His appearance as the star of a new TV comedy, \u201cHebimeta-san\u201d (\u201cMr. Heavy Metal\u201d) and its spinoff, \u201cRock Fujiyama,\u201d which ran for six seasons, propelled him into the living rooms of Japan`s mainstream. Currently he is a constant fixture on Japanese television (appearing on hundreds of network programs of all types, and as the face of long running campaigns for Fanta\/Coca Cola, Sumitomo Bank, Suntory etc.), as well as appearing in major motion pictures. He is also the author of two\u00a0hardcover books in Japanese detailing his unusual views on the current Japanese music scene, as well as two best-selling manga-related books, which are both in their eighth editions now.<\/p>\n

Friedman is the first and only foreign musician in history to play the Japanese National Anthem at a major sporting event. After writing two bestsellers in Japanese, collaborating with several top Japanese artists, recording #1 singles and several top ten singles, stadium\/dome tours of Asia and appearing in two major Japanese motion pictures, he has established himself as a bona fide superstar in the Land of the Rising Sun.<\/p>\n

\u201cONE BAD M.F. Live!!,\u201d which was recorded live during his 2018 \u201cWall of Sound\u201d tour on its final show in Mexico City at Centro Cultural on April 14, 2018, is fueled by his own brand of \u201cfeelgood aggression.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to Friedman, \u201cThis live album is a tip of the hat to the live albums that blew my mind when I was a kid. The musical content itself is modern and atomic-powered, but the presentation is decidedly old school. The pacing of the show, the audience participation stuff, the special live arrangements of the songs, these are the things that got me all jacked up as a kid.<\/p>\n

\u201cI like to give the audience the feeling that they are really getting something unique, something that only happens at their show, not just a recital of the songs exactly as they know them. There are lots of happy accidents, once-in-a-lifetime ad libs, things that could have only happened because we were high on that particular audience`s energy.\u201d<\/p>\n

With 14 albums to his credit, Friedman has a lot of songs to fill his set list.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe do a lot from \u2018Wall of Sound\u2019 and a lot from \u2018Inferno,\u2019 my previous album that came out in 2014,\u201d said Friedman. \u201cWe play everything that\u2019s on the live album \u2013 and a lot of surprises. My band knows my entire catalog so it\u2019s a little different every night. We like to keep the audience involved.\u201d<\/p>\n

Friedman\u2019s fans who catch a show on this tour will find themselves realizing what Japanese fans have known for a while \u2013 Marty Friedman is \u201cichiban\u201d (\u4e00\u756a), which means \u201cNumber 1\u201d in Japanese. It is used to describe something that is the best of something \u2013 such as Friedman\u2019s artistry. Video link for Marty Friedman \u2013http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=P5ExZGYrtwo<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at The Voltage Lounge, which has Immortal Guardian and Assayer as opening acts, will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20.<\/p>\n

Other upcoming shows at The Voltage Lounge are Can\u2019t Swim on February 16 and The Showcase on February 20.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

morgxn<\/p><\/div>\n

On February 17, The Foundry at Fillmore Philadelphia (1100 Canal Street, Philadelphia, 215-309-0150, www.thefillmorephilly.com<\/a>) will present a show by one of the brightest new pop vocalist prospects \u2013 morgxn.<\/p>\n

When he was growing up in Nashville, the young singer with an expressive voice was known by everyone as Morgan Karr. After graduating from college, he pursued an acting career in New York and then relocated to Los Angeles to focus on his music career. A few years ago, he dropped \u201cKarr,\u201d went to one (lower case) name and replaced the \u201ca\u201d with an \u201cx.\u201d<\/p>\n

Ever since he was a young child in Nashville, morgxn has been singing \u2013 from a kid singing popular songs around the house to a member of local gospel choirs.<\/p>\n

\u201cI had to leave home to find my own home,\u201d said morgxn, during a phone interview Wednesday from a tour stop in upstate New York. \u201cWe\u2019re in Buffalo now – snowy Buffalo. It\u2019s cold outside but it\u2019s warm inside.<\/p>\n

\u201cI never really fit in when I lived in Tennessee. Nashville was a hard place to grow up as an outsider. Moving to L.A. was a fresh start. I need to find my own place.I moved to L.A. eight years ago and didn\u2019t know anyone in the music scene.\u201d<\/p>\n

Once established on his own, morgxn started getting noticed in the music community \u2013 especially after he contributed vocals on two Ti\u00ebsto<\/a> tracks in 2015 \u2013 \u201cFighting For\u201d and \u201cChange Your World,\u201d both of which were on Ti\u00ebsto<\/a>\u2019s \u201cClub Life: Volume Four New York City\u201d album.<\/p>\n

His debut single \u201cLove You With the Lights On\u201d was released in June 2016. He collaborated with Janelle Kroll on her 2017 single \u201cLooose\u201d and makes an appearance in the video (which led to a Billboard magazine article headline — “Indie Pop Upstart morgxn Debuts Stunning Single \u2018Love You With the Lights On\u2019.\u201d morgxn\u2019s 2018 single \u201cHome\u201d featuring Walk the Moon<\/a> reached Number 19 on the Billboard Alternative Songs<\/a> chart and Number 25 on the Billboard Rock Airplay<\/a> chart.<\/p>\n

In May, morgxn\u2019s first album, \u201cVital,\u201d was released on Hollywood Records. Just over a month ago, morgxn made his national television debut on on Jimmy Kimmel Live!<\/a> when he performed \u201cHome\u201d with Nicholas Petricca, frontman of alt-rock band Walk the Moon. He also performed \u201cMe Without You\u201d in the same Kimmel episode. morgxn\u2019s dynamic duet \u201cHome\u201d<\/a> with Petricca is currently #19 on the alternative radio charts.<\/p>\n

At the same time, morgxn announcing a five-track EP \u2013 \u201cvital : blue (s t r i p p e d),\u201d which includes stripped versions of his debut album \u201cVital\u201d along with a brand-new track with Nicholas Petricca called \u201cBlue.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m doing a month-long tour around the EP,\u201d said morgxn. \u201cI just put my album out, so I\u2019m playing to new people in new places. The album came out last summer and the EP just came out.<\/p>\n

\u201cI really didn\u2019t plan to do the EP. I\u2019m very proud of the album. It\u2019s the soundtrack to the last few years of my life \u2013 including losing my father. It\u2019s really hard for me to put as period on anything. The album was finished \u2013 but it never felt complete.<\/p>\n

\u201cI got involved with the youth at Covenant House in L.A. I playd \u2018Carry the Weight\u2019 \u2013 just me on piano \u2013 and everyone was crying. \u2018Carry the Weight\u2019 was the start of the EP and then HBO picked it up for their \u2018Pride\u2019 campaign<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m working now on my next album. Music makes me very excited \u2013 music I\u2019m bringing to you.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for morgxn — https:\/\/youtu.be\/8NLLaG7OgSM<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at The Foundry, which has Robert DeLong as the headliner, will start at 8 p.m. Tickets are $16.<\/p>\n

Other upcoming shows at The Foundry are Function on February 16, and Chiddy Bang on February 20.<\/p>\n

The circus comes to town quite often in this area with annual visits by companies such as Cirque Italia, Cirque du Soleil, UniverSoul Circus, and Cirque Dreams.<\/p>\n

This weekend, area circus fans will have the opportunity to check out a new circus making its first visit to the Delaware Valley.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>

42FT — A Menagerie of Mechanical Marvels<\/p><\/div>\n

On February 17, the Annenberg Center (3680 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, https:\/\/annenbergcenter.org\/events<\/a>) is presenting a performance by Cirque Mechanics \u2013 \u201c42FT — A Menagerie of Mechanical Marvels.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cirque Mechanics was founded in 2004 by Boston native and German Wheel artist, Chris Lashua, after the success of his collaborative project with the Circus Center of San Francisco, Birdhouse Factory. Cirque Mechanics quickly established itself as a premiere American circus, with its unique approach to performance, inspiring storytelling and innovative mechanical staging.<\/p>\n

Although inspired by modern circus, Cirque Mechanics finds its roots in the mechanical and its heart in the stories of American ingenuity.\u00a0 The shows, rooted in realism, display a raw quality, rarely found in modern circus, that makes their message timeless and relevant.\u00a0 The stories are wrapped in circus acrobatics, mechanical wonders and a bit of clowning around.<\/p>\n

While \u201c42FT\u201d might sound like a strange name for a show, there is a lot of meaning behind the name.<\/p>\n

A circus is a company of performers who put on diverse entertainment shows that may include clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, musicians, dancers, hoopers, tightrope walkers, jugglers, magicians, unicyclists, as well as other object manipulation and stunt-oriented artists. The term circus also describes the performance which has followed various formats through its 250-year modern history.<\/p>\n

Philip Astley is credited with being the father of the modern circus when he opened the first circus in 1768 in England.<\/p>\n

After a spell in the army, Astley opened a riding school in Lambeth where he taught in the morning and performed equestrian tricks in the afternoon. Musical accompaniment was provided by Astley’s wife Patty who beat a big drum. They established Astley\u2019s Riding School at the southern end of Westminster Bridge in 1768 and Patty joined Philip in executing tricks on horseback.<\/p>\n

One of Patty’s best tricks involved circling the ring on horseback with swarms of bees covering her hands and arms like a muff. Philip’s most famous act was \u201cThe Tailor of Brentford\u201d in which he was the first to combine comedy with equestrian expertise.<\/p>\n

Astley quickly began to incorporate other acts from the fairs and pleasure gardens of London and the boulevards of Paris. These were acrobats, jugglers, rope-dancers, clowns and strong men. By 1780 he had built a roof over the entire arena so that his audiences could enjoy winter evening amusements.<\/p>\n

Philip Astley is credited with discovering that the ideal size for a circus ring is 42 feet in diameter. This was the optimum size that enabled him to use centrifugal force to help balance on a horse\u2019s back. As he rode at speed around the ring, he used gravity to push himself into the horse\u2019s back and thus prevent a nasty tumble onto the sawdust floor.<\/p>\n

As styles of performance have developed since the time of Astley, so too have the types of venues where these circuses have performed. The earliest modern circuses were performed in open air structures with limited covered seating. From the late 18th to late 19th century, custom-made circus buildings (often wooden) were built with various types of seating, a center ring, and sometimes a stage. The traditional large tents, commonly known as “Big Tops” were introduced in the mid-19th century as touring circuses superseded static venues.<\/p>\n

These tents eventually became the most common venue and remain so to the present day. Contemporary circuses perform in a variety of venues including tents, theatres and casinos. Many circus performances are still held in a ring usually 42\u00a0feet in diameter.<\/p>\n

Chris Lashua, Creative Director\/Founder of Cirque Mechanics, was discovered by\u00a0Cirque du Soleil\u00a0in 1992. Working for Cirque du Soleil, Lashua created and performed a BMX bike and a German Wheel act that were entirely his own and established his reputation as a visionary of circus gadgetry.<\/p>\n

In 2004, his engineering skills and creative energy led him to form his own circus company — Cirque Mechanics.\u00a0His innovative machines interact with acrobats, dancers, jugglers and contortionists on a 1920\u2019s factory floor (Birdhouse Factory) and\u00a0a \u201cGold Rush\u201d era town (Boom Town). His machines also accompany world renowned symphonies (Orchestra Project), take place in a place inspired by his roots in cycling (Pedal Punk) and now under the \u201cBig Top\u201d in in \u201c42ft-A Menagerie of Mechanical Marvels.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c42FT — A Menagerie of Mechanical Marvels\u201d\u00a0follows the story of a down and out roustabout filled with wanderlust and enamored with the circus who is willing to persevere in order to reach his dream of performing under the big top.\u00a0\u201c42FT\u201d displays life in a tent show by exposing the glamour inside the ring and the vitality of the back lot.<\/p>\n

Lashua explained why he chose to develop a circus-themed show.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have been a circus fan my entire life. The circus has gone through a rough patch in the past few years and, while\u00a0we are a contemporary circus company, we wanted to pay tribute to this classic art form — and Circus, as all art\u00a0and entertainment, needs to evolve to remain relevant. This year also marks the 250th anniversary of what we\u00a0all now call \u2018circus\u2019 and at the center of every circus has been the ring\u2026 42 feet in diameter to be exact, the ideal measure for a rider to perform tricks while standing on a horses\u2019 back while at a full gallop.\u201d<\/p>\n

While many circuses have folded because of backlash from their use of animals, Cirque Mechanics still uses an animal in its show \u2013a mechanical horse named Rosebud. The rest of the cast features talented human circus performers.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have 12 artists on stage,\u201d said Lashua. \u201cWhile most\u00a0are American, we do have one artist from a traditional Russian circus family and two male circus artists from\u00a0Mongolia.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs our shows are about creating mechanical devices that support the acrobats or show off the relationship between \u201cman (or woman) and machine,\u201d my favorite part is in the design and building of these original devices. I then get to work with artists to do acrobatic research, which is also great fun.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have a great central character and the audience will enjoy following him as he tries to prove himself worthy of a job in the circus. We also have a great high flying acrobatic \u2018Russian Swing,\u2019 which launches the acrobats 20 feet in the air, and a Mongolian Strongman who juggles a telephone pole as if it were a broom stick.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy favorite is a juggling act that is performed atop our mechanical horse as it gallops around the ring…which is the perfect way for us to pay tribute to the animal act that is at the center of what we know as the circus. The reveal of \u201cRosebud,\u201d our mechanical horse, with\u00a0\u201crider\u201d\u00a0Tatiana Vasilenko is my favorite moment of the show.\u00a0 It celebrates the important role animals have played in circus history and highlights the machines that make Cirque\u00a0Mechanics unique.\u201d<\/p>\n

Video link for Cirque Mechanics \u2013 https:\/\/youtu.be\/Dy8QA1ALtVg<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The show at the Annenberg Center will be held on February 17 at 2 p.m. Tickets are $59.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Denny Dyroff, Entertainment Editor, The Times The last time Neal Morse played a show in the area was a year ago when he visited the Sellersville Theater on his solo acoustic tour. That tour was sandwiched between a 2017 tour in support of a massive project \u2013 an intellectually challenging double-CD titled \u201cThe Similitude […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":31017,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7529],"tags":[10995,6518,10993,10994,9995],"class_list":["post-31015","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-d-arts-entertainment","tag-42ft-a-menagerie-of-mechanical-marvels","tag-featured","tag-marty-friedman","tag-morgxn","tag-neal-morse"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31015","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=31015"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31015\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":31016,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31015\/revisions\/31016"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/31017"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=31015"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=31015"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kennetttimes.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=31015"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}