By LeAnna Hamblin
Onstage Ogden pairs up with Utah Symphony to bring Women Rock to the stage at the Val A. Browning Center for the Performing Arts at Weber State University. Select members of The Utah Symphony join guest conductor Sarah Hicks and vocalists Cassidy Catanzaro, Katrina Rose, and Shayna Steele to grace the stage with their tribute to women in rock who have paved the way for the success of women in music for generations. Performing music made popular by the likes of Janis Joplin, Carole King, and the queen of soul, Aretha Franklin, these musicians come together to celebrate the strength of all women everywhere.
Rose may be familiar to some having performed on season 13 of NBC’s The Voice. She has also performed on and off Broadway in shows such as Rent, Jerry Springer: The Opera, BloodSong of Love, and as Tracy Turnblad in a North America tour of Hairspray. Rose was able to fulfill a dream when she was asked to portray Janis Joplin in A Night with Janis Joplin at the Alley Theatre in Houston, Texas. She opened the concert with “Piece of My Heart,” a song popularized by Joplin. Rose has a commanding presence onstage, engaging the audience and making the concert experience personal. Rose’s rich and soulful tone is showcased in the number “These Dreams” and her obvious love of performing gets the audience rocking during “Hit Me with Your Best Shot.” Her stand-out performance of the evening is Mike Chapman’s and Holly Knight’s “Love is a Battlefield.” Best known as Pat Benatar’s 80s rock anthem, the original version is a vulnerable ballad which allows the audience to focus on the emotion of the lyrics. Rose’s heart wrenching performance is one that I will not soon forget.
Steele is a soulful, bluesy performer who has leant her voice to recording artists such as Rihanna, Kelly Clarkson, Bette Midler, and Steely Dan as a background and featured vocalist. Steele has recently released her third album, Watch Me Fly, which includes six original selections and four classic songs. Her style ranges from soul, to jazz, to gospel, to R&B, which suits her vocal artistry well. Steele shares her love of music and performing by engaging the audience in each number she performs. Her rendition of “Dancing in the Streets” sends them into another realm as they witness her total commitment to the performance. The influence Aretha Franklin has had on Steele both personally and professionally is apparent as she pays tribute to the late, great queen of soul in the number “Freeway of Love.” One woman who could not go without being honored at a concert such as this is Tina Turner. Steele channels her inner Tina, as well as pays tribute to her best friend (and all her new Utah friends) in the number “The Best.” Her emotional performance of “What’s Love Got to Do with It” resonates with the audience as they feel the power behind the lyrics. Steele is fierce and confident and her performance would make Tina proud.
Catanzaro is a Grammy-nominated songwriter and lead singer of the all-female rock band Antigone Rising. She has sold close to two million albums and toured with acts such as The Rolling Stones and Aerosmith. Her songwriting credits include tracks for Demi Lovato and Rob Thomas of Matchbox 20. Most of her numbers are songs by Carole King, which is a perfect fit for her dynamic voice. “So Far Away” is a song full of sentiment, which is beautifully executed by Catanzaro. She shares a story of when King was writing music in New York City with other songwriters at the Brill Building. The songwriters would often go to the roof of the building to take breaks and search for inspiration. Catanzaro’s performance of “Up on the Roof” transports the audience to that very location and shares the essence of King herself. In “I Feel the Earth Move” she is one with the music and is entrancing to watch. King would be proud of her performance of “You’ve Got a Friend,” one of the few songs ever written to convey such a perfect message. Catanzaro shares the spotlight with the audience by encouraging them to sing along with her, letting us all feel the love of such a pertinent message.
A few times throughout the evening, all three powerful women come together to perform. King’s “You Make Me Feel Like a Natural Woman” is the ideal number to gather such an exquisite pool of talent. “I Love Rock ‘n Roll” has never been performed with such passion and beauty. To close the concert, the women release their inner divas in “Proud Mary.” It is a perfect finale to a concert full of female empowerment.
This concert would not have been possible without the incomparable talent of conductor Hicks. She has been a guest conductor worldwide and is a prizewinning pianist. She is the perfect choice to bring the Utah Symphony together with these incredible women. The orchestra expertly accompanies the performance, adding a level of musicality to an already impeccably talented line-up. They show off their funky side in “Pick Up the Pieces” where they groove together, warming the audience up for the second half.
Onstage Ogden with the Utah Symphony brings a once in a lifetime opportunity to see such talent on one stage. Woman Rock is a tribute not only to women in music, but to women everywhere. This is not your typical symphony experience, but it is an experience I wouldn’t trade for anything. Take your loved ones to Abravanel Hall this weekend and spend some time honoring music and women in a most energizing way.
Onstage Ogden and Utah Symphony present Women Rock at the Val A. Browning Center for the Performing Arts.
Onstage Ogden, 638 26th Street, Ogden, Utah 84401
February 13, 2020, 7:30 PM
Tickets
Contact: 801-399-9214
Onstage Ogden Facebook Page
Utah Symphony, 123 W South Temple, Salt Lake City, Utah 84101
February 14-15, 2020, 7:30 PM
Tickets
Contact: 801-533-6683
Utah Symphony Facebook Page
Val A. Browning Center for the Performing Arts, Weber State University, 3848 Harrison Blvd., Ogden, Utah 84408
Contact: 801-626-7000
Val A. Browning Center for the Performing Arts Facebook Page
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