PowerUP

Last night, a few friends and I went to see PowerUP, a show combining music, dance, and spoken word in a production showcasing the workers or Austin Energy.  It showed all that they do for the city, from the commitment and passion the employees have for their jobs to showing how much they do every day just to make sure you can have power. It featured a score from the fabulous Graham Reynolds, accompanied by Austin Symphony Orchestra with Peter Bay and the amazing Todd Reynolds, featuring the real workers of Austin Energy.

Spot the guy at the top?

They did exactly what I think they were aiming for: they opened my eyes completely to how difficult the job truly is. In one particularly memorable sequence, a man climbed all the way to the top of an enormous pole, sat precariously on the edge, and climbed all the way back down, the music all the while setting the scene by sound very horror movie-ish.  They spoke of how many hours they worked overall, particularly when they are in manholes, the injuries of the job and how they are handled, and how much math and scientific knowledge are needed.  All the while music swirled beneath the dramatic scenes, ranging from basic classical to Spanish and gypsy sounding themes.  Todd Reynolds, the solo digital violinist, stood out as especially amazing as he took many solos over the orchestra.  All in all, it was a fantastic performance from everyone involved.