First fall concert rocks Auditorium

By Ralph Baum

Free concerts in these parts are hard to come by these days. When they do occur, they usually feature some local band that's just there as a background type of entertainment. But to catch a glimpse of a couple of up and coming groups merely for the blessing of being a student of ISU makes going to school here a good deal.

Although Head East and Rush are not full-fledged stars yet, their names are on the lips of occultists everywhere. Rush has just debuted their fourth album "2112" and their presence Friday says quite a bit for the continuity of power trio rockers.

Rush got off to a slow start, with most of the audience not knowing how to take Geddy Lee's lead vocals. Although he sounds like a cross between Beverly Sills and Robert Plant, his vocal musicianship goes well with the versatile guitar of Alex Lifeson.

Lifeson had a tough job, as does any guitarist in a power trio, because he has to play rhythm, lead and be expected to vary his style with certain sound alterations and effects. He did this quite well, offering enough variation and demonstrating an expertise which would not be so adaptable for just any guitarist. On the movement "2112," a rock symphony which occupies an entire side from the latest album, Lifeson manages to coordinate the rock rhythm and lead in such a way as to convey well placed feeling reminiscent of more classical modes, but adapted to the electric guitars of hard rock.

Head East on the other hand, are players of a celebratory form of music. With the musical help of keyboardsmen Roger Boyd, they have further rounded out their sound to include more sophisticated rock movements striving for a wider appeal than the rockers, Rush.

Lead vocalist Michael Somerville also helped move the action as well with his down-on-the knee gestures reminiscent of Al Jolson. He kept the audience busy, moving around and occasionally dipping into the audience to shake a few hands.

However, there was a rather poor audio mix which made the instruments sound like an indiscernable musical mass and didn't let the talents of people, like guitarist John Schlitt, shine through.

Nevertheless, the audience quite approved of Head East's performance, calling them back for four encores, despite the imploringly uncalled for action of keyboardsmen Boyd, who screamed for the concertgoers to get up off their "fat-asses." All in all, it was like a homecoming for a group from these parts who made good and look like they're going someplace. Head East. Our Boys.

The idea of a free concert was a good one and is a great way to introduce the students to what promises to be a good schedule of popular music for the months to come. With their new album, Rush offers an alternative to standard rock-ism while we can only speculate as to what Head East will do with their new found popularity and how they will handle their responsibility thereof.