A Night at the Edge of the Water: “O” By Cirque Du Soleil

Maybe there is just something about the particular shade of blue that Cirque Du Soleil uses in their promotional material for “O” at The Bellagio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, but there is a deep coolness that touches your skin and draws you in to want to know what it is all about.  It had been about 8 years or so since I had seen the show from a seat that gave away a lot of secrets to how this masterpiece is achieved.  When I saw it again last week, I wished I had gone more often.

From what I remember about my first visit, some things in the show had changed.  Not surprising as shows are revamped from time to time.  For one, the sound in the theater is absolutely fantastic.  The music sounds larger than life and was crystal clear to this audio engineer’s ear.  The score by Benoit Jutras has some very ethnic touches among the ballads and power pieces that make a great balance and truly enhance the show.

Equally impressive is the talent on stage and the stage itself, which is constantly transforming.  The timing of the talent was virtually flawless and there are a lot of moving parts to this show.  A great deal of work goes into each and every one of these large scale productions but the water shows have another element (forgive the pun) altogether.

As if all that wasn’t enough, there is a perfect balance of music to show to comedy as a couple clowns bring levity when things are getting on the edge of too intense.

While a bit more expensive (that water doesn’t maintain itself, you know) than the majority of the rest of the shows, it remains a must see for Vegas.  For the best deals, check out www.cirquedusoleil.com and join the Cirque Club for free and doors to special pricing will be opened.

Warning… people in the first few rows may get wet…

Le Reve – A Show That Flows Like Water

Just a few hours ago, I was fortunate enough to attend my first performance of Le Reve at the Wynn Hotel.  Though the show has been there for many years, I hadn’t made it over to see it (quite regrettably).  I was thrilled I finally did.

As with all the major shows I have been to here in Las Vegas, from the moment you walk into the theater, you know you are about to see something sensational.  The setting is exquisite with a small lounge set in the middle of a pool of water, often barely visible in the mist.  The lighting changes and highlights it here and there as music plays softly in the background.

The show takes off from there and it is a non-stop ride.  Unlike many of the shows on The Strip, there is no pre-show.  Just mood.  Once the lights go down, you will be treated to a spectacular array of dance, acrobatics and the search for love, set on a constantly changing stage and pool.

While the show is generally fast moving and serious, there are a couple spots of relief from the story line with some wonderfully timed comedic acts.  They actually play into a bit of a side story, fighting for the affection of the lead and allow you some moments to catch your breath before the next choreographed piece.

Check out when you are in town.  It will be well spent time that you will not soon forget.

Click here for details:  Le Reve

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The $25 Amazon Gift card is still going, compliments of myself and these wonderful authors:  Natasha Larry, DE Wyatt, Kosta Angelou, Jeff Mariotte and Rainy Kaye.  This one ends September 24^th, 2016 with the drawing on the 30^th.

Click here for the Giveaway!

The Bright Side

It is so hard to be impartial when you are talking about your favorite shows, as my last couple entries probably prove.  This one, in particular, is especially dear to my heart.

Aside from having the distinct honor of being the audio engineer on this production, working with this team is nothing short of an incredible experience.  Every single person is truly a talented and dedicated professional.  From the writer and composers to the musicians to the director and producer to the set designers to the lighting team to the support staff to the performers.

On top of that, the production is fantastic.  The story and characters are compelling.  The music will stay in your head for days.  The dialog will keep you laughing and the story will not be something you will soon forget.  It is the perfect combination of humor and serious life situations.  Equally as haunting as it is hilarious.

Written by Ernie Curcio, lyrics by Jolana Sampson, music by Jolana Sampson and Martin Kaye.

Music Director and Pianist Angela Chan, Score and Arrangements Martin St. Pierre (Cirque Du Soleil, Tin Toy Cars), Electric and Acoustic Guitar Andrew Chute (Tin Toy Cars) and Bass Guitar Peter Fand (Tin Toy Cars)

Cast:
Bob Torti - Richard Hauser

Victoria Matlock - Shelly Hauser

Maverick Hiu - Aiden Hauser

Marcus Weiss - The Doctor

Scott McAdam - The Colonel / Nurse

This is currently on short run in Las Vegas but I have no doubt it will be back.  Come see it at the Cockroach Theater, 1025 S First Street, Las Vegas, NV 89104, in the Art District near The Stratosphere Hotel.

Friday, May 21^st 8PM

Saturday, May 22^nd 8PM

Sunday, May 23^rd 2PM

Thurdsay, May 26^th 8PM

Friday, May 27^th 8PM

Saturday, May 28^th 8PM

Sunday, May 29^th 2PM

Thursday, June 2^nd 8PM

Friday, June 3^rd – DARK

Saturday, June 4^th 8PM

Sunday, June 5^th 2PM Final Performance of this run.

Come see it!!!

On another note, there is still a little time left:

a Rafflecopter giveaway a Rafflecopter giveaway

Becoming An Indie Film Composer Book

Becoming an Indie Film Composer3^rd (and final) Edition

With a little time on my hands and a huge amount of career growth and experience behind me, I thought it was time to give my book one last overhaul.  As I began to make updates from my apartment outside Los Angeles, finishing in my new place just outside Las Vegas, I began to realize just how far I had come and how much things had changed since first writing the book.  I saw more and more that I had much more to share, so I carefully went through each chapter, updating as I went, and added new chapters as well.

                The biggest need for an update, and not surprisingly, was on the tech side.  When I first wrote the book, I had never even heard of a USB MIDI cable.  Probably because they didn’t exist.  Time for a major update but one I know will also be outdated again in a couple years, most likely.  Fortunately, that is for good reasons as products become more efficient and reliable and expansive, so I am okay with that.  Even still, in recent years, I have read books discussing the days of scoring to picture using actual film reels so I think it will be fine.

                The new chapters include stories from more recent experiences and more clearly defined patch and Cue lists.  There may be some difficulty in the way they appear from version to version and, to accommodate audio book listeners, I have decided to make them available on my website for free and you can get those right now at: http://www.scotthaskin.com/?page_id=165

                In addition to the book, I have also recorded an entire new audio book for three reasons.  1)  Because there is so much new information (it is nearly twice as long as the original) that listeners would be missing out on.  2)  I had many comments that stated they wished I had read it the first time.  3)  It comes out differently when you say it as opposed to writing it.  When writing, I think we can be honest but a little focused on how things sound which, at times, can be a bit unnatural.  When I recorded this, I used the book as a guideline more than reading it directly so it came out to be a different thing.  Both have the same basic information but each is a different experience.

                My experiences and perceptions of my time in Los Angeles are also included.  These are simply my own experiences and how they work with my personality.  100 people could be exactly where I was in the exact same circumstances and have 100 different results.  In any case, it is certainly an insight that you only get if you have been there.

                Overall, I hope this book continues to help anyone involved or interested in the world of film score composition.  It is really a very entry level book in many ways but not only entry level.  I had a bad review on Audible on the original audio book because the reader was expecting something more advanced.  I thought the title stated it pretty clearly but, for those who are looking for something more on how to navigate large studios and record orchestras, this is not the book for you.  You might want to read The Emerging Film Composer by Richard Bellis or a similar book.  There are a lot out there.

                Please feel free to spread the word and let anyone know about this book if you think they could benefit from it.  One of the greatest joys I have had in life in the letters I get from composers telling me what helped them feel not so alone or helped them in a process.  To make a difference in people’s lives is one of the greatest human experiences there is, in my opinion.

                If you have read the book, I would greatly appreciate a review on Amazon and, if you have listened to the new audio book, please leave me a review on iTunes, ACX or Audible.  As of today, the audio book it still in process at ACX, but will be available very soon.

                Currently, the book is available at Amazon (print version and Kindle) and CreateSpace.  I will have a PDF version available shortly for purchase through my website.

                Lastly, I want to thank everyone for all the encouragement and support.  To know that people believe in you and what you are doing is an amazing thing and makes me find ways to work even harder and bring more content out to you!

- SKH 7-21-15