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