DON’T UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF THIS FORCE
Performance Review - “The One Man Star Wars Trilogy”
(4 out of 5 G's)
by Alex Nye
On a cold and miserable night at the University at Buffalo’s Center for the Arts, Charles Ross, the creator and sole actor of The One Man Star Wars Trilogy, took an eager audience to a galaxy real, real far away. Surprisingly, this celebration of intergalactic war attracted no protestors from the university’s anti-war groups.
Among the gathering were two Star Wars enthusiast groups dressed as popular characters from the movies, entertaining the “normal” guests. There was the 501 Legion from Rochester who represented the Dark Side. Then, there was the Rebel Legion, from right here in Buffalo, reppin’ the “good” side? Then again, it might be the other way around since all this was translated through the muffled mask of an Imperial Storm Trooper.
Quickly after the group’s photo-ops, everyone patiently waited in line and filed into the packed theater for the highly anticipated show.
The One Man Star Wars Trilogy, in its fourth year of production, having toured the United States and Canada, has been perfected and made distinct. Clad in only a Jason Voorhees-style suit, Charles Ross is left alone on stage to recreate three films lauded for their visual effects. It’s a daunting task, but under the direction of TJ Dawe, Ross is able to wield our imaginations and allows us to visualize every battle and explosion.
The Force is certainly strong with this one as we witness him fast-forward through nearly seven hours of the three “good” Star Wars movies. Ross mimics all the voices and sound effects, with uncanny resemblance, at a speed roughly six times the pace of the original films.
It is multi-tasking at its best. Above all the different voices and precisely repeated dialogue, Ross even manages to interject his own witty commentary. For instance, at the end of Episode IV: A New Hope, he brings to our attention the fact that Chewbacca got screwed out of a well-deserved medal. (What’s up with that, anyway?)
Some people had reservations about going to the show because they did not have the movies memorized and thought it might cause some confusion. Carolyn Whitcomb, a freshman speech and hearing science major, said that it was not necessary to know all the movies by heart. “The guy presents the show as a physical comedy that I think everybody can appreciate. All his mannerisms are worked into the act and they are very funny. He did a really good job.”
If you missed the show and are jealous, you should be. The performance was as awesome and intense as the Speeder chase through the woods on the Forest Moon of Endor. But don’t be upset, you can find out when the next shows will be at onemanstarwars.com, or catch the show at its off-Broadway home in New York City.
May the Force be with you, always.
WHAT DOES A SCANNER SEE?
Book Review - A Scanner Darkly
(5 out of 5 G's)
by Raph Tombasco
The subject of drug addiction and its effects on the human mind has never been explored more vividly than in the science fiction novel, A Scanner Darkly, by Philip K. Dick. Through the character of Bob Arctor, Dick explores a world in the fearsome grip of Substance D, a drug that, when abused, splits the user’s brain into two competing halves.
Set in a quasi-futuristic Orange County, California, the story begins with the suicide of a Substance D addict by the name of Jerry Fabin. Jerry’s only friend and long-time connection is Charles, who buys his drugs from the big dealer in town, Bob Arctor. From here the reader is introduced to undercover narcotics agent, Fred, who is assigned to tail and bust Arctor. In order to bring him down, he uses the identity of Bob Arctor. To put it simply, Fred is unwittingly narcing on himself because, as Bob Arctor, he has become addicted to Substance D.
That is only the premise of what becomes one of the greatest literary mind-fucks of all time. As Bob/Fred tries to deal with the conflicting realities that surround him, his relationship with his roommates and a young junky named Donna exposes him to manipulative forces that go beyond the power of any drug.
Of course, if the drugs don’t do enough for you, there are more subtle science fiction elements added to the proceedings. The novel excels when it describes the scanner technology used by Bob/Fred. The scramble suits—suits worn by undercover agents to protect their identities—are of particular interest.
Although it was published for the first time in 1977, the subject matter remains as relevant today as it was back then. In this novel, all sides of the war on drugs are covered. It begins on an intimate level and gradually branches out by exploring different dimensions of addiction and paranoia in all levels of society.
Dick’s concepts are often complex and overwhelming, but his prose in A Scanner Darkly draws the reader’s attention immediately and never once seems unbelievable. Despite the deep philosophical content of the novel, the plot maintains a tight, simple structure throughout, making it one of Dick’s most entertaining stories.
In his brief and often brilliant career as a writer, Philip K. Dick made an indelible mark in the world of the science fiction novel. He won the genre’s highest honor, the Hugo Award, in 1962 for The Man in the High Castle, and went on to write a combination of over 30 novels and short story collections until his death in 1982. There aren’t many who are familiar with his name, but there are millions who are familiar with his work. The film Blade Runner is based on his novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, his short story “We’ll Remember It for You Wholesale” was the basis for Total Recall, and 2002’s Minority Report shares its name with the short story from which the movie was made.
A film adaptation of A Scanner Darkly by writer/director Richard Linklater (Dazed and Confused, Before Sunset) will be released in March, 2006. It is animated in the style of the director’s 2001 film, Waking Life, and will star Keanu Reeves as Bob/Fred and Winona Ryder as Donna. If it is anything close to the book, it will be nothing short of amazing.
HALF STACK ATTACK
Musical Equipment Review - Line 6 Trans-Tube Half-Stack Equipment
(5 out of 5 G's)
by Raph Tombasco
The Line 6 Company has been competing in the effects industry for over eight years now, so it seems only natural that a company which engineers top of the line effects pedals and doodads alike would be consolidating their genius into a fully versed rig: The Spider II Trans-Tube Half-Stack.
The amp head is the soul of the machine, delivering 150 watts (75 per side) for a very formidable sound. Whether you’re rocking on stage or jamming in the garage, the sound of this will make your balls hang one inch lower—no more, no less.
The dynamics of its sound are easily controlled with a standard issue 4 band EQ (bass, treble, mid, presence), two independent volume controls (master and channel), and a single gold-plated input for your favorite axe.
The Spider’s pulse is heard by a very generous 4x12” cab. Polyurethane surrounds provide the leeway needed when crunching those low bass tones we love to mosh to and it’s stiff enough to exemplify the ear-piercing highs those furry head-banging metal heads desire.
Why so unique? Line 6 decided that aside from giving you professional, crisp, powerful sound, they would throw in some effects. Consumers will enjoy two sets of sounds modification. One knob has chorus/flange, phaser, and tremolo; the other dial controls three types of delay/echo. For your convenience the effects as well as the other sound controls are programmable via four-touch button channels located on the amp head.
You may ask, is this economically feasible? The total retail damage for the Line 6 Spider II is $799.98 (with an optional foot switch for $99 more), which is a bargain when respectively compared to a Marshall half stack at approximately $1,700, or Mesa-Boogie equipment that can put you in the same ballpark as a new Hyundai.
Feasibility denounces improbability, so if you’re looking for gig quality sound and you can’t afford to buy or maintain a tube amp, this rig needs to be on your “to buy” list .
LIZ PHAIR LAUGHS LAST
Concert Review - Liz Phair, 10.20.05 CFA
(2 out of 5 G's)
by Audrey Obhner
A late forty-something couple snuggled affectionately as close as is comfortably possible from the auditorium seats of the Center for the Arts. All around, leather jackets, wire-rimmed glasses, emo kids, mothers and daughters, aging hipsters, and a guy who could have been an ex-Metallica roadie gave me what I think may be my first nineties flashbacks ever. Where was I?
One would much sooner expect that a high school graduation was about to commence rather than a concert given by an artist once hailed as an indie alt-rock princess. However, that is why they are all here: to hear Liz Phair support her fourth release, Somebody’s Miracle (Capitol Records).
Waiting for Phair to take the stage, and taking stock of the strangest crowd I have ever seen gathered for one event, I was reminded of the minor issue that has come between her and her fanbase. Many fans of her earlier work criticized the new album as a sell-out to the evil corporate domain of commercial music.
Though unfamiliar with the particulars of the alleged disparity between the old and new Liz Phair, I had some apprehensions about the show. I doubted that whatever she came out to play in the next few minutes would fall anywhere in the ambiguous space between what the experienced hipsters and the adolescents were expecting.
Within seconds of Phair taking the stage, I began to see that I might be very wrong.
She was heartily cheered onstage and at the beginning of each number in the acoustic five-song opening set. Whoever this crowd was, they knew their Liz Phair; many sang along for each song. Indeed this acoustic set made for the best part of the performance. The songs for which she sang and played guitar were simple, but not unpleasant.
Unfortunately, when the full band joined onstage the quality of her performance diminished. Her voice, complimented during the acoustic set, became somewhat grating as it strained to match the band’s energy. These “plugged-in” songs, mostly from her last two records, also grasped for and failed to achieve a sophistication and thoughtfulness, which allowed many of them to wash from one “alt-pop” anthem into the other. At times the utter immaturity and void “rebel girl” cliché of her lyrics, as in “Rock Me” (“Yeah, I’ve been waiting all my life for this feeling/Who could have guessed you could rock me all night? Rock me all night!”), became mind-numbing.
Regardless of my observations, Liz Phair reigned victorious—who would have thought that Phair could rock the strange crowd all night long? But she did, and they were a lively and active bunch; many left their seats to dance along the stage, people sang out loud, heads were bobbing as if it were contagious, and camera phones were snapping pictures. They get something about Liz Phair that I don’t. And, apparently she gets something about her fans that I don’t. She knew her audience, and she seduced and romanced them just how they like it.
