The Best of 2017: The Best Musicals I Saw Onstage

Obviously, all of my Best of 2017 lists--or those of any other year--are imprecise.

Not only are they based solely on my tastes, whims and often faded memories months down the road--though I do refer to my own reviews and ratings--they are unavoidably as dependent on what I didn't see or hear as what I did.

A wrinkle in this category--The Best Musicals I Saw Onstage--is that I'm really not judging the musicals themselves so much as the particular production and performance I saw.

Of course, any review I write is an assessment that inexactly blends the source material and the rendition.

But it seems worth noting here, given how I truly enjoyed Marriott Theatre's glorious production of The Bridges of Madison County--a musical I hadn't seen previously but which was far from a smash on Broadway--considerably more than a 2017 production of a musical that ranks among my Top 10 of all-time: My Fair Lady. And that was staged under the auspices of the Lyric Opera of Chicago, which has done some outstanding musicals in years past.

The musicals I saw in 2017

Also, as with my Best Concerts of 2017 list, I am not considering Springsteen on Broadway officially part of this category.

Yes, within a Broadway theater, Bruce Springsteen accompanied scripted, biographical storytelling with musical performance, which doesn't make it so different from Beautiful: The Carole King Musical or Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill (about Billie Holiday).

And it was phenomenal, not just as a Springsteen concert--and I've been to dozens of those--but more so as theater. In fact, it's making a lot of lists chronicling the Best of Theater in 2017.

But while what constitutes a musical has wonderfully expanded over recent years--without any chorus lines or much choreography, the excellent Fun Home feels more like drama, albeit with songs sung as part of the storytelling--I don't believe Springsteen on Broadway belongs in this category.

Without it, there are 33 productions of musicals I saw in 2017, some new shows, some old, from which I am--unscientifically and imprecisely--selecting:

The Best Musicals I Saw On Stage in 2017:
(Note: All theaters in Chicago proper unless noted; in some cases the theatrical company is cited rather than venue. New shows are denoted with an *)

1. Les Misérables - Cadillac Palace (my review)
2. Hamilton* - CIBC Theatre  (my review)

3. The Bridges of Madison County - Marriott Theatre, Lincolnshire (my review)

4. Wicked - Oriental Theatre (my review)
5. Mamma Mia - Marriott Theatre (my review)
6. Rent - Oriental Theatre (my review)

7. The Phantom of the Opera - Majestic Theatre, New York
8. Marry Me a Little - Porchlight Theatre (my review)
9. Beautiful: The Carole King Musical - Cadillac Palace

10. An American in Paris - Oriental Theatre (my review)
11. Billy Elliot - Porchlight Theatre (my review)

Honorable Mention
In preference order
 
- Parade - Writers Theatre, Glencoe (my review) 
- Fun Home* - Victory Gardens Theatre (my review)
- The King and I - Oriental Theatre (my review)

- Newsies - Marriott Theatre, Lincolnshire (my review)

- Avenue Q - MTKC Pro, Kansas City, MO (my review in this piece)


As of this writing, Hamilton, Wicked and Beautiful are still running in downtown Chicago, as well as on Broadway in New York. Newsies is at Marriott Theatre through the end of 2017, and in January, The Phantom of the Opera celebrates its 30th straight year on Broadway. The excellent touring production of Les Miserables continues well into 2018.

The Best of 2017: The Best Rock Concerts I Attended

Does Springsteen on Broadway count as a rock concert?

Or should the show--which features live singing by Bruce Springsteen on 15 songs across 2+ hours, with the Boss accompanying himself on guitar & piano while mixing in a prepared spoken-word memoir--find itself in my upcoming Best Musicals of 2017 list?

Or as a one-man show, perhaps it belongs in an Other Entertainment grouping, in which I'll cite opera, dance performances, etc.

Certainly, I could include it here as a concert. But while it was fantastic, the show was a far different beast than Springsteen's performances with the E Street Band, which topped my Best Concerts list in every touring year I've been compiling them (2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, as well as a 2009 Best of the Decade list).

So I'll do this (and perhaps repeat it in the Musicals category):

Special Mention

Bruce Springsteen - Springsteen on Broadway 
December 8, Walter Kerr Theatre, New York
(my review) 

And with that conundrum out of the way, I can move onto the otherwise challenging task of trying to differentiate between 11 other concerts (two by the same artist) to which I awarded a full @@@@@ on my Seth Saith ratings scale.

I gave 7 other shows @@@@1/2 and felt 13 others merited @@@@.

And of the 37 concerts I attended in 2017--from tribute bands in local parks and friends in small clubs to huge shows at Soldier Field & Wrigley Field, as well as, yes, Bruce Springsteen on Broadway, though I won't include that below--every one was enjoyable and worthwhile.

My Top 11 and Honorable Mentions below will only include the best of the best (@@@@1/2 & up), but other quality shows included those by old favorites such as Paul Weller, Billy Corgan and Wilco, living legends Brian Wilson, Aretha Franklin and Queen (with Adam Lambert on vocals) and a number of acts I was glad to see for a first time, including Tool, The Afghan Whigs, The Church, The Alarm and Echo & the Bunnymen (with the Violent Femmes). A very fine, if a tad brief, free show by the Drive-By Truckers at Millennium Park also deserves mention. (My reviews of virtually all of these shows should be readily found via a search, should you care that much.)

Certainly, it's quite sad that one of the artists making my list--Tom Petty--passed away later in the year, which also suffered the loss of Chris Cornell of Soundgarden (a band that always ranked high, though I didn't see them this year), several other artists I've seen in years past--Chuck Berry, Walter Becker (of Steely Dan), Malcolm Young (of AC/DC), Gord Downie (of the Tragically Hip) and Grant Hart (of Husker Du)--plus stalwarts such as Fats Domino, Gregg Allman, Chester Bennington (of Linkin Park) and Pat DiNizio (of the Smithereens).

Even artists I largely learned about via their deaths, such as Tommy Keene, Charles Bradley and Johnny Halladay, seemed like those I would've liked to have seen onstage.

So, given too the admittedly rather middling choices on My Favorite Albums of 2017 list, I can't say this was entirely a great year for music.

But in terms of the many outstanding concerts I caught, I found it to be a rather terrific one for live rock 'n roll. And as best I can recall and discern, these were:

My Favorite Rock Concerts of 2017
Artists seen multiple times ranked just once; venues in Chicago area unless noted. Co-headliners (denoted by "and") both factor into ranking; opening acts (denoted by "w/") do not.

1. Arcade Fire (w/ the Breeders) - October 30, United Center (my review) 

2. Midnight Oil - May 18, The Vic (my review)

3. U2 (w/ the Lumineers) - June 3 & 4, Soldier Field (my review) 

4. Paul McCartney - July 25, Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre (my review)  

5. Metallica (w/ Avenged Sevenfold) - June 18, Soldier Field (my review)

6. Radiohead - April 5, Sprint Center, Kansas City (my review in this piece)

7. Elvis Costello & the Imposters - June 12, Huntington Bank Pavilion (my review)

8. Green Day (w/ Catfish & the Bottlemen) - August 24, Wrigley Field (my review)

9. Willie Nile (w/ Nicholas Tremulis) - March 17, SPACE (my review) 

10. Buddy Guy (w/ Corey Dennison) - January 12, Buddy Guy's Legends (my review)

11. Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers (w/ Chris Stapleton - June 29, Wrigley Field (my review)

Honorable Mention
(in preference order)

- Maximo Park (w/ Active Bird Community) - November 23, Lincoln Hall (my review)

- Bob Dylan and Mavis Staples - October 28, Wintrust Arena (my review)
- Blondie and Garbage (w/ Exene Cervenka & John Doe) - July 22, Ravinia (my review)

- Hall & Oates and Tears for Fears (w/ Allen Stone) - May 15, Allstate Arena (my review)

- James Taylor and Bonnie Raitt - July 17, Wrigley Field (my review)

- Barry Manilow - December 5, Allstate Arena (my review)

The Best of 2017: My Favorite Songs of the Year -- A Spotify Playlist

In actuality, the Seth Saith blog dates back to 2004, with my first real post coming on September 20 of that year.

But though I did write a number of posts over the next few years, I really think of December 2009 as the demarcation for when I stated blogging in earnest.

That's when I began a monthlong series of posts chronicling "My Favorite _____ of the '00s," with categories including albums, concerts, musicals, plays and movies.

Each December since then I've published a "Best of (Year)" series covering these areas and others (generally 5-10 posts).

I begin the "Best of 2017" barrage with "My Favorite Songs of 2017." But not only will I not cite these songs in ranked order--unlike most of the "Best of" posts--I'll provide them as a playable Spotify playlist.

You can play the songs through the interface below, but can also find/bookmark the playlist online through the URL: 2016, 2015, 2014

GroovyTunes.xyz

And should you happen to care, past yearly playlists of favorite songs can be found by clicking each year:

Again, the songs are not ranked in any order, but sequenced for what I hope is a pleasant listen.

Enjoy.

My Favorite Songs of 2017

The Best of 2017: Some Most Memorable Meals

As is pretty typical in a given year, in 2017 I ate over 300 meals out-of-home.

Most of these were fairly pedestrian: hot dog stands, fast food, Bakers Square, etc.

But I can enjoy a good meal at these types of places--including a couple that opened this year in Skokie, where I live--and occasionally at places considerably nicer.

In this list for 2016, I cited my favorite places in various food categories, and in 2015 I delineated by the level of restaurant as best I could.

Many of those selections still remain valid, so I think I'll make this a much simpler, multifaceted list aimed at highlighting some of the more unique, delicious and perhaps new restaurants & meals I savored.

Restaurants I Especially Enjoyed in 2017
Not in ranked order. Primarily based on food and perhaps setting & ambiance; not factoring in companions, occasions, etc. Restaurants are in the Chicago area except as noted.

● Sea Lounge - Mumbai, India. In August I traveled to India, partially with a tour group mainly eating buffet style. Some of these were very good, as cited below, but my best meal in India was at this restaurant in Mumbai's famed Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, where I stayed for a night. There was a special menu to celebrate India's 70th Independence Day, and I greatly enjoyed my salmon dish and much else.
● Pierpont's - Kansas City. An excellent steakhouse in KCMO's Union Station. A generous "tasting menu" combo deal provided filet mignon, crab cakes, bisque and creme brulee, and the server was memorable as well.
● Culver's - Skokie. The Wisconsin-based fast-food chain opened a location in Skokie, and
was probably where I ate the most in 2017. Not exactly health food, but I love the sourdough melt, pot roast sandwich, pork tenderloin sandwich, cheese curds and custard of many varieties.
● Taco Diablo - Evanston. I've long enjoyed Taco Nano, something of a posh taqueria in Northfield, and noticed, visited & wrote about several similar taco stands that exist in Chicago's North Shore suburbs (Trendy Taco, Taco Lago, Stacked & Folded, The Otherdoor). Taco Diablo is somewhat different, as it has wait service, but I really enjoyed the tacos I got there, and the range of options. 
● Savory Crust - Morton Grove. A small joint with literally one table, but their fresh empanadas are wonderful.

● Cosme - New York. Every time I go to NYC, I try to find a fancy restaurant to splurge at, though relatively inexpensively (typically for lunch rather than dinner). Cosme fit the bill, as it is ranked #40 on the World's Best Restaurant list and is owned by a chef of a place I liked in Mexico City (Pujol). But getting just tacos (featuring Cobia, a fish) and dessert, it didn't cost a fortune.
● Las Fuentes - Morton Grove. Still my "go-to" Mexican restaurant near home, and I haven't tasted better Mole sauce (on the enchiladas) anywhere else.
● Shahpura House - Jaipur, India. The fanciest restaurant on the Gate 1 "Golden Triangle" tour of Delhi, Jaipur and Agra. A bit of tummy queasiness prompted me not to indulge in the buffet quite as much as I might have liked, but still quite a memorable excursion, including rooftop appetizers and entertainment before our main meal. 
● Real Urban Barbecue - Skokie. I've enjoyed their restaurants in Highland Park and Vernon Hills, so was glad when one opened this year on Touhy in Skokie. Between their Burnt Ends sandwiches and fine baby back ribs, it was better BBQ than I had on a trip to Kansas City.
● Monastero's - Chicago. This family-owned Italian restaurant has been a Chicagoinstitution for 55 years. Though I'd been to a friend's wedding in the banquet hall some years back, I didn't ever eat in the restaurant, until a week before it closed forever. My sister and I took my mom for her birthday and we all really enjoyed it.
● Rojo Gusano

- Chicago Located along Ravenswood, I went here during Chicago Restaurant Week back in February, and still fondly recall the ceviche.
● Riobamba Latin Kitchen - Glenview. A bit after my taco exploration mentioned above (under Taco Diablo), I discovered this place and feel it deserves mention.
● Ess-a-Bagel - New York. The line was out the door, but I circumvented it by getting just one bulk "everything" bagel with nothing on it, to eat as I walked down 51st Street toward Rockefeller Center. It may be the best bagel I've ever had, and I consider myself a connoisseur.
● The Exchange - Novotel Aerocity, Delhi, India. By far the best of several hotel buffets enjoyed on my Indian adventure.
● Prime & Provisions -  Chicago. A Restaurant Week meal here with good friends supplied the best steak I had in Chicago in 2017. 
● The Noodle - Wilmette. A selection on past lists, but with pasta made and cut fresh in front of one's eyes, this remains my favorite restaurant close to home. 
● Poochie's - Skokie. Still my favorite hot dog stand anywhere. 

The Best of 2017: The Most Enjoyable & Enlightening Museums, Exhibitions and Attractions I Experienced

Dictionary.com defines "museum" as:

a building or place where works of art, scientific specimens, or other objects of permanent value are kept and displayed 

This seems a perfectly logical definition, but what if you go to a building that in itself is a work of art?

And so too is every painting or carving or sculpture or structure within?

On my 2-week trip to India this summer, I went relatively few "museums;" most prominently just the Gandhi Smriti in Delhi--the last residence of Mahatma Gandhi, which displays several images from his life, and death on the premises.

But in terms of appreciating art and beauty and history and "objects of permanent value," many of the sights I saw in India--the Taj Mahal, I'timād-Ud-Daulah's Tomb, Agra Fort, Humayun's Tomb, Amber Fort, Jaipur City Palace, the Elephanta Caves, Mysore Palace, Keneseth Eliyahoo Synagogue in Mumbai), ISKCON Temple, Tipu Sultan's Summer Palace, Lalbagh Botanic Garden and more--all could be considered museum like.

But so, too, I guess, could an ornate old church.

So like all of my Best Of lists, there are imperfections in terms of definition and delineation, but I've tried to have one list specifically for museums--or simply exhibitions--and another for other tourist attractions, such as the above.

And while the second list could be comprised entirely of sights in India, I'll try to mix things up a bit.

Speaking of which, in the museum listings, in some cases I cite particularly great Special Exhibitions, while in others simply a visit to the museum itself (or both). In the specific case of the Art Institute of Chicago, I have visited it for so long and so often--including a few times this year--here I will merely consider special exhibits I saw this year, although the museum as a whole could always rank near the top My Favorite Museums list.

My Favorite Museum Visits of 2017

1. Metropolitan Museum of Art - New York

2. Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art - Kansas City, MO

3. The Rolling Stones: Exhibitionism - Navy Pier, Chicago (my review)

4. Gandhi Smriti - New Delhi, India

5. Harry S Truman Presidential Museum - Independence, MO
 
6. Eugene Eda's Doors - Chicago Cultural Center (my overview)

7. Bill Graham and the Rock & Roll Revolution - Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center - Skokie, IL (my review)

8. National World War I Museum - Kansas City, MO

9. Negro Leagues Baseball Museum - Kansas City, MO

10. Take a Stand Center - Illinois Holocaust Museum & Education Center - Skokie, IL (my review)

11. Murakami: The Octopus Eats Its Own Leg - Museum of Contemporary Art - Chicago (my review)
 
Honorable Mention

- Frick Collection - New York
- Gauguin: Artist as Alchemist - Art Institute of Chicago (my review)
- American Writers Museum - Chicago (my review)
- Hallmark Visitors Center - Kansas City, MO
- Terry Firkins: The Saddest Happy Ending - Palette & Chisel Academy of Fine Art, Chicago (my overview)
- Evanston History Center (my overview)
- American Toby Jug Museum - Evanston, IL (my overview)
- Whistler’s Mother: An American Icon Returns to Chicago - Art Institute of Chicago
- American Jazz Museum - Kansas City, MO


Best Non-Museum Attractions Visited in 2017

1. Taj Mahal - Agra, India (my photos)

2. Amber Fort - Jaipur, India (India photo gallery)

3. Chand Baori Stepwell - Abhaneri, India

4. Oculus - New York (photos in this post)

5. I'timād-Ud-Daulah's Tomb - Agra, India

6. Elephanta Caves - Near Mumbai, India

7. Community Christian Church (designed by Frank Lloyd Wright) - Kansas City, MO (photos in this post)

8. National Elks Memorial - Chicago (recap & photos)

9. Mysore Palace - Mysore, India

10. Fine Arts Building - Chicago (my photos)

11. Albany Park Walking Tour - Chicago (recap)
 
Honorable Mention 

- Taj Mahal Palace Hotel tour - Mumbai, India
- Country Club Plaza - Kansas City, MO
- Crabtree Nature Center - Barrington, IL
- Chicago Botanic Garden - Glencoe, IL
- Central Park - New York
- Radio City Music Hall - New York
- Humayun's Tomb - Delhi, India
- City Palace - Jaipur, India
- Agra Fort - Agra, India
- Lalbaugh Botanic Garden - Bangalore, India
- ISKCON Temple - Bangalore, India
- Keneseth Eliyahoo Synagogue - Mumbai, India
- Chamundeshwari Temple - near Mysore, India

The Best of 2017: The Best New Movies I Saw

I can't help but think that if more people saw more of the types of new movies I saw in 2017, the world would be a better place.

Yes, I know how naive, foolish, snobbish and vainglorious that sounds.

Yet I really don't mean to suggest my tastes are better than anyone else's, or to condemn blockbusters about superheroes or space battles.

I enjoy several of those myself.

But I liked how the crop of new films I saw this year depicted real people facing identifiable issues.

Such as the British pensioners fighting cold bureaucracy in I, Daniel Blake, the Hasidic widower trying to retain custody of his child in Menashe, the Native American couple coping with tragic loss in Wind River, the Iranian theater director seething after an attack on his wife in The Salesman, African-Americans facing abject brutality in Mudbound and Detroit and aiming to rise above it, the Georgian (the country, not state) woman searching for appreciation & peace of mind in My Happy Family, the teenagers discovering young love, sometimes with those of the same sex, in Lady Bird and Call Me By Your Name.

Hence, the idealist lefty in me can't help think that if more people saw--at least onscreen--others they presumed were nothing like them, but who faced similar struggles, heartbreaks, etc., we wouldn't be besieged by so much bigotry and xenophobia.

And with that I move onto my rather standard disclaimer my selections below do not adhere to Academy Award eligibility for "2017," but rather include any films that first played at a movie theater or TV screen near me over the past 12 months.

I've decided to list out My Favorite Documentaries separately, and actually will do so right here:

1. I Am Not Your Negro
2. Chasing Trane
3. Pearl Jam: Let's Play Two
4. One of Us
5. Loving Vincent
6. Joe Cocker: Mad Dog with Soul
7. Long Shot

As in years past, after my list I will include the Top 10 of my friend Dave, who tends to see a wider swath of art films than I do.

I won't take the time to spell out which films are still in theaters, on Netflix or other streaming service, rentable or whatever else, but have found an app called Just Watch is quite valuable in this regard. 

Best New Movies Seen in 2017
(F = Foreign; A = Animated; 16 = Officially a 2016 release)

1. Dunkirk
2. I, Daniel Blake

3. The Salesman (F, 16)

4. Lady Bird

5. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

6. Wind River

7. Mudbound

8. Call Me By Your Name
9. Silence (16) 
10. The Shape of Water

11. Molly's Game

12. Okja

13. Menashe

14. Detroit

15. My Happy Family (F)
16. Darkest Hour

17. Coco (A)

18. Hidden Figures (16)

19. Logan
20. Everybody Loves Somebody

Honorable Mention (in preference order)

Baby Driver

Columbus

The Lost City of Z

Colossal

Get Out

20th Century Women

Wonder Woman

The Big Sick
Their Finest

Beauty and the Beast

Good Time

Notable 2017 Movies Not Yet Seen
The Florida Project, The Square, All the Money in the World, The Disaster Artist, I Tonya, The Post, Phantom Thread, Wonder, It, The Ornithologist, God's Own Country, A Ghost Story, Blade Runner 2049, Battle of the Sexes, American Made, Logan Lucky, War for the Planet of the Apes, A Quiet Passion, Last Flag Flying, Thank You For Your Service, Marjorie Prime, Brigsby Bear, Brad's Status

Notable Movies Seen But Not Cited Above
The Meyerowitz Stories, Megan Leavey, Graduation, A United Kingdom, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, Spiderman Homecoming, Split, Paterson, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, John Wick 2, Atomic Blonde, Mother

Dave's Top 10 Movies of 2017

1. Baby Driver
2. The Salesman (F)
3. Lady Bird
4. Dunkirk 
5. Julieta (F)
6. The Square
7. The Big Sick
8. Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
9. The Florida Project
10. Frantz (F)

The Best of 2017: The Best New Albums I Heard

If there were any albums released in 2017 bound to be considered classics--at least in a rock vein, with apologies to Kendrick Lamar and Run the Jewels, acclaimed and respected but not to my tastes--I am either unaware or unappreciative.

Certainly, the paucity of my CD purchases has much to do with my preponderant listening via Spotify--for which I have a premium subscription--but I still can be compelled to buy a physical album.

Yet I did so only for the new U2 (Songs of Experience) and Taylor Swift (Reputation) albums, neither of which I cared for nearly as much as hoped.

 Sure, it was nice that some old favorites--Robert Plant, Ray Davies, Blondie, Billy Corgan, Paul Weller--put out some decent material, but it didn't really come close to their best work.

The same can also be said for more contemporary favorites like Arcade Fire and Maximo Park.

And while there certainly were albums I listened to during the year, particularly to prep for concerts I attended--and there were several stellar ones of those, per a list coming soon--for the most part the list below is culled from what I liked best in a barrage of listening over just the past few weeks.

My #1 album was released in January but I only first heard it in December. It's by an artist I've never much cared about before. Yet I found it to be the most exciting and consistent album of the year.

So make of this list what you will.

It's likely I may not much remember, or champion, these albums in years to come. And perhaps I'll discover some works I missed or undervalued that would significantly change the ranked order.

But in a year that once again saw the passing of far too many rock greats--Chuck Berry, Tom Petty, Chris Cornell, Gregg Allman, Chester Bennington, Walter Becker, Grant Hart, Gord Downie, Malcolm Young, Tommy Keene, Fats Domino, Pat DiNizio--these were:

My Favorite New Rock Albums of 2017

1. Cloud Nothings - Life Without Sound (Spotify link)

2. The National - Sleep Well Beast (Spotify link)

3. Robert Plant - Carry Fire (Spotify link)

4. Arcade Fire - Everything Now (Spotify link)

5. Maximo Park - Risk to Exist (Spotify link)

6. Ray Davies - Americana (Spotify link)

7. Lorde - Melodrama (Spotify link)

8. Blondie - Pollinator (Spotify link)

9. Mavis Staples - If All I Was Was Black (Spotify link)

10. Gorillaz - Humanz (Spotify link) 

11. Billy Corgan - Ogilala (Spotify link)

Honorable Mention

Paul Weller - A Kind Revolution (Spotify link)
War on Drugs - A Deeper Understanding (Spotify link)
The New Pornographers - Whiteout Conditions (Spotify link)
LCD Soundsystem - American Band (Spotify link)
Liam Gallagher - As You Were (Spotify link)
Father John Misty - Pure Comedy (Spotify Link)

Special Mention

As in 2016, the new "albums" I listened to and liked the most this year aren't represented on the above list. I am a huge Bruce Springsteen fan, and while the Boss didn't release any new music in 2017, via live.brucespringsteen.net he put out official recordings of all of his February concerts in Australia with the E Street Band, as well as several archival live sets.

These are the ones I bought--as downloads, though CDs are also available--and I love them all:

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band
● Brisbane 2/14/17
● St. Louis 8/23/08
● Helsinki 7/31/12
● Albany 2/7/77
● Rochester 2/8/77
● New York 7/1/00
● Stockholm 7/3/88

If you only want one, I'd recommend St. Louis 8/23/08.

Pearl Jam has also long released official bootlegs of their concerts--which can be found here--and though long-delayed, their two Wrigley Field shows in Chicago (August 20 & 22, 2016) are now available and quite good.

Metallica likewise releases all their shows, and though their setlists in 2017 were pretty static, I enjoy having a recording of the Chicago / Soldier Field concert I attended on June 18. (LiveMetallica.com)

Feel Free to Consider These Oscar Predictions Blah Blah Bland -- The 89th Academy Awards, Feb. 26, 2017

I love musicals, both live on stage and on celluloid (or DVD, Blu Ray or streaming digital code).

As I write this, three feet away is a rack containing over 75 prime film musicals, including classics like Singin' in the Rain, West Side Story, My Fair Lady, On the Town, The Sound of Music, Oklahoma, Oliver and The Fiddler on the Roof, lesser-known oldies like The Pirate, The Band Wagon, Funny Face and Cover Girl, atypical musicals such as A Hard Day's Night, Moulin Rouge and 8 Mile, and anything recent & worthwhile, such as Sweeney Todd, Les Miserables and Into the Woods.

I also own, digitally, Jacques Demy's wondrous The Umbrellas of Cherbourg and have seen and enjoyed, though a bit less, its successor The Young Girls of Rochefort.

And from the time I first heard about it, and saw its trailer, there was no 2016 movie I anticipated more than La La Land, which was clearly influenced by many of the above. 

In Chicago, it was released on the same weekend as Rogue One, the latest Star Wars film. I wound up seeing both the same day, but La La Land first and more eagerly.

Having heard good things from critics I respect and friends with whom I often concur, I wanted and expected to love the film, and thought the opening sequence--as hokey as a massive traffic jam singalong may sound to some--was brilliant.

Emma Stone is absolutely beguiling and her chemistry with the likewise superb Ryan Gosling is terrific.

I admire the chutzpah it took for Damien Chazelle to get such a labor of love made--still just 32, the clearly gifted writer/director had to find success with Whiplash (which I also didn't love as much as some) before getting backing for La La Land, which he had written earlier.

And I like what I had previously heard from Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, who had written music & lyrics for A Christmas Story: The Musical and current Broadway smash Dear Evan Hansen, though here just the lyrics.

Justin Hurwitz, a Harvard classmate of Chazelle's composed the music for La La Land, and before I went to see the film, I made a point of listening to the soundtrack on Spotify a few times. There are some nice tunes on it.

And you know what? I really liked La La Land and look forward to seeing it again, probably even buying the Blu-ray when it's released. 

But I don't think it's anywhere near the best movie of 2016 or on par with some of the truly great movie musicals of the past.

And though it's the favorite and likely will win Best Picture at the Oscars tonight, I don't think it should.

Except for Mel Gibson's Hacksaw Ridge, I've seen all the other Best Picture nominees, and many films up for awards in other major categories.

Though I don't really care who wins the Oscars, it's fun as sport for film buffs, and thus I'll once again devote a blog post to suggesting who I think will and should win, and who else I would've nominated. 

Those who may care what I think will probably have seen my Best Movies of 2016 post at year end, and I'll note that since I wrote it, I've seen Best Picture nominee Hidden Figures, Best Foreign Language Film Nominee The Salesman and Best Documentary nominee I Am Not Your Negro. All were excellent.

I did not see every movie in every category--particularly the Shorts--so in some cases I'll refrain from any forecasting or note my limited purview. To see all the nominees, you can click the nearby ballot image to enlarge it, or download it from TheGoldKnight.com. 

Best Picture
Will win: La La Land
Should win: Manchester by the Sea
Deserved a nomination: Loving, Sing Street
Didn't see among nominees: Hacksaw Ridge

Best Director
Will win: Damien Chazelle - La La Land
Should win: Kenneth Lonergan - Manchester by the Sea

Best Actor
Will and should win: Casey Affleck - Manchester by the Sea
Deserved a nomination: Joel Edgerton - Loving
Didn't see: Andrew Garfield, Viggo Mortensen

Best Actress
Will and should win: Emma Stone - La La Land
Deserved a nomination: Amy Adams - Arrival or Nocturnal Animals
Didn't see: Meryl Street, Isabelle Huppert, Annette Bening (not nominated for 20th Century Women)

Best Supporting Actor
Will and should win: Mahershala Ali - Moonlight
Deserved a nomination: Ben Foster - Hell or High Water, Jack Reynor - Sing Street

Best Supporting Actress
Will and should win: Viola Davis - Fences
Deserved a nomination: Sarah Gadon - Indignation

Best Original Screenplay
Will and should win: Manchester by the Sea

Best Adapted Screenplay
Will and should win: Moonlight
Deserved a nomination: Indignation

Best Documentary Feature
Will win: O.J.: Made in America
Should win of those I saw: I Am Not Your Negro
Didn't see: O.J.: Made in America, Life, Animated, Fire at Sea

Best Foreign Language Film
Will and should win: The Salesman
Didn't see any other nominees

Best Animated Feature
Will win: Zootopia
Should win: Kubo and the Two Strings
Didn't see: My Life as a Zucchini, The Red Turtle

Best Cinematography
Will win: La La Land
Should win (of those I saw): Arrival
Didn't see: Silence
Deserved a nomination: Nocturnal Animals, Hell or High Water

Best Costume Design
Will and should win: Jackie
Didn't see: Fantastic Beasts..., Allied, Florence Foster Jenkins
Deserved a nomination: Sing Street

Best Film Editing
Will win: La La Land
Should win: Moonlight 
Didn't see: Hacksaw Ridge
Deserved a nomination: Manchester by the Sea, Jackie
 
Best Original Score
Will and should win: La La Land
Deserved a nomination: Sing Street
Didn't see: Passengers

Best Original Song
Will and should win: "How Far I'll Go" from Moana
Will be excited to see Lin-Manuel Miranda win; would give him a career EGOT (Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, Tony) at the age of 37.
Deserved a nomination: "Brown Shoes" from Sing Street

Best Production Design
Will and should win: La La Land
Deserved a nomination: Rogue One

Didn't see: Fantastic Beasts..., Passengers

Best Makeup & Hairstyling
Will win: Star Trek Beyond
Didn't see any of the nominees

Best Visual Effects
Will win: Rogue One
Should win (of those I saw): Kubo and the Two Strings
Didn't see the other 3 nominees

Best Sound Editing
Will and should win: La La Land
Didn't see: Deepwater Horizon, Hacksaw Ridge, Sully
 
Best Sound Mixing
Will and should win: La La Land
Didn't see: Hacksaw Ridge, 13 Hours... 

The Best of 2017: "Other" Live Entertainment and Various Events

Of the 100+ live events I go to every year, 90% or so tend to fall into four categories:

- Rock Concerts
- Musicals
- Plays
- Baseball games

Except for baseball--and this year, I saw 14 Cubs and Sox games, including one between the two--these correspond with my Best of 2017 lists, which is what the hyperlinks above connect to.

But each year I also try to mix in jazz, blues and classical concerts, operas, stand up comedians, improv, ballets, other dance performances, Cirque du Soleil and/or whatever else catches my attention and fancy.

I probably didn't get to as much "other" entertainment as I should have in 2017, with no classical musical performances and almost no jazz. I did see, again, the great bluesman Buddy Guy, but included that among my rock concert rankings.

But some of what I saw was fantastic enough to justify this category and relatively brief post, including my #1 pick, which despite a Special Mention in the Rock Concert post and reference in Best Musicals, didn't really belong in either.

Choices #2, 3 & 4 were also among the best shows I saw, of any type.

Aside from the performances, with the Top 11 below being about all I saw in 2017, I'll also cite some quality events that weren't really entertainment, but quite worthwhile nonetheless.

My Favorite "Other" Live Performances (beyond rock concerts, musicals & plays)
(Date listed is the date seen, even if among a long run)

1. Springsteen on Broadway - Walter Kerr Theatre, New York - December 9 (my review)

2. Savion Glover's All FuNKD' Up (tap dance) - McAninch Arts Center, College of DuPage, Glen Ellyn, IL - November 26 (my review)

3. The Nutcracker - Joffrey Ballet - Auditorium Theatre, Chicago - December 1 (my review)

4. Reginald Robinson (jazz/ragtime pianist) - SPACE, Evanston, IL - December 20 (my review)

5. The Invention of Morel (opera) - Chicago Opera Theater - Studebaker Theatre, Chicago - February 26 (my review)   

6. The Rockettes Christmas Spectacular - Radio City Music Hall, New York - December 9

7. Julianne and Derek Hough - MOVE Beyond (modern dance) - Chicago Theatre - April 22

8. Dream Freaks Fall From Space (sketch comedy revue) - Second City, Chicago - November 2 (my review) 

9. Charlie Parker's Yardbird (opera) - Lyric Opera at Harris Theater, Chicago - March 24 (my review) 

10. The Nutcracker - Salt Creek Ballet - North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, Skokie - December 16

11. WWE Raw (professional wrestling) - Allstate Arena, Rosemont - March 6 (my recap & photos)




Non-Entertainment Events
(In chronological order; not ranked.
Doesn't include all baseball games attended.)

- Interfaith Protest Rally & March Against the Muslim Ban - Muslim Community Center, Morton Grove - January 28 (my recap & photos)

- Mike Huff - presentation by former major league baseball player - Wilmette Historical Museum - February 12 (mentioned in this piece)

- Muslims on Stage & Screen panel discussion - Muslim Community Center, Morton Grove - February 12

- Colson Whitehead - author presentation about The Underground Railroad - Evanston High School - February 27 (my recap) 

- Algren: The Movie panel discussion and Albany Park Tour by Chicago for Chicagoans - (my recap)
March 5

- Chicago Blackhawks vs. Vancouver Canucks - United Center, Chicago - March 21

- Democratic Party of DuPage County Annual Gala w/ Keith Ellison, Keynote Speaker - April 23 

- David Ross Book Signing - Barnes & Noble Old Orchard, Skokie - June 1 

- Mark Buehrle Jersey Number Retirement Ceremony - Guaranteed Rate Field, Chicago - June 24 (my recap & photos)

- Sameer Banerjee / Gate 1 Travel - Guided tour of Delhi, Jaipur, Abhaneri & Agra, India - August 8-14 (photo gallery)

- Six Word Memoirs - Fresh Off the Boat Book Release Party - Ikram, Chicago - September 7 (my recap)

- Chicago Cubs vs. Los Angeles Dodgers - NLCS Game 4 - Wrigley Field, Chicago - October 18 (my recap & photos)

- Jonathan Eig - author presentation on Ali: A Life - Bookends & Beginnings, Evanston - November 7 (my recap)