ARTS
The Michigan Doily
Wednesday, March 12,1
1986
Page 7
:,---
Campers catch on fire
By John L ogie
F EW THINGS are more refreshing
than a band living up to high expec-
tations Camper Van Beethoven did just
that Monday night. The motley,
merry crew of musicians played an
hour-and-a-half's worth of everything,
leaving few musical genres un-
scathed, and ending a recent musical
drought in the Ann Arbor area.
It was clear from the very outset
that the Blind Pig crowd was in for a
good time, as utility musician
Jonathon Segel donned a papal
peaked cap and informed the crowd
that the show might be a disappoin-
tment because "our strobe light's
broken." From then on, a constant
stream of diverse music and witty
repartee spewed forth, stopping in-
termittently to allow guitartist Greg
Lisher to change a guitar string. He
broke three strings Monday night, a
personal record.
I hate trying to shoehorn bands into
easy labels, and Camper Van
Beethoven works hard to make that
job even tougher. Their stew of styles
includes folk-rock, ska, country-
western, thrash, dinosaur rock (half-
heartedly, though) and latin music.
No one style is truly dominant. The
band plays mix-and-match, covering
Black Flag's "Wasted" as a sort of
folk-drone, or filling an original com-
position, "ZZ Top Goes to Egypt" with
violin that approximate whale
songs.
The show was filled with tonal shif-
ts. An instrumental gave way to a
Sonic Youth cover. The band's big-
airplay song, "Take the Skinheads
Bowling," was followed by a stab at
Iron Butterfly's "In-A-Gadda*Da-
Vida," which in turn was followed by
a folkish rendition of The Clash's
"White Riot."
But wait! There's more. Guitarist
and main vocalist David Lowery set
his guitar on fire during "Pink
Floyd," a throbbing slab of '70s
sludge. The band shouted "No more
bullshit!" in a song about rockstars,
and closed the show with a pleasant
sing-along, "Where the Hell is Bill?"
The band is instrumentally very
fine, with tight drumming from Chris
Molla, clean bass work, and unclean
vocals from Victor Krummenacher
bizarro guitar flourishes from Lisher,
detached lunacy from Lowery, and
genial all-purpose hilarity from Segel,
who played violin and Casiotone.
The band released their second
album, II and III a few weeks ago, and
has been touring to support it. Segel
said that in Lawrence, Kansas, the
band ran over William Burrough's
mailbox, and Segel claims that the
award-winning writer is known to be a
subscriber to Cat Fancy magazine. In
Columbus, he said, the band squared
off against a call-girl named Wanda,
who demanded that band play her
favorite songs on grounds that it was
her birthday. "She wanted us to play
'Atomic Don,"' Segel claimed, "We
didn't."
Although Lowery readily admitte4d
that the band often lies, "I'm having
fun with these stories regardless of
their veracity."
Doily Photo by PETE ROSS
Camper Van Beethoven rocked the Blind Pig last night.
Palominos to
By Rob Michaels
OR THE first time in many a long
moon, Ann Arbor will play host to
a genuine rock and roll style super
group: ace drummer/composer An-
ton Fier and the ever-mutating'
Golden Palominos. Taking several
deliberate steps away from the
demented underwater-type industrial
funk heard on their self-titled debut
LP of 1983, the re-focused Palominos
specialize in classic, endearing, and
original rock and roll played by
whatever avant hipsters are available
*at the moment.
WLast year's Visions of Excess LP
Jbrought this approach to vinyl,
featuring Fier and guitarist Jody
'Harris supported by/supporting such
diverse names as P-funk alumni Ber-
A classic
By Joseph Kraus
T'S HARD to know where to begin
I to praise Doc Watson.
tie single-handedly revolutionized
gitar when he began to experiment
with playing flatpick leads in
.luegrass, yet he remains a master
~tylist of folk, country, and even
hockabilly.
tHe's been a guitar superstar for
host of the last 30 years, yet he's still
oing as strong as ever.
Watson, who got the nickname
"Doc" when an announcer stumbled
over his real name Arthel, first came
to the attention of the music
establishment in 1960 when folklorist
Ralph Rinzler made some field recor-
dings of him.
Blind since birth, Watson had been
a part of a dance band that had no fid-
dle player. Filling the role that would
typically have gone to the fiddle, he
invented, pioneered, and perfected a
set of techniques that transformed the
guitar from a rhythm instrument into
a lead instrument.
'That technical revolution, once
popularized, made possible the work
of Clarence White, Tony Rice, and
Albert Lee, and brought the guitar to
Unprecendented prominence in
bluegrass bands everywhere.
But it isn't fair to classify Watson as
*merely a bluegrass player. All the.
while he was perfecting his
professional techniques, he spent his
spare time keeping in practice with
the folk and popular songs he heard
all around him.
As the star of the Ann Arbor folk
festival in January, he brought the
crowd to a roar when he came for an
encore and started into a set of 50s
rock songs. From the first notes of
"Treat Me Like a Fool" to the poun-
*ding chorus of "Blue Suede Shoes" the
63 year old Doc seemed every inch a
rocker.
In the years since he was
discovered, he's recorded for
yanguard and Flying Fish Records.
While he already has a massive
discography, he seems to be cranking
out more all the time. Last year he
released two solo albums on Flying
Fish, including the remarkable
Pickin' the Blues and appeared as
featured sideman on an album by
banjo player David Holt.
Last year, Watson's son and touring
partner Merle died in a freak ac-
cident. While Merle's death has un-
doubtedly left some deep emotional
scars, Doc seems able to share his
grief and remember the pleasure he
took from his son. At his festival ap-
pearance he dedicated a pair of songs
to Merle and spoke about raising him.
UA Wn.n will ha innnm niAr nn thi.
nie Worrell (keyboards) and Michael
Hampton (guitar), REM crooner
Michael Stipe, ex-Cream
bassist/vocalist Jack Bruce, PiL
mouthpiece Johnny Lydon, and folk
crossover favorite Richard Thom-
pson. The makeup of tonight's band is
as of yet unknown but it's sure to in-
clude one or another of your very own
rock faves.
It's hard to say how much of a band
the Palominos really are, for the
songs (not the lyrics) and the concept
are largely Fier's, a man certainly
not lacking in the credentials depar-
tment. Hailing from Cleaveland, OH.,
he began his career as a member of
the largely unknown local punk en-
semble X Blank X. After releasing a
couple of singles, the band disin-
tegrated and Fier became the drum-
mer/percussionist in New Jer-
stampede
sey's legendary Feelies, a dividuals
remarkably unique post-Velvets pop album is
band whose sound was characterized teristic P,
by (among other things) Fier's ner- it will fin
vous and unconventional rhythm Fier hold
work. Around the same time, he stage.
played with New York's Lounge
Lizards, a sort of bent, dadaist jazz F
band with an irreverent sense of come to ti
humor and a keen eye for style. paltry $12
But it is with Golden Palominos that tists Map
Fier, who for so long remained in the the show
background laying down every kind of long to wa
nasty beat there is, finally moves up in store
front to take the reins (get it, reins- Records
horses-palominos), all while making
sure not to pull them too tight. Each
song on Visions of Excess manages to
reflect the powerful personalities
behind it, but not without rendering it- Foe
self separate fromhthe rest of the in
A
responsible for each cut, the
able to carve out a charac-
alominos groove and tonight
nally be revealed just how
s said groove together on-
For the whole damn thing,
he Nectarine Ballroom with a
2.50 around 10 p.m. Local ar-
of the World will be opening
at that time. If that's too
ait, the band will be doing an
appearance at Schoolkids
at 4 o'clock this afternoon.
2
Wanted
Writers for the Arts Page
If you're interested in...
Film
Theater
Dance
Concerts
Features
Art
Television
Music
Books
1I
... then come to the mass meeting at 5:30 p.m., Wednesday,
March 12 at the Student Publications Building, 420 Maynard St.
(2nd floor). For more information, call 763-0379.
MCAT STUDENTS.
EXCELL PROVIDES THE SYSTEM FOR YOU TO:
-Understand how the MCAT IS DESIGNED
-Focus your review upon critically important concepts
-Concentrate your efforts for maximum exam performance
524
VICeI
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Earn money, get great business
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Interviews will be given March 13 and 15
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INSTANT:
Passpo - risea-
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while U wait
Hrs. 1:00 - 4:30
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Soundstage and Special
Events, together with
Michigras, present:
BATTLE
of the
BANDS
19865
Come see 6 of Ann Arbor's
hottest bands compete to
be number one!
SEMI FINALS:
W & Th, Mar. 12, 13, 9 p.m.
FINALS:
Sat., Mar 15,10 p.m., U-Club
4!V --
YOU'RE INVITED!
N
- SOLID GOLD -
Radio 1290
PRESENTS
JTWIST & SHOUT '86j
THE ROCK N' ROLL REVIVAL PARTY OF THE YEAR!
.1 ^. 1 ' 1' /.-s sses, w asla 4W
THURSDAY, MARCH 13
8 p.m. - 12 midnight
I
BOP & ROCK
WITH
WEDSEL'S EDSELS
LIVE!!
1
at the NECTARINE
BALLROOM
FREE
ADMISSION!
Call 7 64-0662
ASK FOR CINDY
Join us at
CREATING CAREERS:
WORKING FOR SOCIAL CHANGE
A Career Fair
A chance to talk with people
whose work is making a difference
i
The University Club is a private
club for students, faculty, staff,
alumni, and their accompanied
guests. Only members may
purchase alcohol.
U
Let's Twist Again - like we used to At the Hop of 1986! Dress the
part and be a part of the oldies party of the year. There'll be a
Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' on, with plenty of dancing, contests,
games, prizes and lots of Domino's Pizza from Ann Arbor Domino's.
Special prize for the best 50's/60's outfit...So come as you werel
BE THERE OR BE SQUARE!!
:b
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E" " ."" "U
i
*
Battle of the Bands
Semi- Finals
EAST QUAD
MARCH 14 & 15
FRIDAY 7-10 rm 126
Panel Discussion and
Goal Setting Exercises
SATURDAY 10-6 East Quad rms
10-11:30 Art/Theatre 52-54
Education 124
Social Services 126
Science/Technology 164
11:30-1 LUNCH - Halfway Inn
11:45-12:45 Public Sector Job Search
Career Planning
& Placement
1-2:30 Health 52-54
S1
r e
. a
-
Video Dance Party
State St. Jazz Club
Casino Night
4Carnival Activities
Wednesday March 12
U-Club 9 pm
Thursday March 13
U-Club 9 pm
Friday March 14
Union Ballroom 9 pm
Friday March 14
U-Club 9 pm
Saturday March 15
Union Ballroom
& Pendleton Rm 8 pm
U
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