C3 - Friday, May 25, 1984 - North Shore News © e e 4 e e 9 e e eo e ° edoeocooe 000eeeeeeeen 060 e°0 EVERY SONG A HIT ; Thompson Twins wow Vancouver faithful By NEAL HALL THERE WERE three sur- prises at the Thompson Twins concert at the Queen Elizabeth theatre last Satur- day night (May 19). The first surprise was the crowd. The place was sold- out weeks in advance — all 2,917 were snapped up by ul the group finished perfor- ming almost two hours later. And not once did the danc- ing, singing, hand-clapping crowd sit down again. Sur- prisingly committed fans. The second surprise was the stage lighting, which was uniformly excellent. Most of the plaudits go to Jonathan Smeeton, the Twins’ lighting man. He was the same guy at The biggest surprise, however, was just how good the Thompson Twins were live. While the band’s last four albums have sold well, especially its latest Into the Gap, the group displayed an unexpected polish onstage. Since the Twins were last in Vancouver — opening for the Police at the Coliseum in 1983 — they have obviously particularly in the realm of the visual. Wearing tiny, cordless headset microphones, the trio were able to cavort freely about the stage. And judging from the smiles on their faces throughout the evening, the Thompson Twins are a group that derives great pleasure from its performance. Part of the trio’s appeal is Joe Leeway, the keyboard- playing dark-skinned Twin, exhibited the most soul of the trio, especially during You Take Me Up, when he played harmonica, as did Bailey. Sull, percussionist Allan- nah Currie was often the rhythmic focus of the group. Several times during the evening she picked up drum sucks and cracked a set of And while the group seem- ed to take pride performing some of its more political songs (Sister of Mercy, No Peace for the Wicked), it was the Twins’ hits (In the Name of Love, Lies, Love on Your Side) that the crowd scream- ed loudest for. It was during one of the Twins’ hits, however, when this reviewer heard \ acoustic drums authoritative- something completely unner- -fans of the British trio. And the lighting controls when developed a panache that was its well-balanced talent. All jy. Her most haunting mo- ving: when the group sang its these fans were some of the Peter Gabriel played B.C. previously lacking. Maybe it three share the main spot- liveliest, most enthusiastic seen so far this year at the theatre, The crowd rose in unison the Twins came onstage, ‘witht, a large faction of screaming girls leading the way, and stayed that way un- Place Stadium with David’ Bowie. Smeeton did a superb job Saturday aiming 40 Veri- lite spotlights — they’re those computer-controlled swivel _spots that dance and change color with superhuman speed has something to do with the fact that the group was win- ding up its North American tour in Vancouver before set- ting off for Japan (the Twins arrived there on Monday). Whatever the cause, they ex- light, as well as the singing, though Tom Bailey handles the lead vocal role — he be- ing the one with the long pony tail, only half of which is fake, and the object of desire among the screaming ment was during a new song, Doctor Doctor, when Currie stood in the spotlight at the top of a staircase onstage and played some tasty percussion — bells, a gong and assorted drums — while casting a latest hit, Hold Me Now, I heard a high falsetto: back- group voice that was a dead ringer for Andy Gibb. Which makes me wonder: are the Thompson Twins nothing | \ dreamlike shadow on the wall See page C5 — at the band. hibited a true flair for drama, eenage girls. behind the stage. pas = | aking the grade -doesn't faa LIKE AN adolescent schoolboy, the movie ‘Mak- ing The Grade’ has its ups and downs, mostly of Hoover Academy, played what is preppy, what is not 598s © ranwille . Academy Preparatory School by Gordon Jump, formerly preppy, how to break dance ir downs. If the makers of tus fim, Cannon Group for Paimer, payable upon of WKRP in Cincinnati, and how to break out of a 732-5217 nc. thought that this was the movie that would g;aduation. If the audience is send it to the front of the class for comedy, it should think again and do some more homework. ‘Making The Grade’ has a predictable plot that centers By COLIN LAMONT $10,000 and a Porsche Eddie agrees to attend Hoover ready to believe this type of plot, it should go to the back of the class. As if the plot was not bad bad acting. The headmaster should have stayed in radio where he was at least funny. Dana Olsen as Palmer goes to the front of the cast for best performance, but when the cash in on the latest trends, low class life on the streets for the good life. Combine this with a good old-fashioned love story with rich, cyltured girl and poor, unculturéd Ed- enough on its own, most of rest of the cast is failing, die, and you have all the around the plan of rich, Porsches and preppies. Poor the cast from ‘Making The anyone can look good. makings of a movie destined spoiled, and pampered _ boy meets rich boy and for Palmer Woodrow III (played by Dana Olsen) to have starv- ing, streetwise Eddie Keaton (played by Judd Nelson) earn a degree for him. Palmer, meanwhile will join the jet set in Europe away from the cares of the classroom. Eddie, who lives in an abandoned car on the streets of Jersey, leaves his sordid life behind when pursued by the local mafia's goons for an unpaid debt, he climbs a brick wall around Woodrow’s golf club = and lands in the world of Palmer, Grade’ should be expelled for MUSICAL and THEATRICAL ENTERTAINMENT FINELY CRAFTED WARES MIME YOoOUTR (WN BUISINESS (May 21) “Just So” stunes by PACE AN FE (May 19 & /6) string quartets maypole dan ing and moms dancing call 986-1351 forinfonnation PRESENTATION HOUSE 1025 MARINE DR. NORTH VAN This movie also tries to to quickly disappear. Galleries Recent works by Ronald Jackson 667 Howe St. 683-0014 2022 Park Royal S. 926-2615 ALMETA SPEAKS ARTIST IN RESIDENCE IN THE MARINE LOUNGE TUESDAY-SATURDAY 9PM TO 1AM Tht WESTIN BAYSHORI Varve cniver