Two at TC’s City Opera House

Sept. 3, 2015

Whether you prefer the sound stylings of an acclaimed Minneapolis singersongwriter or the comedy of a legendary Midwestern stand-up and television comedian, these upcoming shows at Traverse City’s City Opera House are sure to sell out quickly. By Kristi Kates

MASON JENNINGS

with opening act Lucette, 7:30pm – Sept. 10

Mason Jennings arrived in Minneapolis via the long route. Born in Hawaii, the state that brought you similar-sounding surf-folk singer Jack Johnson (Jennings’ music even appeared in the surfing movie Shelter and he was signed to Johnson’s record label for a while), he ended up in Pennsylvania with his family, later leaving school early to pursue his musical goals in Minnesota.

He produced his 1997 debut album in the living room of a rental house on a fourtrack recorder. Since then, he’s released 15 more albums and EPs, has worked in a wide range of studios, and has taken part in a variety of eclectic projects, including opening for Guster on tour and contributing two Bob Dylan cover songs to a movie soundtrack.

For Jennings, things have now turned full circle.

In 2013, he found himself back in a room with a guitar, an electric piano and a tape recorder – back to the basics to write what would evolve into his latest album, Always Been, one of the most critically-acclaimed sets of his career.

This time around, he handed over production reins to someone else, namely Bo Ramsey, Lucinda Williams/Greg Brown/ Teddy Morgan producer, who extracts even more confessional emotions out of Jennings’ vocals than usual, while adding a pop feel that’s definitely welcome and elevates several of the well-written tracks from the potentially maudlin.

Paste magazine tagged the set as “blithely positive.” We’ll see how much of that translates from the usually understated (yet often funny) performer during his live show.

LOUIE ANDERSON

presented by City Opera House and Wharton Center, 8pm – Oct. 3

Speaking of funny, do we even need to remind you that Louie Anderson is perhaps one of the funniest guys out there?

From his definitive presence on TV’s Family Feud game show (Comedy Central’s The Daily Show called him “the most enthusiastic Feud host ever”) to his HBO/Showtime stand-up comedy specials to his CBS sitcom, The Louie Show, and his appearances in movies like Coming to America, Anderson thoroughly mines his Midwestern upbringing for material, turning his usual roster of life experiences into something laugh-out-loudable.

“I do all the F words,” Anderson said during a recent interview with the Wichita Eagle, “family, food, being fat and being over fifty.”

Anderson’s current stand-up show that’s touring to Traverse City is similar to his “Louie Live” show running at the Plaza Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. Whether he’s stomping around the stage venting about his weight or asking an audience member where they’re from and turning it into a hilarious 10-minute comedy bit, you can be sure the night will be full of funny – and you don’t have to worry about being offended, either.

Anderson’s F words are all clean ones; he’s well known for his mostly G-rated brand of comedy and counts Dennis Miller, who called Anderson “one of the lightest-onhis-feet comedians I know,” among his fans.

Tickets for both shows are available at cityoperahouse.org or by calling the box office at 231-941-8082.