"The Genius" returns
Ray Charles will ibeat Pine Knob this
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MONDAY, 8
JUNE 19, 2000


Art-rock survivor keeps music real

By Christian Hoard
Daily Arts Wrter

Lou Reed
State Theater
June 15, 2000

With big-name
dinosaur acts like
Steely Dan and
the Who making
the rounds this
summer, it might
be easy to forget
about Lou Reed.
After all, while
most of the
Classic Rock All
Stars are stop-
ping at your local
arena /Iamphithe-
ater just long

enough for you to thank them for the
memories and fork over 30 bucks,
Reed is keeping a low profile, duck-
ing in and out of clubs and small the-
aters in support of "Ecstasy," Ilis lat-
est LP
Then again, Reed has never exactly
been known for packing 'em into the
aisles, having spent the duration of
his career treading uncertainly along
the jagged seam that separates 'high
art' from rock Appropriately
enough, the ex-Velvet Underground
leader seemed a tad uncertain whether
to just rock or to rock artily during his
two-and-a-half hour set at the State
Theater Thursday night.
At times, Reed leaned on the

Dispay ecutive , ipa c

straight-ahead punch of some of his
classic solo albums, though at other
points, he seemed determined to
please whatever sector of the
cognoscenti (those kids who would
have worn Velvets t-shirts to the con-
cert, if wearing t-shirts like that were
cool) he could still claim as fans,
tacking on extended jams and burying
riffs in lasers of feedback.
Still, for all its unevenness, the total
package worked well, and when Reed
and his tight, nimble backing band
(guitarist Mike Rathke, bassist
Fernando Saunders and drummer
Tony Smith) settled in and started
cooking, the crowd - whether or not
they knew the names of any of the
songs - seemed happy just to be in
the presence of a living legend.
Doubtless, some of the 1500 or so
fans who crowded into the Theater
hoped that Reed would, like Skynyrd
at the State Fair, rotop through the
Velvets songbook. But discounting a
lazy run-through of "Sweet Jane,"
Reed was less interested in reliving the
sixties than he was in presenting mate-
rial from "Ecstasy," which comprised
roughly half of the 18-song set.
When Reed rocked hard, as he did
on "Paranoia Key of E," the punchv,
Stones-inspired opener, the sleepy, ho-
hum crowd - half of which looked like
they took a wrong turn on their way to
the Yes reunion at Pine Knob - would-
n't budge from their seats, content to
sit quietly and murmur "Loooouuuu"
between songs. When Reed quieted
things down, the crowd was dutifully
respectful, despite that Reed fouled up
an early-set version of "'Ecstasy"'s title
track by inviting Victoria Williams to
song with him, their Archie and Edith
Bunker schtick squandering the

B&S'walk
AI~a m teenage
rt
\on -easant
y " >+ Along the same lines of say, Sofia
14- 0 Coppola's recent film "The Virgin
.> x Suicides or even maybe moments
rt #*Kevin Arnold soliloquies ito 'T
Wonder Years,' this magical indie won-
der band, Belle and Sebastian, has a car-
5 f tI ing hand for recording the dream music
of teenagers. Yes, they are colored
Scousesso',urnos teenage innocence of hip, grooving pop
The cover of "Set the Twilight Reeling," lines along ethe-
Lou Reed's 1996 studio album. real light hearted
Grade: B+ vocals - with a
poignancy and minor-key pathos of the BScottish heart.
studio version. Belle & Sebastian The fou
As the show wore on, Reed seemed fold your hands child. album from Belle
less eager to please, leading his band you walk ike a peasant and Sebastian,
mates through a series of darker, fuzz- Matador "fold your hands
laden numbers that included "Set the Reviewed by child, you walk
Twilight Reeling" and a version of the Daily Arts writer like a peasant,
classic "Vicious" that bore none of christopherCousino steps forward on
the playful poppiness of the original. the same tradition
Reed, a rock 'n' roll survivor if ever of the warm, embracing pop mountain
there was one, was solid through and that "The Boy with the Arab Strap" or
through, but before he strummed "If You're Feeling Sinister" climb on.
those three familiar chords in "Sweet Tracks like "I Fought In A War,"
Jane," the audience seemed satisfied "Waiting For The Moon To Risecr
but not mesmerized, placated but not "Family Tree" seem to be immersed in
in awe. Still, if Reed chooses to toss .
in a classic here and there in exchange
for the opportunity to play a bunch of
impressive, though less than earth-
shattering new material, most of his
fans would -call that a bargain. And .
the cognoscenti? Well, I still forked
oser the price of admission, didn't I?

it

I

REWARD
ON APRIL 26TH, 2000, BETA THETA PI FRATERNITY HAD
HISTORICAL FRATERNITY ARTIFACTS STOLEN.
$1,000
REWARD FOR INFORMATION LEADING TO THE RECOVERY OF THE ARTIFACTS.
REWARD FOR INFORMATION LEADING TO THE ARREST AND
CONVICTION OF THE PERPETRATORS.
CONTACT INFO: RAWLINSS39@HOTMAIL.COM
*NOTE, ANONYMOUS TIPS ARE APPRECIATED AS WELL
THANK YOU

some quirky, pos-uoa n vinage pop
from some other time. When that is, I'm
not so sure.
What is so dreamy and endearing
about Belle and Sebastian is their
strange, timeless feel. They resonate
innocence - that idea of being a y y
teenager with the future miles and W
away. They seem rooted in a time of the
past, yet always bounce along with a
clear young and hip freshness (try
"There's Too Much Love" or "The
Model"). Even when they reflect the
more serious despair of rape in "The
Chalet Lines," they are sincere: "My
friend can't see/She asks me why I
don't/Tell the law/Oh what'sthefucking
pointatall."
Belle and Sebastian is a welcome
plane ride into your past that you may
have easily forgotten about. Oh, isn't it a
"Nice Day For A Sulk"?