PAGE 4 ARTS Soul Train A night to remember

When necesstty and imagination get stay inside, Great Hall was packed wall to together, they can breed some serious off­ wall to greet the first edition of the ‘‘Soul spring. Train .” Charles Davis, a graduate A case in point is the spectrum of Black student in psychology, played the role of entertainment on campus. When it became emcee “John” Cornelius and sounded clear at the outset that the UNC establishe- remarkably like the guy on TV as he ment was not going to bend over backward prefaced each act with a deep-voiced in­ or frontward, or even slightly stoop to pro­ troduction. One of the more memorable vide cultural activities for Black students, acts of the night was “Chaka Can’s” con­ we did our own. vincing lip-synch of “ I’m Every Woman.” The BSM’s Opeyo Dancers, Gospel Can, alias sophomore Roxanne Stanard, Choir, Ebony Readers and Onyx Theatre enjoyed every minute of it. were spawned by this benign neglect. So “I did it because I’m in love with the were Black fraternities and sororities and woman (Chaka Kahan),” says Stanard. “I social organizations. And so was Produc­ like her positiveness about being Black tions 84, a classroom project which and being a woman.” became bigger and bigger until it Stanard, a drama major, says she would like to portray Minnie Riperton or because they would offer her a Entertainment new challenge. Also gracing the Great Hall stage was By “Teddy Pendergraff,” who elicited oohs, Allen M Johnson III aahs and a mob of eager females at his feet as he lip-synched “Close the Door.” enveloped half the campus as performers “ I don’t know what made the women or spectators. behave like that tonight,” said Roscoe, One of the most noteworthy children of “Teddy McClain, a senior who had been a neglect, however, was mothered not only little shy about doing the whole thing, but I by negligence but also by those green, rec­ ain’t even gonna complain.” tangular little slips of paper that have If Teddy and Chaka didn’t suit your fan­ made grown men cry and brave cy, Beveily Wells portrayed “Diane undergraduates major in accounting or Ross,” Jam es Alexander, now a Blank Ink pharmacy or some other foolishness — co-editor, led “ Parlerm ent” and Rosalind Money. McGhee, I..elo Hester, Carla Whitlock, and The Black Student Movement found Janis Watlington brought us the “Brides of itself mired m $3,000 debt last fall and had Frankenstein.” to come up with imaginative, entertaining Besides the lip-synchs, there was serious programming that the UNC populace talent as well. Sophomore Karen Cuthrell, would pay to see. who now reigns as Miss Black North There were several options: Carolina, sang a tune from “Purlie” and — The Almighty Turn-Out-the-Lights- Gary Griggs, a poor man’s local version of Turn-Up-the-Bass Disco Jam. Un­ Isaac Hayes, added the mellow “Don’t Go fortunately, not too many folks are going Changin!” Clinton's cuties on the hill? to shell out more than a couple of “Soul Train also enjoyed a broader au­ quarters for a night of rhythm and sweat in dience than most Black-oriented campus Well not quite, but they might well have been. Janis Watlington, Lela Upendo. events. Co-sponsored with campus radio Hester, Rosalind McGhee and Karla Whitlock parody the Brides of — The talent show, which always goes station WXYC-FM, which provided music Funkenstein in the Soul Train Disco, the most unique and successful and lights, the affair even drew white over big in Chapel Hill because of the fundraiser in BSM history. Yackety-Yack photo by Keith Worrell. tremendous wealth of talent in the Black patrons. This was most clearly evidenced community. Problem was, so many talent when flashily a tired white couple walked shows had been held recently that yet still off with first place in the dance contest. another one might not draw anyt)ody but Indeed, the first gig was so successful the performers and their boyfriends and that “Soul Train II” was done in the spring girlfriends. with the return of some old acts and the ad­ dition of such luminaries as “ Evelyn Mar­ — The concert with a big-name band. It be fulfilled,” says Roxanne Stanard. “ It this year. And let us hope that it won’t take tini King” and the “Madhattans.” can be effective, but a concert got the BSM helped the BSM pay off the loan and it another $3,000 debt to get us some unique, It was only one of several BSM fun­ into $3,000 debt in the first place. brought people together.” well-conceived programming. draisers that forced the organization to Then one day, while munching on chili Phil Woods, a junior who sang in the se­ In my next two columns, I’ll continue to come up with fresh, innovative concepts. dogs in the BSM office. Central Committee cond “Soul Train,” would like to see a highlight significant developments in cam­ “ ‘Soul Train’ had something for members Sheila Peters and Greg Penn­ third edition with more campus talent in­ pus social and cultural activities. Next everylxxiy,” says Sheila Peters. “Even ington came up with a solution. volved. “There’s so much talent on this issue (if you decide to tolerate my writing though we had performers, the audience The plan was put into action immediate­ campus that hasn’t been exposed,” he again) we’ll look at the hows and whys of participated, too.” ly and on a chilly, rainy evening last says. the biggest consistent attraction on cam­ November, when Black folk traditionally “ It fulfilled a lot of things that needed to Thank goodness the BSM is not in debt pus — the block show. AHEA HAPPEISIJSGS ConcertB Variety , Greensboro Coliseum, Nov. 2 Anthslogy Langston Hughes, 103 Bingham, Dec. 5, 6, The Jacksons, Fayetteville Cuml)€rland County 8 p.m. Arena, Nov. (tentative). Watch for any BSM gospel choir concerts, per­ The O’Jays, Greensboro Coliseum,Nov. 10. formances by Opeyo dancers, and Ebony Readers. CmmpuB EventB BSM Homecoming featuring All-Campus Block Anyone with any information concerning Arts on cam­ -4 Show, Nov. 10. pus or any events, writing you would like to see Faculty Council Meeting discussing Long Commit­ published , please contact Karen L. Smith, 313 James, tee Reconunendations, Oct. 19 or call 933-4586.