14B - he MidhiganDaily 4 M endk etc. Magazine -- Thu ay, April1, 1999 A weekly guide to who's where, what's happening and why you need to be there ... The List Thursday, April 1 through Wednesday, April 7 " " "The Michig Daily - Weekend MOTOWN7S NEW BAG Detroit parties provide surreal musical Il i IIIYIiI I 1 1 err A I !^ A Films opening 10 Things I Hate About You *** A high school update of Shakespeare's "The Taming of the Shrew." Opened Wednesday. At Showcase: 12:40, 1:10, 2:55, 3:25, 5:10, 5:40, 7:20, 7:50, 9:35, 10:05, 11:45, 12:15. The Matrix ***I A terrific new film about machines that control human thought. Opened Wednesday. At Briarwood: 12:40, 3:40, 6:50, 9:45. At Showcase: 12:30, 1, 1:40, 3:30, 4, 4:30, 6:30, 7, 7:30, 9:30, 10, 10:30, 12:15, 12:35. Never Been Kissed A special sneak preview of the film about a newspa- per reporter to goes back to high school and has one more chance to be cool. At Briarwood: 8 (Sat. only). The Out Of Towners An update of the Neil Simon story with Goldie Hawn and Steve Martin as the leads. At Briarwood: 12:30, 2:40, 4:50, 7:10, 9:20. At Showcase: 1:20, 3:20, 5:30, 7:35, 9:40, 11:35. Films holding **** Excellent *** Good ** Fair * Not Worth Your Time, or Your Money Analyze This **I A funny and entertaining film about a mobster and his psychiatrist. At Briarwood: 12:20, 2:50, 5:10, 7:30, 10. At Showcase: 12:10, 2:30, 5, 7:25, 8, 9:45, 12:05. Baby Geniuses Terrific, a film about smart babies! At Showcase: 12:05, 2:15, 4:20, 6:15. The Corrupter *** Marky Mark and Chow Yun Fat take on Asian gangs in Chinatown. At Showcase: 12:10 (Fri. & Sat. only). Cruel Intentions *** A guilty treat update of "Dangerous Liaisons." At Briarwood: 12:30 (Thurs. only), 2:40 (Thurs. only), 4:50 (Thurs. only), 7:10 (Thurs. only), 7:20, 9:20' (Thurs. only), 9:30. At Showcase: 10:20, 12:30. Deep End Of The Ocean ** A weepy about a kidnapped boy who returns to his family after 10 years. At Briarwood: 9:30 (Thurs. only). Doug's First Movie The children's TV show comes to the big screen. At Briarwood: 12:10, 2:10, 4:10, 6:40, 9. At Showcase: 12:45, 2:50, 4:50, 6:50, 8:45. EDtv *** The un-Truman film about a man who is in front of the cameras 24/7. At Briarwood: 1:10, 4, 7, 9:40. At Showcase: 1:15, 1:45, 4:15, 4:45, 6:45, 7:15, 9:20, 9:50, 11:50. Elizabeth *** The early years of the Virgin Queen are explored in this costume drama. At State: 1:30 (Sat. & Sun.), 7. Forces Of Nature i A romantic comedy about a man trying to brave some wild weather and get home in time for his wedding. At Showcase: 12 (Fri.-Wed.), 12:20 (Thurs. only), 12:50 (Thurs. only), 2 (Fri.-Wed.), 2:40, 3:10 (Thurs. only), 4:05 (Fri.- Wed.),34:55, 5:25 (Thurs. only), 6:10 (Fri.-Wed.), 7:10, 7:40 (Thurs. only), 9:15 (Fri.-Wed.), 9:40 (Thurs. only), 10:10 (Thurs. only), 11:25. The King And I **I The classic musical about a Eastern king and a Western governess bumping heads becomes a cartoon. At Briarwood: 1, 3:10, 5:15, 7:20 (Thurs. only). At Showcase: 12 noon. The Last Days *** A documen- tary about survivors returning to the concentration camps,rthis film won the Oscar for Best Documentary. At State: 4 (Sat. & Sun. only). Life Is Beautiful **** A touching story of a man who tries to save his son from thehorrors of the Holocaust by turning the experi- ence into a game. At Ann Arbor 1&2: 12:15 (Sat., Sun., Tues.), 2:30 (Sat., Sun., Tues.), 4:45, 7, 9:20. At.Showcase: 12:25, 2:45, 5:15, 7:55, 10:15, 12:25. Lock, Stock, & Two Smoking Barrels *i Despite its poor review, this is a very funny and entertaining crime comedy. At State: 9:30. The Mod Squad **I The late '60s TV show makes it to the big screen, and would have been a contender if it didn't get bogged down by a stu- pid plot. At Briarwood: 12:50, 3, 5:20, 7:40 (except Sat.), 9:50. At Showcase: 1:05, 3:15, 5:20, 7:45, 9:55, 12. The Rage: Carrie 2 ** A less than successful sequel to the 1976 hor- ror classic. At Showcase: 11 (Fri. & Sat. only). Rushmore **** A wonderful comedy about a 15-year old and a millionaire who fall in love with a first grade teacher. At State: 12:15 a.m. (Fri. & Sat. only). Shakespeare In Love **** An enjoyable romantic comedy about Shakespeare falling in love and find- ing his muse. At State: 1:30 (Sat. & Sun.); 4 (Sat. & Sun.), 7:15, 9:45. At Showcase: 12, 2:20, 4:40, 7:05, 9:25, 11:45. True Crime *** A really enter- taining presentation about a reporter trying to save a man from execution while working out his personal problems. At Ann Arbor 1&2: 11:50 (Sat., Sun., Tues.), 2:15 (Sat., Sun., Tues.), 4:45, 7:20, 9:45. At Showcase: 12:15 (Fri.-Wed.), 1:20 (Thurs. only), 4:05 (Thurs. only), 6:40 (Thurs. only), 8:05 (Fri.-Wed.), 9:15 (Thurs. only), 10:25, 12:40. Thursday CAMPUS CINEMA Tango (1998) An Oscar nominee for Best Foreign Language Film, this film follows the progression of this most alluring dance. Michigan Theater, 603 E. Liberty St. 7 & 9:30 p.m. $5.50. MUSIC Stun Gun Glitter, loud guitars and lovely ladies dishing out both! There's more - Queen Bee will be the opening act. How can you resist? Motor, 3515 Caniff, Hamtramck, (313) 369-0080. 10p.m. Train With Jump Little Children. It's at the Pig, its nearby... why not? Blind Pig, 208 S.First, Ann Arbor, 996-8555. 9:30 p.m. $8 Low Indie group here to perform its songs for your enjoyment. What more could a little music fan ask for - well lots more, but settle for this. 7th House, 7 North Saginaw, Pontiac, (248) 645- 6666. 8p.m. $9 Oratorio Studio Recital Vocal stu- dents from Lorna Haywood's class perform oratorio repertory. Britton Recital Hall, E.V. Moore Bldg. 7 p.m. THEATER How I Learned to Drive In a difficult and lyrical play, Paula Vogel exam- ines a sensitive and intelligent girl's discovery of her own identity. Performance Network, 408 W. Washington. 663-0681. 8 p.m. Pay- what-you-can. Orphan Train Michigan play- wright Dennis North tells the tale orphans in the historical Midwest, combining elements of poverty, community, family and hope. Trueblood Theater, Frieze Building. 764-0450. 8 p.m. $14, Students $7, Seven Blowjobs Only seven? Basement Arts presents Mac Wellman's comedy about a group's ineptitude in grasping the concept of a blowjob. This is, however, largely a family production and won't feature what you're thinking. Arena Theater, Frieze Building, 764-6800. 7 p.m. ALTERNATIVES Paul Durcan As part of the University's Visiting Writers Series, noted author will read his poetry. Rackham Amphitheatre, 764-6296. 5 p.m. MFA II Dance Performance Graduating Masters of Dance stu- dents perform solos and present their totally original choreogra- phy. Betty Pease Studio Theater, Dance Bldg. 8 p.m. $5 at the door. The Politics of Humor by Enrique Chagoya Widely known Mexican- Courtesy of Caroline Records Hard rocking contingent Placebo hits the intimate St. Andrew's Stage in Detroit tomorrow night. By Jason Birciuneier Daily Arts Writer Detroit raves have recently become an adventurous weekend activity for University students seeking something extraordinary. A decade ago these extrav- agant dance parties began to occur in Detroit on a small scale. Along with the accompanying electronic music culture, popularity has grown year after year. Only a 45-minute drive from campus, these modem cultural events present an alternative to the mundane repetition of weekend campus life. Some people choose to stay on campus and do a little drinking. Others catch up on their studies or go watch bands play some good old rock 'n' roll. Basically everyone does something to unwind from a stressful week of class. Yet of the various on-campus weekend alternatives, not many are as relieving as a night dancing to electronic music at a Detroit party with anywhere from 500 to 3,000 other people. Ask anyone returning from a Detroit rave about his or her experience and prepare for a poetic tale of adventure and enlightenment. Most parties create an extreme environment unlike anything found in Ann Arbor. An experience such as this will most likely be more memorable than another one of those nights at The Brown Jug reminiscing. So what exactly goes on at these raves that's so fun? For some the appeal can be all-night pill-popping and the use of whatever designer drugs always seem to be on-hand at some raves. For others, it can be the simple thrill of flocking to an illegal party. But for most, going to raves is not about the illegal activity and hard-drugging you've read about and scene on almost every TV channel. And, what is also often overlooked by everyone -most raves are not illegal. Music First year student, Anne Lauckner, serves as a perfect example. When asked about what goes on a rave she described a common myth among students. "I thought it was all about drinking and all about drugs'" she said. Engineering Senior Shane Eaton has been inti- mately involved with Detroit's party scene for years. Recently he has begun throwing parties of his own in Detroit as one half of his company, PLURKids Productions. "That's the first question to come out of everyone's mouth," Eaton said. "The basic question is 'aren't raves just a place to go to get high and do drugs?"' And LSA junior Doris Payer said though raves often offer a clean way to have a good time for many, what really goes on is not what makes it into the. newspapers. "I think it's mostly the media that makes raves out to be these crazy drug-infested orgies with deafening music and strange props like pacifiers and face masks to complete the rituals," Payer said. Another University student involved in Detroit's party scene, LSA sophomore Gabe Sandler, said these myths have become problematic. "The main problem I see with the scene is the judgmental attitude that American people who have not participated in it tend to have," Sandler said. "It's the type of thing you should see for yourself and form your own opinion on." Located in the farthest depths of Detroit's inner city ghettos, some may be hesitant to investigate these non-traditional musical gatherings. Locations don't get revealed until the day of the event and even then directions can only be found on a voice mail record- ing. Tactics such as these help foster an atmosphere of mystery as well as functioning to keep the parties as underground as possible, where only the most courageous dare venture. Once you arrive at the party, park the car and final- ly enter, a whole new world presents itself. "It was kind of dark with minimal lights, loud music, dirty floors, potholes on the way to the party with steam coming out of them," Engineering senior Gary Givental said, referring to his first experience at a Detroit party. Givental found the environment to his liking, moti- vating him to become an aspiring DJ and Eaton's partner in PLURKids Productions. "People are there listening to the music, they're dancing, they're sitting on the floor chilling,"Givental said. "Whatever it is they're doing, it's just a totally different atmosphere. I totally got into it because it was such a friendly environment, like I'd never seen at a concert before. "It totally blew me away because right away you could feel it in the air - you could feel the vibe. That sounds weird to some people but you definitely feel the atmosphere," he said. "After that I wanted to go back. I wanted to hear more - I wanted to learn more about it." Eaton's first experience prompted him to begin throwing parties as part of PLURKids Productions. "This was a whole new experience," Eaton said. "This was an exciting new world. This was me expe- riencing something I'd never experienced before and meeting all these new people. "There were no fights, no belligerent drunken peo- ple, no gangstas walking around trying to be all hard, just fantastic people. The more I got into the music and the more I realized what I love, the more I want- ed to spread this stuff around," he said. Sandler puts this environment - which Givental terms "the classic Detroit feel" - into further per- spective: "A good Detroit party for me requires that two ideals are met. First, the music played there should be aesthetically pleasing in the sense that it's art and beautiful. Second, the crowd should reflect many different types of people there for the same rea- son - the love of fun." Also, the fact that Detroit parties last all night sep- arates them from traditional dance clubs. Since danc- ing can sometimes go from 10 p.m. until noon the following day, most people come dressed more for comfort than glamour. Tennis shoes, comfortable pants and light t-shirts are the norm. Also, don't expect a meat market. This isn't the Nectarine or Rick's. People come for the music, not to fulfill their sexual desires. "You will never ever see a guy freaking a girl at a party, and if you do, you're at the wrong party!" Eaton explained. Depending on the particular party, the music can range from hip-hop to jungle but in Detroit, techno and house music reign as most popular. Usually, most raves have more than one room in order to offer mul- born artist and professor, Chagoya addresses both current events and history, especially relating to Latin American culture. Museum of Art Apse, 7:30 p.m. Free. Friday CAMPUS CINEMA Dazed And Confused (1993) A film about the last day of high school in 1976 and finding ways to get drunk and high. Wa-hoo! State, 233 S. State St. 12 mid. $5.50. Film Farm III (1999) Back for the third time is this festival of stu- dent films. Hosted by Bruce Campbell ("Evil Dead" films, "Brisco County, Junior"). Nat. Sci. 8 p.m. $3. A Simple Plan (1998) One of 1998's best films comes back to the big screen this week. Two brothers and their friend find $4.4 million and plot to keep it. Come for Billy Bob Thortan's Oscar- nominated performance, but stay for Bridget Fonda naked. Michigan Theater, 603 E. Liberty St. 9:30 p.m. $5.50. Tango See Thurs. 7 p.m. MUSIC ------------ Baby Hec Romero Time to rave your sorry ass goodbye. Motor, 3515 Caniff,sHamtramck, (313) 369-0080. 9p.m. $10 Clutch The elephant riders them- selves. Perhaps the group will have more than one long song to play this time. Harpo's, 14238 Harper, Detroit, (313) 8824- 1700. 8p.m. $15 Placebo With lyrics on its hit song going, "A friend in need is a friend indeed, a friend with breasts is bet- ter," sung by the androgynous Brian Molko you know you want to go. St. Andrew's Hall, 431 Congress, Detroit, (313) 961- MELT. 7:30 p.m. $16 Simple Neptune Its the group's CD release party! Go ahead .. support your local music scene, it really needs your help. Or you could just come out to soak up some Ferndale atmosphere. Magic Bag, 22920 Woodward, Ferndale, Mich. (248) 544-3030. 8p.m. $8 Two partiers test out the dance floor at "Comin Fri parties, both legal and illegal are never h ard to flr tiple DJs and genres along with separate chill-oul area away from the booming bass. Since raves do gc until dawYf, people often need a break from the louc music and dancing to hydrate and recharge. Some of the better Detroit raves offer other sorts of entertainment besides just music and people. Professional light shows add an aura of otherworldli- ness to raves, eliminating any remaining mundane elements. Depending on the time of night or the party, light shows can range from near-darkness with carefully positioned strobe lights to all-out barrages of every imaginable color. The sum of these various elements creates a surre- al world capable of overloading one's senses. Being lost in the middle of a strangely lit ocean of youths all reacting wildly to the channeled energy of a DJ's music can become utopia for a hedonistic individual interested in sensory overload. The combination of stimulating environment, forward-thinking music and thousands of peaceful dancing youths continues to convert music lovers of all kinds to party culture. Richie Hawtin, better known as Plastikman, engi- neered some ofthe first and most legendary parties in the history of Detroit. During the past decade, parties such as "Spastik" and "Consumed" are now consid- ered historical events for their ambitious attempt to create surreal environments capable of immersing the partyers, making them forget about the outside world for the night. Held in an early 20th Century temple, "Consumed" needed four floors to accommodate its various environments. The first floor consisted of a gigantic lobby. After ascending the stairs, partyers had the option of entering the main dancefloor 72 feet Stabbing Westward Second industrialC popband playing Flick. Clutch Cargo's, E.Huron, New Pontiac, (248) 2362 8p.m. $16 rate with 65 333- Low fresh from its show the pre- vious night at the Sevent House, Low comes to East Quad's very own Half Way Inn. East Quad. 9 p.m. $5 THEA TER Orphan Train See Thursday. 8 p.m. Seven Blowjobs See Thursday. 7 p.m. How I Learned to Drive See Thursday. 8 p.m. $15, Students $12. A LTERNA TIVES MFA 11 Dance Performance See aJbe idt4gtnIiau g Weekend Magazine Editors: Aaron Rich, Will Weissert Writers: Jason Birchmeier, Steve Gertz, Bryan Lark, Elena Lipson, Alan Photo Editor: Adriana Yugovich Photographers: Louis Brown, Steve Gertz, Adriana Yugovich Cover: Partier Carolina Wheat dances the night away at the "Comin From night. Photo by Adriana Yugovich Arts Editors: Jessica Eaton and Christopher Tkaczyk Editor in Chief: Heather Kamins .. .. _ > n s m a s s a > +# , . M -, ' -h Phone Numbers: Ann Arbor 1 & 2: 761-9700; Briar wood: 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.