What I liked
Honestly, I can’t really compare this to any other “musical/opera” out there – it is so original. Eldridge is a ridiculously powerful singer! The woman has pipes, guts, and soul! Her music is awesome and this is coming from someone who has never been a fan of country rock.
The band of musicians, clad in Western garb were jamming hard! Because of them and their contributions to the show, I felt concert-vibes going on. However, I’ve never been to a concert where the lead singer breaks into dialogue about the vastness of space.
And on a specific note, while I don’t know song titles, the ones that really stuck with me had these lyrics, “I can’t make you love me if you’re gone” and “when will it get it’s way with you.” That last song was a trip to space and I was blasting off!
Is Liz Eldridge on Spotify? If so, I want the details.
What I didn't like
If I’m being honest, I struggled to hear/understand the lyrics of the up-tempo songs. Perhaps it’s because I was in the front row, or perhaps it was just difficult leveling out the singing with the awesomeness of the band rocking. Either way, it’s something that can/should be fixed going forward.
My overall impression
Get ready to blast off into space because the meteorite has landed. It would appear that Janis Joplin has reincarnated into the body and spirit of singer, Liz Eldridge in her dazzling show, Space Rock Opera! Accompanied by a four-person band, Eldridge portrays Mrs. Hughes, the only known survivor of a meteorite injury. To the best of my research, this character is based on the real-life, Ann Elizabeth Fowler Hodges and her experiences of notoriety following being hit by a meteorite in the 1950’s.
This show is a true amalgamation. In addition to the original music and songs that Eldridge composed, she weaves in several monologues. Each of them shares new information: getting knocked off course through fame, facing the void, the feminine experience, and what it would mean to be a space rock holding loss, failure and hope.
