Page 12 A The Behrend Beacon Godsmack pulverizes Tullio Arena while remembering attack victims by Mile Bell() sports editor After the Columbine tragedy two and half years ago, many Americans attacked rock and metal bands for their lyrics, which contained numerous instances of death and violence. The same went for Eminem when his album came out in May of 2000. But whoever said rock hands should he censored obviously did not attend the lodsmack concert on Monday night at Tullio Arena. The show, which was originally scheduled for Sept. 13 but was pushed back after the terrorist attacks, had a strong a sense of patriotism Lead singer Sully Erna screamed several times during the show to wave the American flags many people had brought, and the hand even stopped playing to hold hands and engage in a moment of silence for all the victims II 111111:riflitilitICI:lilffilifi'd The members of The Push Stars by Jennie Ellison contributing writer One never knows what to expect from the weekend bands that play in Bruno's. Sonic hands that have per formed in the past were greeted only by Bruno's employees and those pass ing by for a late night snack. It was a surprise to see a different scenario last Saturday when the hand, The Push Stars, played to a crowd of more than 25 people, who were devoted fans al- ready. The award-winning Push Stars. which consist of Chris Trapper on lead vocals and guitar. Dan McLoughlin playing bass and piano, and Ryan MacMillan on drums and vocals, came together in musical harmony in Boston five years ago. Since then, they have been sharing their roman tic rock sound with others by touring college campuses, coffee houses and dinner theatres. Push Stars' captivating 14 song set had a grab-bag quality to it. The in dividuality of each song showed as a result of the hand's blending of rock, soul, easy listening and pop. Movies - `Glitter' *Release Date: 9/21 of the attacks and their families. Of course, the hand also rocked for more than an hour and a half, giving the crowd one of the best concerts that has been to Erie in a while. Godsmack played many of the songs from their second album, "Awake," and a few from their first album as well. The hand then went completely hack to their first album, entitled "Godsmack, - in the second half of the show, which included hits like "Whatever 'Keep Away... The show started off with the Buz/ Poets, but they finished just as I arrived. Next came Saliva, who started their set with "Click, Click I3oom, - their most recent single, and jammed for another half hour. Although not spectacular, the hand did a good job of getting the crowd ready for what was to come. The first selection, "Miracles. - told of the everyday miracles that happen that people often do not see or neglect to see. Lyrics in the song such as "You never say what you mean," differ greatly from "I want a blonde in a black limousine, - which was in a later selection called "Millionaire." The drum and vocal style of "Millionaire" sounded similar to "I Will Buy You a New Life" by Fverc fear, but still held its own lyrically. The most humorous song per formed by the band had to he "Bos ton Girl, - which stereotyped women according to the city they lived in. The girl from L.A. had bursting im plants and the San Francisco girl ended up being a he. Of course, the girl with everything any men would want was from Boston. The song's message according to the lyrics was that "the hest kind of love is in your own backyard - Many of the songs performed by The Push Stars gave images of trav eling somewhere, particularly by car. The hand's continuous touring had a way of making an appearance in their songs. especially the ones that give visuals of a Motel 6 and stopping to N......, • .. „. •• .. ......„.... t • •. .• .• • ~ .. . ... • .... .... ..,. IP ~.., ... .. e ~, .... . . ~.,.. Video* -Rasic Instinct' -`Cape Fear' -Walloween 2' - `An American Werewolf in London' - `Someone Like You' Special thanks to Medi Friday, September 21, 2001 `The band stopped playing to hold hands and engage in a moment of silence for all of the victims and their families." After a short break, the lights were turned down and an elaborate stage set and a short cartoon of the band greeted the audience. The set was made to look like a desert-type atmosphere, with stonewalls, gargoyle-like statues and flames shooting from all around. There was even a sun, similar to the one they had on their first album cover, which shot out flames that could be felt get coffee at various restaurants. One song where the audience did not have to sit in the driver's side to relate to the activity was the very beautiful "Last Night's Dream." The romantic keyboard ballad seemed to bring couples in the au dience closer together. Also, "Last Night's Dream" had the chills-go ing-down-your-spine sound of "Crash Into Me" by the Dave Matthews Band. After the show, the band was greeted by fans who were as young as 16. The Push Stars' reputation of a great live show was very ap parent at Behrend. All of the songs are originals writ ten by lead singer Trapper. His'mu sical influences range from Sam Cooke to Bruce Springsteen. His influences can account for the hand's sentimental sound with a touch of an All-American 'Born in the USA' quality. The band's performance in Bruno's left their old fans satisfied and their first-time viewers amazed at the talent that others have known about for years. The Push Stars are currently on tour until early Novem ber, hoping that all of theirpresent performances will push them to ward mainstream stardom. '•lf you would like information on the band and upcoming performances, go to www. ushstars.com. The next time that you go into Bruno's for a late night snack and see a band playing, don't be so quick to leave. If future bands com ing to Bruno's have the great sound of Push Stars, before you know it, you'll he calling Ticketmaster and paying top dollar for the seats clos est to the front when you could have sat in the front of Bruno's and heard them free of charge. Music* -Live -Tori Amos -TV soundtrack: Tough Enough Play for providing information drummer Tommy Stewart and guitarist Tony Rombola, then appeared on stage and started rocking. It didn't take long for the mosh pit to start jumping up and down and tossing a few bodies around by crowd surfing. The band continued to jam, but it wasn't until the band played "Awake," their hard-nosed first single from the album of the same name, that the pit really got into the show. I lost ' SOME PARTS MISSING OR BROKEN ' Footsteps, one by one, creak ever so slowly down the stairs. "Is anybody there? Hello? Is anybody there?," cries a voice from the pitch-black darkness of the Behrend studio theater. Then, suddenly a bright flashlight appears on the face of a frightened man. The audience is scared and does not know what to expect. This is the feel ing throughout the entire fifty minute performance of an evening with Dan Crozier which made for a mysterious and thought provoking evening. As stage lights come up, the scene is strange and unusual. Barbie doll heads, carousels and plastic toys are strewn about the set. There is a single table located at center stage and a card board box off to the side. These mis cellaneous props were the only acces sories to the acting of Allegheny Col lege Theatre faculty member Dan Cro zier. The first character is a man of un usual sorts. He addresses the audience bluntly and changes his tone of voice and mood quite rapidly. Crozier orga nizes his props and becomes ac qiiainted.with the audience. This is done by looking at each individual and his surroundings. Suddenly, there is a loud shriek and he runs over to the cardboard box which is located on the side of the stage. Crozier shakes rapidly and then suddenly changes his character to Hamlet. As Hamlet and other addi tional characters, he quotes various lines from plays and scenes and changes into each of the characters he is imitating. Hamlet uses various toys and throws them across the stage. Crozier appears as Polonius the sec ond time that the shriek is heard. Af ter changing characters he picks up a serving tray loaded with glasses filled with water and begins to ask each and every individual in the first row a simple question, "Yes or No?" This throughout most of the arena. The cartoon showed the band backstage, getting ready for the show, and included a funny shot of bassist Robbie Merrill with beet-red eyes intensely playing Nintendo. The band, which also includes by Jeanine Noce a & e editor DVD* _ , Crocodile Dundee' count of how many people were actually crowd surfing, although at one point I was nearly crushed by three people who crowd surfed simultaneously to the same spot where I was standing. Rocking wasn't the only thing on Erna's mind during the show. He made several references to Bin Laden, which I can't print here, and got the crowd to chant "USA, USA" several times. At one point he told everyone to stand up and jump up and down, and when he noticed someone still sitting in his seat. he immediately flipped the guy the bird for not standing. "That guy is either too drunk to stand up on his own, or too old to he in this (expletive) building," he remarked to the crowd. Erna also handed the microphone to someone in the audience wearing a T shirt with the American flag on it who immediately screamed, "They can't character only asks these two words to the people and the response that is given was different. He played with each of the members in the front row. and the audience laughed hysterically. An amusing rendition of the song "Love Train" was also performed by the Polonius character in slow and fast versions After a third shriek, Crozier emerged dressed in a chicken costume and be gan to act and make noises similar to one. After acting as the farm animal, he began to pour himself a cup of tea. The cream was located in a container in the shape of a chicken and he made noises of an individual puking and then the milk was released. This portion of the play was gruesome to some and funny to others. Personally, I chuck led at this particular scene. He then began to sing a few more lines from songs. One of the choice phrases was, "lowa, that's where the Dan Crozier performs in 'Some Parts Missing or Broken' Jeanine Noce, A & E Editor behrcolls@aol.com hum this one, as he pointed to his shirt. l.ater, the hand broke into the rendition of Twisted Sister's "We're Not Gonna Take IC after saying America will not hack down to terrorists and followed that up by playing a short stint of Kiss's "Rock and Roll All Nite'' and Pantera's "Walk.- Ema. who appeared onstage wearing an American flag bandanna. announced that all profits from the sale of merchandise would go to a fund for victims of the attacks. He also announced that the Red Cross was accepting donations in the lobby, which was packed after the show with hundreds of people giving donations. In a tribute ending, the hand showered the crowd with red, white. and blue confetti while playing - Voodoo - that proved that no matter what their music 11111 V say. rock hands still have as much sense of the issues our society deals with as the rest of us. tall coin grows. - sung in many differ ent versions and sound levels. The Phrase. "I'M an actress. a seagull'' was also stated urine mane different ‘OICe (OICS "Some Parts Nlissing or Broken" w as directed by Robert Levine and de eloped \ both ('coffer and Levine. There WCFC Iwo perlormances on Fri day. Sept. 14 and Sept. 15 at 8 p.m. This performance was free of charge and Vv'a definitely a new experience for any of the audience members. To watch one man perform for 50 minutes straight was outstanding. Cro sier knew every line and movement. I lis actions were simultaneous with the music and the lights. At one point, a strobe light was used and this ac centuated his every action, lle danced to a techno song with the use of the strobe light and this showed his ability to blend music. language and lighting.
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