University Daily Kansan / Friday, March 3, 1989
Arts/Entertainment
11
Psychedelic weirdness Progressive band Christmas blends influences
by Mario Talkington Kansan staff writer
A progressive, slightly eccentric band looking for fame and fortune doesn't seem to find it in Las Vegas, a town whose conception of music might be seen Wayne Jonney in concert instead of Sammy Davis Jr.
But Christmas, a progressive band originally from Boston, has gained national attention since moving to Vegas last year, receiving glowing reviews for its album, "Ultropropshe of The Psyche Revolution."
"Las Vegas has that sort of perverse atmosphere," Liz Cox, the group's drummer and lead singer, said last week in a phone interview. "It's definitely skewed. All reasoning goes out the window in Vegas."
The unpredictable trio, who will play tomorrow at the Bottleneck, 737 New Hampshire St., seems to have thrown out reason in finding success with its first major-label LP. Christmas creates an unlikely collision of playful, psychedelic pop and biting, satirical commentary that has garnered attention and critical acclaim for the band.
the band.
Christmas won the music media's attention with its single "Stupid
Kids," a video of the song that played on MTV and an eclectic sound that Cash Box magazine described as "wickedly intelligent" and "soring
"I guess streamlined is not the word to describe us," Cox said, explaining the band's idiosyncratic image. "We're the kind of band you really have to dig in and listen to more than a couple of times."
Christmas is made up of Cox, bassist Nick Cudahy and guitarist Michael Cudahy. Cox said she and Michael Cudahy formed the band in 1982 after they met at a demonstration outside of a survivalists' convention.
Cox said that she and Cudahy had originally considered several names for the group, including Combustible Edison and Little Wrapped Candy, before finally settling on the name Christmas.
"I went to see a group called Pylon, and I was trying to describe what sounded like to a friend." Cox said. "I said, 'They were happy, chaotic, loud ... imagine what Christmas might sound like.'"
very, very loud folk record, sort of a cross between KISS and Peter, Paul and Mary."
Cudahy's songs on the album include "Richard Nixon," which describes the ex-president as the "Anti-Christ with a five o'clock shawl" and the "argho," a song that Cox took an unusual stance on nuclear arms.
"That's our pro-nuclear tune," she said. "Sometimes you just put your head in your hands and say, 'God, people suck.'"
Christmas has another rather unusual message, this one on the album's jacket: People should listen to "Ultrapaphrone" while nude.
Cos said that people also should be mute while reading about the band. She suggested that people unwilling to listen to the band should wear 100-percent cotton.
The band Christmas will play tomorrow night in Lawrence
should not wear 10 polyster
"If not, wear one of those polyester
screen shirts with a scene from 'The
Godfather' on the back," she said.
Cox posed partially nude for the album's back-cover pictures. All the band members were covered in colorful tribal war paint in the photos.
"I hadn't thought about what to wear on my chest," she said. "I couldn't think of anything to stretch
across the middle of my chest that wouldn't seem like a tube top and ruin the whole thing. They picked the picture that seems the most tiftillate.
Although Christmas' eccentric
reputation continues to grow, Cox suggests that the band might be considering another change of residence to further its success.
"We left Boston and all of sudden we're big stars," she said. "Since we
moved away, they play us all the time. You want to get big where you're from, move away from there.
"Pretty soon, we'll move away from Las Vegas so that Caesar's Palace will want to book us."
'La Traviata'a treat for Hoch audience
Strong performances, bright costumes and supertitles make Italian opera a delight
Although Giuseppe Verdi's opera "La Traviata" was not an imme-
mune solo one, she wore a $f$.
Iraviata" was not an immediate success when it first
date success when it first opened in 1833, the audience last night found the opera to be a musical treasure full of life, charm and passion characteristic of the Romantic Period.
The New York City Opera National Company presented "La Travita di," the "The Other Woman." publication, before a receptive crowd of about 2,800.
The romantic story of "La Traviata" is based on the novel, "La Dame aux camelias" or "The Lady in the Camellias" by Alexandre Dumas.
In the company's tradition, the English version of the Italian text appeared on a screen above the stage. What a blessing! The supertitles are an ingenious invention for those who aren't fluent in Italian.
The opera tells the story of Violetta, a prostitute, and the great sacrifices she makes for her
on a five-star scale
Christy
Ward
Reviewer
beloved, Alfredo. Their love is destined for destruction as Alfredo's father, Giuseppe, beks Violetu to save the family, preserve the family's noble name.
Violette's failing health shatters as she reluctantly abandones Alfredo. But the couple finally is reunited, and they proclaim their love for each other as Violetta dies in her lover's arms.
"the cast of 'La Traviata'" gave convincing emotional portrayals of their characters. Donna Zapiola was especially good as Violette. Her flushed cheeks after a passionate kiss with Alfredo seemed realistic.
Zapola showed great vocal agility and flexibility and maintained the
expressiveness of her character in her opening aria, "Ah, 'hors e' lui" (Ah, Perhaps it's He) and the cabalette, "Semper libera always" (Ay, Sometimes a melody of her lines were often lost to the rotunda of Hoch Auditorium.
Paul Hartfield, who played Alfredo, did a fantastic job of projecting his voice with emotion, especially in the short duet with Violetta, "Parigi o cara" (Paris, Oh Darling).
Eric Huls, portraying Alfredo's father, Giuseppe, was a strong supporting actor and musician. He majestically gave fathery advice in his aria, "Di Provenza il mar" (The Sea of Provence).
The elaborate set and costumes were artistically recreated to represent Romantic Paris. For example, the set included marble-like pillars, French doors and intricate tapestries. Performers were decked with sequins, lace and yards of shimmering fabric.
I was disappointed, however, with
the informality of set changes. The curtains were not closed. As a result, the audience witnessed the set reconstruction by technicians. It left little for imagination and curiosity.
The opera company's orchestra gracefully sustained the accompaniment, which was Verdi's intention. The orchestration was simple and subdued, allowing the audience to concentrate fully on the drama on stage.
"La Travaita s" strong sentimentality in text and music is a perfect illustration of just how demanding the role of an opera singer is. The performers sing continually; there is no spoken dialog.
The University of Kansas was lucky to have the opportunity to witness a professional opera company, despite Hoch's acoustic problems and clumsy set changes.
Christy Ward is a Phillipsburg sophomore majoring in music education.
Concert will raise prairie preservation money
by Max Evans Kansan staff writer
A local environmental group hopes to save milkweed with music by sponsoring a benefit concert this weekend.
Beginning at 8 p.m. tomorrow at the Lawrence Arts Center, Ninth and Vermont streets, "A Concert to Save One Prairie" will feature three local soloists and a duo. The artists will provide an evening of acoustic folk music, flavored with classical, jazz and honky-tonk blues.
the benefit is sponsored by a regional environmental awareness group, the Kansas Area Watershed Council.
The endangered area, known as the Elkins Prairie, is 70 acres of native grassland at the corner of U.S. Highway 40 and Douglas County Road 13. About four miles outside of Lawrence.
The prairie supports one of the largest local concentrations of Mead's milkweed, a federally protected plant species.
A Lawrence environmental group, Save The Elkins Prairie, concerned that the proposed South
The prairie is privately owned, and spokesmen for the environmental groups would not comment on how much money they need to raise. The groups are trying to garner support from other regional and national environmental organizations to help buy the prairie for use as an educational preserve.
Rich Niebaum, spokesman for Save The Elkins Prairie and applications support specialist at the computer center, said he hoped that the concert would foster an awareness that the prairie is part of U.S. national heritage.
"I draw an analogy between the prairie region and the Redwoods of California, and the South American rain forest," Niebaum said.
Lawrence Trafficway poses a threat to the prairie, will use the benefits from the concert as part of a plan to purchase the Elkins Prairie.
The concert performers will be Niebaum, Mary Melena, Yohanna Shrader-Storm, and Kelley and Marvin Hunt.
Tickets for the benefit concert are $5 at the door,
and children younger than 12 will be admitted free.
EVENTS
■ The Lawrence Community Theatre will present the benefit, "An Evening With the Phantom," at 8 p.m. at Liberty Hall, 624 Massachusetts St. Tickets are on sale at Library Hall and at the theater, 1501 New Hampshire
FRIDAY
C A L E N D A R
Susan Matsioff, professor of Japanese literature at Stanford University, will give a lecture and fake 'at' 2:30 p.m. in room 211 of the Spencer Museum of Art.
The University Chamber Choir will give its spring concert at 8 p.m. in Swarthout Rectal Hall. James Ralston leads the activities, will conduct the concert on Friday.
The Johnny Reno Band will perform at the Bottleneck, 737 New Hampshire St.
SATURDAY
"A Concert to Save One Prairie, a benefit sponsored by the Kansas Area Watershed Council, will begin at 8 p.m. at the Lawrence Arts Center, Ninth and Vermont streets. Tickets are $5 at the door."
- the Lawrence Community Theatre will present the play "A Christmas Soldier" as reader hours at 8 p.m. in Shrewsbury and at Emily Park in Amphitheatre St.ickets are $3 at the door.
■ The band Christmas will perform at the Bottleneck, 737 New Hampshire St.
An exhibit of paintings by Lisa Marie Rousseau will be on display at the Kellas Gallery on Tuesday. The opening reception Saturday will begin at 7:30 p.m.
■ The University Symphony Orchestra will give its spring concert at 3:30 p.m. in Crafton-Preyer Theatre. Jorge Perez-Gomez, director of orchestral activities, will conduct the free concert, Scott Watson, assistant professor of tuba-euphonium and featured soloist苏茜 U.S. premiere for Orchestra to Tuba and Using Orchestra' by Finnish composer Alimla.
- "Aphrodite's Animals: Corinthian Pottery from Columbia," a lecture by Jane C. Biers of the University of
Missouri-Columbia, will begin at 2 p.m. in the Spencer Museum of Art Auditorium.
SUNDAY
MONDAY
*A Christmas Soldier* will begin at 2:30 p.m. at the Lawrence Community Theatre, 1501 New Hampshire St. Tickets are $3 at the door.
The Conductor's Guild of America 1899 Conducting Workshop will begin Monday in Murphy Hall and continue through Wednesday.
- Auditions for "Master Harold . . . and the Boys" will begin at 7 p.m. at the Lawrence Community Theatre, 1501 New Hampshire St.
TUESDAY
The University Singers will give their spring concert at 8 p.m. in the St Lawrence Catholic Student Center, 1631 Crescent Road, Meyer Bauer, assistant professor of music, will conduct the free concert.
Michele LaRue, a 1970 KU theater graduate, will perform her one-woman show, "The Yellow Wallpaper," at 8 o.m. in Swarthout Hall Reflect. Fail
**Bruno Nettl of the University of Illinois will give the free lecture "Mozart and the Ethnomusicalological Theory in Swahili" on Friday, 2:30 p.m. in Swarthout Square in Burlington.**
WEDNESDAY
The Kansas Chamber Artists series presents a performance by the Oread Baroque Ensemble at 8 p.m. in the St. Joseph Student Center. 1631 Crescent Road
■ The Midwestern Trombone Workshop will begin in Murphy Hall Thursday and run through Saturday. A jazz concert at 8 p.m. in Swarthaw, N.J., Friday. Bud Baker, Chris Selter and Wilbur Sudmeier. Tickets are $3 at the door.
■ The University Dance Company will perform Giacomo Meyerbeer's classic ballet, "Les Pateineurs" Thursday and Friday at 8 p.m. in Crafton-Pre剧院. Call the Murphy Hall Box Office for tickets, which are $6 for the public, $4 for KU students and $5 for senior citizens.
Presented by the KU Department of Music and Dance Free and open to the public
The University of Kansas
SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Spring Concert
Jorge Perez-Gomez, Conductor
Scott Watson, Tuba Soloist
Presented by the KU Department of Music and Dance
3309 p.m. Sunday March 5, 1989
Crafton-Frey Theatre
Program:
Overture to "Egmont"
Concerto for Tuba and Strings American Premiere
Huapango
Beethoven
Almia
Pines of Rome
Mapeyo
Roveright