Happenings issue 19 28 04 1993

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No, but our new tv page is launched inside ....

That body: in evidence Madonna's latest film, plus many others PAGES THREE AND FOUR

WIN A 拢1,500 COMPUTER A GIG: BEHIND THE SCENES RIOT GRRRLS- UNCOVERED (rhe 14 day happenings

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The city's only detailed guide to what's on where and when PAGES SIX AND SEVEN

concrete's pull-out guide to the local arts scene

talk. two Mary Whitehouse would be pleased!

Concrete's Darren Fisher looks at two of the top comedy acts currently on tour In week one three of Britains top comedians played Norwich, reinforcing the city's reputation for being a big draw for popular names.

On Sunday, whilst most first years were still unpacking their suitcases, Ben Elton was busy unleashing his new material on a sell-out audience at the Theatre Royal.

Returning to Stand-Up after jaunts as a novelist and interviewer, he received a great response from a crowd made up of people from sixteen to sixty.

His main 'right-on' political topic of the evening was 'garnish' and how words disguise how things really are.

However, this stance still let him get in his full quota of 'knob' gags and lav humour. No facet of human behaviour or degradation was safe . Sex, drugs, jacuzzis , video trailers, Baywatch , smear-tests ,

and Kentucky Fried Chicken were all examined under the Elton observational microscope.

Full of conspiracy theories, he now claims there is a Ministry of Crap Design which is responsible for all the little things that don't work property such as public toilet paper dispensers and motorway-side cafe teapots.

Reflections on hisstudentdays in Manchester were also aired, to which he admitted that it was so cold that "for three years my nipples were bigger than my knob".

Also trying out new material but in a much more informal way was 'The Mary Whitehouse Experience's' Rob Newman and David Baddiel. Playing the NAC to a much smaller audience made up mainly of students, they proceeded to pace around the stage with scripts in hand trying out sketches and improvising to see what went down the best.

Having separated forever from

Punt and Dennis(who are, coincidentally playing the Theatre Royal this term) they are currently writing material for their own series which is to be screened in September. This gave the audience the rare prMiege of being able to directly influence the choice of material depending on their response.

Along with old favolirites such asthe'HistoryToday' duo, new characters were performed, such asJarvis Walpole, a London based lech, and Tony Soapy, a wildlife TV presenter with a difference.

Alsoseenforthefirsttimewere "people who cannot raise one eyebrow quizically'', "The Intellectuals", and a newsreader who feels guilty about everything. They also do a great version of the Orb- unplugged!

Both also attempted indMdual stand-up, in which they looked quite comfortable, Newman demonstrating that under the mumbling he has a great talent for improvisation. lt was good to see that even

The

Treehouse

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Vegetarian Restaurant & Take-Away 14 DOVE STREET · NORWICH

when both the format and audience of their show allowed them to take risks, they didn't go over the top. With a student audience that by definition is almostunshockabletheycould have fallen into the trap of being outrageous just because they knew they can get away with it. However, as it turned out most the material could be seen on prime time TV. Alternatively, Elton, playing a

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P.S. Don't worry if you missed them this time round, Ben Etton should be returning in the ? ' · tumn, and Newmanand Bad are playing another three dates in June before disappearing to write the new series.

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Motormouth is still tops but if he continues in this direction the term 'alternative comedian' (meaning anti-establishment) may be no longer applicable.

SUMMER FILMS

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big venue had no qualms about discussing pubic hair in front of granny, or describing the Queen as "an old woman with f**ked up kids, a boring husband and a sister who drinks".

There was notably less crusading in this routine than any of his others and when he did mention anything vaguely political it seemed to be merely an excuse to put in another knob gag.

Howards End Bladerunner Public Eye Thelma and Loulse Deep Cover Gas Food Lodgings Pacific Heights Reservoir Dogs Ra ising Cain Power of One Honeymoon In Vegas Singles

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Frill lues 15 Thurs 17 Frl18 lues 22 Thurs 24

A Ash Called Wanda I Clockwise Dracula Delicatessen I Raising Arizona Cool Worid · Elenya Husbands and Wives Waterlands Peters Friends

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Leon the Pig Fanner A Few Good Men

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TERM PASS £9. 50, SINGLE SHOW £1.75. FROM THE UNION FINANCE OFFICE 11-2.30PM WEEKDAYS; OR UN ION HOUSE 6-7PM ON FILM NIGHTS.

!RATINGS I Alive- **** - Superior retelling of a true story

film three An inCredible journey

Body of Evidence - * - Dismal Howards End- *** • See Emily Lloyd's Oscar-winning performance /

\...

If you would like to write for Concrete, then "' come to one of our Monday meetings.

They are held every Monday in room 1.33, Union House, at 1pm. ~

Howards End Merchant Ivory's production of EM Forster's classic novel Howards End has, as everybody knows, recently received many gongs both here and over the pond. The story essentially deals with the relationship between two families, the Schlegels and the Wilcoxes, as Forster narrates the differences that exist between them. Central to the plot are the Schlegel sisters Margaret and Helen. Their more intellectual pursu~s and interests are contrasted finely against the wealth and empty materialism of the Wilcoxes; the bond between the two families is cemented by the working class Basts, Leonard and Jackie, culminating in a tragic conclusion. Fine performances

were made by (Sir) Anthony Hopkins and the ubiquitous Emma Thompson but Helena Bonham-Carter, playing yet another of her Edwardian cameos, and the excellent Samuel West as Leonard Bast, were also worthy of recogn~ion. However, perhaps the most memorable aspect of the film was the excellent screenplay, which fa~hfully adhered to Forster's original dialogue.

The settings and locations were superb and perfectly evocative of Edwardian England, a fact that has made Howards End so exportable.

But did Emms deserve an Oscar for Margaret Schlegel?

Find out in LT2.

Review by Simon Litton W~hin minutes of the opening of Frank MarshaD's "Alive", we are treated to one of the most terrifyingly realistic plane crashes ever put on film.

Chartered by the Uruguayan rugby team to take them to a match in Chile, the small aircraft flies into some bad weather, then into a mountain.

Both wings and the tail section tom off, the battered fuselage comes to rest in one of the least

inviting spots of the Andes at the height of winter. The crew and several passengers are dead, the rest find themselves having to cope with horrifiC injuries, dwindling food supplies (some chocolate and a bottle of wine) and above all, the cold.

As the days turn into weeks food runs out, the injured die off one by one, and the expected search party fails to arrive. The realisation dawns that the only way out of their predicament is for a team to trek across the

Body of Evidence Phworrr....

Ok. I know what you want to know, and the answer is yes.

You do get to see most of Madonna's body, and she does get up to a number of things with broken glass, handcuffs and candle wax. A sure box office success.

Now that you have stopped reading, I can record that this film lacks everything. Madonna appears unable to act with or without clothes, and the film ends up like a midweek ITV fill-in TV movie, but with kinky sex.

Madonna's 'character', Rebecca Carlson, is accused of shagging her lover to death after the elder1y businessman dies after a heavy session with the handcuffs and video camera.

Lawyer Frank Delaney (Willem Dafoe) of course gets involved with his client, losing his wife and family in the process.

This is all very borilg, although the ending does leave you a little confused. lt is almost as if they shot the last ten minutes just to use up the film.

Personally they should have just not bothered - wijh the whole film. Dismal.

mountains to civilisation, but for this strenuous effort they need food. Nando Parrado (Ethan Hawke) is the first to suggest that they eat the pilots because "they got us into this mess·. and after initial revulsion and horror, the rest come to reaf1se that they have no choice but to eat their dead. As with his first film •Arachnophobia•, director Frank Marshal! has taken a potentially off-putting subject and fashioned a superior piece of celluloid. The sufferings of the

survivors are portrayed with brutal realism, yet this is a true story of hope and dogged determination in the face of unthinkable circumstances.

Marshal! draws f~ne performances from his young cast, and John Patrick Stanley's screenplay moves effortlessly from death and cannibalism to faith and spiritualism.

When John Malcovich's framing narration concludes that ~ was ·a grand experience", it's hard to d~1gree .

A MONSTER RHYTHM N' BLUES ~ PARTY

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Tuesday 25th - Saturday 29th May Tuesday- Thursday at 7. 30pm riday & Sat at 6.00pm, 9.00pm Tickets: £2.50- £14.50

NORWICH BOX OFFICE 0603 63 00 00

film "four

Accidental Hero -splitting Heirs

Dustin Hoffman stars as small time crook BernielaPiante in thiscontempory comedy about an unusual hero. Hoffman stumbles upon a plane crash, and quite out of character rescues all of the passengers on board before disappearing again into the night.

One of the saved passengers is TV reporter Geena Davis, who makes the crash the media event of the moment, cen-

tring on the mystery hero.

The day after the crash Hoffman hitches alift with traveller John Bubber, played by Andy Garcia, to whom he recounts his story.

When the TV station puts up a million pounds reward for the mystery man, it is Garcia who steps forward and and takes the reward. He goes on to becomethedarlingof.America, touring hospitals and kissing

lots of children.

Unfortunately he is rather good at this, and when Hoffman eventually finds out, he has a strange decision ...

Tell the truth, and ruin the magic, or keep quiet.

The film is described as a 'contempory comedy' and as such works well. Perhaps a little slow on plot in the middle, the script picks up for an exciting (and unexpected) ending.

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When a film contains two of Britain's funniest actors, who graduated, neigh formed, the Python school of comedy, you can be forgiven for thinking that you're in for a comic treat. Unfortunately, 'Splitting Heirs' is neither comic, nor a treat.

Dubbed the next 'A Fish calledWanda', the talents of both John Cleese and Eric Idle have been wasted here.

The film tries very hard to be funny. lt tries with equal perseverance to be witty. In fact it tries to be a lot of things but fails miserably on all counts.

Accidentally mislaid as a baby in the swinging sixties by his doped-up parents, the Duke and Duchess of Bournemouth, young Tommy (Idle) is inadvertently brought up by the Pate Ifamily, who run a corner-shop in Southall, a mix-up which leaves American Henry Maitland (Rick Moranis) as the heir apparent.

When Tommy discovers he's not really Asian (reminiscent of Steve Martin discovering he's not black in 'The Jerk', but half as funny), he decides to do whatever he must to reclaim his dukedom , even killing Henry- an act which Iwould have greatly appreciated at the start of the film as Moranis is irritating throughout.

The plot gets more confusing as characters muddle in and outofTommy's scheme to kill Henry, with only a few funny moments and Pythonesque one-liners to alleviate the ninety minutes of aggravating nonsense.

John Cleese remains virtually unscathed by the whole farce as the conniving solicitor Shadgrind, and Darling Bud Catherine Zeta Jones, obviously hired on her ability to decorate the set nicely, plays Kitten, Henry's unfaithful fiance.

Barbara Hershey raises a chuckle or two as the vampy Duchess Lucinda- the maneater who tries to get anyone and everyone into bed.

But at the end of it all. Any lighter moments are overshadowed by jokes which score maximum points on the cringeworthy scale, and with lumbering execution the humour is about as obvious as a smack in the face .

I RATINGS! Accidental Hero- **** - Well made and entertaining comedy Splitting Heirs - * - Cringeworthy Forever Young-*** - A charming and feelgood movie

Forever Young

Fc;-get ~he Cruises, Costners, and Willises of this world, Mel Gibson, fre· quently voted the sexiest man in the universe, has as much pulling power as all of them put together.

Having grossed upwards of $50 million in the U.S. alone, 'Forever Young' proves yet again that whatever the aussie does • be it blowing up buildings as the onenotch-shorto()f-pyscho Martin Riggs in the hugely successful 'Lethal Weapon' series, or simply acting in FrancoZef'ferelli's 'Hamlet' • Gibson is a star of megawattage proportions.

As 'ForeverYoung"sdashing hero, thirties test pilot Daniel McCormick, Gibson sparkles as brilliantly as ever in a role which seems tailor-made to suit him.

After an accident which leaves his true love in a coma, grief-stricken Daniel volunteers to take part in an early cryogenics experi· menl Fifty three years later, our hero is defrosted by a couple of pre-adolescents, who help him learn how to live again. Essentially a weepie, relieved by some

comic touches and a fair amount of action, 'Forever Young' leaves the plausibility factor behind, and goes into overdrive in the entertainment stakes.

The performances are uniformly appealing, with Elijah Wood, surprisingly good as the boy who helps Daniel live again, and Jamie Lee Curtis as his understanding single mother. But its Gi bson who really steals the show, and if the sight of those baby blue eyes isn't enough to hold your attention, the film also features the most impressive obligatory Mel butt shot ever to grace the silver screen. lt's no good wondering how the experiment could possibly have worked, or why, after fifty years in the deep freeze, Gibson isn't the slightest bit phased by the modern world, because the whole thing is utterly preposterous.

However the performances are charming, and the feelgood factor so wonderfully high, that the film skates smoothly over the most gaping holes in the plot.

Georgina King

HlliHLIIiHTS FOR WEDS APRIL i!B (WK i!} - TUES MAY I I {WK 4}

Walking on the Wild Side "Holly'', "Jackie" and "Candy"- all the namesmertioned in Lou Reed's classicmusicalcelebrationoftransvestism and drug-taking - refer to real people. Along with "Little Joe", they were part of An&f Warhors 1960s entourage.

From "Walk On The Wild Side's" cast list, only Joe Dallesandro and Holly Woodlawn have survived to tell the tale for director James Marsh's third programme in the Arena series: "Tales Of Rock and Roll."

"That song is completely true about me, hitchhiking from Miami -at the age of 15 and a half I might add -

Holly Wood lawn

Talking back? Space Virgins From Planet Sex The man with no neck, dubbed ''the uncrowned king oflV chit- chaf' (by the Daily Mail) returns to his studio desk shortly, to begin a seventh series of Clive Anderson Talks Back.

Once again, Clive will penetrate aspects of the contemporary world in the award-winning show where anything can happen(another product of Hat Trick productions who also make the award-wiming Have IGot News For You?) Facing him this series will be celebrities from all walks of life, and although we cannot reveal them here, they are bound to include comedians and stars of stage and screen (where would chat shows be without them?)

Audiences should be in for a good evening, going by the list of some of Clive's past guests, who include Ben Elton, Michael P~·lin, Joanna Lumley, Neil Kinnock, Richard Branson and Maureen Lipman.

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7.1:

FRI, MAY7 Time TBA

QA REAL-.!ife rock 'n' roll soap

opera began on Channel 4 last Sunday(April25), wnichfoUows the varying fortunes of two groups of aspiling musicia~.

The'Next Big Th,ing,(a series in teohalf-hour programmes) capues the struggles of a young band, FMB Stoke ~linQton arid wg:Je, solo- ..

Another outrageous edition of 'The Comic Strip Presents.. .' comes to BBC 2 this Thursday (April29) when 'the strip' (including Robbie Coltrane, Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders) star in 'Space Virgins From Planet Sex.' Aspace probe from Earth crashlands on remote Zeta 5, giving its ruler, Zorran (Robbie Coltrane), the solution to the planers population problem.

For although Zorran is the last male on Zeta 5, and is unable to reproduce, he is able t~ send his Eite Space Rats to Earth to breed with its most brilliant athletes,

scientists, writers and celebrities.

Meanwhile, Earth's most famous intellige nce officer, 'James Blonde' (Peter Richardson), is finding that times have changedhe has been placed on a course to make him see women as equals. But then, one by one, scientists, prize-winning noveists and Welsh shepherds are spirited away to become sex-slaves to the insatiable Space Virgins, lee{by Needle (JenniferSalllders) and Gaynor (Dawn French). Ifs time for Blonde to go back to

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THURS. APRIL 29 9.00 • 9.35pm

which wasn't easy," says Holly.

She adds: "I think I plucked my eyebrows first then shaved my legs.

Alter hitchhiking 1500milesllanded in New York City no thinking.. ."

The programme explores a significant chapter in New York's underground culture and includes unseenarchivefootageofMax'sKansas City, a notorious New York club where Lou Reed's "The Velvet Underground" was the house band andwhichwasfrequentedbymany soon-to-be-famous singers.

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SAT, MAY1 9 - 9.40 pm

ONE FM'S TOP 100 As a reflection of its "growing commitment" to albums, Radio One FM devotes most of its daytime output on Bank Holiday Monday to the listeners' choice of the top 100 albums of all time.

The chart will pitch classics like 'Sgt Pepper' and 'Dark Side of the Moon' against more reoent 'successes' such as Simply Red's 'Stars' and Annie Lennox's 'Diva' Artists who traditionally fare well in singles surveys like Gerry Rafferty or 10cc may not get a look-in this time while stars like Dire Straits and Led Zeppelin who have always concentrated on albums are likely to foare well.

And j usthow manyofthe Top Ten albums will be from Michael Jackson?l Mark Goodier takes a break from his usual slot to present the show together with Claire Sturgess. lt's in two parts, with Jakki Brambles' RoadshowfromCoventry in· betwHn.

Will Sharon (Letitia Dean) reveal the truth about her affair with PhiI when she finally visits husband Grant (Ross Kemp) in prison? Find out in EastEnders. THURS, APRIL 29, 7.30-Spm, BBC 1 ClDON'T MISS The Big FightUve on Wednesday (Anglia, April28, 10.40 pm -12.40am).

Uverpool's Paul Hodkinson de-.. fends his featherweight' QTHERE'S another chance to title against Gregorio Vargas of see John Cleese in the brilliant Mexico. film 'Clockwise' next Saturday The programme also includes .on BBC 1 (May 1) 7-8.30pm. hi hi" hts f K-.6 ft • · c~esesta~'".s'nl•n...ctoalhead- . g '9 o \1~ a emoons ' ... "' ,..World Cup ·qualifying tie be:rpa_ster Brian S\irnpson who has· tween the Re~iC of Ireland ,meticulously plaillied a journey ind Denmark to Naarwich. Butthings go wrong he misses his trail...

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Cl RADIO 5 have launched a biweekly soap packed with "drama, passion and intrigue" set in a new South London shopping Mall.

14 episodes will be run each Monday and Tuesday from Monday May 3, which star Louise Jameson from Bergerac, George Christopher from Grange HiH and Brookside and Nimmy March from Rides.

Watch out The Archers...

The new mall is opened with the help of Normski

QVIRGIN 1215 is launched officially on April30- Britain's first national commercial rock radio station.

The full, official programme lineup will be unveiled at the end of the week by Richard Skinner.

Former Radio One DJ (for 18 years) and now Virgin's joint programme director.

QMAY 4isBeatlesDay-it's30 years ago that John, Paul, George and Ringo had their firstnumberonehit. Radio Two marks the occassion with archive mate~ial and Beatles records throughout the day.

They'll be introduced by Ringo Starr's legendary producer, George Martin.

he 14 daY haPPeninl!§ euide Saturday 8

, Weds 28

Cinema City

NAC

'Willow' (PG) - A delightful fantasy tale of dwarves, goblins, wicked witches, heros and heroines, starring Joanne Whaley-Kilrner, plus off-screen husband Val Kilmer. Perfect for all ages. 2:30pm 'Dracula' (18) 5:45pm, 8:1 5pm

'Reel Love' - A film festival celebrating local work on 8mm and 16mm, anda chanceforall the region's film-makers to show offheir movies. The show also marks the launch of a network for independent producers and crt Eastern Arts Board panel, set up to advise and discuss local film projects. plus live music. 1pm -11pm

Theatre Royal See Tuesday

Maddennarket See Thursday

Sunday 9 Thurs 29 Union Flml

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Union Gigs

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Magnum - Returning to UEA, this progressive rock band now feature an acoustic set.

danger. Precblble, but llldemlldng milt.

Union Films 'Chaplin' (12) • A tour de force performance from BAFTA-winnirg Robert Downey Jr., as the worldfamous silent screen star. Director RichardAttenborough telsthestoiY through a series of flashbacl(s as the old Chaplin rem inices. A charrr~ ing film, which does justice to the clown of Hollywood's talents.

Cinema City

The Fall - This Manchester

'Casablanca' (U) - One of the finest filrrs ever made. lt transformed the stars Bogart and Bergman into legends, and picked up every award going.

Fifty years on, it has not Ios any of its magic, and contains some of the most famous lines in the history of cinema. masterpiece. 7:30pm

band influenced a generation of musicians, and years on, has remained as popular as they ever were. Mark E. Smith has not lost his sharp tongue, and is still one of the most outspoken people in the music business. £5 adv.

Friday 30

'The Bodyprd' (15) Wh!lnlrHouiD'IJnllcee

Union Gigs

Borden's controversial film, dealing with an assistant District Attorney, so obsessed with bringing a sexual conman to justice, that she acts as a bail 8:15pm 'Near Dal1c' {18) - 'Point Break' director Kathryn Bigelow's classic vampire road movie, set in modem America. A unique film the only one of its kind.

Unmissable. 11 pm

MAC

Wide cu,- Moolnkllepm £3 • .• £4 dDor

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Ywt 1<&4*·A epecill ciiPIY of worb fnlm the Robeft lnd Llsa Salnlbury collection

Theatre Royal See Wednesday

NAC Cinema City Norwich Festival Of Women FilmMakers 'This IsMy Life' (12)- Nora Ephron's directorial debut, about a Jewish divorcee, with a successful career asasta~upcomedienne. 10:30am

'Love Crimes' (18) - What happens when awoman herself can't decide if she's been seduced or violated?

This is the catalyst for Lizzie

Composers competition - UEA Music student John Evans's new work, 'Till The Kissing Of The Fork', which won the NAC's Third Composer's Competition, will be performed by Mark Wilde {tenor) and Edward Bhesania (piano).

8pm £3.50 cone.

Monday3 Cinema City

Manhattan

'Dracula' (18) -Acasualtyoftoo much hype, Francis Ford Coppola's visually stunning version of Bram Stoker's classic novel received mixed reactions from audiences and critics alike. 5:45pm, 8:15pm

The Student Night- Top Sound and LightshowattheMembers Nightclub.Admission£1, drinks £1 .50allnight. Runsfrom9pm2am.

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IIIU~ic; eight

Jamie Putnam looks at the latest from bands including Dig, Blur and Mega City Four...

COOLER THAN JESUS: "TEENY FREAKS" EP (Radioactive Records)

Rap Posse' voices. Nice panpipe 'rave' riff. This would have been a sell-out in 1990.

A bit average. Another band peddling a line in grunge pop but this time, the singer sounds like Mike Edwards from Jesus Jones.

"Teeny Freaks" is an attempt at a grunge pop anthem, and the reason it sounds as threatening as a dead goat is because it contains such lines as "We're the kids and we're so young."

The second track continues the cartoon teen-angst and plummets to new depths with a solo straight out of"Freak Scene", and the third and fourth tracks are not especially interesting.

I knowifsonlytheirfirstEP, but Ride managed to come up with "Chelsea Girt".

MEGA CITY FOUR: "IRON SKY'' (Big Life)

DIG: " RUNT" EP (Radioactive Records) Dig are a five-piece from San Diego and they too are members of the post-grunge guitar wasteland.

"I'D stay High" starts off like a record by 'The Stupids' and then introduces a mock-sinister bassline.

When they have successfuUy completed this, it turns into a Faith No More style art-pop number and then it ends.

Whoops.

The second track sounds like the first at half-speed, but the third track "We don't care" is

The latest cut from the godfathers of transit van fraggle pop and it doesn't really sound that different to any of their other stuff. Might as well be off 'Tranzophobia'. Still , why progress when you're quite happy where you are?

Mega City Four alrigrt-an acoustic glitarstrurnming gently with a Swallowesque wailing guitar behind it but they then fuzz it up and it all gets horribly ugly, so I'll give this one a four.

BLUR: "FOR TOMORROW' (Food Records) ltwas inevitable wasn't it? They were going to re-invent themselves one way or another, and of course what better way to leap into the pages of NME thantocomebackwithaBowieesque glam number that slots in perfectly between Suede and The Auteurs.

That chorus is justso obviously designed to weedJe its way into yoursubco~usand rotyou

from the inside.

Still, at least they didn't come back as an ambient technoband.

That would have been really amusing.

BOYFRIEND : "HAIRY BANJO" LP (Creation/August)

SCHOOL OF FISH: "1/2 A BEHAVIOUR" (Par1ophone) By rights, I should hate School of Fish. They sound like the Wonderstuffaftera weekender round at the Screaming Trees' house but with all the menace removed. However, I do like them, because although they aren't really doing anything new or exploratory, they have a good knack for catchy chord sequences and the singer has Quite a good voice. So there.

Can't say fairer than that can you?

BUNK: "IS GOD REALLY GROOVY?" (Ume Records) This has got Pop Will Eat Itself written all over it "Get hip and hot don't be a hippy• they adviseusintheirbest'Stourbridge

Boyfriend are one of the 'Big star tribute bands' that hang out in Glasgow with the likes of Teenage Fan Club and Eugenius (Captain America), and not surprisingly they sound like Big Star crossed with either of the aforementioned. There's a rougher feel to Boyfriend's stuff, however, and by that I mean it sounds like it was recorded in the local boozer, especially on the opening track •Hey Big Star" with its drunken 'boys together' style chorus. /4s the album progresses ifs obvious that their stuff isn't as accessible as Norman Slake and Co's creations, but it does have a charm of its own.

"Searching" sounds uncannily like early Ride and isn't half bad and "Leathered" in humorous in the same way as the Jesus and Mary Chain's "The Living End". Not bad at all.

I

HINE~~:~ENIN G g~~· A.RIBB~~~(!JJEVENIN~~ ~ 1. Hot & Sour Soup

Lemon TrHs: Child of Love Deep:ThePieasureandthePain Wendy James: London's Brilliant Heather Nova: Spirit In You EP Dig: Runt Cooler Than Jesus: Teeny Freaks

Gig update Phoenix Promotions rtic;$1:1tly .announced their latest gig line"up which ihclud.:, ' 'r J;n~aughty b,y.!IJ&ture, PeJ>per-,.

lnlrit1Pan<J"'~Q6e 6, £TBA OJ~~.,.... ·~OU$e (with suppo rt ~ ...

from~~· .Ilieand Undermind),

Peppermint Par1t, April27, £3 .. · OSchools Band Semi-Final, Peppermint Par1t, May 9, £2 with flyerl£.2.50 on the door Meal'Mhile, the Wide Club at

with ttyer/£4 on the door

the NAC has announced:

OThe Cranberries, Tuesday May 4 (£3 adv) OComershop, TuesdayMay10 q (£3adv) 0Moonshake, Tuesday May 11

(a cre•my mifd fish curry served w1 th riee)

2. Stir - Fried Chicken with Beansprouts £1 .55 (tend..,. p<eces o f chicken cooked w;th beonsprouu)

l.ft;;J!I

3. Stir - Fried Beef with Oyster sauce £1.65 L~~

4. Spare - Ribs in Sweet & Sour sauce £1.45

2. Asopao de Polio

£1.60

(• delicious c.hidcen & rice stew)

·; .;

;

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3. Daube de Pore aux Belangeres £1.60 (lean potk c.aueroleel with • u,.,.gine:s & .a h int o f Chilli)

4. Rice & Peas

£1 .30

(not , .. ; ".at •ll.but red kidney beans with riee

fl avoured with coconut: & chilli)

Rice intlu~d t itll items 1,2, & 3

EXTRAS : ~000 ~~

~fillffi,lO!M@ ~@1!..0..

40p.

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AVAILABLE FROM6p11.-10p111.

IN

BRE.A.KER.S

~

IN

BR.E.A.KER.S

AON: Quiet Joys Sugar: Beaster Blind Melon LP ButtholeSurfers: Independent Saloon Blur: For Tomorrow Mega City Four: Iron Skin Blink: Is God Really Groovy?

To be in with a chance of winning, put your name, school and year on a piece of paper and postitinanyoftheboxesaround campus by Friday April30.

The first name drawn will win all of the above.

Normal Concrete competition rules apply and the Editor's decision is final.

Search for a star!

Over the next few months Beatwax Recordings intend to release their first British single through major distribution.

Consequently, they are looking fr-• ~ newtalent and are running aeo; _ petition through all colleges wher.r they know there are some excellent new artists.

Music can be of any genre and free demo time wiU be given to the band or singer forwarding the best tape to them by the end of May. Their address is: Beatwax, Unit BA, Southam Street, ladbrooke Grove, London W10 SPH. Please mention Concrete when

sending in your tape.

Local talent showcased

1. Curried Fish from Barbados £1.50

£1.20

(• de liciou.s sou.p of portr..totu & vegetables)

(a rich dish of SHI slices in oyster .....,.)

OvertheEasterbreak, Concrete received loads of records and cds from our usual 'plugging agencies'.

To clear the office, we want to give them all away to a Concrete reader.

Foranyone requiring acomplete rundown, here's what we are offering:

Our pictures show up-and-coming UEA band, Fur, and local band Big Horse, performing at the Norwich Arts Centre last Friday.

They were there to support Manuskript and Passchendaele (who dropped out at the last minute due to the fact that the lead singer had tonsilitis.

Fur were playing their first gig at the NAC, following two successful support slots in the Bill Wilson Room. They return to the Arts Centre supporting Moonshake and Yoghurt Belly on May 11 .

IDU~i~ nine

'Stepping it up' in the LCR lt's the Summer Term and live gigs reach their lowest level in the academic year. However, don't lament as Ents have secured the following offerings: MAGNUM return for yet another gig at UEA on Friday April 30, following on no doubt from the overwhelming successoftheirappearance here in November last year.

Quite literally hard on their heels comes HENRY ROLLINS, making his debut in the LCR on Friday May 7, as he brings his Spoken Word tour to East Anglia.

You've seen him on 'The Word' now see him in the flesh, or in tattoo ... NANCI GRIFFITHS sounds her mellow tunes through UEA on Wednesday 12, whilst in complete contrast, PJ HARVEY

make their LCR debut on Friday May 14. Lead singer Polly Harvey has certainly been causing a stir in the music world recently, mainly over the bluntness and scope of her material. Catchuponthecontroversy in the LCR. The nationwide DOGS ON THE ROAD, a Battle of the Bands roadshow, bounces into UEA on Monday May 17. A regional heat between 'local' bands- sponsored by Doctor Martens -the gig promises to be an energetic showcase of vibrant young talent.

The much vaunted STEREO MCS arrive two days later, on Wednesday May 19, in an appearance which promises to be the major gig of this term. Unfortunately, and unsurprisingly, the

INSPIRAL CARPETS come to Norwich on Saturday May 29.

The band, who released their latest album to considerable critical acclaim, are still one ofthe better indie bands on the circuit.

Staying with the former baggy scene, BLUR play the LCR on Wednesday June 2, and will most likely try to convince the audience that there's no other way to spend an evening out in Norwich.

Finally , those antipodean fakesters BJORN AGAIN threaten to sell out the LCR for the Nth time as they return with their 'legendary' show. lt's time to don those platform boots and dodgy flares, issue an SOS and cram into the LCR to see Bjom Again. Again. Again ...

•

Riot

Gig goss1p

Candy Darling witnessed the fiasco lt seemed like a good idea at the time: free entry to see Bikini Kill and Huggy Bear, or a night in revising for finals. No choice really. Yeah, with dedication to my degree at the back of my mind, I went off in search of a few pints and the chance to check out what all this 'Riot Grrr1' stuff is all about.

Granted, Derby's 'Wherehouse' club isn't exactly a name that rolls off the tongue like 'Brixton Academy' or 'Camden Falcon', but this humble little hometown venue played host to a rather entertaining evening, and it managed to get itself mentioned in e~ery music in Britain. didn't start very well. Bikini Kill came onstage and insisted that all the lights stayed on whilst they played, in order to root out any men dancing "too violently".

Needless to say, they spotted one such individual and refused to play on until he was ejected. Oh dear.

Not having made too many friends by this point, the band left to desultory applause.

But it was whilst waiting for Huggy Bear to appear that the evening's entertainment really started. During this interval, the rather irate girlfriend of the aforementioned prematurely-ejected male sought out Huggy Bear's lead singer and tried to provoke an argument with her. After a few choice exchanges, the girlfriend behaved in true Riot Grrr1 fashion and punched the singer in the face.

Needless to say, the atmosphere was none too pleasant by this time, so when Huggy Bear finally came onstage, they played one song and refused to play any more. This was done to protest at what had happened to their singer, and the audience got a little upset. The

gig has sold out, so if you haven~ got a ticket, then you're not going to getconnected ... but if you have, then step it up in the LCR. Saturday May 22 sees WORLD PARTY appear at UEA. Kart Wallinger(ex-Waterboys)andhis band, end a period of silence to embark on this their latest tour to promote their newly released material. Old-timer and ex-Cockney Rebel STEVE HARLEY follows them the next day on Sunday May 23. Steve, who penned loads of hits in the late 70s, is still one of the most respected musicians from the period, and this return to touring will douttless feature most of the old faves ... come up and see him in the LCR. Former baggy pioneers

Huggy Bear venue owner, fearing a full scale unisex riot, agreed to give out refunds and we trooped home disappointed .

All of this was certainly more entertaining than an A4 folder full of dodgy seminar notes, but I was intrigued as to what these 'Riot Grrr1s'weretryingtosay. OK, there have been various ranting fanzines, incidents like the one that I witnessed, women only gigs, and acres-we'retalking Epping Forest here - of music press column inches.

The facts, after rooting through a lot of articles - ranging from dismissive to damply excitable - are that the Riot Grrr1s are an American network of feminist punk bands, fanzines and groups dedicated to 'girl-positive' action .

Brl!in's very own Grrr1s have followed suit, and, despite refusing to give interviews because journalists "don't understand literary theory", have received huge coverage. Even Suede didn't get this much hype!

And hype IS the issue, because, sadly, Huggy Bear and Bikini Kill are mediocre bands with a limited repertoire of anti-male diatribe.

Such a shame. because we need something to riot along to.

Fortunately, we have P J Harvey, Sonic Youth, The Breeders and, gulp, all male bands like Rage Against The Machine to provide angry music for the dissatisfied members of both sexes.

Suddenly, revision seems far more inviting. Or maybe l'lllisten to 'Killing in the Name'just one more time ... all together now, ·p- You, I won't do what you tell me".

Cast your mind back to the end of lastterm, when the Shamen came to play in the LCR. Because of their current status, the 1470 tickets for the show sold out well in advance, and the anticipation level on the night - that it was going to be a rather ripping gig -was very high indeed.

The Pub filled up with studes and locals alike, and the queue to get into the LCR .........

So what went wrong? Why was the gig crap?

Well, after Utah Saints played a fabulous support set, the crowd began to swell on the LCR dance floor when. the charismatic Mr. C arrived on stage to ostensibly (in the minds of the audience) spin a few discs before the show.

Quite why this dross, albeit very seamless and professional (my sources tell me that this former m~kman turned rapper commands fees of up to £400 an hour to DJ), lasted for one whole hour is beyond me.

Eventually, Colin Angus and the rest of the 'band' trooped onstage before asking us if we were indeed ready for a 'shamanic experience'.

Well, after having been relieved of £10 to see an ex-milkman play rave records, I suppose we were ready for anything.

After having stood through the first two heinously boring songs, the Phorever People launched into the fab "Progen 91".

My attention turned to the video screens mounted on either side of the stage and my mind drifted to the song's video.

There was Colin, dressed in a techno bondage suit looking like a refugee from 'Slake's 7', and Mr. C, hanging upside down from a tree a-comin' on strong .......

Cue "The Tempesr, I thought...

Mr C (ARIEL): All hail, great master! grave sir hail.

I come To answer thy best pleasure; be't to a-rap To a-swim, to adive into the mire, to glide On the curl'd stage, to thy strong a-biddin' task Mr C and all his quality acomin' on like a Seventh sense!

Colln (Prospero): Hastthou, spirit, Perform'd topolnHhelempesHhat I bade thee?

Mr C: To every article guvnor.

I a-donned my leather vest; stood on my feet, Now round the waist, the stage, in every area I rhym'd amazement: Colln: How now, moody! Whafst the hour? The time 'twixt now and half ten must be Spent most preciously - activate'st the rhythm ...

Mr C:There's a guy in the place got a bittersweetface, And he goes by the name of Ebeneezer Good e...

And after the gig, were you left wondering why the hi-tech Shamen didn't play an encore?

The rubber band in the tape machine broke ... yes folks, only 10% of the whole thing was live......

Continuing the lowdown on recent gigs in the LCR, it has come to my attention that a columnist in 'Melody Maker', that well known organ of taste and artistic appreciation, slated Jesus Jones's visit to the LCR. Zane, writing in a recent issue, claimed that the crowd in the LCR were about ·as enthusiastic as a drugged elephant• when describing the scene, before adding that "we're in f"""ing NORWICH for chrissakes".

Subsequent comments went on to effectively emasculate Mike Edwards and the band.

Howscathing! How offensive about UEA and its LCR! However, I'm not biased, so I might as well present the argument from another point of view.

Interviewed in a recent trade magazine, the lighting designer for the gig, Simon Sidi, described his lighting rig. "lt'sa highly technical shO"N, and I believe that this is the way to go. I'm also combining some old

theatrical instruments with the latest technology, which I find a very potent form of expression. I feel that this light show has come into its own as it is so ultimately flexible", he said .

His self appraisal continues thus, "lt's designed to be arranged in just about any formulation, at any height, any size, inverted or whatever, and still look confused, muddled and determinant .. ."

Oh shutup Simon. Melody Maker said that "the lighting rig looks as if it's on loan from 'The Muppet Show' ...

Compi/IKI by Mal A Prop/am.

N/a/1 H1mpton /1 on holiday.

.

.

·contact Sitnon 1Vlann on (0603) 250558

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••••ll'fJI

-- - - -

-路 -

-

- - - ---- - -- - --

-

IHUiiC ten Niall Hampton goes behind the scenes at Jesus Jones's LCR gig lt'sWednesday 17th March and Jesus Jones are due to play the latest date in their current 'Perverse' tour at UEA's own LCR.It's also 8.45 am and I'm seriously asking myself why I volunteered to join the stage crew for a day. However, whilst waiting for the bus that never comes on Earlham Road, I console myself with the fact that I've probably made the right decision as I'm just an info freako as far as music is concerned ...

Following a grim Hive breakfast - it's never enough -I proceed to the LCR foyer where Jesus Jones's road crew, assisted by the Ents crew, are just about to start unloading a rather large 45 foot truck.

First of all comes the lighting rig and all the attendant paraphernalia, which is wheeled, carried and grappled on to that famous stage in the LCR. I

I

' f

I

Using electric hoists, the lighting trusses are winched into position above the stage , whilst the

E)

spars are bolted together. The lighting technician, Simon, uses some inspiring rhetoric to cajole us into getting the job done ASAP , but he nevertheless leads by example.

The painted backdrops are attached to the trusses and with this done, the real assembly of the lighting gear begins.

Q)

The lighting crewfirlish assembling their rig, and at long last, they winch the trusses and spurs (now laden with 'Vari-Lites', 'Terrastrobes' and other wondrous ways of bathing something in psychadelic hues) into position.

the above proceeding amicably, the PA engineers emerge and invite us to remove the sound equipment from the truck. Bring ~ on down they say, and all the speaker cabs, amplifiers, backline and instruments are duly removed with great effort and are dumped unceremoniously towards the back of the LCR .

Most of the PA gear is ( ( ) in now in pos~ion and has to be wired up to the mixing desk - a lengthy task.

Meanwhile, Da~on , the foldback engineer, starts setting up the stage mon~oring . The gu~ar and drum roadies ask us to drag all the band's backline up to the stage. Who? Where? Why? we ask, before shoving ~ into position .

After slaving with his mixing desk, Front-ofHouse engineer Stuart instructs us upon where to put all the PA cabs, but insists on showing everyone exactly how he does ~ . as he seems to know all the answers. Much heavy lifting later, the stage is beginning to look like it's actually hosting a gig.

The lighting crew test out their rig and make some adjustments. I ask Stuart some technical points about the mixing desk and Jesus Jones when they play live, but he suggests that "They're not even a proper band", mumbling something about "proper music' and rock and roll . Don't believe L

CD

W~h

(9

C9

Wtth the soUnd engineers testing out the PA, the drum roadie beckons me to help him set up Gen's drumk~ . and asks me if I know anything about keyboard stands.

Full of enthusiasm, I have to tell him that I once played keyboards in a band , before he trusts me with Barry D's synths and samplers.

The gu~ar roadie unpacks the gu~ars for tonight's show, treating them like museum pieces as he cleans and tunes them.

(2)

With all the backline onstage and being tested, support band Sunscreem arrive and have to unload and set up all their gear on theLCR'sdancefloor. Meanwhile, the Ents team go into Norwich to collect all the unsold tickets for the show.

(9

We're finally ready for the soundcheck - only one hour late- but Jesus Jones are nowhere to be seen.

The tour manager walks around inspecting the scene, before pulling out his mobile phone.

CD

The band amble in and stand around nervously in a l~le group. After a btt of poncing around, they take to the stage and after running through snippets of three of their songs, Mike Edwards tells Stuart to turn up the level in his mon~or before telling him "it's OK. Thanks'. They then leave the stage to have some more fun with Sonic the Hedgehog ...

CD

...

/_

The phenomena l career and times of Elvis, told through 85 non-stop musical numbers and a cast of 25

Sunscreem set up on stag e for their soundcheck. As usual for a support band, they get a generous stage area -about twice the size of a campus bedroom- to play on, and they can't use any of the main band's backline. Accordingly, the sound crew show a casual indifference to them .

Queues start to form around the LCR and before long reach round into the Square. Union Bars staff start getting the LCR bar ready for the gig.

G)

Bring it On Down ...

Sunscreem eventually start their soundcheck and have scarcely 15 minutes before the doors open.

Even if they don't like the sound, there's nothing that they can really do about ~. as time is fast running out. The Ents door staff take their pos~ions in the LCR foyer.

G Q

Doors open and the expected 1,000 people start to trickle into the LCR. Most make a dash for the T-shirt vendors or the bar, and the sound crew give them a b~ of music to listen to, albeit awful.

The lights dim and Sunscreem take to the stage, receiving a typiccal Norwich welcome, ie most of the audience just stand there looking around at each other as if they're waiting for something chimerical like an economic recovery to materialise.

Sunscreem's lead singer tries to whip the crowd into a frenzy, but fs a pointless exercise; not even their keyboard player's camp histrionics attract any attention from the floor of the LCR. Whaare's thaht there muusaach comin' frahm then?

0

At long last Sunscreem , having proved quite emphatically why they are still a support band because they're crap basically leave the stage and return to oblivion. The Ents crew now have the formidable task of taking all Sunscreem's instruments and

0

backline off the stage, so that the stage can be turned-around for Jesus Jones.

E)

W~hthe stage clear, the

audience eagerly awa~ Mike and his mob. The sound engineers make the final adjustments to the PA and backline and do a quick line test to make sure that everything is working. What's this cable for then? I innocently ask. Better the devil you know ...

0

The lights dim once again, the audience whistles in anticipation and the 'atmosphere' livens up a little. Presently, Barry D walks onstage in a ridiculously luminous orange su~ . to the approval of some of the younger gir1s in the audience. He is followed shortly by the band, looking about as enthusiastic as if they're walking into their local DSS to sign on.

Finally, Mike Edwards, who has been smugly soaking up all this 'adulation' backstage, smooths his greasy mane back before walking onstoge, picking up his gu~ar and launching Jesus Jones into one of their new 'Technothrash' songs [a descri~>-: lion courtesy of Rolling magazine].

After an incident-free gig culminating in an energetic encore, the band finish their set and return to their plush hotel, and stardom.

The lights are turned on, the crowd shuffles out of the LCR sheepishly, and the roadies and Ents crew appear from the woodwork to pack up the entire show yet again into the back of that 45 feet truck. Welcome to the real world of a touring band ...

Q

it's all packed up again and ready to go . Next stop Sheffield Octagon gon for a performance the next day. To think that some people do this for a living ... Like Nick Rayns said, "it's not a game, IT's hard work." Trust me, he's absolutely right...

lntemational Bright Young Things ... Jesus Jones on stage

Thanks to Nick and Gavinin Ents. and to Jesus Jones' crew.

Lee Miller's War and Yuri Kuper

& the

The exhibition runs until July 11 andisaccompaniedbyY«>rkshops and lectures.

The only connection between Lee Miller and the creator of the second special exhibttion, Yuri Kuper, is that they both spent their most creative years working in Paris. Kuper however, was born and entirely educated in Russia, training firstly atthe Academy of Arts in Moscow between 1957 and 1963. After joining the Union of Artists he moved throughout the world eventually settling in Paris. His exhibition, which opens on Tuesday May 11 features paintings described as "reflexive responses to art.· Kupor takes as his subject matter simple objects from his everyday life often incorporating materials from his studio including brushes and paint cans. His attttude to his work is best described using his own words,"as the Y«>odcuttercuts wood, so the painter endeavours to make a painting.· • There will be gallery talks on Kuper at 13.00 every Tuesday from May 18 to July 6.

As always the Sainsbury Centre offers half price admission to all students, which allows entrance to all the special exhibttions for just 50p.

On Fox's terms

eleven

Julia Smith reviews the latest at the SCVA The Sainsbury Centre is once again host to some fascinating exhibttions of sculpture and painting from all over the world.

Opening to the public on Tuesday April 27 in the Lower Gallery is a special exhibttion entitled 'Lee Miller's War.' lt features the work ofthis prominent surrealist photographer who first came to the notice of the public in Paris of the 20's and 30's when she was known for her collaboration and close friendship the photographer Man Ray. The show at the centre reveals a very different aspect of her work. As photo-journalist for Vogue, Miller covered the Allied liberation of Europe from 1944-45, and the exhibnion specifically covers the progression of the allied troops into Europe from the Normandy landings.

The photographs are certainly harrowing but in them there can also be found beauty and compassion, and an awareness of the absurd nature of war and the horror tt brings.

This show features 20 photos not to be shown elsewhere on the tour including scenes of London in the Blitz and Henry Moore sketching in the London Undergroung bomb she~ers .

.-e~t~~~~~ Simon Mann reviews 'Quatennaine's Terms' at the Theatre Royal

Metamorphosis Jonathan Batty gives his view on Steven Berkoff's adaptation of Kafka's short story A story about a commercial traveller who awakes one morning to find that he has been transformed into a gigantic insect was never going to be easily turned into a convincing example of dramatic realism, but the Seventh Seal Theatre Company's policies against naturalism and the theatre meant that no attempt was made to ever hide the artifice of the production.

Berkoffs adaptation of Kafka's Metamorphosis showed strong affintties with Brechtian views against the classical ideal of art which presents itself as the natural representation of realtty.

Frequent brief wanderings back to Kafka's original narration by various characters in the play not only escaped the problem of addingmassesofextradialogue to the original short story format, but also served to bring the production close to notions behind Berthold Brecht's famous 'alienation effect'.

Another property of this technique was to add the general almost pantomime feel of the

play created by the stereotyped and deliberately overrated characters with wh~e mime-like faces -but all suffering a chilling distortion resu~ing in blackly ironic qualtties as terrifying as anything in a film by Lynch.

This was exaggerated by the superbly effective music which was occasionally as disturbingly discordant as the demonic black eyes of the whtte faced actors.

The set was - to say the least minimal; there were no props apart from three stools and a groom, and this was not only part of the skilfully acted mime-like qualttyofthe production, bli also of the escape from the conventions of naturalistic theatre.

What there was ample of was superbly dynamic performances from all the actors, where movement was as much a part of the power of the play as all aspects of characterisation.

The music and lighting were equally brilliant in their own right, and served their part in, what was, amost innovative and original production.

Edward Fox, in the title roleofSt JohnQuartennaine, is very much the focus of a group of characters busily failing to communicate with each other, misunderstanding each other when they do communicate, and generally being - well, alienated from one another.

Seated, more often than not, in a slightly tatty armchair in the staff room of a 1960's Cambridge school of English for foreigners, Foxisobviouslyathome in apart he has played both in the original West End production of Simon Gray's popular play, and the recent television version.

His relaxed and frutty voice is well suited to the role of the absent-minded, well-meaning and endlessly put-upon teacher, as he attempts to be obliging and useful to his self-absorbed colleagues.

James Grout {best known as Chief Inspector Strange from 'Inspector Morse') almost steals the show as Henry, the school's resident "specialist in everything', whose advanced skills in English do not prevent him from constantly getting the accidentprone new staff member's name wrong {an excellent and amusing portrait here byCiive Francis) and allowing almost every sentence dealing with any sort of tricky emotion, to tail of into an

....-------....,

Edward Fox expressive, if imprecise, sort of verbal twitch.

Peter Barkworth gives a strong performance as the school's determinedly optimistic co-d irector, whose staff pep-talks consist of not listening to what anyone says to him, while no-one tells him what they really feel.

Good supporting performances are given by Sarah Badel {Melanie), Richard Huw {Mark) and Lucy Scott {Anita), giving depth to the play's dominant themes of barely suppressed rage, disappointment, alienation and failed ambition.

Throughout the play, Fox's performance dominates, as he is by turn ignored and sought out as dinner-guest and companion, according to the whims of his colleagues.

Altogether an excellent evening's entertainment, nicely mixing comedy and tragedy, and clearty appreciated by the near-capacity audience.

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Making Contact

& the

r-e~t~~~~N~orw~i~ch~

twelve

A £1 ,500 COMPUTER!

The Contact Gallery A new exhibition opens at the Contact Gallery in May, entitled 'The Human Condition'.

Three artists who deal with the symbolic and the figurative have combined their work to give a view of humanity in many different contexts. local painter Mark Burrell, who comes from Suffolk uses oil compositions to convey his highly disturbing images that touch on psychic , religious and political themes. Watercolurs are used to reflect the optimistic friendly characters as well as the rural landscapes of his home town.

Internationally popular he has just finished exhibiting his works in the Centre O'Art Contemporian in Rouen, France.

Oavid Gross works mainly in Sunderland and has been involved in international symposiums in

among other places Rotterdam, Warsaw, Barcelona and Moscow.

Primarily working in wood his large scale heads often reflect an interest in Medieval Art, updating the gargoyles and misericords of the past.

Stuart Stanley works in many different mediums- sculpting, printing, painting -as well as teaching Art all over the country. At the Contact he will be exhibiting his large narrative paintings often using references from mythology and literature to tie in with contemporary themes and concerns.

This may seem quite heavy but all three contributors are as well known for creating pieces that are tongue-in-cheek and full of visual puns as they are for creating deeply serious comments on modern life.

The exhibition opens on May 4 and runs until May29. Entrance is free.

When it comes to producing essays and job applications, presentation isn't everything, but it can make a good thing better.

But as levels of student finance get lower and lower, the last thing you want to do is buy a computer.

The fact remains, though, that more and more University tutors are demanding essays, dissertations and projects to be typewritten , so what do you do?

The answer is simple. Abandon all hopes of ever buying that IBM PC with a 40MB RAM, laser printer, and all-singing , ail-dancing, colour monitor which can be

used as a NICAM stereo, 26 inch colour television in its spare time.

Instead, spend your cash down the bar, and enter one of the best student competitions of the year (brought to you in association with New Scientist and COM PAQ) to win a COM PAQ Contura Notebook, worth £1 ,500. lt comes complete with Microsoft Wind CM'S and a year's subscription to New Scientist. All you have to do to be in with a chance of winning the computer is to answer an 'easy' question, and follow the instructions below. The question is: V\lhat invention did Chris Babbage, designer of the first mechanical computer, try to perfect during his student years?

(a) A device to walk on water. (b) A flying machine powered by

flapping wings. (c) Waterproof boot polish.

Now fill in the coupon below with the correct letter for the answer, and complete the boxes for your name and address (home and term time), course title and graduation date and your intended/ideal career. Entries must be received by midday on Monday, May 3; you may post them in the box outside the Steward's Cabin in Union House, in the Post Room on the Plain, or under the door of the Concrete Office (upstairs in Union House). Ail entries from various student newspapers around the country will then be collated - with the prize draw taking place at the end of week 3, with the winner informed in due course.

r--------------------------~

WIN A f 1of~e500 COMPUT Please return your entry to any

above locations and NOT the addresses on this form

Answer ____ Name _ ___ _ Home Address _________ _ Term Address _______ ___ _ Course Title/Grad Date ______ _ Intended/Ideal Career ______ _

SPONSORS' ADDRESSES: New Scientist, IPC Magazines Ltd. Ktngs Reach Tower, Stamford St, London SE1 9LS (Reg. No. 53626 England) Compaq Computers ltd, 44 Davies St, London W1Y 2BL (reg. No. 1792087)

Henry Roll ins Restaurant Open Monday to Saturday 9am io Spm

Inexpensive eood quaruy meals Vedefarioo tood avaUable lunc:hfime dailY spec:ial menu lic:ensed (hildren Welc:ome No Smolfind Private parties catered for in the evening lrom £9.50 per head tor 3 c:ourses Brine your own wine!

(50p tOfliilftt ftt)

ID Bedford J/rcct Norwich fi22fi41

AMERICAN 'in-yer-face' artiste Henry Rollins brings his own unique brand of verbal onslaught to the LCR on Friday May 7.

Rollins, who is as famous for his bar philosophy as well as his tattoos and rather large frame , is no stranger to controversy.

Starting his musical career with the punk band Black Flag in the early 1980s, Rollins subsequently formed the Rollins Band, although this appearance at UEA is a part of his Spoken Word tour.

Viewers of 'The Word' back in February would have seen his verbal destruction of U2 during an interview that unnerved even presenter Mark Lamarr in almost comic scenes.

Despite this, Rollins is still ac-

Henry Rollins knowledged for having been at the centre of hardcore music for over ten years.

Rollins' unique presentation and material is bound to make for an interesting evening in the LCR; his verbal sharpness and wit has to be heard to be believed.

Tickets are available from the Ents Finance Office (upstairs in UH) in advance for £6.

haPPenina~

contributors

Editor: Darren Fisher Contributors: Simon Litton, Georgina King, Niall Hampton, Abi Patton, Jamie Putnam, Julia Smith, Jonathan Batty

Festival of Women Film-Makers

By Georgina King The thirteenth annual Norwich Festival Of Women Film-Makersthe only one of its kind in the country - starts on Thursday 29th April at Cinema City and features the regional premiere of Sally Potter's much lauded 'Oriando'.

Based on the novel by Virgina Woolf, the film is visually stunning and follows an immortal Elizabethan nobleman whose quest for life and love spans four hundred years and a sex change. nlda Swinton plays the seemingly immortal and androgynous hero/ ine, while the casting of Quentin Crisp as an aged Queen Elizabeth I confuses sexual boundaries still further.

The most controversial film on offer over the four day festival, is Lizzie Borden's 'Love Crimes'. lt focuses on an assistant district Attorney, investigating the activities of a sexual conman. Having acted as bait, she can't decide whether he seduced or violated her, and becomes obsessed with bringing him to justice.

Owing to the delicate nature of the film , the screening will be followed by a discussion led UEA's laura Mulvey and Ros Ballsater.

Other films being shown include Gillian Arm strong's The Last Days OfChez Nous', and Nora Ephron's directorial debut, 'This Is My Life'.

Better known for writing the screenplays for 'When Harry Met Sally' and 'Silkwood '.

Other festival highlights include Jane Mills' documentary, 'Forbid- · den love', which takes a romantic look at lesbians in Canada in the fifties and sixties - a sort of Mills and Boon aimed at lesbians- ,and various workshops led by the BAFTA winning Diane Tammes.

This year, for the first time in the history of the festival , the organisers have obtained funding for an award for the best experiment~! film or video by a woman filmmaker.

Funded by the Arts Council Of Great Britain, the Cinewomen Award 's £1,000 prize, will be presented to the winner on the final day of the festival, together with a screening of some of the sixty entries.

Organiser Susie Bailey believes the award is one of the most important aspects of the Norwich Festival Of Women Film-makers, because "it encourages and promotes the work of young and independent film-makers, by giving them a rare opportunity to screen their work".

She stressed that in the maledominated world of cinema, a celebration of women film-makers is a unique event, and added : "this is the only place we can make contact with each other and set up the ail-important network of support that men take for granted".

DThe Norwich Festival Of Women Film-Makers runs from Thursday 29th April, until Sunday 2nd May. DSeason tickets are priced at £12.50, Day tickets at £5.00, and individual films at£2 .50 -all cones.

DFor further details contact Cinema City on 62204 7.