London Calling

2017 happens to be the 40th anniversary of the release of “London Calling” by The Clash. It’s fitting to have this production at this year’s Fringe Fest. This one was the top show I wanted to see. I built it up so much in my head that anything less than spectacular would have been a letdown. This was NOT a letdown. This is everything I hoped it would be and it still left me wanting more. This shows the life and struggles of Tom (played by Samuel Meader) the guitarist in a garage band who still lives at home and has no job. What starts off as a bunch of friends playing in a band turns into how each one of them strays from what Tom’s future vision is. You can see inspiration from movies like Quadrophenia (I couldn’t help but think Tom and J... full review

A light show - love the music of the Clash so I was drawn in. It feels really campy and many of the actors seem to be newbies.... full review

This was indeed a pretty good show -- as far as I could tell. Decently compact -- if a bit trite -- plot, and well-cast with a possible glaring exception, this is mostly a triumph of finding a fit for songs in an unrelated story, a la "American Idiot: The Musical." However, there were severe sound issues during the performance I saw. Some performers could hardly be heard and others (the lead, in particular) seemed to be over-amplified. It was a shame, because the left third of the Hudson audience kept looking at each other acknowledging the problem. Sound appeared to be better on the right. ... full review

Watching this show was an absolute joy. Fun, energetic and heartbreaking, the music of The Clash provides surprising effective insight into a series of adventure had by a group of mates facing the onset of adulthood and the conclusion that dreams and money don’t always come hand in hand… until they do. The cast wins the audience over from the opening moments of the show, even as they fumble through awkward life changes. The audience can only hope each character finds their way without wrecking their lives in the process. Along the way, the treat is seeing familiar Clash tunes charging those journeys with energy and fun. This was a blast!... full review

Super fun show! Sang along with these songs from my High School days. Hope it has a great future beyond the fringe. ... full review

As a longtime fan of The Clash, I really wanted this musical to succeed, but the ten years invested in creating it has not produced a strong, cohesive production. The program says, “The lyrics of the songs are the dialog, they propel the story forward...” Sorry, they don’t. In some cases they might, if you could hear them, but the show is run by a sound engineer from the house who doesn’t seem to notice his singers can’t be heard. They are also singing to pre-recorded tracks, which feels disingenuous when you’re watching a show about a band if the audience never gets to see them perform. We’re meant to take them at their word when they say they are brilliant but they never actually play together onstage. Show us, don’t tell us. It’s much mor... full review

The London Calling creative team appears to be attempting to craft an American Idiot style show -- i.e., a narrative musical fueled by gritty, iconic punk rock. For me, it fell well short of its promise (despite the valiant efforts of the cast). First, the book commits the cardinal sin of rounding the edges off of the music, while failing to illuminate it. It's content to string together the songs with an overly familiar tale of four garage band kids struggling to make their way in the world. The Clash was groundbreaking and it's odd to see their work juxtaposed within such an ordinary framework. You excuse a lot in the Fringe, given the tight load-ins and reduced tech -- but I can't excuse the show's lack of any cohesive point of view ... full review

Excellent evening of Entertainment.... full review

A great ensemble cast with standout performances by Sam Meader as Tom and Hayley Mc Laughlin as Sue.... full review

Great energy, put together very well, engaging staging and a good, fun, funny time.... full review