Arts Briefs

Rachel's Bring Indie Art Music to Kulas

On Wednesday, March 15th the Louisville-based Rachel's will bring their completely original blend of classical music and indie rock aesthetics to Kulas Recital Hall. The performance of music from their 1996 release will be based on the life and artistic achievements of Egon Schiele. Though Kulas is not known as a venue for underground music, the music of the ensemble is beyond categorization, employing works for viola, cello, and piano. Opening the show will be solo artist Shannon Wright. The doors will open at 8:30 PM and admission is $2 with OCID and $4 without.

- Nate Cavalieri

Cat in the Cream Hosts Musical Benefit for African Family

The concert features the music of The Can Consortium (steel-drum ensemble), Ilu Aiye (West-African/Afro-Cuban drumming troupe), Junior Bridget Matros and Soul Purpose (folk), Community Service (jazz sextet) and the Mount Oberlin Boys and Girls (Bluegrass). Speaking about the Amisi family's predicament and the broader Family Reunification Effort will be Ngandu Phillip Amisi from the Democratic Republic of Congo and a representative from Freedom House, a multi-cultural shelter offering free legal and social services for international refugees. An information discussion will be held on Saturday at 4 p.m. in Wilder Hall, TBA on the Oberlin College campus.

They'll Come in Droves: The Rachels are scheduled to present an evening of original music Wednesday night. $2 w/OCID, $4 without. (photo courtesy of Quarterside Records)

Devastated by the atrocities in the central African county of the Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaire), the 15 members of the Amisi family were forced to flee their homes and have been separated and scattered across Africa for over one year. Ngandu Phillip Amisi has been granted asylum in the U.S., but his wife and 13 children remain in Kenya where their situation is most urgent.

In April, the family's Kenyan visas will expire and they will either be relocated to Kenyan refugee camps, where many young children perish daily, or be deported back to the Democratic Republic of Congo. The latter is also dangerous as Ngangu Phillip's wife belongs to the Hutu ethnic group that, since 1994, has been in constant conflict with the Tutsi ethnic group.

The benefit concert is one of several fundraising events in the attempt to help Ngandu Phillip raise enough money to aid in the relocation and resettlement of his family in the U.S.

The effort to aid the Amisi family has sparked The Family Reunification Effort, a broad initiative to reunite families of refugees seeking asylum in the U.S. The Family Reunification Effort is coordinated out of Freedom House.

- Guy J. Mendilow

Arab on Radar Assaults The Cat on March 13

"While the lyrical focus never strays from disturbing images of insertion and mutilation of various reproductive organs and furniture, the backing instruments are perhaps even more disturbed, a cartoonish spoof of (or tribute to, I can't tell) any number of experimental noise outfits."

Despite this description, there exists some semblance of order in Arab's music.

Because the same faces are expected that attend every small rock/punk show Concert Board sponsors, the concert will be telling of who dresses the part and who lives it. The message at hand is: Modest Mouse is not the second coming, and stop waiting for concert board to bring Stereolab. Go see a show when you haven't heard of the band. Then, instead of staring longingly at the picture of Tortoise hanging in Wilder, you can look at a picture of Arab, smile and tell future freshmen, "I was there." Monday, March 13th. It's a dollar.

"Indie Rock Girls" take note: opening for Arab On Radar are the Kurt Mask and The Cuts, two bands consisting of some of the cutest boys on campus.

- Kate Kraczon