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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 30, 1983)
Portland Observer, November 30, 1983 Page 9 2 1171« Sorry night at Starry Night YOUR DOG NEEDS VITAMINS. TOO. A fric a n A rts & C ra fts Open House by Lam ia Duke Saturday. Dac. 3rd Crassrool News. N . W. — One of the worst concerts in recent history occurred Thanksgiving eve at the Starry Night Nightclub. It was not the worst in terms o f performance by the main act, but the worst in the way the audience— the majority of whom were Black— was treated. The O ’ Jays, a R&H vocal group, was advertised to perform two shows at the Starry Night nightclub. However, what the audience re ceived was something far different than was was expected. The first show started at (f:00 with the comedy team. Endangered Spe cies, bombing out. Afterwards, the local R&B fund group, C o o l'R , per formed with the same energy and professionalism always exhibited. However, many in the crowd stated that the music was too loud. For the next hour and a half the crowd waited for the O'Jays to per form . They became restless and some demanded their money back while others demanded and received no explanation. During the crisis upstairs another set o f problems soon started to evolve. Avel M ayfield remembered, “ We came for the second show which was advertised to start at 10:30. W e arrived at 9:30 and were told very rudely by the staff of Starry Night to wait outside until those from the first show left. Be cause we were in the front o f the line we could see the confusion at the top o f the stairs where people were demanding their money back. “ When we questioned the staff they told us again to wait outside. It was cold and rainy that night and the crowd was insistent on coming in and that is what they d id ." A t 10:4$ the O'Jays came out to perform in front o f a hostile crowd which cooled o ff with each succes sive medlev. A t 11:30 the O'Javs left the stage, giving people the Impres sion that they would be back for a 7-9 p.m. Prizes, music, refreshments, cash & carry 3909 N. Overlook Terr. A Sergeant s 284 7517 T h e E n tertain er & C o m p a n y Company led by Rodney Wilder, The Silk Hat The Silk Hat Mon & Tues nite Rodney Wilder Funk (yolir D J I for the nite Wed Sun Hank the Man The Baddest In The West 3 second show. W hat followed that disastrous start was pure tragedy for the crowd. The comedy team came back out and added insult to injury because their material was being perceived by the audience as insulting to Black women. "T h e ir material was done in poor taste,” stated Evelyn Crews, a member o f the audience. “ I did not pay my money for someone to get up on the stage and call us a spoke in favor of cultural and sports ban of South A frica. (Photo: Richard J. Brown) bunch o f ‘bitches.’ And it wasn’ t just me. They received boos and hisses throughout their a c t." Endangered Species put the audi ence in a foul mood as they waited again for the O ’ Jays. According to Starry Night manager Larry H o ro witz, “ The O'Jays snuck out the back door. “ I wanted to cancel the concert four days before they played. I told their management in New York, but they wanted to perform for a lesser price, since they were already in the area. W ell, when they got here they didn't want to perform for that price. So while the crowd waited I was on the phone with their attor ney ’ ' Horow itz conceded that his staff might have been rude. " I apolo gize," he said. Eddie Levert, a member o f the O ’ Jays, said it was H orow itz who did not live up to the letter o f their contract. " I just want to tell Port land that we don’t ride in taxi cabs. We have certain riders on our con tract which state the things we need. We have had trouble getting those things.” Levert said he believed Starry Night was penalizing his group just because (he club didn't receive the turnout it expected. Starry Night and the O'Jays will no doubt end up in court. The real victim o f the concert was not the club or the group— it was the audi ence. Mayfield stated, "There were people extremely upset by the way they were treated by the club. There was never an explanation made to the crowd. Given the number of Black people at Starry Night, I hope the next time Tom and Gracie Ken nedy bring a live act to the commu nity, we support it ." The audience for the second show started filtering out at 12:4$ a.m .. with an empty stage as their backdrop. One man marched an grily past this reporter, saying, "T hey should change the name of This club from ’Starry N ight’ to ’ Sorry N ight.' ” 5144 N .E . U n io n f'aea->q in# Man» ft Re-*-toe' »e» tega '• i M N. .»tr. wear * O'Jays perform at controversial concert at S tar ry N ight last w eak. W hile in Portland, the O'Jays better known as the Wilder Funk F A IR P R IC E S G R E A T S E L E C T IO N You can’t beat itl Rqx*s and I4 fonts D o w n to w n Portland 10 9 Daily Sunday 12-6 631 S.W Alder 226 0624 SCISSORS hairdesign STUDIO w ? I C H R IS T M A S P e rm a n e n t W a v e s Reg ms » N o w *35°° C urls Reg *50“ N o w *35°° Including Cut and Style S c u lp tu re d N ails * 4 Calendar 4 4 4 Reg ’45" Designer — Joyce Benbo Christm as Bazaar f t R u m m ag e Saia, Sat. & Sun., December 3rd & 4th, 9 a m. to 2 p.m . Also pancake breakfast on Sunday. Immaculate Heart School H all, N E Stanton o ff Williams Avenue. Tha T w a lv a D ays o f C h ristm as , 7 p .m ., Dec. 16 & 17, Interstate Eire- house Cultural Center, $340 N . Interstate Avenue. On these evenings, the IF C C Student Production Company will present a sparkling musical Christ mas card with an original production o f the play by Elaine Edstrom. Phone 243-7930 for tickets— reserve early as the S PC ’s productions are usually sold out. C h ristm as For T h a F am ily program, 8 p .m ., Dec. 16, 17 and 18, Firehouse Theater, 1436 S.W . Montgomery. Tickets are $2 for children 12 and under and $3 for adults. Reservations are urged and can be made by calling the Firehouse Theater at 248-4737. B a n a flt Bake S a ls ,, 9-5, December 10th, at the Boilermakers H a ll, 36$3 S.E. 34th. Sponsored by the Boilermakers Local 72 and Machinists Local 63; there will be free coffee and cider, and a raffle o f silver dollars will be N o w *36°° With this coupon only • Expiration date, December 30, 1983 Tha Fallon Angol Choir w ill parform at tha Firohouaa Theater s Chriatmaa Show on Dacam bar 16. 17 and 18. 8:00 p .m .. at 1436 SW M ontgom ery. Holiday gifts, decorations, yum m ios. 4252 N.E. Killingsworth, Decem ber 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 10 a m. - 6 p.m. This event is being held by a group of ladies. A ll items are homemade and handcrafted.. Holiday baked goods and candies. Crafts from Christmas decorations to that special gift. Call 684- 1960 for more inform ation. featured. Laud to th a N a tiv ity , Oregon Repertory Singe[s 10th annual tribute to the joy and majesty o f Christmas. Combines arrangements o f traditional carols and anthems with contemporary settings. 8 p .m ., Saturday, Dec. 17th, and 4 p .m ., Sunday, December 18th, at Westminster Presbyterian Church. N E 16th at Schuyler, 2 blocks north o f Broadway near Lloyd Center. For more info, call 227-3929. First A n n u a l Festival o f th a T ra a a — an event the organizer Providence Medical Foundation envisions becoming the winter equivalent o f the Rose Festival— opens the city's door for Christmas, December 1st, with the pro ceeds earmarked for Providence Medical Center's comprehensive cancer program. A different entertainment feature will fete Festival goers every 30 min utes. from 10 a.m . to 10 p.m . each Festival day, all the hours the doors are open. School singing and dancing groups, church choirs, gospel singers, string ensembles, senior groups, square dancers, doggers and ethnic per- fo rm e rl will provide a changing panorama o f performances while crowds journey throuth the Christmas tree forest. T ed d y Bears, spinn ing tops and celebrated bubblesmith Tom Noddy will highlight ToyW orks, a holiday festival featuring exhibits, special events and hands-on activities, all scheduled to take place at O M S I between Dec. 17 and Jan. 2. Kids are invited to help kick o ff ToyW orks on the morning of Saturday, Dec. 17, by bringing a handmade ornament for O M S I's Christ mas tree. A decorating party will begin at 10 a m. H o lid a y W re a th m a k in g Class, a 2-hour workshop, taught by Julie Barnes, will include inform ation on gathering and preparing materials for cone wreathmaking, as well as construction techniques. Participants will make their own wreaths in class with basic materials provided in the Exhibit H all Classroom from 10 a.m. to noon, or from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m . Cost is $15 for Forestry Center members; $17.50 for others. Call the Western Forestry Center. 228-1367, for a registration form. D e c o ra tin g o f C h ristm as traaa by e th n ic g ro up s In co stu m e: N a tionality groups w ill come in colorful costumes to decorate trees in the styles of their heritages. There will be live music and free punch and cookies. Be gins at 1:00 p.m. in the main Exhibit H all. Regular Forestry Center admis sion. (The trtes will remain on display through New Year’s D ay.) r . . » * - * a L. ■ * 1 *' Betty Citing Propretor A fric a n A rts ft C ra fts Open House, Saturday, December 3rd, 7-9 p.m , 3909 N. Overlook Terrace (near Overlook Park). Come see authentic A fri can hand crafted carvings, batiks and baskets. Phone 284-7517. F g g lu rln g w .g t by N A O M I S IM S A N O R B D O U G L A S BILLIF b N A t A l l i C O l l Boise N e ig h b o rh o o d Im p ro v e m e n t A s so ciatio n . 6 p .m ., M onday, Dec. 5th, Albina Youth Opportunity School, 3710 N Mississippi N o rth P o rtlan d C itizen s C o m m itte e . 7:30 p .m ., Tuesday, Dec 6th, Neighbors North, 7508 N. Hereford M o b iliza tio n fo r A n im a ls . O reg o n, has established pickets in front o f Edward Ham ilton Furrier, 901 S .W . Washington St., and Schumacher Fur Company, 739 Tenth Avenue in Portland. These pickets will continue each Saturday until December 24th, and lasting around two hours at each site, to educate the public to the practices o f trapping used in the manufacture of exotic furs and the cruelty, inhumaneness, and danger posed by these methods not only to w ildlife in general but to our domestic animals as well. For more inform ation, call 285-1241. Fisstsl A b e n e fit fo r n e w El S alvad or Tod ay with the Fallen Angel Choir, Anatar Pinatas, Mexican Hot Chocolate, Latin food, and holiday gift sale. Funds raised will go to a chicken co-op in free F.l Salvador. 7 p .m ., December 10th at the Masonic Temple, 1119 S.W Park. T h e B ieck C h u rch and i t * M in is te rs ' A ssistance in developing the political awareness o f the Black community, Oregon Assembly for Black Affairs Saturday M orning Forum, Saturday, Dec. 17th, 10 a m. - noon, Immaculate Heart School, 2926 N . Williams in Portland. O S P IR G to h ost A T & T sy m p o s iu m , “ Phone Service: A right or a priv ilege?” , on the effects o f the break-up o f A T 4 T . 12:00 noon-4 p .m .. Sat., December 3, at the University o f Oregon campus in 101 of the Erb M em or . * " * F k ‘a • ' f ‘’3 a » te (11 (2) (3) (4) (5) (8) (7) (8) (9) (10) "W e have everything you need.' T.C B Care Free Curt / Lustrasilk N ew Era S Curl W orld of Curl Ravlon U Do It Special Feeling Pro-Line And m any m ore item s to choose from . M R S .C ’s W IGS 707 N.E. Fremont 2 8 1 -6 5 2 5 Closed tun. t Man. OPIN Tuas, « rv «at. f 1:30 AM to 6:00 FM ial Union. Contact 686-4377 (Eugene) for more inform ation. * 4 Hair Products . • • ’ tl an • ! r • V». , i < L a -F Ì . Í «S «» Í
