8A - The Michigan Daily- Monday, January 24, 2000

Live rocks State
crowd with spiritual

'Normial' makes for
less than brutal TV

perflorman
By Gautam Baksi
Daily Arts Writer
After six weeks of suppressing himself
to hardly a whisper, Ed Kowalczyk final-
ly decided to purge his heart, soul, body
and voice in front of a highly charged
crowd at the State Theatre Friday night.
Sporting a t-shirt with an image of the
Hindu god Krishna, the bald front man of
Live entered the stage with a glass of red
wine in hand, perhaps hoping the wisdom
brought forth by the drink would help
him come closer to attaining nirvana.
Although the show could hardly be con-
sidered as having transcended the human
experience, it was nevertheless filled

Live

State Theater
SJan. 21, 2000

with a bright spiri-
tual and emotional
tone.
The Detroit
concert was origi-
nally scheduled
for November
10th, but mem-
bers of the band
came down with
serious illnesses,
sidelining the tour
for several
months. The new,
revised itinerary
began with the

ce
mation reached a sharp crescendo during
the chorus of the bitter song from
"Throwing Copper," "Shit Town" As
Kowalczyk furiously shook his head
back and forth chanting, "Gotta live,
gotta live, gotta live ... In shit town!" the
crowd broke into an excitable frenzy of
mild moshing and crowd surfing.
Though Live is known to rarely play
cover songs in concert, the surprise of
the night was an honorable performance
of John Lennon's immortal "Imagine"
Hastily, Kowalczyk picked up his guitar
and appeared to close his eyes in con-
centration as he started the song (acci-
dentally?) on its second verse. The care-
ful observer could see that he was actu-
ally reading words off a lyric sheet taped
to the ground.
During a break between songs,
Kowalczyk informed the audience of a
gig earlier in the day at Howard Stern's
birthday party. As a thank-you present
from Stern, Live was given two female
dancers to entertain the band. These
brightly dressed women entered the
stage and gyrated their hips through one
or two songs, but overall did little to add
interest in the show.
Live finished their first set with a solid
rendition of "The Dolphin's Cry." It was
immediately followed by an intensely
emotional yet bizarre "Lakini's Juice,"
throughout which Kowalczyk wrenched
his vocals in controlled, yet powerful
screams of the chorus. After a brief
pause, the band returned for the first of
The first marked a great culmination
of Live's energy. After playing their latest
single "Run to the Water," lead guitarist
Chad Taylor quietly began strumming
the all-too familiar F-Cm-G chord pro-
gression of "Lightning Crashes." The

captivated crowd screamed through the
chorus and even fans in the balconies
stood up and sang along. The song ended
somewhat quickly amidst more body-
surfing and a barrage of lights. However,
Kowalczyk and Taylor whispered orders
to each other, and soon the familiar tune
was resurrected, but with a new beat and
pattern to it. The ploy was highly effec-
tive in marinating the attention of the
largely young audience.
During "I Alone," a smiling
Kowalczyk pulled one of the miscreants
who was body surfing on stage. Once
this blonde, leather suited female joined
the band, another group attempted to rush
the stage. Security was taken off-guard
and over half a dozen other females
joined in. A sarcastically happy Taylor
Not surprisingly, his smile remained with
him throughout the remainder of the
night.
Overall, faults in the concert were
somewhat few and far between. The
audience was not overly energetic or too

Anika Kohon
Daily Arts Writer
"When perception replaces reality,
high school can be brutal," claims the
teaser for the WB's latest foray into
teen life, "Brutally Normal".
When perception replaces reality?
Isn't that universal. truth the very
premise of high school? The first
episode of "Brutally Normal" intro-
duces three best friends, Anna,
Robert and Russell, all searching for
their places at Normal High School.
The focus of the premiere episode
is the three main characters' competi-

DAVID KATZ/Daily
Live lead singer Ed Kowalczyk brought a stellar make-up performance to the State
Theater last Friday night.

mild. This gray zone provided for a solid
show that was kept alive by Kowalczyk's
uncompromising vocals.
However, Live's second encore was
rather lackluster and unnecessary.
Kowalczyk could sense the waning inter-
est of the crowd during the more mellow
tracks as he repeatedly urged the, audi-
ence to dance. Ironically, the band ended
the night with the very soft ballad,
"Dance with Me." By then, most fans
were staring in disbelief that the show
was ending on such an anti-climatic
song. In a surprise move, Kowalczyk
teased the audience with the chorus of
The Verve's "Bittersweet Symphony,"
but took it away by saying "No way!
We're not gonna play that song!"
Overall, the show was well-performed
rest did wonders for the band, as energy
levels were especially high throughout
the night. Nearly six years after their
huge national tour for "Throwing
Copper," these youngsters -have matured
and learned to play a powerful show.

Brutally
Normal
The W B
Tonight at 9
substitute teacher

tion for proper
representation in
the yearbook.
Anna fights with
Lenny (dubbed
Musso-Lenny by
her friend) to
keep an unflat-
tering picture of
herself out of the
yearbook, while
Robert fights to
have a place in
the pages. There
is also Russell's
"tryst" with the
which creates a

easily recognizable high school
stereotypes, but not necessarily a pre-
dictable group of friends. They seem
to have little in common, except their
insecurities. Anna is the aggressive,
intelligent, yet insecure girl, worried
about others' perception of her attrac-
tiveness. Russell is the charming
class clown fixated on sex and needy
for attention, while Robert, more..
commonly called Pooh, is the over-
achiever, known for little more. Time:,
will tell if these three can break free
of their shallow characterizations and
offer audiences more than trite plots
inspired by their simplicity."-,.
Hopefully, the writers will reveal
more humanity and complexity if the
show survives.
Stylistically, the show plays with
"Ally MeBeal" type antics where thiC
characters' thoughts are visually rep=-p
resented, adding to the focus on per-
ception. The writers are keenly aware~
that there can be no reality when pop.p
ularity is based on the brand of youN-
jeans and your reputation hangs in the
balance as your sexual prowess is dii
cussed in the locker room. This is per.
haps the motivation behind the delugex
of shows set in high school. What bet-
ter way to attract audiences than to,.
pander to their insecurities and re..
open their pre-adolescent wounds?
The question remains, though,
whether this show will resonate little.,'
more than the recycled truths about
high school, or if it will set itself
apart from the other ordinary "nor
mal" high school fare.

Detroit concert, which marked the first
of 18 make-up shows in as many cities.
Without great fanfare, the members of
Live came on at 9 p.m. wearing various
shades of sunglasses. Once Kowalczyk
wasted no time in beginning the relative-
ly obscure "Where Fishes Go," the first
song of a long set filled with a very
uneven mix of music from the band's
entire catalog.
Early in the evening, the crowd's ani-

sub-plot that ties in nicely with the
main conflict. The show is actually a
microcosm for the individual charac-
ters' struggles to differentiate them-
selves from the masses. This is what
makes Normal High School just that
- normal.
The three best friends all represent

Scriabin and Russian
Orchestra at Hill


GLOBES
Continued from Page 5A
(Falco for best TV drama actress,
Gandolfini for best TV drama actor),
arrived on-stage to present the award for
best actor in a TV comedy. Michael J.
Fox, who this past week announced that
he would be leaving "Spin City" to
devote his energy to his family and tri-
umphing over Parkinson's disease, took
home the Globe gold. He received a
standing ovation, the first of many
throughout the night.
Hugh Grant appeared next to intro-
duce the first best picture nominee clip,

for "American Beauty," which was nom-
inated for numerous awards. The film,
long considered a front-runner for the
Oscars, walked off with a trifecta of
high-end awards. First-time scribe Alan
Ball received the best screenplay award,
rookie director Sam Mendes picked up
the award for best director (bestowed by
Steven Spielberg) and the film also
received the award for best film drama.
Other film winners included Hilary
Swank for her performance in "Boys
Don't Cry" and Denzel Washington for
the title role in "The Hurricane" In a
major upset over more serious con-
tenders, "Toy Story 2" won for best film

comedy.
Jack Lemmon, a double nominee in
the best TV movie actor category, cov-
ered the spread with his victory for
"Inherit the Wind." "Inherit -the Wind"
lost out to "RKO 281" for best television
movie, while Halle Berry won for her
portrayal of the title character in
"Introducing Dorothy Dandridge."
HBO virtually swept the night with
additional victories in the supporting TV
actress category (Nancy Marchand of
"The Sopranos"), plus a powerhouse
victory in both the TV comedy and
drama sectors with "Sex and the City"
and "The Sopranos."

The remaining film acting awards
went to Janet McTeer of"Tumbleweeds"
for best comedy actress and Jim Carrey
for his comedic performance as Andy
Kaufman in "Man on the Moon."
The Roberto Benigni moment of the
evening occurred when Pedro
Almodovar's "All About my Mother"
won for foreign film. He burbled with
endless enthusiasm and broken English.
At the end of the evening, HBO
emerged the clear winner while
"American Beauty" continued its march
toward the Academy Awards. Although
lacking in the sheer amusement de facto
honor that characterizes the Oscars, the
2000 Golden Globes nearly made up for
it with spontaneous wig-outs by the likes
of Carrey (not to mention Courtney
Love's garbage bag-esque attire). There
are two short months to go before the
real prestige is bestowed, and appetites
have been properly whet for stars, bars
and fancy cars.




By Rosemary Metz
Daily Arts Writer
Russia's storied national past has
included cataclysmic events:
Revolutions, assassinations and spy
intrigues. Russia's artistic and cultural
history, though, is rich with the works of
Tolstoy and Dostoyevsky, in addition to
the music of Tchaikovsky and many
other composers.
Currently, the spotlight shines on the
works of Alexander Seriabin. A com-
plex, multimedia presentation reflecting
the thoughts and
philosophies of
this composer is
being prepared by
Russian The Center for
National Russian and East
Orchestra European Studies
and the University
Hill Auditorium Musical Society.
Tonight at 8 Scriabin, a
complicated and
driven composer,
has been hailed as
a mystical
philosopher.
Scriabin's own
metamorphosis is reflected in his com-
positions. At first, his music is almost
Chopin-esque in the Romantic mode.
His work takes a dramatic turn at his
discovery of a new "nirvana" which
would signal a world regeneration -
not only in Russia, but worldwide.
He predicted a new millennium that
would be ushered in on the waves of his

Spri

Lommeni
Speafr

lent

musical compositions. Believing in this,
new age, Scriabin's vision was to uplift
his audience to the realm of the gods.
Some of these topics, which include
Scriabin's personal and philosophical
changes, will be discussed in the
University's symposium of events.
The symposium highlights the
Russian National Orchestra, conducted
by Mikhail Pletnev, which will perform
"Prometheus: Poem of Fire" at a UMS
concert tonight. This powerful work dra-
matizes Scriabin's perceptions of him-
self as a transcendent being with power-4
ful capabilities. Furthermore, this work
is a call by the composer for civilization
to advance quickly into the new millen-
nium. The work is timeless and yet
time-limited, inviting the listener to
remember the Prometheus legend of
Greek mythology, in which a mortal
wrestled fire from the gods. The listen-
er is also urged to think of the conse-
quences of such an act.
The Russian National Orchestra has
established a berth in the front ranks of
-the orchestras of the world. RNO was
the first orchestra to play at the Vatic,:
and in Israel. This orchestra is free oft
Russian government control, a long:-
held dream of the conductor. Pletne&Z"'
has been the principal conductor of the '
RNO since its inception.
The UMS concert will include two
works of Russian composers,
Tchaikovsky's "Symphony No. 4 in F ,
Minor, Op. 36," and Rachmaninoff's
"Isle of the Dead, Op. 29." Francesk'
Tristano Schlime appears as piano
soloist. Colored lights will add to the
ambiance of Scriabin's work in the sec.
ond half of the concert.
Scriabin's musical and philosophical'
promise ended with the Russian ~
Revolution of 1917. Gone were the
combinations of light, incense and
music as the composer sought to trati't
scend the boundaries of turn of the 19th-
century musical interests. Yet the
remains of this philosophical approach
to music have provided much multi-lay-'-
ered vistas for scholarly pursuit.
As the new millennium begins to
unfold, it is useful to learn about millen-
nial predictions and both their successes'-
and failures. Certainly foremost were
Scriabin's deeply held philosophical
notions of a new age.

al

For En 1

pies

$5.50 with Student ID after 6 pm
$5.25 Late Shows Fri & Sat
No passes or Tuesday discountsa
Unlimited Free Drink Refills & .25t Corn Refills

The Office of the Vice President for Communications
is making a Call for Entries for a Student Speaker at
Spring Commencement.

Saturday, April 29, 2000
9:30 a.m.
Michigan Stadium

The student speaker ach
degree during Winter rm r
2000.
Submit
" Typed draft of s h u
length)' emphasize its
experiences unique t
* Audiocassette taof author reading tL
speech
* Curriculum Vitae resume) highlight
scholarship and can s leadership

m

in
I

ALL SCREENS DIGITAL STEREO
ALL THEATERS STADIUM SEATING
O HURRICANE (R)
1:00, 3:55, 6:45, 9:30
PANGELA'S ASHES (R)
12:30, 3:25, 6:30, 9:25
© DOWN TO YOU (PG-13)
12:50, 3:45, 5:40,.7:35, 9:20
0PLAY IT TO THE BONE (R)
11:55, 2:25, 4:55, 7:25, 9:55
O CRADLE WILL ROCK (R)
1:20,4:00,6:40, 9:10
O GIRL INTERRUPTED (R)
11:10,1:30,4:20,7:00,9:35
0SUPERNOVA (PG-13)
11:30, 1:30, 3:30, 5:30, 7:30, 9:25
Q NEXT FRIDAY (R)
12:00, 2:10, 4:35, 7:00, 9:05
MAGNOLIA (R) 11:55,3:35,7:25
CIDER HOUSE RULES (PG-13)
11:00, 1:30,4:10,6:55, 9:30
GALAXY QUEST (PG)
12:50, 2:55, 5:05, 7:20, 9:2q
TALENTED MR. RIPLEY (R)
11:05, 1:45, 4:25,7:10, 9:50
ANY GIVEN SUNDAY(R) 9:00
STUART LITTLE (PG)
11:00, 1:00, 3:00,5:00,7:05,9:00
BICENTENNIAL MAN (PG)
11:25,5:35, 9:55
DEUCE BIGALOW (R)
1:55,3:45, 8:05
PnCCh Uman irlnn An0%

k

g U-M

STUDENTS WITH
CROHN'S DISEASE
OR
ULCERATIVE
COLITIS
Please join
Dr. Ellen Zimmermann
Assistant Professor of
Gastroenterology,
U of M
For an informal discussion

Questions 1
" Contact Beth Moceri
bmoceri@umich.edu

615-0520 or b mail,

0


a~rM 1

I

0

4