Category: Reviews

Alanis Morissette and Tori Amos

Jae-Ha Kim

Got angst? Well, so do Alanis Morissette and Tori Amos. And the two women channeled theirs in very different ways Saturday at the New World Music Theatre. Opening her set with “Sympathetic Character,” headliner Morissette performed a variety of material that ranged from lusty rockers to lullaby-pretty ballads. She alternated between songs from her current album “Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie” and her breakthrough 1995 album “Jagged Little Pill” – which have sold more than 30 million copies worldwide – and gave the show a cohesive feel.

Olivia Newton-John: ’70s pop princess spins through her greatest hits

Jae-Ha Kim

Before Shania, there was Olivia. In a greatest-hits concert Friday at the Chicago Theatre, Olivia Newton-John took the audience on a two-hour tour of songs that showed off her aptitude for country (“If You Love Me (Let Me Know)”), pop (“Xanadu”), rock (“You’re the One That I Want”) and ballads (“I Honestly Love You”). In the ’70s, when female country stars wore their hair big and their sequins even bigger, Newton-John – who was born in England, raised in Australia and pretty enough to be a model – ruffled many Nashville purists by winning the 1973 Grammy Award for best country vocalist.

Olivia Newton-John: Fine-tuned instruments

Jae-Ha Kim

At the end of the month, Olivia Newton-John will get out of jail. In a movie role, of course. “I begin shooting `Sordid Lives’ when this tour is over,” Newton-John says, phoning from Atlantic City, N.J. “I play a singer who just got out of jail. So she’s a little tough. I think it’ll be fun for me because it’s so interesting to do different things.” Playing a felon isn’t something that fazes Newton-John. But playing a guitar is.

“A Dog of Flanders” unleashes classic themes: Goodness guides tale of orphan

Jae-Ha Kim

For those unfamiliar with the 19th century children’s book of the same name, “A Dog of Flanders” is a cryptic sounding title for a movie. The film is less about a dog than it is a tale of goodness and honesty that – as many of these tales do – revolves around a sweet, orphaned boy determined to better himself.

Britney Spears

Jae-Ha Kim

With her girlish voice and sun-kissed looks, Britney Spears is the female answer to the Backstreet Boys, which shouldnt come as too much of a surprise given that Max Martin has penned hits for both the Boys and Spears; and that Nigel Dick has directed videos for both. But while the Boys sing songs about that elusive girl that got away, Spears–like Brandy–does a good job at conveying what it feels like to be the girl whose heart was broken.

Nickelodeon’s All That Music & More Festival, featuring 98°, Monica, Tatyana Ali, B*Witched, EYC and No Authority at the Allstate Arena

Jae-Ha Kim

You’ve heard of a training bra? Well, Nickelodeon’s All That Music & More Festival, which rolled into town Sunday night, was a training concert, starring that red-hot boy band 98°. Never been to a live show before? No problem. Someone was on hand to tell the youngsters when to scream, stand up and dance. But the kids didn’t always cooperate.

Unpolished gem: Jewel concert loses its luster

Jae-Ha Kim

“Turn to me with frozen lips; Your hands are icy cold.” No, Jewel wasn’t describing the chilly conditions Friday night at the New World Music Theatre. Rather, she was singing a verse from “What’s Simple is True.” What’s true is simply this: With two hit albums (“Pieces of You” and “Spirit”), a best-selling poetry book (A Night Without Armor) and a leading role in Ang Lee’s coming film “Ride with the Devil,” Jewel’s ingenue days are over. Talented and lovely, she oozes telegenic charm in her music videos.

Goo Goo Dolls, Sugar Ray, Fastball Saturday at the New World Music Theatre

Jae-Ha Kim

“It’s weird to play in front of tons of people,” John Rzeznik said backstage at the New World Music Theatre prior to the Goo Goo Dolls’ set Saturday night. “We’re more adept at working a smaller crowd.”
That may be. But I can think of few current bands that’s music is as tailor made for arenas than the Goo Goo Dolls. The group knows how to do a rock show right. Fronted by singer-guitarist Rzeznik and bassist-backup vocalist Robby Takac, the group from Buffalo, N.Y., charged into a fast-paced set, mixing the punk-influenced rockers with their better known ballads.

Brandy at the Rosemont Theatre

Jae-Ha Kim

“This is my first major singing . . . tour thing,” Brandy said midway through her set Tuesday night at the Rosemont Theatre. “It’s also the last night of my tour . . . and all my dreams have come true.” And what a fun way to end the tour. Backed by seven dancers, a six-piece band and four backup singers, the 20-year-old singer/actress strutted on stage in a pink jumpsuit. With all the perfectly timed explosions going off onstage, it almost seemed like the Fourth of July celebration hadn’t actually ended on Sunday.

Whitney Houston at the Arie Crown

Jae-Ha Kim

Whitney Houston is a lot of things – mother, wife, movie star, glamor queen, diva and all-around superstar. But she’s not “every woman,” as she sang Tuesday night at the Arie Crown Theatre. Every woman hasn’t sold 100 million records, as Houston has since releasing her debut album in 1985. Nor can they sing the way she does, as evidenced by a fan who gamely tried to man the mike while Houston good-naturedly stood by.

Dogstar at Park West

Jae-Ha Kim

You’ve got to hand it to Dogstar. It’s not easy being taken seriously when the media-and even some fans-don’t really want you to be. But the trio-which includes movie star Keanu Reeves on bass-was well-prepared for its one-hour concert Wednesday night at the Park West. Debuting 15 songs from their upcoming album, “Happy Ending,” the musicians’ aggressive set was a vast improvement over their 1995 Chicago debut at the same venue. Back then, Dogstar appeared tentative and somewhat cowed by the adulation aimed at their famous bassist. This time around, they confidently served up catchy songs with muscular rhythms and strong hooks.

Ben Folds Five

Jae-Ha Kim

Ben Folds Five plays “The Unauthorized Biography of Reinhold Messner.” Sounds like some weird concept piece at an arthouse, right? But it was actually a sold-out rock ‘n’ roll show Monday night at the Park West. You wouldn’t know it from “Brick” – the band’s breakthrough, bittersweet single in which Folds sang about an abortion his high school girlfriend had – but the group has a wry sense of humor.

98° at the Rosemont Theatre

Jae-Ha Kim

As long as there are girls, boy bands such as 98°, which performed Tuesday at the Rosemont Theatre, will fare just fine. And when you think about it, that’s not such a bad thing. Whose concert would you rather have your 12-year-old attend? The one by nice young men in 98°, who sing about eternal love, or a show by wacky Marilyn Manson, who likes to pick fights with Kurt Cobain’s widow?

“Ladies First: Revelations of a Strong Woman” by Queen Latifah

Jae-Ha Kim

In her first book, rap star-turned-actress Queen Latifah, candidly writes about her steady rise to fame, her close-knit family and and how she treated her grief with alcohol and drugs after her brother died in a motorcycle accident. At 173 very short pages (the type is huge and the margins generous), readers are entertained and, to a certain extent, enlightened. But they never get the feeling that they have gotten to know the artist.

Viggo Mortensen: Renaissance Man

Jae-Ha Kim

Barefoot and clad in a pair of sweats that have seen better days, Viggo Mortensen walks over to introduce himself. His hands and arms are covered with names and phone numbers he has scribbled on himself after checking his answering machine. And his hair is tousled and flecked with tiny bits of paint. None of this can hide Mortensen’s deadly good looks.

Getting the last laugh: ‘N Sync shrugs off the parodies

Jae-Ha Kim

You’ve heard their song “Tearin’ Up My Heart” on the radio. You’ve seen the video on heavy rotation on MTV. And if you have a little sister, young niece or a daughter with a subscription to Teen People, there’s a good chance you could even pick Lance Bass, JC Chasez, Joey Fatone Jr., Chris Kirkpatrick or Justin Timberlake – the Fab Five who make up the pop band – out of a dreamy lineup.