this american life
Finally, I’m gonna take a moment and blog something besides Xbee code and alternative energy. Ahhhh… Almost forgot Suzanne had gotten tix for This American Life’s live tour - the show was excellent. Actually, I didn’t really realize when we got these tickets that they were for the launch of the t.v. show. I was skeptical like most of their decision to test the waters outside of radio, but tonight’s show was evidence of how cautious they were in approaching the whole thing. They opened with an animation telling the story of how some elementary school kids got caught up in a trend of playing with fake cameras made from cardboard/toilet paper tubes. This was executed so well - a compelling use of visuals for storytelling, and such a good intro for the show’s transition to moving images.
It was amazing to see Ira Glass in the flesh, working his radio magic on stage, and being able to associate his voice with physical mannerisms. There was discussion with the show’s director about delivering the show in a completely different medium - how terrified they were of a “sucky show”, avoiding the reality show angle, and using carefully crafted cinematography. The clips they showed still carried that distinct TAL essence - I’m looking forward to it. All this plus awesome performances from Sarah Vowell, Jonathan Goldstein, Dan Savage and Mates of State.
