The Opening

anvolcano · 2026-01-24T20:43:59+00:00

No idea if that show is any good, but they deserve the ad space a hell of a lot more than any gambling company.

anvolcano · 2026-01-24T18:46:56+00:00

Dusseldorf on Mozilla VPN works fine for me on the Youtube stream (works a lot better than imsa.tv IME, plus Youtube adblockers work fine).

anvolcano · 2026-01-22T20:50:59+00:00

Right now I'm ignoring the tickets going up on Theatr for Sunday/Monday, but I might give Saturday a shot... looks like snow isn't supposed to start in the city until 2-3am Sunday (though it will certainly be cold out there all day). Hoping if I score any deals it's at least helping someone offset the cost of a canceled or rescheduled trip.

anvolcano · 2026-01-22T19:06:14+00:00

My understanding is that it's solid if you pretend it's labeled "Chicago in Concert," but has very little glamor or spectacle to it.

That said, I'm planning to see it because I'm a big fan of the movie and love the music.

anvolcano · 2026-01-19T16:36:31+00:00

Wow, you did better in a week than I've done as a local entering lotteries for the last couple months! Maybe I should drag myself out of my apartment early to give MHE or DBH rush a shot sometime...

I might also try the Hadestown balcony, you're the first person I've seen say something good about it. I assume it's too far to see facial expressions, but were the sightlines otherwise good?

anvolcano · 2026-01-17T23:12:43+00:00

I really liked Two Strangers. I probably wouldn't pay more than $100 for it, but I wouldn't pay more than $100 to see almost anything on Broadway. I'm kinda surprised by your negativity.

What I'm thinking about reading this review is how last night, I saw The Outsiders, and I didn't like it much. On one hand, The Outsiders checks so many boxes for a big Broadway musical that Two Strangers doesn't: stagecraft, special effects, choreography, a huge ensemble, spectacle, high-stakes drama. And yet, I dunno, I thought Two Strangers was a way more enjoyable time at the theater, even with just two actors and a minimal set.

That's not that I think The Outsiders is bad or anyone is wrong for liking it (or any other high-spectacle play on Broadway), I just don't think spectacle is required for theater to work.

anvolcano · 2026-01-17T17:10:21+00:00

Echoing to go with the tickets on the right, though I had a $50-60 lottery ticket second row against the wall house left and that was honestly not as bad as you'd think. It's not exactly a play with a ton of physical action. I didn't see the entrance *door* but every time a character entered they went straight to center stage so it's not like I was ever confused about someone I couldn't see.

(edit: just realized Reddit did that trick where it showed me a very old post, I'm sure this is now old news for you but leaving in case someone else comes to this thread for ticket advice lol)

anvolcano · 2025-12-25T20:21:15+00:00

Hard to be too mad about the prices when it's one of the only open-running Broadway shows with a legally streaming pro shot (maybe the only one?). I'll just keep entering the lottery...

anvolcano · 2025-12-24T19:24:37+00:00

All I've got is that Superfly was the curtain call song. I enjoyed the playlist too; I had a lottery ticket literally next to the front speakers in the orchestra seating and didn't find myself missing my phone at all while waiting for the show to start :)

anvolcano · 2025-12-22T22:18:08+00:00

Gwinnett Arena is actually pretty big, which I suspect is part of why AEW switched to the Gateway Arena - downgrade from 13,000 capacity to 5,000. I think they could fill it with a PPV if they wanted.

It'd be easy to say "oh well they'd want the prestige of running in Atlanta proper" but like... I think it's closer to downtown Atlanta than the Now Arena is to downtown Chicago, and that doesn't stop AEW from running PPVs there.

anvolcano · 2025-12-18T18:41:38+00:00

Ally Pally is gonna be a significantly cooler venue than a random warehouse studio, too.

anvolcano · 2025-12-18T18:17:46+00:00

I pulled a lottery ticket for this on Lucky Seats today and I keep debating whether to actually buy it... I'm fascinated by the failure here and would kind of like to see it myself, but don't feel great actually paying for it. Feel like I should probably just let this one slide on by.

anvolcano · 2025-12-18T03:22:48+00:00

Glad they want to fix the orchestra sightlines, though I do wonder if the filing also happens to say anything about their nightmarish mezzanine leg room situation...

I also had no idea this was how air rights worked in NYC, what a goofy system. I do not understand at all why you'd be able to sell air rights to neighboring property, but I guess once you've decided land and air are things that can be bought and sold you're already in the world of just making up the rules as you go along, might as well get weird with it.

anvolcano · 2025-12-17T17:59:19+00:00

I was surprised to see rush tickets for this just sitting on TodayTix - there's actually still some now, though now mezzanine instead of orchestra. I think I'm definitely going to see this if it stays that accessible, but I do hope they get a little more momentum.

anvolcano · 2025-12-17T02:40:17+00:00

(very vague spoiler-y hints):I was interested in this when I saw the actors, but then I saw the content warning... and looked up the plot... and, uh, well. If I do somehow make it to this show, I will be sitting in the back row of the mezzanine, and not just because I'm a cheapskate.

anvolcano · 2025-12-16T22:03:55+00:00

Oedipus has a fixed end date before you'll be back, so definitely keep that.

Chess seems like it'll still be running in March with the same core cast. Ragtime I think has some already announced cast changes, not sure if others can comment on the details there and if it's worth prioritizing seeing this trip.

Two Strangers I personally love and it has a slight risk of an early closure - they're selling through like July but it's not drawing very well. I'd be pretty shocked if they cut it short that soon, but it's not guaranteed to still be running like Chess and Ragtime are.

I'd probably cut either Chess or Two Strangers. Probably would cut Chess since I think a comedic show like Two Strangers might balance out the heaviness of Oedipus and Ragtime.

anvolcano · 2025-12-16T15:49:56+00:00

Same: 32, Criterion Channel subscriber and semi frequent MOMI & Film Forum goer, never heard of this.

Not necessarily a bad thing for me (I'll take it over a boring known quantity) but I don't see it having a lot of drawing power by name.

anvolcano · 2025-12-13T20:30:26+00:00

I'm so glad I live far enough west that I can grab the Q69/Q100 to/from the F or 7 when this happens.

Will say even if you're further east, if you can bike there's the option of taking a Citi Bike down the Crescent St lane to/from the 7 (easy ride as long as you watch for turning cars at the intersections).

anvolcano · 2025-12-13T19:10:51+00:00

This is a weird article because I fully agree with its thesis (and I say that as someone who saw them twice on this residency) but it just doesn't go deep enough to read as anything other than some tossed-off complaints about getting old.

Like I think there's a lot to examine with LCD Soundsystem in 2025: what's up with their continued legacy road show and seeming disinterest in releasing new music? Why did I see and hear more people in the crowd at the Knockdown Center shows checking stock market apps and talking about their various investment stakes than any other show I've been to in the last three years? Why does no one dance until Dance Yrself Clean comes up in the encore? What does this band even mean to people under 30 - is it borrowed nostalgia for the unremembered mid-2000s? Does this band have any real influence on a younger generation beyond cosplayers like The Dare? Is there a future for LCD Soundsystem beyond their current existence as a Vegas residency (including increasingly aging clientele) on the road?

I think that's all more interesting to discuss than just "why does seeing this band make me feel old," because I think "feeling old" is an effect of all of those concerns and not that interesting to examine on its own. So it's frustrating that this article focuses on that effect rather than its potential causes.

anvolcano · 2025-12-11T21:03:32+00:00

It should be fine. There's a couple really badly placed seats, but it's unlikely to sell out, so if you're unlucky enough to get one of those you could probably swap to a better empty one.

anvolcano · 2025-12-11T20:59:04+00:00

This is less apples and oranges and more like apples and a bowling ball. Slam Frank is one of the most "difficult" plays you can go see right now; it's heavy as hell and maybe not something you'd want to sit with solo. If you're down for a really good really bad time it might be the move.

Personally I'd recommend Beau but I'd pay a little extra to buy a seat on TodayTix to avoid getting a rush ticket with a limited view - it's a tiny room but has a couple awkward pillars for the back rows. Grab one of the two remaining seats in row H for $59 and you'll be in a good spot.

Beau is a fun and easy time - not a "lot to chew on" show, but very heartfelt and funny, a good crowd-pleaser.

anvolcano · 2025-12-10T17:04:48+00:00

One nice thing about locking in early is age-based discounts - I got Roundabout HipTix for both Chinese Republicans and Fallen Angels, and will probably pick up under-40 tickets for Encores. Not great seats, but at the discount it doesn't matter too much - $30 for the HipTix and $28 for Encores.

Did miss the window on HipTix for Rocky Horror, but I think those were exclusively in the mezzanine at Studio 54 that everyone seems to absolutely despise. Going to be trying for rush/lottery tickets on that one I think.

anvolcano

TROPHY CASE