u've waited so long for a new release from Pearl Jam, and Sony ants you to hear it. Tonight at Touchdown Cafe, you'll have the opportunity to sample new music from "Yield," hear some of the band's rare material and get some inside information. The excite- ment begins at 5 p.m. and lasts until 10. Eau ARTS Monday in Daily Arts: Are you uncertain if "Blues Brothers 2000" is worth your $7? Find out if Dan Akroyd can still make classic blues and classic comedy in the Daily's review of the "Blues Brothers" sequel. Friday February 6, 1998 5 Canadian troupe charms with unique personality Courtesy of Fine Une Features tan Holm stars as lawyer Mitchell Stephens, an outsider who travels Into a trauma-ridden town In "The Sweet Hereafter." Lie is far fromJ sweet In brillilant film 'Here V.after' By Anna Kovalszki Daily Arts Writer Two trumpets, a French horn, a tuba and a trombone. They are just only five instruments, but with the right handling they create a sound as complete as a full-fledged orchestra or a blues band. The potential of the brass quintet ensemble has consistently not been realized, and until the founding mem- bers of The Canadian Brass came together 28 seasons ago, it was quite an obscure musical medium. Traditionally, one expects loud flour- ishes in marches to come from this fam- ily of instruments. From the harsh, stri- dent sounds of a victory celebration, to the proclamation of a king's entrance during medieval times, to Sousa's marches, the brass was an instrument of strength. The Canadian Brass finds music filled with tradition and soft, mellow, perfectly harmonized sounds through its custom-made Yamaha instruments. Duke Ellington's upbeat, swinging music, Beethoven's Fifth Symphony, Bach's Fugues, Byrd's English Renaissance music of Byrd, Christmas favorites and popular Beatles' hits all fit into The Canadian Brass' repertoire. And judging from their versatile artistry, one would expect non-tradi- tional performance tactics from these men. And the Brass don't disappoint. In their eighth performance under University Musical Society auspices, The Canadian Brass are sure to offer one of its most memorable perfor- mances. Judging from past successes, UMS President Kenneth Fischer pre- dicted that this year's performance will be a crowd pleaser. The Brass play from memory, eliminating the need for con- fining chairs, he said. They develop a choreography, a playful banter among themselves and a certain communica- tion with the audience. They make full use of the stage as part of their presen- tation, many times using a takeoff on a ballet as a theme. They are humorous, along with being, "first rate musicians" Fischer said. Trumpet player Jens Lindemann, a former admiring fan, is the newest addi- tion to the band. Three of the five play- ers were part of the original cast, and two have been replaced since the ensemble was established. Sunday's show will be Lindemann's first in Ann Arbor. Fischer says it will be interesting for Brass fans to see how Lindemann adds to the group's already developed personality. . Canadian Brass Hill Auditorium Sunday at 4 p.m. America" and their hit "Penny Lane." The success of The Canadian Brass lies partial- ly in its members' versatility, and in their incredible drive to perform and continually develop. They perform an aver- age of 130 con- certs a season in North America The scheduled program for the after- noon is another indicator of the diversi- ty of the group. It will perform classical music, in the form of a Bach Fugue, Pergolesi Suite, Gabrieli Canzone per sonare No. I and a somewhat-comic Schickele, "Hornsmoke, A Horse Opera in One Act." And then there is the subject of the group's recording currently in the works - a compilation of Beatles songs, with a classical touch. Among the pieces to be performed are "Yesterday," the poignant song of the classic movie "Once Upon a Time in The Canadian Brass have extensively added to the sheet music available for brass quintet, and inspired numerous similar groups with its success. Their existence is arguably important to groups such as the Empire Brass, the Gabrieli Consort and the Philips Ensemble. These groups have chosen to focus on a narrower field of music 4nd have become experts on those areas. But few offer the wide range that The Canadian Brass continues to develop. Fischer cited the ensemble's dedica- tion to teaching as one of its admirable qualities. The members hold master classes, seminars and workshops aiid have hosted the World's Largest Concert for two consecutive years. The latter program was developed by the Music Educators National Conference, an organization of teachers and per- formers who wish to further music edo- cation in schools. The concert in 1997 took place in Washington, D.C. and fea- tured a sing-along with about 8 million students. Affectionately calling the members of Canadian Brass, the "Pied Pipers of Brass," Fischer stated that this aspect of the Brass has been incorporated in past performances in Ann Arbor, where brass majors participated in their concerts: And so the two trumpets, French horn, tuba and trombone are on their way to Hill Auditorium. It is quite prob- able that their shiny surfaces will reflect smiling faces, their interiors release waves of soft, harsh, undulating and staccato notes. By Prashant Tamaskar Daily Arts Writer One of the most critically acclaimed films of 1997, "The weet Hereafter" is a poignantly lyrical piece that deals with the pain of a small community. Directed by Atom Egoyan ("Exotica"), the movie combines psychological drama with mystery and plot twists to create a contemplative atmosphere that stays with the viewer long after the final credits roll. Renowned stage actor Ian Holm stars as Mitchell Stephens, an attorney traveling to British Columbia to bring "justice" to the residents of a town haunted by its past. On a snowy winter day, a school bus swerves off the road The Sweet Hereafter At Ann Arbor 1&2 into an icy lake killing 14 children and injuring nany others. Uncertain of why the accident occurred, and smelling blood, Stephens seeks to attack anyone who may be held accountable, in order to gain a set- tlement that will financially aid both the families of the victims and himself. Probing deep into the psyche of the community, the lawyer finds parents who cannot deal with their loss and are unable to move forward with their lives. But even though many residents hire Stephens to take their case, it soon becomes apparent that his presence is not helping their situation. u ily wants to win the largest settlement possible to provide for their paralyzed daughter. A single father who lost two chil- dren seeks to rid the town of the attorney who is rekindling painful memories. These are just some of the few characters played to understated brilliance by a large and balanced cast. But, the film is built around Stephens, and to a lesser degree Nicole Burnell (Sarah Polley), the aforementioned young girl confined to a wheelchair as a result of the acci- dent. In Stephens, Atom Egoyan has created one of the most complex characters in recent movie history. A lesser production would have made the attorney the obvious villain of the story. A big city outsider comes to a small town haunted by an accident, stirs up people's emo- tions, finds someone at fault and gains a big profit for him- self. But this is not the case with "The Sweet Hereafter." Stephens pursues the lawsuit with a passion that goes far beyond financial compensation. The reason is that he too has a child whose life has been ridden by disaster. His daughter left home and is a drug addict wandering the streets, occa- sionally calling her father for money. Obsessed by his own past and left wondering where he went wrong, it is obvious that the attorney understands the suffering of the people of the town. But due to the nature of his job, this is only revealed when he is not interacting with his clients. Stephens, in many ways, views the lawsuit as a chance for some sort of illogical redemption. Andhe sees in Nicole the idealized version of what his daughter could have been. Everyone in the town loves Nicole, but a part of her has been taken away, a situation which Stephens wishes to amend. Haunted by their pasts, the lawyer and the girl have an interesting dynamic that plays out nicely through the last part of the film. The quality of their interaction is made possi- ble by the superb performances of Holm and Polley, who subtly express their emotions through their mannerisms, and not through the film's dialogue. Thus, the film builds up to a dramatic climax, where the truth is revealed and the conflict is ulti- mately resolved. Egoyan does not disappoint, pro- ducing a finale that takes a few minutes to absorb, but is utterly satisfying. Ultimately, "The Sweet Hereafter" is the type of film that requires the emotional and intellectu- al participation of the audience in order to be appreciated. Technically seamless, with an abundance of substance, the understated movie does not over- power at any point, but has a grad- ual, lasting effect that may be felt after its conclusion. While the film is not the most unforgettable of the year, it is a mature, impressive hose life is shattered by a work that will please those s "The Sweet Hereafter." who take the time to view it. alone. In their 1997-98 season, they travel through Germany, Austria, Greece, Canada and the United States. They have performed all over the world, even during the restrictive Communist periods in the Soviet Union and the People's Republic of China. Since starting to develop this genre, Courtesy of Ferderbar Studios The Canadian Brass will bring all that jazz and more to Hill Auditorium on Sunday. Egoyan's work is built around a mixture of plot devices and enotion; he masterfully develops both without sacrificing either. The somber atmosphere of the community is without evident from the beginning of the film, and it is obvious that something plagues the characters on the screen. Piece by piece, the director reveals the details of the plot, slow- ly allowing the viewer to relate with the protago- piists. But Egoyan plays with the timing of Gents, ignoring the standard linear sequence utilized by most filmmakers. The main characters of the film are also used to put the story together. But to his credit, Egoyan emphasizes their feelings and mindset before revealing their part in the story. After spending enough time ,developing each character, Egoyan {moves on to the plot. Each family on which he focuses adds a different ele- ent to the story as a whole, and their Uvelopment as characters adds to the overall flow of the movie. The grief of the community is heartbreaking, as each character reacts differently to the accident and to the lawyer. The bus driver, with pictures of all the dead children on her Sarah Polley stars as a girl wall, is still in shock. One fam- bus accident in Atom Egoya .4 w an' Mtn V " Y r .s r w..... i 4 EST E4BESTPeople A comedy by Avery Hopwood with James Dapogny and his Jazz Repertory Ensemble "It's not that mom . and dad don't like JOIN US FOR MOE EICMNG HoPWOOD EVENTS Avery Hopwood and the Theatre of the Twenties Panel Discussion February 13,1998 at 2 pm Rackham Amphitheatre Avery Hopwood and the Hopwood Awards I