Counterpart (TV Series, Starz 2017)

I binged watched the 10 episodes of Counterpart on Starz. This thriller series is well written, intelligent and fascinating. J.K. Simmons plays Howard Silk who is a low level agent at a bureaucratic UN agency in Berlin. He finds out the place he has worked at for 30 years has a secret. Back in 1987 East German scientists created a duplicate of our universe and underground where he works is where you can crossover to the parallel world. It has however been diverging since the crossing was opened. Both our world and theirs treat the crossing as a border to be respected the same as countries do and there are diplomats, spies and intrigue. Howard becomes drawn in when his counterpart comes over to our world. Unlike himself this Howard has more confidence and has moved up in his organization to intelligence. Howard’s wife who is in the hospital and been in a coma for 6 weeks is in danger for some reason and the other Howard has come over to prevent her from being killed. This series presents so much to chew on. Like can we really escape our identity? Do circumstances really matter or in the end are we really just who we are? Also, do we ever truly know the people we are close to? Or, are we just accepting what we want to believe of them? I don’t think it’s an accident that this is set in Berlin which was the gateway of East and West Germany during the Cold War. Two halves of the same whole. J.K. Simmons proves just what a superb actor he is in this series. You can see the differences in Howard and his counterpart but it’s not over the top. So believable. There are great twists and turns in the plot. It also stars Stephen Rea (V For Vendetta)  and Richard Schiff (The Good Doctor). Can’t wait for the second season!

Frankie Valli, Chevalier Theatre Medford, MA 04/12/2018

Oh, what a night! I love going to concerts of the legends because I get the chance to witness music history. Tonight I got the chance to hear the original Jersey boy, Frankie Valli. At 83 years of age he still has that unmistakable voice and ability to hit those falsetto notes. He wore a black suit and mid way through the show changed into a gray jacket. Class. He was backed by 4 singers who filled in as The Four Seasons and a 9 piece band. The setlist was amazing. Working My Way Back To You, Dawn (Go Away) and Swearin' To God. So many other great songs too. Very interesting to hear that Silence Is Golden was just the B side to the single Rag Doll but still became a top 20 hit. The place was feeling it when he sang his #1 hit Grease which was the title song for the movie and was written by another legend, Barry Gibb of The Bee Gees.I teared up when he performed My Eyes Adored You which was released back in 1974. Even as a young child I felt the beauty of that song and still do. And honestly, what's wrong with you if you don't like December, 1963 (Oh, What A Night). So much fun to hear live. Oh my goodness his voice on Sherry-just perfection. He finished the show with Rag Doll and Let's Hang On.