Eclectic concert rocks the University Museum

For those who complain that Penn lacks a music scene, last night may been a major step towards reversing that sentiment. In an eclectic show organized by the Social Planning and Events Committee, indie rock band Yo La Tengo played at Harrison Auditorium in the University Museum in front of a packed house. Opening for them were Flowchart, a duo who impressed the audience with their unexpected ambient/techno sound, and the Magnetic Fields, a folk-rock sounding band. The audience of about 800 people consisted mainly of community members, as well as students from Penn, Drexel and other area colleges. And judging from their reactions, most of those in attendance enjoyed the variety in the acts. "I really appreciate the fact that they had a band like Flowchart at the beginning," Drexel University sophomore Shilpa Ray said. "I think people need to start getting an appreciation for electronic music." Flowchart member Sean O'Neal said that the band has been together for five years and plays mostly raves. "We hadn't played a rock concert in three years," he said. A fan of bands such as My Bloody Valentine, the Orb and the Beatles, O'Neal also draws influence from minimal German techno and tribal techno. Following Flowchart, the Magnetic Fields entertained an enthusiastic audience with witty lyrics. Blending humor with cello and banjo instrumentation, the 10-year-old band, whose name stems from a surrealist French novel, held the stage for over an hour. Although lead singer Stephen Merritt later commented that the show was one of their worst on stage because of technical difficulties, the fans in the audience did not seem to mind. When Yo La Tengo finally took the stage a little after 10 p.m., they ignited the crowd with soaring guitar riffs and a highly energized sound. Well-respected in the indie rock community, the band last played at Penn several years ago. "I didn't know this was going to be a seated affair," joked lead singer Ira Kaplan, encouraging the crowd to stand up and actively participate. In response, one fan threw a peanut butter sandwich onto the stage, which Kaplan gladly accepted. "Sure, I'm as hungry as the next guy," he said. A few brave audience members came up to the stage to slow-dance to one of the songs. Taking their lead, many more followed, and soon the mock "pit" was crowded with people, while Kaplan and his band gyrated on stage, manipulating feedback and sweating with the intensity of their music. After over an hour of playing, Yo La Tengo was encored back on stage for a final song. Afterwards, the band talked with fans who eagerly bought band t-shirts. Bassist James McNew said Yo La Tengo, which has put out over eight full LPs since 1984, will be releasing a new album on February 26, 2000, under the Matador Records label. The concert, which lasted nearly four hours, was an undoubted success, according to event organizers and spectators.