The Gazette du lieu suivant : Montreal, Quebec, Canada • 12

EARLY ED. B6 THE GAZETTE, MONTREAL, THURSDAY, JANUARY 15, 1998 ENTERTAINMENT Plug pulled from artistic outlet Electronic musician is paralyzed by the city's uncertain power situation CONCERT BRIEFS Creed here on Feb. 20 Sensitive hard rockers Creed will perform Feb. 20 at Cabaret. 2111 St.

Laurent Blvd. Opening will be Big Wreck and Refuel. Tickets. $12,50, go on side at 10 a.m. at the Cabaret box office or Admission outlets.

ILANA KRONICK Sptxlal to The Gazette David Krlstian is at home on Tuesday afternoon. He's warm, he's showered, he's got hot coffee brewing. Relatively luxurious conditions, most people here would concede. Only Krlstian Montreal's premiere experimental electronic musician is hardly the money for a proper power regulator, my equipment is useless. Last week, even before my power went out, my sequencer was playing bum notes!" For a "sound addict" like Krlstian, this predicament Is nothing short of tragic The 30-yearold New Brunswick native, once a drum 'n' bass toolcr.

Is now a full time sound producer with a dally routine of blip, beep and tweak creation. It finds Krlstian at the helm of tools like his vintage ana Marcy Playground The Marcy Playground concert scheduled for tomorrow at Cabaret has been postponed because of the extreme conditions caused by the ice storm. Patrons are asked to hold on to tickets unt a new date is announced. struments. "For any piece of equipment that has memory to store sound any digital recorder there is a high risk of damaging the microprocessor," Krlstian says.

"Which means until electricity is completely restored, It's like playing Russian roulette every time I turn on my studio." Krlstian recognizes the apparent absurdity of his complaints, what with the hundreds of thousands of households still living without basic amenities. But he claims his need for pure electricity Is as vital as any. "I know a lot of people are still suffering In shelters. It's rough -1 know, I was In the cold and dark for three days. But that was nothing compared to the mental anguish I now experience." Without a safe, clean supply of power.

Krlstian has no artistic outlet. His voice is left trapped, a prisoner to the hydro gods. Setting aside what this says about the validity of electronic music its contingency, its transience it Is a matter of identity that Kr 1st Lm grapples with here, and no one should scoff at that. "Let me put It to you this way: I've recorded close to 4000 electronic tracks and many, many records. This is my only valid form of expression.

If there is no power, I don't exist." logue synth. the EMS VCS 3, seeking out "at least one new sound every 30 seconds." It's this kind of obsessive experimental Ism that has found Kristian's latest and most esoteric recording, Crlcklewood. out on local noise label Alien 8, garnering praise from such elcctronica bibles as Wire Magazine (they "I've Just been told that the city and surrounding areas will not have real power until all the pylons are completely repaired. That could be six months." Krlstian laments. Absolute electricity, a pure surge of 117 volts, is Krist-lan's main energy source.

This is the stuff that sparks his wires, that feeds his synths and sequencers, that generates the various sounds ppR crJsis Space Monkeys A show by the Space Monkeys slated for Cabaret on Feb. 2 has been canceled. Obtain refunds at the original point of purchase prior to Feb. 2. deemed its spare spound-scapes "essential David Kristian at work In studio.

devices that run on batteries but, of course, I can't record -1 can only play around." Kristian's concern is not only with the reduced quality of sound that the makeshift power splices offer, and the ensuing paralysis that they force on his artistic expression, but with the great danger that the possible sags and spikes pose to his precious, complex in of his electronic music. He needs this optimum voltage to operate maximally, to operate safely, to operate at all. "So long as the electricity is being diverted to needy areas, it will be working at, like, 20 per cent of its capacity. The power will be very fragile. There'll be lots of sags and spikes, and lots of brownouts," he explains.

"Until I find Unfortunately, now, at this perilous time, the same compulsive tendencies that ignited Crlcklewood are tormenting the electronicist. "I'm going completely out of my mind." Kristian says. "I've been spending my time cleaning my equipment, and doing chores around the studio. I've got a couple of home made Chantal Kreviazuk Canadian songstress Chantal Kreviazuk performs at Cabaret on Feb. 1.

Tickets. $11 plus taxes and service charge, are on sale at the Cabaret box office and all Admission outlets. Top 10 Albums WeekofJan.il Top 20 Current Albums Montreal Metro WeekofJan.il Top 20 Singles Montreal Metro WeekofJan.il This Last Week Nationally ArtistTitle Week 1 1 UsherMy Way 1 2 2 MaseHarlem World 2 3 4 Will SmithBig Willie Style 5 4 3 Puff DaddyNo Way Out 3 5 13 Wyclef JeanCarnival 6 6 5 Janet JacksonVelvet Rope 4 7 6 RobynRobyn Is Here 7 8 10 LI. Cool JPhenomcnon 10 9 9 Various ArtistsIn Tha 10 21 Badu ErykahLive Top 10 Hard Music Week of Jan. 11 1 1 Our Lady PeaceClumsy 1 2 2 MetalllcaRe-Load 2 3 8 Beastle BoysLicensed to III 4 3 Green DayNimrod 3 5 5 Sugar RayFloored 4 6 11 AerosmlthNine Lives 7 7 6 Led ZeppelinBBC Session 5 8 4 Ozzy OsboumeOzzman Cometh 8 9 14 NOFXSo Long Thanks for All 9 10 18 SublimeSublime 10 This Last This Last Week Nationally ArtistTitle Week Week Nationally ArtistTitle Week 1 1 Elton JohnSomethingCandle in 118 Andrea BocelllRomanza 1 2 5 Notorious B.I.Q.Mo Money Mo 2 2 2.

C6Une DionLet's Talk About Love 2 3 2 Pearl JamGiven to Fly 3 6 TitanicSoundtrack 4 17 Janet JacksonTogether Again 4 4 1 Various ArtistsBig Shiny Tunes 2 3 4 3 Puff DaddyEvansril Be Missing You 6 5 7 Various ArtistsWomen Song 12 6 6 Spice GirlsSpice Up Your Life (CD5) 3 6 '58 DubmatlqueThe Force De 5 7 28 Barbara StreisandTell Him 10 7 14 UsherMy Way 10 7 14 U2Popheart 6 8 4 Backstreet BoysBackstreet's Back 7 7 99 Real McCoy Automatic Lover 14 9 5 AquaAquarium 6 9 4 Backstreet BoysAs Long As You Love 10 10 3 Various ArtistsMuch Dance 1997 9 9 33 ChumbawambaTubthumping 19 11 15 MaseHarlem World 13 12 111 Capital SoundHigher Love 17 12 50 Andrea BocelliClasslc Music 4 12 25 MoistGasoline 14 13 11 Sarah McLachlanSurfacing 20 12 13 Notorious B.I.G.Sks the Limit 8 14' 9 Spice GlrlsSpiceworld 8 15 45 14 14 29 Loreena McKenntttBook of Secrets 18 15 43 Ultra NateFree 10 16 13 Bryan AdamsUnplugged 19 17 22 ProdigySmack My Bitch Up 17 18 JewelPieces of You 16 17 35 StlngPollceRoxanne "97 -Puff Daddy i 18 30 RadloheadO.K. Computer 14 17 8 HansonI Will Come for You 5 19 23 Will SmithBig Willie Style 17 19 Backstreet BoysEverybody 13 20 20 Puff DaddyNo Way Out 17 Rating based on retail record sales Source: SoundScan, Inc. Jazz celebration to heat up city core IRWIN BLOCK The Gazette pianist D.D. Jackson.who plays with the best in New York City, joins equally hot horn-player James Carter for a concert that promises to sizzle the icicles hanging from the adjoining church. Tomorrow at 10 p.m., trombone-player Robin Eubanks from the noted jazz family fronts a trio.

On Saturday at 8 p.m., electric-guitarist Escoude leads a trio. On Saturday at 10 p.m., tenor saxophonist Teodross Avery, 22, makes his debut leading a quartet. He won awards while at Berklee College and kudos after gigs with McCoy Tyner and Tommy Flanagan. Salles du Gesu is at 1200Bleury south of Ste. Catherine St.

The cost per concert is $25 at the door, or $15 per concert if you buy three tickets. For information, call 790-1245 or 861-4036. Those who worry about these things certainly can't accuse Pilon of wasting electricity, because most of the musicians play acoustic instruments. "We are using a small hall and we start at 8 p.m., which is past the supper hour," Pilon said last night as she prepared to welcome out-of-town guests. Tonight's opening gala features 17 musicians in various imaginative groupings, like a bass quartet featuring Michel Donato and friends.

Prizes will be awarded for Discovery of the Year and Best Quebec Group. Pianists Lorraine Desmarais and Francois Bourassa and the very hot Bernard Primeau Ensemble will strut their stuff. Watch for a guest appearance by an international musician, who may well turn out to be guitar virtuoso Christian Escoude. Tomorrow at 8 p.m., the hot Canadian-born The timing may be auspicious, or it may be absolutely wrong. But for those who want to forget about you know what, there's a hot little jazz festival getting under way tonight.

It's a celebration of the fifth anniversary of those great concerts impresario Carmelle Pi-Ion has been running at the intimate and acoustically fine Salles du Gesit. Reflecting on some of the best, Pilon yesterday said: "I can think of electric bassist John Pattituti in 1993, who soldout, Oliver Jones and Bernie Piimeau in 1994, saxophonists Steve Coleman in 1995 and David Sanchez last year." Then there was the Women in Jazz gala she started in 1995. 'We seem to have emerged unscathed' I ANOY kh mm PO PA RAZZ I Continued from Page B4 ern swing, rockabilly and straight country. Foot-stomp your way across the tundra to Barfly, 4062A St. Laurent near Duluth St.

in the exclusive, upmarket Plateau neighbourhood. The Plateaucracy has dropped ticket prices to $3 for energy refugees from West-mount, Saint-Lambert, Beaconsfield and Hampstead. Any songs ready to make the transition from shadows to stage are welcome at ISART tonight, where the Peoples' Microphone will be in place with minimum power requirements. Featured performers and poets will alternate with new performers signing up at 8:30 p.m. The event goes under the name DIVA, and is presented by the Funky-Ass Folk Babes.

"It's an evening to encourage new artists to create and perform," said Tiff Candlish, one of the organizers. "You don't really need by the apocalyptic conditions. "It was nothing special," he said. "I play acoustic all the time." He is musing about a composition, sensitively capturing the grim circumstances, tentatively titled There Was No Nothing. The crazy rhythmic daddy was eventually forced to take refuge in the Plateau with his 21-month-old baby, was holed up in a four-and-a-half, went a little "squirrely" and has since returned to intermittent pluggedness in N.D.G.

(Nothingness, Darkness, Ghostliness). "I don't have any survivor's guilt," he said. "I'm not traumatized. We seem to have emerged unscathed." The Crazy Rhythm Daddies performance slated for Saturday night at Barfly is among the shows most likely to take place this weekend. "The show will go on, come power or not," Sandmark vowed.

"We can play acoustically." Plugged or not, the daddies play a kitchen-table serving of bluegrass, rock'n'roll-, West frrrs! him ntnaucrrii F1M atTTHTIOf CUSUUT ATWATER CINEMA Absolute power equals absolute corruption. So maybe the lack of power bestows a certain nobility of spirit and we can interpret the year's intro-outage as an auspicious musical event. Peter Sandmark, vocalist, guitarist and harmonica player for the Crazy Rhythm Daddies, is a denizen of N.D.G (No Damn Gigawatts). Walking his dog meant negotiating his way across a minefield of cut wires and twisted branches, with chunks of ice and tree falling randomly from the sky. "It really felt like the whole of civilization had collapsed in N.D.G.," Sandmark said in an interview yesterday.

Sandmark's guitar-playing, what might be described as hillbilly boogie, was unaffected THURSDAY, JAN. 29 7:30 P.M. 80 double passes will be awarded FOR MORE CHANCES z'Mllt fir Vll, LIUIL IV VA STARLJJ iwiMnitra mandalau I 1 1 I Contest ad appears in The Gazette Jan. 14, 15, 16, 1998. No purchase necessary.

Hand-drawn facsimiles accepted no taxes, no photocopies. Coupons will be drawn at random Jan. 22. Winners will be notified by phone and must pick up their passes at The Gazette. Contest open to everyone except employees of The Gazette.

MIX 96, CJAD, Columbia Trl Star, Mandalay and members of their immediate families. Movie BRIEFS the fact that boring bombs, dowdy duds and frumpy flops continue to litter our landscape with wretched regularity," Blackwell said. In fourth place was Pamela Anderson Lee, followed by Jennifer Tilly, Sigourney Weaver, Emma Thompson, Alicia Silverstone, Frances Fisher and Marilyn Manson looks like Alice Cooper doing Rosemary's Baby passes: $1360 total. Any dispute concerning the awarding of prizes in this contest may be submitted to the Regie des alcools, des courses et des jeux. Rules available at Columbia Tri Star.

Send to: The Gazette, Extreme Measures Contest P.O. Box 1 1059, Succ. Centre-Ville, Montreal H3C 4Z6 Deadline: Noon, Jan. 22 Name I I Spice Girls top list of Worst Dressed Women LOS ANGELES The Spice Girls are "the only spices on the planet that have no taste," says the acid-toiigued Mr. Blackwell.

The British band topped his 38th Annual Worst Dressed Women List, released Tuesday. No. 2 for fashion dishonours was Ellen De-Generes those baggy fashion bombs back in the followed by Madonna be blunt, yesterday's Evita is today's "Despite the encouraging fact that old-fashioned glamour made a mini-comeback in 1997, the final results of this year's list amply reflect The pact was reached late Monday, said Robert Daly, chairman of Warner Bros. the parent of ER producer Warner Bros. Television.

"We value this partnership and look forward to an additional three years of riveting dramatic television," said Don Ohlmeyer, NBC's West Coast president. NBC and Warner Bros, would not disclose the contract's value, but an industry source speaking on condition of anonymity said the network will pay $10 million to $13 million U.S. per episode. ER has averaged 22 episodes a year since its debut in 1994, meaning the new contract would cost NBC at least $220 million a year or $660 million for three years. I Address, City I Prov.

code. ER on NBC next season NEW YORK NBC said yesterday it had won the top-rated hospital drama ER for another season, avoiding a programming disaster just after the No. 1 network lost Seinfeld andNFLfootbalL Tel. (home) I I receive home delivery ot The Gazette, buy The Gazette at IP. it.