4 D k 4 it nIIf i~A ''Me irr fiu r~f4v.'ar erIgA~ 0 *I 0 The Michigari paily ,Weekend,-etc. I A weekly guide to who's Thursday, Feb. 18 where, what's happening ande.through why you need to be there ... h~s Wednesday, Feb. 24 GREAT CHOPS History, tradition sing in the halls of tf Films opening Analyze This A special sneak preview of this new Billy Crystal/Robert DeNiro comedy about a gangster and his psychiatrist. At Showcase: (Sat. only) 8:15 p.m. Jawbreaker A look at high school popularity "Heathers" style. At Showcase: 1:25, 3:25, 5:30, 7:45, 9:50, 11:55. October Sky **,A Based on the true story of astronaut Homer Hickam's escape from a life as a coal miner. At Briarwood: 1:20, 4:10, 6:50, 9:20. At Showcase: 12, 2:20, 4:40, 7:05, 9:25, 11:40. Office Space ***i A hysterical new comedy about the workplace from Mike Judge, the creator of "Bevis and Butthead" and "King of the Hill." At Briarwood: 1, 3:10, 5:20, 7:40, 10:10. At Showcase: 1:20, 3:20, 5:20, 7:20, 9:20, 11:20. The Other Sister Juliet Lewis returns to the screen in a sneak preview of a movie that explores sexual and parental love. At Showcase: (Sat. only) 7:30 p.m. Films holding ***** A Classic **** Excellent *** Good ** Fair * Not Worth Your Time, or Your Money Babe: Pig in The City An open cap- tion screening for the hearing impaired. At Showcase: (Sat. & Sun. only) 1, 5. Blast From The Past ** Alicia Silverstone and Brenden Fraser fight a losing cause for their careers in this romantic comedy. At Briarwood: 1:30, 4:20, 7:15, 10. At Showcase: 12, 2:15, 4:35, 6:55, 9:10, 11:35. Central Station ***, Oscar nom- inated for Best Foreign Language Film and Best Actress. this is the story of a retired teacher and a boy who travel across Brazil in search of the boy's father. At State: 1:30 (Sun.), 9:15 (Fri.-Sun., Tues.- Thurs.), 9:45 (Mon.). Gods And Monsters *** This film racked up a slew of Oscar nomina- tions, telling the story of gay film director James Whale. At State: 1:30 (Sat.), 11:30 (Fri. & Sat.). Ufe is Beautiful **** Only the sec- ond movie of all time to be nominated for the Best Picture and Best Foreign Language Film Oscars, this is the story of a father who tries to protect his son from the horrors of the holocaust. At Ann Arbor 1&2: 12:15 (Sat., Sun., Tues.), 2:30 (Sat., Sun., Tues.), 4:45, 7, 9:15, 11:20 (Fri. & Sat.). At Showcase: 12:15, 2:35, 7:15, 9:30, 11:50. Little Voice *** Brenda Blythens earned an Oscar nomination for her portrayal of the boozy mother of a wallflower turned singing sensa- tion. At Ann Arbor 1&2: (Thurs. only) 4:45, 7, 9:10. Message In A Bottle ** Kevin Costner woos Robin Wright Penn In Costner's return to romance. So 1 guess "The Post Man" actually did end. -At Briarwood: 1:40, 4:30, 7:10, 9:50. At Showcase: 1:15, 1:45, 4:15, 4:45, 7, 7:30 (except Sat.), 9:40, 10:10, 12:15. My Favorite Martian A kid's movie no one can enjoy. At Briarwood: 12:30, 2:40, 4:50, 7, 9:30. At Showcase: 12:35, 1:05, 2:45, 3:15, 4:55, 5:25, 7:10, 7:40, 9:15, 9:45, 11:15, 11:45. Patch Adams * Diagnosis: Stupid. At Showcase: 6:15. Payback ** Reshoots galore on this Mel Gibson revenge movie prove that studio bosses have zero artistic talent. At Briarwood: 1:10, 4, 7:20, 9:40. At Showcase: 12:45, 3, 5:10, 5:40, 7:25, 7:55, 9:35, 10:05, 11:40, 12:10. The Prince Of Egypt ** This dis- grace is still in theaters? At Showcase: 1:10, 3:30. Rushmore **** An inspired com- edy about a boy and a millionaire who both fall in love with a first grade teacher. At Ann Arbor 1&2: 1 (Sat., Sun., Tues.), 3 (Sat., Sun., Tues.), 5, :20, 9:30, 11:20 (Fri. & Sat.). At Showcase: 12:10, 2:25, 4:30, 6:45, 9, 11. Saving Private Ryan **** The best film of the year rides a wave of Oscars back to theaters. At Showcase: 12:25, 4, 8, 11;25. Shakespeare In Love **** With a high 13 Oscar nominations, the story of Shakespeare falling in love is a romantic comedy with brains. At State: 1:30 (Sat. & Sun.), 4 (Sat. & Sun.), 7, 9:30, 11:45 (Fri. & Sat.). At Showcase: 12:20, 2:50, 5:15, 7:50, 10:15, 12:30. She's All That ***I Pygmalion set in high school. At Briarwood: 12:50, 3, 5:15, 7:30, 9:45. At Showcase: 12:40, 2:55, 5:05, 7:35, 9:55, 12. The Thin Red Line *** Loaded with Oscars, this year's other WWi film explores humanity and war. At Showcase: 3:10, 8:15, 11:30. Waking Ned Devine ***I An Irish comedy about a winning lottery ticket and a dead winner. Not to give too much away, but the whole island is in on it. At State: 4 (Sat. & Sun.), 7:15. Thursday CAMPUS CINEMA Dancing At Lugnasa (1998) Adapted from the play, this film follows the lives of five sisters living in rural Ireland. Michigan Theater, 603 E. Liberty St. 7 p.m. 5.50 Elizabeth (1998) This powerful drama about the rise of Queen Elizabeth I recently received a slew of Oscar nominations, including Best Picture. Michigan Theater, 603 E. Liberty St. 9 p.m. $5.50 MUSIC Al Hill & the Love Butlers Now that Valentine's has passed, come let the butlers put a little lovin' in your life. Arbor Brewing Co., 114 E. Washington St., 213-1393. 9 p.m. Free. Barnhil Band Ever listen to a show in a barn? The livestock really gets into things by the second set. Peae Auditorium, Eastern Michigan University College P. at W. Cross, Ypsilanti, 487-4380. 8 p.m. Free. Jim Hamm One person you won't be seeing here is Jules Winnfield, cause the man just don't dig on swine. Mainstreet Comedy Showcase, 314 E. Liberty St., 996-9080. 8:30 p.m. $8. Larval Or Lavral, if the band decides to spell its name backwards.We're not sure what a Lavral or a Larval is, but it's probably Greek or some- thing. Blind Pig, 208 S. 1st St., 996- 8555. 10 p.m. Mudpuppy Really, everyone needs a little mud in the face from time to time. These guys are literally just a drum beat away from breaking through and being bigger stars than the Beatles - honest. Cavern Club, 210 S. 1st St., 332-9900. 8 p.m. $5. Twistin' Tarantulas Do tarantulas really twist? Do angels live in my town? Is the movie called "Sidney" or "Hard 8?" Answers could be found at this Thursday night show. Karl's, 9779 Gotfredson St., 455-8450. 9:30 p.m. Free. THEA TER Boy's Life A hip Basement Arts comedy about growing up in the big city, struggling between the realities of adulthood and the wily ways of your youth, and, of course, girls. Arena Theatre, Frieze Building, 764- 6800. 7 p.m. The Hole The Purple Rose Theatre Company performs this play about a couple in the American West. Purple Rose Theatre, 137 Park St., Chelsea., 475-7902. 8 p.m. $15-25. Private Eyes The characters practice deception in this play, directed by Malcolm Tulip, exploring infidelity. Performance Network, 408 W. Washington St., 663- 0681.8 p.m. $12-15. Oedipus the King Sopocles's Greek tragedy is reset in Egypt, where the Pharoah tries to escape a horrifying prophecy. Men wearing their moth- ers' broaches will not be allowed in without safety goggles. Fathers be advised to look out for daggers. Quirk Theatre, Eastern Michigan University campus. 8 p.m. Call 487- 1221 for location information and courtesy of Universal Pictures Left to right Chad Undberg, William Lee Scott, Jake Gyllenhaai and Chris Owen star in "October Sky." This shot makes the movie look like a prequel to "Swingers." directions. $5-12. A LTERNA TIVES Artscapade In Winter Open to all students, the program will be a party at which art is the guest of honor. Make Mardi-Gras masks, play Arts Jeopardy, enter to win goodies like posters, art books, concert tick- ets, CDs and other museum goodies. University Museum of Art, 525 S. State St., 764-0395. 7-9:30 p.m. Robert Boswell Author reads from his six books including "Crooked Hearts" and "American Owned Love." Rackham Amphitheatre, 121 Fletcher St. 763-3333. 5 p.m. -----~~~~~~~~- Friday CAMPUS CINEMA Elizabeth See Thursday. 5 p.m. Dancing At Lughnasa See Thursday 7:30 & 9:30 p.m. Happy Together (1997) A bitter- sweet love story of Lai and Ho as they try to save their relationship by making a fresh start in Argentina. Angell Aud A. 8 p.m. Free MUSIC Fully Loaded in a year loaded with bad movies, "Living Out Loud" ruled the bottom of the barrel. Bythe way, "Patch Adams" was also close to the bottom. Elbow Room, 6 S. Washington St., Ypsilanti, 483-6374. 9 p.m. Free. J.D. Lamb Jules Winnfield could be in attendance seeing as he has yet to speak his mind on lamb. Cavern Club, 210 S. 1st St., 332-9900. 10 p.m. $5. Jim Hamm Lamb or ham? Have one for dinner and go to the other's show. Mainstreet Comedy Showcase, 314 E. Liberty St., 996-9080. 8 p.m. & 10:30 p.m. $10. Michigan Chamber Players Faculty from the school of music perform a program of Beethoven, Dohn~nyi and Faur6. Rackham Auditorium, 915 E. Washington St., 764-2538. 4 p.m. Free. Might As Well Come to this show, even if you partied a little hard on Thursday night. Theo's, 705 W. Cross St., Ypsilanti, 485-6720. 10:30 p.m. $4. Mose Allison Trio Mose squares up, and nails the three ball. Bird of Paradise, 207 S. Ashley, 662-8310. 9 p.m. $20. Original Brothers & Sisters of Love Peter Brady in the house. Sounds like the Bradys have decided to cool it on the reunion shows and start a band. Gypsy Cafe, 214 N. 4th Ave., 994-3940. 9:30 p.m. $4. THEATER Boy's Life See Thursday. 11 p.m. The Firebird A spellbinding fairy tale, replete with folk dances, costumes, masks and music by the Firebird Balalaika Orchestra. Towsley Aud., Washtenaw Community College, 763- TKTS. 7:30 p.m. $6 for children, oth- ers $8. FurToso The Meryl Tankard Australian Dance Theatre will perform a program with choreographic invention, physicali- ty, passion and rough edge virtuosity. Power Center, 121 Fletcher St. , 764- 2538.8 p.m. $16.32. God R.C. Players put on this one-act play by Woody Allen, which explores the rela- tionship between fictitious characters and real people. Residential College Auditorium, East Quad. 8 p.m. 764-0635. $5, Students $3. The Hole See Thursday. 8 p.m. Oedipus the King See Thursday. 8 p.m. Private Eyes See Thursday. 8 p.m. By Steve Gertz Daily Arts Writer . Ann Arbor has always been a cultur- al oasis of sorts - a plateau that pro- trudes through the lackluster blandness of small-town midwestern life, that provides a unique stepping stone between the industrial sprawl of Detroit and the thriving bustle of Chicago. While this is due largely to the mag- nitude and diversity of our beloved "U," the quality of Ann Arbor's "scene" owes a lion's share to the reci- procal dialog between the artistic movements - specifically musical ones - that have taken place over the years in those two midwestern giants. As a result of its location, Ann Arbor has been enriched by such legendary hotbeds of hipness as the Chicago blues scene, Motown R'n'B, early- '70s Detroit punk and early-'90s Detroit techno. Jimi Hendrix once played here, as did John Lennon. Punk prognostica- tors Iggy Pop and The MC5 played some of their earliest gigs right inside our own Student Union. George Clinton lives right down the road in Jackson, as does that notorious king of '70s cheese metal Ted Nugent. Throughout the years The Blind.Pig, a popular local nightclub and concert venue, has played an instrumental role in the ushering in and showcasing of this musical activity. Since its incarna- tion almost 30 years ago, The Blind Pig has gone through several phases, each of which has been equally notable in the annals of Ann Arbor's cultural diary. Two University seniors, Tom Isaia and Jerry Delgiudice, started the club in 1971. They purchased what was then an abandoned furniture store and did some renovations, which included building a small stage and bar in the basement. They named it "The Blind Pig" after a Detroit slang term for police officers that had been bribed by speakeasy proprietors during the pro- hibition era of the 1920s, and, with that, a legend was born. The Blind Pig of the '70s was a con- siderably different entity than the one that we know today. It was not strictly a nightclub, but also doubled as a cafe. Serving cappuccino, pastries and other such coffeehouse delicacies during the daytime, the establishment helped open Ann Arbor up to the "coffee cul- ture" that can now be found on virtual- ly every street corner in the country. The night scene at the Pig also leaned a bit more toward finer and more eccentric tastes than the average town pub. There was an extremely lim- ited bar that served only top-quality items. Guinness was the only beer on tap and several varieties of French wine were available, as were premium brands scotch, Irish whiskey and other liquors. During the first 10 years, the pre- ferred style of musical entertainment at the Pig was blues, more blues and strictly blues. The club was a premier showcase for local blues artists from Ann Arbor, Detroit and Chicago. Legends such as Koko Tayler, Boogie Woogie Red, Hound Dog Taylor and Roosevelt Sikes, among others, were regulars there. Clientele at the Pig ranged from University intelligentsia to older, hard- core blues enthusiasts. The establish- ment accumulated a diverse variety of regular patrons, often packing the tightly confined space to capacity. A handful of musical legends in their own right, including Frank Zappa, Bonnie Raitt and Vladmir Horowitz were said to have been spotted in the crowd at Pig functions. The thriving blues scene at the Pig in the '70s inspired Delgiudice to take things one step further and start his own record label under the moniker of Blind Pig records in 1975. Many of the same artists that performed regularly at the Pig released material on the independent label. Still owned by Delgiudice and now based in Chicago, the label remains intact and continues to release records by a variety of area blues musicians. In 1981 Isaia and Delgiudice moved on, transferring ownership of the Pig to an area couple, Roy and Betty Goffett. The Goffetts, along with coor- dinating manager Todd Headrick, led the club through a period of consider- able change. The '80s saw the significant expan- sion of the establishment, both physi- cally and artistically. The Goffetts more than doubled the interior space of the club by purchasing an adjacent building and bringing the stage area from the miniscule basement to the upper level. They also added an addi- tional bar, The Eightball Saloon, downstairs. This new version of the Pig made it possible to drastically alter the musical Blind Pig coowner Roy Goffiett checks out his club's shrine to Narvana. The no knew who they were, and later told MTV viewers that Goffett's club was one of itinerary. Whereas the basement area of the '70s was tightly confined, and therefore not conducive to loud rock shows, the new setup was ideal for just that. The Pig quickly became a hot spot for both local acts and touring bands. Names as notable and varied as Joan Baez, Bo Diddley and George Thoroughgood - who even filmed the video for his "Treat Her Right" there - graced the Pig's banner during the early '80s. Aside from already well-established artists, the Blind Pig also played host to a wide variety of bands from the then-underground punk, new wave, and "college rock" genres. Bands such as REM, 10,000 Maniacs, Sonic Youth, Soul Asylum and The Rollins Band played there early in their careers, well before they hit the big time. During the late '80s and early '90s "college rock" turned into "alterna- tive" and "grunge." Again, the Pig showcased a series of bands during this time that, while barely having enough money to tour, were unknow- ingly destined for world fame and acclaim. Among these were Soundgarden, The Screaming Trees, The Smashing Pumpkins, Pearl Jam and a scraggly little band of upstarts called Nirvana. It was Nirvana, years a played there, who gave the most flattering moment in light when they, on a televi interview, cited the club as t ber one venue of choice a ever. Perhaps it was because, in '89 when they were bare ing across the country in a van, the Pig gave them th audience turnout that they had. Whatever the ca Goffetts payed homage framed shrine to Nirvana tl tured inside the club, th piece of which is a record ing songs that the band formed at the venue. Despite all of its succes were a few times in the pas when the Pig was dangerousl the brink of catastrophe. W concerts pass by uneventfu once in a while the exciten goes through the roof ai ensues. Legendary California pi The Circle Jerks, for exam got the crowd so charged up ence members took to destr interior of the club, tearing Weekend Magazine Editors: Aaron Rich, Will Weissert Writers: Chris Dorle, Christopher Duprey, William Nash, Erin Podolsk Photo Editor: Adriana Yugovich Photographers: Chris Campernel, Chris Dorle, Dana Linnane and Adria Cover: The Blind Pig, located at 208 S. First St., has been one of Ann Arb doors in 1971. Everyone from Bo Diddley to The MC5 to Narvana has gra Arts Editors: Jessica Eaton and Christopher Tkaczyk Editor in Chief: Heather Kamins r4 Phone Numbers: Ann Arbor 1 & 2: 761-9700; Briarwood: 480-4555; Fox Village; 994-8080; Michigan Theater: 668-8397; Showcase: 973-8380; State: 761-8667. Showtimes are effective Friday through Thursday. Late shows at Ann Arbor 1 & 2 and State are for Friday and Saturday only. Noon and mid-day matinees at Ann Arbor 1 & 2 are for Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday only; matinees at State are for Saturday and Sunday only.