Let's leam some yoga! Ema Stefanova introduces the art of yoga
tonight at The People's Food Co-op. She wil teach the benefits of
applying gentle yoga movement. The meditation begins at 7:30 p.m.
at 216 N. Fourth Ave., and best of all, it's free! For more information,
call 769-0095.
Tuesday
February 25, 1997
5
I
etallica drops
Brian A. Onatt
aily Arts Editor
Executing a great arena rock show is a difficult task. First
all, a band has to have music substantial enough to warrant
more than 20,000-person audience. But second and almost
o important, the musicians have to find a way to turn the
1, impersonal arena into an intimate, or at least enter-
ining and spine-tingling show.
While Metallica has the ability to pull R
ff one of the best arena shows in exis-
nce, the band's second night of sold-out
erformances at the Palace of Auburn
ills on Sunday was tainted by the same The Palace
roblem that has been filtering into the
and's last two studio albums: they have
o much money. The extravagant set and overproduced
phere were too much for a band that used to pride itself
n aying strong and tight; the enormous stage layout, explo-
'ons, lights and smoke detracted from the band's musical
rformance.
Metallica did play a decent set, running through recent
dio favorites "King Nothing," "Hero of the Day," and "Until
Sleeps," along with some of the obligatory classics like
One," "Seek & Destroy" and "Fade to Black." Opening with
brief jam and then breaking into "Last Caress" with the
ouse lights still up, the band surprised a few people with its
ss-than-traditional concert kick-off.
Dressed in their new alterna-gear and with short hair, the
*lica members looked a bit silly, mainly because we
ow them as the long-haired metal guys they used to be.
uitarist Kirk Hammett and drummer Lars Ulrich showed off
eir recent body piercings, while vocalist/guitarist James
etfield sported a chain wallet for whatever useful reason -
ot that he ever goes out in public where he'll be pick-pock-
ted, but maybe he just likes to stay close to his money.
After "Caress," the band broke into more of its legendary
ash metal with the classic "Creeping Death," "Sad But
rue" and "Ain't My Bitch," the best track from the band's
'Load' at Palace
latest album, "Load." Hetfield was energetic and sharp as
usual, as was Ulrich's pounding beats and weird facial expres-
sions.
The awkward arrangement of the stage, however, made it
difficult for the entire audience to see Hetfield, Hammett and
bassist Jason Newsted at the same time. While at conception
a stage the size of a basketball court set in the middle of the
EVIEW
Metaflica
of Aubum Hills
Feb. 23, 1997
arena may have sounded like a good
idea, it turned out to be disastrous.
Hetfield could only sing to any section of
the crowd for less than a quarter of the
time, while most of the arena got to see
his back for the majority of the show.
While Hetfield did run up and down
the metal scaffolding for the entire set, it
was annoying that he was turned in the opposite direction so
frequently. Almost more important, Hetfield frequently found
himself out of breath or missing lines while running around
the set. The band tried to have at least one member playing to
a section at all times, but being so far apart from each other
affected the visual picture that they are a band - a single
cohesive unit that has to work together and play together.
Being so far apart also affected Metallica's performance.
They weren't as solid as they could have been, and sounded
like quite a different band from their tight-playing early metal
days. Most of the songs sounded fine, simply not-too-impres-
sive. The irony of the matter is that on the Lollapalooza tour
last summer, without all the frills like the basketball-court-
size stage and the extravagant lighting and staging, Metallica
was tight and thrilling, the way the band used to be.
Perhaps the most exciting part of the performance was dur-
ing "Master of Puppets" in the encore. There was an explo-
sion in the tech area of the stage that had to be put out with
fire extinguishers while Metallica continued to play. During
the next song, "Enter Sandman," one of the light towers on
the stage began sparking and had to be lowered and extin-
guished.
A few minutes later, the entire set was exploding and
Metallica vocalist/guitarist James Hettie;d performs at The Palace of AuDum Hils on Sunday.
came crashing down with fire and smoke. Best of all, there
was a guy running around the stage engulfed in flames.
What appeared to be the most spontaneous part of the show
turned out to be a contrived Metallica trick. How funny to
parody Hetfield's unfortunate incident with a pyrotechnic
cannon in 1992, when the frontman was severely burned
and the band had to cancel shows on their tour with Guns N'
Roses.
After the explosions were cleaned up, the band returned for
a couple more songs from their early garage-days era. They
tried to play off the catastrophe that hi just taken place as
real, but it was quite obviously a farce. The band began play-
ing on traditional garage-style amps, an at empt to prove they
were still that same old Metallica. That didn't last for long,
and the soundsystem kicked in after a few minutIes to finish
off the show with the newer, Bob Rock-produced Metallica.
Other signs of the modern Metallica could be seen in the T-
shirts, toned way down from the skulls and violent vintage
Metallica tour shirts the "bad" kids used to wear in high
school. (Picture: A hand sticking up out of a toilet holding a
knife with the words: "Metal up your ass.")
Although the performance seemed force d and contrived
and below the band's ability, Metailica still performed an
entertaining show. Maybe if the group put as much efort into
its music as it put into its set and schtick" Metalhica would be
able to rock like it used to.
letallIca at The Palace (from left): Kirk Hammett, Jason Newsted and Lars Ulrtch.
Academy of St. Martin in the Fields proves strong at Rackham perfo
By Emily Lambert Handel's contemporaries could not have "Concerto in d-minor for Harpsichord
Arts Writer played his music any better. and Orchestra" The cadenza in the
almost 1,000 recordings to its Spanish flutist Jaime Martin, who opening Allegro hinted at Watson's
name, the Academy of St. Martin in the joined the ensemble for Bach's enviable technique. But his beautiful
Fields is a group with staying power. It "Orchestral Suite No. 2 in b-minor," solos were best heard at times of mini-
Salmost as much staying power as the matched the group in sound and style
music it performed Sunday afternoon, The ensemble maintained a high-energy
mal accompaniment.
The final piece brought Watson,
Martin and Brown to center stage for
one more work by Bach, his famed
"Brandenburg Concerto No. 5."
Although conservative tempos again
prevailed, Watson gave an impressive
technical display in the first Allegro's
often electrifying harpsichord solo.
The entire orchestra played a full and
lively finale. The afternoon's soloists
were much appreciated, yet the unified
sound was most engaging. The
Academy of St. Martin in the Fields
found its greatest strength in numbers.
erU U_ ._
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