8B - TheMichigan Daily Weekend Magazine - Thursday, September 19,1996 0 0 w The Michigan Daily Reekend Magaz "About Town Art and music 'space' moves to old Ark building By Elan A. Stavros Daily Weekend Editor There's a growing trend in big cities of combining different forms of enter- tainment, ranging from restaurants that have movie screens to coffeeshops that have poetry readings. Along those lines, a temporary "art exhibit/smart bar/music venue space," called The 637 Club (formerly the Arthouse Gallery), has relocated to 637 S. Main St., beneath the old Ark. The establishment has a selection of art for sale by five artists in varying media. But around 104p.m. the lights go down and a regular DJ or a musician takes the stage. Patrons can sit, listen to music, view the art and enjoy health drinks and food from the "smart bar," a non-alcoholic bar which originated dur- ing the European rave craze. People wanted something that "would help keep them going all night," director of events and professional photographer Krysta Ahn said. "There's not adequate space in town," Ahn said of the move. "It could become a mobile concept. Naturally we would want a permanent building so it may sprout up again." The current building is not up to code and The 637 will be closing Sept. 28. The Old Alcove in Detroit is an example of a similar idea, Ahn said. Artists donate their time and work, and though it's for sale, the entire i..etaste of Greenwich Village and Soho right here in cozy Ann Arbor." - GClin Depp 'U' alum operation is not for profit. Also, the Saturday night cover charge is only $5; otherwise it ranges from $3 to $5, and there is no age restriction. The bar offers tea, pastries, soda and juice - "a smart bar has no coffee," Ahn said. "The music has the effect of com- pelling people to dance," recent gradu- ate Colin Depp said. "It blends artistic creativity with socialization of today's free-wheeling youth. The relaxed, laid- back atmosphere has a taste of Greenwich Village and Soho right here in cozy Ann Arbor." Last October Ahn and some fellow artists decided to get a space for their show, including multimedia work. They opened the Arthouse Gallery, brought in a bar and had music on the side. But it became so popular that too many people were crowding into too small a place. The fire marshal ordered them to close. "We've certainly had hurdles in terms of appropriate space" Ahn said. "Immediately there was a positive response when the Arthouse opened, through it's closing," she said. "People have long awaited this concept. But there's nothing in Ann Arbor up to code, making it difficult for a low-budget operation" The 637 will be open Thursday through Saturday evenings at 8 p.m. until Sept. 28. Tomorrow evening the band Butterfly, with special guests Monaural, will be featured and this The 637 Club , What: A hip combination art gallery/music venue/smart bar space. There's art for sale on the walls by local artists. A regular DJ spins tunes on Saturday nights, while bands are invited Thursday and Friday nights. A "smart bar" offers no coffee or alcoholic drinks - Instead there are fruity health drinks and soda. / Where: Exactly at 637 South Main Street, in the sub-level of the old Ark building, which was number 637 1/2. ~ When: Thursday through Saturday nights until Sept. 28. Doors open at 8 p.m. for art viewing and the lights go down for music around 10 p.m. until nearly 5 a.m. / Why: Because there's nothing in Ann Arbor like it --a low-budget, local artists' production. Saturday the regular artists Bump Consumption and DJ Han Solo will perform. Sometimes they close at 5 a.m., "or as late as it takes," Ahn said. "There's fresh new talent here and a lot happening in town. People need somewhere to go all night and talk about art." Stanford Prison Experiment opens tonight for Rage By Coln Bartos Daily Arts Writer Opening for Rage Against the Machine is no small task for any nor- mal band. Good thing Stanford Prison Experiment isn't your normal band. Formed about six years ago in Los Angeles, S.P.E. has toiled in the L.A. underground with almost none of the recognition they deserved. Guitarist Mike Starkey and vocalist Mario Jimenez have known each other since grade school. Drummer Davey Latter and bassist Mark Fraser complete the hardcore quartet. Jimenez talked about S.P.E.'s moti- vation to form and influences along the way in a telephone interview with The Michigan Daily. "Early on, we were influenced by a lot of old punk rock stuff," Jimenez said. "Just the fact that anybody could pick up an instrument and make music ... that anyone could play. It's not some bull- shit rock star thing where you're some super specially gifted person to play in a band. That kind of encour- aged us to (form the band) ... that anyone ... can express ideas and share viewpoints on things and not bullshit ideas popular rock tends to have." With influences from Minor Threat and Black Flag to current bands like Unwound and Jesus Lizard, Stanford Prison Experiment's music is defi- nitely rooted inpunk rock. However, their sound is more aggressive than most hardcore bands, and can be com- pared to former metal-punk outfit Quicksand. What's striking about S.P.E. is the emotion and urgency that shines through in their music and lyrics. Many of Stanford Prison Experiment's songs have a political edge to them, something Jimenez said has always intrigued the band. "I think most of us have a healthy dis- like of the average American culture and what it is," Jimenez stated. "Pretty much a lot of things that make American culture are repulsive to us, and so we just kind of react to those things ... For the most part, what is popular is pretty shitty." S.P.E. is not another political ranter like Rage Against the Machine, however. Jimenez admitted that S.P.E. is not "a focused political band." He said they "try to just write about what moves (them) and what bothers (them) and what interests (them)." Stanford Prison Experiment's first self-titled album on World Domination Records, released in 1993, immediately cemented the band's underground popularity. The album was a solid debut, drawing comparisons to Tool and Rage, two bands to come out of S.P.E.'s post- punk L.A. scene. In 1995, S.P.E. released "The Gato Hunch," the album they have been endlessly tour- ing with for the past 12 months. "The Gato Hunch" is a great album, filled with more public dis- satisfaction than ever. On "Cansado," Jimenez yells about the state of popular culture: "Still the cowards have their way / We're all devoured by the fake." "Hardcore Idiot" is pretty self-explanatory: "All I hear is your voice / Looks like it's wake up time." "The Gato Hunch" incorporates a more complex and live sound than the first album, something Jimenez said was natural. "We were definitely going for some- Stanford Prison Experiment / With Rage Against the Machine & Girls Against Boys ~ When: Sept. 19, 1996 ~ Where: Cobo Arena ~ Admission: Tickets $13 through TicketMaster thing a little more on the second record and trying out different sounds," Jimenez said. "My biggest worry was that (the record) never sounded like we do live." The live sound is difficult to cap- ture in a small, apathetic studio, especially when you rock out as intensely as S.P.E. does live. The band's aggressive, driving force behind Starkey's hard-ass riffs, Latter's pounding rhythm, Fraser's basslines and Jimenez's intense stage presence is really something to see. Jimenez said that touring just allows the band to grow more and more: "Touring's important. In a sense, we learn a lot about playing songs over in different ways. It makes you a better band ..." Steven Wright The most original, and arguabl brings his rather skewed views 9 p.m. for Parents Weekend. % dox style of humor, with such i 'Breakfast Anytime,' so I ordei have seen Steven's instantly r Nuts," but you might not know Grammy in 1986 for his debut Academy Award In 1989 for hi TicketMaster location and plop Kleenex or an extra pair of pan r"" "Student Stanford Prison Experiment (S.P.E.) is made up of Mario Jimenez, Mark Fraser, Davey Latter and Mike Starkey. I Want to write for Weekend, etc. Magazine? Come to the mass meet- ing tonight, 7 p.m., 420 Maynard St. REUSABLE MATERIAL AVAILABLE STUDENTS: we have SCRAP fr,' YOUR PROJECTS t. Friedman Co. just a short drive from campus 915 Maiden Lane 662-4317 Saturday, Hil Tickets are now a Union Ticket Off Ch MARGARET MYERS/Daily The 637 Club features local DJs spinning up a flavorful blend of jungle, hip hop and acid Jam for the dance crowd. . .. 1 r 11 K