REVIEWS
“Thus Spoke the Spectacle is nothing less than extraordinary. As far as rock concerts, visual effects and social commentary go, this experimental work of performance art has hit every mark. Writer, producer and performer E.C. Goodman took a leap of faith and hit the nail on the head. This brilliantly staged display gives you an opportunity to step back and see something about our technological-driven society that you may be blind to—even though it’s right in front of your face. This performance presents cultural aspects of our society in a way that is sharp, smart and visually astonishing. This is a show that young people can and will rally behind.”
— Sparkman Clark for Times Square Chronicles
“Thus Spoke the Spectacle succeeds on all accounts, turning the very imagery of the spectacle against itself. The song ‘Know Your Rights,’ by The Clash, begins with Joe Strummer declaring ‘This is a public service announcement…with guitars!’ And had E.C. Goodman chosen to begin The Spectacle with a similar declaration it would have been true—for what his performance presents is a vital ‘public service announcement’ that comes accompanied by guitar and drums. The Spectacle reveals what the spectacle truly says—and reminds the audience that they need not keep listening to its commands.”
— Librarian Shipwreck
“Thus Spoke The Spectacle presents the flood of images and sound experienced in modern society as a unique multi-media performance. Guitar, drums, lights, video, and audio combine to create a relevant and powerful portrayal of the massive amounts of messages humans are exposed to daily. The performance generated thoughtful discussion among our undergraduate students about tuning in and tuning out information.”
— Stacy Rosenberg, Department of Culture and Communication, New York University
“One of the highlights of the SENE Film, Music & Arts Festival was the performance of Thus Spoke The Spectacle. The combination of creative original music with thought provoking images on film presented a unique sensory experience that was enjoyed by our audience which included independent filmmakers, musicians and artists. We at SENE feel extremely fortunate to have had the show at our festival and in hindsight, I wish we would have scheduled another performance so that more of festival attendees could enjoy the unique experience that is The Spectacle.”
— Don Farias, Producing Director, SENE Film, Music & Arts Festival
“Thus Spoke The Spectacle is rooted in classic critiques of modernity and mass culture from Nieztsche to Mumford to McLuhan to Debord to Chomsky. It raises particularly interesting questions that can be followed up in the classroom. Particularly, students can evaluate the show's attempt to use the methods of the spectacle to critique the 'society of the spectacle'—can the master's tools be used to tear down the master's house? Is the message separate from the medium? This is rock and roll that might get people to read a book—think about exactly how rare that is.”
— Kurt A. Jordan, Associate Professor of Anthropology, Cornell University
“Thus Spoke The Spectacle was definitely a mind boggling experience that grabbed my attention as soon as I entered. The creators of this ominous, exciting “spectacle’ explained how America is corrupt from its roots and it has poisoned our generation and maybe more generations to come. The music was definitely key in making the viewer absorb and understand the destruction and deceitfulness that has plagued America in the 80’s until today. The guitars solos were powerful to amp up the presentation, which made the performance very entertaining. The experience was mind shattering and I question now every commercial and news channel ever.”
— Cesar Zapata, NYC Teen Reviewers and Critics
“Musically, Thus Spoke The Spectacle is wholly varied. It features futuristic movie music, classic rock guitar solos, ominous atmospheric chords, and bluesy working class riffs. E.C. Goodman, the creator of the massive work, also turns out to be a proficient guitarist. The spectacle is, in effect, the metaphoric lens that the average human looks through. One that blinds us from reality itself. Through knowing what the spectacle is, we can refuse to mindlessly obey what the world tells us to do. The Spectacle is a brilliant portrayal of this, converting anger and discontent into a thought provoking ‘concert’.”
— Cooper Myers, NYC Teen Reviewers and Critics
“Thus Spoke The Spectacle is simply one of the most intelligent attempts to resurrect public discourse on the sorry state of our mass mediated culture that I have ever seen. And the music rocks, too. I have now made TSTS its own module of two weeks in my Propaganda class. We’ll finish Ellul in late November, and end the semester watching and discussing The Spectacle.”
— Peter K Fallon, Professor of Media Studies, Roosevelt University
“The performance of Thus Spoke The Spectacle was a very stimulating and thought provoking experience. It sparked a discussion that went beyond the gallery and into the classroom and the community. The event went GREAT!”
— Sarah Gersbach, Student Director, Eckhaus Gallery
“The event was a stunning success, thanks in no small part to your involvement. Your performance was compelling and well received, and the subsequent discussions were thought provoking, making the Propaganda in the Media installment a worthy addition to the Educate Yourself series.”
— Executive Director, Eckhaus Gallery, Kutztown University
“Just used your video on Debord’s work in my Media Studies 101 course at UC Berkeley. Just wanted to say thank you.”
— Maria Hollowell-Fuentes, University of California, Berkeley
“I will encourage my students to see your next performance. I think that students taking courses in the Sociology of Culture, Media and Society, Mass Media, and Cultural Studies will find your performance to be enormously stimulating. Thus Spoke The Spectacle illustrates difficult academic concepts in a creative and highly entertaining way.”
— Geoffrey Moss, Assistant Professor of Sociology, Temple University
“You performed at my school today and I LOVED it. It was an amazing way to present media corruption information and I think it really stuck with us. Your performance covered my entire first semester media course. Keep up the amazing work.”
— Sarah, Wayland High School student
“I am writing to tell you that I respect and enjoy the work that you do. The message and effect of your performance is outstanding and refreshing. It is hard to come across such creativity and appreciation for all of the intelligent minds of those writers who many people cast aside. Thank you so much for bringing your performance to our school. Please let me know of any new performances or shows.”
— Arielle Blum, Wayland High School student
“It was our great pleasure to have you guys perform here at Wayland High School. Thus Spoke The Spectacle certainly inspired a lot of discussion over the past couple of days, which I know is exactly what you hoped for. I had a couple of rich class discussions with my juniors and seniors whose reactions ranged from shocked to enthusiastic and energized. Keep up the great work.”
— Kevin Delaney, Social Studies Department Head, Wayland High School
“In an age when almost everything about us—from our loftiest aspirations to our most intimate feelings—is programmed by technical images, is there a way to play jujitsu against the images, using their own momentum to foil their own agenda? Thus Spoke The Spectacle models an exhilarating way of doing so. It is tactical, fragmatic, and awakening.”
— Peter Zhang, Associate Professor of Communication Studies, Grand Valley State University
“I especially enjoyed the keynotes of Eric McLuhan and Alan Kay and the spectacular Thus Spoke The Spectacle performance. Media criticism should not be limited to print or text in this multi-mode media era, and Thus Spoke The Spectacle provides a model of multimedia media criticism that is outstandingly effective and relevant.”
— Alex Kuskis, School of Professional Studies, Gonzaga University
