The Michigan Daily-Thursday, September 15, 1977-Page St x charms, back-up ... doesn 't YX? U- ® __ V II, i V i I I By MARK BEYER Last night's rain failed to dampen the spirits of ardent concert-goers with a taste for rock 'n roll; Ma- sonic Temple in Detroit opened its doors to a fairly typical crowd who came to hear the sounds of, in order of appearance, Cheap Trick, Spirit, and Styx. Also in order of talent. Cheap Triek's set opened the evening, and with little delicacy. These rockers, of the Volume School,. combine a quasi-punk style with lots of cheap circus buffoonery, aimed at the under-15 set; their music was on the whole, none too entertaining. The group's most noticeable memK hers were vocalist Robin Zander and lead guitarist Rick Nielsen. Zander's angelic face doubtless had the school- girls' hearts all a-flutter, but seemed rather bored by the whole affair. Neilsen's guitar-playing and supple- mental stage antics made him the most watchable of the beings on- stage. Combining spiderlike-fingers and wild-eyed leers, Nielsen came off as a sort of Ted Nugent-cum- Huntz Hall. The rest of the band consisted of Tom Peterson and Ben E. Carlos; both con- tributed noise. Overall, C h e a p Trick's search for a profitable rock margin uhh, a rock profit margin - uhh, well - seems to be following paths set by glitter-and-punk groups. Since they do sell records, apparent- ly they have found their niche - an unimpressive genre that can only with accuracy be labeled Glunk. Next act, please.. Which was Spirit, a California com- bo. Led by guitar-man Randy Cali- fornia (and appropriately-named at 'that), this band proved better than their obscurity would suggest. Cali- fornia, who evidently wishes he were Jimi Hendrix, and even assumes the dress and pose of the late rock star, has enough skill, imagination, and stage presence to keep a crowd enthusiastic. Vocals were tactfully scarce, though efficient when used, notably on the band's most original song, the breezy "Nature's Way". California's emulation of Hendrix peaked during a moving perfor- mance of Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower", made classic by Hen- drix. Spirit's driving rendition was aided by accurate vocals and impressive teeth-picking on the guitar (another Hendrix trademark) and strong solo playing. California himself, luke- warm through most of the show, seemed to come alive during this number. Though not in .Hendrix's ball- park, his rapid riffs and slick slides nonetheless showed precision and talent. An added treat during the closing number was an excellent extended drum solo reminiscent of Carl Palm- er (of Emerson, Lake, and -); un- like most, it held the interest of the audience. And a surprise - the drummer, a bald fifty-year-old gen- tleman, turned out to be the father of Randy California. The family that plays together gets joint-contract renewals. Spirit,-while not a great band, were enjoyable anyway; pleasant to the .ear, and a good bit of fun. The big act of the night took thefr time coming out on stage. But the audience didn't mind -soon enough, mellow green and blue came up, and Styx launched into the title cut of their latest album, The Grand thu- sion. Styx consists of five of the most productive and talented rock musi- cians today. Its reputation and record sales are founded primarily on the extensive talents of the dual lead guitars of James Young and Tommy Shaw, and the crystailine vocals and keyboard work of Detnis D e Y o u n g. Providing exquisitely strong and tight back-up rhythms ire the brothers Panozzo, with John striking drums and Chuck plucking- a very deft bass. After the opening new song, Styx led the audience through such merm- orable favorites as "Lorelei", "Light Up", and one of their first hit, "Lady". They wisely made the biggest production number out of the best song they do, "Suite Madamie Blue'', a rock abstract of America. The magnetic icy voice of DeYoung; See STYX, Page 7 Immommommom- Wilde rather tame By JOSHUA PECK Vincent Price need not justify his as- sumption of the role of the great wit Os- car Wilde. Price has over 80 films and nine Broadway plays to his credit, and has written and edited nine books - from cook books to art to the Bible. He is, as much as anyone, the Renaissance man of modern American theater. "Diversions and Delights," playing at the Music Hall Theater in Detroit through September 18, is a theoretical rendition of Wilde's final public ap- pearance. Playwright John Gay has used a "lecture," presented from a stage in Paris a year before Wilde's death in 1899, to portray the writer. No such speech, was ever given, but the setting is a convenient vehicle for a review of Wilde's epigrams, works, philosophy, and especially, his tragic demise as an artist. Act I is a stunning exhibition of Wilde's derisive treatment of every top- ic: from Puritans "who seem to die of a sort of creeping common sense," to morality, "the attitude we adopt about the people we dislike." Even drama critics "all can be bought. But judging from their appearance they can't be very expensive." Wilde's witticisms provide great en- tertainment. They are enormously en- hanced by Price's exquisite timing, but cleverness alone does not a successful play make, and "Diversions and De- lights" is sadly lacking in almost every other way. At the time of the imaginary licture, Wilde had (in real life) recently been released from jail after a conviction for homosexual involvement. In prison Wilde had suffered an ear injury which produced great, pain and occasional lapses of balance. Price's hobbling about the stage in imitation of Wilde's bouts with pain are awkward, phony and unconvincing. Sad to say, he is not the physically able actor he once was. The second act is virtually devoid of the witty epigrams that pepper the fir- st. Playwright Gay, it seems, realized that continuing in the same vein would project a superficial and trivial char- acter. The script turns towards the seri- ous side of the aesthete's thoughts, a fiery showcase the Wilde's pessimism of his declining years. It misses sorely in several respects. Part of the problem is that there is simply too little time after the intermis- sion to convey an adequate summary of Wildian thought. Price is forced to change his mind without any visible motivation. In the course of three min- utes, for example, he admits that he doesn't expect to write again, finds himself on his feet and proudly, defiant- ly even, proclaims his intention to re- turn to the pen. A smooth transition would have work- know, but it is well done with the excep- tion of the agony-act. Costumer Noel Taylor detracts from Price's otherwise striking appearance with a perfectly hideous hairpiece. The set and lighting are ordinary. In a brief chat with the reviewer after the show, Price confided that the script is still being polished. Perhaps this pot- pourri of a play will bloom into a dra- -matic whole when the rough spots in the second act are worked out. Despite all it's shortcomings, "Diversion -id Delights" and its lone performer manage to compel and de- light. The difficulties are .indeed bal- anced by a glimpse of the late 19th cen- tury through the eyes of a genius. NOW OPEN at 10,a.m. MON. -FRI. 1 p.m. SAT. & SUN. BILLIARDS- PINBALL- BOWLING C Athe MICHIGAN UNION * SINGLES C61NNECTI9N Dating Service For just $35, SINGLES CONNECTION will provide you with the names of 5 dates whose personalities are most like your own. Your application is processed carefully (by people, not come. puters). WHY WAIT? Send for application today. .........,0........................................"., SINGLES CONNECTION, P.O. BOX 7921, DEPT. MD 15 Ann Arbor, Mich. 48107 Rush application to: NAME__ STREETCITYSTATEZIP ... modern dating with the personal touch.:.. Mau um udE hurO a -nu o Vincent Price ed. Hamlet is indecisive, but he man- ages to convince us of his sincerity by virtue of Shakespeare's plodding, rational writing. Price's jumps of rea- son were simply not thought out. Price's Wilde is a hoarse, lisping, mincing wandT egr. Whether this is i snide allusionfto Vilde's sexual pref- erence, or a historical rendition, I don't 'Soap * Just a sitcom, not opera By NINA SHISHKOFF After all the bally-hoo over Soap, ABC's adult serial, it's a bit of an anti-climax to see the first episode. Various churches and p r e s s u r e groups have denounced the show for loose morality and rampant sex, for- portraying situations sure to contam- inate the minds of the young; yet the show hardly seems any stronger than the average episode of All in the Family, or Maude. The plot of Soap centers around two families. The rich family, the "dates, consist of a philandering hus- band, status-seeking wife, a daughter 'who is a nymphomaniac, a bratty ron, and the husband's crazy old father who seems to think he's a major in World War II. They are served by a surly black cook who -hates all of them, but especially Mr. Tate; he put sugar in his coffee, even though he's a diabetic, and gleefully insists on serving him high choles- terol foods. The Campbell family is headed by 14urt Campbell (played by Richard l1ulligan) who killed his wife's previous husband, although s h e doesn't know it. (She is the sister of ,Mrs. Tate.) They have a son who thinks he's an Italian mobster and another who's gay, although really both are the sons, of course, of the man Campbell killed. a The plot, obviously, is tangled, and promises to get progressively more so as the series progresses. Despite the plot, Soap doesn't qualify as a veal soap opera, or even a spoof of one. There's not a lawyer or doctor on the show. Except for the continu- ing plotline, it remains a situation comedy, along traditional situation comedy lines. Crazy grandfathers 4nd bratty kids are species particu- ,ar to sitcoms. What doesn't come across in the sensational ad campaigns ABC has aired, is that Soap is a well-written original score from TAD WAD although unevenly amusing. The acting is very good, in a campy sort of way, and all the characters mesh well. The show runs smoothly, except for two things. Some unnecessary slap- stick is thrown in (two of the char- acters have a food fight), and it jars with some of the more sophisticated humor. Also, some smoothness of elpse jazz presents flow is lost as the scene switches from family to family. There should be more interaction between the two families; but perhaps that will develop in future episodes. Controversy for controversy's sake is a gimmick, and Soap is very gimmicky, but if its present level of writing holds up, anything can, be forgiven. m jean-luc PO NTY - r' F W 100 I'