west michigan makes name for itself in worlds of art, tv, film, music

ENTERTAINMENT
MOVIE LISTINGS E5
HAPPENINGS E6
SECTION
THE GRAND RAPIDS PRESS
SUNDAY, DECEMBER 27, 2009
E
RING IN THE NEW YEAR IN STYLE, E2, E3
THE DECADE IN REVIEW
WORTH NOTING
TAKING CENTER STAGE
Beyond
the headlines
of the 2000s WEST MICHIGAN MAKES NAME FOR ITSELF IN WORLDS OF ART, TV, FILM, MUSIC
Visual arts thrive in spite of tough economy
TOM HANKS SHOOTS ‘ROAD TO
PERDITION’ IN SAUGATUCK (2001)
And that was before the tax break.
Late starter ArtPrize roars into prominence, attracting 1,200 artists and tens of
thousands of viewers, joining the likes of Meijer Gardens’ Sculpture Park (opened
2002) and a visit there by Rodin’s “The Thinker” (2007). Honorable mention: Dale
Chihuly’s DNA-like “Life” at Van Andel Institute (installed 2005) and Tom Otterness
temporary show of 40 whimsical pieces (2006).
First in classic rock
INTERSECTION MOVES
TO ARENA DISTRICT (2003)
Longtime Eastown club The
Intersection moves to roomier
quarters in downtown area;
hangs on through tough
economic climate.
Bob Seger (2006) kicks off comeback
tour at Van Andel Arena, also the
launch choice for The Eagles, Tom
Petty and AC/DC. Van Halen (2008)
provides twist by ending its tour here.
‘POLAR EXPRESS’ PREMIERES IN
AUTHOR’S NATIVE TOWN (2004)
Unfortunately, GR also gets
box-office bomb “Zathura.”
COMMUNITY MEDIA CENTER BUYS
WEALTHY THEATRE (2005)
The rest is history.
ANTHONY KIEDIS, RED HOTS
SNAG FOUR GRAMMYS (2007)
Music to West Michigan ears.
STUDIO 28 CLOSES (2008)
Once the nation’s largest theater
complex, the beloved 20-screen
Wyoming movie house closes its
doors after 43 years.
(Sniff.) Pass the Kleenex.
WATERFRONT FILM FESTIVAL
MAKES SCREEN ACTORS GUILD’S
TOP FIVE (2007)
Great movies, less crowding and
better scenery than Sundance.
MOONWALK MANIA
Post-mortem song-and-dance
tributes to “king of pop” Michael
Jackson unleashed from Grand
Rapids to New York City to Tokyo.
CREDITORS FORGIVE $2.3 MILLION
IN BROADWAY GR DEBT (2007)
No T.A.R.P. funds needed.
GR SYMPHONY PLAYS CARNEGIE
HALL (2005)
And how did it get there?
Practice, practice, practice.
Grand Haven’s Gary Hogeboom
Reality roll call
Tuning in
outside
West Michiganians do the tube: Bob
Guiney, Brad Andrzeweski and Molly
Malaney on “The Bachelor”; Gary
Hogeboom on “Survivor”; Nicole Tieri
and Matt Giraud on “American Idol,”
and Floyd Mayweather on “Dancing
With the Stars.”
Outdoor venues
rise to shine: Art
Garfunkel opens
Meijer Gardens’
ampitheater
in 2003, and
Rothbury
festival (2008)
takes just two
years to vault
into national
must-see
events.
HIGH STYLE
Hollywood stars hit the red carpet
in Pamella DeVos duds, earning the
local designer primetime plugs.
Grand Rapids’ Molly Malaney
‘WARDROBE MALFUNCTION’
CAUSES SUPER BOWL FUROR
(2004)
Leading to years of safe
classic-rock acts.
Hollywood North?
RADIO PERSONALITY
KEVIN MATTHEWS RETURNS
TO WLAV-FM (2005)
Fans still like to hear
that classic jock.
Generous Michigan film incentives draw likes of Val
Kilmer, 50 Cent and Ernest Borgnine to West Michigan;
Eastwood, Clooney and De Niro go east.
Meanwhile, GR-born actor Taylor Lautner broke through
as a Hollywood star, playing Jacob in the blockbuster
“Twilight” movies and hosting “Saturday Night Live.”
And a few Grand Raggidy Roller Girls skated in Drew
Barrymore’s directorial debut “Whip It.”
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO YOU
(2009)
GR Symphony turns 75, St. Cecilia
Music Center hits 125 and Grand
Rapids Public Museum reaches 150.
RIVER SWAMPS B-93 BIRTHDAY
BASH, STRANDING 1,000 CARS
(2009)
Flood insurance, anyone?
POP QUIZ
2. During the late “king of pop”
Michael Jackson’s much-watched
memorial service on July 7, 2009, who
said: “How much pain can one take?
Maybe now, Michael, they will leave
you alone.”
A. Brooke Shields
B. Stevie Wonder
C. Berry Gordy
D. Marlon Jackson
WINNER: Rob Bliss, whose mediasavvy urban happenings — from
zombie walks to ArtPrize’s “100,000
Paper Airplanes and Melodies Over
Monroe” — drew crowds downtown.
3. Which artist’s concert sold out
fastest in Van Andel Arena history?
A. Kenny Chesney (2004)
B. AC/DC (2000)
C. Bob Seger (2006)
D. Tim McGraw/Faith Hill (2006)
4. Which of these never happened?
A. Prince surprises 200 fans at the
Orbit Room after his concert at Van
Andel Arena (2000).
B. Kid Rock plays DJ at the Grand
Woods Lounge before Delta Plex show
(2006).
C. Bette Midler bowls with 42
members of her crew at Wenger’s, one
day before arena concert (2004).
D. Fourteen-year-old Aaron Carter
eats at Burger King on Pearl Street
right after his arena concert (2002).
5. Which of the following has NOT
prompted a public tantrum from
Kanye West?
A. Beyonce’s 2009 MTV Video Music
Awards loss to Taylor Swift
B. Hurricane Katrina
C. MTV opening the 2007 VMAs
not with him, but with a comeback
performance by Britney Spears
D. The Patriot Act
Answers: 1. B; 2. D; 3. C; 4. D; 5. D
1. Which winner of “American Idol,”
the show that began in 2002 and
became a top-rated TV phenomenon,
has sold the most albums?
A. Kelly Clarkson (Season 1)
B. Carrie Underwood (Season 4)
C. Ruben Studdard (Season 2)
D. David Cook (Season 7)
WINNERS & LOSERS
of you tipsy at a party? Guard those
Facebook settings with your life.
LOSER: CDs, hurt by digital
downloading, a sagging economy and
lackluster artist development. Oh, and
record company greed.
WINNER: Vinyl is back. Young
audiophiles rediscover the “album.”
LOSER: Your privacy. The 2000s
will be remembered partly for
the rise of social networking and,
correspondingly, the wide availability
of information previously not public.
Don’t want your boss seeing photos
WINNER: “The Dark Knight” was the
decade’s biggest box-office draw,
raking in $533 million domestically
and totaling more than $1 billion
worldwide. Heath Ledger, who died
in January 2008, won a posthumous
Oscar for his riveting portrayal of the
Joker — and we wept for what could
have been.