Cash Box /Talent on Stage
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on stage wtocs=3.=4c=4>==so4.==>ct.---tso0=4xo.K=tic=n4tc=itc=r>=4)<=roc=cxcash box /talent Alice Cooper uddy Miles Steve Miller & WHISKY, L.A. - If the audience Paul It uut>éemfielld Flo Eddie wasn't quite on its tip -toes in the THE SPECTRUM, PHILADELPHIA Musically, the Cooper band has im- near -SRO opening, then Buddy Miles Jesse Davis - There are precious few superla- proved considerably and the show has responded in kind by .being on only tives left with which to describe an reached the point where it is as enter- about nine of his own. To be sure, the SANTA MONICA CIVIC - Every- Alice Cooper performance and justifi- taining aurally as it is visually. Espe- pace of his music was fast enough to body and their dog showed -up to wel- ably so. Having long since transcend- cially noteworthy were "Elected", keep the dance -floor hogs contented come Steve Miller back to town; not ed the simplicity of rock 'n roll and "I'm Eighteen", and "No More Mr. and rhythmic enough to make the rest to mention groupies, grass and a nut basic theatrics, the Cooper evolution Nice Guy" (from their Warner Bros. of us wish we were out there with or two. But you nearly forgot what has become a sophisticated helzapop- "Billion Dollar Babies" LP). Alice, them, but his genuine enthusiasm you came for after listening to the pin' on stage with no holds barred. however, must still be chastised for seemed to eclipse his performance. remarkable Warner Bros. group of The 1973 version of the Alice Cooper his poor taste in risking injury to the Nonetheless, enthusiasm he had. Paul Butterfield. Show, to understate matters a bit, left orchestra during the "School's Out" Whether from vocally interesting se- this City of Brotherly Love on its ear segment where he tosses "diplomas" lections from his latest Columbia al- Lead -singer Butterfield, who used and begging for more. to the gathering below. Excluding bum (Chapter VII). "Hear No Evil" his harmonica as effortlessly and that incident, the 1973 Alice Cooper and "Life Is What You Make It" fol- effectively as his voice, has assembled As Alice and the band, resplendent some back-up, not the in white from tops to toes, appeared Show is slick, highly professional and lowed by the slower -paced "Down by exceptional promises to be in the minds of many the Muddy," punctuated with a lot of least of which included Christopher on the stage of the huge sports arena on and Jeff Muldaur on and opened with "Hello, Hooray" for for some time to come. trombone and trumpet, he mounted a Parker drums furious attack on the audience's emo- organ. Although it is these three who the cheering capacity crowd of 17,000 Opening the bill was Flo & Eddie the entire group plus, electricity could be felt crackling (formerly the Phlorescent Leech and tional possibilities. And we did get are the backbone, excited. b.m. understands that the idea of comple- through the air. But it was merely the Eddie), Warner Bros. recording art- menting one another lies in good ar- beginning for the theatrical spectacu- ists, who demonstrated a wonderful rangements and not just some sort of lar which was yet to be unveiled. ability to rock and roll and fully en- Clancy It ros. fair -shares -of -spotlights formula. When it did arrive, almost a half tertain an audience in their own The right. Their professionalism was evi- hour into the performance, the spec- Howard Kaylan and Mark Vol - "Small tacle was painstakingly perfect. The man lead this band up front with and Louis Killen denced in particular with Town Talk," a Nilsson -like bloom three fold unveiling, including the re- delightfully comic . antics which the huge PHILHARMONIC HALL, NYC - that was lyrically mellow yet musical- moval of a giant tooth, the beheading gathering obviously enjoyed. Moving up their annual St. Paddy's "You of Alice and the America Their presence helps make the Cooper ly strong and vibrant. Ditto for spectacular Day concert, The Clancy Brothers and Get All the Money," which highlight- (complete with the recorded Kate Show one of the best packaged tours Louis Killen sold out their second it back for Smith singing "God Bless in years. This show should not be ed Butterfield. You'd give America") appearance in as many years at Phil- that kind of entertainment. left the crowd stunned and begging missed. harmonic Hall. Much of their materi- for more. a.g. The show was kicked -off by the al was moldy oldies from the group's who scored a previous albums with Tommy Makem Jesse Davis group song, touch -down with the "Screw You ,C or other personnel. Only one other titles were Ellen Mcllwaine rewer Shipley "The Grey Funnel Line" (about the Blues." Some of the Royal Navy), was culled from the equally as "catchy." KENNY'S CASTAWAYS, NYC Record's Steve With two Polydor albums and the- Hoyt Axton current group's recently released al- But it was Capitol bum, "Save the Land," on Audio Fi- Miller who packed them in. And he admiration of just about every critic BITTER END, NYC-The Bitter End wanted, includ- under her belt, Ellen Mcllwaine took delity. There were several previously gave them what they was turned into a living room re- unrecorded (by the Clancys) songs ing "Burgandy Crossroad Blues" and the small stage at Kenny's and gave cently as Mike Brewer and Tom which apparently the newly installed sound system a from the new album which would have "Space Cowboy," Shipley and friends invited their au- been welcome diversion at the con- generated the most excitement. b.m. supreme test. dience to join in on an evening of Ellen doesn't play the guitar-first cert. It is not that their material sheer down home pleasure. Straight grows stale with overexposure; it is she stares it into submission and then from their farm in Kansas City, squeezes out every bit of juice the just that an act needs new material to Lily Tomlin Brewer & Shipley has managed to continue their growth, and a vast per- amped acoustic can possible yield. maintain a consistently superior Sometimes she scratches its guts out centage of their current act has been Paul Williams show through the years combining in seen or heard before. with her bottleneck. On other occa- their performances tunes from all of MUSIC FAIR, NY sions, she treats it like a punching their four Kama Sutra albums. Tunes One welcome departure was the in- WESTBURY - bag. But she never lets it make one creased use of humour in this con- To be a comedienne in the round, you included in their Bitter End per- have to be a well-rounded comedi- sound that isn't supremely musical. formance were Jesse Winchester's cert. There was a certain amount of bal- bantering between Northumberland - enne, one whose comic sense of Ellen doesn't sing-she puts her "Yankee Lady" and Nick Gravenites' ance is not thrown off by the turning vocal chords into action by taking the "Blue Highway," where Mike and born Louis Killen and the Clancys about "native" material, and Liam of a stool or the twining of an elec- psychic energies in the room and Tom demonstrated the most powerful trical cord. Lily Tomlin is a special compressing them until one full and aspect of their performance: their and Louis traded raps over Scottish and Irish material. The two also han- funny person who gets serious every shimmering aural orb, revolving on tight and simplistic harmonies. The now and again to prove that she can an axis of boldness and artistic auda- blend of the two voices accompanied dled most of the instrumental chores, trading off between guitar and con- come out of a deep state of concern city blinds the audience with its total by bass, acoutic guitars, electric gui- for the common good as quickly as power. tar and pedal steel are evidence to certina, with Louis also soloing on pennywhistle, banjo, and spoons. she got into it. All this without ever Ellen Mcllwaine is to the seventies the fact that a four man group can succumbing to motion sickness or as- what Jimi Hendrix was to the preced- sound as fullfilling as a nine piece Tom Clancy delivered several reci- symphony. Special mention goes to tations, including a Yeats poem which phyxiation. ing decade. What else is there to add Doing the same act we caught last to ? guitarist Larry Knight who served as a preface for "The Golden that con- year at the stationary Carnegie and r.a. accompanied Mike and Tom on both Apples Of The Sun." Clancy electric guitar and pedal steel. An cert would be complete without the some weeks back at The Bitter End, accomplished musician, Larry's ex- inimitable "Finnegan's Wake," the Ms. Tomlin proved how the plastic Nana Mouskouri ceptional guitar work did not go un- song based on the James Joyce novel. face and chameleon voice can get the noticed. Bass player, Billy Berosini, a Tom has a personal hold on this one, CARNEGIE HALL, NY - Does any- full fledged Gypsy, completed the and he burlesques and carries on, the yocks when the material itself has one offer a more enchanting, sweeter quartet, making this band the finest audience loving every minute. (The become familiar. That's why you go sound of music than that of Nana set of musicians to back Brewer & actor in him is frequently in evi- back for seconds and thirds of the the dignified Mouskouri ? Surely, no member of the Shipley since the duo began traveling dence.) Paddy acts as same thing.