ARTS
The Michigan Daily
Sunday, November 14, 1982
Page 5
Pointing towards success
By Mare Hodges
R UTH, JUNE, and Anita. If those
names mean nothing to you then I
guess you missed the Pointer Sisters at
the Michigan Theater Friday night.
Actually, they were in Ann Arbor the
entire day, touring the School of Music
with their producer Richard Perry, a
Michigan alumnus, having an open par-
ty at the Union, and finally, performing
a dynamic show that captured the
audience and left them feeling So Ex-
cited!
What can you say about three black
women who were only allowed to hear
and sing gospel music as youths, who
later, as writers, won a Grammy for
Best Country Song in '75 ("Fairy
Tale"), and whose desires to sing scat
and rummage through thrift shops for
the outfits in which they performed vir-
tually started the Forties nostalgia of
the mid-'70s? These characteristics are
what make it hard to define the girls in
traditional terms and what makes their
distinct style of pop-rock-funk so purely
4(Pointer.
Being a Pointer Sisters enthusiast for
some time, I was thrilled by the oppor-
tunity to meet them as they paraded in-
to the Music School entourage trailing
behind. Between introductions,
autographs, flashing cameras and a
tour of producer Perry's alma mater, I
managed to pose a few questions which
-,, revealed to me a group of enthusiastic,
professional entertainers who have
reached a level of sophistication in their
field.
The girls expressed delight in being
able to perform for the Ann Arbor
audience. Ann Arbor will not be their
only Michigan appearance, but for the
Pointer Sisters it was a unique ex-
perience. As Anita claimed, performing
for a college audience is "a wonderful
opportunity because students always
make up an appreciative audience."
And appreciative they were, as was in-
dicated by the turn-out at the Union and
the enthusiasm of the audience at the
show.
At the Union, where the Sisters
hosted a party of beer and munchies,
fans got . to meet the girls, get
autographs, and view the video of their
The Pointer Sisters played at the Michigan Theatre Friday evening.
latest single "I'm So Excited." The
crowd seemed to enjoy the two hour
party and as University student Joe
Schwartz exclaimed, "I think it's a
great idea, I think they should do it all
the time. And when I graduate, and I'm
rich, I'm going to do this too."
But this casual afternoon party,
although enjoyable, was no indication
of the sensational event that was to
follow that evening. The usual ex-
citement hung in the air as the concert-
goers filed into the Michigan Theater,
filling two-thirds of the seats. However,
the excitement turned into anxiety as
time wore on and still no Pointer
Sisters. Gossip floated around the
theater about promotional problems,
evidenced by Perry and Tract, who ran
from backstage to an unknown office in
the lobby while restless fans awaited
the start of the show.
The Pointer Sisters strutted onto the
stage in flaming red minidresses,
belting out their latest single "I'm So
Excited." The mood of the crowd was
immediatelytuplifted and their cheers
indicated that the show was well worth
the wait. The show progressed with a
steady, upbeat pace, with each of the
Sisters taking their turn at leading the
band through their various hits, in-
cluding their international triumph
"Fire," last summer's smash single
"Slow Hand," and their most popular
tune to date "He's So Shy."
Unlike many groups where there
exists one lead vocalist with a few
backup singers (e.g., Diana Ross and
the Supremes), the Pointer's share cen-
ter stage.
They ended the evening with their en-
core "Happiness," as enthusiastic fans
danced in the aisles and rushed up to
the stage for a better look at these
magnificent performers. Their
dynamic performance left everyone
exclaiming "I'm So Excited."
Living it up with Johansen
By Jeff Gibson
t HE CAPACITY crowd that "lived
L it up" with David Johansen Thur-
sday night at Second Chance came
away with a good idea as the why the
former New York Doll is perhaps the
,;hottest act touring the large club cir-
cuit. The singer and his four piece en-
semble made their way flawlessly.
through a ninty-minute set that set the
dance floor a-reelin' and the rafters a-
rockin'.
SLK, the fine local ska-revivalists,
kicked off the evening with a set of their
infectuous dance rhythms. The band
displayed impressive energy and verve
during their sixty minute show, but for
those not on the dance floor, their act
was about thirty minutes too long. The
intermission between acts seemed
inordinately long as the audience
eagerly awaited Johansen's arrival.
Since lengthy intermissions provide
more drink sales than anything else,
their discomfort was eased accor-
dingly. Impatience was well rewarded,
however, as Johansen (clad in outlan-
dish yellow and black plaid trousers
with matching jacket; a familiar
enough sight to any who have ever ven-
tured through the alumni section on
football Saturdays) strode into the
spotlight.
Johansen wasted no time in capturing
M.. the audience as he ripped into the siz-
zling "Here Comes the Night." He
4 quickly established himself as a per-
former fully in command of his
{ material. He followed with "Funky But
uo Chic," "Bohemian Love Pad," "Build
, '. Me Up Buttercup," and "Mellody"
from Live It Up before introducing
three new selections from his upcoming
studio album: a lilting ballad, "Garden
of Eden," a bragadoccio romp entitled,
"I'm So Handsome Anyway," and a
street strut cailed "Who You Cool."
After Johansen and his band
* displayed great versatility in covering
an old Dominoes' classic, they broke
the place wide open with tour de force
renditions of "Stranded in the Jungle,"
the Animals' Medley, "Frenchette,"
and the Four Tops' "I'll Be There."
During the latter song Johansen clim-
bed the balcony and milled through the
frenzied crowd while passing his
microphone around, affording the
audience the opportunity of belting out
their best Levi Stubbs' impressions.
As expected, Johansen was the con-
summate showman; his stage presence
was a sort of an impish cross between
Mr. Dressup and Alex from A Clock-
work Orange. His baner with the
audience was engagingly madcap.
"Your Momma's a Smurf! ," he got the
audience to exhault repeatedly as he
donned a jester's hat (one of about thir-
ty or so different hats that he played
around in all night) to introduce the
Doll's classic, "Personality Crisis" as
the first encore.
Johansen's band managed to keep up
with him step for step. They are an ex-
tremely tight outfit, showing admirable
restraint, providing each song with only
what was necessary. As they joined
hands with Johansen for a curtain call
after the third encore, no one in the
Chance had doubts that David Johan-
sen is hitting the big time.
ROSE BOWLI1
Flights to Los Angeles
from $284
Rose Bowl Tours Available
Christmas to New York $155
Other Bowl tours to be available if necessary-Heaven Forbid
r - IV = m " lir IN
SI1U WAY BUS TOURS
Thanksgiving November 20-21
Nov. 24-28
Kalamazoo
Gary, IA
Chicago
Round Trip Transportation
from The Michigan Union
to Columbus, Ohio.
Christmas
Dec. 20 - Jan. 4
One Night accomodations
at Holiday Inn.
Wine & cheese reception.
I
I
- A pv-% P-wq v v V