The Philadelphia Inquirer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania • Page 98

28 Friday, February 5. 1982 Philadelphia Inquirer Albums PbpRock Rock'n'roll keeps Stewart young at heart VSn fillips fp i iiiriip iplllf mi 'mmmmmsmmmmtmmMmmtmtmmtmi JttuMMMMMtHi By Jack Lloyd Inquirer Entertainment Writer He calls it "Le Grand Tour worth leaving home for." But then, no one has ever accused Rod Stewart of being among rock music's more modest personalities. Stewart's "Le Grand Tour" has been chugging along since Nov. 11, hitting cities in both the United States and Canada. Now in the home production will arrive at Philadelphia's Spectrum tomorrow night before concluding in Montreal on Feb.

IS. It will be Stewart's first concert at the Spectrum since June 4, 1979; rock superstars have clearly learned the value of playing hard to get. Consider, for example, the smashing success of the Rolling Stones' recent North American tour their first outine in three vears. ELLEN MclLWAINE Everybody Needs It (Blind Pig): Mcllwame, who debuted in the early '70s with an abundance of promise, has never reached the degree of success so many had predicted for her, despite frequent Hashes of brilliance as a singer, guitarist and songwriter. And while there are many extraordinary moments on this release, she probably will once again encounter rejection by the masses.

It's simply a matter of timing. When production values lean heavily on the lush side, Mcllwaine, who produced this LP, chose a rather sparse approach. The musicianship, which Includes bassist Jack Bruce, is solid throughout, and the choice of material is generally good. "Say a Single Word" is a powerfully beautiful ballad, but those who dictate radio play probably prefer a more lavish background production. Mcllwaine' potent voice and slashing slide guitar are in fine form on "I Want Watcha Got," "Come Sit Down and Tell Me" and "Regretting Blues." ORCHESTRAL MANOEUVRES IN THE DARK Architecture Morality (Epic): The second LP from this British unit picks up where the debut album left off, offering an often fascinating brand pop-rock that relies on a vast assortment of electronic instruments.

While much of it is stark and a trifle eerie, the group showcases its ability to crank up an Intriguing sort of potentially commercial pop. Paul Humphries and Andrew McCluskey are responsible for most of the sound instrumental and vocal and they demonstrate a firm grasp Of their mission. Among the best numbers are "Joan of Arc (Maid of Orleans)," "She's Leaving" and "The Beginning and the End." NICK LOWE Nick the Knite (Columbia): Lowe continues to demonstrate his sure feel for a nicely turned-out pop song as a performer, writer and producer. There's nothing here that is likely to make the pop music halt of fame, but Lowe has provided a highly appealing album, filled with catchy, infectious songs plenty of '60s rock and touches of classic that are easy on the ears. Among the good ones are "Couldn't Love You Any More Than I Do" and "One's Too -Much and A Hundred Ain't Enough." kit -kick Excellent.

Very good. Good. Fair. Poor. Raspy-voiced Rod Stewart will be performing at the Spectrum Saturday night i licit: was a uuie nut iuu many ycaia ago when, it seemed, large arenas such as the Spectrum featured a steady procession of superstar1 rock acts, but those acts have become rare events of late.

But, again, how many superstar acts can you name? They do come and go. Three years ago, Fleetwood Mac was the hottest group around. Today, it is unlikely that Mac could fill the Spectrum. Stewart, though, is among the rare ones. Like the he has maintained his vintage aura.

One of rock's notoriouslovable bad boys, he has done nothing to alter his image. Official press releases make much of referring to him as "one of rock 'n' roll's raunchiest superstars," and, of course, his romantic exploits have been duly chronicled jn all of the publications that are committed to such vital information. faction with his current triumph. "There are a lot of things that have been overlooked or slighted because of my past life-, style," he said. "I went through such a bad time between 1976 and '79, when just about everything that was said about me had nothing to do with music, but about the places I was supposed to have been, the car I was supposed to have bought or the women I was supposed to have been with.

And so many of the things that were printed just weren't so." Some of that might have been Stewart's doing. After all, it was a period during which his artistic outpuf was not exactly at a high-water mark, when he was dabbling in the disco trend and then flirting with But it is generally felt that Stewart's latest album, "Tonight I'm Yours" his 11th gold album in 10 years is closer to the heart of Stewart at his best than anything he has Recorded in several years. The massive TV exposure apparently had little effect on Stewards concert gate. Rock's "vocalist extraordinaire" that's another tag Stewart likes is obviously doing something right. At 37, he has transcended the age barrier, attracting fans who discovered Stewart when he was singing with the Jeff Beck Group back in the '60s along with those who were not quite potty-trained when he began to swagger on He sings his songs with a voice that is no raspier today than.it was in the early stages.

"I'm satisfied by the fact that I'm getting better," he told an interviewer at the start of his current tour. "I think it's been proven that rock n' roll ignores age. We're just not grow, ing old the way people used to. Rock 'n' roll is, at least in part, responsible for that for help? ing us stay young at heart. So far, I'm getting better as I get olden At least I'm singing better than I used toi Stewart, born in a London working-class district, has to be feeling a special sense of satis jj dt For Le urana rour, an interesting marking technique was used.

At a time when so many observers are proclaiming that cable television possibilities will ultimately make live concerts a thing of the past, Stewart used commercial television to promote his tour. One of his concert dates at the Los Angeles Forum bolstered with guest appearances by Kim Carnes and' Tina Turner was aired live via satellite in uecemDer to an esnmaiea auai-ence of 3S million in 23 countries around the world. Doing a reversal on the tour lure, the TV special noted in its worth stay- ing home for." Ellen Mcllwaine: victim oj timing Rod Stewart's 8 p.m. appearance tomorrow at the Spectrum is sold put. vii uieiwvii uy jonn ujrr Bonjour, Arline and Wildflower add live music playing piano every Wednesday and Saturday night, and a new duo.

Two Kens, performing Thursdays and Saturdays. Also, Arline has just opened its new upstairs dining room. The room will have a somewhat more elegant menu than downstairs. Wildflowers, one of the pioneers in the South Street Renaissance and still among the most successful places in town, has added entertainment for Fridays and Saturdays. It is an eight-piece Latin "salsa" band.

Or-questa Oriza performs from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. TONIGHT: There will be a new "midnight madness" amateur comedy contest tonight after the show at end, and the prize is a free trip to Washington and a paid appearance at that town's Comedy Cafe. The Comedy Cafe is what you call your basic tough room. Trouble is, the comedy is upstairs and there are nude dancing girls performing downstairs.

The comedians have to be pretty amusing to keep the audience from wandering. Steve Mittleman, who won the 1981 New York City "Laff Off" contest, headlines the show this weekend at the Comedy Works, and Dom Irrera teams up with impressionist Frank Docherty at the third comedy club, Going Bananas. Congratulations to pianist Larry DiTommaso and his wife on the arrival of their baby daughter. Larry and partner Ralph Dino are playing tonight at Joe's Speakeasy, over the the Bellevue Stratford is the work of jazz pianist Bob The band upstairs at Grendel's Lair, Fifth and South Streets, tonight is Moisture, a rock band that does a lot of original material. Folk singer Cletus McBride is now a Wednesday night regular at at the Bull Shot, Sansom Street near Cabaret singer Samantha Samuels returns to town for a one-nighter Wednesday at the Cabaret at Equus.

The show tonight at the Ripley Music Hall is a "video history of the Rolling Stones." In the elegant Le Beau Lieu restaurant in the Barclay Hotel, they routinely bring a sorbet to clear the palate before the entree arrives. However, some of the customers get annoyed when the small ice dish is placed before them and ask, "Why are you bringing dessert before the Streets, and 1 wouldn't be surprised if Ralph hasn't written one of his "instant" songs to mark the arrival of little Lois Denise. The duo plays Sundays and Tuesdays at City Lights, Second and Walnut Streets. Al Alberts, leader Of the original Four Aces, is marking his sixth year as host of a children's talent show on televisiori. In that time, he has auditioned more than 8,000 children.

"You got to really like kids," a local singer was saying of Al the other day. "I mean really like them. Personally, rather than do that, I think I would go to the Veterans Hospital and tell them I had a crippled back." Al, on the other haiM, likes it just fine, RANDOM: The beautiful music Versailles Jqunge in, Even more Center City places have adopted a live-entertainment policy beginning this week. The latest is Bonjour, the French-Continental restaurant at Fourth and Bainbridge Streets. Cookie and Company "will be appearing in the bar on Friday and Saturday nights, and folk singer Bruce Yasgur will perform on Sundays.

Bonjour also has put together a light menu for serving in the bar. Arline, Sansom Street near 19th, now haj Jerry Samuels singing and. the Comedy Factory Outlet, 32d and Market Streets. The judges will be three comics from Washington, D.C., who are playine the OytJeyhweekv, Jan4on.rj;s.taurant,4at 12th and Saa;.