121910OrManDogRev
Event Report
Happy Times at The Happy Dog: a big success (October 13)
by Mike Telin
Arriving at The Happy Dog in Cleveland’s Gordon Square Arts District last Wednesday to take in the second edition of Orchestral Manoeuvres at The Dog, I was not at all surprised to find the bar filled to near capacity about 40 minutes prior to the announced 8:00 pm starting time, given all of the advance coverage the event received. In addition to a feature in this publication, Orchestral Manoeuves received front page coverage in the Plain Dealer, as well as a feature on WCPN, Cleveland Public Radio, which in turn was picked up by the NPR national feed. Even the New York Times ran a follow-up in Sunday’s Week in Review section. All this because of chamber music being performed in a bar? Happily, the evening truly lived up to the hype on all levels. The six members of Orchestral Manoeuvres, Amy Lee, violin, Joanna Patterson, viola, Charles Bernard, cello, Joshua Smith, flute, and Frank Rosenwein, oboe, (all members of the Cleveland Orchestra) with guest pianist Tina Dahl, performed with all the musical and technical command that we have come to expect from these musicians. Each of the three, forty-five minute sets were well crafted and featured a variety of chamber music styles and instrumental combinations. For this listener, some notable highlights included the last movement of Brahms’ g minor piano quartet, the Grand Tango of Astor Piazzolla for viola and piano, and an arrangement of Afternoon of a Faun for flute and piano as well as one of William Bolcom’s Piano Rags. Works by Shostakovich, Ravel, Villa-Lobos, Hetù, and others made for a great listening experience. Or supplied great background music for you to enjoy some food, drink and conversation with friends. Which ever option you chose, how could you not have a good time? In all honesty, I arrived planning to stay for about an hour, and ended up staying until the last dog was served. Because I wanted to.
As a venue, the Happy Dog is a great place to hear music. There is plenty of room near the stage if you want to have an up close and personal listening experience. And there is plenty of seating to the side and back where you can engage in conversation and bask in the aura of the evening. The wait staff is very friendly, and the food, albeit simple -- hot dogs, Tater Tots©, or French fries with your choice of a variety of tasty toppings -- is very good. I must admit that I had gone off without my glasses, and therefore could not really read the long list of topping choices. So I simply checked a few things off and waited to see what arrived. It was fantastic! (It came with a fried egg, which made me happy). Aside from a few glitches with the sound system, the Happy Dog deserves a big round of applause for their part in making the evening a success. Let’s hope a third edition of Orchestral Manoeuvres will happen again in the future.
Photo by Suzanne Cofer.
