- Page 8D - The Michigan Daily -Thursday,'September 5, 1985 MUSIC SCENE -W 0 fi vchigan Daily - Thursday Exhume the remains By Byron L. Bull F AR INTO the Neverland between the Midwest and the East, with the closest major city-Detroit-something of a sick metropolitan joke, Ann Arbor is still a notable tap into the current music scene. OK, so it's not Athens or Min- neapolis, but a major university status puts this community on the road maps for most up-and-coming bands. No review of the local spots would be tasteful without eulogizing the late and dearly missed Joe's Star Lounge. Put simply, the local bar's closing has for the first time in many years left a gaping hole in the campus music scene. Joe's, though hardly as cool as its groupies claim, nonetheless existed as the mecca of local music joints. Joe's introduced the campus to bands like the Violent Femmes, R.E.M., Los Lobos, and The Replacements, and served as a haven for most of the local and semi-local bands as well. Picking up where Joe's left off is the Blind Pig (206 South First). The Pig is a lot cleaner, and perhaps slightly better in design, than was Joe's. The decor-half-ass post-deco tackiness-leaves a lot to be desired, but there is a fair amount of dance space, a potentially good sound system, and lots of liquid fun. The Pig has welcomed such greats as Robyn Hitchcock, Guadalcanal Diary, and The Lyres into town, and management remains faithful to local rockers, R&B bands, and even an oc- casional jazz ensemble. In the basement of one Ann Arbor building is Rick's American Cafe (611 Church). Serving as one of the many campus meat market/watering holes, Rick's manages to showcase a fair amount of local artists, and even more prominent bands. The layout leaves a lot to be desired, with video games and pool tables taking up space that could be better used for dancing. There is, in reality, no dance floor, just a few square feet leading to the restrooms-usually a mass of flailing arms and legs as soon as any band gets cooking. An often neglected but pleasantly individual club is the Halfway Inn Located in the basement of East Quad residence hall, this snack-bar-gone- new-wave devotes the majority of its concert time to younger local artists. The cover is unbeatably cheap, made possible by a general lack of at- mosphere and a specific lack of alcohol.' The Nectarine Ballroom (516 East Liberty) replaces the old Second Chance, a. casual double-tiered hangout that over the yearssaw every band from the Talking Heads, Oingo Boingo, and Gang of Four to Richard Thompson and Robert Fripp. The Chance-which be enattrctin -a- (Continued from Page 12) stock a large collection of jazz LPs. You are apt to find rarities and gems at all these places, while Schoolkids Rare Records specializes in the high priced (high reward!) collector's spread. These folks all love to talk about jazz. The Bands: An article introducing you to jazz in Ann Arbor would be in- complete if it didn't mention some of the great local musicians and bands that you can look forward to hearing. The Ron Brooks Trio swings straight out at the Bird of Paradise. The Lun- cal Glee Club is a large salsa-style en- semble that's hotter than anything in this town except Clancy's Fancy Hot Sauce. Fast Tracks is a talented quar- tet at the top of the fusion sounds. Kathy Moore and Stephanie Ozer are a prize winning vocal/piano duet that often appear with a rhythm section as well. And watch out for Inserts, a mysterious and exciting electronic improvisational band that plays con- certs occasionally. Also radio broad- casts and open air performances and improvisations abound. You'll see. And hear. Well, that's it. In a rather large and excited nutshell full of saxophone squonk. Hang on to this article and let it be your guide for explorinig the music of life itself. If there's anything finer than hearing jazz in Ann Arbor (other than breathing hard!) I don't know about it yet. It's a garden of song, sound, and rhythm. And you can tend it. Lovingly. QJS ' Rrs t O P' IC Read it. Write it. Live it. Iicbigan B uilu Wonderful Wynton: Excellent by classical or equally stringent jazz standards. ANN ARBOR CIVIC THEATRE Presents SIX DECADES OF AMERICAN THE. Royal Family Orpheus Descending Anything Goes Blues for Mister Charlie Chicago Skin of Our Teeth Sept. 4-7, 1985 Oct. 23-26, 1985 Dec. 18-21, 1985 Feb. 26-Mar. 1, 1986 May 7-10, 1986 June 11-14, 1986 Mendelss Mendelss Mendelssc Mendelss Power Ce Mendelss< Ann Arbor Civic Theatre is a community organization, with membership open to all. Audition notices are posted in the local media and at Ann Arbor Civic Theatre approximately 7 weeks before each pro If you would like to become a member of AACT and receive our monthly newslet call 662-9405 weekdays between 1-4 p.m., or come visit us any evening at 338 S. M corner of William and Main.