Star Tribune from Minneapolis, Minnesota • Page 28

MetroState PAGE B4 STAR TRIBUNE FRIDAY, MAY 71999 'N Sync achieves screaming success Music review ivieter monitor nears about two-bit parking increase Some motorists feel street parkings too costly now; others say rise caught them by surprise 1 jm -4' "V'iiIiii iriLvK kHI Around St Paul Joe Kimball With the rates for downtown parking meters having increased in April to $1.25 an hour, up by 25 cents I asked lim Mootz, a meter monitor since 1984, what he's heard from the parking public. Are people upset with the increase? Some are. They think they're not getting enough time for their quarter. do they say? They say they didn't know the rate had By Jon Bream Star Tribune Staff Writer The conventional wisdom in the music business is that, these days, pop teen idols have a shelf life that's only a little longer than the average attention span of a 12-year-old girl. (Quick, do you remember Hanson?) 'N Sync may have been the hottest boy band of the past six months, selling more than 6 million copies of its self-tided debut in the United States and 1 million copies of its Christmas album.

But, with a new album by the Backstreet Boys (the biggest-selling band of 1998) coming in two weeks and a glut of new singles by countless cute boy bands, could 'N Sync's run be over? Apparently not, judging by the reaction to the quintet's quickly sold-out performance Thursday night at steamy Target Center. The 17,000 fans mostly preteen and teen girls, moms and dads, and a few young guys drove themselves crazy over 'N Sync. Was it for the music, or the hormones? It doesn't really matter. For those losing their virginity, so to speak, to the live rock 'n' roll experience, this evening was a screaming success. 'N Sync is the Disney version of rock 'n' roll in more ways than one.

First of all, singers Justin Timberlake and JC Cha-sez appeared on the Disney Channel's "The Mickey Mouse Club" in the mid-'90s, and Chris Kirkpatrick worked in shows at Universal Studios in Orlando, where he met Joey Falcone. Second, these guys move and market souvenirs with the aplomb and efficiency of Disney. And, 'N Sync's show at Target Center was like a variety show at Disney World only with a million-dollar budget and huge stage complete with the five singers flying Peter Pan-like over the fans. Musically, 'N Sync plays generic pop-soul, a schmaltzy ballad here, some synthetic funk there. What makes the music work onstage is the impressive vocal harmonies and the energetic, entertaining presentation.

Even though everything was changed. I tell them it was on the radio and TV and in the paper. they yell at you? Sometimes. No one wants to get a ticket. They say, "Why don't you get a real job?" Do you yell back? No.

If they get too loud, I just turn the police radio up so I don't have to hear. And sometimes V-V .1 audience, cast and crew out onto the 7th Place Mall. Fire engines arrived but found no danger, so the audience and troupe trooped back inside for the finish. One of the scripted lines, after the delay, cracked everyone up: Constance, played by Linda Kelsey, said: "It's all right. False alarm." When Kelsey played newspaper reporter Billie Newman on an old TV series, editor Lou Grant might have assigned her to write a story about the fiery performance.

Furthermore: The RiverCentre Convention Center gets a new name May 20: Touchstone Energy Place at RiverCentre. Touchstone, a national alliance of 540 electric cooperatives, will pay $2.5 million over 10 years for the naming rights, but city officials insist that the RiverCentre name be included in all references. The same is true of Roy Wilkins Auditorium at RiverCentre and the As Yet Unnamed Hockey Arena at RiverCentre. Sunday is the final day of the Titanic exhibit at the Union Depot. Rose and Jack would want you to go.

Willie, a baby orangutan born April 24, is now on display at Como Zoo. The mother, Joy, also was born at Como in 1974. Fun facts: The St. Paul Public Library was founded in 1883 with 8,051 books; it now has nearly a million books, periodicals, videos, CDs and other items. Como Zoo opened in 1897 with a small herd of deer; it now has 340 animals from 100 species.

Around St. Paul appears Mondays and Fridays in the Star Tribune. Contact Joe Kimball at 651-298-1553 or by e-mail: And check out the Around St. Paul online discussion at: http:www.startribune.comtalk. tal New Year parties, alcohol will be available and partygoers will be able to see the midnight fireworks on the Mississippi riverfront.

O'Neill said he's not worried about Y2K computer problems that night. (Neither is A Capital New Year's staff, but they decided to have their family-friendly party the night before, allowing people to attend adult parties on the actual eve.) An overdue renovation? The St. Paul Public Library will reveal today its $20 million plan to move the library system into the 21st century. Plans include a major renovation of the main downtown library, new computers, new books and new services. TV commentator Bill Moyers will speak at tonight's event.

(His son, William C. Moyers, lives in St. Paul and is a board member of the Friends of the St. Paul Public Library.) The city will provide about $15 million and $4 million has come from foundations, corporations and individuals; $1 million is still to be raised. Dull becomes interesting The annual meeting of the St.

Paul Companies isn't usually considered a jovial affair, but shareholders Tuesday got a big laugh when a secretary reading the list of directors mispronounced the CEO's name, saying: "Douglas W. Leather-dull, I mean, Leather-dale." Some wondered if that's what they call him around the water cooler. All exit on cue Playgoers at Park Square Theatre's performance of "Goodnight Desdemona (Good Morning Juliet)" knew they were at a blazing preview April 29, but with 20 minutes left in the show, it looked like it was getting too hot. An overzealous fog machine activated the fire alarms, sending the 240 members of the Jim Mootz has been a meter monitor In St. Paul since 1984.

people say, "I know you're just doing your job." Is it a law that, once you start writing a ticket, you can't stop? No. With these new electronic machines, I can cancel before it prints out. Another New Year's bash Now that A Capital New Year is holding its downtown New Year's Eve party Dec. 30 in St. Paul, Mike O'Neill wants to fill the Dec.

31 entertainment vacuum. O'Neill, the music coordinator for the three previous A Capital New Year parties, is recruiting co-hosts and plans to book the ballroom at RiverCentre for a New Year's Eve party with eclectic music. Unlike the A Capi- People choreographed, there was a sense of vitality and fun to what the five guys were doing. To be sure, there were awkward moments when they went offstage to change outfits. 'N Sync whose ages range from 18 to 27 used historical news footage to summarize events of the '60s (big cheers for the Beades), '70s, '80s and '90s (big boos for President Clinton) before the singers changed into period costumes to do musical tributes the Buddy Holly-like "That Thing You Do" (from the 1996 Tom Hanks movie), a medley of Jackson 5 songs (with Afro wigs), Kool the Gang's "Celebrate" and then, of course, an 'N Sync song.

It was a resourceful, Disney-like way to help fill out an 85-minute set for a band that has only one album of material to perform. With the flamethrowers, fireworks and other effects, this show was more spectacular than 'N Sync's concert in December at the Historic Orphe-um Theatre, but because of the constant screaming of the fans Thursday, it was hard to tell if the singing was as special. The biggest screams were for heartthrob Timberlake, 18, who really milked his magnetism during an extended ending to the hit ballad, "God Must Have Spent a Little More Time on You." 'N Sync's best ploy, though, was the Peter Pan glide over the crowd during a cover of Christopher Cross' "Sailing." Then the singers flew again during their biggest hit, "Tearin' Up My Heart," as they somersaulted in midair to the music. When they got back on the ground, 'N Sync served notice that they still intend to fly high, by singing a chorus from the old '70s hit "Ain't No Stopping Us Now." Opening were newcomers Blaque, who came on like a junior TLC without the crazysexy-cool edge, and Tatyana Ali, 20, of TVs "The Fresh Prince of Bel Air," a polished and appealing act, injecting personality into her Janet Jackson-lite sound. Dance review From A to Z(ero Cool) Who: Dances by Cathy Young performed by Cathy Young Dance with guest artists Jazzdance.

Where: Southern Theater, 1420 Washington Av.S. When: Tonight and Saturday, 8 p.m.; Sunday at 2 p.m. Tickets: $14; call 612- Cathy Young 340-1725. dances are unexpected and terrifically inventive. frey Duval, is filled with endearing first-date awkwardnesses.

A duet for Young and Mariusz Olszewski shows the relationship taken a step further, into a more urbane level (he wears a smoking jacket), filled with attitude and sophistication, though occasionally punctuated by a pratfall. At one point she suavely moves toward him and ends up plastered to his front, upside down. The final duet, for Christine Maginnis and Greg Walet-ski, is more assured, filled with tricky partnering that shows trust and ease with each other. In all, a major work. "Lessons" is an unusual work for Young, more conceptual than most of her pieces and a bit more abstract.

Four women are lying on the floor behind toy pianos. They rise, wearing long red gloves, and move through large, passionate gestures, like virtuoso pianists. The work from then on is about the four shedding decorum and many of their formal clothes and learning how to get it on. It's a fascinating and provocative work and, yes, an unexpected one in an immensely inventive concert. 1 III Mill Dancer Cathy Young pulls out all the stops in innovative show Ha v3 MfcJ) ISgM mtm mm a Star Tribune photo by Richard Sennott 'Star Wars' preview response is mixed Is George Lucas a happy man today? It might depend on whether he believes the Los Angeles Times or Daily Variety.

The Times reported Thursday that "theater owners were bursting with optimism after getting their first look at 'Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom But Variety said that audience response was "less than enthusiastic at industry-heavy screenings in New York and LA," while "industry pros remained almost unanimously convinced of the pic's otherworldly grossing potential." About 1,100 exhibitors attended a special screening in Los Angeles; screenings also were held in New York, Boston, San Francisco, Dallas, Chicago and Washington, D.C. One exhibitor told the Times that the movie won't disappoint "Star Wars" fans, but that critics might not be as kind. Lucas' film opens May 19. Competing creatively Student teams from nine Twin Cities elementary, middle and high schools will sponsor a fundraiser tonight, attempting to achieve their "odyssey." The students will demonstrate their problem-solving skills during the Odyssey of the Mind "Night of Champions" at 6:30 p.m. at Robbinsdale Armstrong High School, 10635 36th Av.

N. in Plymouth. Admission costs $3. The teams will use the money for academic supplies at the Odyssey of the Mind world finals, held Memorial Day weekend in Knoxville, Tenn. Armstrong is among 13 Minnesota schools that won state-level tournaments.

Minnesota students will compete against other students from the United States and more than 30 countries. The creative competition focuses on teamwork and divergent tnjoymg tne rruits (ana vegetables) of spring On the first official day of the Nicollet Mall farmers market Thursday In downtown Minneapolis, vendors offered plenty of fresh produce and flowers, and some prepared foods to people during the lunch hour. By Mike Steele Star Tribune Staff Writer Don't try to pin Cathy Young down. Just when you think you've got her pegged, bang, she fools you. Her dances are con-standy surprising, her movement unexpected.

All they have in common is that they're flat out terrific. Her concert this weekend at the Southern Theater is her best yet, featuring an inventive trio of dances for her own troupe and, as dessert, "Zero Cool." It's the work she created last year for Danny Buraczeski's Jazzdance, which performs it to end the program with a high-energy bang. "Zero Cool" to music by Duke Ellington is the closest thing on the program to a traditional jazz dance, and it was one of the hits in Jazzdance's recent concert in New York City. It has wit, style and plenty of panache, and it shows off Young's great eye for dynamic design. The eight dancers from Jazzdance gave it all you could ask for.

The three works for her own troupe are fascinating in their unpredictability. "Sodade," set to the melancholy songs of the Cape Verdean singer Cesaria Evora, has a strong Latin ballroom flavor to it, sultry yet with a sense of yearning behind it. It's built around three duos who simply swing through duets or, suddenly, find themselves merged in a sextet. Partnering is at the heart of it, and while it's powerful it's also surprisingly gentle and sensual. A hand insinuates itself behind a partner's back, pushes up and lifts the partner into a spinning turn in the air, or it cradles a partner's head and with a gentle push pulls the other dancer into an unexpected carry.

It's precisely structured, detailed and superbly danced. My favorite is "Chapters 1, 7 and 19," three duets that show three stages of a relationship. The first, a youthfully funny sort of slam dance for Mia Jenneman (a terrific comic dancer) and Jef- thinking. Five to seven people try to solve difficult problems using math, science and English. "It can be hard sometimes.

We always have this 'what are we feeling," said Leslie Strobel, 1 1, a team member at Apple Valley's Greenleaf Elementary, a fundraiser participant. "It's, fun though because you're trying to find the most creative way to solve problems." Terry Collins CNN switches Gore's role CNN changed its mind about having Al Gore host "Larry King Live" just hours before the show aired Thursday night, instead scheduling him as a guest. CNN executive producer Wendy Whitworth had approached the vice president last weekend to see if he was interested in hosting the show for an evening to discuss the Colorado Gore agreed, but the network changed its mind Thursday afternoon. At the opening of the show, King said, "It was too close to the 2000 election to have a presidential contender as an interviewer, not interviewee." Theater vet honored Twin Cities theater veteran Richard Iglewski, who first worked at the Guthrie Theater in 1985, will receive the theater's Artistic Director's Award. The Chicago native will be feted at the St.

Paul College Club luncheon today, the theater's 36th birthday, for his long-term tenure. Iglewski has been in 56 Guthrie produc- tions, including Tennessee Williams' "Summer and Smoke" now playing on the main stage. He also teaches at the Guthrie. Rohan Preston Some southern exposure Jenny Holzer intends to change the landscape of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The American artist will beam messages from a boat onto such city landmarks as Sugarloaf and Copacabana Fort today as part of her new show, "Protect Me From What I Want." The show, her first individual in Latin America, runs through July, then goes to Sao Paulo, Brazil; Argentina and Mexico.

Holzer, 48, has works on exhibit at New York's Guggenheim and Whitney museums, as well as in Spain and Berlin. He feels good James Brown is looking for a brand new bag of cash. Following the lead of David Bowie and other singers, the Godfather of Soul plans to issue bonds that will pay interest from his song royalties, his agent confirmed this week. Blowing out candies Actress Traci Lords, 30..