the Other Press February 12, 1991 Unidentified Human Remains Found It’s a treat to witness something unravel slowly, that pushes us to think beyond ourselves and throws reality in our faces to chew on. Unidentified Human Remains and the True Nature of Love is such a play, a ‘theatre noir’ which has you laughing one second and gasping the next. Unidentified Human Remains and the True Nature of Love directed by Bonnie Gibson - Firehall Theatre until Feb. 23rd reviewed by Tamara-Gorin Benita, (Lorena Gale) a black prostitute and psychic, opens the play telling a ‘ghost’ story _ witha modern twist: the slasher. Setting the mood for later, writer Brad Fraser uses this as an effective tool for getting a glimpse of the play’s intentions: this is a 90’s who done it with political overtones. David (Allan Morgan) is a gay waiter living in Edmonton, trying to fend off recognition for past deeds as an actor on Canadian television. The story centres on David and his relationship to everybody else: Candy (Chilton Crane) is his long-time friend and room-mate ‘n.search of herself, love and a book that isn’t mediocre; Bernie, (John Pyper-Ferguson) his best friend, is a drunk civil servant and womanizer; Benita is David's confidant in times of dire need or drunkeness; and Kane is an innocent but rich 18 year old who just happens to be es bus boy and his biggest an. The sub-plot sees Candy dealing with her anxiety about brutal murders of women in Edmonton at a time when she can only function in the weight room. She meets both Robert, (Andrew Kavadas) the gym’s bartender, and Jerri, (Shelly Goldstein) a lesbian who won’t give up, there. The tension builds at a steady pace, a pace that is relieved by moments of brilliant, often biting humour. These are people doing their best to live their lives in a dying city, in a world where AIDS threatens everyone, in a society where women are hunted for their bodies, then killed. The intermission served to break a lot of the tension, though some did spill over into the second half, which moved quickly but obviously towards the climax. The acting is superb, especially the performances of Gale and Morgan, and believable. The only time things get stretched is at the end, when the writing is weak, although this is forgivable. The sets were simple but effective, used to the fullest advantage to add new dimensions to the play. While a scene is happening, characters not directly involved move in and out of the background, adding their own thoughts, singing, watching and listening to see how the events that transpire will affect thier own lives and plans. At times, all six are speaking at once, fighting to be heard, listened to. It was nice to see a gay positive play, especially one which didn’t try to sugar coat the truth, and is firmly grounded in reality. No, gay men aren’t saints, but they’re more careful now, and yes, dykes can be butch and wear a dress too. The play has quite a bit of nudity, both male and female, which showed the honesty of both the playwrite and the director: adults have sex, and they are usually naked when they do it. Nothing is hidden | here, except under the blanket. Politically, the issue of violence against women is dealt with well: attacks usually come from close to home, 85% of women who are sexually assaulted know their attacker. Benita deals with it in her clients, Candy deals with it in her relationship with Robert, and women get killed around them because of it. The stories Benita tell throughout the play emphasise this: most of the ‘ghost’ stories we grew up with see the murderer right under his (usuallly female) victim’s nose the entire time. Hard hitting and telling, Unidentified Human Remains... is a play you don’t want to miss. Soul Cages a Poignant Sting More reflective and emotionally poignant than his other albums, The Soul Cages shows Sting coming to grips with his past. His home, the northern English seaport Newcastle, is an inspiration. Often referring to ships and the sea, Sting deals with his father’s death. Sting The Soul Cages A&M Records reviewed by Krista Solle Significantly his father’s image infuses All This Time and The Wild Wild Sea. Bounciness is not an attribute you normally find on the Soul Cages but All This Time, the current single, is an exception. The most upbeat tune on the new albun,, it is just like the other cuts: not jazzy, but poppy and folksy, but it’s one of the only happy songs on the record. The whole album represents a shift in Sting’s attitude. Some of the songs refer to the poverty of living in a factory town. For example, Island Of Souls deals with the frustration of a family being enslaved to ship building . References to his Catholicism also abound especially in the poignant When The Angels Fall, a song about the loss of innocence and faith. The music itself is heavily tinged with an ethnic flavor, perhaps Celtic , perhaps Latino. Although mostly melodic, there are some rockers such as the title track . And as expected, Sting’s soaring yet plaintive Its Saturday night, but there’s nothing to do. You could sit around with a beer in your hand and subject your ever diminishing brain cells to the vast T.V. wasteland or vou could one and head out to the heum for a night of great music by Toronto’s Blue Rodeo. Blue Rodeo Orpheum Theatre February 16, 1991 reviewed by Haroon A. Khan Blue Rodeo are out on the road promoting their latest album, Casino, an upbeat 242 Front If you really liked a song, would you listen to it eight times? Would you keep your CD player on repeat, playing the tune until it melted off the disc? Front 242 Tragedy for You CD Single CBS Records reviewed by Tim Crumley _ I’m sorry, but the whole concept seems completely alien to me. This band records one song. Then they hand it to some ‘music industry wiz’ who puts it through the meat grinder eight Blue Rodeo Rides in to Town depature from their first two releases, Outskirts and Diamond Mine which had a distinctively more moody feel to them. s The show promises to be an interesting one, with The Skydiggers coming on as the opening act. Expect Blue Rodeo to dole out the hits like Try and Diamond Mine from their earlier records as well as tunes from their new one including the 8 2 Much times until they have a whole album of different mixes of the same song. Yes. The same song. Eight different times. I’m tired of having marketing control the music industry. Without a bunch of money grubbing assholes trying to make a quick buck off the consumer, inane concepts like this wouldn’t even be considered. No wonder 95% of music today is worthless garbage. Concrete Blonde Bloodletting Bash Never predictable but always excellent, Concrete Blonde is rising up the charts and into Vancouver. Johnette Napolitano and James Manbey come from Hollywood, where they both met and began writing songs in 1980. Along with drummer Harry Ruskakoff and bassist Alan Block they formed Dream 6, released a demo and caught the attention of ILR.S. IRS. chairman Miles Copeland recommended that they change their name. The band became Concrete Blonde and in 1987 released their self-titled debut in which Copeland called it "perfect". Concrete Blonde then halted to a standstill because of fighting with the label over publishing and merchandising rights, problems with managers and accounts and escalated use of drugs and alcohol which ended up with the band declaring bankruptcy. Then came Free (1989) with the single "God Is A Bullet", a plea for gun control. "Free is a real good record,” Napolitano says, "but it reflects a period of a time that was so hard on us and I can hear it when I listen to it”. While Concrete Blonde was in London waiting to record their recent lp, Ruskakoff and Block split. When drummer Paul Thompson (known for his work with Roxy Music) found out about an opening with the band, came by to hear their music and got signed. Napolitano returned to playing bass. The band then released Bloodletting (1990), an emotional and dark Ip that has already past platinum in Canada and is to date there most successful commercial Ip. "With Bloodletting, we finally show confidence!, we have more of a sense of identity," says Napolitano. Their first released single, Joey climbed to number 10 on Billboards Post Modern Chart. It is a desperate quiet ballad about a woman pleaing to an ex-lover.(If its love you’re looking for/then I can give a little more /and if you’re somewhere out there passed out on the floor /Joey, I’m not angry anymore). It was written by Napolitano in a cab on the way to the studio, the last song to be recorded on the Ip. The most recent single release "Tommorow Wendy" a duet with singer Andy Priebow: former Wall of Voodoo member (who also co-wrote) is about an aids-stricken hooker who kills herself. With a sold out concert on February 12 another date February 13 was added. Both nights will be performed at the Commondore with special guest Andy Prieboy.Tickets are available through ticketmaster.