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By GINA VIVINETTO
© St. Petersburg Times, published September 6, 2001
Crystal Method brings electronica; Q, too
Crystal Method, from Los Angeles, is one of the frontrunners of American big beat electronica. The act often is compared to -- or accused of ripping off -- its British counterpart, the Chemical Brothers. Both make dance music incorporating hip-hop, quick beats and a clever pastiche of samples.
Tweekend, Crystal Method's latest, continues the celebration of club culture, adding new twists. A collaboration with Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine adds guitar crunch, and a pairing with Stone Temple Pilots singer Scott Weiland brings an electronica rarity: non-diva vocals. The disc took four years to make, and maybe because of that, it sometimes sounds a little belabored.
More rewarding is opener Uberzone's debut Faith in the Future. The act really is one guy, Timothy Wiles, known as Q to fans because of his adoration of gadgets, like the character in James Bond flicks. Q has a gay old time with samples, turntable shenanigans and vocoder vocals.
Crystal Method and Uberzone perform at 7 p.m. Sunday at the Masquerade, 1503 East 7th Avenue, Ybor City, Tampa. Tickets are $25. (813) 247-3319.
Olivia Newton-John is still the one we want, darn it. Thankfully, she brings her barrage of soft pop hits from yesteryear including Have You Never Been Mellow? and I Honestly Love You to our area in her first ever Florida appearance.
Maybe she'll do the radiant 1970s gem A Little More Love. Cross your fingers for the Grease tunes, the songs she sang as she transformed on screen from sweet Sandy to a leather-clad vixen to win the love of hunky hood Danny. Who really was a nice boy after all.
Remember the hits from the Physical era, when Newton-John was working the short hair and the headband and begging to hear our bodies talk, our bodies talk?
And, who can forget the wondrous Xanadu? Bet Olivia Newton-John can't.
Olivia Newton-John performs 8 p.m. Saturday at Ruth Eckerd Hall, 1111 McMullen-Booth Road, Clearwater. $49.75-$59.75.