The Michigan Daily Wednesday, November 19, 1980 Page5
As solid as a rock
By MICHAEL KREMEN
Rockpile (Dave Edmunds and Billy Bremner, guitars; Nick Lowe, bass;
;Terry Williams, drums), is a very efficient mobile, music machine. A sleek,
four cylinder unit, Rockpile's modular construction permits them to create a
surprisingly diverse range of music from a very basic, beat-combo con-
struct.
Rockpile's 3 guitar front isn't a configuration I associate with sonic and
stylistic diversity. 'The presence of three lead vocalists as well as two
flexible guitarists capable of both solid rhythm accompaniment and con-
trasting lead attacks expands the parameters that normally limits genre-
combos like this one. They also succeed in imparting an overall "Rockpile"
flavor to a diverse repertoire which consists of rock 'n roll oldies, obscure
and not-so-obscure, as well as familiar-sounding originals friom the bitch-
witty pen of Nick Lowe.
SUNDAY NIGHT'S performance at Harpo's, a large Rockclub on
Detroit's Eastside, was a triumph from stem to stern. They began with the
pop-a-billy of "Sweet Little Lisa" with Dave Edmunds taking the vocal, as
he would on all of the first-generation-rock style tunes. Even better was "A
Knife and a Fork," from the new Seconds of Pleasure LP, which is about
a woman whose fondness for food is jeopardizing her physical attrac-
tiveness. Dave possesses a trebly baritone that evokes Buddy Holly and the
Everly Brothers, while fellow guitarist Billy Bremner is available to
provide the necessary hi-whiny harmonies to complete the picture.
Nick Lowe was surprisingly reticent, apparently content to sing a few
songs and help to anchor the beat. Lowe's vocal contributions on his own
compositions like "Switchboard Susan", "So It Goes" and "They Call It
Rock" were so tasty I wanted to hear more from him.
These four distinguished gentlemen comprise Rockpile-drummer Terry
Williams, bassist Nick Lowe, guitarists Dave Edmunds and Billy Bremner.
They pat on is hot show of traditional, heartfelt rock and roll on the Detroit
stop (at Harpo' of their curenta tor
,.: ',,w V .
When Lowe is center, the character of the band is altered, shifting to a
mid-1960s second-generation pop. Two strong songs in this vein from the
new LP, "Teacher, Teacher" and "Heart" (a Lowe original), were perfor-
med tonight. On the former, the jaded Mr. Lowe manages to actually sound
innocent and wistful as he urges his Teacher, Teacher to instruct him in mat-
ters amorous. On "Heart", a rocking 60s re-creation, we find the key
keyboard riff from The Chiffons' "One Fine Day" colliding with the drum
and cymbal intro from the early Supremes' "You Can't Hurry Love" to
create an instantly familiar and memorable hook that is carried to its scrat-
chy conclusion by sparkling work from Dave Edmunds. Concentrating on
the bass strings, Dave sounded like Duane Eddy at the service of an instant
tangy-pop classic in the mode of Nick's AM radio success, "Cruel to Be
JKind", curiously not performed tonight.
FURTHER VOCAL variety was provided by Billy BremneO, Rockpile's
"other" guitarist-vocalist, who communicated a charming exuberance on
Carlene Carter-Lowe's "Cry", a country inflected song that is quite
reminiscent of George Jones' "Why Baby Why". He also delivered the
requisite rockabilly energy to Lowe's "You Ain't Nothing But Fine", also
from the new LP.
The presence of Bremner should not be underestimated. As an excellent
rhythm player, he allows Edmunds total melodic freedom. He is also a terse
soloist whose lead style complements Lowe's mid-60s stylistic plundering.
On "What Did I Do Last Night", a rockabilly raver, Bremner and Edmunds
each took sub-compact solos, providing maximum variety while still
satisfying this mainstream.crowd's guitar hunger.
Drummer Terry Williams is an aggressive but tasteful (yes, it's possible)
rock and roll drummer whose explosive snare sound guarantees that there is
no danger of lethargy on the front line. The drum sound was superb and all
rresponsible are to be congratulated.
In sum, no real complaints except that Lowe, Edmunds and Co. have
recorded so many great songs, I would have liked them to perform more,
more, more. Until they return, I recommend listening to their excellent new
recording.
FELD CO. RETURNS
Music realized in dance
By AUDREY KRASNOW
One can dance to music, but, in dan-
cing, to become the music is a magical
transformation. Classical ballet is often
too structured and modern dance is
frequently too concerned with its
message to facilitate such a transfor-
mation. Fortunately, Eliot Feld
skillfully combines the techniques from
all areas of dance so that the dancer is
free to transcend whatever limits any
one aspect of dance may impose and
"become" the music. Feld's
choreographic instinct, coupled with
his company of talented dancers,
produced a truly magical concert Mon-
.day night.
This opening night of The Feld
Ballet's three-night run at Power Cen-
ter presented a combination of both the
old and new works, spanning eleven
years of choreography. Each of the
three dances were quite distinct in
design and intent, yet they shared cer-
tain qualities of "contemporary
ballet"-a term often used to charac-
terize Feld's work. Contemporary
ballet is basically ballet technique that
does not adhere to the conventional
structure of classical ballet; it is
traditional ballet technique infused
with modern dance and jazz. This
frequently means jazz with pointe,
shoes; however,Feld's fusion of the
three styles of dance results in jazz
isolation of movement with ballet
poses, modern feel for the earth with
classic leaps, and seemingly classical
ballet with dazzling jazz swings.
CONSISTENT WITH this concept of
contemporary ballet was Anatomic
Balm,a 1980 work and a fascinating
study of patterns. Danced to a selection
of ragtime music, as recorded by
violinist Paul Zukofsky and pianist
Peter Longiaru, the piece was marked
by repetition of jazz shoulder rolls and
wave-like body movements. It was.
danced by 12 women who originally
worked in groups of three, weaving in
and out of each other, single members
of one. group acting in concert with a
different threesome to create a cap-
tivatiig body of movement. Throughout
the seven part dance, the feel of the
bluesy, often lazy, ragtime, was con-
veyed by rolling isolations and effective
use of turned-out and parallel leg
progressions.
Christine Sarry, listed as "assistant to
Mr. Feld," has been dancing with Feld
since he founded his first company, Ameri-
can Ballet Company, in 1969. She has been
praised as one who dances Feld's
creations the best. Undeniably, Sarry
emerged as the "prima ballerina" of
the concert, though whether this is due
to her admittedly impressive talent or
the fact that'she danced a majority of
the leading and most personable parts
is undeterminable.
Her two solos in Anatomic Balm
clearly evidenced that she does
have a special feel for the dance and the
music, and the dance and music as one.
Her special ability was particularly
showcased by the ragtime violin which
she effectively embodied, rising and
falling in perfect unison with its every
slide.
ANOTHER 1980 piece, Scenes For
The Theatre, followed Anatomic Balm.
Set to Aaron Copland's "Music for the
Theatre," this dance seemed a lot more
of a "slice of life" theatre piece than a
dance, per se. It depicted Depression-
era life through five vignettes. Rather
than traditional dance clothes, the dan-
cers wore street clothes, as they
assumed the various roles, from Rich
and His Wife to Workers and Stripper.
Given the limitations of the real-life
costumes and the Depression at-
mosphere, the dancing was not ex-
plosive, but slower-paced and often
very erotic. Eliot Feld himself danced
the flashiest part as the City Slicker,
leaping, sliding and dancing cheek to
cheek with the Glamour Puss.
Challenging Feld and all others for
the spotlight was The Rich Man and His
Wife's Dog - a standard-size black
poodle. Never has a person so convin-
cingly portrayed a poodle. Prancing,
squatting, scratching and especially
going to the bathroom (numerous
times), the poodle was startlingly
believable.
The final dance, Intermezzo, was
created by Feld in 1969. It has been
hailed as one of his best works, and
deservedly so. As part of the overall
concert, it provided a dramatic change.
Pianist Peter Longiaru played Brahms
on a grand piano placed on stage. The
costumes were in classical ballet
tradition, with the women in layers of
chiffon and the men in tights and velvet
tunics. It was a pas de six, which was
mostly comprised of classical ballet
movements-women on'pointe assisted
by men in turns and various holds. Yet.
perhaps as a result of the beautifully
played Brahms and the special rapport
between each couple, a certain magic
seemed to build. As each couple per-
formed rotating pas de deux, they
became increasingly integrated into
the music. The music twinkled
playfully and the dancers danced
playfully, one man throwing a kiss to
the audience. And, as the music
crescendoed, the couples performed
dazzling holds and throws, all within
the classical ballet traditions. The dan-
cers were caught up in the music and
became the music. The only low point
came when one male dancer, while
swinging his partner, unfortunately,
swung too low, causing her to smash
her foot on the stage. Though this tem-
porarily broke the momentum of the
dance, it was quickly regained.
The concert ended on an utterly en-
chanting note, as all three couples
came to rest, delicately ending their
movement as the music, too, came to
rest. Although Feld has been criticized
for overly repeating a certain
movement throughout a dance and for
not allowing such dances as Scenes
From the Theatre to break character
and burst with excitement, these com-
plaints do not suggest any major
flaws. His purpose is to convey an idea
or feeling, and he is successful. His
repetition and consistency help forge
the dancer and music into one. And
that's the magic.
the ann arbor
film cooperative
TONIGHT
TONIGHT
presents
t THE MAN WHO
FELL. TO EARTH
7.008 9:30
DAVID BOWIE,
CANDY CLARK,
BUCK HENRY star.
In 35mm stereo.
AUD. A, ANGELL HALL
ADMISSION: $2
C Inema'11
presents
WOMAN IN THE DUNES
(Hiroshl Teshigahara, 1964)*
This film represents the most significant trend in Japanese filmmaking in the
last two decades. It is a haunting allegory, probing fundamental questions of
existence and the meaning of freedom. A strange, exotic tale about an en-
tomologist on a remote beach who is trapped into living with a woman ifs a
deep sand pit, it is a moving representation of a man's forced search for self.
Japanese, with subtitles. (123 min.)
Wed., Nov. 19 - MLB (not Angell as listed in schedule)
7:00 & 9:15-$2.00
THE LONG GOODBYE
(Robert Altman, 1973)
In Altman's version of the Raymond Chandler novel, Elliott Gould plays Philip
Marlow, adrift in the chaos and corruption of modern Los Angeles as he attem-
pts to clear a dead friend's memory of the charge of murder. Gould is, in some
ways, an anti-Bogart, bumbling and clumsy, but like Bogart, his inherent
romanticism and moral code force him to search out the truth. (112 min.)
Fri., Nov. 21 Angell Hall 7:00 & 9:15 $2.00
This Weekend: THERESA THE THIEF
FOOLISH WIVES
A WOMAN OF PARIS
Special Feature Dec,6: BEST BOV'*
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Picture
Movie I
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iovers!.
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TENNESSEE WMLUAMS
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN SHOWCAS
8:00 PM NOVEMBER 19-2
TRUEBLOOD THEATRE
FRIEZE BUILDING
ies
gale
E- PRODUCTION
2
Professional
Theatre Program
Ticket Office
Michigan League
M-F, 10-1 and 2-5
Phone: 764-0450
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