Wednesday, September 8, 1999 - The Michigan Daily - New Student Edition -5C 4~ 'Ii MAKING, A SCENE Diversi of soun s melodfOUs to Aears By Chris Kula Daily Arts Writer If you simply stroll down State St. and listen to the music of passing cars, you'll quickly learn that Ann Arbor is truly a place of musical diversity. Unlike in East MUSIC Lansing, where Commentary seemingly every bass-kickin' Jeep Cherokee is blasting the same Master P song, residents of Ann Arbor are as like- ly to catch the strains of an Indian sitar piece as they are to hear the mellow groove of a Grateful Dead jam. And because of this disparity in musical pref- erences, essentially every genre is repre- sented in Ann Arbor's local band scene. There's something for everybody. The prime venue in which to check out live music in Ann Arbor (of both a local and national variety) is the Blind Pig. Located on Ist St., this intimate bar isjust a short walk from Central Campus and an even shorter distance from the 24-hour leetwood Diner, which is a great place to stop for a quick bite before a show. Furnished with a soothing wood- en dance floor, mirrored walls and a tip- notch sound system, the Pig is one of the nicer club settings you'll find in Michigan. If jazz is quenches your musical thirst, the Bird of Paradise should be your top destination. The epitome of the smoky jazz club of lore, the Bird hosts every- thing from avant-garde rants to big band stomps. Also a big purveyor of tradition- al jazz is the Ark, Ann Arbor's classiest sit-down venue. Located directly in the Main Street central strip, the Ark also hosts a variety of acoustic-based folk and roots-rock acts. And with a capacity of just a couple hundred, there's not a bad seat in the house. Punk aficionados will be appreciative of the Halfway Inn, which can be found in the basement of East Quad. Affectionately known as the Halfass, this after-hours snack bar frequently features a good deal of hard-edged rock, power pop and indie shows. A perfect setting for the folks who loved NOFX but can't stand Rancid. Any number of area coffee shops host acoustic music on the weekends. Espresso Royale Caffe, Cafe Zola and the Gypsy Cafe consistently present tal- ented performers who provide the per- fect aural backdrop for nursing a warm caramel latte. Knowledge of Ann Arbor's live music spots is of little use, though, if you're not aware of the bands that are performing. And since there's never a shortage of groups playing around town, read on for a breakdown of some of the more popu- lar and interesting of the area's local bands. In a college town as liberal and free- thinking as Ann Arbor, you should almost expect to find a band as innova- tive as Poignant Plecostomus (or at least someone intelligent enough to decipher the meaning of their name). The instru- mental band has a sound that can hon- CHRIS CAMPERNEL/Daily Mose Allison .helps create part of Ann Arbor's music scene by playing at the Bird of Paradise. Just a few blocks away from the Bird, an entirely different type of atmosphere can be found at the Blind Pig. estly be described as original, as they blend drums, bass, guitar, Fender Rhodes and electric violin over complex, odd-time compositions that morph into extended, free jazz jams. With their heavy Middle Eastern influence, Plecostamus sounds something like Frank Zappa sitting in with the Mahavishnu Orchestra in an Israeli con- cert hall - and then Bootsy Collins shows up with enough funk to keep the kids grooving. And rest assured: the funk is well rep- resented in Ann Arbor. Bambu, a ten- piece band comprised largely of School of Music students, lays down some wicked grooves, covering tunes by such funk masters as Stevie Wonder, Tower of Power and Prince. From nearby Ypsilanti is Funktelligence, a great live band that blends smooth hip-hop grooves with a psychedelic soul-rock dimension, while the Astro Pimps is a funk-rock trio that is equally influenced by Busta Rhymes as it is by Parliament Funkadelic. There's a good deal of pop/rock out- fits in the Ann Arbor area as well. Leading the way is a student group called the Bottle Prophets. Featuring candy-coated riffs and strong female vocals, the Prophets have been playing together for more than a year and a half (nearly the silver anniversary in band years) and released their first album last spring. Another local group that has been testing the modern rock waters is Sugar Pill, a four-piece Matchbox 20 knockoff. Somewhat humorously, singer Greg Epstein inexplicably feels the need to fully ensconce himself in pink clothing before uttering a single note. That's rock and roll for you, apparent- ly. There sometimes seems to be a sur- plus of blues-based hippie-rock bands touring the frat circuit, playing their share of Phish covers and jamming long into the night. The Porch Band, however, is one of these groups that has potential to rise above the jam-happy masses, thanks to the dynamic keyboard style of LSA sophomore James Sibley IV Other local bands playing in the hemp-woven, improv-rock vein are Smokestack and Ypsilanti's Electric Boogaloo. Consistently drawing large crowds to the Blind Pig is Maschina, an experi- mental avant-rock quartet that features heavily distorted trumpet as its lead instrument. Though the group is now based out of Chicago, Maschina got its start in the University^"s School of Music and still comes through town on a frequent basis. After all, Ann Arbor is always eager to welcome flamboyant frontmen who don pink feather boas on- stage. And, of course, no local band scene would be complete without the now obligatory swing representative. In Ann Arbor's case, it's the 10-piece Imperial Swing Orchestra, a boisterous, horn-dri- ven big band that plays much in the retro-vintage style of Squirrel Nut Zippers. For every band mentioned above, there are at least a dozen more that are jamming out in frat basements, dorm lounges or School of Music practice rooms, working toward the day in which they will emerge as players in the Ann Arbor music scene. The music is out there. Take a stroll and have a listen. Psst! Wanna catch a concert on the cheap By Jonah Victor Daily Arts Writer One of the best-kept live-music secrets in Ann Arbor is right here on campus. Buried in the East Quad basement is the Halfway Inn, a snack bar by day, on Friday and Saturday nights it becomes an eclectic music club more commonly known as The Halfass. The Halfass (Halfway Inn is the rarely used official name) is an intimate and informal venue with a graffiti decor that has covered its walls longer than many students have been alive. Inside, thanks to a group of University students, a variety of bands from around the nation and around Michigan can be seen up close for a small fee. The shows are produced by the East Quad Music Co-op. The EQMC is open to all students regardless of class, residence or school, and meets biweekly to plan concerts. The EQMC rarely needs to search out musicians - the group is bombarded weekly by requests from bands from Los Angeles to New York "We have everything from hip-hop to metal'" said RC sophomore Adam Arola, a co-director of the EQMC. The Co-op also presents experimental, punk and ska, some of which comes from local and student bands. On average, about half the concertgoers are University students. The rest come from Ann Arbor, Detroit and other colleges. The largest turnout last year was for the ska-reggac band Aks Mama, but hip-hop shows tend to attract more University stu- dents. Michigan State University student Dave Bordoley frequently drives down to see his favorite bands play. He had worked with the Michigan State coun- terpart of the Halfway Inn, but felt that East Quad had a better program. "The shows are better and the venue is infinitely. cooler," Bordoley said. Bands like the Halfway Inn because they can do things that they would not ordinarily do at commer- 1in vfmn,,z t.Tb0 n naf lhmnnnrP Hnflniom tbOC' A HALFASS EFFORT Want to see who's coming to the Halfass? Click your way to www.umich.edu.-eqmc. Want to be on that schedule? e- mail the East Quad Music Co-op at eqmc@umich.edu. GYGA, who headlined one of several benefit con- certs the EQMC sponsors. GYGA is a novelty satanic-grindcore band whose members include the singer from the popular ska- rock band Telegraph as well as the former drummer of the nationally famous Suicide Machines, who often spit streams of fake blood while playing. Thoughts of lonesco is a metal-punk band fea- tuired at the 1990 Warned Tour 11