ENTERTAINMENTpage 9 Technique • Friday, June 29, 2001 • 9 Christian rock? Play with Passion Atlanta Fest, held this year at Six Arms and the Man at DramaTech ENTERTAINMENT Flags, was even bigger and better than explores both war and romance. See last year’s. Page 11 the preview. Page 11 Technique • Friday, June 29, 2001 Machine showcases Static-X’s varied talents and styles By Austin Chen industrial and techno. Charac- matured from the last album as Ears bled for days afterwards terized by Wayne’s urgently well, showing signs of more dy- screaming vocals and comple- namism and complexity. Artist: Static-X mented by the band’s frenzied The album opens with a short Album: Machine guitar crunchings, the music ex- track named “Bien Venidos” Label: Warner Bros. Records presses a certain dark and sar- which features a little mariachi Rating: yyyy donic humor that appeals to fans. instrumental number before Death Trip showed us just how pummeling you with an on- Static-X’s sophomore release brutally loud and aggressive metal slaught of nonstop “kick-ass.” Machine rides into town with is supposed to be. Highlights include “Get To The guitars (and vocals) blazing. If While Machine generally ad- Gone,” “This Is Not,” “Ostego you are a fan of Blink 182, The heres to the same formula that Undead,” and “...In A Bag” which Backstreet Boys, or even Britta- made Death Trip so appealing, just flat-out rock, while tracks ny Spears, then this album would namely the fiercely dense gui- like “Permanence” and “Ma- probably frighten you. With tars and highly abrasive vocals, chine” comment on the banali- that said, while this album is not the new album displays a very ty of art and society. Machine for everyone, Machine is thor- slight shift towards a more tech- concludes almost as quietly as it oughly enjoyable and, if operat- no-electronic feel. But for the began, with “A Dios Alma Per- ed properly, will improve your most part, this album is still your dida,” a slower and somewhat golf swing, help you grow more standard Static-X style serving eerie instrumental. hair, and do your homework for of trancecore thrashings. Ac- Static-X manages to energet- you—well, wouldn’t that be nice, cording to Wayne, “this time, ically combine infectious guitar though? the songs started with loops and riffs and some electronic tech- For the uninitiated, Static-X samples, as opposed to the first no-ish programming, thus exe- is just four regular guys led by album, where every song started cuting Machine with frontman Wayne Static and his with a drum beat.” These catchy machine-like precision. Al- vertically-enhanced hair. Stat- guitar hooks make this album though somewhat repetitive at ic-X exploded into the alterna- somewhat more digestible. times, Static-X’s second install- tive heavy metal scene back in The guitars in Machine aren’t ment should leave old fans satis- 1999 with their major label de- quite as highlighted or as em- fied with the progression of their but, Wisconsin Death Trip. The phasized as they were in Death sound. New listeners should be group was able to secure them- Trip, probably as a direct result captured by the sheer intensity selves a solid fanbase by crank- of changing guitarists, but it and raw power of this album. If By James Minchin / Warner Bros. ing out their special blend of doesn’t necessarily detract from this one doesn’t keep your head Static-X, a band with a “tancecore” style, released a new album, Machine. While frenzied metal or “trancecore” the experience at all. The vocals rockin’ to and fro’, then perhaps preserving the heavy metal style of the group, this album will also attract new fans. that exhibited some elements of and drum work appear to have nothing will.

Experience Italy for $5 at Stone Temple Pilots’ latest release High Museum this summer demonstrates both old and new By Jenny Sun titled movie to the Rich Audito- Staff Writer rium, located at 1280 Peachtree By David Cash Street, N.E. Subsequent films Short but sweet This summer join others tired range from the comedic “We Love of the lackluster blockbusters for Each Other So Much” to De Artist: Stone Temple Pilots a more cultural showing at the Sica’s well-known drama “The Album: Shangri-La Dee Da High Museum’s Italian Summer Garden of Finzi-Continis.” Label: Atlantic yyyy Film Festival. While your conti- The film that will show this Rating: nental friends are sweating and Friday, June 29th, is “We All trekking through Tuscany this Loved Each Other So Much.” The newest release by the Stone semester, you can boost your mov- This film, directed by Ettore Sco- Temple Pilots, Shangri–La Dee Da, ie repertoire and enjoy Italy in la, is a comedy about a love tri- is all that I could have expected the comfort of an air-conditioned angle with a sharp political from this post-grunge four-some. theater. awareness. The film was made Admittedly, I haven’t heard much What many do not realize is in 1974 and lasts 119 minutes. of their music since Tiny Music (Songs the prevelance of Italian film in Showtime is 8 PM. Tickets from the Vatican City Gift Shop), American culture. The film ver- are $5 general admission and $4 which was a stark departure from sion of Romeo and Juliet that many for Museum members, students, their previous standard rock albums. high school students view was and seniors. Patron members This newest album is influenced by directed by Franco Zeffirelli, a enter free. To purchase tickets both their somewhat immature early famous Italian cinematographer. in advance, call the Woodruff days and the creative sound of Tiny The recent popular film Life is Arts Center box office at 404- Music. A growing sense of record- Beautiful is also an Italian ex- 733-5000. For more general in- ing quality is extremely obvious– port, directed by Roberto Be- formation about the film festival their sound now is smooth and nigni. Many film and or to discover more about the composed. cinematography innovations used High Museum, call 404-733- The first track, “Dumb Love,” is in Italian film are carried over to 4570 or visit their website at the best example of the old Pilots’ Hollywood. www.high.org. sound. The guitar riff is strong and catchy, the lines are short, and Scott Many of the films for the fes- By Chapman Baehler/ Atlantic Records tival are chosen for their ground Italian Film Festival Schedule Weiland’s singing is the classic mel- ody in the rough. “Regeneration” Stone Temple Pilots’ new album Shangri-La Dee Da showcases troubled breaking cinematography, exquis- singer Scott Weiland’s vocal talent, as well as a varied musical style. ite plots, or famous actors. Each June 29: We Love Each Other also lives up to their old tone, with a film demonstrates a different part So Much unique sort of flowing hard rock. This album, like others of the wrong / Just playing those songs / of the Italian film culture. July 6: The Garden of the Finzi- From another perspective, the band’s, is mostly meant be a com- She’s all too cool,” sings Weiland. The High kicked off the film Continis music on Shangri–La Dee Da is some- ment on the world, people, or what- Shangri – La Dee Da won’t like- festival with an outdoor show- July 13: Dear Diary thing unique to the Stone Temple ever Scott Weiland was doing at the ly amaze you, but if you already like ing on June 22nd of “Cinema July 20: Bread and Chocolate Pilots’ collection. There’s a happy, time and avoids too much moaning Stone Temple Pilots, it’s a buy that Paradiso” last Friday. The show- July 27: The Conformist light quality to songs like “Days of about relationships and depression. certainly won’t disappoint. Their ing was free and attracted a size- the Week,” a short composition There are also a couple songs – “Too style is recognizable but also evolv- able crowd to view the film. This about a girlfriend’s coming and go- Cool Queenie” and “Hollywood ing. If you don’t know much by 1989 movie describes the situa- Stay tuned for more ideas on things ing that is one of the album’s most Bitch,” which give a light but hon- them, this album could be a good tion in an Italian village after the to do in Atlanta. Like the High, common radio plays. None of the est opinion of women the band have representation of the band’s differ- events of World War II. clubs, sports, festivals and well, songs are wholly happy, but not apparently known. “And she made ent flavors, appealing with both Each Friday brings a new sub- hey, just let us know what you do. many STP songs really express a lots of money and / some of his too melodic and hard tones, like a hap- single emotion strongly. / But still she thinks she can do no pier (and higher quality) Nirvana. ENTERTAINMENT Technique • Friday, June 29, 2001 • 11

Atlanta Fest–Christian Technique Preview Drama Tech’s Arms and the Man music that … rocks? By Jason Dean country, grossing $450 million a Staff Writer year, according to a CNN report. Every major record label has a Chris- Over 40 nationally known bands tian division. Events like Atlanta played the Six Flags stage for the Fest show how big of a business it is. June 20-23 Atlanta Fest – the larg- Atlanta area’s Third Day head- est concert festival of its kind in the lined Friday night. The southern south. Thousands of youth group rockers are huge, selling out the HiFi kids from all over invaded the park Buys Amphitheatre in March–a feat for roller coasters and music, as well done in years past by acts such as the as a handful of speakers and semi- Dave Matthews Band. nars. This is Christian music? The lead The event marked the 15th an- singer of Skillet has a sprawled-out niversary of the Christian music fes- bottle-blonde ’do, shiny shirt, leather tival. “Everywhere we go we hear pants, and he’s strapped into a pur- from people whose lives have been ple and blue flamed bass guitar. Add positively affected while attending a DJ/keyboardist, a female drum- Atlanta Fest. That is the only rea- mer and jagged, raw guitar work son why my wife Jan and I continue and you’ve got a potent rock group. to be excited about continuing the The Supertones, a California ska ministry of Atlanta Fest,” said festi- band has the crowd in frenzy. Jen- val director, Chuck Tilley. nifer Knapp is rocking like fellow Some dub the event as the “Chris- Lilith Fair veteran Meredith Brooks By Adam Johnson / DramaTech tian Woodstock of the south.” Many would. What’s wrong with this pic- Ann Margaret Huss (Raina) and Ganesh Kumaraswamy (Sergius) practice for DramaTech’s produc- campers took advantage of a free ture? Is Atlanta Fest convincing me tion of George Bernard Shaw’s Arms and the Man. The play is DramaTech’s summer production. place to crash during the festival’s that Christian music, dare I say, can 4-day run. 14-year-old Tyler Torg- rock? erson estimates there were at least While bands like U2 and Creed DramaTech presents Shaw’s Arms and the Man 1,500 people camping out. protest the idea that their music is DramaTech’s feature summer first time on the stage. Tryouts were early in summer “It was cool, because I met and distinctly Christian, P.O.D. and Life- production, Arms and the Man, is The setting of the play is Bul- semester, and DramaTech has been bonded with strangers very fast. We house are embracing it as they take had a blast singing songs at night. their music to the secular scene. Punk a drama about two classic sub- garia in the late 1800s. The play is in production of the play since The Atlanta Fest experience just rockers MXPX scream it loud. jects: love and war. Widely con- a drama that centers around the the end of May. sidered to be one of Shaw’s most issue of how war is romanticized, The play will begin its run on wouldn’t be complete without camp- What does the future hold for popular plays, it was first pro- especially by young men. The plot July 6 at 8 p.m. in DramaTech’s ing out,” he added. Christian music? All the prophets I duced in 1894 and first published also contains strong romantic el- Dean Dull Theatre. Additional Once the festival’s main stage contacted weren’t available for in- in 1898. Beyond being popular ements between the main charac- run dates will be July 7, 12-14, shut down for the night, a smaller terviewing, but I’d be willing to bet side stage heated up and pumped things just get better. in its own time, this play is still ters. and 19-21, also beginning at 8 music into the wee hours of morn- As revolutionary groups break widely shown and read. The director is Rachel May, p.m. The play features four main who’s name local theater buffs Tickets will be $4 for students, ing. the ice, many are ready to follow characters, Bluntschli, Raina, may recognize. She has collabo- $6 for faculty/staff, and $8 for Since its humble beginnings, it behind. Sure, Christian rock won’t Sergius, and Louka, played re- rated on many projects in the At- the general public. Tickets may has only gotten bigger and better. rule the airwaves, and I’m not ex- spectively by Siddharth Manay, lanta area. be bought at the door or in ad- The Christian music scene has done pecting to see MTV cover dc Talk’s the same. next tour. As Atlanta Fest demon- Ann Margaret Huss, Ganesh Ku- The assistant editor is Jay Zim- vance by calling 404-894-2745. Soulful southern gospel and glossy strated, what we all can expect is maraswamy, and Chesley Love- merman who recently premiered For more general information joy. The play also includes a few a film effort on campus. Zim- about this production, call 404- pop sounds have given way to the even better music that, yes, I said it, supporting players. Some of the merman has been greatly involved 894-3481 or visit their website at likes of rock, rap, ska, punk, and rocks. Look for Atlanta Fest to con- actors are DramaTech regulars, in DramaTech since arriving at www.cyberbuzz.gatech.edu/dra- even techno. Christian music is the tinue to be a hot ticket next sum- while others are experiencing their Georgia Tech. matech. fifth largest music category in the mer. Techn que Nothing artificial about it.

Just as a friendly competitive reminder, I won once.