concert reviews Bloodrock Jethro Tull BLOODROCK, DEC. 3 finally played it near the end Hazleton, Penna. According to "Rolling by John Roslevich Stone" (June 10, 1971), Bloodrock arrived in "promotion men started Hazleton on Dec. 3, 1971, pushing The Buoys' Timothy' amid an atmosphere of mixed during the first two months of feelings among the concert 1970, but the record was goers. Many students said that obscured by the then number they had never heard of the one 'Venus.' group. Those students who had "At the time the heard of them did not speak pedestrian instrumental line too highly of Bloodrock's obscured the lyrics. After music. As a matter of fact'few, several months programmers if any, students actually liked and listeners alike discovered Bloodrock. that the song was about Recently Bloodrock came cannibalism: three friends are off of a national tour with trapped in a mine, two Grand Funk Railroad and emerging upon rescue sans Pacific Gas and Electric where Timothy. Everyone who they played most, if not all, of understands the words gets a the choice spots in the charge out of -the grossness, so country, including the now the record has been a hit defunct Filmore East. wherever and whenever According to advance press played." releases, Bloodrock apparently After a short intermission felt that because of that tour, spiced by a few idiotic their music was categorized comments by WAZL's Neal with Grand Funk. However, Rodino, the emcee, Bloodrock they make it explicit that they emerged from the darkness in believe in their own style of all their sadistic, mysterious music and performance. glory. For the next 90 minutes The Hazleton concert was the audience was treated to fair - not the worst but some pretty freaky music. The certainly not the best. It's hard audience seemed to like it to pinpoint exactly what put (except Dean McCallus who the damper on. It could have left early) and brought them been the relatively small gym back again for an encore. (although St. Joe's is At one point the drummer Hazleton's largest), the crowd exhausted himself with a (which consisted of many, prolonged but very impressive many high school teeny solo. The lead singer grossed boppers of Top-40 breeding), out several girls standing near or the narcs (never thought the stage by making obscene there were any in Hazleton, phallic gestures with his huh? Well, now we know who microphone and stand. most of them are!!!). By the If Highacres expects to way, the local yokels busted produce any more good rock two Wilkes-Barre kids who concerts, they could use a few were good friends of the tips about security. Of course Buoys, the backup group of we're not about to tell them teh night. Guess in that because we're always in the business it's not always who market for a good rip-off too, you know that counts. just like everyone else. It seems The Buoys did a great job that everybody and his uncle with their set, which included a was roaming around the very reasonable facsimile of backstage areas. If this were Crosby,. Stills, Nash, and any kind of a top-name concert Young's "Judy Blue Eyes." attracting all sorts of freaks, They ran through it once the drum sets left unguarded at during rehearsal before the stage left would have been show and it sounded better the gone before the show even second time around. started. The same with the Throughtout their act' guitars at stage right. some Top-40 jerks kept It was a start, Highacres, screaming for "Timothy," the but you've got a long way to group's single on Scepter. They go. Amen. concert invades JETHRO TULL, NOV. 15 Boston, Mass. by Judith Anne Fairchild Boston was seized once again by the British as Jethro Tull descended on the city on Nov. 15, 1971, but their reception was far different from that received by their forebearers almost 200 years ago. The warm-up group, Curved Air, sounded much like an early Fifth Dimension, but without the vocal quality. The lead singer did at times manage to produce a sound and appearance akin to that of the late, great Janis Joplin, and the lead guitar had a solid sound, but the group in general lacked professionalism. The near-capacity crowd at the Boston Garden waited patiently through a rather lenghty intermission, which was marred only by several minor hassles with the police over standing in the aisles. Tull was arriving in glory a Boston underground paper (Boston After Dark) ranked them as the number four group; Aqualung was the 3rd rated album; and lan Anderson was the top instrumentalist. We Jethro Tull freaks of olden times find ourselves with mixed emotions over their new popularity - two years ago, even last year, when we would mention Tull, people would query, "Who's he? " But now, Tull is here, full grown and ready to take their place in popular music. We have to share them, as was proved by the standing ovation as the stage leaped to life. And leap it did! From total darkness emerged a whirling, diving lan Anderson, and one by one, the group sprung into the lights. With a long lead-in, they opened the program with My God from Aqualung. From then on, the events are no longer distinguishable - the entire concert melts 'into one vivid dream sequence. The striking image of lan Anderson leaping, coiling, dancing, writhing, conducting the piano, guitars, and audience, did strange things to one's head. He was everywhere at once! Martin Barre, on lead guitar, was much into the visual act with Anderson, as was John Evans, the newest member, on concert calendar Jan. 18-19 - KWESKIN, The Main Point, Bryn Mawr Jan. 19 - BUDDY MILES, WAR, Spectrum, Phila., 8 p.m. $ 4,5, 6. Jan. 20 -23 - CHRIS SMITHER, The Main Point. Jan. 23 - JERRY GARCIA, HOWARD WALES, Villanova Field House, Phila., 8 p.m. Jan. 25 - CACTUS, Senate Theatre, Harrisburg Feb. 4 - JESUS CHRIST, SUPERSTAR, Hershey Sports Arena, 8:30 p.m. $4.50, 5.50, 6.50. Feb. 7 - STEVE MILLER BAND, Juniata College , 8:15 p.m $ 5.00 advance. Feb. 11 - DON McLEAN, Academy of Music, Phila., 8:30 p.m., $ 3,4, 5,6, 4.IIIIMMIMIIMMIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII 1111111 l 11111111111111111111111111111.111MIIMMIMMIIMMIWt: 4111M1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111A1M1111 "fair," Boston ESS-BEE SPORTSWEAR BROAD AT WYOMING Long Sleeve Knit Tops S - M - L $ 2.40 to $ 3.40 XL - XXL $ 3.60 to $ 4.40 Just Arrived Body Shirts $ 5 and $ 7 New Arrivals on Brush Denim Jeans ( pin - striped ) $ 5 Donnkenny Sweater Suits Reg. $l4 Now $ 11.20 keyboard. His solo on Locomotive's Breath was especially memorable - the frenzy on stage built to a climax as he leaped from the organ and somehow (I don't know how!) maneuvered himself across the stage to the piano. Then the sound and lights, save for the red and blue spots on him, were killed as he started his freaky concerto. Clive Bunker on drums was finally given his long deserved solo spot; as he played for about an hour (although I'm told it was really only five minutes), the light dimmed and the group faded away, only to spring back much as in the beginning. Jeffrey Hammond-Hammond, who replaced Glenn Cornick on bass, was also fantastic, although a bit more reserved than the others. The music itself was superb - but then, what else would one expect from Tull? Especially good were Cross-Eyed Mary, My God, Aqualung, Hymn 43, and Wind-Up from Aqualung (they did the entire album!); To Cry You a Song (which, Anderson quipped, "has been recorded by such American favorites as Andy Williams and Lassie.") from Benefit; A New Day Yesterday and Bouree from Stand Up; and Beggar's Farm from This Was. After playing for years, the group bade farewell (the usually hostile Anderson had been extremely, gentle to the Boston audience, who he challenged early in the concert to behave "as members of the peace generation.") and retired, much to the dismay of the hynotic crowd. There was much shouting and applause, and soon everyone got his head together and the entire audience acted as one: the lights were all killed. and each person lit a match - a really far-out sight!! Tull came back and outdid themselves to Wind-Up, which featured the versatile Anderson at his best as composer, flautist, guitarist, and vocalist. And then, as quickly as they had come, Jethro Tull was gone, an unforgettable split second respite from reality for those present. No more will people ask, "Who's he? " They know. Colorful Crushed Velvet Jeans $7 Pucker Blouses Long Sleeve $ 4 Short Sleeve $ 3 Sweaters $ 5 Rutledge in action Bucks Playhouse releases schedule Lee R. Yopp, Producer/Artistic director of teh Bucks County Theatre Company which operates all year at Bucks County Playhouse in New Hope, Pa., has announced , the calendar for winter-spring '72. Currently in its fifth year at the Playhouse, the Theatre Company will continue to offer classic and contemporary plays for children, student and adult audiences. Following the final performance of "The Fantasticks" on Jan. 8, ,1972, Theatre-In-Educationn. - will resume daily weekday matinees at 10:30 AM. Featured for students will be "Romeo and Juliet" and "West Side Story." This double bill is being remounted to fill the large number of ticket requests unaccomodated in the past fall season. Also offered for "Romeo and Juliet" very impressive at New Hope by John Roslevich The Bucks County Playhouse at New Hope, formerly a summer stock theatre only, is now operating year-round, and justifiably so. All phases of their summer productions were of a high calibre, and it is a delight to be able to experience Bucks at any time throughout the year. We caught an evening performance of Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" during its three-week run at the Playhouse in December. This classic tragedy was in repertory with "West Side Story," a contemporary musical based on "Romeo and Juliet." This was the first time in theatre history that both plays were presented on the same bill. The two plays shared the smae director, Paul Barry, founder of the New Jersey State Shakespeare Festival. Mr. Barry also staged the very realistic fight scenes in the production. In addition, several of the major roles were double-cast. "Romeo and Juliet" was done on an open stage which gave the theatre an eerie, mysterious aura even before the play began. This was acheived through the use of very effective lighting and by the presence at stage left of a seemingly-dead body of a man. It would be difficult to single out any one performer as outstanding. Carol Williard as Juliet and Clyde Barton as Romeo were believable and empathic. Also notable were William Simington as Montague, John Carpenter as Capulet, and Arthur Sellers as Mercutio. Minerva Davenport students, are "Cyrano de Bergerac" and "You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown." Tours of "The Fantasticks" and "Our Town" are also available. Adult theatre-goers may see "West Side Story" evenings the last three weekends of January and the first weekend in February. The comedy, "Once Upon A Mattress" is scheduled for seven weekends beginning the second week of February through the 3rd week of March. "Cyrano de Bergerac" will run for four weekends and "You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown" is scheduled for all the weekends in May. Evening performances are at 8:30 PM. For additional information, please call or write the Playhouse, Box 223, New Hope, Pa. - telephone (215) 862 - 2041. was lovable in her role as Juliet's nurse. Dennis M. Fitzpatrick seemed awkwardly cast as Paris, the young count expected by the Capulets to marry Juliet. He did a good job regardless. The unit set was designed by Hal Tine and costumes by Toni James. Everything blended beautifully to make for an impressive production. 101 S. Broad Mt. Ave., Frackville For Dinner and/or Ticket Reservations Phone 874-9954 HIGHACRES COLLEGIA Jim Rutledge, lead vocalist of Bloodrock, is seen during the group's December concert in Hazleton sponsored by Penn State Highacres. Famous For Fine Clothing Is A Great Shop For Slacks And Sportswear, too! Come see our new Haggar - Mustang flares in wovens and double knits. . ..411 to no 9 040 1, MENS STYLE SPECIALISTS 4Ped* 42 W. Broad Street Hazleton, Penna. TUESDAY / FEB. 8 "HAPPY HOLIDAYS" (A Musical Romp Through The Holiday Seasons) Performances Tues.-Wed.-Thurs. 8:30 P.M. At HANK'S PLAYERS REST PLAYERS) ? YES! TION? YES! Professional tertainment! Bradley, Assoc. Producer nounce G SEASON
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