European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - September 5, 1978, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Tuesday september 5, 1978 the stars and stripes Page 19 Uso shows a pair of Good ones on the Road 1 by Dan Warfield is entertainment editor f a tree covered Hill above Pir Masens Germany is an unmarked Small usually quiet Cavern called Wassweiler site. But the wods were filled with music last wednesday afternoon. Between the hot stoves in the 207th signal company s Kitchen and the hot sounds in the dining room the site s mess Hall was steamy  occasion was a visit from the Mcpherson Cour Tesy of the Uso and the Davis Agency charter flight com Pany. Their performance Complete with a dance along was very Well received. The Mcpherson a Mother and four daughters who sing dance and generally come on like a Cross Between the supreme and the manhattans backed by a tight three piece band have played for much More Well heeled crowds at hotshots such As Harrah s and the Trp Picana. But they weren t putting out any less of a show in Europe unless you count the piano player they had to leave behind because Uso legs allow Only eight Mem Bers in a group there Are usually at least a couple of Uso shows Only about half of them actually sponsored by the Uso All at least partially by Dod on the Road in Europe at a time. They Are mostly College ensembles or professional club bands from the states. The troupes we be seen Range from mediocre dance bands to shows As Good As some that you pay $8 to hear at your local no club. The Mcpherson fall into the latter category. Even if you live in a City with lots going on their act is Worth catching and it s free. Formed 10 years ago and based in los Angeles the my persons have worked the vegas lounge circuit and West i coast amusement Park stages in places like Disneyland. We were at Knott s Berry farm another  fun Bland in 76," said Fedora Mcpherson Mother  i a Andini Nita and Roxy when one of the buyers for 7 Uso saw  is our fourth tour since  although she says clubs Are Fine and they love working the Uso circuit they have been to Alaska and the far East in the last two years the group has visions of bigger things. She said they expect to be in a recording studio within the year. We Don t have a contract yet. But we do have several possibilities that we re working with right  Many a sadder but Wiser performer has Learned it takes More than just a lot of Talent to hit the top but that at least is present Here in abundance. If they can make their Way safely through the treacherous world of show Biz the Mcpherson could find their dreams coming True. If so some of us will be Able to say i saw them Back in 78, when they were playing Uso shows in mess Halls in  a commercial business got involved in the show giving away door prizes Davis Agency flight bags and a j free trip to America will be the subject of a later Arti Cle. � � � another free touring band that seems to be Worth catching is the Charlie Albertson show. The printed news release sent to this office in Advance was typically uninformative describing the band Only As a hand Clappi foot Tappin country and Western group out of Jacksonville  in search of More useful information i called sgt. . Joe Wright in Minster in Northern Germany where about 200 americans Are stationed on a British Cavern. Wright said most of them came for and enjoyed the very Good show put on there last week by Albertson and his band. We had a packed  Wright s neighbor 50 Kilometres away sgt. . Thomas m. Kimes is top kick for an isolated 40-Man Artil Lery detachment assigned to a German Cavern in the Vil Lage of Dot men far from things such As big commissaries and an and even newspapers arriving on  said his troops took an afternoon off for the Al Bertson band the unit lounge was packed with soldiers and  s been six months since we had a Uso show Here. The first was a modern dance thing it went so so. They played about an hour and  a show is not necessarily a Success just because it s in the boonies. But said Kimes even troops whose tastes run mainly to hard Rock thought Albertson s country band was just Fine. This country and Western was one of the much better ones that we have seen. They were what we Call Down Home folks after they played they mingled in just like part of the family Here. We Only wish the show had been  Albertson band will play mostly isolated army Sites in Germany before going on next week to Navy and air Force shows and some performances in Iran. The Mcpherson finish up in Wiesbaden in two  grease is coming to the military movie Cir Cuit in november. The much touted picture starring the is Warfield a steamy mess Hall the Mcpherson wailing in the Wassweiler site dining facility. Latest teen idol John Travolta and Singer Olivia Newton John will carry a Price tag of $2 for adults and $1 for   close encounters of the third kind cafes has procured the film while still in its first run in the states and say officials must therefore charge the higher  a news release from cafes Europe in Munich european motion picture services director Joseph d. Moholy is quoted As saying we re convinced military movie fans will think it s Worth it to see the film. And Don t forget you d have to search pretty hard to find a commercial theater in the states that is showing grease for these  in variety a movie Trade paper show grease approaching saturday night fever in total Box office take though still trailing Star wars. Another cafes spokesman in Munich queried about the possibility of getting Star wars on the circuit said that so far 20th-Century-Fox has been unwilling to let the film go at any Price for military consumption. That film is still High in the Box office ratings and Fox is pushing a major re release in the states. � @ e the 34th International Competition for musical performers in Geneva is sept. 16-30. One of Sev eral such contests held annually in Europe the Geneva event includes Competition in song piano flute and  310 candidates for prizes include 43 americans the total includes 178  final concert featuring the winners with the or Chestra de la suisse Romance under the Batons of Jean Marie Auberson and Albert e. Kaiser will be Broad cast live through much of Europe sept. 30.during the week before the contest 25 candidates will compete in the Ernest Ansermet orchestral conductors Competition at the same site. � 9 & speaking of contests English country music promoter Mervyn Conn might help your country band into the limelight if it s really up to Nashville standards. England s Best working country bands will be competing in the next few months for a spot on the Bill at the eleventh International festival of country music in London at easter plus a . Concert tour recording contract and 1,000 pounds about $2,000. There Are several Cash prizes for  full details write including self addressed Enve Lope Marlboro country music Talent Competition co Mervyn Conn promotions ltd., Chandos House 45-46 Chandos place London wc2. On the cheap in by Dan Warfield is entertainment editor hotels in England and particularly i London Are now As expensive As . Bed and breakfast in the Countryside runs a minimum of about $8 per adult High Erin the capital. It is possible to stumble into very Nice lodging at that Price but not Likely. And regardless of Quality a family of four can quickly Burn up their travel funds at $25 or More a  source of Relief for military families or single people travelling on the cheap in England is a place called the Manor House just outside Raf Greenham common in  19th-Century country Home once maintained by a staff of 70 servants is now an air Force transient billets a place to stay for incoming air Force families toy travellers and most of the time with plenty of room to spare for military travellers and their dependents on Ordinary leave. The facility in a Rural setting within a mile of Newbury is open to All ranks married or  Chet Diolanto who is eager for More people to take advantage of the Low Price and elegant setting says since space required guests have priority he some times must bump people on leave status. But since there is Little official traffic through the base largely in Mothballs since area residents dislike the sound of air Craft _ bumping is almost unheard  about half the Price of a Cut rate bed and break fast and far less than similar digs would Cost else where guests at the Manor House stay in Large rooms with private refrigerator free laundry facilities and they la lend you an Irona to and game room and a Fewa Afes vending machines with microwave oven. There Are playgrounds and picnic tables Handy. Breakfast in t included in the Price of a bed $6.50 per person for vip suites $4.50 per person for others half Price for children but five minutes away on the air base is one of Uncle Sam s better dining Halls another bargain for Penny pinching families also on the base Are a commissary by snack bar Bookstore Bank the Exchange rate is probably better than in town Apo class i store and service station no cheap Gas for out of country visitors but you can find things like Coleman fuel or a spare Mirror for the right Side of your car Newbury is an hour West of London on the Motorway and on a direct rail line from London s Paddington Sta Tion the taxi ride from the Newbury station to the Manor House is a Little More than a Dollar the town is just past the Urban sprawl but within easy Day tripping Range of that expensive City. It is also a Good base for exploring the old stones of the Salisbury Plain the famous Campus at Oxford the Southampton sea Shore the roman ruins at Bath and the Shakespeare country around  Best of All for a weary traveler hoping to get away from it All Are the folks who operate the facility. They seem never to have been told that people who work for the government Are supposed to frown at everyone and if their Job involves providing a service to make sure the customer never wants to come Back. Quite to the contrary notwithstanding a ghost they say knocks on doors and runs away on thursday nights the real spirit of the place is such that you May not want to  the Manor House almost always has several empty rooms it is a Good idea to Book several weeks in Advance. Ask the Greenham common switchboard Autoon 263-1110 or civilian 0635-46263 for Extension 145.or, write the Manor House Raf Greenham common Apo 09150