ARTS Sunday, June 10, 1984 Page 7 The Michigan Daily Simple Minds blast music By Larry Dean F RIDAY NIGHT'S show at the Michigan Theatre couldn't have been more of a study in opposites; for, while both China Crisis and headliners Simple Minds claim home turf in the pop realm, the differences in how they presented their material were star- tingly apparent. China Crisis took the stage fairly close to the appointed hour of 8 p.m. This was swell, since I, as least, am get- ting tired of the small-club shows that start late and end even later, all for the sake of selling as much booze as possible. Most traveling performers woulld like to grab a few extra winks between gigs, too, so the promptness of Friday's show was heartening. The bandmembers seemed to take this time lag too seriously, though, by proceeding to sleep through their entire set! Granted, the fellows were probab- ly quite bushed after flying stateside from their native Liverpool to "do" America, but I found their sweetly- snoozeable presence dull. Even repealed squeals from nuwaved-up, gyrating groupies couldn't rouse the guys; they played each song like a special variation of the Muzak theme, keeping themselves in check throughout, and when the tumultous applause died out, I just knew they were backstage, forsaking an encore to take quick catnaps before once again hitting the stage. Sweet dreams, C.C.! The Michigan was abuzz with an- ticipation for Scotland's tartan- heritaged Simple Minds. A number of fans were seen in the lobby, celebrating beer co-promoter Miller Highlife, splashing their faces to wake up, and wearing the gleeful smiles of those sporting a secret. So it was no surprise when "Shake Off the Ghosts," from DOUG McMAHON/Daily Lead singer, Jim Kerr, of Simple Minds showed he is a clear thinker, after all, in the bands concert at the Michigan Theater Friday night. Sparkle in the Rain, blasted over the PA, and everybody got on his feet, eyes glued to the drawn curtain, waiting. After vocalist Jim Kerr gave a jovial "hello!" to the drapery, it parted effor- tlessly to the live-in strains of "East At Easter," also from Sparkle. "Easter" is a rather odd choice for an opener, in that it's more controlled and intense than some of the others; and aren't raucous beginnings the thing of rock 'n' roll? Nonetheless, Simple Minds made their motivations clear by beginning with four minutes of tightly-wound See SIMPLE, Page 11 Streets of Fire' doused By Byron Bull STREETS OF FIRE finds director/writer Walter Hill still trudging through the same old thematic territory. This "Rock and Roll Fable", like Mr. Hill's other work, The Warriors, The Long Riders, and Southern Comfort, is another load of mock heroism and mythic pretentions in the John Ford school of indulgence. Those familiar with Mr. Hill's forgettable The Warriors will note this as little more than an expensive remake. But while Mr. Hill's budget is larger this time around, his scope is still annoyingly myopic. Hill's frontier setting here is an unnamed, sprawling urban graveyard. A decaying megalopolis of crumbling buildings covered in inches of soot, under a perpetual night. Essentially it's Ridley Scott's Blade Runner landscape sans the retrofitting. The sole inhabitants seem to be under the age of 21 (but for the obligatory adults in authority roles).who have the city broken up into little bits of turf. Interestingly, everything is designed in a funky mixture of '50s nostalgia and what one supposes Hollywood considers "new wave" fashion. The kids sport greased back pompadours and bobby socks, the cars are wild cartoon exaggerations with massive grills and swooping curves. Into the scene comes the protagonist, Tom Cody (Michael Part). He's the classic hero icon from a mile away. A brooding loner with handsome carved features and sensitive eyes, he rides into town in a glistening maroon convertible with a Winchester gripped in his right hand. He's back after a stint in the army (much as gunslingers once rode back into town from the Civil War) and he's here to find the woman he ran away from and tried to forget. The woman is Ellen Aim (Diane Lane), a rock singer of virtually demogogue popularity, whose preoccupation with her career alienated Cody years before. Only she's gone, been kidnapped by a gang of black leather bikers called The Bombers. No one else is about to go after her, because of Rave (William Defoe) the pale skinned but imposingly muscular head punk who is the movie's warrior brave. To rescue her, Cody and his gravel voice, butchy female sidekick McCoy (Amy Madigan) have to infiltrate the Bombers lair deep within a gargantuan factory complex. It's like entering Indian plains, those who go in never come out. Walter Hill and his collaborator, Larry Gross, reputedly banged out this screenplay within a matter of weeks. It shows. What they have is strictly B-movie material, a pastiche of apocalyptic sci-fi, westerns, and biker movies all rolled sloppily together. The story is predictable to its death, devoid of even one surprising plot twist or subplot. See 'STREETS', Page 10 Medieval auditions You could be a star in this sum- mer's Medieval Festival! The Ann Arbor Medieval Festival is looking for actors, clowns, dancers, jugglers, musicians, puppeteers, and storytellers to perform in the fair this August. Set designers, backstage crews, and prop people are also needed. On Monday and Tuesday, the 11th and 12th, at 7:30 p.m./ the festival organizers will be running an orien- tation and holding try-outs for the plays at the Performance Network at 408 W. Washington (663-0681). The Medieval Festival comes to life each summer during the first two weekends of August. The fair, which is free to all, is held outdoors in the Ann Arbor city parks and at the University's School of Music. The festival has a medieval theme and includes music, theater, dance and crafts from the Middle Ages. This summer a comedy, a farce, and a mystery play are planned, for which actors are needed. For those people interested in dan- cing, the festival organizers will be training people in court and country dancing, and for those who want to be musicians, the organizers will be helping in the selection of medival music. -Jeff Frooman