Matthew
I am an avid Mac-user, nerd, musician, freelancer, and gamer. Ask me about my collection of M:TG cards!
I've also got a horrible habit of needing the absolute newest technological wonder, whether it's stable or not. If they made a home-version of the LHC, I'd have 2.
Additionally, I've been playing music for the better part of 14 years. I'm self-taught on piano, guitar, trumpet, trombone, sax, clarinet, bass, drums and other percussion, and around 10 other instruments. I also spend quite a bit of time dabbling in synthesizers, sequencers, and samplers.
I'm also founder of Quotelicious where I collect and share the quotes I love.
The Story Albums of the Sixties – Part Two
Continuing our look at 1960's concept/story records with the release of The Small Faces' "Ogden's Nut Gone Flake in 1968.
OGDEN’S NUT GONE FLAKE (“HAPPINESS...
Elvis Presley: ’68 Comeback Special
In late 1967, Elvis Aaron Presley, was in deep trouble.
On January 12, 1968, after four somewhat difficult months of pushy negotiation with the ever-pugnacious...
A Look At Highlights From The First Three KISS Albums
A look back at standout moments from the first three KISS albums that started it all
I was a mere four-years-old when the KISS bug...
What is the Meaning Behind Arctic Monkeys’ “Brick by Brick” Song?
The Arctic Monkeys, an English rock band formed in Sheffield in 2002, have carved out a unique space for themselves in the...
Medieval Theatricals from Churches to Merchant and Craft Guilds
The Christian church banned Roman theatricals, introduced liturgical drama into its services years later, and eventually permitted guilds to manage them.
By the 9th century,...
Isabella and Francesco Andreini of Commedia dell’Arte Gelosi
Isabella Andreini, playwright and prima donna, and comic Francesco Andreini performed with commedia dell'arte's foremost company, the Gelosi.
Early companies of commedia dell’arte comprised all-male...
Shakespeare and the Globe Theatre Actors and Performances
William Shakespeare was an actor and co-owner at the Globe Theatre. "Julius Caesar" was likely the first of his plays performed in the new...
Blackfriars Theatre in Renaissance London
A monastery built in 1278 by Dominican monks was closed in 1538 by Henry VIII, used as site of two theatres, and permanently closed...
Performer Catherine Clive of Drury Lane: British Theatrical Stage Actress in...
Catherine "Kitty" Clive was a prime audience favorite during her forty years on the British stage.
Catherine Clive was born in London, England in 1711,...
16th Century London Theatrical Venues: Stages for Touring Theatre Companies Developed...
Queen Elizabeth fully supported the theatre but the London politicians did not, so traditional venues were utilized by acting companies.
The Queen enjoyed the plays...
The Life and Works of Sophocles
Sophocles was the great Greek playwright of over 120 plays, seven of which are surviving today.
What was the great Greek playwright Sophocles' childhood like?...
Roman Comedy Elaborated in the Works of Plautus and Terence
Roman Comedy borrowed heavily from its Greek counterpart, however, the Roman Comedians made substantial changes and created a poper Roman style of Comedy.
The two...
A Bluffer’s Guide To Ancient Greek Tragedy
An introduction to some of the key ideas about one of the world's most powerful and strange body of plays.
Some of the richest and...
The Role of Women in Sophocles’ Antigone
Antigone is a tragic play written in the fifth century BC by the great Greek poet Sophocles. The title character is the daughter of...
Robert Walpole: British Censorship
Robert Walpole was powerful enough to excite many satirists, but also to punish them. Here's how one politician changed the course of theatre history...
Dame Margaret Rutherford: Actress Starred in Chimes at Midnight, The VIPs,...
Although emotionally fragile and eccentric, the sweet-natured actress delighted audiences as Madame Arcati and Miss Marple through her heyday of the 1960s.
Margaret Rutherford's family...
Young Margaret Rutherford: Eccentric British Actress Had Curious Start
Rutherford's personal background was tragic and her entry to the acting profession was inauspicious.
The great comedy actress Margaret Rutherford was a late developer. Born...
Musical Theater: When Did Loud Become Good?
A question or two and a possible explanation about why musicals at the summer theatre and regional level, seems to be presented all in...
Hairspray – A Musical with a Message
London's West End is dominated by musicals, and they usually have one thing in common, romance. But there is one that has a message,...
Mark Hellinger: The History of a Broadway Theatre
The Mark Hellinger Theatre on Broadway started off as the Warner Brothers' Hollywood Theatre. It is now owned by the Times Square Church.
Located on...
What is Burlesque?
Tassel twirling, fan dancing, or just plain old striptease? Cher's new movie, Burlesque, has left us all asking: what exactly is burlesque?
The word ‘burlesque’...
Writing Your Own Pantomime
Writing your own pantomime for amateur groups.
The last cheer has gone up, the last encore has been sung, the curtains have closed, and the...
Top 10 People You Need For Good Cabaret
Want to put on a good cabaret successfully? Consider who you'll need to invest in when you're planning, scripting, rehearsing, and performing your show...
Solo’...
Best Places to See Cabaret in Melbourne
Looking for a fabulous place to perform, or eager to see the best in Australian cabaret that Melbourne has to offer? Come hear the...
What is Cabaret?
Even seasoned cabaret performers struggle to define their art: from burlesque or stand-up to vaudeville or tribute shows, cabaret can be hard to pin...
Top 10 Mistakes Made By Cabaret Performers
Cabaret might look easy, but it's a sophisticated, finely-tuned art. Here's some tips for new artists and music theater performers on what to look...
Top 10 Songs NOT To Use In Cabaret
Looking for good repertoire for your upcoming cabaret show? Let's start with all the best songs to avoid in your cabaret set list...
Far too...
The Theatre District of Charlotte, North Carolina
A guide to the various performing arts venues in Uptown Charlotte.
When one thinks of the Carolinas, one more than likely will flash images of...
Legally Blonde: The Musical – London Review
A personal review of the hit West End show Legally Blonde The Musical at the Savoy Theatre
Oh-my-god you guys, it’s like totally here! Legally Blonde:...
Gareth Gates of Pop Idol Moves to Les Miz
Gareth Gates, the cheeky-faced young singer who was runner-up in the first ever Pop Idol has joined the cast of the world's longest running...
Million Dollar Quartet
This Tony Award-winning musical tells the tale of a night four friends got together to rock.
Musicals have been written that celebrate families, make historical...
The Forgotten Musicals of the 1950s/1960s
In the 1950s and '60s, several British musicals were running in London;, they were gentle tales of first love and innocence loved by all...
Flashdance: The Musical
After successfully dancing its way through its first tour two years ago, Flashdance: The Musical premieres once more at the Shaftesbury Theatre, London.
Based on...
George M. Cohan Biography: The Man Who Owned Broadway
Biography of George M. Cohan, Irish American icon of American theater and Broadway's greatest showman.
In June 1878, Irish immigrants Jeremiah and Helen Cohan halted...
Tony Pastor: Broadway’s Amazing Musical Impresario
The story takes Pastor from an eight-year-old New York Lower West-Side street comedy singer to one of the most respected impresarios Broadway has ever...
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s By Jeeves: Review of Musical Based on P.G....
A collaboration between Alan Ayckbourn and Andrew Lloyd Webber, By Jeeves doesn't quite hit the spot.
By Jeeves, by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Alan Ayckbourn,...
The First Wizard of Oz Stage Play
In 1903, years before MGM made its musical version of Oz, a stage musical based on L. Frank Baum's book became a Broadway hit.
Before...
My Fair Lady – The Musical
My Fair Lady is a musical based on the play Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw. It was written after Shaw died in 1950, and...
Oklahoma – The Musical
The original version of Oklahoma opened on Broadway in 1943. It was written by Rodgers and Hammerstein, and it is still performed today.
This musical...
Salad Days – The Musical
Salad Days is a lively musical which features a magic piano and a ride in a space ship.
For many years Salad Days was the longest running...
Guide to Urban Field Recording and Street Recording
Technology has made urban field recording easier, but fieldcraft is essential to getting good street sound recordings.
Recordists make urban field recordings for all sorts...
Best Wireless Headsets For The Computer
Want to know what to look for when buying a wireless headset for a computer? Take a look at these useful shopping suggestions.
Low cost...
Best Wireless Headphones
The best wireless headphones can provide high quality audio for game play, watching TV and listening to music. Here are some of the best...
How to fix a frozen iPod
Fix a frozen iPod whether it is usb undetected unrecognized or completely unresponsive through a few simple steps and easy instructions.
For some people, having...
What is Pirate Radio? – A brief history of Pirate Radio
Pirate Radio doesn't involve peg-legged swashbucklers attacking radio stations. Rather, it's the illegal use of broadcast signals for personal purposes.
Has there ever been a...
How to Buy Wireless Stereo Headphones: Headset Transmission Types
Wireless stereo headphones use different transmission technologies, depending on the headsets' intended use. Bluetooth, infrared, and radio are options.
Until recently, wireless stereo headphones have...
How to Use A Balanced Mono PA Cable for Unbalanced Stereo...
Microphone cables fitted with 3-pin XLR connectors or TRS jacks can be used for stereo signals at a push. Here is how to use...
Acoustical Treatment of Corners and Ceilings: A Closer Look at How...
Acoustical treatment for a recording studio is important both during the recording process, as well as during the mixing process.
As with all aspects of...
Audio Engineering – Compression (The Basics)
Using compression when dealing with audio can play an incredibly important part in getting a good sound.
The following offers a quick look at some...
How to Edit iPod Sound Audio Files
After spending a few hours in a class or seminar, it's now time to edit the voice memos recorded. This might sound like a...