A musical theme park? Please, tell me no. I thought this was a parody when I stumbled upon it online, but sadly, it’s not. It’s hard to figure out exactly what Freestyle Music Park, located in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, is designed to be — some minotaur-like cross between an entertainment complex and a theme park, for certain — but what is the point? Many of the rides feature musical connections: for instance, “Monstars of Rock,” a “monsterific reunion concert with all your favorite dearly departed rock stars” (!); “Get Off of My Cloud,” where eight “festively colored balloon baskets” ascend to the heavens (perhaps with Stones to help you plummet back to earth?); and “Ring My Bell,” a collection of traditional midway games “with a unique musical twist.” Of course, there’s also a Guitar Hero Arcade.
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Tags: culture, humor by Jon O
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Face it: we’re fascinated by ghosts. Especially this time of year, during the season of Halloween and the Day of the Dead. Whether as metaphors or as intimations of our mortality, you don’t need to necessarily believe in ghosts to appreciate them. These ten songs and CDs represent a variety of styles, from somber to playful, from traditional to experimental. But they all share a sure sense of artistry that deals with the dead, the dying, or things departed. 
Long before the clueless singers who clutter American Idol try-outs, there was Florence Foster Jenkins, a coloratura soprano who had little sense of rhythm and pitch yet managed to have a musical career between 1912 and 1944. Convinced of her greatness, she dismissed the laughter that came from audiences as coming from jealous rivals. She concentrated on standard opera repertoire and wore elaborate costumes that she designed herself. 
The band is setting up for a rehearsal when Ajamu is shocked plugging in an amp. He awakes to find he has been transported back to the funky 1970s with bell bottoms, platforms, afros, and Soul Train lines. This second music video by jazz/funk fusion group Gemini Soul is an affectionate spoof of that dance-crazed decade. 
