Outlandos d'Amour: 1977/79

Rock Bands Stage Sound Of Opposites At Orpheum...

There were a lot of elements involved in last night's show at the Orpheum with the Police and Rick Christian and the White Boys.

For one thing, both have healthy ties to reggae (the Police more so than Chris tian), both have a bit of the new wave in them, and both have your basic rock and roll at the bottom.

There was, however, one big difference between the two: Christian seemed real in everything he did and the Police sounded like a fraud.

Since they were the headliners, the Police have to be taken first. Their debut album was heavy on reggae and new wave aspects, but last night, the trio sounded more like Foghat. The sound was geared toward the volume-is-best audience, and whatever subtleties came across on record were forsaken from the start last night. 

Either the record is lying or the concert last night was, and whichever is the case, the Police have some explaining to do to those who shelled out to hear them.

You can usually judge a true rock and roller by his spontaneity on stage, and the Police last night looked like they were just out for a payday weekend. They were choreographed, packaged, digested and in the end boring.

Christian, though, showed that he has a lot of gutsy class and that his shows at Trader Dick's were only a portion of the rock-and-roll spirit that lives within him. 

It is true that Christian is a bit rough around the edges, and it is true that he is sometimes excessive. But it cannot be denied that he is burning in the same holy fire that has consumed rock and rollers from the beginning of the musical form.

Christian's songs have both musical and lyrical value, his band is a very strong collection of players, and on stage there ain't no lies-Christian boils and bubbles. It seems as though he sometimes is out of control, and in rock and roll that is, let's face it, the true goal.

Christian is one of those performers who puts himself out there and sacrifices himself for the benefit of the listener. 

Last night's show drew about 600 persons.

(c) The Commercial Appeal by Walter Dawson