6 - The Michigan Daily - Friday, November 1, 1996

IASA's 'Kaleidoscope' hits Hill

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By Eugene Bowen
Daily Arts Writer
Tomorrow night, the hallowed halls of Hill Auditorium
will swirl with the sights and sounds of various aspects of
Indian and Indian American culture as the Indian American
Student Association puts on its 11 th annual IASA cultural
show. The theme this year is "Kaleidoscope: Perspectives of
India."
"We wanted to show that Indian cul-
ture is composed of so many different hP R
things that everyone can see a different I
beauty in it," explained cultural show-
co-coordinator Megha Sata. "We have,
in particular, taken the organization of
this year's show as an opportunity to At Hill Auditor
see life from our parents' perspectives
so we can better appreciate them and the majesty of our cul-
ture."
"This show is a progression through time," IASA president
Ranuka Kher continued. "It bridges the gap between the gen-
erations."
The event will feature a variety of dances, songs, instru-
mental acts, "mini-skits" and a fashion show. But Sata wants
it to be made clear that, while many of the performances'
roots can be traced back to Hindu religious worship, the
IASA cultural show is not religious.
"Many of the dances' origins are very religious, down to
the clothing worn and the hand gestures made by dancers,"
Sata said. "And many may assume it's religious because
Hindu idols pose in these ways. But they have evolved over

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the generations into something that is completely entertain-
ment."
The secular nature of this event can also be seen in its
name change. Sata explained that the production name
was changed last year from the Diwali show to the cultur-
al show "because Diwali is a religious event and not all of
the players are Hindu. Some are not even Indian." A num-
ber of Caucasian, African American
and Latino/a University students are
V I E W also participating in the production of
SA Cultural the cultural show, as well as a number
ShOW of Indians with different religious
affiliations, including Muslims and
Saturday at 8 p.m. Sikhs.
m. Tickets are $8-$12 "The cultural show will also be
about portraying Indian American cul-
ture," Kher said. "We use a lot of traditional aspects of
Indian culture as well as non-traditional music and dance
throughout the show to encompass both the Eastern and
Western influences in Indian American cultural develop-
ment."
University students Ashish Goyal, Darshan Desai, Atul
Rustgie and Rahul Shah will emcee the show.
"While I'm up there I just want to see the audience scream-
ing and going crazy and getting excited about the whole
thing," Shah said.
The IASA cultural show will begin tomorrow night at 8
p.m. at Hill Auditorium. Ticket revenue will go to aid a spe-
cial program at the India Institute of Technology in Delhi to
teach impoverished children.

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"Get on the Bus" may be a great movie, but its soundtrack is merely mediocre.

'Bus,' 'Foxfire' soundtracks lack luster


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" -
-f" O

Various Artists
Get on the Bus Soundtrack
Interscope
Listening to this soundtrack, I could-
n't help noticing a slight irony. I'm
happy Spike Lee directed the film "Get
on the Bus" because I'm afraid that if
others in Hollywood controlled
the making of a movie such
as this, blacks would be
portrayed in their usual
way - as one of the
two extremes of
humanity, either
heartless and lacking
in humaness or overly
angelic. In white
movies, black characters
are either all Attila the
Huns or Mother Theresas.
Yet, while the movie avoided the
archetypical positioning of blacks, the
soundtrack fits the stereotype perfectly.
Any song you listen to is either amaz-
ingly good or amazingly out of place.
Take a listen to Stevie Wonder's stirring
"Redemption Song" or the solemnly
humble "My Life Is in Your Hands,"
performed by Kirk Franklin and God's
Property, and you'll know what positive
music is all about.
Tribe Called Quest shows why it
remains one of America's preeminent rap
groups with "The Remedy" and Curtis
Mayfield's "New World Order" repre-
sents the old school the right way, as does
"Over a Million Strong" sung by the

Neville Brothers.Also worthy of a peek is
"Girl You Need a Change," vocalized by
D'Angelo, with his world-all-its-own
singing style and "Coming Home toYou,"
crooned by BLACKstreet.
But all is not well. Ever since his sec-
ond LP came out, Gurujust hasn't been
a very exciting performer; that problem
continues with "Destiny Is Calling."
I'm no big Marvin Davis fan, but I've
never heard him sound so flat as
he doe:,singing "I Love My
Woman." And Doug E.
Fresh needs to be con-
tent with being an
icon of yesteryear's
rap world instead of
constantly making a
fool of himself by
trying to become the
new booty-bass king
like he does performing
"Tonite's the Nite." Even Earth,
Wind & Fire's "Cruisin"' lands some-
where on the blah side of things.
But all in all, the "Get on the Bus"
soundtrack is as worthy of some serious
attention as the movie. While a few of
its cuts go seriously off track, the LP is
generally smooth traveling.
- Eugene Bowen

mercial soundtracks (e.g. "The Craft;"
"Trainspotting") that sometimes sell
more than the movies do. However,
there are times when this venture fails.
The artists featured on the "Foxfir"
soundtrack are mainly female arti
such as Luscious Jackson and L7. The
Kristin Hersh (of Throwing Muses)
track, "Me and My " Charms (String
Version)!' is probably the best of the
bunch, a languid song with pretty
orchestral arrangements.
There are even moments of humor on
this soundtrack. The inclusion of psy-
chobilly legends, The Cramps' "Let's
Get Fucked Up" and Shampoo's cover
version of "Trouble" (which, od*
enough, was also featured on
"Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers"
soundtrack) exhibits the absurd and
laughable side of music.
However, the nadir of this soundtrack
occurs at track 6 when the listener hears
Candlebox's "You" blasting through the
speakers. Mystery Machine offers
"Pound for Pound," an annoying pseu-
do-industrial track. The bands Rose
Chronicles, Wild Strawberries and P
Brittle also offer the listener little.
The simple fact that this soundtrack
includes Candlebox should be enough
to dissuade you from buying it. While
this soundtrack features semi-populai
bands that do deserve more attention
such as The Cramps and Luscious
Jackson, the presumed goal to compile
an "alternative" music soundtrack does-
n't work in this case.
--Philip
See RECORDS, Paget

Various Artists
Foxfire Soundtrack
Unforscene Music
*k

The soundtrack to "Foxfire" contin-
ues the current trend of releasing com-

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