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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 26, 1997)
Entertainment Friday • September 26,199' Frid Symphony kicks offOPAS season By Rhonda Reinhart Staff writer area very well.” Thurman Schweitzer, OPAS member and O ne might think a university without a fine arts program would be lacking in the areas of music, dance and drama, but not if the MSC Opera and Performing Arts Society has anything to do with it. MSC OPAS is an organization dedicated to presenting performing arts to Texas A&M and the Brazos Valley. The 1997-98 season, “Invita tion to the Future,” marks the group’s 25th an niversary and 25 years of bringing top-quality artists to Bryan-College Station. Anji Moore, chair of the OPAS student com mittee and senior zoology major, said the Bra zos Valley needs an organization like OPAS. “Since A&M has no fine arts program, we try to take up the slack in that ar ea,” she said. “OPAS fills a need for performing arts in this / / We like to think of ourselves ^ ^ as the fine arts college of Texas A&M.” Thurman Schweitzer OPAS member and senior geography major senior geography major, agrees that Texas A&M has a craving for the fine arts. “We like to think of ourselves as the fine arts college of Texas A&M,” he said. Schweitzer said OPAS is the only group in Bryan-College Station that brings national tours to the community. OPAS opens this year’s season on Saturday, Sept. 27 in Rudder Auditorium with a perfor mance by Marvin Hamlisch and the Austin Symphony Pops. Hamlisch is a pianist, conductor and com poser who has written more than 30 motion picture soundtracks and the themes for the “CBS Morning Program” and “Good Morning America.” He is also the recipient of three Os car awards, four Grammys, two Golden Globes, the Pulitzer Prize and the Tony award. Other upcoming events include a perfor mance by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and the Southwest premiere of “Blue Suede Shoes,” a ballet set to the music of Elvis Pres ley. Royal Plfilharmonic Orchestra will be per forming the world premiere of A&M resident composer Peter Lieuwen’s “Living Waters.” Moore said Bryan-College Station au diences are pretty open to new types of entertainment. “Performers are always very well-received here,” she said. “We have a reputation for cre ating an atmosphere that is conducive to their work. They can concentrate on what they do best - their ai t. They don’t have to wony about external pressures.” One reason performers at OPAS events are able to work in a pleasant environment is the effort of the student committee. The committee is made up of 150 mem bers, and its tasks include overseeing opera tions on performance nights, raising money and suggesting what artists to bring next sea son, among other things. “There is nothing like OPAS at any other university,” Moore said. “They don’t have the student involvement that we do.” Anne Black, executive director for OPAS, said one of the organization’s goals is to pro vide leadership opportunities to student;, volved in the program. “I think the success of OPAS primaii due to the relationship between theuiiaj ty and the Biyan-College Station comm* she said. OPAS offers material suitable for thee® community, including children. OPASJti sector of OPAS that presents entertaining^ grams for children. OPAS J r. begins its season on October^ an updated version of“ Little Red Riding Hoo: Black said OPAS Jr. is a way to train fit audiences. “It’s a way to get parents to bringil* children into the concert halls so they;: comfortable with the arts,” she said,‘I children will experience and understa; live performance, and hopefully, make them future audiences.” Robison, Ingram set to Dallas band Pimpadelic nlav nre-Yell Prartire nartv releases impressive debul ik-JACA. y AA JL X V/AX A A CXX/ AAX/X/ AjrCXA y has enjoyed much success since Barely Legal is a ten-songromp •/A AT •/ . w then. Thev reeularlv pack clubs through the streets of Dallas-Foit I By April Towery Entertainment editor T onight’s Midnight Yell Prac tice will be a little different than usual. For one thing, it is set to be held on Rodeo Plaza in Fort Worth. Before Yell Practice, Charlie Ro bison and Jack Ingram are set to perform at Billy Bob’s Texas at 10 p.m. Robison, an Austin native, said tonight’s show will get Aggies in the mood to yell. “It’s pretty up-tempo,” Robison said. “A show to drink beer at.” Robison’s music is country, but it is Texas country, which he defines as something different from “the norm.” “I think people are sick of the Nashville formula acts,” he said. “It’s a little bit more real than that. It’s not like the country you hear on the radio.” Robison’s music is not sad, “tear-in-my-beer” country music. “It’s about everyday life, not just breaking up,” he said. “It crosses a whole lot of different styles. It does n’t stick to any formula or format.” Robison’s musical influences range from Buck Owens to Black Sabbath, and his country/rock de but album, Bandera, reflects his di versity as a musician. His music has been compared to fellow Texas musicians and friends Robert Earl Keen and In gram. Robison said one thing these Texas musicians do have in com mon is their love for what they do. “Chances are we’ll never break into the real mainstream,” he said. “Some get commercial attention but are not critically valid. I’d rather have critics enjoy my music, well, I’d rather have both, but if I had to choose one...” Aggie “critics” will be able to see for themselves whether or not they Pimpadelic Barely Legal DRR Records ★ ★★★ (out of five) By Len Callaway StaffWriter Charlie Robison enjoy Robison’s music, but in the meantime, Robison is happy just playing. “I have always had a really huge love for music,” he said. “It’s all I could think about.” D allas band Pimpadelic takes loud, irreverent and perverse rock ’n’ roll to a completely new level. Pimpadelic is a band that must be seen and heard for one to get the total experience. These guys are a six-man vir tuoso of foulness. The band released its first al bum, Barely Legal last year and has enjoyed much success since then. They regularly pack clubs like Trees and Club Clearview in Dallas and recently played to a standing room only crowd at Los Angeles’ infamous Opium Den. They also have an upcoming show at the notorious L.A. club The Viper Room with Keanu Reeves’ band Dog Star. Pimpadelic blends ’70s- sounding funk with all out rock and serious beats to form a unique background sound for the insane lyrical attack of front men King E Capone, Dirty K and Easy Jesus. When these qualities are combined with the flexibility displayed by turntable guru DJ MIA, it’s quite obvious where Pimpadelic is headed. Even more powerful than the music itself is Pimpadelic’s abili ty to involve the crowd. A silent and still crowd is something that Pimpadelic simply will not toler ate. The shows are something to see and are definitely unlike anything regularly seen in the Brazos Valley. Barely Legal is a ten-songroirc through the streets of Dallas-Foit Worth raisin’ hell and drinking beer with as much irreverenceas possible. Pimpadelic skipsmosis the already overdone gangstarap These tunes are only seriousata one tiling — the party. Pimpadelic carries on inatp ical rap fashion — its lyricsboa; that the band membersaredefiJ Lc nitely the coolest and baddest guys around, but theyexhibiu certain playfulness that de mands a smile from fans, m tough guy scowl. ts.The ar sign But : a dreams hadov\ In a recent interview Pirn- misic s padelic said that people from all different walks of life likes Station music, and the band membe:: get a lot of positive feedback particularly from people win prejudged the band to be something different thanwli: they actually are. Make no ms pretty to take — this is definitely rap, but it is more aligned withfe Beastie Boys or Rage Against different the Machine than Dr. Dreoi Snoop Droopy Drawers. Mike he age todies n what “It’s < When t :an do t sutfeeli « swii :• 1 ' *>»« *.»!< ’ ' SW,. -„•« I >**=* ^ •*"**«*** pM«»***«* "*»****“ ««***«»** <*t>****»< ■ m ****«*> On sale now at the MSC Rudder Box Office MM. leo*. orricf; ## # # 1 845-1234 or on the net! http://boxoffice.tamu.edu , v V e vAHvaV* aV- vA A- W 1 :. ,A° A' cT v =$= MSC Film Society presents Breakfast at Tiffany’S Fri, Sept 26, 9:30 p.m. in Rudder. # msc opas presents Marvin Hamlisch with the Austin Symphony Pops Sat, Sept 27, 8 p.m. in Rudder Auditorium. =$= MSC Town Hall presents Clay Walker Thu, Oct 2, 7 p.m. in G. Rollie White Coliseum. # msc opas Jr. presents Little Red Riding Hood Sat, Oct 4, 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. in Rudder Theater. • # Brazos Valley Symphony Orchestra presents All Time Favorites Sun, Oct 5, 4 p.m. in Rudder Theater. 4-F Order Graduation Announcements at http://graduation.tamu.edu/ and pay before deadline of Fri, Oct 3. Season Tickets available for MSC OPAS and MSC Film Society. The Box Office also accepts AggieBucks. (K Call to arrange for special needs. itxfi *mt ... . . Oe/r C6'O.tf-e- Co toa/C~fHa'oA fongc/*-/ fjO/K/ofc'Cc; eyoaj*- cc/acaCrb/r Syy- s’CucA^/^ aAaoacf/ O/'S'cav-es/*- Cfc& of oo/'- Cu/f/C/Ls’ aC y* Si ■ a DALLAS’ #1 SPORTS RESTAURANT As voted by The Dallas Morning News Reader’s Poll Welcome A&M/North Texas BEFORE the game... AFTER the game... or DURING the game... Is the place for great food and great sports In Dallas/Ft. Worth! So co/fees /sr? % msftf MS Oct. 9, MSS Afar* Z/aA/f 70:00 - 2:00 fCttSp nZmaZiijrt teSZcSr- AfSC /C:CO - 2:00. Las Colinas 4959 N. O’Connor Rd. (at Hwy. 114) 972-717-5515 Just two miles west of Texas Stadium improvisationed comedy Tippicanoe and Freudian Slip, too. Saturday Sept. 27 9 p.m. Rudder Theatre Tickets are $4 in advance (MSC BoxOffice) $5 at the door http://http.tamu.edu :8000/~fslip '“Si Missed a few episodes and now you're We have them for you! Free! Every Saturday Noon - 6 p.m. Through Oct. 11th This week in room 292 MSC http://cepheid.tamu.edu/b5 Persons with disabilities please call 845-1515 to inform us of your special needs. We request notification three (3) working days prior to the event to enable us to assist pH] the best of our abilities. “Babylon 5” and the Babylon 5 logo are copyright © and trademark 1992-1 Helen Clancy, Editor in Chief Brad Graeber, Managing Editor Erica Roy, City Editor Matt Weber, News Editor Chris Ferrell, Sports Editor Aaron Meier, Features Editor April Towery, Entertainment Editor James Francis, Opinion Editor Dave House, Photo Editor Quatro Oakley, Graphics Editor Joey Schiueter, Radio Producer Chris Stevens, Web Editor Dusty Moer, Web Editor Mandy Cater, Office Manager Staff Members City- Asst. Editor: Jenara Kocks; Joey Schiueter, Robert Smith, Rachel Dawley, Karie Fehler, Rachel George, Amanda Smith, Brandye Brown, Courtney See, Colleen Kavanagh. Sports- Asst. 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