Love-Hounds-request@EDDIE.MIT.EDU.UUCP (03/02/87)
Really-From: hsu%uicsrd.CSRD.UIUC.EDU@a.cs.uiuc.edu (William Tsun-Yuk Hsu) Channing-Murray Foundation Benefit Concert, Champaign IL 3/1/87 Gawd, it's so frustrating sometimes... Channing-Murray is an incredibly cool religious organization that lets people use their small church for movies and (mostly hardcore) shows. So a bunch of local bands get together to organize a benefit and less than a hundred people show up. So where were you local music lovers/occasional lovehounders when they needed you??? YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE! Geeeeez.... Well it was your loss. Four of the most interesting bands in the Champaign/Urbana area played tonight. Forget the regular bar bands, and the wimps you read about in Option etc. that are from the area. The guys that played tonight are the future of what little local scene we have, and they can only get better. (Surreal opening to the evening: John, Brad, Fish and I met in this small restaurant before the show, and the background music was Psychic TV! YOW!) Still Warm Stillborn, the invisible band of Chambana, opened. Very dada-influenced performance-oriented, with very quiet sounds alternating with clanging metal that went over the heads of most people there. Fun tribal audience-participation piece at the end. Generic Error was a hardcore 4-piece with a female singer. The bad mix contributed to the disappearance of the vocals. Some interesting arrangements, superb guitarist. Not much thrashing, but everyone was probably just happy sitting back and watching Chris' lead guitar smoke during his vicious solos. Hmmmmmm.... Blood Brain Barrier, an experimental/noise/jazz-flavored/free improv band moved an army of 7 or 8 noise mongers on stage. Their new guitarist really adds another dimension with Belew-esque noise and wicked little figurations. Two drummers, extra percussionist, funky bass, occasional voice samples and synth support. Loud, brash and fun to watch. Tugrik Dhugugrik sounded a little tired, perhaps from their show the night before. A post-punk 5-piece with a solid lineup, including a vocalist who's entertaining but not obnoxious and a superb lead guitarist (the same Chris from Generic Error). Their usual sophisticated arrangements and zest, tho not quite up to their usual standards. If only more people had showed up! Support your local scene etc... Bill