4 Page 8 -The Michigan Daily-Friday, October 30, 1987 Patty Larkin plays acoustic mix By Timothy Huet Patty Larkin is both proof and product of the resurgent folk scene. Her ample talent would certainly seem a sufficient explanation of her success. Larkin is a sensitive, witty, and musically creative songwriter. Her talent has received recognition in the form of critical praise and prestigious honors, the Boston Music Awards for best folk act and best folk album. But the crucial form of recognition for a singer is audience appreciation. The positive feedback of an audience is the sustenance necessary for nurturance of a performer. Larkin obtained this sus- tenance in the supportive environs of Boston. She made the transition from more popular electrical music to acoustic forms in 1981 in reaction to burnout an unfulfilling audiences. Larkin was able to make this move sucessfully at the height of syntho- pop and nadir of (well, how does one put it?) good music, in part, because of Boston's rarified musical atmosphere. A New England following sustained Larkin through the years of artistic atavism sometimes referred to as the "Disco Era." With the countrywide growth of a folk following and the propulsion of two well-received records, Larkin has been able to launch a national tour and gain greater exposure. The singer's concert at the Ark o n Sunday will mark her first visit to Ann Arbor. This provides many of us with the first opportunity to see live this gifted performer. Larkin is a rare songwriter to the degree that she possesses both lyrical talent and a solid musical background. Her musical training began as a child with several years of classical piano lessons. During this time she also first picked up a guitar. As she has grown older, Larkin's musical abilities have matured and expanded. Her albums include songs with R&B, blues, swing, folk, and many other influences. Indeed, Larkin prefers, with some iustification, to be classified as a "acoustic" musician. The popular conception or miscon- ception of folk music certainly does not suit Larkin. Although Larkin's repertoire contains a number of the sensitive ballads with which folk is associated, more than a few of her numbers are raucous blues renditions and humorous ditties. Within the breadth of Larkin's music, there is something for everyone and everything for some. Larkin will be at the Ark on Sunday night at 8 p.m. Singer-songwriter Patty Larkin plays blues, folk, jazz and beyond. Catch her in action Sunday night at the Ark. Men's & Women's Contemporary Clothing 20%-50% off Z Storewide WAL W- on East Liberty between 4th & 5th " 662-9660 A crazy quilt cloth o By Timothy Huet The Chenille Sisters. They're not sisters. None of them are named "Chenille." So what are they? A lot of people are asking that question, and the Chenille Sisters like it that way. The band has a very consciously cultivated style, a sort of a caricature of their own natural insanity. The name, which is a parody of "fabricated" '60s groups like the Chiffons, is only one of the symptoms. The most apparent manifestation of Chenille peculiarity is wardrobe. The costumery of the three "sisters" has a stage presence equivalent to that of a fourth member. If the Sisters' attire seems not wholly abnormal at tonight's concert, it will only be the result of proximity to Halloween. If you have ever given clothes to Goodwill, you may see them on stage this evening. And batty is not only skin deep. The Chenille Sisters sing a selection of songs rarely rivaled in lunacy and ability to elicit laughter. The Sisters do a devastating version of Christine Lavin's "Regretting What I Said...(A Musical Apology" and a racy-as- advertised "Seduced." The Chenille's "salacious" performance of the latter song on the nationally-aired Prairie Home Companion garnered a record- setting number of complaining f comedy letters for the show and a return invitation for the group. But the trio boast more than a sense for the outrageous a n d provocative. They are polished and practiced singers. For even the most bawdy and brash lyrics, the Chenille Sisters can affect a deceptively angelic church choir sound. The sweetly harmonized delivery, in its softness, amplifies the comic impact. The inimitable style of the Chenille Sisters is attracting a loyal local following some wider airplay Ann Arborites fans have known for years what the rest of the country's folkies are just beginning to sensa Substantial proof of the Sisters"' ascendence on the local scene is that they sold out tonight's Power Center concert days in advance. i T- SHIR T PRINTING HIGH QUALITY LOW PRICES 1002 PONTIAC TR. 994-1367 wmqwpqrmm .7 I v~ ""0""0.00.1 COUPONA -U $1.50 OFF Adult Ivening t or 2 I liXckt Good thru 1115187 COUPON BRING IN THIS AD FOR A GREAT MOVIE DEAL! REAR ENDS 4 SOMEONE TO WATCH OVER ME (R) WISH YOU WERE HERE A( -- k 0;7 -W4WRWqrIq F I What do you say when asked tough '- - U U U U - Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z Z r-------- -P - ' - ---- - -- -- -- -- -i- - - -i- - What do you say when asked tough questions in a job interview? 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