4 ARTS The Michigan Daily Friday, September 14, 1984 Page 6 Replacements mix and 4 match at Joe's gig By Hobey Echlin One might think a club like Joe's Star Lounge, with only two more weeks of existence at its present location, would begin to wind things down. Fortunatley for alternative music fans, however, such is not the case - as was amply proved on Wednesday night. Joe's featured a truly dynamic alter- native lineup Wednesday with Non Fic- tion and the Variables warming-up for The. Replacements. the Variables warmed-up with a set featuring in- credible basslines, effective chord guitar, and solid, rolling drumlicks. This young jazz-influenced trio has been together for four years except for a new drummer, who seems to be pulling his weight. Non Fiction, after a first set devoid of musical focus, played a highly original second set that blended the uniqueness of jazz fusion with the aura of late 60s psychedelia. But their look, the second element of any live show, was a bit too pop-commerical. Although the originality of their sound can be respected, their self- parody tune, "I'm so bored I fell off my chair" held too true. It was innovative nonetheless. The headliners of this dynamic show, The Replacements, brought the whole performance together. Combining the raw talen of the Variables and the "in- dividual" look of Non Fiction, the Replacements took to the stage with a look as diverse as their sound. Combining an impish psychodelic- punk bass player and a guitar player dressed in an outfit louder than his am- plifier, with a vocalist and a drummer that look like they are straight out of a garage band, The Replacements are individuals - original, anything but splashy and trendy. Their music added to this sense of originality as their set bounced from heavy-guitar rock to a quicker thrash style and still further to an easy ballad temp. The changing pace matched the chaning mood of their show. They went from a slow R&B to hard rock and back again. And more importantly, they had fun doing it. A truly good show involvds a band playing with - not at - the audience. The Replacements are such a band. You need not be oriented to any one kind of music (they aren't) to enjoy their music. An hour set and two encores later, the band went into their most original move yet - to the tune of a country and western rhythm. It wasn't really new music or old music. What it was was a fun and in- timately energetic show by a diverse band. Minneapolis' The Replacements blend jazz-fusion, psychedelia, and country-western at Joe's Star Lounge Wednesday night. 4 Other half loves with laughter By Mike Fisch Wednesday night a bunch of giddy senior citizens (it was senior citizen's night at the Mendelssohn Theatre) and the rest of us "young 'uns" were privileged to take in British playwright Alan Ayckbourn's How the Other Half Loves. How the Other Half Loves, now being presented by the Ann Arbor Civic Theatre, is a bedroom farce or perhaps 9aqwe ou! " k .. . G. Bloomfield, D.D.S. 2301 S. Huron Parkway 971-2310 weekly, evenings, and Saturday appointments available. one might call it a romantic comedy. Either way the play is a lot of fun. More importantly the play is refreshing - it takes some chances. One theatrical risk that surfaces in the play is allowing the audience to see two scenes at once. It seems like an im- possibility, seeing through walls, to find out how the rich snooty wife deals with breakfast time, and simultaneously look at the harried middleclass wive's reaction to the same. Ayckbourn, and in this case the set designer, accomplishes such a feat by dividing his stage into parts, one being the home of successful business man Frank Foster (Robert Closson) and his wife Fiona (Carol Sheldon) and the other the home of Bob (Barry Collodi) and Teresa Phillips (Tracy Studerus), the archetypal mid- dleclass family. The stage is not divided right down the middle. The Phillips' and the Foster's, for example, have the same dinner table and other common props. This stage set up is a bit confusing at first, until Frank Foster calls Bob Phillips, who works for him, and tells him to come in to work early. At that point the idea of the simultaneous scenes hits home, and the audience can relax a bit and watch the involved plot unfold. How The Other Half Loves, starts out slow but this is the nature of such a farce. The whole play is introduced in the first scene, weird plot and all. The important things the audience learns the first act were that Bob Phillip's was having an affair with Fiona Foster, and that the two make up an excuse for their evening out. That's where William (Richard Roselle) and Mary Detweiler (Laurie Atwood) come in. Fiona and Bob tell their perspective spouses that they were out late commiserating with one of the Detweilers. According to Bob and Fiona's separate stories, each of the Detweilers has been unfaithful, and each of them was out helping (one with Mary, one with Bob) their acquaintan- ce deal with the problem. Sound con- fusing? Well it should. But that's not the end of it. Concerned Teresa Phillips and Frank Foster each invite the Det- weilers to dinner. That's when the real fun starts. The two different dinner par- ties occur at the same time on the stage, and it's just incredible to watch the actors work the scene. If you've ever seen the movie Deathtrap you know what an involved plot is - the twists and turns that force you to stay attentive. How the Other Halt Loves has that same element of surprise. the play wouldn't have clicked had the actors not worked well together. Due to the simultaneous scenes, a good portion of the line cues come from someone that the actor is not even talking to. Thankfully the six players in How The Other Half Loves do some great ensemble work despite the technical difficulties inherent in the play. How the Other Half Loves is a good laugh and a good look at both sides of the fence at the same time. The play is being performed again tonight at 8 p.m. and on Saturday afternoon. Any of the kinks in Wednesday's show have been worked out, so go see how the other half does it. tID IrlN I 1Vif E VERYONE likes to party, right? is submit a photograph (preferably And everyone likes a good party, black and white) of your Friday or right? Now we all know there are good Saturday night party and a composition parties and there are good parties. If of 150 words or less describing why you you hosted a good party, wouldn't you think.your party was the Part of the want everyone to know? Well, now's Week. All entries must be dropped off in your chance. The Daily Arts page is the Daily Arts office by 3 p.m. Wed- prud to announce the birth of what nesday. The winning party will be hopefully will become a weekly feature published in Friday's Dail - Party of the Week..All you have to do Elton rocks at Joe Louis and b id are well displayed the musical success and per- By A lan Woodro W sonal style that has kept him on the charts for the last 15 years. The sold-out crowd at Joe Louis By mixing fast songs with slower Arena didn't know what toaexpect Wed- songs, Elton kept the atmosphere more nesday night. After somehow getting subdued than it might have been, with through the sardine-like lines and en h only a few songs such as "Bennie and dless traffic, the concertgoer was the Jets," "Saturday Night's Alright greeted by a simple set which included for Fighting," and "Bitch is Back," only the basic instruments and three igniting the jampacked arena. small platforms. The highlight of the set was an ex- What the audience got was two hours cellent rendition of "Bennie," with the of Elton John at his finest. After com- crowd erupting from the first note of an pleting an enormously successful Elton jazz-blues piano solo. Wearing European tour, Elton is playing his 44- the outfit he w arson his "Sad Songs" city North American tour with the style video (and Sasson commercials), Elton and energy that has made him famous. also played such familiar songs as He bganhis 23-song set with "Tiny "Philadelphia Freedom," "Daniel," DHec began " n nehDon't Let the Sun Go Down on Me," Dancer" and had the audience singing "DntLtheSnGDonnM, and clapping throughout his hit-filled Sorry Seems to be the Hardest Word," line-up. Elton sprinkled the Detroit and "Rocket Man." show of his "farewell tour" with old Elton's reunion with lyricist Bernie favorites and newer songs that recently Taupin in 1982 resulted in a comeback have put him back in the limelight after for Elton and this was reflected in his a six-year commercial slump. With his See ELTON, Page 7 old band backing him once again, he 1984 BIG TEN COLLECTION SPORTS SODA 4 ANN ARBOR MUSIC MART IS YOUR CAMPUS MUSIC STORE " Amps * Drums Guitars Keyboards * Sheet Music ERLEWINE'S GUITAR REPAIRS MUSIC LESSONS Guitar, Drums, Autoharp Voice, Dulcimer, Flute ANN ARBOR MUSIC MART 336 South State 769-4980