ARTS
Friday, March 6, 1987

The Michigan Daily

Page 79

ACaI
ByV.J. Beauchamp
There's this guy by the name of
Peter Case, who used to be in this
band called the Plimsouls. Then he
ent some time on the road, alone.
Then he got involved with a
woman named Victoria Williams,
and they formed the Incredibly
Strung-out Band. Then they got
married. Then he went out on the
road, alone. Vagabond extraordinaire
Peter Case will next be, appearing at
the Ark for two big shows
tomorrow night.
How do you recognize Peter
Case if you run into him on the
street? Well, he's a small man who
wears very baggy second-hand suits
and a hat that John Logie describes
as "wonderful." He speaks softly.
And on a University telephone,
Peter Case, at home in L.A.,
sounds very far away.
Perhaps Case's name doesn't
ring a bell. That's too bad, but then
4e , hasn't gotten the press he
deserves.
Long ago, and far away, Case
left his hometown of Hamburg,
New York to pursue music. He had
grown up with his sister's Buddy.
Holly and Elvis Presley records, and
then discovered the Beatles and the
Kinks. By thirteen, he had his first'
band. He dropped out of high
school. And once he left Hamburg,
jhe found himself in California
where he played guitar on the
streets. Soon enough, Case found
himself in an L.A. band that called
themnselves the Plimsouls.
'The Plimsouls, oh, what fine
clear and crisp pop! Level-headed,
straight ahead, and a barrage of
rapidfire guitar. How can anyone
shrug away a song like "A Million
iles Away"? The Plimsouls were
fslear-eyed as pop bands come.
Yet Case, - as singer, songwriter,
and guitarist - after six years of
telling pieces of stories, wanted

se of Case: Return engagement

fi

out. "There were lots of ups and
downs," he said, "and downs and
ups." He wanted to work on his
songwriting and playing, and get
back to basics.
Basics for Case lies in story -
telling, the whole story, in
simplifying everything down to the
essence. The essence of his solo act
is his voice, his bluesy-folky guitar
(often times played rapidfire), and
his harmonica. For some perform -
ers this might be considered sparse,
but not for Case. One never gets
the impression that he's straining
to embellish.
For about three years now, Case
has been out on the road, touring.
Solo.
And he likes it that way. Just by
himself, or with Victoria Williams.
In trains. In cars. Case has gotten
to see a lot of the country.
Luckily enough for Peter Case
fans, he's been in the Ann Arbor
area several times this winter,
including solo appearances at Traxx
and the Red Carpet Lounge,
opening for David and David at St.
Andrew's Hall, and, most recently,
a short though warm performance at
the Ann Arbor Folk Festival. Case
is a delight to see. This writer has
seen him repeatedly, and been a bit
heartbroken that he hasn't had the
crowds that he deserves.
Case also mentioned that he'll
be going into the studio once again
this month. He plans to perform
some of his new material.topnorrow
night. "It's gonna be pretty spon -
taneous," he remarked, "though it
probably won't come out 'til Fall."
On the last album, Peter Case
(1986 Geffen), Case was produced
by Mitchell Froom and J. Henry
Burnett (known to his fans as T-
Bone), whom Case had met while
Burnett was recording his Trap
Door album. The results were not
good. The "big sound" of the album
is strikingly similar to Richard
Thompson's Daring Adventures

excursion into beer commercials.
Which is too bad, because the
songs, the stories, the guitar and
harmonica work, all stand by
themselves, and they stand very
well indeed. As on the Thompson
album, there were a few cuts that
got only a light glazing (rather than
the liberal, glossy sugar coating the
rest got), and the light of good
work shines on through.
Case's upcoming performances
at the Ark will be opened by local
favorites Khalid and Sophia Hanifi,
better known as the vocal end of
wunderkinds Map of the World.
While Map of the World is best
known for it's electric, poppy rock
and roll, the Hanifi siblings will be
performing acousticly. They'll be
playing mostly originals, says
Sophia, as well as some great cover
tunes from Sam Cooke to
Emmylou Harris.
Peter Case with Khalid and

Sophia Hanifi. And maybe with
Victoria Williams, although Case
won't say for sure. Saturday night,
7:30 and 10 pm. At the Ark, 637
and a half S. Main. Be there early.

Y

PRINTING
HIGH QUALITY
LOW PRICES
SINCE 1973
1002 PONTIAC TR.
S99 4-1367

a.

Singer/songwriter Peter Case will be returning to Ann Arbor on the heels
of his well received performance at the Folk Festival for two shows at the
Ark tomorrow night.

effort, also produced by Mitchell
Froom.
Both Case and Thompson are
impeccable artists, great guitarists,
wonderful songwriters... and both

albums are ready for mass con -
sumption radio fodder. Somehow,
(and I'm not sure how), Froom
transformed the incredible crediblity
of Case's pop-folk into a slick

*EEUEEUUUUUUUUE COUPON *UUUUUU EEUUU
with this entire ad $1.50 off any adult evening
"M"admssinexcept Tues. - good thru 3/12187 *
ANIMATION DAILY LTTLE SHOP
CELEBRATION TWILIGHT
ROUND MIDNIGHT SHOWS OF HORRORS
Call for show times

I

I

LL..

Vr

El-,.


r----

9 : 3.LETE
C oi f ,Coitacts
DAILY OR EXTENDED
Covers Cooper Thin daily wear or
3e l ; aSftmae 45% extended wear lenses.
Cther contact lens prices may vary
Jo V ,atiasss1 vased rptons lestpandcro ition
Colet-e ts only professional fees
not included.

JOSTEN
A M E R I C A S C O L L E G E R I N G
Stop by and see a Jostens representative
this week to save on the gold ring of your choice.
Tuesday March 3-Friday March 6, 11a.m. to 4p.m.

I

55YEARS
MORE THAN A BOOKSTORE

549 East University
Ann Arbor, MI (313)662-3201
(at the corner of East U. and South U.)

GND PENs ANN ARBOR Exam s di er etween glasses, contacts and
MAPLEVILIAGE SHOPPING CENTER 663-8540 differen es of contacts. Prior sales excluded.
" Dearborn, 13306 Michigan 846.8877 , Oak Park, 22153 coolidge 542-2294
" Detroit East. 16950 E. Warren 881-9833n Pymouth, 1160 Ann Arbor Rd. 453-2288
" Detroit Central, 19604 Van Dyke 893-0700 " Pontiac, 710 West Huron 332-8489
"*Detroit N'West. 18606 Fenkeil 272-7500 " Redford, 26425 Plymouth 937-1340
" Farm. Hills, 28851 Orchard Lake 553-3820 " Roseville, 26069 Gratiot 445-3040
*ferndaie, 22765 Woodward 541.5951 ,Saginaw, Z825 Bay Rd. (517) 791.4022
"flint, G-4225 Miller Rd. 732-8988 .Southfied, 29920 Southfiled 557-5271
" Harper Woods, 19532 Kelly 521-6490 " Southgate, 14185 Eureka 283-2490
Lincoln Park, 1b161 Dix Rd. 383-8027 Utica, 8701 all, Road 731-4770
" Livonia, 19620 Middlebelt 477-4574 "*Warren, 28931 Van Dyke 751-8200
"*Madison Hts., 14 Mile/Campbell 583-4242 " Westland, 6012 N. Wayne Rd. 326-1100




P,

y_
.. ,
E
S
I
I
k 'A

I,.

" , Your


Photographic
Headquarters
in the
Michigan
Union!.
Featuring JUMBO 4x6 inch color glossy prints and
reprints at the same price as 3'/ix5 inch.



TALLY HALL IS:

A FORMER POUCE OFFICER WHO
TOOK A NIGHTLY RITUAL AND
TURNED IT INTO A DAILY BUSINESS.
If you lived and worked in California as a policeman-and developed a liking for frozen
yogurt -what would you do if you moved back to Michigan and couldn't find any?s
Forget about it? Try something new? Not Pat Potochick.
Rather than give up, Pat Potochick and his mother Eva decided to
bring this West Coast treat to Ann Arbor-and Tally Hall. }
This is California Freeze. Serving frozen yogurt cones, shakes,
drinks, pies, salads and sundaes-with a choice of 27 different
toppings. California Freeze is a California dream come true -
«~m.,A- ufnn


SUN


a3
.1