Published by: World Tibet Network News, Tuesday, Jun 18, 1996

By Brad Kava

Mercury News Music Writer

TWO of the most memorable musical moments at the Tibetan Freedom concert occurred on opposite ends of the field and from opposite ends of the world.

On the main stage, Smashing Pumpkins, the second to last act Saturday, played a half-hour jam, an electrical improvisation that brought to mind the best of the old Golden Gate Park benefit shows by the likes of the Grateful Dead and Santana.

And in a large, cool, dark tent across the field, a dozen Tibetan monks chanted in an ancient language that was almost otherworldly, with resonating notes that sounded more like they were made by a volcano or starship, than by voices.

Both performances had the same effect. They took a hyper audience that spent much of the day moshing to loud rap, metal pop and hip hop and had them standing transfixed. For a bit, they were outside the all-too formulaic confines of a festival show.

Sunday's second-to-last act, Rage Against the Machine, was the best of the day. On a cold day, better suited for being inside, few other acts could muster the warmth to get the crowd going. The Red Hot Chili Peppers did the same set they've been doing for months, as did the Fugees. It took real effort to sit through Yoko Ono's and Sonic Youth's performances, with Ono and her great band being the slightly more entertaining of the two.

Beck, whose latest album is full-on hip-hop, appeared with only an acoustic guitar, playing in a folk vein. Then he turned on a drum machine, and with slow-motion raps, poked fun at the whole hip-hop genre.

The rest of Tibetan Freedom was largely predictable and as calculated and timely as a German train schedule.

Performers did their 20-, 30- or 40-minute sets down to the second. They played their hits and gave the fans what they expected.

Which is more fun for a first-time concert goer, or someone just there to mosh, than for listeners who want to hear a band stretch out and make the older songs sound new.

What made this show better than some festivals was the diversity of the lineup. Beastie Boy Adam Yauch, whose band samples from all sorts of influences, put together the 18-band lineup of friends and influences.

It included heavy rap, light pop, straight-ahead rock and traditional blues -- a change from most festivals which draw from only one genre.

Some of the highlights:

-- Richie Havens, who opened both Woodstocks, did an a capella version of Pink Floyd's "``On the Turning Away"'' that gave political relevance to a band not usually recognized for its lyrical content. In the same way Havens once breathed new life into the Beatles "``Here Comes the Sun,"'' he encouraged the audience not to turn away from involvement, a theme that was picked up on by speakers later in the show.

-- Japanese rockers Cibo Matto, backed by Sean Lennon on bass and Jon Spencer Blues Explosion drummer Russell Simmons, did an eyebrow-raising, seriously-rocking version of "``Candy Man,"'' the goofy song popularized by Sammy Davis, Jr. The solid backing by the band made the rest of their mostly hip-hop set refreshing, especially compared to Biz Markie, who relied on taped backing.

-- Foo Fighters, who have only one album out, played the same songs they've been playing for a year. But their sound, which couldn't help but bring to mind Dave Grohl's old band, Nirvana, worked better outdoors and loud. It made the album's pop, which tends to be too syrupy, a little tougher.

-- A Tribe Called Quest got one of the biggest responses of the day with a set of their hits. The mosh pit, which had been fierce during the Foo Fighters, dissolved into a more peaceful showing, as hands waved in the aaaaaiiiiir.

-- Pavement added a low-fi, loose set, not straying from their M.O. And local legend John Lee Hooker added a few songs of backbeat and blues.

-- Finally, after the only delayed set change of the day, Billy Corgan and the Smashing Pumpkins burst out with thrash versions of "``Bullet with Butterly Wings,"'' "``Zero"'' and "``Tonight, Tonight"'' that caused a frenzy of moshing.

Then, all peace broke out as the lengthy space jam began.

When it ended, before the crowd had a chance to call for more, one of the Beasties took the stage and yelled out that it was time for "``some music."''

The Beasties tore into a set of old and new tunes, although much of the crowd had left to beat the traffic.

As with most benefits, music isn't necessarily the main attraction. During this show, speeches about cruelty by the Chinese in Tibet and calls for political action were tastefully laced between the performances.

The crowd was remarkably patient and attentive, more like a tuxedoed Academy Awards audience than the bare-chested moshers of most of the day. There were no catcalls and no urges to get on with the music.

It may have been due to the fact that no alcohol was served. Or maybe the message had gotten through.

Organizers said they would consider the show a success if the young crowd learned about the genocide in Tibet and began to take action.

By the end of the day, some had clearly heard.

``I think they made their point pretty clear,'' said Emily Flores, 12, a Benicia Middle School eighth grader. ``I had never heard of Tibet. Now I think we need to help them. We need to stop buying Chinese things.''