University Daily Kansan
Monday, October 17, 1977
5
KANSAN Review
Staff Photo by GEORGE MILLENER
Thumbs down
make my muse Love may have been as disappointed in his group's Friday night performance as some fans were. The concert was plugged by a faulty sound system.
Flailing arms. Crowd sing-alongs. Dancing on chairs. It was almost a平定 a Pentecostal revival at the Friday night show.
By RICK THAEMERT
Reviewer
Beach Boys' concert a wipeout
In fact, it was an act of God that the concert went over at all. Atrocious acoustics in Allen Field House, the king of drone, caused the Beach Boys to take an intermission after several songs. From the opening song, "California Girls," it was clear they were fed up with the mores behind the drums and began singing their own squealing feedback from his monitors. Guitarist A.J. Darden's voice cut in and out like sirens on a windy day. Brian Wilson's piano beginnings were nearly silent. Harmonies, the price and pride of the Beach Boys, were unevenly mixed. So were sounds from the five-piece brass section.
MUSICALLY, IT wasn't much better. Dennis Wilson, though bringing oohs and abs from the ladies, dragged and rushed on drums like a nervous rat. Wilson never has been in charge of such an event. He keeps lady listeners happy. He's a cocky little fart on stage, in kaki sun-inspired attire. His actions are reminiscent of Chicago's trombonist James Pankow—confident and cool. When he tossed his towel into the water, the crowd laughed. What kind of person would want a sweet-toothed towl?
Wilson gave up his drum position on several occasions to either sing, play piano or rest, while a percussionist side man took over. In fact, it seemed half of the 11-piece set was played by him, with no audience, who looked like everybody and his monkey was
grabbing a tambourine here, hitting a cowbell there, in the sound, however, and added to the unintelligent of the word.
LIKE MOST bands whose music has spanned more than a decade (16 years for the Beach Boys), they had a difficult time escaping their hits Friday night. New material including two songs never before sung live, left listeners a bit restless. As did two songs from "15 Big Ones" that plugged TM, which the Beach Boys have supported adamantly. Many of their proceeds go to establishing TM training centers.
Except for the stranger-than-truth twiches and tics of Brian Wilson, the Beach Boys weren't dynamic on stage. Mike Love, strutting and marching around with a tassled tambourine, looked much like a silly cheerleader, except on 'Be True To Your School. His antics on it seemed appropriate and brought response from lots of KU kiddies.
In fact, it was the lyrics of the Beach Bears that saved them. Middle-class mush about surfing, beautiful girls and cars is infectious. It's nice to hear in a negative world. Even when their vocals were kally done, lyrics like "the sun shines" are hard to imagine. God only knows what I'd do without you; they're sadly joyed. Beach Boy melodies, too, are catchy. They stick in the crayon.
FOLLOWING THE fix-the-sound intermission, the Beach Boys announced "Enough of this nonsense" and began playing the songs everyone knew were coming. "Good Vibrations," "Wouldn't It Be Nice" and "I Get Around" were included in the ending song line-up. Although the sound improved some, the harmonies still were induligable, except for one fine a capella onlng. On "Help Me Rhonda" it seemed everyone sang along.
"BARBARA ANN" "Rock and Roll Music", with some nice greasy rock and roll guitar from Carl Wilson, and "Fun, Fun, Fun" brought more wild carls, but no second encore.
There were no musical giants Friday night. No gimmicks. No perfectly executed stage show. There was, of course, a big dance, costumes and catchy compositions about having fun. And like a apple a day, everyone can use a dose of good-time music.
BEFORE THE concert Friday afternoon, however, Wilson said everything about the article was "true" and admitted the possibility of a termination of the band. Will you be the last tour?" No, "Wilson." Not "If it works things out."
Sadly, it could be the last concert tour for the Beach Boys. A recent article in Rolling Stone captured a feud that was the culmination of 16 years of internal conflicts for the surfer boys. The Beach Boys nearly split for good early in September, when Dennis Wilson and Mike Love's brothers had it out. Bitter arguments included the Loves' telling that Dennis really needed and never was wanted as a member of the band. Wilson reported, a week later, that all was O.K.
Eating a yummy steal at the Eldridge House before the concert, I overheard a couple explaining that their children had given up their homecoming dance in Topera to see their favorite group, The Beach Boys. Such is the loyalty of a victim wished a band survive 10 years. Like the death of Elvis, death for the Beach Boys would affect a lot of people.
Lawrence people should be grateful to have seen the Beach Boys. They may never have another chance.
Spheeris, Walker mix mellow with country
By RICK THAEMERT
Reviewer
It was an odd couple to mix. Jimmy Spheeris and Jerry Jeff Walker. Fans for one probably saw fans of the other. Still, he seemed to Hotel Hook seemed pleased. Not ecstatic, but pleased.
Spheris, who really should move to Lawrence, opened the concert with no backup group. It's tough to create excitement as a one-man-band. Consequently, Spheris' set was mellow, an atmosphere that best serves his rich-as-coffee voice. Obviously his voice is romantic. Several couples were necking during his set.
He switched well from acoustic guitar to piano. Both sounded good. Unlike the Friday Beach Boy's concert, the sound Saturday night was clear and full. Interspersed with dance music, he humored. The lanky Spheres joked about Lawrence's response to his music, unlike Boston, where a newspaper recently said, "Spheres should go into basketball."
Spheris also said he had been playing "at the most impossibly ridiculous dates you could imagine. Turkey shoots, every one of them."
SPEHERIS' BEST tunes were his own interpretations of "On Broadway" and Hank Williams' "I'm So Lonesome I Could Die." Spheris, who did宁 dell Welch Myers during the time through, displays, like Kenny Runkin, a prasworthy respect for old tunes.
"Scattered Seeds of Spring" was well done, also, laced with stolen, but nice, nicks of "Ooh Child, Things Are Gonna Get Hard." The Next, Spheris most profiled song was, "Beautiful intensity of being backed with a band. The same was true with 'Let It Rain.'"
WALKER OPENED with "Mr. Bojangles," a song that has been hoarded to death by country singer. The band was tight and included a talented soprano sax player and a steel guitar player who kicked it up a notch, then joined B.B. King. His solo on "Dixie" was also cheeky and included a patriotic version of "America the Beautiful."
Those expecting Spheeris to be followed by hell on horses probably were a bit let down. Jerry Jeff Walker, backed by six side rails, but not boisterous and country-wild.
"L.A. Freeway" and "Hill Country Rain"
'shone. The latter featured a take-off of
'tSkipIt-A-Trake' the age-old kid's tale. It
was a story about a boy who doesn't
matter. Country music ain't proud.
Walker, who looks like a sad cab driver, is a simple singer. He doesn't depend on embellishments. Yet he moves easily from a headphones to a tapered a tailender back-throat Ronnie Milesa sound.
"SANGRIA WINE" and "Honky Tonk Music" were the best tunes of the evening. "Red Neck Mother," performed surprisingly toward the beginning, brought whoops, as usual, from cowboy hat-clad stompers.
abilities of Walker's two lead guitarists, who sang a couple songs each. One, armed with a Fender Stratocaster, looked appropriately clothed. Glenn Campbell's little brother, if he has one.
Another added delight was the vocal
Walker's music, hickeys, had all but the die-hard hickens straggling from Hoch as the concert came to a close. To the average audience, it offers a hit like "Red Neck Mother."
Those Walker fans, however, hung tight. They knew he played low key music. Vodkation and under the table hard knocks. Songs and their mother "and" I don't drink as much as my mother. And that wasatcher that Walker's country music learns a bit more towards blues than western.
One thing is for sure. Walker and his music are genuine. To watch Walker's large frame on stage, standing and strumming rigidly, is to watch a pressure cooker who his music was felt Saturday; his energy for his music was felt Saturday; his confidence of one. Unfortunately, Walker didn't return the sentiment of his fans. He didn't come back for an encore.
Oscar Wilde alive and well in KU production
associate Entertainment Editor
By LYNN KIRKMAN
Associate Entertainment Editor
Wilde is well and alive well. In fact, the University of Washington's *The Importance of Being Earnest* may be testimony that Wilde is better than ever.
The current production of Wilde's satiate of Victorian manners proves that society hasn't changed much in the past 80 years. Whether the ideal is "earnestness," as the Victorians called it, or the more modern "telling it like it is," the pseudo-sophistication and insincere sincerity are equally open to ridicule today.
The plot centers on two Victorian gentlemen, Algernon Mancrieve and Jack Worthing, who have devised ways to live both inside and outside proper society. Algernon has invented a fictional friend named Bunbury, a character afflicted by many chronic illnesses. Whenever Algernon wants to avoid an unpleasant social duty, he embarks on a journey to the excuse that he has been called to Bunbury's bedside. He is then free to go "bunburying," embarking on all sorts of escapades in the country.
WORTHING, ON the other hand, lives in the country with his young ward, Cecily Cardle, who knows him only as Jack, a man of upstanding moral character. Cecily would very much like to meet Jack's unfortunate brother, Ernest, whose character
is badly in need of reformation. What Cecily does not know is that Jack and Ernest are one and the same. Jack has fabricated Ernest to keep his circumspect country life separate from the scandalous existence he leads in the city.
As is so often the case, love complicates the situation. Jack falls in love with Wendoline Fairfax, who loves him for his name. She knows him only as Ernest. And Algeronn has fallen in love with Cecily, to whom he has represented himself as the other Ernest. Both men are Ernest, but neither is Ernest. There lies the problem.
"The Importance of Being Earnest" sparkles with epigramms and bon mots that delight the modern audience. And the lines are handled admirably by the cast, notably Cheryl Rawlings, who plays Lady Bracknell.
Rawlings' haughty demeanor and crisp delivery are totally appropriate to the pompously correct middle of society who is a true believer in the admirable vocation for a proper gentleman.
CRAIG SWANSON as Worthing and Kevin Kinkead as Moncripple are suitably silly young men, and Heather Laird's portrait of Gwendoline is giddy enough to permit us to believe that here is a young woman who is entirely capable of loving a man for his name alone. Karyl Burns as Cecily is too flutter at times, but she is delightful as
For sheer entertainment and social comment that is as apropos today as it was in the Gay Nineties, don't miss "The Importance of Being Earned."
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"Earnest!" is KU's entry in the American College Theatre Festival, a national program that culminates in the winners' appearing at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, D.C. The University is well represented by this generally outstanding production.
the empty-headed girl who writes love letters to herself and pretends they are from her own mother.
The production is enhanced by stunning costumes, designed by Emil Mulfil. Del Unirul's sets are a mixed lot, however, the country garden is gharly gorgeous, but the sitting room is rather disappointing. The set includes a revolving china closet, bar and desk, with plush seating for various personalities of the society in the play. The painting is a nude woman in the Aburey Beardside manner, but the color scheme made it almost impossible to distinguish the subject. The comment was probably lost on most of the audience.
Special mention must be given to Brad Aul as Lane, the city butler, and Steven Hamlin as Merriman, the country butler. Neither has many lines to speak, but both make their presences felt as they view the activities of the upper classes and expressively counterpoint the fobiles of their employers.
Beth Watkate as Miss Priam, the governess, and Alan Tilson as the Rev. Chasuble, a country vicar, are as improbable a pair of young students as she is to the more endearing for their improbability.
DIRECTED BY William Keeler, the production of "Earnest" adds much to Wilde's play by emphasizing visual humor to offset the satric dialogue. Sound effects are skilfully employed, too, as punctuation for the verbal sparring of Lady Bracknell and Worthing as each attempts to score points off the other.
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