The Collegian Wednesday, November 1, 1989
Marx rocks
Civic Center
by Christi Luden
Collegian Staff Writer
Dressed in tight black jeans, a
black fringe jacket, and red
cowboy boots, Richard Marx put
on a great show for all those who
saw him on October 26 at the
Erie Civic Center.
Marx' opening act was Henry
Lee Summer, and he did a great
job getting the audience psyched
up. Summer is an extremely
hyper, John Cougar-like singer.
He played seven songs each from
his first and current albums.
Some of the more popular were
"I Wish I Had a Girl," "Just
Another Day," and "Hey Baby."
He also sang the Rolling Stones'
hit, "Satisfaction." Summer got
the audience up and clapping by
jumping down into the aisles and
dancing, in his words, "not very
well, but like I want to."
After Henry Lee's introduction
and a short intermission, the
moment everyone had waited for
arrived. The band members came
rushing out on stage playing,
"Too Late To Say Goodbye"
from Marx' recent album, Repeat
Offender. Then Richard Marx
came walking out to center stage
all his fans. Following a few
upbeat songs that got the crowd
up and dancing, Marx slowed it
down with two of his recent love
hits, "Right Here Waiting" and
"Angelia."
From his premiere album,
Marx performed "Endless
Summer Nights; "Should've
Known Better," "Have Mercy,"
and "Remember Manhattan." He
explained his meaning behind
"Don't Mean Nothing," a song
about the hard times in
Hollywood and how you never
get what you're promised. He
then continued on a faster pace
with songs from his recent
album.
Repeat Offender contains a
few traditional love songs, but
Marx seems to be heading more
towards the rock n' roll type of
music. This trend change really
showed in his concert since he
performed more upbeat songs
than love songs. Works like
"Nothin' You Can Do About It,"
"Satisfied," "Real World," and "If
You Don't Want My Love"
showed Marx' harder edge. Marx
and his band also sang a Sam
Cooke song, one of Marx'
favorites, a capella. The whole
three hours was filled with great
music, dancing, screaming,
clapping, and the traditional
flickering lighters when a love
song was played. The atmosphere
was at times exciting and rowdy,
but it had a touch of romanticism
when Marx brought out a piano
to play a few of his popular love
was the last song of the evening,
after which Marx and his band
took a bow and said they'd be
back next year. Although Richard
Marx sang about the hardships in
Hollywood, he has certainly
overcome them and displayed his
excellent talent through his
music in this captivating concert.
Janet Jackson steals
her brother's spotlight
"Rhythm Nation" continues Jackson's climb to independant success
by Christi Luden
Collegian Staff Writer
A mixture of rap music, pop,
a touch of harder rock, and
interludes describes Janet
Jackson's new release Rhythm
Nation. The album, produced by
Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis and
dedicated to her mother Katherine,
is quite different from Jackson's
first release, Control.
Rhythm Nation begins with
an eerie interlude (a spoken
sequence) that suggests we should
strive toward a world of unity.
The majority of the songs are
geared toward this theme.
"Rhythm Nation" talks about
getting rid of color lines and
working to unite. The following
song, "State of the World," talks
about a teenage mother and a
homeless little boy, along with
the spread of drugs and crime in
our nation. Then, the thread
continues through the tape with
songs such as "The Knowledge"
and "Livin' in a World (They
Didn't Make)."
Although Jackson stresses the
problems of our world through
her rap-oriented music, she also
has a few songs that are more
tSisiFariif lier `style: — Miss . You-
Much," the only song on the tape
that has become a hit, is the
most similar to her previous
works such as "Nasty,"
"Control," and "The Pleasure
Although the first
impression given
by this tape is one
of disappointment,
this
viewpoint
may change when
the lyrics are read
and
over
understood.
Principle." Along with this song,
the topic of love and
relationships continues through
others such as "Love Will Never
Do," "E.scßade,".
"Come Back To Me," and
Most men never - consfder
PRIESTHOOD.
Some others say
Many continue
their. .."MAYBE."
27 men are currently
saying.. ."YES"
in seminary studies for the
Diocese of Erie.
Which are YOU?
"Someday Is Tonight." These are
all a bit more geared toward
Jackson's typical style of "dance
oriented" music.
Finally, Miss Jackson
surprises listeners once again by
throwing in a song called "Black
Cat," which resembles a Joan Jett
type of undrstandable hard rock.
This song is more abstract and
compares the life of a guy in a
gang with that of a black cat. It
is unique in another way because
it combines the two themes of
the tape: the problems of the
world and relationships.
The first impression given by
this tape is one of
disappointment. The first songs
and interludes may seem too
strange for some listeners, but
this viewpoint may change when
the lyrics are read over and
understood. Jackson ends this
tape by saying: "In complete
darkness we are all the same / It
is only our knowledge and
wisdom that separate us / Don't
let your eyes deceive you."
It is messages of this merit
that make Rhythm Nation a great
piece of work, and the variety
contained in it makes it a tape
which can
,satisfy- all-types of
musical tastes.
CALLED
BY
GOD...ME?
Is it time for you to contact:
Vocation Office
P.O. Box 10397
Erie, PA 16514-0397
(814)825-3333 Ext. 225
Page
"NO."