Realitic "Rockumentary"

Live from Medicine Park is a "Rockumentary". Our protagonist, Ray, is a 'down on his luck' filmmaker following a 1970s rock legend as she attempts to make a comeback. The achingly realistic tone of Live from Medicine Park immediately struck me. This is a documentary I would actually watch. I've always adored VH1's Behind-the-Music specials and Live from Medicine Park Gives an even further in-depth look into the rock 'n' roll lifestyle, albeit as a fictional account.

The style in which this is written reminds me of Tara Reid Jenkins' (Daisy Jones and the Six and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo). It felt so real that I actually had to Google Lena Wells! The overwhelming sense of realism would make Live from Medicine Park the perfect introduction into fiction for nonfiction listeners.

The intensity and edginess of 'life on the road' is juxtaposed with the fall out and the decades 0f relative anonymity that followed. We are rather removed from it all, since Ray (the filmmaker) is our window into this life. It took Ray some time to grow on me. He was clearly a fish out of water on the Rock scene and Squires did a fine job of showcasing his growth as a character. His was a story of redemption and that path certainly wasn't easy for him. I really wanted to like him, but he made it a little hard sometimes. As the story progresses and we come to understand Ray's way of thinking a little more, he becomes a more sympathetic figure.

Ray may have been our entry point to the story, but Lena was the star. I've always been a sucker for a strong female lead and Lena was a total badass! She's got this 'been there, done that, and got the T-shirt' attitude that I found completely endearing. I knew I liked her character when she immediately put Ray on notice, giving him a week to impress her or the documentary was off. Yes, she is jaded, but I feel like a former rockstar sort of has to be. She has literally been everywhere and done everything. I know Lena isn't a real figure, but I swear, she felt so real to me that I can practically see her in my mind. She's part Stevie Nicks, part Grace Slick. Music is her passion and that comes across loud and clear, but she doesn't care for the politicking of the music industry. I found that completely believable.

I recommend Live from Medicine Park to anyone who has ever seen "Where Are They Now?" and wanted to know more. I also think this would be a perfect fit for anyone who enjoyed Daisy Jones and the Six.

Narration review: Tom Burka can count me as a fan! His performance thoroughly impressed me, particularly because of his range of character distinction. He has this really rich baritone voice. I was worried that he wouldn't have the range to provide the necessary vocalizations for a number of characters, but I'm so glad I was wrong. We hear from a lot of different characters, each providing various insights into Lena's past, personally and professionally. Burka's character distinctions were all handled flawlessly. I was never in doubt of who was speaking.

I especially enjoyed his Oklahoman accent for Lena. I'm not sure that I could otherwise identify an Oklahoman accent, but the slight twang and flattened vowels he used to voice Lena certainly did the job.

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