0 0 0 0 0 26B - The Michigan Daily Best of Ann Arbor 1997 - Thursday, April 17, 1997 THF 1IST! A weekly list ofwho's where, what's happening and why you need to be there ... The Michigan Daily Best of Ann Arb Sound and Fury PLACES I'LL REMEMBER: A FAREWELL TO ANN ARBOR BY DEAN BAKOPOULOS thursday CAMPUS CINEMA Citizen Kane (1941) Orson Welles' classic tale surrounds the investigation of a newspa- per magnate's life and mysterious last words. Mich. 1 and 4:30 p.m. Free. Unhook The Stars (1996) Nick Cassavetes directs his mother Gena Rowlands as a widow searching for purpose and fulfillment in life. Also starring Marisa Tomei and Gerard Depardieu. Mich. 7 p.m. MUSIC Dave Olney and Les Sampou Two singer/songwriters who both play dynamic and popular music. Sampou is touring in sup- port of her release, "Fall From Grace." The Ark. 8 p.m. Free. Paula Cole Lots of female artists perform with guests Holly Palmer and Tara Maclean. Clutch Cargo's. 7 p.m. -(810) 333-2362. Philo Beddow Indie rock from this Ann Arbor band. Blind Pig. 9:30 p.m. Reverend Right Time Saginaw. Rick's. 9:30 Superfunk from p.m. Free. THEATER The Music Man "He's a what? He's a what? He's a music man!" University Production's last show, presented through the Musical Theater Department. See Harold Hill and his Boy's Band march through River City. Power Center. 8 p.m. Sold out. 764-0450. Old Times Harold Pinter's classic play, as pre- sented by Basement Arts. A sweet reunion of old friends turns sour as memories are manip- ulated in a contest for power. Arena Theater. 7 p.m. Free. 764-6800. The Pirates of Penzance A comic operetta by the Gilbert & Sullivan Society. Young Frederic is mistakenly apprenticed to pirates but all's well 'til he falls in love with the major gener- al's daughter. Mendelssohn Theater. 8 p.m. Call for ticket prices. 763-1085. Hot L Baltimore Jeff Daniels directs Lanford Wilson's witty, moving adult comedy in his directorial debut. Set in a once-glorious hotel lobby, the play centers around residents and staff who are facing eviction with its sched- uled demolition. Purple Rose Theater, 137 Park St., Chelsea. 8 p.m. $10-$20. 475-7902. ALTERNATIVES Book Signing Bryan Cheyette and Jonathan Freedman discuss their book, "Between 'Race' and Culture: Representations of 'The Jew' in English and Ameriman Literature." Shaman Drum. 4 to 6 p.m. Free. Writing Lecture Author and University prof. Charles Baxter lectures to teens about writ- ing. Ann Arbor District Library, 343 S. Fifth St. 7-7:45 p.m. Free. CAMPUS CINEMA When We Were Kings (1996) An Oscar-winner for Best Documentary, this is the untold story of Muhammad Ali's struggle to win back the heavyweight title from George Foreman in Zaire - "The Rumble in the Jungle." Mich. 7 p.m. Dial M For Murder (1954) Grace Kelly stars in this Hitchcock classic, which is being shown in its original 3-D format as part of the month-long 3-D festival. Mich. 9:30 p.m. Creature From The Black Lagoon (1954) The frightening kitsch classic gets the 3-D treatment with this special presentation. Mich. 11:45 p.m. ,M U S I C Brother Rabbit Feel-good college rock. Rick's. 9:30 p.m. Free. Violent Femmes A little punk, a little folk ... just don't tell these guys to "Kiss Off." Hill Auditorium. 8 p.m. $22.50 in advance. 763- TKTS. Jeru The Damaja With DJ Shadow who brought us the fascinatingly experimental "Endtroducing ... ." Majestic. 8 p.m. (810) 645-6666. Joyride Funk covers and originals from band containing several ex-Bucket members. Blind Pig. 9:30 p.m. RFD Boys Local bluegrass. The Ark. 8 p.m. $9. THEATER The Music Man See Thursday. 8 p.m. Old Times See Thursday. 7 and 11 p.m. The Pirates of Penzance See Thursday. 8 p.m. Hot L Baltimore See Thursday 8 p.m. ALTERNATIVES Poetry Reading Ann Arbor writer David Gewanter reads from his latest book of poems, "In the Belly." Borders. 7:30 p.m. Free. Writers Reception Shaman Drum hosts authors in town for the "Contested Fights: Negotiating Cultures" conference. 5:30-7:30 p.m. Free. saturday dV CAMPUS CINEMA Storming Home (1997) Locally shot, this satire about homelessness is unveiled to the public for the first time in a free premiere screening. Mich. 3 p.m. Creature From The Black Lagoon See Friday. 5 p.m. Unhook The Stars See Thursday. Mich. 7 p.m. Michael (1996) John Travolta stars as a fall- en angel in this blockbuster film from writer- director Nora Ephron. Open-captioned. Angell Aud. A. 8 and 11:30 p.m. When We Were Kings See Friday. 9:15 p.m. Alien (1979) Sigourney Weaver became a star with this sci-fi classic directed by Ridley Scott, about a space expedition that is inter- rupted by a strange visitor. Mich. 11:15 p.m. MUSIC Botfly Funk-rock from East Lansing. Blind Pig. 9:30 p.m. Deep Space Six Grateful Dead and '60s cover tunes. Rick's. 9:30 p.m. Free. Rankin Family Celtic originals by three sis- ters who sing in harmony. The Ark. 8 p.m. $13.50. Wednesday morning, 8 a.m., Frank's Restaurant, Maynard Street, Ann Arbor: Waking up this early on an April morning when frost still clings to the grass, you need something hot hitting your belly. Breakfast at Frank's Restaurant, with its simple decor. No frills, interior the same as it was some 30 years ago. Nowhere in the joint does one find smacks of franchises or chains. You order two eggs, sunny side up, wheat toast, hash browns, short stack of pancakes and hot coffee. Mabel never lets the coffee cup get more than half-empty. The grill sizzles, the crowd gets bigger. You sit there with two friends, the conversation turns from the weather to poetry to French toast. The conversation turns to your impending graduation, and how much you're going to miss this town. Sitting there, in the corner of the smoking, section, a lit- tle niche you've carved out in this small city; you watch Ann Arbor waking up. Ann Arbor is all about these niches, these spe- cial places like Frank's, that make you feel like you own the city, like the city's magic is meant for you and your friends only. The nice part is, everyone feels that way: Ann Arb( Everyone has their own a favorite things about this city, and mix those things n together, and you have one happy populace.. p ca True, some cynics pop up, slap rough epithets on Frank's our fair city - call it k provincial, pretentious or - pompous. But notice they don't leave. They, too, have something deep inside of them that makes them stick around. A personal, special niche they've carved out inside of the city. And we share those niches. I'm sure there are others out there who feel at home in the fiction section of "Books In General" on State Street, but when I'm in there, I feel like it's been built just for me, like I'm uncovering a hidden mine with precious gems from Malcolm Lowry to Elmore Leonard. There's countless places in Ann Arbor that make it special to me. Sitting at Steve's Lunch eating Be Bim Bop. Splitting a pitcher at the Brown Jug, stopping to chat with Shakey Jake as he visits from booth to booth. Watching a flick at the Michigan Theater. Sitting above the campus in a study carrel on the sixth floor of the Grad, watching winter start to shroud over South University Avenue in shades of gray. Or skipping class and heading to the banks of the Huron on the first day that a strain of spring slips back into the air, riding along the road on your bike, your headphones tuned to the jazz and blues on WEMU. Growing up in Southeastern Michigan, I played among strip malls and asphalt. This area 0 ----- our own. We can all find a place in this city, be it the shelves of Shaman Drum, a bar stool at Ashley's, a table at Mr. Rib's, or a quiet spot under a tree in the Arb. This city and its people, full of special places. My list could go on and on, and it still might not match yours. Next fall, when the leaves change and rain across the Law Quad, the banks of the Huron and the sidewalks on South State in harmonies of reds, oranges or yellows, I won't be here anymore. Many of my friends will be gone too. I mean, you can't stay in the same place forever, rights? But lately, with the knowledge that I'll be leav- ing town in a few short weeks, staying in the same place forever suddenly doesn't seem so bad. Good-bye,. and thanks for reading. Out, out brief candle! Lifes but a walking shadow, a poor player That struts and frets his hour upon the stage And then is heard no more. It is a tale Told by an idiotfull of sound and fury Signifying nothing. - Shakespeare's "Macbeth," (5.5.23-28) Dean Bakopoulos may be reached via e-mail at deanc@umich.edu. is a land of cities either created or decimated by the auto industry. Factories dotted the stretches along the highway, franchise grocery stores sur- rounded the schools. Places to play were limit- ed to playgrounds or parking lots. It was an impersonal way to grow up, coming of age in a world where nothing seemed unique, or special. Perhaps that's why Ilove Ann Arbor so much; it was lucky enough to escape that erasing of character, and emerged with a sense of indepen- dence. In the center of this small, sometimes sleepy, midwestern mecca, it seems we've part- ly staved off the rest of the world. People who don't like Ann Arbor are often quick to point out that it serves as a false Eden to its residents, or that ignores the rules of capitalism, earning it the name "The People's Republic of Ann Arbor." And this is true to some extent, Ann Arbor is almost a fairy-tale land when contrasted with other cities along the Rust Belt. We have three independent pharmacies, in a world where insur- ance companies have made that sort of business unprofitable. We have independent video stores, burger joints, book S ashops, bars, music stores, iSa groceries, movie the- aters, radio stations and use coffee joints; all of them surviving among a world Bese of BurgersKings and acesike There's so many places to be in this city, . . so many niches to make m e r1 Ism .. The Best of Ann Arbor 1997 IAkekend M AG AZ INYE Best of Ann Arbor 1997 Editors: Greg Parker E Best of Ann Arbor 1997 Photo Editor: Margaret Myers. Writers: Dean Bakopoulos, Brian A. Gnatt, Use Harwin, Bryan Lark, Elizabeth Lucas, James Miller, G Jim Rose, Elan Stavros, Christopher Tkaczyk and James Wilson. Photographers: Josh Biggs, Jennifer Bradley-Swift, Aja Dekleva Cohen, Mark Friedman, Rob Gilmore, , Jonathan Summer, Joe Westrate and Warren Zinn. Cover design by Greg Parker. Cover photographs, clockwise from bottom-left: English Prof. Ralph Willi Brenden Morrison - photo by Mark Friedman; Graffiti in "The Gallery" - photo by Mars Graphics Editor: Tracey Harris. Arts Editors: Brian A. Gnatt and Jennifer Petinski. Special Sections Manager: Meagan Moore. Editor mn Chief: Josh White. iris DeMent will perform at the Michigan Theater this Wednesday.