The Michigan Daily ay a Ray Charles enter ARTS Saturday, September 24, 1983 E Page 5, Aman for all ages By Jeff Manning E NTERING HILL AUDITORIUM Thursday night was interesting, if not a bit awkward. As expected, there was a large number of students, but also in abundance of the over 50s crowd - ladies with fur-lined coats and grey- haired husbands in navy blue sports jackets - the kind you'd never see on the diag; only on the suburban streets of your hometown on a Sunday after- noon. The thought that jazz alone could unite the two blatantly distinct groups was wonderful. The Marcus Belgrave Sextet, which was really an octet, opened the show featuring Robert Penn on guitar. The band played some original tunes, but quickly fell into some R & B numbers. Penn sang the vocals, obviously en- joying himself, especially when covering Charles' "Let the Good Times Roll." The group closed with some hot jazz/funk. Trendy, fer sure, but good jazz. The stage was rearranged and the Ray Charles Orchestra (which wasn't really an orchestra, rather a 16-piece big band) played instrumental jazz. They performed some good solos and the music was fine, but for the half hour they played, I couldn't help but think, "Where's Ray?" The restless looks of the others around me, told me they were thinking the same. Finally, after the announcer from the ginsu knife commercial bestowed titles upon titles on "the genius of soul," Ray emerged. Dressed in black, he was slowly led to the piano. A slight grey around his temples was the only sign of his age - he bopped onto his piano stool with, the livelihood of a child. Wearily toppling out of his seat, Charles began with vintage R & B, which was very brassy and loud. The college audience loved it; the older folk tapped their fingers. After a few songs, however, Ray slowed things down and played; "Georgia on My Mind" - definitely a highlight in the show. Many slow; ballads followed causing the elders to smile and nod while the rest of us sat back in our chairs. Late in the show,; Ray introduced the Raelettes, five female back-up singers who wore mat- ching dresses and motioned with their arms, like the Andrews Sisters on tho Lawrence Welk Show. But they had fan- tastic voices and Ray dug 'em so we did too. After about an hour and a half of per- forming, Ray left the stage (again to the excited voice of the Ginsu man). While leaving the auditorium, I saw the happy faces of the elders who were cowi tented with a night of nostalgic music; And to myself, I thought the show, though highly polished and obviously staged, was good just because I saw Ray bounce around like a little kid. Daily Photo by RENEE FREIER rtains young and old alike at Hill Auditorium Thursday night. ...- . . l ....:. . of the Police, contributed solid bass year. Their "Radioactive Love" video All three musicians did, however, By Frank Schraner line . is being shown on Swedish television, exhibit decent technical abilitf, Bohemia played more than 15 songs according to Zirbel. "Promoters over especially effects-driven guitarist Duke and instrumentals, including the three there saw it and want to bring us over, Roth. Maybe they can find a more h e m a ro u tESPITE DRAWING a disappoint- songs on their latest 2inch, No Or- so it's just being initiated," Zirbel said. musical means of displaying their D ing (though appreciative) crowd dinary Moon. The band has also "So hopefully next year." talent. of about 30 people, Bohemia gave a released two 10-inch 45's and a single. Another video, "Is It Hot Enough?," Ann Arbor was the first stop on a spirited performance at Joe's Star Bohemia's records are getting radio has been accepted by MTV, but it has scheduled 14-week, 37-stop tour fo n e Lounge Thursday night. play on "a lot of the college stations out yet to be aired. "It just has to wait 'til it Bohemia, during which they are to play Lead singer Carla Evonne spent East," insisted Zirbel. comes upon rotation," said Evonne. in Boston, New York, Jaurez, Mexip much of the night rocking from side to Bohemia has been trying to secure a Opening for Bohemia was Special Ed, City, and Vancouver among othr Jsside and alternating between alto major-label record contract. "We've a trio of guitar, bass, and drums. They cities. J o e S Tu sa saxaphone and keyboards. Fast Frank had a number of rejections (and) I un- played 30-minutes of improvised in- Lounge owner Joe Tiboni said tht bounced around on stage, alternating derstand that the more rejections you strumental with almost no chord the low turnout for Bohemia may have between guitar and tenor sax. His fran- get, the closer you are to being accep- progression, much less melody. Special been because they were playing on the tic, jazz-like sax solos and fills were the ted," joked Fast Frank. Ed meandered back and forth, same night as Bad Manners at the show's highlights. Zirbel, who bears a The band, which has been together sometimes crossing the line that Second Chance, and Ray Charles at Hill striking resemblance to Andy Summers for four years, may tour Europe next separates music from noise. Auditorium. I . .. ......... . ......... .......... ..... . . . .. . ................ . . . ...... .............. ............. X X X The guys have rockin' By Jay Dorra nce CAN'T 'SLAG these guys; no way f, £This§ihowwis too much fun° A good i conet-t"full of high errey dances music, and for once the promoters managed to match the opening act with the headliners. Of course there were problems. Bad Manners' equipment van broke down and they were forced to use SLK's sound system, but no one seemed to mind the muddy mix. As a matter of fact the crowd went nuts and for good reason. The line-up of SLK and Bad Manners was a case of ska schizophrenia. SLK opened with a hot set of top ranking ska spiced with touches of soul and hard core. These guys have learned a lot in the three years they've been together. Every tune in their 14-song set was an original, and they worked the crowd like seasoned professionals. SLK is Ann Arbor's premier dance band. If you want to go out and burn off some energy SLK is the band to see. Thursday night was one of their finest sets I've had the pleasure to catch. The secret of the band's success is their style and attitude. These guys want to play good music that's fun to dance to. That's not all, they've got a spirit in the music that's infectious. It makes your feet move. These guys are going to knock the walls down before they're through. The set opened with"Fight," a favorite off their Dance Disk LP. Another hot moment in the set was the introduction of their next single "Why Don't You call?" Future plans for SLK include a couple of videos a second pressing of Dance Disk, and a new album. It looks like SLK is on its way. After the sharp, mod look of the local boys, Bad Manners was a real shock playing Mr. Hyde to SLK's Dr. Jeckyll. To understate it, these guys are bizarre looking. The guitarist and bass player etiquette With his shaved head and pot belly, he looked like Uncle Fester gone to seed. These guys were real spectacles, but they could play. Their bizarre stage presnce did!t: ,detract from the fact 'that they played-bigh- netgyska: , The -set opened with 'Echo 4/2," an instrumental off the Klass LP. Winton Bazoomies led the big man, Fatty, on- stage, and the assault was on. Once "Buster Blood Vessel" hitthe stage, no holds were barred. The band blasted through pulsing versions of "Just A Feeling," "Only f-- king," "Lollipop," and "Benny Wiggle" before hitting stride with "Ivor the Engine." With this the crowd was really juiced up as Fatty egged them on, rapping to them and throwing glass upon glass of water upon them. This was Bad Manners in their element. The sound pulsed to the crowd, driven by the dual percussion and bass. The crowd was leing assaulted by powerful mutant ska. Some of the other highlights of the set were covers of "Wooly Bully," "Tequila," and the ever-popular theme from Bonanza in ska. As other crowd favorites were their English hits, "Flesh and Blood," "Lorraine," and "Lip Up Fatty," with the latter sending the dancefloor crowd into a frenzy. These guys held no pretenses. The music had no message nor heavy social commentary. They just hit you on the head with some fun, danceable sounds. Judging from the crowd reaction Thur- sday, they lived up to expectations. If you missed out on this one, keep your eyes open. These guys are expected BIB back next November. If you can't wait, catch SLK; they'll give you a generous helping a highlife ska sounds. Daily Photo by DAN HA Mr. Fatty, lead singer of the English ska band Bad Manners, kept the crowds boppin' Thursday night at Second Chance. were wearing matching bum outfits. The drummer looked like a cop from the Bahamas. The congo player was in- to North Africa garb. They keyboardist was straight from A Clockwork Orange and to top it all off, Mr. Fatty "Buster Blood Vessel," the lead vocalist, looked like a refugee from big- time wrestling, complete with a sleazy- looking little guy who acted as his an- nouncer. Fatty was decked out in tight, green satin shorts, red Converse high-tops, and a T-shirt that said "Pineapple." I iw --..- I I 1 INDIVIDUAL THEATRES 5th Ae at lberty 701-9700 $2.00 WED. SAT. SUN. SHOWS BEFORE 6 PM I I Records Youri Egorov - 'Youri Egorov plays Chopin' (Angel, DS-37959) , The genius of Chopin stems largely from his ability to emote so much with "just a piano," without needing or relying on grand concertos or full or- chestras to bring out the beauty and turnes, especially the well-known Noc- turne in E minor (Op. 72). Written when the composer was a 17-year old student in Warsaw, the miniature only surfaced after his death. Like much of Chopin's best work, the E minor is deceptively simple, and its emotional appeal is unabashed, unpretentious, and. (for me) repeatedly effective, even after dozens of playings. ARTS CHORALE UNIVERSITY-CHOIR FOR A NIGHT WHEN CASANOVA, THOMAS PAIN AND RESTIF DE LA BRETONNE MEET AND WITNESS THE END OF ONE WORLD AND THE BEGINNING OF ANOTHER. MARCELLO MASTROIANNI HARVEY KEITEL HANNA SCHYGULLA LA NUIT DE VARENNES FRI 7:00,9:15 I I I r