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Debut of mysterious By Lehman Stiles Strang' Assistant Entertainment Editor Straits' (1 What would you get if Bob Dylan you think set T.S. Eliot's poems to music? It the main would probably sound something comes a Hiro Cfpoifc J '* r' >?WII VUViUlkO. UUCSI1 I II Group names are usually you hear pathetically unindicative of the somethir nature of the group itself. Who something could tell from the name "Beatles" identity y< that there was anything special The n about the Liverpool Four? Just stereotyp< what does "Yes" mean, anyway? distinctivi Well, in the case of Dire Straits, the some resu namp Hpsrrihpc pvnntlv tfonlinn ? V.VWV. >VX/U X/^MVVIJ VI1V IWIU25 dUIHC CVU one gets from hearing this group: a passed ov< confused, frightening atmosphere darkness of being stranded in a strange loves unn place with little hope of rescue. than hate. FEBRUARY 23 Chuck Mangione 25 Parliament, Funkadelic 28 J. Geils Band, Fabulous Poodles MARCH 3 Elvis Co3tello & the Attractions 8 GinoVannelli 9 Kenny Rodgers 12 Styx.Anael 14 RedSkelton 17 Liza Minnelli (two shows) 21 Natalie Cole 23 Lettermen 23 Bar-Kays 24 Barry White 24 Natalie Cole 29 Cheech & Chong ^^ ^y.llyJoel KfjJIIu^ : Dire Strait: but promis eness typifies Dire something being t lebut album. Just when the notes and woi that you've discovered that deperately war thrust of the songs,here The driving fore inomer variation that Straits is the sibling t the pattern. The sound and David Knopflei on this record is of sings and plays lea( ig being born, of and David plays i ; that is unsure of its own They are joined by gt. bass and Pick Wit! lusic refuses to be Technically the groi 2d; it creates its own but certainly not v e categories. It is like primary positive c irrected ghost of the past, creation of a clau lutionary step that was timate musica! atm er in confusion. It talks of contributes furt and deserted places, of mysterious ambigui jalized and more painful The Ivrics remin There is the sensation of ("Near misses or ^a stairways, French ' darkened doorway blowing out wild an* convey the same si century desperatit 2n flBIfl} [2SI fij obviously felt so dee the rather ception: the only coi is the fact that we somewhere else .. Savannah Civic Center again; last night I f Omni, Atlanta Ri8ht now rm si<* ... Fox Theatre, Atlanta l'm g?*ngt? keep on Side one opens wit waiernne, a sudik the sexual prompt Agora Ballroom, Atlanta never completely s .... Charlotte Coliseum human mind. The be .... Charlotte Coliseum one 's "Water of L .. Jacksonville Coliseum metaphorical piece Carolina Coliseum chorus. ... Fox Theatre, Atlanta "Setting Me Up" i Carolina Coliseum Knife" are both al Township plicable cruelty of ..... Carolina Coliseum about the mal< Omni, Atlanta assignation of his t .. Greensboro Coliseum ^e hands of .. Greensboro Coliseum whom he is most vi T^^Carolina Coliseum one closes with Again," which sum* our modern fascinat WBBGBBBEMI rapped behind jm -*** *%. ~ "ds, something K "WSBEB '~ ^ its its freedom, r r ^ e behind Dire \ i. ^ >team of Mark 3 H r. Mark writes, gfef'*' - iJ F^Z hythm guitar. ^^HK^^RJijHHHRBrai'1 John Illsley lers on drums. lp is competent H'; |E?|lip. l^|?p Mill .; W? irtuostic; their ;lement is the ??SSEpi85^pli$B^iii|lll$ strophobic, inosphere, which Blp|S|ii$SlBtt^Bi$?ISWS her to the ty of the lyrics. d one of Eliot i the dogleap kisses in the on the road: "Southbound again; I s, a foghorn don't know if I'm going or coming d cold...") and home.." ense of a 20th- The popular "Sultans of Swing" >n that Eliot opens side two, a wonderfully ply. Loneliness mysterious and subtle song about than the ex- the resurrecting freedom and isolation in life almost metaphysical power of can always go music. Others may say they run ("Southbound things, the song suggests, others elt like crying. may hold all the cards, but it is ; of living, but music that has the real power; all trying"). the Fathers and Kings and Sultans h "Down to the are in music, not in government ; expression of buildings. ings that are "In the Gallery" is probably the ubdued by the weakest song on the album, Dire st song on side Straits' attempt to be socially ove," a nicely significant that comes off as too with a catchy blatant and forced. It seems to say that modern art is a joke when ind "Six-Blade compared to realism. It may have ^out the inex- a point that I'm missing, so it is womanhood, either the worst or the best song on js' illogical the album. rust and faith "Wild West End," however, is thp nprcnn fr* Hofinifalir thn ??? ? I V? wiimivijr ucai-WI IUCU auilg UI1 ilnerable. Side the album, with some marvelously "Southbound descriptive lyrics: "And my : up succinctly conductress on the number ion with being nineteen, she was a honey; pink litor or Co-e PERIENCE, PRESTH pplications are now being >r the (inrnot ft RlnrL a%AH ? -mmm. vrv W V8 I I * period June 1, 1979 - Mi APPLICATION ble in the Student Media < DEADLINE: Friday, Feb. 23, 1979, ? Student Media Offic m. ' ~'ii4 'J>t^ w K^n|H tnonnilc anH Hor>Ho oil ^l?<t" ...;*u Ull U1I Vjr Willi money ..." The song goes on to decry and at the same time praise the brutal reality of life without illusion: "And a go-go dancing girl, yes I saw her; the deejay he say here's Mandy for ya. I feel alright to see her, but she's paid to do that stuff. She's dancin' high; I move on by. The closeups can get rough when you're walking in the wild west end." The album closes with "Lions," a snookv imnrP?cinnicti/> c/\r?r* ^ _ j | mrnmmf* ^UWlVIUUilV OV/Ug IUU I questions the disappearance of the individual. True to its form, the album never lets up its barrage of shaded meanings and powerful images, a combination that graces the songs with a feeling that is more than the sum of its parts. It is unclear just what Dire Straits is indicative of: whether it is the sound of the 1980s or merely a last remnant of whatever happened to music at the beginning of this decade. Like a potentially active volcano, Dire Straits is worthy of attention, but the question is whether their first album is a promise or a warning. iPik l ook | anors i 5E & PAY * I I accepted I Worship for I jy 31,1980. I S: I Office. RH 313 !:'3 i p.m. I M