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........The sold-out radio
ALICE Now & Zen festival at Sharon Meadows in Golden Gate Park was
uniformly great - all five bands, Beck, The Go Go's, Tonic, Travis and Dogstar
from different genres, mellow music on a beautiful sunny day in the park.
.......Now and Zen Fest was
more than music. It embraced other aspects of the YOUR lifestyle from Mind to
Body-From Fun to Soul. Across the grounds, consumers enjoyed interactive
exhibits like computer chat rooms and internet/ high-tech displays. There were
booths with an emphasis on fitness, health, relaxation and art. Fun was the
foremost with lots of activities to entertain. Now
& Zen Fest also included a selection of unique international healthy foods,
a wine and micro-brew pavilion, free samples and more.
.. ...Dogstar
starting off the show, maybe most of fans were more interested into getting a
glimpse of actor Keanu Reeves, but the biggest surprise was Dogstar did a
tuneful set drawn from their new album "Happy Ending." Once
the audience got over the fact that the bass player bore a heavy resemblance to
mega -star Keanu Reeves, the music seemed to speak for itself. Reeves was the
silent one, playing efficiently in the corner, while frontman Brett Domrose
captured center stage with his engaging persona and hard playing voice.
........Travis , superstars of
British pop, inexplicably played the second set. The Scottish foursome filled
every song with utter conviction and emotion, and their set was flat-out
stunning. Especially the hit "Turn" - the song Oasis wishes they had
written - and the lovely "Driftwood."
...... Up next Tonic, the L.A.
band that has enjoyed moderate success despite several memorable singles, also
turned in a terrific set. lead singer (Emerson Hart) with a gorgeous voice and
a guitarist (Jeff Russo) who's just plain gorgeous, Tonic's music is perfect
for the kind of warm summer day The City was enjoying. They played from their
recent album, "Sugar," including the hit, "You Wanted
More," as well as their bittersweet earlier hit, "If You Could Only
See."
.......The all-female Go-Go's
were another pleasant surprise. With a new album in the works and touring on
the docket - and Sunday's set proves they still "got the beat." They
rocked hard, and sounded tight as a drum. Belinda Carlisle sounding girlish but
always in charge. They played a healthy helping of hits, from
"Vacation " to "We Got the Beat" to "Our Lips
Are Sealed," which featured a surprise solo verse by Greenday's Armstrong,
whose appearance took the audience completely off-guard. ........Beck, who rocked the house down with his horde
of merry pranksters. Looking healthy and happy, Beck was in rare form, even for
him. Karate-kicking then dropping to splits, moonwalking and leaping up onto
speakers, the pop icon held the audience in thrall. "New Pollution"
was space-age madness, followed by a gut-punching "Loser," which
seems to be back on his playlist. "Mixed Bizness" was a drawn-out
funk-fest, and a new song, "Salt in the Wound," was the
hardest-rocking thing he's done in a while. Beck is an extraordinary musician
.
......All in all it everything
was Zen indeed.
By Randy Cohen
........This is the Official Rock Publication Web Site
All photos and written material courtesy of Rock Publication
.Copyright © 2000
E-mail at
Rockpub@aol.com
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Who
was their !
Beck, The Go
Go's, Tonic, Travis and Dogstar.
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.....9/24/00 San
Francisco 
