Displaying items by tag: Freddie Knuckles

Chicago is a blue-collar town that loves its blue-collar music. Blues, jazz, soul, punk, heavy metal, and hip hop. Each of these genres has been taken to new heights by legendary Chicagoans but were ultimately borrowed from their originators. That all changed in the early ’80s, from the underground came a sound we now know as House music. A bricolage of high diva vocals, Italo disco, turntables, and a 909-beat machine. The musical golden child of Chicago is an unorthodox sound that’s injected euphoria into the ears of listeners around the world. A sound that’s been studied, experimented and replicated by the most popular DJs of our time and can still be heard on the Billboard Hot 100 today. 'Revolution Chicago' is the play that steps up to the task of telling the story of House music’s creation and rise. It wants you to leave the building pumping your fist high in the air but instead leaves you wondering if that story was even told.

'Revolution Chicago' is the story of Chicago’s very own Mickey “Mixin” Oliver and his rise as a celebrated DJ. Beginning with Mickey Oliver getting ready to play the biggest show of his life in Las Vegas then goes into a long flashback of Mickey’s humble beginnings, his troubles at home and how it inspired his approach to music. The story then gives us the tale of Chicago’s WBMX radio and how it struggled to compete with the other popular, well-funded radio stations. WBMX radio program director Lee Michaels has an epiphany that tells him to recruit the hottest DJ’s in town and broadcast their talents to revitalize the program. The star DJ being, of course, Mickey Oliver.

From there, it’s hard to explain where the play takes you. You get moments of the actors dancing to house music to attempts of sketch-like comedy to attempts of a heartfelt musical number. Eventually, the play goes back to the main story and tops it off with the success of House music and Mickey Oliver and then the end.

Mickey Oliver’s 'Revolution Chicago'; written, directed and music by Mickey Oliver, calls itself a lighthearted musical with a comedy twist. The play achieves its light-heartedness by not taking itself too seriously except for that one scene where Mickey learns of House Music pioneer Freddie Knuckles death. That scene is then followed by a sad musical number that leaves you wondering if Freddie Knuckles was ever mentioned earlier in the play.

Unfortunately, Revolution falls flat on almost every aspect it tries to achieve. As a comedy, the jokes the characters tell one another are cheesy and forced. The comedic characters come off as awkward and out of place. It wants to be a musical, but the numbers are not there to move the story along nor do they enhance the story in any way. Their musical pieces inserted in between scenes to showcase Mickey Oliver’s earlier work.

However, Revolution’s young cast does well in showcasing their talents on a very intimate stage. They carry the task to sing, dance, and move props on and off the stage. They do it all with ample energy, but their performances suffer because the material they have to work with is very, very dry. The play wants you to feel for Mickey Oliver’s character. They want you to laugh at, laugh with, and care for him (and only him). Instead, the play will have you scratching your head from beginning to end.

The beginnings of House music, those who started the movement, and its impact is a story that needs to be told. 'Revolution Chicago' wants to provide that story but loses its way in wanting to be multiple things at the same time and loses its audience by being unsuccessful in all of them.

Through September 29 at Stage 773.