The Michigan Daily -- luesday, July 10, 1984 -- Page I1
R.E.M.: R apid Ear Movement
By Larry Dean
W HAT BETTER metaphor could
there be for the R.E.M./Dream
Syndicate double bill Sunday night at
the Royal Oak Music Theater than the
fact that the ceiling started to collapse
near the end of R.E.M.'s final encore?
Yes, it was truly a bring-down-the-
roof kind a night, at least for Athens
finest. However, the Dream Syndicate
didn't fare so well, at least with the
staid audience. Opening their set with a
flourish of classically-flavored piano
played by non-member Tom Zvon-
check, they segued into "Tell Me When
It's Over," from their debut album, The
Days of Wine and Roses, which brought
whoops of satisfaction from Dream
Syndicate fans in the audience.
But it was tough keeping both the fans
and the newcomers interested. Many
audience members got up and walked
out during their brief opening set, either
bored by the Syndicate's wall-of-sound-
like compositions, or else disgusted by
their tattered togs and hippie-era hair-
dos. It's actually quite amazing to con-
sider that this is the same band that
played Joe's a little over a year ago,
albeit with one new member-their
overall sound and look have changed so
drastically, that it was almost like
seeing a different band.
The Dream Syndicate played a
generous assortment of songs from
their new LP, The Medicine Show, the
first for A&M Records since leaving in-
dependent label Ruby. Fortunately,
they chose most of the -best ones.
"Merritville" sounded very
Springsteen-like, a surprising aural an-
nouncement considering the adroit Bob
Dylan and Velvet Underground in-
fluences all over Wine and Roses.
"The Medicine Show" and "Armed
With An Empty Gun" showed the Syn-
dicate's forte of guitar-heavy music in
full-swing, with lead guitarist Karl
("call him Pagoda") Precoda standing
stage-front, reeling off Marshall-
stacked riffs as effortlessly as he swit-
ched guitars. And vocalist/writer Steve
Winn sang his most impassioned on
"Still Holding On To You."
Much as I enjoyed the musical
changes made by the Dream Syndicate,
their newer, tighter approach was
somewhat discerning. Originally
famous for playing impromptu covers,
rearranging sets at a moment's notice,
and getting off on feedback-fattened,
set-long jams, their seriousness at
Royal Oak was downright distracting.
Unfortunately, Steve Wynn isn't a very
spectacular presence when he tries too
hard to play the "rock 'n' roll singer
personified", either, so by the time they
finished their set and abruptly exited, I.
was relieved, somewhat surprised, and
curious about what path they choose to
follow - sloppy fun or pristine
songsmithing.
Tacky as it sounds, the night
belonged to R.E.M. As the lights went
down, the capacity crowd filtered up to
the isles with hope of getting a better
view of Athens, Georgia's power-
popsters. The crowd screamed wildly
as the four musicians came on stage,
but quickly hushed when'the launched
into a short, pretty version of the Velvet
Underground's "Pale Ble Eyes." Then,
without even allowing a lull to set in,
they tore into "Radio Free Europe," off
*of Murmur.
The rest of the night, R.E.M. pumped
out energy and sweat in every song,
only letting up on occasion. In the cour-
se of their set, they played songs to
satisfy every R.E.M. fan's fan-
tasy-"Letter Never Sent," "Harbor-
coat," "Seven Chinese Brothers," and
"Little America," from reckoning,
plus, of course, the ubiquitous "hit
single" (as vocalist Michael Stipe an-
nounced), "So. Central Rain," with its
gloriously impassioned chorus of, I'm
Sorry. Murmur was equally well-
represented, with highlights like "We
Walk" (a jaunty pop ditty),
"Catapault," and "Talk About the
Passion."
The encores were special occasions
unto themselves. The best songs from
Chronic Town were represen-
ted-"Gardening At Night,"
"1,000,000," and the finale, "(Carnival
of Sorts) Boxcars," where guitarist
Peter Buck wore his love for Pete
Townsend-styled acrobatics on his
sleeve, but that wasn't all.
For their first return trip, drummer
Bill Berry and bassist Mike Mills
treated the audience to their special
rendition of the classic "Barney Miller
Theme," while Stipe remained in the
wings, and Buck did push-ups to the
funky beat.
Then, the second time out, Stipe gave
a hokey "apology" to the audience, ex-
cusing himself from blame for "what's
about to happen." Buck announced it
was time for their Detroit cover, and
the band delivered a primative stab at
Brownsville Station's "Smokin' in the
Boy's Room," with most of the lead
vocals by Mills, who knew the words,
whereas Stipe didn't! For shame.
R.E.M. has certainly moved up in the
eyes of the critics and the record-
buying populace-as I recall, they, too,
played at Joe's about two years ago,
with a very minimal crowd on hand. I
don't think a place even as conser-
vatively-sized as Royal Oak could cap-
ture the heat and spunk of an intimate
hole-in-the-wall show, but the band that
played Sunday night sure knew how to
get their energetic presence across.
I only hope that, as with the Dream
Syndicate, their climb continues
uphill, and that they don't disintegrate
into the platinum void of sports arena
dinosaur rock. It would be sad to see
such verve gone to pot.
Michigan Daily
-rts
763-0379
A "©ARBOR
y INDIVIDUAL THEATRES
5* A"'w b" T"**
$1.75 TUESDAY ALL DAY
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THE FUNNIEST
FRENCH FILM
SINCE 'LA CAGE
AUX FOLLES
-Richard Freedman
NEWHOUSE NEWSPAPERS
PIERRE GERARD
RKHARD DEPARDIEU
A film by FRANISVEBER
The Day the Earth Stood
Still
(Robert Wise, 1951)
This classic sci-fi flick bears a vital
message to the Star-War-mongers of
today: Don't play with nuclear
Campus
films
weapons. Klatu and Gort also decry
self-righteous nationalism and
hysterical ignorance. Heavy and fun;
the space ship looks like a Raymond
Loewy original. Klatu bar ada nicto.
Remember that if you run into an in-
vincible space being in an alleyway.
(Friday, July 13; MLB 3,7/30)
Invasion of the Body
Snatchers
(Don Siegal, 1956)
Pods from outer space, fluoridated
water - Commie plots? Decide for
yourself at this schmaltzy horror
classic. Psychosis turns to paranoia
when Mary and John Smith (not their
real names) aren't quite themselves
anymore. And neither are their
neighbors. Nor their neighbor's
neighbors. (Friday, July 13; MLB 3,
9:15)
Small Change
(Francois Truffaut, 1976)
Filmgoers know that Truffaut loves
women, but he loves kids just as
much. We delve into the world of
French adolescence to discover the
ingenuity, resiliency and
vulnerability which dazzles jaded
elders like ourselves. (Saturday, July
14; MLB 3, 7:30 and 9:30)
Gallipoli
Two young Australian soldiers
(Mark Lee and Mel Gibson) are
carried from the ochre outback to the
creamy sands of the Dardenelles
through gorgeous cinematography as
well as the naivete of the likeable
young men. Life in the Light Horse
isn't exactly what the two bargained
for.. (Saturday, July 14; MLB 4, 7:30
and 9:30)
- Compiled by Deborah Lewis
By
TI
IG
be. I
adve
fbea
supp
It C
ting
mak
and
In
the
and
had
to be
'Pope of Greenwich Vilk
fails to inspire its audience
Phillip K. Lawes be likeable, or have something to say. when his girlfri
As it turns out, it is hard to detect any beats the hell o
reason why the two men would be and destroys his.
IS perfectly clear what The Pope Of friends. In addition, they are almost Eric Robert'sl
reenwich Village was intended to totally unlikeable, and they have ab- paralleled as ai
t was supposed to be a comedy- solutely nothing to say. ting: A sort of J
nture, a buddy picture with two of- Mickey Rourke's Charlie is the better with a prominent
t but likeable protagonists. It was realized of the protagonists, but that is ic Roberts has a'
osed to be funny and touching. a rather dubious distinction. As he is turned corners fo
fails in all these objectives. The ac-- written, Charlie is not exactly ad- He does most o
and the screenplay combine to mirable and is by no means a full mouth, biting do
e the movie disappointingly tedious character. He is brooding and im- delivering his li
emotionally unrewarding. penetrable, a study in barely contained -bray that is supp
order for the film to have worked, rage who seems to communicate most New York accei
duo of Mickey Rourke as Charley, comfortably in a series of shoves and sight.
Eric Roberts as Paulie would have slaps. At one point he even kicks a guy Stuart Rosen
to work well. Their friendship has - on the street - to drive homea point.
credible, and they either have to His repressed hostility comes to a head See GREET
age'
end leaves him - he
ut of his refrigerator,
apartment.
Paulie is probably un-
n example of overac-
Jerry Lewis character
t streak of larceny. Er-
wide mouth with down-
orming a natural snarl.
of his acting with his
own on his words and
nes in a coarse nasal
osed to approximate a
nt. It is not a pretty
berg, the director,
NWICH, Page 14
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