arts Ramones' concert anything but 'sedated' By LAURA PACE Collegian Arts Writer They sat around the space heater like it was a campfire, with a half empty bottle of Perrier, a bag of Rold Gold pretzels and a Domino’s Pizza box. Rock and roll gurus, the Ramones, sat upstairs at the Allentown Airport Music Hall before their sold-out show Friday night. On the TV was a Marilyn Monroe movie and road crew members walked through the rubble to ready their instruments. From under his mop of frizzy black tresses that reached his nose and his rose-colored wire-rim glasses, Joey Ramone mumbled with his charac teristic sarcastic smile. Joey said the band originated in Queens, NY., and that the band has been together for 13 years. He added that he is currently work ing on a song for Poison. “It’s a good song,” he said as he smoothed his typical black leather pants. “We’re the best we’ve ever been,” he said about their live show, which is supporting their recent release, Half way to Sanity. (The album comes complete with the suggestion “Play Loud.”) Joey is the lead vocalist, whose words are barely audible in concert, though the songs are easily recogniz able. From across the room with consid erably more energy, lead guitarist Johnny Ramone spoke with great enthusiasm. “We’re getting psyched now,” Johnny said when asked what the group does to ready themselves for a show. The room was strangely quiet, and the band was hardly moving. “We get tired, but then we get up there (on stage) and all of a sudden, you feel OK again,” Johnny said. The Ramones do not view their current dates as a “tour.” They feel they are always on tour. “We’ve been on tour for three years. We play all year and go home for a while,” Johnny said. “It’s not like (we’re) out permanently.” Make tracks By VICKY AUDENRIED Collegian Arts Writer ‘The chidren were nestled all snug in their beds; as visions of TRAX danced in their heads.' TRAX? Why do the kids want TRAX? Isn’t that a brand of sneakers? Or is it some kind of new toy race track? A new Transformer? No, it’s not, Santa. TRAX is a game and a very popular one, if the people at The United States Playing Card Co. have their way. Earlier this year the company acquired the rights to TRAX which has taken New Zealand by storm since its first publication there in 1982. Distribution of the game began in the States on Oct. 1 almost in time for the all-important Christmas buying season. “Since the game has only been distributed to certain regions and metro politan areas (in the United States), we’ve missed the big selling season for Christmas,” Susan Black, new product manager for the company said. “But the stores that carrv it are selling out fast.” No wonder. Any game with the ability to inspire clubs and televised tournaments, as TRAX has is in New Zealand (much like the Rubik’s Cube phenomenon in 1981), seems destined to be a hit. TRAX is a simple domino-like, one-on-one game which can be played at almost any age or level. Each player takes turns placing 64 colored game tiles in an imaginary eight-tile-by-eight-tile area. Each red tile has two sides one with curved The band has just returned from at 24-day trip to Europe. When asked how the audience responded, Joey mumbled, “They’re English. They drink more beer.” “The people are a lot wilder,” Johnny added. The opening act on Friday was Original Sin, a band from Allentown. The Ramones use local acts as open ers. “They have to be disciplined,” re marked Joey. “We have a two-page list of rules and regulations.” One of the band’s assistants called from the corner. “Yeh, like there will be no throwing of sticky substances like slime, snot, poop, or bodily excrements,” he said. to the store to buy TRAX black and white lines, and one with crossing black and white lines. Through the strategic placement of the tiles, both players strive to complete an unbroken line, which must be eight tiles wide or deep, or a loop in their designated black or white line. Pretty simple, huh? Wrong. Like checkers or chess, TRAX is a game which requires concentration and strategic planning. Although beginning games take only 10 minutes, experts skillful in developing offensive and de fensive strategies can take up to an hour per game. Players who do not consider upcoming moves may unintentionally surrender the game to their opponent. According to Games magazine, which has ranked TRAX among the Top 100 Games for five consecutive years, “Players who get fixated on local tactics are likely to win the battle but lose the war.” The challenge of TRAX and its educational value led Parents Choice magazine to present it with the Gold Seal award in 1087. High school educators in New Zealand have developed and encouraged ‘TRAX Clubs’ as a result, as well. The game’s inventor, David Smith, designed the game so that, “strategic moves and countermoves keep the game endlessly fascinating. " A former accountant, Smith has invented 52 games, 20 of which have been published in the United States. He invented his first at 14. Smith was hit by the idea for TRAX while on a business trip in 1980. He promptly locked himself “Oh, and leave our mikes onstage if they jump into the crowd." someone added. Drummer Mark (Markie) Ramone sported a haircut similar to Joey's and wandered aimlessly around the dressing room. Bass player Dee Dee Ramone had a Sid Vicious haircut. He said little throughout the evening, but cast a knowing smile. The group doesn't mention any influences because, according to Johnny, “There are too many of them.” Joey said his favorite group changes every year. “Well, Kix came to see us, so I guess we like them." Joey said sar castically. Does the band have a motto? “Same Shit, Different Day,” joked one of the roadies. Parting words for the college crowd? “Come and see us,” said Johnny. “Go buy our record,” Joey mumbled. Joey mumbled his way through most of the evening, though the audi ence, which was well over 1,000 peo ple, didn’t mind. In fact, the audience was an inte gral part of the show. The assorted crowd members moshed, skanked and slammed throughout the eve ning. One excited crowd member yelled, I got to stage dive! Didja see that in his hotel room, creating TRAX by the end of the day. The first cardboard version of the now plastic game rolled off the presses in 1982. The rest, as they say, is history. In response to the cult-like following TRAX has received in New Zealand, Smith has written two books How to Play Better TRAX and Winning TRAX. In case you’re already a TRAX junkie, don’t waste your time running to Pattee they aren't in the stacks. And if you're a junkie wanna-be, don’t waste your time searching for TRAX in Happy Valley, because it’s nowhere to be found. Macy’s in New York and some J.C. Penney and Sears stores are carrying the game, as well as smaller gift and toy shops, Smith said. But you had better run fast, because chances are early Christmas shoppers have beaten you to the TRAX. The game may be an unsputable hit in New Zealand, but does it have what it takes to make TRAX (sorry!) in the fiercly competitive Ameri can toy market? The United States Playing Card Co. thinks so. “We feel it will fill a special niche in the games market in this country. Consumer interest is returning to the traditional strategy games and there is no other game like TRAX. . . It’s portable, it’s challenging, it’s fun,” Black said. Who knows? Maybe next year TRAX will be the Cabbage Patch Doll. Rubik's Cube, or Slinky of Christmas 1988. At $l5 a set, it’s a lot cheaper than an Atari and much more provocative than a Pet Rock. Hey you! “You missed a note, bro!” Singer Joey Ramone tells bassist Dee Dee Ra mone. last stage dive? That was me!" The attire included Sex Pistols T shirts, shirts with logos of punk bands, and tons of leather. Hair was spiked and teased, and came in a variety of colors, ranging from Ai mee Mann White to, well, Joey Ra mone Black. A young student with a black mow hawk, self-bleached jeans, an ear ring, and a Sid Vicious T-shirt wandered around most of the eve ning, occasionally jumping into the huddled mass at the front of the stage. The usual patter between songs that most bands use. was replaced by the Ramones familiar “ONETWOTH In the U Joel LP By MICHAEL W. GATES Collegian Arts Writer Billy Joel (Columbia Kohuept C2X 40996) Joel in the U.S.S.R., you don’t know how lucky we are. Billy Joel's newest release, Ko huept, boasts a double album concert recording from his recent tour of the Soviet Union. Joel, who was chosen as part of an ongoing cultural exchange between the United States and the U.S.S.R., played in several major Soviet cities. And who better exempli fies American rock’n’roll than Joel, whose career spans more than 15 years, and whose topics are represen tative of the American way of life? The album opens with The Georgian Singers “Zhournalist” of U.S.S.R. and the Russian song “Odoya.” The remaining songs range from versions of Joel’s early greats such as “Angry Young Man” to cuts from his last album, The Bridge. Also included are renditions of the poignant Bob Dylan song “The Times They Are A Changin’,” and The Beatles’ upbeat “Back in the U.S.S.R.” Some may perceive this as just another greatest hits album, but only five of the sixteen tracks can be found on Greatest Hits Volume I and Vol ume 11. Joel’s performance on this release ranges from poor to excellent; how ever, the bulk of the album showcases the entertainer's stamina and flair for the piano. While Joel has not retained the vocal range found in his earlier years, he compensates with his ability to deliver a song. In “An Innocent Man," a song sorely missing from his greatest hits album, he recruits Peter Hewlett to help him on vocals. Hewlett sings the high notes of the refrain, while Joel waits in the wings with his forceful, low voice. However, Joel’s brief ab sences in no way effect the emotional appeal. The combination of voices works well and produces a riveting performance of a great song. Side two consists of three long versions of Joel’s jazzier songs. Espe cially pleasing is the powerful 13-min ute arrangement of “Big Man on Mulberry Street.” The song is as big as life, and captures Joel at his enter taining best. “Mulberry" also utilizes the back-up performers' talents, ren dering a full, rich jazz sound. Also on this side is “Baby Grand.' originally produced as a duet be tween Joel and Ray Charles Al though Joel could never compensate for the absence of Charles, he does his The Daily Collegia; Wednesday, Nov. 25, 1987 REEFOUR" that connected song to song. Their set contained the familiar “Rock and Roll High School." from the movie of the same name. The song was much faster than on vinyl, and the crowd response was positive. One of the best songs on Half wav to Sanity called "I Wanna Live." was the first song of the first encore and was one of the best songs of the evening. The smoke hung heavily through out the hall, and the lights barely made a distinction between the black backdrop and the black locks of the band members. "Do You Wanna Dance." was also a crowd-pleaser and was performed well. Johnny's guitar work was smooth and Joey’s lyrics were most audible on this song. "Weasel Face" left some of the crowd staring, but left some chant ing. "WEEEASEL face." Also worth mentioning, was the Ramones’ classics "I Wanna Be Se dated," and the ever-popular “Bonzo Goes to Bitburg." Airport Music Hall in Allentown served as the perfect setting for this kind of concert. Tickets were purchased mostly in advance, but about 200 were sold at the door, said the hall’s general man ager, Pat Lenover. All ages were admitted to the show, but non-minors were stamped at the door and permitted to take their own alcohol to the upper balcony. The balcony crowd was considerab ly more mellow than the thrashing gang on the floor. These concert goers sat around coolers, passed cig arettes and some were content to lay against the back wall as the Ramones did before the show. On the floor, courageous people were thrown into the mass toward the stage. Some sat at tables near the back, and others just wandered. This setup was suitable for anyone, young or old, partiers or mellow people, and let everyone enjoy the show. The Ramones were there for the audience, and the audience was there for the Ramones. S.S.R' is red hot record review best to please and tease the audience with the slow blues tune. The result is, at the least, satisfying. Joel s search for truth and “Hones ty” makes for an intimate combina tion of Joel and piano. This live version reminisces his early days of playing the piano bars, and demon strates Joel’s ability to command a song. Also touching is “Goodnight Sai gon," the singer's homage to those who fought in the Vietnam War. A slow driving beat accompanies Joel on his melodic journey to Southeast Asia. Strong on the upbeat is “Only the Good Die Young," Joel’s celebration of what the Roman Catholic Church condemns as sinful. The rousing bouncy song is one of Joel’s trade marks. and continually gets people dancing in the aisles. The problem with the songs that don’t seem to work is the lack of orchestration. Whenever Joel plays the piano or guitar, the song seems balanced; however, the lone combi naton of drums and guitar fails mis erably. Perhaps the most inferior song on the album is "A Matter of Trust,” in which Joel relies on his gravelly voice, a screeching electric guitar, and an overbearing drum beat. The mixture just doesn’t cut it. The rest of the songs remain medio cre, and include such hits as “Uptown Girl,” Joel's tribute to his wife Christie Brinkley; “Big Shot,” which recounts the escapades of a lampshade-toting party animal and “Stiletto.” the account of a manipula tive woman. Joel’s dialogue in between songs occasionally gets moderately politi cal. Such is the case with his introduc tion to "Allentown.” He explains that this is a song about people who “des perately want to leave, but they stay, because they were brought up to believe things would get better . . . Maybe that sounds familiar." At the end of the album. Joel com pares the current happenings in the U.S.S.R to the 1960 s in America, and then begins Dylan's “The Times . . .” Overall, the album is mixed with slow emotion, bouncing fun, and blar ing noise. Obviously the record has its ups and downs, but ultimately Joel emerges slightly victorious, mainly due to his abilities as a performer.
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