Music of the Spheres
Last night I attended the Mannheim Steamroller concert at Stephens Auditorium in Ames.
It was an absolutely amazing show. Chip and the band were in great form… lots of amazing drumming (it’s pretty hard to beat those digital-tom fills!), killer bass (sometimes bass guitar, sometimes electric upright), and of course tons of synthesizer stuff and electric violins. They also had a 20-30 person orchestra (violins, brass, and timpani).
The theme of Mannheim Steamroller’s “Music of the Spheres” Tour is space exploration, so a video of a recent space shuttle launch was played on a huge screen, complete with deafening take-off noise. The setlist was great… it included music from their new album Music of the Spheres (which I highly recommend) as well as some older stuff from the Fresh Aire collection.
The only bad thing about the show was the audience. The auditorium was absolutely packed, and about 90% of the audience members were older adults (i.e. people in their 60′s) who looked like they had expected a Bing Crosby concert instead of a rock show. The band was rocking out on stage, the musicians jiving to the beat, and as I looked out into the audience, I could not find a single person who was visibly getting into the music. Not even the faintest hint of enjoyment. Everybody just sat there stone-faced like they had no clue what Mannheim Steamroller even is! And then there was a mad dash for the exit immediately after the band left the stage. I felt sorry for Chip. I think people these days just don’t “get” his music.
Other than that, the show was wonderful. If you ever get a chance to attend a concert/production at the Stephens Auditorium, do so! It’s a beautiful facility (it has an immensely tall vaulted ceiling and three entire balconies!). More importantly, if you ever get the chance to hear Mannheim Steamroller live, GO FOR IT! They put on a show you will not want to miss.
Posted: October 6th, 2007 under Music.