Frank Ocean Photo: AFP
Frank Ocean has captivated audiences since his debut with his tenderness , a gentle but unwavering voice in the often hyper-macho world of R&B and hip-hop.
Nearly a year after he released his long-awaited second album, Blonde, Ocean has presented his ever-patient fans with a live vision of his music, one that creates a kind of cinematic intimacy.
Headlining the first day Friday of Panorama, a year-old festival on New York City's Randall's Island, Ocean shunned the stage - which became a giant audiovisual project - as he performed in the round from an island in the crowd.
Ocean emerged to the boisterous beats of his track "Pretty Sweet" before immediately dialing down the exuberance with "Solo ," his bare, organ-backed confessional on embracing solitude.
Clicking a button on a mountain of equipment, Ocean appeared on the stage-screen in grainy footage akin to an old home video. But soon it became a slick, real-time concert movie with shots of Ocean and cheering fans fading into each other and occasional bursts of color including Ocean's signature orange.
In a hint that the show may eventually wind up in a new form, director Spike Jonze filmed Ocean up-close through the entire set with a steadicam - a scene that could have figured as a subplot to his movies Her or Being John Malkovich.
Ocean has returned from a three-year touring hiatus but is only playing a handful of shows. Only two are in the US; the other one, a week ago in Los Angeles , again saw Jonze trailing Ocean a well as a cameo appearance by Brad Pitt.
Ocean - who made waves in the hip-hop world in 2012 by declaring that his first love was a man - delivered a statement for the current political moment by wearing a T-shirt that read: "Why be racist, sexist, homophobic, or transphobic when you can just be quiet?"
Ocean reconfirmed the emotional power of his falsetto on tracks such as "Thinkin' 'Bout You," one of his best-known hits, infused with a jangly guitar by stage guest Alex G.
Yet the band and Ocean veered out of step at points , with the perfectionist singer himself acknowledging to the crowd that the show remained a work in progress.
The show culminated in a surround sound, rare for festivals, as instrumentation from guitar riffs to organ boomed from alternating speakers.
Panorama was inaugurated in New York last year by the promoters behind Coachella, the premier festival that takes place each year in the California desert, as the market for live music thrives across the US.
Panorama suffered a setback last Friday as an indoor, air-conditioned concert stage was damaged. Fan footage posted online showed the wooden floor breaking open during a packed performance by rapper Isaiah Rashad.
No one was hurt but the stage was shut for the day , forcing cancellations of sets by prominent hip-hop producer DJ Shadow and French house DJ Breakbot.
Frank Ocean was preceded on stage by another leading figure of alternative R&B, Solange, who brought brassy takes to last year's album A Seat at the Table, an introspective tour through the state of black America.
With a stage resembling the flag of Japan, Solange and her eight-piece band had a touch of Prince as they played decked out in matching red outfits and Solange showed off free-flowing dance moves.
As for dancing, Future Islands again showed themselves to be among the most passionate performers in indie rock.
Frontman Samuel T. Herring opened with an apology , saying the Baltimore-based band was jet-lagged after returning from Australia.
But the intensity was on full display as the sweat-dripped Herring repeatedly growled, leaped across the stage and pounded his chest.
Some Really Good Entrepreneur Ideas For Business October 11, 2013 | Author: Paulette Short | Posted in Marketing
When one is in the world of business, then he has to make sure that he follows the current trends of what the people would want in the world. If he wants to open up his own business, then he would need to do his homework on what the world is looking for these days in order to fill those demands. For those who are junior entrepreneurs, here are some good entrepreneur ideas for business.
The health industry has been booming really big because of the vast number of people who are more aware of their health. It is actually a good idea to take advantage of this situation and create a certain establishment that serves healthy food or drinks. Stores like these would really target a certain kind of market that will go for these types of products.
Aside from food , one may also open up a spa or a resort that focuses on wellness and health programs. In line with the health industry, this is one of the trends that are growing because people nowadays enjoy healthy activities like massages, therapies, and exercise programs. So if one would want to target a niche market, then open up a health spa.
Because of the advancement in information technology, it is possible to create a business out of the computer. One of the best ways to do this would be to simply create a website , make the website extremely popular, and then sell it to a buyer. One would be surprised that there are many buyers for really good websites that have a lot of market potential.
Over the years, blogging has turned from a simple hobby to a very promising career. In the world of marketing, they have actually been turned into one of the main mediums to promote products of certain companies because of their writing skills and followers. So if one is a good writer who knows how to market certain subjects, then he can open up his own blog.
When it comes to beauty, the best kinds of products are the natural ones that one may see nowadays. Usually , homemade remedies like homemade shampoos, facials, and other beauty products are the latest.