C ARTS P The Michigan Daily Tuesday, February 5, 1985 ~1 'age 6 e Richman unresponsive, unrewarding By Dennis Harvey T HE MAIN feature of the evening was the look. It was that terribly specific pained look: startled, dumb, twitching dread of the unknown. The rabbit- caught-by-headlights look. The likely instinct to bolt was resisted, though, and eventually that look unglazed, watered to more blunt pathos; to that en- dless anxiety in the eyes of the lap mutt right before you give it the boot - a look that at once admits to all the guilt in the world and confers it all on you for the swat you're about to deliver. The really terrible thing is that, looking into the depths of puppy-anxiety, you probably want to whack the damn thing more than ever. Jonathan Richman necessarily treads as close as possible to the line of potential embarrassment that always exists for those who stand in front of strangers and perform. It's part of his charm to see how close he can come to really seeming an idiot and still get away with it. Of course, this kind of risk demands utter confiden- ce on the part of the fool. At Saturday night's 9:00 show at the Halfway Inn, Richman seemed about as comfortable doing his thing as your average 8-year-old shoved out in front of an audience of suspiciously sharklike parents at the piano recital. As anyone who has traumatized through that particular childhood situation can attest, you either emerge from it a.) with an obnoxious fervor to thrust yourself again on large numbers of forceably attentive people at the next opportunity, or b.) dangerously close to having committed various nefarious sins (thumb- sucking, bed-wetting) in public and anxious to never emerge again from the juvenile anonymity into the spotlight. Jonathan Richman has always seemed like a guy who just can't help feeling rather along the lines of a.) - otherwise, why would a fairly skittish personality ever risk public humiliation by singing "Buzz Buzz Buzz, Goes the Honeybee" in the first place? So it was rather bewildering that the Halfway show found him completely ill-at-ease and distrustful of the audience. And when Jonathan, the eternal- child Peter Pan of cultists, can't even convince him self.. . uh-oh. The evening started right off on a discordant note as Richman clambered onstage with his acoustic guitar and, before anyone could utter the dreadful request, immediately said "If you paid to hear 'Roadrunner,' I hope you can still get your money back." OK! OK! Mouth hangin' open, dopey eyes glazed in preparation for iminent disaster, Jonathan seemed prematurely braced for the worst. Not that the 9:00 audience could possibly be called the worst. One of the great things about being a Richman fan is the voyeuristic glee you can take in watching other people's virgin reactions to him. The immediate-allergic-reaction end of the spectrum is neatly defined in a recent concert review from the East Coast, in which a bouncer was quoted as saying, "This guy is absolutely the worst thing I've ever heard. He's some elaborate in-joke Boston has been putting on over on the rest of the world for years." Indeed, to those resistant to whimsy, Richman is bound to seem the most unbearably cloying thing to happen since they brand-named those diapers Love's Baby Softs. But the Halfway's 9:00 audience was composed equally of the already-converted and the more-than- willing-to-be. Yes, everybody was much too politely well-seated, nobody even thought of dancing. (True, they could have, but the performer didn't prod us even a little, and you can't really expect a dance par- ty to erupt at a solo-acoustic set.) The reaction was a bit on the complacent side, as if we were watching some folksy humorist at the Ark. (Actually, if Richman did play the Ark, he'd have no perfor- mer/audience expectation problems at all; however, he obviously prefers the greater risk of playing solo for a rock-oriented crowd, and I'm glad.) If anything, the crowd was almost too easily delighted with him, given how hesitant his whole per- formance was. It was great to see so many people who love and really know all of his stuff, but at times during the alternatively nervous and lethargic set they seemed too willing to find any throwaway gesture adorable. It was cute the first two or three times a couple of guys in front sang the 'missing' female harmonies from the Jonathan Sings! LP on songs, but not the subsequent twenty. Richman him- self got locked into repeating the same thin gags over and over (doing a Mini-shimmy, etc.) to win an easy laugh. Like the roches on a night when the chemistry is somehow all wrong, the things he does and says are innately funny (probably mostly because we bring the full load of already-loved 'personality' to bear on them), but the way he says and does them clue you that discomfort is high and the humor is mechanical. Early on, a fustrated "Should I have brought a bass and a drummer?" This looks like math class out there" seemed justifiable as an ice-breaker, but eventually the performer's wilies just couldn't be blamed anymore on an unresponsive audience - they were certainly more willing to give him a chance than vice versa. The first mini-set rambled awkwardly through some Chuck Berry and Little Richard covers, favorites like "Ice Cream Man," and a few highly promising new songs. Jonathan was in fine voice (allowing, of course, for your acceptance of his nasally-clogged perma-pubescent sound), but his guitar playing varied wildly, and the between-songs patter had a discomforting air ofdesperation. In a sudden spurt of aggressively bad jokes, my favorite was "What did George.Washington say right before he gave 'em the vote? 'All right, give 'em the vote.' " On the delightful, unfamiliar "When I Dance," he briefly seemed to warm up a bit, and the crowd war- med right up with him; another apparently new song about Vincent Van Gogh kept the rapport going. But then, during "Affection"-a pretty daring choice for a difficult night, since this is about as emotionally naked a song as you can get - Jonathan seemed to freeze up again, and practically lost track of the song entirely during a muddled rap in the middle of it. It's all very nice to admit your feelings of vulnerability to an audience, but Richman seemed perversely to be see RICHMAN, page 6 Prague symphony By Mike Gallatin UNDER THE direction of Jiri Beloh- lavek the Prague Symphony Or- chestra along with the Festival Chorus gave a successful performance of Dvorak's "The Spectre's Bride" this past Saturday evening at Hill auditorium. Playing without an inter- mission and with the house lights up the work was warmly received as the group completed their fourth production during this American tour. Audiences have been reacting positively to a live performance of the cantata around the country and Ann Arbor was no exception. The relative igh ts complexity as well asc oratorio make it easier1 in a concert hall as opp disk. Moreover while i work to be heard time recording like some of popular compositions, detracts from the pl joyment of a first hea cert. "The Spectre's Bri dimensional work1 existing on many leve English horns, bass cla bells provide slight mo chestral color and tone, provides deep, power which, at moments, chorales, the resonant Kusnjer acts as witness these macabre ev Subscribe to The Daily Phone 764-0558 with Dvorak obscurity of this Magdalena Blahusiakova plaintively to be appreciated sings of her hopes and fears while tenor posed to a record Michael Sylvester smoothly lures her to t might not be a a haunting death. ie and again on Yet, the maiden's soul is saved in- f Dvorak's more stead of damned at the end which ap- that in no way peals to the audience's more optimistic easure and en- sensibilities. As the sun rises and dawn ring live in con- breaks, the evil spirits, ghosts and cadavers return from whence they de" is a multi- came much like the conclusion of with meaning Moussorgsky's "Night on Bald Moun- els at once. The tain." Then in a hymn-like fashion arinet, harp and replete with celestial harmonies and a tifs of varied or- heavenly harp accompaniment, the the chorus part chorus and baritone singea tranquil wrful harmonies benediction in hushed tones praising resemble Bach the innocent soprano in a final eulogy. , baritone, Ivan While as a whole "The Spectre's s and narrator to Bride" is a subdued work which under- ents, soprano plays the forces of the demonic, there is nonetheless no hiding Dvorak's genius for melodic invention and gift of song- like phrases. Soprano Magdalena Blahusiakova's performance was par- ticularly memorable for her gentle, delicate and yet piercingly plaintive tones which were exquisitely restrained and yet full-bodied at the same time. By all yardsticks of measurement, it appears that the at- tempt to revive interest in this peculiarly fascinating cantata con- tinues to be a great success. Jonathan Richman belts out a song during his very disappointing show at the Halfway Inn Saturday night. Heavy metal's bad boys a pack Royal Oak Theatre - -- -- I - By Rob LaDuke O H WOW! What time is it? Geez it's noonalready, I better get up. What a concert last night (Friday night), the Royal Oak Music Theatre will never be the same. Not after that heavy metal spectacular that was headed by Metallica, with Armored Saint and W.A.S.P. as openers. The show began with Armored Saint. They exploded onto the stage with the title track from their recent release, "March of the Saint". After that, ex- cept for a crunching performance of "Can U Deliver" featuring dueling guitars and audience participation, Armored Saint delivered a solid but otherwise unspectacular performance. Their music had the same quality as th4 album but the show lacked intensity., After lead singer John Bush, who sang like his life depended on it and drus.,. mer Gonzo, who played like a madm the other three members were almggt invisible. No emotion, no energy, just. putting in time. But aside from that they, were a good opening act. Next on tap was W.A.S.P., playing 9 a stage complete with two huge skugsA one on either side of the drummer, a' giant circular saw blade hanging aboue each skull and mike stands made out.f 4 chains. There was no doubt they wq% gonna put on a show tonight. Hitting the stage after a recording of "The End by the Doors, W.A.S.P. opened up with. the cruncher "On Your Knees" ag then went into the mellower "Tbg Flame". The first two songs would set the pattern for the rest of the W.A.SP. repertoire, which was high in energy vi, ocassionally fell out of sync. The mglg reason for this lack of beat were ney 4 drummer Stephen Riley's ill-timed; fills. After playing "Hellion" to thl hilt, the lights went dark and the only sound to be heard was the roar o grating power saw, a dainty lead if "L.O.V.E. Machine." W.A.S.P. turned "L.O.V.E. Machine:? into an all out jam with Randy Pi#r' and 'Chris Holmes switching off on' leads. Chris Holmes was having th'e' time of his life bouncing around stag" using his tongue much like Gene SiYW mons and jamming fast leads. He was like a child with a new toy. Lights aid smoke started W.A.S.P. up or "Sleeping (In the Fire)" and they cort-- pleted their set with an extended ve't sion of "School Daze". ti Blackie Lawless, who wore arm ba ds with saw blades on them, really put on a show during "School Daze". Fiistl he tossed posters of the band into tlie see HEAVY METAL, page 7 - I 4 ......................................... ............... . Heawen help us If God had wanted them to be angels, he would have given them wings. HBO PICTURES IN ASSOCIATION WITH SILVER SCREEN PARTNERS PRESENTS A MARK CARLINER-DAN WIGUTOW PRODUCTION HEAVEN HELP US ANDREW McCARTHY-MARY STUART MASTERSON - KEVIN DILLON MALCOLM DANARE - KATE REID - WALLACE SHAWN JOHN HEARD AS TIMOTHY AND DONALD SUTHERLAND-'"" JAMES HORNER TAKE THE LEAD Help New Students Discover the Diversity of Michigan BEA FALL ORIENTA TION LEADER 4 Singing Valentines U-M MEN'S GLEE CLUB QUARTETS BY PH-ONPn I TN PFQ( J