Cirkus Cirkör and Inside Out take Brooklyn.

The Swedish traveling troupe, Cirkus Cirkör had their US debut at BAM in Brooklyn last weekend. Experiencing this "Little Circus That Could" was a relevation, not unlike discovering a diamond in the ruff. Their inspired mini-extravaganza, Inside Out, proved to be a genuinely original, hip, artsy Rock n' Roll Circus, with a fabulous ensemble of performers - including multi-talented aerialists, jugglers, acrobats, mimes, contortionists, clowns and musicians.

Going deeper and darker than their more-well-known competition, Cirkus Cirkör’s highly creative and compelling production featured recurring themes about the realities of life - and death - and how one must face their own fears to really live. When combined with the troupe's creative less-is-more, “let’s put on a show!” DIY theatre vibe, Inside Out was an exciting, uplifting, life-affirming experience - both visually and emotionally – set to the driving rhythms of Irya's Playground, a great, real Swedish rock band -- who could have been a fabulous show by themselves.

Irya Gmeyner, the band's captivating lead singer (who is originally from Britain), sounds like a younger, energized Marianne Faithful. Dressed like a classy 1960s Las Vegas showgirl with a Fender Telecaster slung around her neck, she definitely hits the high notes, as does the hard-driving yet understated group of seasoned, pro musicians. Cirkus Cirkör’s trained troupe of skilled circus professionals were equally fun, charismatic and a joy to behold - still maintaining a personable, down-to-earth energy - like people you would like to hang out with and know.

If you ever enjoyed Cirque de Soleil and wish you could go back in time and see them before they got so corporate slick, expensive, new age-y and full of themselves – you will fall in love with Cirkus Cirkör - like much of the audience did last weekend at BAM. Hopefully someone will have the good sense to book them for at least two weeks next year.

DO COMPANIES REALLY READ THEIR EMAIL? New Series. (Garmin)

As a former Garmin owner I received a recent email from them about their new products. I finally decided to take my name off their list. While on the Garmin website I saw they had an email address for users to submit stories and testimonials about how Garmin products have affected their lives (stories@garmin.com). Inspired, I sent off a short email of what was on my mind in relation to their company.

MY EMAIL SUBMISSION:

I just removed my name from your email database for the following reason: In early 2007 I bought a $500 Garmin unit. I used it a few times until it was stolen when my car window was smashed the day before Christmas in 2008. I immediately called Garmin and asked to have the unit DEACTIVATED. I had registered it properly and upgraded the software so you had access to all the unit's specs. The person I spoke with told me you do not do that even if I could prove it was my Garmin that got stolen. I offered to provide the Police Report and any other paperwork associated with the break-in (i.e. window repair insurance forms etc....) You said NO.

I now have an IPhone which I use for directions. I can see the traffic with Google Maps for free and can get turn by turn instructions from other software. AND IF I EVER HAVE MY IPHONE STOLEN I CAN DEACTIVATE THE ENTIRE UNIT WITHIN MINUTES - making it useless. In addition I can locate the phone via GPS if it is turned on with Location Services activated.

I was incredibly disappointed. I was not only being victimized by the theft but by your company's wimpy response. I will probably never buy anther Garmin product and I wish you luck. Abby Weissman

THE GARMIN COMPANY'S EMAIL RESPONSE:

Thank you for your faith in Garmin products and for taking the time to share your story with us. By submitting this comment to stories@garmin.com, you grant permission to Garmin to publish your name, story and/or testimonial, along with any associated photographs or digital images, on Garmin’s blogs, in Garmin’s internal newsletters, in Garmin’s marketing materials, in Garmin’s annual report to its shareholders and on Garmin’s website. If you do not want Garmin to publish your name, story and/or testimonial for these purposes, then you must promptly reply to this email and request that Garmin not publish your name, story and/or testimonial for these purposes.

It's All About The Park.

If one doesn't agree with someone else's opinion, attack their ideas, not the person. Otherwise nothing constructive can transpire. Hours before my Michael Jackson Block Party editorial was posted on the NY Times "Local" blog, the NYC Police Department and the NYC Parks Department had already reached similar conclusions to mine and were working to move the event to a much larger, more appropriate location in Prospect Park.

As always, my main motivation and concern is the present-day, run-down and decrepit condition of historic Fort Greene Park. For the past 10 years I have been a volunteer member of the Fort Greene Park Conservancy - the non-profit community group dedicated to the restoration and renewal of Fort Greene Park.

To me this was never about race or class. It was about the park. In my mind Michael Jackson's music transcends all national boundaries beyond race, appealing to a broad cross-section of fans of all colors and all ages from all over the world. I apologize if I offended anybody, especially the Jackson Family and friends.

30 years ago most people were afraid to even go into Fort Greene Park. Nowadays, the park is host to a wide variety of free community events for all age groups. The Conservancy and other groups present a variety of special events throughout the year, including live music, theatrical performances, films, readings, dance parties like Soul Summit, the annual Halloween Celebration. and more. There's also tennis courts, basketball courts, two playgrounds, a picnic barbeque area, and historical exhibits at the newly-restored Visitors Center near the monument. On weekends and select weekdays there are nature walks and talks about local history by the Urban Park Rangers.

Bob Dylan in Concert - November 21, 2008

Outside the Palace Theatre on that cold November night last fall, a raging financial storm was brewing; threatening to destroy practically everything in its path. But inside the former gilded movie palace, the legendary singer-songwriter Bob Dylan gave an uplifting and exhilarating performance, one which was billed as an exclusive "Fans Only" show for die-hard members of his fan club & website, bobdylan.com. Although I have seen him perform a number of times over the years as a younger man, that night I had no idea what to expect. I am pleased to report that, despite the audience's somber mood upon arrival, Bob Dylan and Company delivered us from evil, for at least two hours, with a blazingly hot show, blasting away our blues with their home-brewed mix of loud, raucous, good old American guitar-based rock n' roll.

The band''s inspired musical arrangements came straight from the DNA of American rock n' roll, ranging from hard-driven rockabilly, country western swing and raunchy electric rhythm & blues. In his latest self-styled incarnation, Bob looked more cheerful and animated than he's been in years, dressed like an upbeat mariachi Leonard Cohen in a borrowed country star's Nudie suit. Throughout the show Dylan mostly played the electric organ, as he has been doing lately, snarling his thought-provoking lyrics in a standing position. On a few cuts he played some spirited guitar, showing that he's still got it, throwing in some classic blues harmonica on other cuts. Overall Dylan seemed transformed,..... re-born and rejuvenated, as a growling, stalking, Muddy Waters-esque frontman, backed by the best searing electric blues band you could find anywhere. Standing at the organ he churned out thick smoky R&B riffs, appropriately drenched in the classic Hammond organ "Leslie" sound. (He had a small Leslie tone cabinet hooked up).

By the middle of the show I had a major epiphany about Dylan and his half-century musical output, which put to rest the longstanding "which Dylan is the best Dylan?" debate which has dogged my personal relationship with the man's new work for decades: From my perspective that evening, there is no best Dylan. Nor is there any point in debating the merits of the "old" Dylan versus the middle period; versus the new; or of comparing his classic '60s work to his later music. It's all good, as they say.

Dylan's newer (last-ten-years-or-so) music, especially if experienced in a live performance setting, is as rich, thought provoking, and relevant as any time period, and stands on its own - even with the huge shadow of his earlier work. Comparisons are pointless and irrelevant. One must live in the NOW, like Bob himself must try to do,.. and don't look back. At this show his newer songs outshone the older ones by a leaps and bounds; some even taking on powerful new relevance and meaning for our troubled times.

I got the chills when he snarled the powerful refrain: "I used to care, but things have changed" (from 2000's "Things Have Changed), as loud spontaneous cheers of recognition arose from the crowd. But the audience's roar was not just for the song – it was more for the searing sentiment; as if Dylan's dark words were channelling our pain and anger, and gave definition to the sense of betrayal we all felt that night – reeling from the near-collapse of our entire financial system. It was especially powerful because earlier that same day the banking giant Citibank nearly bit the dust. Similar emotions of impending doom were evoked in other works, such as Dylan's searing rendition of "The Levee's Gonna Break" from 2007's excellent "Modern Times." Another "newer Dylan" standout was the poignant love song, "Make You Feel My Love" from 1997's "Time Out Of Mind."

By the show's end I had done a 180 degree turn, as if I was hearing and seeing the older/newer Dylan as Dylan for the first time. I even wished that Bob had focused solely on his new work, and performed fewer, if any, of his "classics." He doesn't have to. In my opinion, I do not need to hear an updated version of "Like A Rolling Stone." Bob Dylan is not, has never been, and probably never will be a "golden oldies" act. And furthermore, since Dylan routinely performs his old stuff with totally different arrangements anyway, he might as well be doing new songs (which paradoxically he already does, in essence, with the old classics...? maybe.). Lucky for me, the concert focused more on his stellar later work, like "Modern Times," "Time Out of Mind," and "Love and Theft" -- all fine recordings that all ""old-school" Dylan-ites should check out and embrace.

If you have not yet been there, also check out Bob's classy website, BobDylan.com, The site is a successful compendium of his long career, which is equal parts scholarly archive, part news and PR, and part web 2.0 e-commerce and social networking site. Like Bob, the site has its feet planted solidly in both the past and the present; chock full of song lyrics, set lists, a comprehensive discography and more. Click on any song title and watch the retro record spin as you listen to it. And read the user's reviews and comments from this show in the Tour Archives (including mine).

Also, the concert's venue, the United Palace theatre, is a spectacular treat and worth a trip uptown in itself. Like Dylan, the theater has lived a number of lives. Starting as a grand, gilded RKO movie palace in the golden 1920s, and dressed in the latest garish neo-Moorish and Egyptian styles of the day, it survived the Depression and World War Two only to be nearly done in by the advent of Television. Ironically It was saved from the wrecking ball in the 1950s by Harlem's "Pray for Cash" TV-evangelist, Reverend Ike and his church, which still owns the building. This mainstay of the Washington Heights neighborhood recently became available for rent to concert promoters, and it Is truly a unique evocative venue in which to see any performer – especially an American legend like Bob Dylan.