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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 9, 1989)
r ayc; i** ne oanaiion i hursaay, February 9,1989 Reviews Carnaval Knowledge’s music act highlight of local Carnaval festival By Shane Hall REVIEWER Forget Zephyr and the Dixie Chicken. Anyone who was not at Brazos Landing Friday night missed the supreme party of all time. The College Station seafood res taurant was the setting for a local cel ebration of Carnaval, the Brazilian equivalent of Mardi Gras. The evening featured a perfor mance of Brazilian music by the band Carnaval Knowledge. Carnaval Knowledge is an eight- piece band of musicians who get to gether annually to perform at the Austin Carnaval celebration, now in its 10th year of existence. This year marked the band’s first performance in College Station. If we’re lucky, they will return every year. • The band’s members are Susanna Sharpe, vocals; Russ Scanlon, guitar (in photo with Sharpe at right); Ho- racio Rodriguez, bass; Sergio Sautos, percussion; Tom Braxton, saxo phone; Steve Schwelling, drums; Larry Croak, percussion; and John Wheat, vocals and percussion. The music consisted of Brazilian songs that are standard repertoire at Carnaval celebrations in Brazil, where the holiday is celebrated Feb. 3-7, with festivities taking place around the country. Percussionist Sautos described Brazilian music as danceable and having “very fast drumming.” To be certain, the music Friday night was perfect for connoisseurs of percussion. The rhythms of the band’s percussionists were the show’s driving force and sometimes the stars of the show, taking the spotlight and the lead. Some Carnaval songs, Sautos ex plained, feature percussion exclu sively. Such songs are called Batu- cada. The Batucada performed at Fri day night’s show made for some of the evening’s most enjoyable mo ments. Members of the band per formed the all-percussion numbers on a variety of instruments, includ ing snare drum, tom-toms, cowbell, tambourine and others. The beat in creased and decreased in speed; the band often brought the sound down to just one instrument before kick ing in again with all drums pound ing. The audience responded with unanimous enthusiasm to these songs and the floor remained Midler’s singing, writing skills provide album with continuity Beaches Bette Midler Atlantic Records By S. Hoechstetter REVIEWER There’s nothing washed up about Bette Midler or her vocals on Beaches, the original soundtrack to the movie of the same title. Although this is a typical movie soundtrack with its requisite mixture of old songs, ballads, and duets, it’s different because it’s enjoyable to lis ten to even if you never saw the movie. Midler does all the vocals, creating a continuity not found on most film soundtracks. Midler’s singing talent has as many facets as her entire career as an actress, comedienne and singer. She Wrote several of the songs on the album. Vocally, Midler has few limi tations, as she demonstrates on Beaches. Her voice can be soft and sexy, brassy, or nasal, but her per formance is always powerful and on target. Several of the tracks on the album are old songs that Midler has brought back to life. The first song on the album is “Under the Board walk”, a classic from 1964. But Mid ler sings it like it’s her own. Her soft, relaxed voice combined with Span ish-styled instrumentals make the lis tener imagine sweltering heat and cocoa butter even when it’s 18 de grees outside. 'Tve Still Got My Health” is a song written by Gole Porter in 1940. It’s a light, jazzy tune with humorous ly rics like, “Your face is your fortune / so some wise man spoke / My face is my fortune / that’s why I’m totally broke!” “I Think It’s Going to Rain To day” was a 1966 hit for singer Judy Collins. It’s a ballad reminiscent of Midler’s earlier hit, “The Rose.” Other old songs that Midler res cues from the abyss of forgotten demonstrates Midler’s control and power. This is going to be one of those songs that will be sung in beauty pageants and weddings. It’s a song giving thanks to people who were always there showing their sup port while someone struggled for success. IIGINAI. SOUNDTRACK ; F. C O R D I N G “Otto Titsling” is one of the songs Midler helped write. Her humor takes center stage in this cornball song about a crackpot inventor who invents the original bra but history is changed when the conniving Phil- lipe D’Brassiere steals his idea. Beaches tunes include “The Glory of Lo- ve”(1936) and “Baby Mine”(I941). Everyone has probably heard the melody of “The Glory of Love” in advertisements without even realiz- ingit. “Baby Mine” is a tender lullaby with Midler’s gentle voice singing sweet lyrics with a piano as the only instrument. Of course, there are original songs on the album too. “Wind Be neath My Wings” is a ballad that The only duet on the album is "I Know You By Heart” with David Pack. It’s a typical slow love duet that swells into a crescendo at the chorus. This is the kind of duet found in many movies today. Most of them would work just as well in other movies with other singers. “I Know You By Heart” is a good example of one of those interchangeable duets. “Oh Industry” is another song Midler wrote. Her voice is almost mechanical in places which comple ments the harsh, mechanical instru mentals that suggest sounds on a production line. But the lyrics are not about the car or steel industry. They are referring to the industry of showbiz and the 1 o v e - h a t e relationship shared by many in the business. The album ends with a melodra matic piano solo called “The Friendship Theme”. It’s kind of mu sical way of saying “The End,” and it works. Experimental theater group’s play examines mankind’s inhumanity By S. Hoechstetter REVIEWER Only in an experimental, avant- garde production such as In Vitro can topics ranging from the big bang to the American Civil War to a mod ern-day abortion clinic all be exam ined effectively within 90 minutes. Man’s inhumanity to man in his quest for power and wealth is the dominant theme in the Elenco Ex perimental’s debut play In Vitro, performed last weekend in Rudder Forum. • The unique portrayal of this not- so-unique theme makes the play a powerful experience. The cross-cultural cast of the El enco Experimental did an excellent job of leading the audience through history as a scientist’s experiment in a glass beaker. The show began in darkness. Flashing lights, energetic music and graceful choreography helped por tray the big bang. New Age music by Tangent reflected the actions and feelings in the play at all times. Although the times in history changed throughout the play, the recurrent themes of cruelty to oth ers, prejudice, greed, and lust re mained, proving to the audience and the scientis,ts that the world is on a path of self-destruction. Author and associate director Matthew L. Hunt wrote a simple but well-constructed plot that deals with individuals and their struggle for a better life, or at least mere survival, in historical periods such as when the Aztecs ruled Mexico, the Ameri can Revolution and the present day. Photo by John Engels David Roberto, left, and Mark Hadley perform in Elenco Experi mental’s production of In Vitro last weekend. She leads a comfortable life but is constantly reminded that her biolog ical clock is ticking. She has night mares about the abortion she had years ago when other things in life were more important. In the pre sent, however, all she wants is to have a child. She ends up feeling empty. The final scene is graphic in its portrayal of abuse of sex and drugs. The subjects in the experiment com mit suicide because, as they say, “Sa tisfaction is boring.” The scientists discuss the demise of the subjects in thfe beaker and compare the results to the beings in other beakers who destroyed them selves in war. crowded with dancers much of the time. Marches also are an important part of Brazilian music. Carnaval Knowledge’s first number, in fact, would have sounded just perfect in a Main Street parade. The song fea tured a rapid marching beat by Schwelling and percussionists Sau tos, Croak and Wheat. Adding to the song were Braxton’s jazzy saxo phone lines. Lead vocalist Susanna Sharpe, meanwhile, gave a consis tently strong performance. Unless you speak Portuguese, you couldn’t understand the lyrics, but consid ering how much fun the music was, it hardly mattered. Brazilian music is something that seems to have caught on well in Col lege Station. It’s danceable, fun, and on weekends it’s here, just about the best entertainment in town. STANTOl find a bettt than Dan San And that Saunders is t live and w County and seat — Stantc Saunders, Martin Conn known as at Photo by Ronnie Montgotm, McMurty’s novel ‘Lonesome Dove’ provides story for excellent movie By Shane Hall REVIEWER “Lonesome Dove,” a four-part miniseries that aired on CBS this week, is a breathtaking Western epic and arguably the best minise ries ever made. Those who laid aside their textbooks from 8-10 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday nights to see this fine series saw some of the best television enter tainment that can be offered. This adaptation of Larry Mc- Murtry’s 1986 Pulitzer Prize-win ning novel centers on a long and violent cattle drive that goes from the barren south Texas town of Lonesome Dove to the rich, fer tile lands of the Montana Terri tory during an unspecified time in the Old West. Robert Duvall and Tommy Lee Jones star as Augustus McCrae and Woodrow F. Call, two former Texas Rangers who run the Hat Creek Cattle Company in Lone some Dove. Despite their close friendship and common belief in frontier justice, McCrae and Call are as different as night and day. McCrae is a fun-loving type who likes women, gambling and whiskey. Call, however, is the se rious-minded type who speaks only when necessary and keeps his emotions tightly restrained. Scenes between McCrae and Call bring out these differences and Duvall and Jones give as tounding depth to their roles. Both men are outstanding, but it’s Duvall as the fun-loving Mc Crae who commands the screen. The quiet life the two lawmen- turned-ranchers enjoy is changed with the appearance of their friend, Jake Spoon (Robert Urich), who fills their ears with tales of Montana as a cattleman’s paradise. This sets up the coming events as McCrae and Call orga nize the drive north. Most of Sunday night’s episode is spent introducing the series’ major characters in detailed fash ion before setting the events of the subsequent episodes in mo tion. McMurtry’s novel used th£ same approach and the filmmak ers are to be commended for ad hering closely to the book in bringing the story to the screen. By the end of Sunday night’s episode, the drive is well under way. Joining McCrae and Call on the dusty trail north are Joshua Deets (Danny Glover), an expert tracker; Newt Dobbs (Ricky Sch roder), an orphan youth; and Dish Boggett (D.B. Sweeney), a cowboy lovesick over Lorena Wood (Diane Lane), Lonesome Dove’s only prostitute. All give admirable performances, partic ularly Lane, who gives thebestfe- male performance in a mostlv male cast. Another noteworthy female performance is Anjelica Hustons portrayal of Clara Allen, Me- Crae’s longtime love wholiveson a Nebraska horse ranch. Al though she appears only in pan three of the series, Huston is memorable, presenting her char acter as a compassionate frontier woman. In keeping with McMurtry’sti- sion of the Old West as a lawless place where the only law is thatol the gun and hanging is justice, "Lonesome Dove” contains scenes of violence more graphic than what is generally seen on tele vision. Call’s brutal beating of a U.S. Army scout, who tries to take Dish’s horse and a young Indians slaying of Deets are two exam ples. Scenes of shoot-outs and hangings are sprinkled through out the series. temperate, c right nice. He’s not jr personality. The sheri threshold oft He is the iffs,” which n lice longer tl rent 254 sher And Satin living so long after term. I by an oppone — since he fi in 1952. “I made a rumor got ou run. So, anothe a prayer, cha of course, losi “I’m a fir; with the one t Saunders, wh the-wool” D< staying with t in changing { don’t believe That would t one of my sor “When th< say, ‘Well, th crat,’ ” he s biggest words Well, the si finished and “they” alread Saunders — farmer’s son i ton farm at n< During the second episode,we also meet a fearsome Indian ban dit named Blue Duck (Frederic Forrest). Forrest makes Blue Duck a menacing character the sight of whom can make one shudder. Around Town Live Music In the scene called “The Clan” the actors simultaneously chant, “The times of peace. The times of simplic ity. The times of the clan.” The times of peace and simplicity soon change to the times of lust for progress, wealth and power as the migratory clan is introduced to the advantages of permanance in a village. The persecution of blacks and other minorities is explored in seve ral scenes. In “The Revolution,” an argument about freedom and equal ity for all occurs between two Ameri cans as they take turns whipping a black slave for sport. Another powerful scene is set in the deep south where a slave is forced to have sex with her mistress in exchange for the privilege of learning to read. The slave compromises herself so she may teach her children to read and give them a chance at a better life. The irony of the situation is the fact she is taught to read from a Christian primer. The last half of the play presents five random samples from modern America. In one of these random samples a successful businesswoman keeps repeating that she only wants what everyone else wants. Brazos Landing Brazos Landing is at Northgate. Ev eryone is admitted. Beer, wine and mixed drinks are served. For more information, call 846-3497. Thursday — Hootenanny. Acoustic duo featuring Dru Wilson and Had Binion. $3 cover. Friday — The Spin. Rock. $3 cover Saturday — Allison Rogers. Acous tic. $ 1 cover. Sunday — Michael E. Johnson and the Killer Bees. Reggae. $5 cover. Cow Hop Annex Next to the restaurant at Northgate. Those 18 and older admitted. Alco hol served to legal drinkers. Call 846-1588 for more information. Thursday — None of the Above. Rock. $2 cover. Friday — The Texas Twisters. Clas sic rock. $3 cover, Saturday — The Killtones. Rock and blues. $2 cover. Wednesday — Singalong with Sneaky Pete. $1 cover. Friday — The Scroocs. Grateful Dead music. $1 cover. Saturday — Subculture. Dance rock. $2 cover. Movies All movies and showtimes are pro vided by the theaters and are subject to change. Cinema Three Located at 315 College Ave. in the Skaggs Shopping Center. Call 693- 2796 for more information. Twins. Rated PG. Showtimes are 7 p.m. and 9:05 p.m. Night of the Demons. Rated R. Showtimes are 7:20 p.m. and 9:20 p.m. Who’s Harry Crumb. Rated PCM 3. Showtimes are 7:15 p.m. and 9:15 p.m. Parkway. Call 693-2457 lorn formation. Rain Man. Rated R. Showtimes ait p.m. and 9:35 p.m. Beaches. Rated PG-13. Showtim are 7:10 p.m. and 9:40 p.m. Three Fugitives. Rated PG. Sim times are 7:20 p.m. and 9:45 pm. Manor East Three Spel expl new BOWLIN' —James H.! 14-year-old up in Georg his first cave. “I was sea recalls. “The and large str scuba diving under water. “I remen never do thai Now, son Smith has w for his work and he is wc thesis on the Frank’s Bar and Grill In College Station at 503 E. Univer sity Drive. All ages admitted. Beer, wine and liquor are served to legal drinkers. Call 846-5388 for more in formation. Saturday — Don Pope and Friends. Jazz. $2 cover. Post Oak Three Located in the Post Oak Mall. Call 693-2796 for more information. Working Girl. Rated R. Showtimes are 7 p.m. and 9:20 p.m. The Naked Gun. Rated PCM 3. Showtimes are 7:20 and 9:30. Her Alibi. Rated PG. Showtimes are 7:10 and 9:25. In Bryan in die Manor tasO Call 823-8300 for more inlornuii Mississippi Burning. Riled Showtimes are 7:05 p.m. and Ik p.m. The Accidental Tourist. Raid I Showtimes are 7:15 p.m. anjf p.m. Wicked Stepmother. Rated R Slm times are 7:20 and 9:45. EmlsFi day. Dangerous Liaisons. Rated i Showtimes are 7:20 and 9:45.Opc Friday. OPAS concert Schulman Six Hall of Fame In Bryan on FM 2818 north of Villa Maria. Those 18 to 20 admitted on selected dates. Alcohol served to le gal drinkers. Call 8 QO 2222 for more information. Thursday — Lonesome Dove. $2 cover. Friday — Johnny Lyon and the Country Nu Notes. $4 cover. Saturday — American Sunrise. $4 Kay’s Cabaret At Post Oak Mall. Those 18 and older are admitted. Beer, wine and liquor are served to legal drinkers. For more information, call 696- 9191. Thursday — Hank Townsend. Easy listening. No cover. In Bryan at 2002 E. 29th Street. Call 775-2643 for more informa tion. Tequila Sunrise. Rated R. Show- times are 7:20 p.m. and 9:50 p.m. Big. Rated PG-13. Showtimes are 7:15 p.m. and 9:45 p.m. A Fish Called Wanda. Rated R. Showtimes are 7:15 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. Rated PG- 13. Showtimes are 7 p.m. and 9:25 p.m. Scrooged. Rated R. Showtimes are 7:05 p.m. and 9:35 p.m. Child’s Play. Rated R. Showtimes are 7:20 and 9:30. Ends Fridax. Twins. Rated PG. Showtimes are 7:20 and 9:30. Opens Friday. Plateau in M< Smith reo Kicking Awa National Spt outstanding i Kicking, lunker from in an auton plored caves ularly in We: the 1960s. Smith is c the number Tennessee, P that are mor< He also is cr< ing the first Hemisphere lometer (0.6! has been on trips, loggin; Huautla anc areas in Mexi For Smith way to push 1 he once thou “I’ve alwc heights,” St you’re exploi to expose y That took a coaxing by people. “You are g and droppint always had spirit, and F Texas A&M will be the host to concert by the most recorded i chestra in the world. The Acadef [test my own of St. Martin-in-the-Fields chanib Even after 1 orchestra w ill perform tonight all still have not p.m. in Rudder Auditorium. Smith ask The performance is presented! Pamela Dun MSC-OPAS. With a musical repertoire covt ing 400 years of music by many the world’s most respected compt ers, the orchestra has recorded mil than 400 albums, including Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s vid concerti. | date while th< Smith’s wi likes caving, his passion fc works, enabli to explore ca’ Eventually find a job th Plaza Three In Colle ffe Station at 226 Southwest take off three The Academy has been featu" caving, on the soundtracks of the films“0 of Africa” and Milos Forman'sA demy Award-winning biography Mozart, “Amadeus.” The so® track of “Amadeus” earned the chestra 13 gold records. See Orchestra/Page 16 “When yor 'says, “you ai one of the fe of the earth has been. “By going making a cor demanding within this ea