The month of April has provided a wealth of new entertainment. For anyone behind on music, film and the like, here are the highlights of the last few weeks.
Very few movies would contest “The Jungle Book,” directed by Jon Favreau, which hit theaters on April 15. This live-action movie is a new rendition of the beloved book and Disney animated film, featuring Mowgli (Neel Sethi), Baloo (Bill Murray, “Moonrise Kingdom”), Bagheera (Ben Kingsley, “Schindler’s List”), Shere Khan (Idris Elba, “Thor”) and more. “The Jungle Book” exceeded expectations with an amazing score and beautiful animations. It continues to receive rave reviews from critics.
The top single spot was taken on the charts at the start of the month by “I Took A Pill in Ibiza” by Mike Posner, but that has since been replaced by Drake’s newest single, “One Dance,” which features Wizkid and Kyla. The song was released on April 5 and jumped straight to the top in multiple countries. “One Dance” is part of Drake’s newest album, “Views from the 6,” which will reach the public on April 29.
For live theater, the spotlight has been on “Sweeney Todd” all month, performed at the Denver Center for Performing Arts. The Denver Center is putting on a uniquely new rendition of “Sweeney Todd;” it features the Denver-based music group DeVotchKa, a quartet that has reinvented the original Sondheim music of the show. DeVotchKa has been nominated for a Grammy—in 2006, for the “Little Miss Sunshine” score— and “Sweeney Todd” is a can’t-miss classic. The show opened April 8 and will continue until May 15.
Arguably the most famous music festival in the United States, Coachella has been taking place in Indio, California since April 15. Featured artists in the festival include Calvin Harris, Of Monsters and Men, Sia, The 1975, Zedd and CHVRCHES. Coachella broke attendance records last year and its popularity continues to increase. The festival ended April 24.
One of the best albums of April is lesser known, but fantastic just the same. Parquet Courts, an indie rock and punk band, released “Human Performance” on April 8. It’s a striking fifth album for the New York City band, with top songs including “Dust” and “Berlin Got Blurry.”
There has been some impressive entertainment so far this spring, and there are more good things to come.
