Defining words Steven Pinker discusses what makes language. Pinker will be at Shaman Drum to talk about his new book "Words and Rules: The Ingredients of Language." 8 p.m UZte idcigan lkig LRT Tomorrow in Daily Arts: Read Daily Arts for a review of Saturday's performance by the Buena Vista Social Club. Friday October 29, 1999 5 .Harper summits Hill with lively, energetic show By Christopher Cousino Daily Arts Eitor "This is close. We are close," mused the beautiful, soft-spoken frontman dur- ing the first pause between songs in Wednesday night's show, "I'm digging it"As for the audience - well, they dug it too. Beforea packed, energetic crowd at 'ill Auditorium, the genuine Ben Harper gave a definitive performance Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals Hill Auditorium Oct. 27, 1999 that spoke loud and clear to those listening - Harper is one hell of a musician. Spanning over two hours and two encores, Harper played through countless instru- ment changes and styles, ranging from bluegrass, funk, blues and rock to Motown and even grunge. box and John Lennon looks in tow, Mr. Harper and the Innocent Criminals, com- prising of drummer Dean Butterworth, percussionist David Leach and bassist Juan Nelson, set down to play. And play they did. After a exciting opening of the smooth, fresh groove of crowd favorite "Gold To Me," Harper melded right into the loud bass and funk guitar of another classic "Fight For Your Mind." Midway through, Nelson began to shake and bop to the beat, which lead poetically into a five-minute fusion of various chromatic bass patterns. Nelson owned this song and the rhythms of the crowd as he sauntered from stage right to left, playing directly to the cheering stu- dents in the front rows. After briefly acknowledging the close- ness of the crowd, the band eased into the first song of the show from their latest release, "Burn To Shine," with "Forgiven." Harper's quiet acoustic gave way to an explosion of the loud, abrasive guitar driven chorus. In slowing the opening of the show, Harper took a moment to speak with the audience - yet it was simply to give a generous, poignant recognition of all the people that made the show possible, from the stage manager to the bus driver to the Innocent Criminals, before getting back to business. Harper's genuine nature as a musician comes not just in his evident urgencv to play music rather than talk and bull shi t about nonsense but in his intense, pained screams in such songs as "Please Bleed" or his slick twang of double guitar in the rock swing of "Burn To Shine." While much of the show focused on songs of their latest album, Harper and the Innocent Criminals couldn't let such favorites as "Burn One Down" and "Oppression" go unheard. With the light whimsical acoustic guitar of "Down," cheers of recognition rang out at Leach's hip, rolling drum beats. The excited, grooving crowd eventually joined Harper in singing the fun chorus. Midway through the show, the rhyth- mic poetry of "Oppression" drew an even larger response from the audience as Leach and Nelson stepped forward on stage, Leach carrying the trademark hand drum and Nelson forging an under- current of rhythm with a pair of shakers. As Harper bellowed a loud scream, the band edged into a surprising rendition of Bob Marley's "Stand Up For Your Right." Rising faster and faster, Leach led the song into a climax of moving drum rhythms and patterns. While moments like this exposed the wonderful live energy of the band, at times the show became disjointed - certain energetic songs lacked the energy they should have, evident as the crowd dropped to their chairs during the overly loud guitars of "The Woman In You" or the more annoying "Less." But Harper didn't sway in the least, finishing the show with the upbeat folk ditty, "Steal My Kisses" In his simple black T-shirt, he left the chair for the first time of the show and danced with Leach, Nelson and human beatbox Nick Rich. Leaving the stage for only three min- utes, Harper returned to play a beautiful solo acoustic set for an encore. Alongside the passionate "Roses From My Friends" came a version of Pearl Jam's "Indifference" that was very- close-but-not-quite Eddie Vedder. However, the encore turned tired -and began to wane as it ran long once the fifth song strummed around. Yet again, Harper and the Innocent Criminals stepped on stage for one final surprise - an exciting, hip rendition straight "for Michigan and Detroit and Motown." The excited crowd danced and sang as Harper did his best Marvin Gaye with "Sexual Healing." Following up with the show closer, a cover of the Jimi Hendrix tune "Manic Depression," Harper slapped the hands of his fans and paused to acknowledge his art with a slap of his guitar before he left the stage. Treating the audience with a musical whirl of lap guitar slides and the gentle care and intensity of his vocals, Harper sat atop his holy chair center stage to per- *orm as an artist, not a rock star, not an entertainer, but a full fledged musician DANA LI'NANL/Uaiy The vocal stylings of Ben Harper soar onstage at Hill Auditorium. - and one who's backed by an out- Entering the darkened stage about 20 standing group of musicians otherwise minutes after middle-of-the-road opener known as the Innocent Criminals. Joseph Arthur left with his guitar, beat- Enjoyable After Life' ponders memories By Erin Podolsky Daily Arts Writer "After Life," a Japanese film whose subtitles should not deter audiences, offers an Eastern version of Dante's Purgatorio in the form of a post-death bureacracy of sorts. We live; we die; and then we go to this middle place, this state of limbo, where we must select a single memory to carry forth with we to the after-after life. After Life At Michigan Theater enough to keep our We have three days to decide. No more than one memory, for that is all we will know for eternity. It's a fascinat- ing concept, this idea that all our past is forgotten save one, perfect recollection that will assign life some meanning after it has con- cluded. But con- cept alone is not r attention. Luckily, current crop of 22 people (a new group of travellers arrives each week) describe in rich detail their one memory. That is, if they can choose; some cannot, or some need to be reminded that there does exist that one incident which can validate an entire lifetime. These inter- views are funny and touching, told with such feeling and sweet wistfulness that had the whole film been nothing but interviews with hundreds of people about their best memory, it still would have been successful. The staff of this intermediate depot between life and death have their own stories to tell, as well. It doesn't take a genius to figure out why they're there, why they have not moved on to single memory oblivion and by the film's end one of their rank has achieved peace. Their job is a challenge, though. They must help the undecided find their one memory, and then they must recreate it on film. It is not always easy. Sometimes the memory depends on a mere smell or a slight taste. Sometimes the details of the memory do not match what is available in reality. Although everyone here is dead, they are subject to the rules - and the emotions - of life. Most of the dead choose a childhood Courtesy of Artistic License Films "After Life" and its cast have enjoyed worthy success in the film festival circuits. Courtesy of Birgit ad in beautiful, crafted costumes, Sakai Juku dancers work in the art of Butoh. ukupoers c ak conventionsindance.V.. memory, which speaks to the innocence that we all seek to reclaim after the hard truths we face later in life. A teenager first chooses Splash Mountain at Disneyland as her memory; when her interviewer mentions that several dozen people have chosen that exact memory during her tenure, the girl reconsiders. Being forced to choose just one really makes us think about the things that are important that happen to us. I sat in "After Life" and ran over my own short life as these people did simultaneously before me. It's an impossible task.. Could I choose a day, a week, a feeling? The rules aren't specific. There aren't ten commandments of memory. The technical achievements of "After Life,' aside from the documentary-like interludes, are numerous. Shot with a very mobile camera and processed with lots of grain, the movie seems almost a guerilla musing on life after death. It's not so much that it was made on the cheap as made on the realistic. "After Life" moves along at a leisure- ly pace through its subject matter, and although certain portions sag, the over- all effect is one of profound introspec- tion on our lives - and deaths. '"After Life" is a cinematic gem that has a lot more to offer. A large segment of the film is shot in documentary interview style, as the By Adlin Roshi Daily Arts Writer * The Sankai Juku troupe's perfor- mance at the Power Center this past Wednesday was a performing arts experience that went beyond conven- tions. Sankai Juku's artistic director, Usio Amagatsu, and his dancers showcased the expressive art form called Butoh. Butoh is a neo-Japanese art form that came about from Japan's post-war eneration in the '60s as a result of at generation's search to define itself as Japanese in the midst of the flood of Sankai Juku Power Center Oct. 27, 1998 western influ- ence and culture that was stream- ing into the counp- try. Elements of other, more familiar, Japanese per- forming art forms, such as Kabuki, were obvious through the show. But Butoh, unlike the colorful Kabuki est finger vibration with the moody musical score. The second segment, "Seed - Like A Ripple," was possibly the only piece that had a cheerful feel to it. The circle on the middle of the stage was lit by filtered lights to make it appear like a water surface. Only three of the dancers performed this piece and they did so wearing what appeared to be white dresses. The sways and moves performed at times made them look almost like sea weed following the flow of water in the ocean. The rest of the pieces were closer in feel to "From Hiyomeki," since they shared a similar somber atmosphere. Speaking of atmosphere, the sound- track score to the performance was a sonic tapestry of dark moods that per- fectly complemented the morose pieces (with the exception of the cheerful sounding score to "Seed - Like A Ripple"). Each song was enjoy- able on its own and was very adven- turous in its progression and changes. The undoubted stars of the show were, of course, the dancers them- selves. They genuinely haunting from mere appearance. They did not speak at all and the only emotions they expressed throughout their routine were that of longing, desperation, acquiescence and, at times, mild bitter- ness. This of course lent well to the overall mood conveyed. After the final piece for the night. "Toward Hiyomeki," the Sankai Juku dancers had completely won the hearts of its Ann Arbor crowd. The dancers were rewarded with a standing ova- tion. This would have been the cus- tomary time when performers would U U Communicator. 4 F Innovator. Strawberry lover. ..Passion, energy and creativity are uniquely pervasive at Apple. I'm fascinated by the brand, attracted by the open culture, and I love my strawberry iMac." Lorraine Human Resources www . apple.Corn/jos Meet Apple employees and be the first to hear about our new products and technologies. Information Session November 1st Be sure to drop by your Career Placement Center for time and location. performances, is a minimal art form in appearance and movements. The Sankai Juku troupe based all its pieces around a large circle on the middle of Ohe stage that fit perfectly inside a cir- cular rail that was elevated and manip- ulated depending on the segments per- formed. The five clean shaven male dancers were also clad in very simple robe-like outfits, painted chalk white and appeared eerily mannequin-like. The theme of Wednesday night's