Concert Review: "The Baseball Music Project"
Not long after the Cubs' big win yesterday in Cincinnati, I packed up my kids and headed out to the Ravinia Festival in Highland Park, to take in something different from their normal classical music fare, The Baseball Music Project. From their website:
So while we await the Cubs' attempt to tie the Brewers (who are idle today) for first place, a little something for all you Culture Vultures.
The Ravinia Festival, if you've never been there, is held during the summer months, with mainly classical concerts featuring the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and a few pop/rock concerts (later this summer, for example, Hootie and the Blowfish, Natalie Cole, and Aretha Franklin are scheduled to appear), with a pavilion seating about 5,000, and lawn seating for several thousand more, where some people set up elaborate picnic tables complete with balloons and candles, and food that's more expensive than you'd find at most fancy restaurants.
We didn't go that route -- a couple of folding chairs and sandwiches were enough -- and settled in to both hear and view this show, which featured some baseball photos and paintings shown on large video screens.
The show was hosted and narrated by Cubs PA announcer Wayne Messmer. He played to the overwhelmingly Cub-centric crowd by throwing in some topical references to his narration ("Half a game out, baby", and "Who would have thought we'd be rooting so hard for Albert Pujols to hit a home run today?"), and in addition to narration, Messmer also sang the National Anthem to begin, "Take Me Out to the Ball Game", and, to the accompaniment of the Ravinia Festival Orchestra, did a dramatic reading of "Casey At The Bat", as well as several other baseball poems, including one of my personal favorites, Bart Giamatti's "The Green Fields of the Mind", which begins with these evocative words:
Many in the crowd were wearing Cub T-shirts and jerseys, though I also saw a Jason Varitek T-shirt and, inexplicably, a Pujols jersey. I've been to classical and pop shows at Ravinia before and this crowd seemed much more like an average group you'd find at a Cubs game (there seemed very few White Sox fans there, though I did spot a couple of A. J. Pierzynski T-shirts).
The conductor of the show was Bob Thompson, whose biography says that his baseball claim to fame is:
And, the guest soloist, Misty Castleberry, sang well-known baseball songs, including "Joltin' Joe DiMaggio", and "Slide, Kelly, Slide", a song written in 1889 about the legendary Mike "King" Kelly, profiled last January as #41 in the Top 100 Cubs of All Time series; the song was not only the first song about baseball to really reach all levels of public consciousness, but may have been the first true "pop culture" hit song ever.
This was an enjoyable evening and for me, an attempt to get my kids somewhat interested in hearing and seeing something other than the music of their own generation. They seemed to enjoy it, although Rachel appeared more interested in the mostly-overpriced merchandise at the gift shop (we didn't buy anything), and though Mark was listening to the music, he spent a fair amount of time playing Tetris on his newly-acquired cellphone.
If "The Baseball Music Project" comes to your town, go see it -- their website doesn't list any performances after May of this year, but I imagine they'll have others this summer and fall.
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other good times in baseball
Sox Fans
I'll leave it to others to take a cheap shot at the cultural verisimilitude of white sox fans.
paging dr. crawdad in 5...4..3
Coming to Wrigley!
I've been reading BCB all year as a connection to other Cubs fans since I've been living in southern Mississippi. I'm in town for the week and will be at tonight's game. I'd love to meet you and say thanks for the great site!
I'll be in the terrace, Aisle 201, Row 2, Seat 101-104 with my wife and some friends.
Go Cubs!
by MississippiMalaise on Jul 30, 2007 9:32 AM CDT reply actions
Check your email.
Come on Al
But come on. I need something more - some news, some analysis, some fresh rumors--anything . What, it's only 9:30am?
Anyone got an update to that Excel chart posted a few days ago showing the Cubs' and Brewers' trend lines (+ or - .500)?? Can't wait till the lines meet, later tonight I hope...
There isn't really any big news this morning.
I know
And I know the Cubs may lose tonight, but
Cubs (56) - 48 .5384
Brewers 57 - 49 .5377
OK boss, I'll get back to work now.....
I don't care what the standings say
by eamuscatuli1881 on Jul 30, 2007 10:20 AM CDT up reply actions
Works for me!
Playoff Odds
by viewfromthebleachers on Jul 30, 2007 10:51 AM CDT reply actions
That makes sense
I can understand
When you are leading a division because you have played less games it is because you have had rain outs early in the season and you will be playing double headers later one. Statistically most teams split double headers which would actually be below the Cubs' current winning percentage.
It is better for your chances to win to not play double headers.
by Joe on Jul 30, 2007 11:46 AM CDT up reply actions
Huh?
The point is the Cubs control their own destiny. The Brewers can't make up a loss, but the Cubs can make up the wins. Statistically or otherwise it makes sense that the Cubs have the better shot at the division.
Ravinia
Sorry you didn't!
Hey Al.
Would love to stop by and say hi.
Should be a great game. Hamels and Lilly has the makings of a great match up.
by Tangled Up In Blue on Jul 30, 2007 11:32 AM CDT reply actions
You can't come out to the bleachers...
Sounds good Al.
Go Cubs tonight! I'm already getting nervous! Feels good to get nervous at the end of July!
by Tangled Up In Blue on Jul 30, 2007 1:10 PM CDT up reply actions
Green Fields of the Mind
That quote is one of my all-time favorites. Just as is the following from The Natural....
Pop: You know my mama wanted me to be a farmer.
Hobbs: My dad wanted me to be a baseball player.
Pop: Well, you're better than anyone I ever had. And you're the best god damn hitter I ever saw. Suit up.
Gets me every time. Every single time. Go Cubs.
Pie to be traded?
http://blogs.chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports_hardball/2007/07/fast-food-for-6.html
I would be pretty upset if they did. Do we really need that many upgrades to make a playoff push? If anything Pie could be the guy to help us get there.
by Willgly on Jul 30, 2007 11:37 AM CDT reply actions
Not for one second.
I'd trade him
by Josh Timmers on Jul 30, 2007 1:01 PM CDT up reply actions
Winning the Wild Card just got harder
Braves Acquire Mark Teixeira
"According to Ken Rosenthal, the deal is finally done, pending a review of medical records. The Braves will receive Mark Teixeira and lefty reliever Ron Mahay, while the Rangers will get Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Elvis Andrus, and two pitching prospects. Matt Harrison is said to be one of them; his MRI today came up clean.
I'll have some analysis of the deal once we have all the details. Kind of makes tomorrow anticlimactic, doesn't it?"
I think the Phillies are the toughest team for the Cubs in then NL East while facing them. But the Braves have some seriously good baseball players, the best manager in baseball over the last 20 years, and know how to win.
Now they have a switch hitting power bat who can hit for average hitting 4th and they can move A. Jones to the 5th spot where he truly belongs.
The have two great starting pitchers and a Bull Pen that is over achieving but effective. Their Offense just got scary and is truly frightening when you consider the Phillies and the Mets both have huge holes in their starting rotations where the Braves Offense will be able to score 7 runs a game against them when ever they face the back end of their division rivals starting rotations.
Either the Braves or the Mets are winning that division and it would not suprize me to see both of them win over 93 games this season.
by Joe on Jul 30, 2007 11:37 AM CDT reply actions
Braves don't scare me
by jessica on Jul 30, 2007 12:26 PM CDT up reply actions
I'm surprised Shurholz (sp?)
Dotel
by jessica on Jul 30, 2007 2:09 PM CDT up reply actions
I just saw that
by LT on Jul 30, 2007 2:13 PM CDT up reply actions
Your Analysis, like Kip Wells?
Didn't you want to bet that Kip Wells was going to finish, "with a .500 record" during the Cubs/Cards series? (I think he's 4-13 now)
Will your analysis be along the same kind of thinking? ;-)
We can't wait!
by TheEman on Jul 30, 2007 11:53 AM CDT reply actions
That was from the mlbtraderumors post
by John Q Freejazz on Jul 30, 2007 12:29 PM CDT up reply actions
Whoops!
Sorry JOE!
by TheEman on Jul 30, 2007 12:39 PM CDT up reply actions
Ravinia ...?
--t.
by Littlerock Rynofan on Jul 30, 2007 12:13 PM CDT reply actions
LMAO
Hopefully it wasn't "$10"
I know its not a bad price, all things considered, but I just wish Ticketmaster would put the price up front. Let the consumer see the full price of the ticket, with all "fees" and "convenience charges" and "pay this money because I said so surcharges" already added.
OK, non-Cubs related rant over.
by SuperContext on Jul 30, 2007 1:03 PM CDT up reply actions
I hate those surcharges.
oooh
I saw Itzhak Perlman perform last summer! Fantastic!
Unfortunately you can't really see anything unless you have seats in the pavilion.
True, but...
yeah...
btw Al, I'm gonna be in Chicago in a few weeks for an "extended stay" (College)...
what kind of bleacher tickets should I buy so I can visit u guys out there??
Bleacher tickets are bleacher tickets...
Trading Pie
I have 4 tickets and bringing my family of 5. How tough would an extra ticket be to find tonight?
by mweil on Jul 30, 2007 12:48 PM CDT reply actions
Don't EVEN SWEAT!
Get there an hour early, hold up 1 finger (the INDEX!).
You may not get one in the area where the other seats are, but you'll find one.
by TheEman on Jul 30, 2007 12:58 PM CDT up reply actions
Hey Al
http://blogs.chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports_hardball/2007/07/cubs-blog-week-.html#more
Interesting!
Prediction
Will the flags be changed tonight?
by mweil on Jul 30, 2007 1:20 PM CDT reply actions
I will be in the left field bleachers tonight
Batting practice
Cubs start BP...
If you're in the LF bleachers stop by the top row in the corner and say hi.

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