J e Iigwx B&iU New Student Edition
Thursday, September 8, 1994 LIVIN G AR T S Page 11
By Ted Watts
94
So, here we are, flush in the afterglow of our metaphorical fling with
that much-used and often-brutal mistress of flannel and horizontal
stripes, the madam of music, the dominatrix of popular taste, that
diseased-yet-attractive-smelling consort of the diseased-and-foul-
smelling Pery Farrell, Lollapalooza.
Here we lay on the floor after this
annual cuckolding of our true musical
tastes to the devices of that powerful
concert force. This year, however, the
experience was not as far from our
normal good-natured loveLolla prov-
g herself not unlike a twin sister to
our daily tastes.
What, you say you don't under-
stand anything I' ve just said? Weren't
you there? No? Well, I supposeI' 11just
have to review the damn show for you.
Arriving between a half- and a full
hour beforehand avoided parking
problems. Something to keep in mind
for future reference.
By getting there early, I was able to
*e the best band on Lollapalooza, the
Boredoms. This noisy Japanese group
fronted by Yamatsuaka Eye screamed
onto the main stage with their crazy-
go-lucky yell-crunch loudness. The
most surely different act this year (with
the possible exception of the Tibetan
monks who periodically end the night
on the second stage), the Boredoms are
also the most wonderful. They have an
album and a single out domestically.
Just something to keep in mind.
Next up was L7. These veteran
heavy-sounding maidens took the main
stage with the resounding cry: "De-
troit, rock city, come up close and
smell our kitty!" The crowd, unfortu-
nately, was really dead for them, as it
was for the Boredoms. Interestingly,
they were able to pick out the dozen or
so people who were into it and dancing.
The crowd responded best to songs
they knew (in other words, "Pretend
We're Dead" and the new single
"Andres"). It is quite possibly the worst
aspect of huge pastiche crowds that
they respond only to singles for the
most part. They'll spend their time in
hell for it. Oh, wait, maybe they were
at the Milan Dragway for last year's
Lolla. Then they've already been to
hell.
After L7's last song, a blistering
version of "Fast and Frightening," a
quick walk took me to the second stage,
where I arrived just in time to see
Luscious Jackson take the stage. De-
scribed at times as sounding like
"channel surfing through the AM dial
in the '70s," Luscious Jackson made
the rather large second stage crowd
fall in love with them. It was like a
real concert! There was a pit and
people were dancing and there were
even bodysurfers! Quite a breath of
fresh air from the dead calm found
over on the knob itself.
Speaking of fresh air, over by the
second stage were the mist tents. Re-
leasing clouds ofvery fine mist that can
soak the upper portions of your body
while leaving your nether regions bone
dry, the mist tents are fine cooling
units. Based on a similar idea, the nearby
drinking fountains could be used to
soak your head and smack other people
with your sopping hair. The rest of the
so-called "Mindfield" was altogether
less impressive. The attractions had
long lines and everything else was just
food and fashion, basically. But then, it
is a concert and you're there to see the
bands,right?
Next on the second stage was the
Verve. A fine outfit, they were less
ecstatically welcomed than Luscious
Jackson. Nonetheless, they played an
admirable show as people left to go see
the Breeders.
Ah, yes, the Breeders. Having
missed Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds
and most of Tribe Called Quest, the
Breeders were the next main stage band
I saw. Still a relatively unmoving (yet
much more massive) crowd, they went
crazy and burst into song with "Can-
nonball." See above for comment on
this behavior. These post-Pixies poster
children performed phine, and they
deserved a bettercrowd. Oh well, most
of the bands deserved a better crowd.
Running yet again to the second
stage, I found the Flaming Lips crunch-
ing away at their headlining spot.
Bubbles were abounding, floating in a
peaceful sort of way against the harsher
backdrop of the 'Lips music. They
were fairly tight live, and had a plenty
concerty crowd, which is more than
many of their more famous main stage
amigos could say.
Running back to the main stage
(woo, I must be getting tired), I arrived
in time to see a handful of songs by
George Clinton. While altogether less
than amazing these days on disc, he is
still way funky live. Lots of wacky
stage costumes for his entourage, too.
Git down, Dr. Funkenstein.
Now is the time when we enter the
Valley of the Shadow of Death. Yes,
indeed, the Beastie Boys were up next.
Opening with "Sure Shot," the Boys
played some mighty fine music. Un-
fortunately, their idiot rabid fans suc-
cessfully blocked my view. This sur-
prised me, as I am around 6 feet (tall).
The slam pits were relatively well man-
nered, but with that many people (is it
15 or 16 thousand?) problems are im-
possible to keep at bay. The Beasties
need a smaller crowd to maintain or-
der. I beat a tactical retreat relatively
early in order to keep my anger at a low
ebb. At least I wasn't there for sod
fights. Ha ha.
At this point, all the possible side
things to do went away, except for the
pursuits which involved money. So
you just had to sit around for a while,
awaiting the coming of the Smashing
Pumpkins. And they came. The crowd
was violent and stupid for the Beasties,
but they were mellow and stupid for the
Pumpkins. In other words, bruises de-
creased while lung cancer increased.
When people slam, no one can smoke.
This is a good thing. When people
take out their lighters for a song, they
all too often light other things that are
far more annoying (and dangerous)
than a guy bouncing off of me. The
Pumpkins seemed to play an awfully
large amount of singles, as I knew
virtually every song they played while
I was there. In a very real way, the
Pumpkins had the worst crowd of the
night, and their skills deserved much
more. Oh, well.
I left before the Pumpkins' first
encore. By getting there early. I was
parked real close to the Knob. You
can surely understand my not want-
ing to get out of the parking lot with
several thousand high idiots in front
of me. All in all, it was the best Lolla
I've been to. Cross your fingers for
next year.
Lollapalooza 94:
top: Beastie Boys
left: Eye from the Boredoms
bottom right: More guys with
mikes, a.k.a. Tribe Called Quest
Photos by DOUGLAS KANTER/Daly
James and Arnie
'True' to form
Director Cameron makes
even Tom Arnold likable
By MICHAEL THOMPSON
A little over a year ago Arndld Schwarzenegger was in
trouble. He'd done what many didn't believe could be
un e. He'd made a bad movie. And not just a bad movie,
t a bomb. So what does the biggest action star in film
'Mask' barely wins by a tongue
Carrey and character pull through in FX comedy
By MATT CARLSON
Love him or hate him, Jim Carrey
has an unquestionable knack for the
funny face. Some would argue that it's
always the same funny face, but
lpkiss puts on the mask, and is
transformed into everything that he
has always wanted to be - confident,
witty and mischievous. As The Mask,
he has the courage to rob the bank that
he works for (the script curiously ig-
noring the chance to explore the rea-
sons why a superhero-like character
would break the law). Thus, The Mask
gets to the loot before bad guy Dorian
WgTrue Lies
Written and
Directed by James
Cameron; with Arnold
Schwarzenegger, Jamie Lee
Curtis and Tom Arnold.
history do when
he'sin trouble? The
only thing he can
do, return to the
man who started it
all for him.
So Arnold is
back with super di-
rector James
Cameron, and their
new film "True
Lies" is just like the other two films they made together,
simply great.
"True Lies" is the not-so-simple tale of a man leading
a double life. Harry Tasker is a husband and father
sometimes, while making his living as a spy. Problems
arise when our hero has to confront the fact that al-
though he's a great spy, he's seriously lacking when it
comes to being a family man. And even more problems
.me up when the two worlds collide.
The story of "True Lies" may seem silly and even a
little strained, but Cameron injects it full of life. Harry
Tasker is not just a great spy, but a great character. After
so many films containing old, burned out, partially insane
cops, it's a relief to see a character who is relatively stable.
Don't worry, Arnold gets to kill a bunch of people, but
Directed by C
Russell; written b)
Werb; with Jim C
Peter Greene and Car
months after critics slamm
Ventura, Pet Detective," an
became a box-office sensatio
returns to the screen as Th
obviously holding some spi
ent invisible to the critics.
"The Mask," however,4
falter because of Carrey's perf
The comical superhero adven
fails due to a recycled Hollyw
and some rather shoddy dire
Charles Russell (whose onlyI
director credit was "A Nigh
Elm Street III"). Carrey's Jek,
like portrayal of The Mask an
ego Stanley Ipkiss, as well
good gags and excellent speci
(created by George Lucas' I
Light & Magic) save "The Ma
the "wait until video" syndro
Carrey first appears as Ipkis
harles
y Mike
After falling flat in last summer's "Last Action Hero,"
Arnold dresses for success in "True Lies."
But Arnold's not the only prize. Jamie Lee Curtis
keeps the strong woman theme Cameron has in all of his
films. She starts out sort of weak, but gradually takes
form and it plays out nicely.
The real surprise, however, has to be the performance
by Tom Arnold. After watching any of his other roles, it
would be almost impossible to believe that Tom Arnold
could be any good. He can act. Yes, and he's good. See the
movie, you'll agree.
Of course almost all the real credit has to go to Cameron
who conceived of this over-the-top, completely out-of-
mneron Months after critics
Diaz. slammed "Ace
Ventura, " Carrey
ed "Ace returns to the screen
d it still
n,Carrey as The Mask,
e Mask, obviously holding
ecial tal-
some special talent
does not invisible to the
ormance. critics.
iture film
good plot Tyrel (played extremely one-
ecting by dimensional by Peter
previous Greene of "Judge-
tmare on ment Night"), who
yl-Hyde- was about to
dhisalter rob the
as some b a n k
al effects himself.
ndustrial Tyrel
sk" from s w e a r s
me. revenge as
ss,ameek he later watches
win.
Ipkiss realizes he doesn't need the
mask as he and Tina throw the mask
back into the river where he found it.
The End. Roll credits.
The character of The Mask is what
makes the film worthwhile. Green-
faced, hairless and with gigantic teeth,
Carrey's already rubbery face is high-
lighted even more as The Mask. His
grin is hilarious as the police chief,
while searching The Mask's pockets,
finds a picture of his wife with the
words, "Call me, lover" written at the
bottom. As police surround The Mask,
he flees by starting a clever samba
dance-break with the officers becom-
ing the chorus and dancers in a Broad-
way-sized number.
"The Mask" is fun to watch, and
you don't have to think very much
about the film as you watch it. Typical
Hollywood schlock that serves as eye
candy for the masses. So, while the
film may not suffer from
"wait until video" syn-
drome, it may have a
mild case of the "see
it at the $1.50
show at Fox Vil-
lage" disease.
THE MASK is
playing at Briarwood
and Showcase.