The Minneapolis Star from Minneapolis, Minnesota • Page 40

A TCVariety The Minneapolis Star Friday, September 28, 1979 6C urn unw Mifwpwiyyw.TMirwi"ii ABBA's concert sound flawless, but lacks soul At, Reviewed by JON BREAM Minneapolis Star Staff Writer "i V. fit it ABBA may be the most meticulous of all pop groups. The Swedish quartet has developed song-writing into a calculated craft. Moreover, ABBA painstakingly wraps elaborate pop orchestration around flawless vocal harmonies. Indeed, such perfection has paid off: ABBA has sold more records than any other performer In pop history.

The group, which is Sweden's No. 1 corporation, has conquered just about every major record market in the world except the United States. So, to promote its record sales in the States, ABBA has undertaken Its first North American concert tour. Yet, what sounds good coming out of the dashboard of your car or the JBL speakers in your living toom, doesn't necessarily sound good in a cavernous arena. That vas demonstrated Thursday night as ABBA made its local debut at the St.

Paul Civic Center. It was an entertaining show that failed to satisfy until the very end. ABBA, backed by three singers and eight musicians, has made adjustments in Its buoyant pop sound and arrangements in order to project more effectively In a concert setting. Indeed, ABBA's sound Thursday was bigger, tougher and more disco-oriented than its records. However, the four performers, for the most part, failed to add that extra dimension of personality that makes concerts an art form separate from recordings.

In short, ABBA suffered from its own me-ticulousness. Onstage, the group seemed very self-conscious, lacking spontaneity and soul. Too often, the group came across like a fresh-from-the- factory Jukebox whose parts needed a little oiling. Agnetha, the blonde with the high voice, seemed especially stiff and uncomfortable. Frequently, one of her hands was cupped to her ear to hear If her harmonies were right-on.

Unfortunately, her pursuit of perfect harmony seemed to be at the expense of emotion. By contrast, Anni-Frlda, the red-; head with the husky voice, was more outgoing. She let her body react to the music, and at times, she even danced, though she seemed" more athletic than graceful. As a whole, however, ABBA seemed to take itself too seriously. The two-hour performance finally seemed to turn around during the last half-hour after Agnetha sang a very emotional tolo ballad about regaining her strength after her divorce.

(Her ex-husband, Bjorn. Is ABBA's guitarist.) Then, ABBA, with the help of some taped voices, jumped Into the Infectious "Take a Chance on Me." For the first time all evening, Agnetha and Anni-Frida, who had shared center stage most of the night but managed to ignore one another, showed some emo'ion toward each other. A spirit seemed to spread among the performers and it carried over to the cTowd of 11,000. ABBA had finally generated some excitement The group then kicked out the jams with "Hole in Your Soul," an Elton John-styled rocker. For an encore, the quartet offered a touching a cappella tune about friendship and a jubilant "Dancing Queen." It was a triumphant and fun ending to a less than spectacular evening.

-J 4 The legendary space hero "Buck Rogers," woman in an outer space bar. He got the played by Gil Gerard in NBC's television se- shock of his life when she turned around to Ties, tried to make a date with a beautiful respond to his question. Personals 'S GENTLE, EFFECTIVE AQUA-BAN 'WATER PILL1 helps your body eliminate excess water during pre-menslrual period The Los Angeles district attorney's office said Thursday that narcotics charges against Timothy Leary and his wife, Barbara, have been dropped because the drugs found in their home last month were either prescribed or "not covered by the law." The Learys were arrested last month after neighbors called police to complain of screams coming from the apartment. Leary, 58, the drug guru of the 1960s and one of the first to advocate the use of LSD, said he and his wife had been high on keta-mine and were making love, not fighting, when police arrived. The Beatles have filed for $60 million in damages in Los Angeles from the producers of the stage hit "Beatlemania" and have asked the court to shut down six touring companies in the United States.

"Beatlemania" producers paid for the rights to use Beatle songs in the show, but Bertram Fields, who filed the suit on behalf of the Beatles, said "no one gave them any right to perform a simulated Beatle performance or to use the name of the Beatles. He said the Beatles have objected from the beginning but that talk about a motion picture and a television show featuring Beatle look-alikes made them decide to was time to put a stop to it. The 1979 Coty American Fashion Critics' Awards, the Oscars of the fashion industry, have been awarded to Perry Ellis for women's design and Lee Wright for men's design. The sex kitten of the '60s, Brlgitte Bardot, turned 45 today. In a two-hour French radio interview broadcast Thursday, Bardot said, "1 was one of the first to appear nude In a scene.

But it was in the script, and It was natural Today, it has gone too far. I'm not a prude, but all this showing of human flesh on the beaches Isn't beautiful." Barbra Streisand has filed a $5 million suit in Manhattan against High Society Magazine, claiming her right to privacy was violated because the magazine obtained and published photographs of her nude above the waist without her consent. tXCEU Scientific 'water pill' contains a combination ot ingredients that effectively, and gently help your body get nd ol excess water, bloat, puflmess due to premenstrual water build up. Be your slimmest, trimmest all month long. Get Aqua-Ban today.

England's celebrated "test tube" baby, Louise Brown, sampled a cookie while visiting the World Trade Center in New York. Parents John and Lesley Brown have been traveling around the world to show off the 14-month-old baby conceived outside her mother's womb and then carried normally by her mother. "ft1 1 11 ,1 llll.H .1 I i 'V 4 i V'V Save 25 on selected stoneware sets, and have more than one picnic with the savings. t- i We have a large assortment of 20, 40 and 45-piece sets from National Silver, Ranmaru, Sunmarc and Scio Pottery. And whether you choose rim patterns, floral patterns, white or solid color stoneware, you'll save enough to buy fried chicken and potato salad by the hamperful.

Maybe even champagne. Gourmet Shop. Not all patterns available in all stores. uourmeiinop.Noianpauerns Reg. Sale 45-piece sets 69.95 52.46 (rim pattern) 45-piece sets 79.95 59.96 (floral patterns) 40-piecesets 49.95 37.46 (floral patterns) 45-piece sets 39.95 29.96 (White Swirl) 20-piece sets 34.99 26.24 (floral patterns) 20-piece sets 29.99 22.49 (solid colors) a on or oa 20-Diecesets 29.99 22.49 f.

1 -H I f1 LrrWiW'rif 1 rVHRHMMKMMWatMAHrlPI I i 1 1 v. Shop Downtown Minneapolis and St Paul 9 30 a to 5 45 Tuesday, Wednesday. Friday Saturday. 9 30 a to 9 Monday. Thursday closed Sunday BrooKdale.

Rosedale, Bidgedale Open 10amto9 30pm Monday through Friday. 9 30 am to8pm Saturday noon to 5 Sunday bouthdaie ope" 3 juim to tf au Monday mrougn endiiy aauam loepm saturoay. noon locpm bunday Burnsviiie open loam to 9 JO rn Monday inrouyn rMUrty ju a ro Saturday, 11 30 a to 5 30p Sunday.