Friday, January 27, 1934 '
Pago 10
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By Todd XI. Tested
Before MTV elevated the making of videos to the
status of art-above-art, the viewer found one of two
types of video. Either footage of a band on stage or, if
a particularly creative mood struck their label, the
band went to the studio for a quick and simple story.
Since the creation of MTV (which some say stands
for "marketing the videos") the music industry has
responded with such force in its filmmaking that
few bands are doing what they used to.
Fewer and fewer bands are producing the basic
live performance.
Competition from the big-budget artists who
dominate the tube is forcing even lesser-known
groups to resort to glitter, hype, and the trendiest of
fashions. This dangerous cycle is what may one day
spell an end to the role MTV now plays so well.
Imagine our future: All day, all night, in quad . . .
SGTV, Solid Gold Television.
Coming down to earth
Now, in what seems to be an unusual twist in the
current video-making behavior, the music fan finds
something almost forgotten. The appearance of
videos featuring . artists not in costume, but in
clothes that people we know really do own. Gads!
MTV now features more than just a few videos con
sisting of live footage. Yes, Virginia, they still make
videos of people playing music live and on stage.
But beware. The tainted evil of bad music some
times overtakes the video itself. There is no such
thing as perfection.
As a follow-up to the super-visual "Burning Down
the House" (Sire) Talking Heads have dealt a sly
card with the unusual "This Must Be the Place
Naive Melody." Both songs are taken from the
Speaking In Tongues album, and exemplify the
newest phase of Headsmusic. With "This Must Be
the PlaceNaive Melody," leader David Byrne has
taken one of his most brilliant tracks from the
album and put it into spellbinding video. The piece
shows the entire group watching home movie clips,
and later, moving to another room to end the song
playing their instruments.
This video is basic in many ways. No characteriza-
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tion, no plot and minimum visual effects. It repres
ents the branching-out technique of earlier videos.
But within this simple cut lies so much feeling from
the song and the band members that the viewer
receives a sensation greater than that of entertain
ment. The overall feeling is a positive one, and that
fact in itself lends even more distinction to an
already successful video.
On the other side of simplicity we find a video
from The Police. The latest video from the Synchro
nicity album, "Wrapped Around Your Finger," is a
simple piece similar to that of Talking Heads.
While the Heads use two sets, the Police employ a
Chris Medley and Dan WondraDaily Nebraskan
darkened and bare stage, decorated only with an
unbearable number of six-foot candle posts.
The video relies entirely on Sting. His fellow
Policemen are relegated to a couple of quick solo
shots, but much more variation is needed. This real
ization surfaces far too late as Sting spills the wax in
the end.
In-conccrt with CEO & U2
On the other end of the "back to the basics"
movement in music videos the in-concert video
resurfaces.
Continued on Pass 11
Television
This will be a vintage weekend for fans of vintage
movies. Films airing include The Wild Heart with
Jennifer Jones (Friday 10:30 p.m., Channel 12), They
Died With Their Boots On with Errol Flynn and
Olivia DeHavilland (Friday, 1:50 am., Channel 6)
Made For Each Other with Carole Lombard and
James Stewart (Saturday, 8 p.m. Chan
nel 12), Die Monster Die with Boris Karloff (Satur
day, 10:30 p.m., Channel 6), Lady For a Night with
John Wayne and Joan Blondell (Saturday, midnight,
Channel 3), Blood on the Sun with James Cagney
and Sylvia Sidney (Saturday, midnight, Channel 6)
and The Crowd Roars, with Cagney and Blondell
(Saturday, 1:55 a.m., Channel 6).
Rock 'n' Roll pioneer Jerry Lee Lewis will per
form tonight on Austin City Limits. The program
begins at 9 p.m. on Channel 12.
Radio
La Hora Mexieana (Sunday, 5 to 7 p.m., KZUM,
89.5 FM) features music and information for the
Spanish-speaking community. As far as we know,
this is the only locally-produced program for the
Spanish-speaking community currently on the air in
Lincoln.
At the Sheldon
Lincoln Friends of Chamber Music is presenting
the Nebraska Chamber Orchestra Players Saturday
at 8 p.m. The Orchestra, conducted by Jon Robertson,
will feature Bela Bartok's "Contrasts for Clarinet,
Violin and Piano." Tickets are $6 for the general
public, with a discount for students. If you'r e not a
season ticket holder, your best bet is to get there 30
minutes before showtime.
Starstruck, an Australian film directed by Gillian
Armstrong, will be at the Film Theatre beginning
Sunday. Screenings are at 3, 7 and 9 p.m. It is being
presented by the UPC Foreign Film Committee.
On St&se
Net much in town this weekend for those who
love the smell of greasepaint. The only production is
Terra Nova, which is showing at the Lincoln Com
munity Playhouse, tonight through Sunday at 8 p.m.
On Campus
Walpurgisnacht, UPCs annual winter festival,
will take place tonight, beginning at 7 p.m. in the
Nebraska Union. Activities are scheduled to run
through 2 am. Among the talent appearing at
Walpurgisnacht are comedian and racounteurTom
Parks, hypnotist James Mapes, magician Greg Eibert
and juggler Randy Esterling. Music will be provided
by Entertainment With a Touch of Class, the Tri
Delta Washboard Band, Young Marrieds, Rendezvous
and Gene Klosner. There will also be comedy by
national comedian Tim Cavanaugh, and local laugh
meisters Jeff Weaks and Bud Anderson. Two films
will also be presented: Risky Business (8 and 10:30
p.m. and The Tin Drum (10:30 p.m. and 12:30 am.).
In addition to all this, there will be other local
performers, contests and booths. Although there is
no admission fee, there are charges for some events.
Tickets, which cost 3 for $1, will be sold and
collected for admission to events with charges.
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'Paris' features
music, cuisine
Audience members will be transported to
the land of love and music when the UNL Music
Theatre presents An Evening in Paris at the
Sheldon Art Gallery auditorium, 12th and R
streets. Performances are Feb. 4 at ,8 p.m. and
Feb. 5 at 3 p.m. There will be a dinner featuring
French cuisine prior to the Feb. 4 perfor
mance. Unfortunately, the Saturday dinner
and performance are sold out, but tickets are
still available for the Sunday afterrtoon perform
ance. '
An Evening in Paris consists of scenes and
arias from such operatic masterpieces as Car
men, Daughter of the Regiment and Tales of
Hoffman. Gregg Tallman, director of the UNL
Music Theatre, will accompany the singers and
give background information on each piece.
Tickets are $2 for students, $3 for general
public. For reservations, contact the Kimball
Box Office at 472-3375.
By Dan Wondra
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