1 Z ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
I ^ April 5,2000* the Sea/jawfc
An
Orioindl : *Gran Torino playing Azate^ Festival
^ • by KRISTI SINGER
Music preview/ review section of : Knoxvme T»«»e
* based Gran Torino win be
• appearing at the Azalea
Festival on Friday, April
7. The show is to all
ages and begins at 7 p.m.
on the Main Stage (Federal Courthouse on Water
The Scene
• I
Willllfflgibon
It’s a Wild
OfhfclSTI SINGER
The Scene
Wake up to the sound of the
Caribbean on Saturday mornings
from noon till 2 p.m. by turning your dial
io WLOZ and listening to “Wild World Rhythms
with Kele."
Sophomore Kele Martin hosts the show, which is focused on music from
the Caribbean. She also spins artists rooted in reggae and calypso.
“Every so often I might drop in a Latin tune." Martin said.
The show plays mainly Jamaican or Trinidadian solo artists, including Buju
Banton or Beenie Man, two of Martin's favorites.
“Buju Banton is Jamaican and very rooted in social commentary as well as
dancehall," Martin said.
The show began in the spring semester and has been a success. Martin said
she has people call into the show and although she doesn’t have flyers out,
“people that hear about it like it.”
Martin plans to continue working at WLOZ during the summer and next
year. Her love of radio and interest in how it works behind the scenes inspired
her to join WLOZ.
April showers bring with them
good shows in Wilmington
By KRISTI SINGER
The Scene
When the sun comes out, it’s
time to go out and play. Appar
ently bands come out to entertain
as well.
April 6, Kool and the Gang and
KC and the Sunshine Band will
be performing at the New
Hanover International Airport
with comedian Sinbad. Tickets
are $28 in advance and $30 at the
gate. The show begins at 7 p.m.,
rain or shine.
April 7, Will Hoge and the
Booty Wall Bangers will perform
on the Azalea Festival main stage
at 8:30 p.m. Gran Torino, known
for their hit, “Moments with
You," will take the stage at 10
p.m. Both of the shows are free.
April 8, Chi Phi will hold their
annual Chicken Pickin’, an all
day festival with music and food.
This year’s entertainers include
The Breakfast Club, Swift, Moe
Black and B.J. The festival will
be held at the Chi Phi house from
12 noon - 6 p.m.
April 8, is a big night for local
,band, Moe Black who after per-
I "V rinjm
Knoxville band Gran Torino will play
on the Azalea Festival Main Stage.
Street). Local bands the Booty Wall Bangers and Will
Hoge will be the opening acts.
Gran Torino’s first single, “Moments With You,”
has received continuous air play on Surf 107 FM as
well as stations in Raleigh, Tennessee, Virginia and
South Carolina.
According to a press release, the band’s second album. Gran Torino Two, is “expected to surpass sales
of the aptly titled Gran Torino One which has found more than 15,000 happy CD players.” Gran Torino
Two was released on January 18.2000 fiom 26.2 Music in Knoxville as a follow-up to their first release
in October 1997. Gran Torino One.
The band has acquired a strong fan base since their beginning in 1995. Traveling to perform over 200
shows in one year has spread their sound all over the East Coast.
“We play the South two-to-one compared to everyone else... The energy is the key.. .We want our
fans to come out to the show and for a couple of hours foiget their troubles," Ford said in a press release.
A unique mixture of rock, soul, R&B and some funk has been known to attract a dancing crowd. The
band considers their style “rock n' soul fueled by jazz, r&b and retro-pop stylings.”
Members Chris Ford (lead vocals), Stephen Decker (bass), Dexter Murphy (keyboard, trombone).
Pee Jay Alexander (trumpet), Scott Pederson (trumpet, saxophone), Jason Thompson (saxophone), Whit
Pfohl (drums) and David Heyer (drums) are currently touring to promote the new album. Their tour is
hitting spots in Colorado, (jeorgia, Tennessee, Alabama, Missouri, South Carolina and North Carolina.
For more info on Gran Torino, check out www.grantorino.com.
forming at the Chicken Pickin’,
will head to the House of Blues
in Myrtle Beach for “Myrtle
Beach Rocks." The show will
feature Wilmington bands Seeds
and Stems, The Booty Wall
Bangers and Moe Black. The
show will begin at 8 p.m. and
tickets are $5.
Collapsis, who appeared at
Otter’s in February, will return to
downtown on the Azalea
Festival’s Street Fair Main Stage
April 9. These Cherry/Universal
Records artists have received air
play on Surf 107 FM with their
single, “Automatic.” This will be
a free show.
April 14, G-Love and Special
Sauce will be performing at Trask
Coliseum. Tickets are on sale
now, $10 for students and $15 for
the general public. Tickets are
available at School Kids, Kenan
Auditorium or the student infor
mation desk.
Later this month look for The
Waiters (formerly Bob Marley
and the Waiters) to play at Me
tropolis April 19, and Fiona
Apple to hit the House of Blues
April 21.
of the tp
%
JW JOSHUA HENSON & KRISTI SBteER
TfteSeawawk
Marcy Playgroui^fs second release, Shapeshifter, has not received the is»s£^nition it deserves.
Their debut albun^Sfancy Playground, is a liard act to follow. Although ttie tetM popularity from
“Sex and Candy"4^ the turning point for the band, Shapeshifter offers possible fotne hits with “It’s
Saturday,” “By# Bye’* and “America."
In Shapesh^r, vocalist and guitarist JAn Wozniak, Dylan Keefe on bass and tack-up vocals,
and back up and druinnjer Dan dehver sound of Marcy Pla^round once
more. Wozniafe’s seductive and mysterious Voice is a trademarSrof Playgwund and Sliapeshifter.
This CD woilB play well to those in a jislaxed state of mind re#i^ to tdckback and have some fun.
The first luiilb “It's Saturday” il®lSved play on rock radici and MTV. This song locally talks
about being ill, “...cause Tve gotiSMs kind of disease...” 4ong with some bizarre (Ihrases like
“...shoulda lIsBSNf when you said bewitre, of homy girls wit^ New Jersey hair, last Swurday...” It
makes you wggfcf what kind of disease^being sung aboutjiyWl^lgh the words may Ihrow one off,
they defmitel J m*e you listen. With the dbiti(>n of a catidSar, lively melody it’s no WOBder this song
has gained pop^W^.
The second IWcfe “America,’’ is in a more acoustic-sounding ballad form. “America" is a bit
different than the «WiA road traveled by Marcy Playground, but a successful eatowr. This song is
a favorite because'^ creates a mood of thought-provoking peaceftilness.
In addition, “All Lights Went Out,” “Secret Squirrel,’* and “Never,” with an eerie tone that
captures your thoughts.^e tracks worth listening to. This CD gives the HStewr more than one song
worthy of hitting “repeatT^
Check out more info on Nfi^ Playground at Www.marcyplaygroand.com.
Student Voiea
They need to bring back the Mad Monk. The Mad Monk was a place where
you could go see some of the best bands. Gwar, Silverchair and a lot of local
bands played there. Now they just don’t have places to come. It closed down
^otind 1995. There s just not a place in town like that anymore,” senior Tim
Cnder said.