The Michigan Daily - Wednesday, February 9, 2000-- 9 ARTS *Solar gears up for two year Piganversary By Joshua Taafe For the Daily Solar, an innovative night in electronic music pre- sented by Intuit Productions, is celebrating its two-year anniversary tonight with a special party at the Blind Pig featuring Kenny Larkin and Carl Craig performing on four turntables. And as if this weren't enough, Solar will also feature the Detroit Grand Pubahs performing live. (The DGP are responsible for the recent hit "Sand- wiches"). Carl Craig has promised that "This will be the first definitive breakthrough in electronic DJ cul- ture at the first definitive event of the 21 st Century." Whether this is an allusion to Richie Hawtin's recent "Decks, EFX and 909 mix" CD and a hint that Larkin and Craig have something equally groundbreaking in store or a tongue in cheek acknowledgement that the four turntable set up is nothing new at all remains to be seen. What can be guaranteed, however, is that the audi- ence will hear quality music from these two pioneering producers of electronic music. * Larkin and Craig are both considered leading artists in this 'second wave' of influential techno producers. While this is a somewhat reduced perspective on the facts, it does accurately indicate that Larkin and Craig are both artists of long standing merit and importance. Larkin met up with Plus 8's Richie Hawtin and John Gems production plays Frieze By Jim Schiff Daily Arts Writer The Arena Theater is proud to present the Basement Arts production of "Dusa, Fish, Stas, and Vi." Written by Pam Gems and directed by Cara Gabriel, this ensemble cast of Uni- Dusa, Fish, $tas and Vi Arena Theatre Tomorrow at 8 versity students is sure to please the audience. "Dusa, Fish, Stas, and Vi" tells the story of four women leading very differ- ent lives. Dusa combats her husband and international law to reclaim her children. Fish, an aristocratic British woman, is caught between her work and her ability to love a man. In order to obtain her degree inmarine biology, Stas works as a call girl. Finally, Vi struggles just to stay alive. Though all the women are selfish, they remain good friends. "Each woman has a different experience, and every audience member will react to them in the 1970's, Gems' play discusses topics that are still relevant today. "Dusa, Fish, Stas, and Vi" is considered groundbreaking because it plunges into controversial feminist issues, such as the ways that women live their lives in comparison to the "tra- ditional" woman's role. It also explores how a woman chooses a career over love. This material allows student actresses to explore substantial parts. Gabriel said, "It's difficult for female actors to find really great roles, and here they do." This play marks the University directorial debut for first- year Ph.D. in theatre studies student Gabriel. Since her under- graduate studies at Middlebury College in Vermont, she has directed numerous productions, such as "Laughing Wild" and "For Colored Girls." Additionally, Gabriel has adapted Shake- speare's "The Tempest" and "A Midsummer's Night's Dream' Considering the future, she'd eventually like to teach Summer Stock at a small liberal arts college. She said, "I'd like to go back and work with the students that I've grown with as an artist, and continue to grow with those people" Amidst the social conflicts of the 1970's, "Dusa, Fish, Stas, and Vi" emerged as a strong woman's voice: Challenging tradi- tional roles and personal morals. This play will weave these heartfelt stories with the creative direction of Gabriel, creating a timeless masterpiece. different ways," Gabriel said. Written at the peak of the Women's Liberation Movement in Wiseman continues career Acquaviva at the Solar Anniversary The Blind Pig Tonight at 9L30 p.m. before falling into Shelter club in Detroit and soon began producing for their label before moving on to record for Derrick May's Transmat. He has recorded albums for Warp in the UK and Belgium's Elypsia. Dark Comedy's "7 Days" on Elypsia contains some tracks which blend atmospheric synth tweaks and del- icate percussion while others are relentless rhythmic workouts. The result is a dark and brooding album with occasional moments of violence and beauty. Larkin eventually started his own imprint Art of Dance' but the label only released three great twelve inches silence. Since that point in time, Kenny Larkin spins sweet grooves at the Blind Pig, Larkin incorporated the tribal funk of Jeff Mills' "Skin Deep" EP, the crazy live drum sounds of Design- er Music's "Good Girls" and the lush melodic strings of Robert Hood's "Duet 01," as well as house flavors ranging from the animated piano keys and vocal refrain of Cricco Castelli's "Life is Changing" to Latin vocals and the rhythm is rhythm classic "Kaos." Larkin moved through the tracks with energy and enthusiasm, pulling off both long blends and rapid transitions. He also made good use of the cross-fader and EQ to add dynamism and energy to the mix. The crowd left the dance-floor sweaty and satisfied. Like his contemporary Larkin, Carl Craig needs lit- tle introduction. From the alien beauty of "Kaotic Har- mony" (an early track produced with Derrick May) to the emotion drenched techno jazz fusion of last years "Programmed" (recorded as part of the Innerzone Orchestra) Craig's work has consistently been on the cutting edge of electronic music. Craig also runs Plan- et E recordings which continues to present the world with quality work from both established artists and fresh talent. Their roster includes Moodymann, Com- mon Factor, Recloose and Mike Clarke among others. During his renowned live performances, Craig plays quality music regardless of the tempo and no matter what people are expecting. His live set as Paperclip People retained the energy and impact of the original tracks while introducing new elements and crowd interaction. Solar promises to be an event both for the techno and house connoisseur and for those seeking an intro- duction into the world of electronic music. Techno and house are musical forms that are largely misrepresent- ed in the media and misunderstood by the majority of people. The unsophisticated commercial sounds of the UK club scene are generally focused on the detriment of the deep, complex and soulful sounds of true Detroit techno and deep house. Carl Craig and Kenny Larkin are two artists who have consistently produced beauti- ful music and who are guaranteed to provide a true sample of the qualities that electronic music has to offer. The Baltimore Sun Many years ago, the legendary documentarian Frederick Wiseman wrote a screenplay for a feature film based on Anne Tyler's novel "Celestial Navigation." He was quite taken by Jeremy, Tyler's tragi- cally withdrawn central character, an artist who created sculptures from everyday objects. Wiseman is self-aware enough to recognize why he was drawn to the character. Through 30 documen- taries over the last 33 years, no American filmmaker has devoted more of his art to the everyday than Wiseman. The films have been shot in such diverse settings as a prison for the criminally insane, an inten- sive care unit, a welfare office, a public housing project and a monastery. Together, his documen- taries may well create a fuller and more vivid portrait of American life during the latter half of the 20th century than the works of any other artist - working in any medium. In his meticulous, unblinking record- ing of the everyday, Wiseman has captured the complexity of contem- porary existence, a rare accomplish- ment in popular culture. "His films take you on a phenom- enal journey," says Barbara Kopple, an Oscar-winning documentary filmmaker. "And the way they do that is by putting you in the middle of incredibly intimate scenes of life, be they difficult or heartbreaking or funny. For me, what Fred does is the most penetrating, moving and truth- ful way of making films." Wiseman never did make that Anne Tyler movie, he said one recent frigid afternoon in the remote coastal commu- nity in Maine that is the subject of his latest film. He was sipping pineapple juice in a quiet restaurant while in a movie house two doors down, a local audience was getting a sneak preview of"Belfast, Maine." "In the language of Hollywood, it was too soft, which meant that it was not commercial," Wiseman said. "But I also didn't want to take the three- or four-year slog that it would take to get it done because in those three or four years I could make more documentaries. Making documentaries is fun, and I don't have to get involved with hassles with a lot of other people." There's much to deconstruct in that statement, much that is essential to Wiseman's career. In a medium that requires the raising and spending of other people's cash, Wiseman has man- aged a degree of autonomy and control almost unparalleled in documentary filmmaking. He has made the films he wanted to make, without giving thought to commercial viability. "So far, I've had the freedom to do what I want," he says. "I've never done a subject that anybody else wanted me to do or asked me to do. I've been able to maintain my independence." "So far" is a long time in Wise- man's case. lie turned 70 recently, an elfin-looking figure, slightly hunched at the shoulders with stringy hair that is still sandy-col- ored and ungovernable. For an artist renowned as uncompromising, Wiseman is a man of warmth who seems willing to give thoughtful consideration to any question. Wiseman is at work editing his 31st film, the subject of which he won't dis- close Wiseman grew up in relative afflu- ence in Boston, which is still his home. His mother was the administrator of a child psychiatric ward and his father a lawyer active in Jewish philanthropic causes. Before "The Follies," as he calls it, Wiseman, a graduate of Yale Law School, was launched on a career teaching law. And he was unhappy. "I had gone to law school and didn't like it. Didn't like it is an understatement. I hated it. I reached 30 and figured 1 should do something I liked." Although "Belfast" is filmed in the splendor of a Maine autumn, it is no tourist promotion, as its citizens discov- ered at the preview. The film portrays a town of surprising diversity, but also of mind-numbing drudgery in the work- place. As in all his films, Wiseman shot far° more footage than viewers see. He says he never films with an audience in mind. "The moment you start to think about an audience in those terms you get involved in the traditional Holly wood business of diluting material to match your fantasy of what constitutes the lowest common denominator, and I have no interest in doing that, apart from the fact that I have no idea how to do it." Larkin has reportedly been concentrating on DJing around the globe as well as his career in stand up come- dy. Larkin appeared at Detroit's Motor Lounge on Satur- day the 29th of January and while his lack of recent recorded output is disappointing, his live DJing delivers on all fronts. With the dark interior of the club was spo- radically illuminated by swathes of red and blue light thrown off by the clubs lights, Larkin approached the turntables to the tune of his classic track 'War of the OWorlds' (dropped by his brother who DJed just before him). The propulsive rhythm and ethereal strings incit- ed excitement on the dance floor - excitement that Larkin didn't let go to waste. His solid two' hour set moved from the classic disco of Donna Summer's "I Feel Love" to the percussive intricacy of Plastikman's "Spastik." READ DAILY ARTS FIVE DAYS A WEEK. OR READ US ONLINE. MICHIGANDAILY.COMIARTS a U Join the Internet Revolution! TV and the nternet will never be the same! Be part of it - and change the way that millions of people communicate, learn, and play. Excite@Home, located in the San Francisco Bay Area, is the leader in high-speed Internet services and applications. Not to mention the leader in broadband technology development with 75% ownership of the consumer broadband market. And best of all, we're coming to campus. Powered by two of Silicon Valley's best success stories, Excite@Home is creating a global media network that allows people to communicate, conduct business, gain information and perform transactions. So what's in it for you? For starters, Excite@Home is on a mission - to revolutionize the way people use the Internet. Grandiose? Perhaps. 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