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4The Daily Tar Heel Thursday, November 12, 1987
The Daily Tar HeelThursday, November 12, 19875
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Members of Amnesty International Group 84, one of the largest chapters of the organization, hold their monthly meeting at the Newman Center
A
mnesty International's concert of hope
By ALLISON PIKE
Staff Writer
Amnesty International's local chap
ter. Group 84. brought an array of
local talent to Cat's Cradle Sunday
in a benefit concert to aid political
prisoners. In some countries, you
could have been arrested for attend
ing the show.
In 1961, two Portuguese students
were imprisoned simply for making
a toast to freedom. This event
spurred a British lawyer. Peter
Benenson. to start a campaign to
release them, and that led to the
creation of Amnesty International.
Amnesty International is a non
partisan, worldwide organization of
more than 500.000 members and
supporters working to protect
human rights. Thousands of men,
women and children around the world
are imprisoned for the non-violent
expression of their beliefs. Amnesty
International supports these individ
uals, known as prisoners of con
science, and petitions governments
for their release via letters, postcards
and telegrams. In addition, the
organization asks governments to
end torture and all executions.
Chapel Hill's Croup 84 is one of
the largest local groups in the
country. Group leader Tom Rudin
says most Amnesty groups around
the country have 10 to 20 people
in attendance at their meetings.
Group 84 has 80 to 100 active
members. "Group 84 is a cross
section of people from all walks of
life who share the common goal of
improving human rights situations,"
Rudin said.
Two years ago. Amnesty Interna
tional sponsored a worldwide Conspi
racy of Hope Tour featuring U2, the
Police and Peter Gabriel; it reportedly
doubled Amnesty's membership. It
also created problems because
Amnesty's staff was not large enough
to handle the extra load. But Group
84 has not suffered from its large
membership. Says Rudin: "We feel
fortunate in having around 100
dedicated people who write letters
and participate in planning programs
like this concert."
the Swamis responded the day they
received theirs.
Woods bassist Jack Cornell said he
thought performing at the show was
a great idea. He said supporting
Amnesty International is important
because "living in America, we have
the luxury of not being held as
prisoners of conscience."
Swamis' guitaristsongwriter
Holden Richards said he couldn't
resist doing the concert. He supports
Amnesty International because it
"fights for peace on a basic humanity
that moved to Chapel Hill recently, ing songs like "Next Rain" and
was also well received. Bassist Jim "Girlfriends" from their new LP. It's
Ford noted. "The crowd was great Like This. The audience was given a
more than great." He also said treat after the first three songs, when
the Wallabouts were very eager to drummer Terry Anderson abandoned
do the concert. We love Amnesty nis arums ror an acoustic guiwr diiu
The Conspiracy of Hope Tour was level and gets tangible results."
one factor that prompted Group 84 Guitaristsongwriter Paul Price,
to sponsor Sunday's benefit. Rudin also of the Swamis. added: "It is
said, "We saw how successful the enough now just to say a country is
Conspiracy concerts were, and we violating human rights. Amnesty
thought a concert would be one way International has had everything to
to attract interest through music." " do with that. We owe them a big
Sunday's concert featured perfor- debt."
mances by Desperate Remedy, the The benefit opened Sunday with a
new band. Desperate Remedy.
International. We think they're doing
a good job."
Suffering only one delay when
guitarist Doug Francis broke a guitar
string, the Wallabouts played an
almost nonstop 45-minute set that
included originals like "Answers Made
In Clay" and "Murder of Crows." plus
joined Cornell (playing an acoustic
bass) and guitarist David tnloe in an
acoustic set that included "Nice."
"Chain My Heart," and Anderson's
"Battleship Chains." all from the new
LP. This was the first time the Woods
have tried an acoustic set. and the
crowd responded enthusiastically by
a version of the Beatles' "Paperback dancing and clapping along to the
Writer" Woods' well-blended harmonies. But,
Freshman Ethan Clotfelter said. Anaerson poiniea out. you n nove
"They looked like they had a lot of to buy the record to hear what it
Wallabouts. the Swamis. and the
Woods: it drew a crowd of about 1 25
to 1 50 people. The money generated
from the concert about $750
will go to Amnesty International's
Ivan Morris fund, which will match
the amount raised by Group 84.
Rudin said all of the money . will
go to human rights work: "It won't
go to our newsletter, or to paying
staff workers." He added that gener
ating money is important because
Members of the band, two of whom
are students at UNC, were interested
in doing the show because one of their
former musicians was a member of
Amnesty and they all agreed it was
for a good cause.
Desperate Remedy started the
Cradle's enthusiastic crowd dancing
with original songs as well as covers
of the Clash's "Should I Stay or
Should I Go" and the Police's "On Any
Amnesty's funds depend solely on Other Day."
contributions from members and
supporters. v
All of the bands, involved in the
show were dedicated and coopera
tive, said concert organizer Debbie
Rzasa. Rzasa initially contacted the
bands through letters; the Woods and
Guitarist Stefan Rogers and bassist
Alex Kort were very pleased with the
performance. "I was on a high when
the people started dancing." Rogers
noted. "The audience action was
superb." Kort said.
The Wallabouts. a Cleveland band
fun. Thev were great to watch
Following the Wallabouts were the
Swamis, whose powerful set was cut
short by about five songs due to
shortage of time.
In the spirit of Amnesty Interna
tional, guitarist Price, sporting a
Greenpeace T-shirt, energetically
sang "How Do You Know." a song
about political persecution. Guitarist
Richards followed up with "Sign of
, the Times." a song not about being
politically aware, he said, but "about
not giving a damn."
' The Swamis also did their local
favorite, "Another World," and
Richards ended the set with a manic
flight around the stage that included
a couple of jumps from the drum
platform.
Although disappointed about being
cut off early, keyboardist Bob Cook
said. "We got in everything we really
wanted to play."
The Woods closed the show, play-
really sounds like.
Concert organizers said they were
pleased with Sunday's turnout.
Around 100 letters were signed at
the show on behalf of prisoners of
conscience, Rudin said. He also
thought that the show generated a
lot of awareness about Amnesty
International.
"More than anything, the show
was further evidence that Group 84
is committed to ideals like putting
together a program of quality." he
said.
Group 84 already has plans for. a
spring benefit "Debbie Rzasa and I
have already begun to lay the ground
work for the next one." Rudin said.
"We are starting to plan now about
how to get an even bigger turnout
next time."
Rudin said he thought everyone at
the show, including the bands, had
a good time. "All in all. it was a good
night."
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OTHOavid Minton
David Enloe, guitarist for the Woods
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The audience enjoyed performances by four bands at the benefit concert
OTHDavid Minton