Continued from Page 16
As 1:00 rolled around, the heat
beian to take its toll on the customers.
As the majority of the crowd consisted
of oldet women. the shade soon
became limited and a prized posses-
sion.
After walking around the Union for
nearly 10 minutes, sandwich and drink
in hand, in search of the perfect resting
rea, I gave up and sat directly next to
the garbage dump. At least there was
shade.
But here's the key to a pleasant Art
Fair eating experience - be careful
where you purchase food. The chicken
shish-kabob sandwich I purchased next
to the Union had some problems. As
the all-important first bite was finished,
I found my bread broken all the way
down - a major problem since there
were no utensils in the area.
After picking up the remainder of
tty sandwich from the ground. I took
pleasure in knowing that the Cherry
Coke would be exactly what I expect-
ed. Or so I thought.
A fter sipping twe3 drink and find-
ing it disgustingly sweet, realized the
concession vendor had just squirted
cherry sno-cone juice into a regular
Coke. So much had been used that I
ould feel the cavities forming in my
nouth.
Was there a conspiracy among the
concession vendors, as the maority of
the food purchased at the Art Fair was
close to unedible? I hesitated for a
moment. then tossed the drink into the
trash.
After purchasing a homemade
lenionade swhich tasted great by the
way). I continued nty journey though
the Art Fair. This year more than oth-
Crs, the fair featured a great deal of'
lack and white pictures. especially of
Europe. It seemed as though the theme
for the year was Gondola. There were
also some amazing canvas paintings of
landscapes, and as well as people gath-
ering in homes, diners and other places.
"The paintings make you think about
what they're doing there,' Art Fair
spectator Betty Thomas said.
While several vendors painted
*eople in motion, Bill Turner, a
newcomer to the Art Fair out of
Newnan, GA., showed off some very
nice paintings of roads going off
into the distance or bending around
curves. Very "Road- Less-
Traveled"-esque.
While Turner seemed rather excited
Monday, July 20, 1998 - The Michigan Daily - 11
to be here ein Ann Arbo, IElie \1assaro.
a returning s endor, sctmed to be takiin2
a beating from the tchteat assaro dis-
played great photos of nature to which
she had added color (mi personal
favor ite booth of the fair).
"I don't think this sear wsill be much
different." Massaro said. "I think most
people come on the weekend and after
five o'clock ... Besides, it's really too
hot to be outside. I wouldn't be
shocked if people were inside waiting
for it to cool down."
Walking down Washington St.,
backtracking the other side of the
street, I began to get dizzy - even a bit
nauseated. At first I could not deter-
mine the cause of my aliment. Then
there it was - in the middle of the Art
Fair -- a Beanie Baby vendor.
This was extremely disturbing for a
number of reasons. The whole purpose
of the fair is to display handmade art
and items, and an artist lost a space
because of this booth. Most disturbing
was what Mayor of Ann Arbor Ingrid
B. Sheldon said in the opening pages of
the Art Fair Guide.
"Each summer, more than a thou-
sand artists from around the country
come to Ann Arbor to exhibit and sell
their work. They have been chosen
through a highly competitive selection
process...,
How selective could that panel be? If
all these vendors are supposed to be of
the same quality, the inclusion of the
Beanie Baby booth certainly depreciat-
ed the rest ofthe vendors' wares.
On a less depressing note, the
Michigan Art Education Association
set up an area for kids to make
bracelets. pins and collages. I dropped
a few dollars in the donations bin and
grabbed a free sample of Nantucket
Nectars (they were large samples, by
the way ). Sometimes the smallest
things make a day worthwhile.
1These "insignificant" acts may be
anything from donating money to the
less fortunate, getting a cold free sam-
ple of juice or holding a loved ones
hand while touring the fair. When I
truly took note of these small details,
the Art Fair was actually what it should
have been - a day to appreciate the art
work of others. After all, Aren't the
people's expressions one way to define
art'?
Despite a few downfalls, this year's
Art Fair had a great deal to offer from
not so good: Food to great art - even
some truly amazing art - along with
some things that inspire the question,
"Is this art?"
Crows
deliver
on 'Wire'
Jewel Gopwani
Daily Arts Writer
Whether it's the band's heartfelt bal-
lads or danceable rock gems, Counting
Crows has won music fans over with
quality songs. After two albums, the
band has infiltrated the music collections
of millions. Whether or not the band's
motives in recording "Across the Wire"
are artistic or financial is ultimately in
the eye of the beholder.
The record
company argues
that bootlegs of
live Counting Counting
Crows shows Crows
have gone too far
atedgne 1)Our Across a Wire
atid are too
expensive. This
live album gives*
fans the chance to
get a dose of the DGC Records
band without sub-
par audio quality
of illegal recordings.
Also, a live album at just the right
time (e.g., between the second and third
albums) might be the best thing for the
pocketbooks of the band and the record
company.
Considering most live albums are
mainly money-making schemes, the rea-
sons behind any live recording should be
questioned. But in this case, Counting
Crows seems more interested in pleasing
its fans than making a quick buck on
some of its former tunes.
As live albums go, -Across a Wire -
Live in New York" has a creative
arrangement. The first disc, which was
The Counting Crows may look rather sedate here, but this band knows how to put
on a concert. "Across a Wire" captures some of that live excitement for fans.
recorded for VII l's "Storytellers," is a slow with "Recovering the Satellites,"
sampling of Counting Crows' acoustic the Counting Crows moves on to ener-
performance. On the second disc, the getic versions of "Rain King" and
band is plugged in for MTV's "Live at "Angels of the Silences," which also
the 10 spot." appear in different forms on "Intimately
Another perk is the release's price. For Acoustic."
the cost of a single CD, Counting Crows Although most of this disc is upbeat,
offers two discs with two distinct moods. Counting Crows interrupts the blissful
Recorded in August of 1997 at energy with the sweet sounds of"Sul livan
Chealsea Studios, part one of this dou- Street."'The band carries the middle of the
ble album is entitled, "Intimately album with an emotional set of songs,
Acoustic." Simplifying its songs, the including "Raining in Baltimore."
band finds the base of each song and Passionately performing this tear-
digs deeper with some unique methods. jerker, the band gets the crowd ready
Taking a more mellow approach to for the single, "Round Here." As many
well-known fast tracks such as "Angels who have seen Counting Crows in con-
of the Silences" and "Mr. Jones," cert know, one reason to shell out $20
Counting Crows adds some originality for a ticket is the band's lyrical and
that most live albums lack. musical ad lib. In addition to the
On this soothing half of the double already moving words from "Round
album, the band also shows off its Here," Duritz fits lyrics from "Have
southern-country rock quality. You Seen Me Lately," between verses.
But even though disc one was record- Concluding that night's performance
ed for all the older, more mellowed out with "Long December," Counting
people at VHlthe band spices things up Crows proves that it puts on an excep-
toward the end with an unbelievable ver- tional live show.
sion of"Anna Begins." With some anger True, anyone who has "August and
surfacing in singer Adam Duritz's voice, Everything After" and "Recovering the
the mood turns a little pensive, just in Silences" has access to all the songs
time for some electricity. featured on "Across a Wire." The band
Dise two. "Intensely Electric," was started working on its third album in
recorded at New York's Hammerstein June. But in the meantime, this double
Ballroom on November 6, the last date of live album should be a treat for fans in
the band's 1997 American tour. Starting need of a Counting Crows fix.
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