the daily collegian Hammond and the By STUART AUSTIN Daily. Collegian Staff Writer The boys from Doraville better known as The Atlanta Rhythm Section dropped into Rec Hall Saturday night for a little jam which turned out to be a dynamite concert. The audience was in a reserved mood, surpris tibg after the Nittany Lions' victory earlier that 'afternoon. However, the concert was not sold out "tan estimated 3000 in attendance) and the re served seating tended to dampen things, com pared to crowded, sweaty "festival seating." Not :a single frisbee was thrown. But that's what warm-up bands are for. McGuf ley Lane, an Ohio-based band, punched out some ''hot outlaw country-rock, heartbreaking lost-love :,ballads and electrified bluegrass. Guitarist-vocal • list John Schwab taunted the audience: "I heard , you all are crazy . . . well, we're crazy too. When ewe get crazy we like to do some bluegrass." Viva Montoya: flare from the strings of Bk§TUART AUSTIN Daily Collegian Staff Writer OW- Carlos Montoya! A warm smile, lightning fingers and a fiery heart these are the things which the world fimous Flamenco guitarist brought to Eisenhower Auditorium Friday night, things he gave us in each piece of a fabulous show. Montoya was a serious performer, but he was warm and friendly throughout the entire concert. Into each piece he put his concentration and his talent, as every performer must. But he put all of himself into the performance, all the warmth, all the feelings within his Gypsy spirit. This is how Montoya distinguishes' himself one cannot play Flamenco without "feel ing" Flamenco. Montoya created variations in his mu sic' through dynamic and rhythmic ma nipulations. Loudly throwing out strums with his right hand, softly plucking a chord "backwards" (from high notes to low), marching, syncopating, using har monics, throwing in an abrupt stop all these techniques were spun together into a web of Gypsy magic by the arachnid Montoya. Unfortunately, what should have been a minor element caused a major blemish arts Atlanta Rhythm Section sings songs of the South' on an otherwise spectacular perfor mance acoustics, the sound system through which Montoya's magic was muddied. This is something a performer should not have to face in Eisenhower, especially considering the caliber of per formers that appear there. The volume was awfully low (I had to strain to hear from about 12 rows back, so I pity those sitting in the back) and Montoya's force ful four-finger strums came out garbled and muffled. However, that was the only thing which could have dampened the spirit of the show. Montoya performed three "sets" of traditional Flamenco music --- music which has no written score, only a char acteristic rhythm and chord structure. Thus it is up to the performer to make the music do what he wants it to do. And Montoya has no difficulty making the music say "Spain," through an almost endless supply of techniques which yield an infinite number of variations. Montoya's multifarious techniques were impressive enough in themselves, but when put together just so, here is the Montoya magic. Playing a nylon stringed Flamenco guitar with a capo at the third fret, his style made broad use of the instrument. Usually picking in the With that they launched into a spirited rendition of "Fox on the Run," "Rocky Top," and others, with outstanding performances by guitarist/ steel guitarist Terry Efaw and keyboard/ harmonica player Stephen Douglas, who bounced around and added "yee-haws" at appropriate moments. concert review This was just what the doctor ordered. The ice now broken, the stage was prepared for ARS. They arrived onstage to the music from "Gone With the Wind," a fitting intro. They launched whole-heartedly into "Champagne Jam," the title track from their seventh album, and continued through the evening with this intense energy. Photos by Steve Shaw boys They played about a dozen songs, mostly from their newer, more familiar material, including "So Into You" and "Georgia Rhythm" from the 1977 Rock and Roll Alternative and "Large Time". and "Imaginary Lovers" from Champagne Jam. They reached into the past for "Back Up Against the Wall," the title track of their second album, and into the present with "Alien," the single from their newest Ip Quinella. Ronnie Hammond (left) and The At lanta Rhythm Section rolled into Rec Hall Satur day night. Below Barry Bailey and Paul Goddard (I to r) do a "Cham pagne Jam." Hammond: leader of regrouping ARS By STUART AUSTIN Daily Collegian Staff Writer - "Lovin' the life we're livin', Playin' that Georgia rhythm. Let's give it everything we got, Just one more time." For Ronnie Hammond, lead singer for The Atlanta Rhythm Section, those aren't just lyrics, they're a way of life. of Spain a guitar classical thumb-and-three finger tech nique for the basic chord structure of each piece, Montoya added his own di mension with percussive taps on the body with his little finger as he played. He frequently picked only with his thumb on the right hand, letting his left hand's pull-offs and hammer-ons create lightning arpeggios. Often he created a fluid, harplike sound using only his left hand pulling off the strings. Other times he tapped the fingerboard when execut ing a hammer-on, yielding a staccato, percussive quality. He imitated the sound of a tambourine by slapping the strings and body with his right hand, and even mimicked the sound of Spanish bagpipes by intoning slightly off-key. Yet, talent and good technique are only part of the story. What clearly distuing ishes Montoya is his feeling, his fire, the way he draws us willingly into the spi der's web. He gradually brought us clos er as the evening went on, the last set forceful, burning from the lightning striking from his fingers, the excitement of Gypsy dancing racing along the strings. It almost sounds like a corny National Geographic advertisement, but it's true: we visited Spain without ever leaving home. ARS performed rockers like "Homesick," also from Quinella, with butt-busting intensity, with lead singer Ronnie Hammond tossing and twir ling his mike stand as he roamed the stage now at the edge of the stage, then back as guitarist Barry Bailey steadfastly lauched into a lead now up front, belting out lyrics, waving to people in the front row, staring them in the eye, even once reaching down and shaking the hand of the Daily Collegian photographer who was kneeling at the foot of the stage. Hammond continued to put out, like a blast furnace of musical energy, wailing into slower numbers like "Imaginary Lovers" and "Spooky," jiving with the crowd between numbers. He said he wished we could all get a little higher, as he handed down his Styrofoam cup of vodka and water for the audience to imbibe. The band then launched into its new single, "Higher." Each member of ARS got his chance in the spotlight. Hammond would break in the middle of a song for a slide guitar lead from J.R. Cobb, a keyboard highlight from Dean Daughtry, a bone crushing bass solo from the mighty fingers of Paul Goddard, a dramatic percussion climax by Roy Yeager ARS managed to heat up an otherwise chilly night in Happy Valley with its unique brand of music bringing a little of that Southern comfort for all to taste. Sure tasted good. ARS' Saturday night show in Rec Hall was the second stop on a 20-day tour for the band that's getting back in the rock 'n' roll business with the tour and the release of its new album Qui nella (Columbia, .+FC 37550). "It's (the album) happening a little slow," Hammond said in a backstage interview following the concert. "So is the single, but records happen one of two ways: real quick or real slow. We hope that in the process of happening slow, they'll maintain the momentum. It's happening slow but at least it's a comeback. We were through with two years ago." , The tour is the most extensive road work ARS has done since 1979, and Hammond hopes things will again work out for the band. "We released the album four weeks ago, and the single's been out about four or five weeks earlier than that. We had laid off all year. making the album. It took six months, and we decided to wait until the single and album were released until we started an extensive tourrhe said. "This is the first one we've done extensively and we don't intend to slow down at all. Like I said, we've been a little cold since '79, and to get a little reaction sure is nice. We had a good decade in the '7os, and would like to have a good decade in the 'Bos. It's a strange business to be in, the competi tion is varied," Hammond said. "But were into it, we'll be around for the next ten years." 'lf we could stay together for another 10 years and have a good run like we did in the '7os, that'd be enough to satisfy my soul, _because don't know anything else to do but music.' Ronnie Hammond, lead singer for The Atlanta Rhythm Section Hammond talked about some of the songs from Quinelia. " 'Southern Ex posure' —that's a very special song for me. If I may be so presumptuous as to say this, I put in my will that when I die, the last verse of 'Southern ,Expo sure' be put on my tombstone. 'South ern Exposure' to me is the epitome of any social commentary on Southern rock 'n' roll, or Southern living. "It's not like all the other Southern stuff like 'the South's gonna do it again' and all that shit. The south ain't gonna do it again. But 'Southern Expo sure' is like the good people that you know, that you meet down south, the people that you're friends with, that you love. There ain't nothing like it, man. "The song puts it in a good way about being from the South, proud to be from the South. It's not like a redneck situation but a subtle, humani ties situation. It's a whole 'nother ball game from what I think people believe it is." Hammond talked about "Home sick," also from Quinella. "I suppose it's from many years on the road. "Homesick" I think is the best rock 'n' roll song that's been written out of the South or anywhere else. It mentions Jimi Hendrix, and. Woodstock and things back in '69, when things just started rolling, accurately. It doesn't say that things happening now ain't hitting on shit, what used to be is better. It makes what I remember of the '6os, just getting into drugs, long hair and all that shit, a respectable thing, instead of a hippy-dippy, junky situation." When told that I enjoyed his onstage presence and rapport with the audi ence, Hammond replied "I really ap preciate that.' The audience is where our success lies, they're the people who buy the records, people who buy the tickets. If you perceive me as someone that shares some kind of thing with the audience, then I really appreciate that. Paul Goddard "I've tasted success in the last part of the '7os, of course I relish success, as anyone would that's trying to make it. It's not the all-important thing, but it is instrumental in paying the bills. I'm out for success, as we all are, but not in a way that dictates what we do for people. We have control of the creative thing, what we put out." Hammond talked about his plans for the future of ARS. "We have had a lot of time at home since '79. Nowadays we're starting to work a lot more and I'm glad 'cause I do not want to retire now. Keep playing good music for another 10 years, and by God when I'm 40 then I'll think about retiring. It's wonderful to be able to travel around, and see people, and make music and make friends. Damn good. "I 'spose if I could say it all in a nutshell, that in my opinion, if we could stay together for another 10 years and have a good run like we did in the '7os, that'd be enough to satisfy my soul, because I don't know anything else to do but music. "I'd really rather make music than anything else for the next 10 years. We'll see how that turns out." Ronnie Hammond- Monday, Oct. 5 16 Organist to perform. Bach 11The University's School of Music will present an organ recital by June Miller, associate professor of music, at 8:30 tonight in the Music Building Recital Hall. Selected works by German and French composers from the ba roque, romantic and contemporary periods will be featured. The recital will begin with Max Reger's "Tocca- to and Fugue in D, opus 59." Also included in the initial segment will Heralded poet to give reading Poet Gerald Stern, the author of Award for Excellence in the Arts. "Red Coal" and various other works His 1977 book "Lucky Life" was the of poetry, will present a reading at 4 Lamont Poetry Selection of the Aca p.m. tomorrow in the Rare Books demy of American poets. Room of Pattee Library. The reading is co-sponsored by the Stern, a resident of Easton and Institute for the Arts and Humanis professor of English at Somerset tic Studies, the English Department County College in Somerville, N.J., and the Pennsylvania Council on the last year won the first Governor's Arts. itr 3 IP IT o n illl-JJ be three works by J.S. Bach: "Sona ta No. 2 in C Minor;" "Liebster Jesu, wir sind hier;" and "Prelude and Fugue in C." Opening the second portion of the recital will be the "Allegro vivace" from C.M. Widor's Symphony V. The program will close with a movement from L Vierne's Symphony 11, the Final: Maestoso. The recital is open to the public at no charge. PENN STATE ot 97 Fafil Royal Philharmonic thrives on rock By ANDREW WARSHAW Associated Press Writer LONDON (AP) The Royal Philhar monic Orchestra topped Britain's singles charts in August with the disco hit "Hooked on Classics," and later played to sell-out audiences with blues wizard 8.8. King and the American jazz-rock band The Crusaders. What's happening to the orchestra founded by Sir Thomas Beecham 35 years ago? John Binson, who plays French horn and serves as chairman of the self-gov erning London orchestra, said the RPO is having to diversify to make a living these days. At the same time, it wants to dispel the notion among pop fans that classical musicians are "boring old fuddy-dud dies. "The' average age of the RPO is about 40. Orchestras have some of the most versatile musicians in the world. You can put any music down before them and MONDAY 4-9 p.m. CHUNKS or coiGKN IN A CREAM YET - rAN6y SAUCE . ., GI-IF FS AND F2REAO CRUMI3 ToPPINe —BAKED EN CASSEoLF_"J SEIMP WITH STATION BAKED JUNC,fIoN OF CoLLEGF. 4 GARNER they'll just play it," Binson said in an interview. When the RPO joined forces with 8.8. King and The Crusaders for concerts at London's Royal Festival Hall, tickets quickly sold out. Crusaders founder Stix Hooper de scribed the collaboration as "a milestone in our career." Hooper, King and the RPO said they had never before bridged the musical fence in such renowned company. "We've backed Jose Feliciano, Andy Williams and the Three Degrees on I stage, but these guys are something different," said Binson. "They are all terribly talented musi cians in their own right and maybe some of the classical fans who come to see the shows will realize not all contemporary musicians have long hair and take drugs," he said. The RPO became a household name to pop fans in August after recording a medley of popular classics to a disco beat, including Rimsky-Korsakov's "Flight of the Bumblebee." The single, "Hooked On Classics," shot to the top of the charts. Dismissing criticism that the orches tra had "sold out," Binson said: "The record introduced us to a whole new audience. Our show:: traditionally lose money and these youngsters are beginning to come along and hear the real thing played right through. That's got to be healthy for us and them. "What some people fail to understand is that unlike pop stars who can earn a great deal, .we have to rely on govern ment subsidies and have to look for work. In other Words, we have to diversify to make a living." The RPO is one of four independent orchestras in the competitive London scene the others are the London Sym phony, London Philharmonic and Phil harmonia. Despite almost 25 years in the music business, Hopper said he and the other The Daily Collegian Monday, Oct. 5, 1981-17 two Crusaders Wilton Felder and Joe Sample, all from Houston, Texas expe rienced "butterflies" before the RPO concerts. "Naturally we're nervous about play ing with the Royal Philharmonic," he said before the shows. "The orchestration will have to be perfect and rehearsals more intense than usual. But we're very excited about the collaboration." B.S. King described the concerts as "the greatest honor I have ever had." • The 55-year-old blues man from India nola, Miss. now living in Las Vegas said he hoped they would show that "the blues can be played with class." "A lot of people think that blues ha's to be played just with a harmonica 'and guitar. That's nonsense. I jumped at the chance of playing with the RPO to prove it," King said. / A ' • Ye/
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