5B — Thursday, January 4, 2018
the b-side
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

The Power Center serves as the 
home for multiple organizations 
and functions on campus, such 
as the School of Music, Theatre 
& Dance, the University Musical 
Society, the musical theatre troupe 
MUSKET and more. A building 
acutely aware of its geometrical 
design, 
the 
Power 
Center’s 
architectural layout demands to be 
noticed: From the outside mirrored 
walls and the solid concrete spiral 

staircases to the malleability of the 
stage’s orientation, you’re hit with 
imagination and creativity the 
moment you enter. Although the 
theater is designed to be spacious 
and grand (fitting a little over 1,300 
seats), every seat is no more than 80 
feet away from the stage, drawing 
in each audience member for an 
intimate 
experience. 
Dazzling 
performances — like SMTD’s “The 
Little Mermaid,” performed by 

the musical theatre department, 
and UMS’s “Written in Water,” 
performed by Ragamala Dance 
Company — left their mark on 
the Power Center’s stage in 2017. 
Awaiting more art, more drama 
and more talent, the Power Center 
will be sure to imbue audiences 
with magic this upcoming year.

— Erika Shevchek, Daily Arts 
Writer

1. Power Center

Community Culture on 
Ann Arbor’s best venues

Top Performances of 2017

2. The Michigan Theater

The Michigan Theater has long 
been the jewel of Ann Arbor. The 
theater is perfectly marketed for a 
university town, since it features 
films and hosts live performances. 
Established in 1928, its appeal is 
everlasting. Stepping through the 
front doors feels like entering a 

new world, full of vaulted ceilings 
and rich gold embroidery lining 
the walls. Two grand sweeping 
staircases — which double as a 
classic photo-op station — beckon 
guests to explore the extravagant 
balcony level. The theater is a 
breath of fresh air, but the location 

itself is a blend between antique 
and modern. While the interior 
may seem like it belongs in another 
century, the bustle of downtown 
Ann Arbor lies right outside its 
walls.

— Trina Pal, Daily Arts Writer
3. Hill Auditorium

Hill 
Auditorium 
plays 
host to many of Ann Arbor’s 
famous concerts. Throughout 
its 104 year history, the hall 
has hosted performances by 
the Berlin Philharmonic, the 
Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, 
the 
London 
Philharmonic 
Orchestra, 
the 
New 
York 
Philharmonic, 
the 
Vienna 
Philharmonic, 
Leonard 

Bernstein, Robert Frost, Elton 
John, 
Sergei 
Prokofiev 
and 
the Grateful Dead. This past 
semester, the hall hosted Hillary 
Clinton and Bassem Youssef 
(among others). It was designed 
in 
1913 
as 
an 
acoustically 
perfect environment, the goal 
being that a pin being dropped 
on the stage could be heard 
by every seat. I really enjoy 

attending performances at the 
Hill Auditorium by students at 
the School of Music, Theatre & 
Dance — the fancy ceiling (with a 
Michigan “M” in the center) and 
the picturesque exterior give an 
exciting and sophisticated feel 
to every performance.

— Sammy Sussman, Daily 
Arts Writer
4. Someone’s Basement

The Midwest has commonly 
been seen as an expansive 
mecca of DIY culture, and Ann 
Arbor is right in the center of it 
all. Something about this town 
and the people in it just oozes 
creativity that’s ready to show 
itself off at all costs … even if 
it’s in a basement. House shows 
have served as the venue for 

some of my favorite memories 
here in Ann Arbor. They’re 
often made up of some of the 
most unique and passionate acts 
in the area, with shows ranging 
from local punk bands to three 
hour performances of a Philip 
Glass opera. Their informal 
nature fosters a supportive 
environment 
for 
artists 
to 

share a piece of themselves 
with audiences in a way that 
feels completely devoid of any 
commercial motive. There’s no 
place where you’ll experience 
such raw emotion and intimacy 
like a house show.

— Ryan Cox, Daily Arts 
Writer
5. The Ark

I love The Ark. I’m shouting 
it from every ice-laden, snow-
ridden rooftop in Ann Arbor, 
and I’m screaming it at you. 
The club seats roughly 400, 
and it’s an oasis of folk music. 
With round tables in the front 
and rows of seating further 
back, there’s no bad place to 
land. It’s the kind of space that 
lends itself to being fallen in 

love with. In 2017 alone, The 
Ark hosted the likes of Billy 
Bragg, Stephen Kellogg and 
Howie Day. It balances big 
names 
with 
up-and-comers, 
welcoming new artists with the 
same fearlessness that drives 
the soul of hip-swaying, feet-
stomping roots music. There’s 
an attainability inherent in the 
air there. The nature of the 

venue strips each performance 
down to the barest of bones; 
it’s just us and the artist, every 
time. It’s cozy and loving, and 
it’s a stunning manifestation of 
my favorite aspect of folk music: 
overwhelming intimacy oozing 
from a wild, wild heart.

— Arya Naidu, Senior Arts 
Editor
6. Lydia Mendelssohn

Tucked into the side of the 
Michigan League, the Lydia 
Mendelssohn Theatre is like 
the charming little grandpa 
in the family of Ann Arbor 
venues. Stepping into the solid-
oak-paneled theatre feels like 
stepping into an older era — 
after all, it was designed in 

1929. The few renovations have 
hardly changed its character. 
2017 
saw 
performances 
such as the School of Music, 
Theatre & Dance’s “One Hit 
Wonder,” Rude Mechanicals’ 
“Equus” 
and 
a 
variety 
of 
student and community group 
performances. Like the League, 
there is a certain elegance 
and charm permanently hung 
in the air. It is one of the few 

theaters in the United States to 
have a curved wall at the back 
of the stage, creating unique 
uses of lighting and sound. 
With only 644 seats, The Lydia 
Mendelssohn Theatre delivers 
an intimate experience that 
makes you feel like you’re at a 
private show.

— 
Fallon 
Gates, 
Daily 
Community Culture Editor

Theater

7. Literati

Coffee and books: the two 
things that make any place feel 
warm and cozy. Located on E. 
Washington in downtown Ann 
Arbor, Literati Bookstore has 
both. Literati has brought a 
number of renowned authors 
and poets — like Roxane Gay, 
Tiya Miles and Alise Alousi — 
for readings. They have also 
partnered with the Zell Visiting 
Writers Series, which was made 

possible through Janey Lack, the 
University of Michigan Museum 
of Art, the Department of 
English Language & Literature 
and the Office of the Vice 
President, to help bring writers 
from all over North America and 
abroad to host public readings. 
You can grab a cup of coffee, 
listen to readings from your 
favorite authors and then head 
downstairs to stock up on books. 

Not in the mood for a reading? 
Musicians 
also 
perform 
at 
Literati, and the bookstore’s 
cozy vibes create an intimate 
audience experience. Regardless 
of the type of performance it is 
hosting, Literati has the heart, 
warmth, 
coffee 
and 
books 
needed for a relaxing time.

— Nitya Gupta, Daily Arts 
Writer
8. Zingerman’s Greyline

Walking into Zingerman’s 
Greyline, one feels as though 
they have left campus and 

arrived 
somewhere 
almost 
futuristic — somewhere you 
might 
find 
yourself 
on 
a 

weeknight, floating around the 
room with a champagne flute in 
hand without worrying about 

9. The Streets of Ann

There is so much art to behold 
just by walking around the 
University’s campus and the 
city of Ann Arbor. Art is in the 
small downtown shops selling 
handcrafted goods. Art is in 
the crafty fairy doors that are 
hidden all around the city. There 

is live music at your fingertips 
from the man in a wolf mask 
who walks around, jamming 
with his violin to groups of 
people banging on upside down 
buckets. The University campus 
contains buildings with a variety 
of thoughtful and interesting 
architectural designs. If finding 
art in nature is your thing, the 
Arboretum is the prime place to 

appreciate art its most natural 
form. The diverse audience is 
made up of families, onlookers 
and students from all over 
Michigan. Just step outside of 
your dorm and immerse yourself 
in the art that Ann Arbor 
provides free of charge.

— Isabelle Hasslund, Daily 
Arts Writer
10. UMMA

The 10th best venue goes 
to the University of Michigan 
Museum of Art, the University’s 
space to share its art collection 
and my space to take a study 
break. While most works on and 
within the walls of this public art 
museum are static, they entertain 

through visual stimulation. By 
exhibiting a myriad of artistic 
styles 
and 
movements, 
the 
UMMA’s collection is a spectacle 
of diverse visual representation. 
The UMMA is also home to 
temporary 
exhibitions 
and 
special events. The UMMA’s 

website 
features 
information 
on their current happenings, 
including movie nights at the 
museum, after-hours viewings 
and, recently, a chocolate tasting.

— Alex Suppan, Daily Arts 
Writer

Arbor

paper 
deadlines 
or 
coming 
exams. I attended a reading 
at the Greyline on a Monday 
evening in late November. I felt 
incredibly underdressed in my 
thrifted jeans and my Converse, 
with the soles peeling away. 
But after sitting in the dimly 
lit Greyline for a while, I might 
as well have been wearing a 
shimmering 
cocktail 
dress 

and stilettos. In other words, 
the glamour of the venue 
itself is pleasantly consuming. 
Illuminated 
by 
low-hanging 
and ultra-modern chandeliers, 
the Greyline’s sleek hardwood 
floors 
and 
gray 
walls 
are 
juxtaposed against the shelf-
lined walls of Ann Arbor’s 
bookstores with a long, stocked 
bar replacing the usual coffee 

counter. The Greyline hosts a 
variety of both personal and 
public events, from wedding 
rehearsals and bar mitzvahs to 
concerts and readings. If you 
want to escape college and feign 
sophistication for a night like I 
did, attend a Greyline event.

— Jenna Barlage, Daily Arts 
Writer

1. Betroffenheit

Watching this performance tore 
my heart out of my body, placing it 
in a vulnerable light where I was 
faced with my own deep sorrows 
of loss, the kind I tend to conceal. 
It was that beautiful kind of 
sadness, where I couldn’t help but 
stare in awe at a man who poured 
out his desolation into divine, 
moving art. Jonathan Young, 
co-founder and artistic director of 
Electric Company Theatre, wrote 

and starred in “Betroffenheit.” 
His daughter died in a house 
fire, while he survived, and 
Young choose to publicly express 
that personal trauma through 
a blend of theatrics and dance. 
It is the greatest performance 
I have ever witnessed. Voices 
were everywhere; they seemed 
to be attached to the walls, to the 
doors and to the fixtures. The five 
other dancers elevated elements 

of 
madness 
and 
feelings 
of 
isolation with intricate costumes, 
schizophrenic personalities and 
absolutely stunning dance. With 
a thousand layers, this piece got 
inside my head. “Betroffenheit” is 
profound because it drew out raw 
emotion that will stay with me for 
years to come.

— 
Fallon 
Gates, 
Daily 
Community Culture Editor
2. The NY Philharmonic’s 

This past November, the 
New 
York 
Philharmonic 
performed 
Gustav 
Mahler’s 
“Symphony No. 5” in Hill 
Auditorium as a part of their 
weekend-long 
orchestral 
residency. It seemed as if all of 
Ann Arbor showed up to watch 
these world-class musicians 
perform the work of one of 
the greatest composers of all 
time. Mahler’s symphonies are 
known for their lengthiness 
and 
unpredictability. 
However, time seemed to fly 

by while sitting and hearing 
the 
glorious 
sounds 
that 
resonated on the stage before 
me. 
The 
unpredictability 
of 
Mahler’s 
music 
comes 
from his attempt to describe 
the highs and lows of life 
through 
music, 
challenging 
the 
conductor, 
musicians 
and 
audience 
members 
to 
embark on their own personal 
emotional journey throughout 
the symphony. I found myself 
really getting into the emotions 
that 
the 
music 
conveyed 

and ended up sobbing the 
entire time — a response that 
surprised me. The conductor, 
Jaap van Zweden, masterfully 
shaped each phrase of music 
with his entire body, keeping 
strong communication with 
the orchestra. Van Zweden’s 
energy was contagious, and 
the 
audience 
was 
at 
the 
edge of their seats the entire 
performance.

— Isabelle Hasslund, Daily 
Arts Writer
3. DakhaBrakha

Like all the best pieces of my 
life, Ukrainian folk-punkers 
DakhaBrakha first fell into my 
world via an NPR Music Tiny 
Desk Concert. It’s 13 minutes 
and 57 seconds of otherworldly 
rhythms, unbelievable artistry 
and woolen hats. I, of course, 
was in love. I didn’t really 
understand it — and I still 
don’t really understand it — 
but I loved it nonetheless. 
The 
quartet 
came 
to 
the 

Michigan 
Theater 
back 
in 
March, and I threw myself at 
the opportunity to go because 
I wanted to live in the feeling 
of suspension their Tiny Desk 
gave me. The group is so 
intensely 
mesmerizing. 
It’s 
hard to describe how acutely 
their sound resonates because 
everything about them — from 
their look to their instruments 
to the language they sing in 
— is foreign to me. Yet, they 

still cut deep. The show was 
entrancing. DakhaBrakha is a 
testament to the universality 
of music, using traditional 
Ukrainian 
folklore 
as 
a 

launching point to navigate 
the sounds of our world. It 
was a meditative moment in a 
semester of chaos, and it was 
one I’ll always love.

— Arya Naidu, Senior Arts 
Editor

performance of Mahler’s
“Symphony No. 5”

4. Hussain, CrossCurrents

In 
early 
November, 
UMS 
welcomed 
Indian 
classical music legend Zakir 
Hussain 
to 
the 
Michigan 
Theater 
to 
perform 
with 
his newest musical venture, 
CrossCurrents. CrossCurrents, 
which 
includes 
famous 
bassist Dave Holland, is a 
musical 
group 
that 
blends 
Indian 
classical 
and 
jazz 
music together. Growing up 
surrounded by Indian classical 

music, 
I 
was 
pleasantly 
surprised at the jazz influence 
CrossCurrents 
brought 
to 
such a traditional genre. As 
a 
University 
student 
who 
witnessed 
many 
racially 
charged incidents throughout 
the semester, this message of 
co-existing 
peacefully 
gave 
me hope. From the racial 
slurs written in the West 
Quad dorms to the current 
protests 
over 
Richard 

Spencer’s possible appearance 
on campus, the student body 
needed 
CrossCurrents’s 
reminder that, though we may 
be incredibly different, we’re 
all united as students of the 
same university.

— Trina Pal, Daily Arts 
Writer

Read more online at 
michigandaily.com

