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
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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.)
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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
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"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
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