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Page 22-E--Thursday, September 9, 1982-The Michigan Daily
Video fever in Ann Arbor-

The Michigan Daily-Thursday, Septemb
Local band.
play R&B a:
R&B and R,

By Bill Spindle
Incoming students to the University
face a lot of problems, most of which
are expected: budgeting time,
managing expenses, deciding whether
that sign said the party was at Theta
Chi or Theta Xi and trying to find either
one in Ann Arbor's Greek maze,,
guessing how much laundry detergent

to use, and guessing what color the
cafeteria mashed potatoes will be at
dinner.
These are all anticipated, they give
lectures on them at orientation. But
what most incoming students don't
realize is that the biggest problem can
be those quarters, those damn quar-
ters. They're always taking up room in
a drawer, weighing down pockets, or
attracting muggers by jingling in dark

alleys.
The great thing about Ann Arbor is
that it offers all sorts of ways to get rid
of those quarters that are far more fun
than tossing them into the street. Ann
Arbor has a veritable extravaganza of
arcades and video games, so to speak.
There are six major arcades and a
dozen smaller places on or near cam-
pus, which feature some 300 video
games and pinball machines.
Where a person decides to play
depends on several things, such as
whether or not the place has good deals
and specials, what machines the place
has, or which arcade one happens to be
standing in front of. To the avid video
addict though, where one goes to play
"depends on what atmosphere you
want," said Duane Collicott, an
Eastern Michigan University student
who plays in Ann Arbor frequently.
And he may just be right. Contrary to
popular belief, if you've seen one ar-
cade you haven't seen them all-in fact
you've only seen one. But to make a
long cliche short, each of the major ar-
cades offers a different atmosphere,
different prices, and each has its ad-
vantages and disadvantages.
There are two "video strips" near
campus. South University features
Flipper McGee's and Great Escape.

The second area, near East Liberty,
Maynard, and East William Streets, is
the location of Simulation Station,
Focus, and Mickey Rats. Off on its own
is Smugs Lair at the corner of State and
Packard.
John Floyd, a graduate student in
public policy, says he plays at Flippers
because he "likes the selection of
games they have and their prices are
reasonable."
Flippers, as well as most other places
around town, offers several special deals
on tokens.
All the arcades in town, except Great
Escape, offer five tokens for a dollar on
a daily basis, and many offer better
deals.
Smugs, Focus, and Flippers all offer
specials in which six or seven tokens
are sold for a dollar, while both Focus
and Simulation Station have special
deals of 30 tokens for $5.
To some students, the deals can be
the most important thing in deter-
mining where they play.
"If you don't play a lot, like myself,
you can get away with it fairly
cheaply," says Sean Montgomery, a
sophomore in the engineering college.
For those people who would like to
support the University while they enjoy
See VIDEO, Page 23

The Ann Arbor Film Cooperative has exhibited films in 16 mm
and 35 mm at the University of Michigan.
For current listings please call 769-7787
ADMISSION: $2.00 single feature
$3.00 double feature (unless otherwise noted).
Films show at Auditorium A-Angell
Hall, Modern Languages Building, Mich-
igan Theatre and Lorch Hall.

By Michael Huget
Ann Arbor may be a bastion of non-
conformity, but when it comes to the
most' popular local bands, redundancy
reigns.
It's not that the local bands are bad;
on the contrary, most are quite enter-
taining and play danceable music
(which is the key). But most have a.
common denominator on which they of-
ten expand: rhythm and blues.
The Urbations seem to have broken
from the pack this past year and have
established themselves as one of the
hottest R&B bands in town. They are
heavily influenced by Bo Diddley and
have lately incorporated some '60 soul
into their sound with songs like "Time
Won't Let Me." The band's repertoire
also includes a fantastic rendition of ?
and the Mysterians' "96 Tears." Their
versatility on stage makes them even
more infectious.
If any band can hold its own on a
stage with the Urbations, it would be
the Blue Front Persuaders, a raucous
R&B band. The Persuaders' innovative
arrangements of R&B classics will get

you on the di
originals, altho
ween, will keep
reportedly pre
recording sessic
any of their dyr
success is almos
Another high
band is Sailcatz
them there were
dancers, which
seemed a bit I
there, especially
Hill and guitari
the best R&B gu
If three goo
enough for one
Dick Siegel a
Melody. Siegel,
the Ann Arbor n
be counted on to
classics and
rockers. The str
however, lies in
"Angelo's" and
Do?" Siegel ha
Ann Arbor scene
he is a strong dr
circuit.
See LO(

U

Uhe $'rofessional-Uheatre 2rog ram 1982

_8

3

Daily Photo by DEBORAH LEWIS
PETER "MADCAT" RUTH, an Ann Arbor favorite, belts out the blues at a local bar.

Major Events brings big names to car


App-

Best of Broadway
Michigan Ensemble Theatre Series
The finest in professional musicals, comedy, and drama presented by
national touring companies and Ann Arbor's resident Equity company.

University

Players Power

Senes

Classical and modern plays produced by the U-M Department
of Theatre and' Drama combining the talents of faculty, staff,
and students.
THE TEMPEST Dec. 1-5
William Shakespeare Power Center
with Stratford actor NICHOLAS PENNELL

BORN YESTERDAY
Garson Kanin
TINTYPES
Kyte, Marvin, and Pearle
starring PATRICE MUNSEL
THE 1940'S RADIO HOUR
Walton Jones
CAT ON AHOT TIN ROOF
Tennessee Williams

Oct. 6-10. 14-17
Mendelssohn Theatre
Dec. 10-12
Power Center
Mar. 4-6
Power Center
Mar. 16-20, 24-27
Mendelssohn Theatre

THE THREE SISTERS
Anton Chekhov
BEGGAR ON HORSEBACK
Conneily and Kaufman

Feb. 9-13
Power Center
Apr 13-17
Power Center

By Maria Petkoff
If the mellifluous voice of Al Jarreau
or the demonic antics of Ozzy Osbourne
makes your heart beat faster, but the
ushers won't let you dance in the aisles,
chances are you can respectively thank
or curse the University's Office of
Major Events for bringing your
favorite group to town and keeping you
inyourseat.
Either way it's OK, according to
Major Events Director Karen Young,
because she appreciates a compliment
but also responds personally to all
complaints. Major Events is the
University organization that brings big
names to campus. It is run as a
professional promotional agency, and
as such, tries to meet artists' needs as
well as student tastes, a difficult job at
times, Young said.
"This is a tough, competitive
business," said Young, "you cannot
please everybody all the time." She
said there are three basics to surviving
in the business: "good ticket sales,
which means good promotion, technical
production, which has to be perfect, and
ambience." Performers have to like
where they're playing.
A good "ambience" is one of the
things that has brought such.groups as
The Police, Bruce Springsteen, Fleet-
wood Mac, the late Bob Marley, Earth,
Wind & Fire, and many' more to Ann
Arbor in past years. That is why -Ann
Arbor is known as a "prestige date"
among bands, said Yound.
Ambience may also include non-
performance items ranging- from
special foods to video-games and
racquetball courts provided for bands
upon request. Whatever the individual
preference, creating a good at-

mosphere to encourage a good perfor-
mance is something at which the people
at MEO work very hard.
Bob Davies, booking agent and
supervisor of technical production for
Major Events, knows a lot about what
draws performers. "Artists tour for ex-
posure" and, more importantly, to sell
an album, he said. Bands often prefer to
play in major cities to larger crowds
with higher ticket prices because tour
expenses are so high. Therefore, the
competition to bring groups to Ann Ar-
bor rather than Detroit is stiff, Davies
said.
How does Major Events compete with
Detroit's major market for groups?
Davies explained that one way is to try
to sell a band on the hall. If it's a Hill
Auditorium date, for instance, Davies
said he will stress its intimate size and
popularity with audiences.
Another way is to compete
economically. This is possible, said
Davies, because production expenses
are lower in Ann Arbor.. Because the of-
fice operates within the University
structure, it does not pay for office
space, lawyers, or accountants. Ann
Arbor's union scale for technicians and
stagehands is also lower.
All of this makes it possible for Major
Events to compete with a larger
market, such as Detroit, for popular en-
tertainers as well as to keep ticket
prices lower for the Ann Arbor concert-
goer, according to Davies. There are
exceptions, however. He says some ar-
tists-Stevie Wonder, for exam-
ple-simply do not tour often and will
always choose major cities when they
do go on the road. Furthermore, ticket
prices are not always negotiable. Some
performers such as John Denver, often
command standard ticket prices
wherever they play.

Money made from ticket sales is used
to rent concert halls, advertise, and
most importantly, pay for the band.
"The bulk of money is spent on talent,"
said Young. Advertising, however, is
becoming increasingly expensive.
Davies said it isn't unusual for radio
stations to charge $100 or more for a 60-
second promotional spot. Publicizing a
large event at Crisler Arena can run up
into the thousands.
How has Michigan's depressed
I'ThI-

economy ai
"Drastically,"
that would hav
ago, didn't this
Harry Blacks
However, Davie
by what he perc
turn in concert t
Because the e
so volatile, i
promoters stay'

A third Michigan Ensemble Theatre production is planned for the
new Trueblood Theatre to be chosen from the works of Beckett.
Gogol. or Pinter.

PLUS...
Our first Showcase production:
THE AMEN CORNER Nov. 3-6
James Baldwin Mendelssohn Theatre

Season subscriptions will be
only. Orders will be filled it
for over-the-counter sales Sep

r....op,

available no later than July 6 by mail order
n order of receipt. The Ticket Office will open
t. 7. Hours will be Monday-Friday, 10 am -
1 pm and 2 - 5 pm-