European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 22, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Meat loaf second course of Fame for Beefy Singer by Deedee Arrington Doke staff writer first there was Rock. Then came wretched excess. And then a meat loaf. Meat loaf is piping hot again 17 years after he and composer Jim Steinman first struck Rock n Roll with a Hammer from the gods straight out of a wagnerian opera. On the 1993 sequal to 1977 s Bat out of hell Rock s Pavarotti has a plateful of new so big they re hard to Swallow Steinman penned songs to Chew on and a new tour with the a a a a a a. Trappings of big Success that played Frankfurt Germany this week. Quot open your soul and let All your Rock n Roll dreams come through Quot meat loaf exhorted the tightly packed wildly appreciative crowd at the fest Halle. No one followed his advice better than of meat himself. For More than two hours Mega lights a six piece band costume changes and fireworks All decorated the bombastic splendor of new Opu ses like i d do anything for love but i won t do that from the 6-month-old Bat out of hell ii and old classics from its 1977 progenitor. At 46, the former Marvin Lee Aday Cut a sweaty theatrical even heroic figure onstage. In spite of his still considerable size the falstaff an Singer is trimmer than he was at his Bulky Peak in the late 1970s, and he moves. 8&3 Michael Abrams meat loaf packs a mean punch with his operatic voice and Multi octave Range grandly eloquently in interpreting Steinman s grandiose songs. Tenderly and sweetly meat loaf Sang i d do anything for love the first hit off the current album framed by lights forming a Multi pointed Star. The show s real fire breather was a rip snorting hellbent for leather Bat out of hell with the dubious Honor of real snoozer of the evening going to objects in the rear View Mirror May appear closer than they Are. Meat claims the latter is Quot the Best song Steinman s Ever  i beg to differ As pleasant As were songs such As Rock and Roll dreams come through which was Sung against a starlit backdrop the show s one real Clunker was truly a dog. Unfortunately it was a for some of us anyway a the most anticipated songs in meat s repertoire. The salacious tense Rock operetta Paradise by the dashboard Light was flabby and overlong with the lip Licking anticipation so necessary to the work s Climax absolutely lost. Crass unfunny dialogue sounding suspiciously like an evening with Tom and Roseanne Arnold dragged this Gem of a Rock Vignette into a mire of White trash. Yacc he. The show ended with an explosion and a gentle rain of Silver confetti that hugged the air before Drifting to the ground. As a spectacle this would be epic had its moments. But meat loaf the performer shares a Quality or two with his namesake a reassuring Comfort food that can be jazzed up with a Little Steak sauce or a couple of peppers. Underneath it All though it s still a big no fuss helping of meat and bread. Melissa Etheridge concert listings a see pages 18 amp 19 the Singer songwriter with the Raspy voice is playing a number of dates across Europe in late Spring and Early  look underground sound is Das eff signature. Done to get the wrong idea from the title of Das eff a a new album straight up Seaside. It sounds kind of punny but it does no to have anything to do with killing oneself. Instead said Das eff rapper Dre it refers to the sewer meaning the groups underground roots. Quot we re a group from the underground. We re trying to give the fans the feel of the underground Quot said Dre a not to be confused with or. Dre a in a recent Telephone interview from new Jersey. Dre fellow rapper Koob and d. J. Dice will bring that Quot Sewa sound Quot to Europe this Spring on their first trip to Europe since the late 1993 release of straight up Sewa Clde their second album. Its no nonsense rapid fire rap that Dre said is meant to both entertain and get a message or two out. Messages like Quot be yourself. We re a a be yourself kind of a group Quot Dre said Quot be original. Make everyone like yourself and not  on straight up Sewa cide songs like caught in Daak crazy wit a books and Gimme Dat microphone incorporate samples from musicians As diverse As the Beattie boys Gloria Gaynor and Kool and the gang. In spite of the raps heated rat a Tat Pace a Slinky sound a the work of a piano and Bass perhaps a sneaks in and out to Cool things off a Tad. Dre said the group does t subscribe to any particular musical sound for sampling and accompaniment but simply refers to its Quot stacks of records Quot for just the right piece for a particular song. Quot we re pretty much a lyrical kind of group Quot Dre said. The Only special effect Das eff uses in its live shows is itself a the two rappers and the disc jockey a to create an atmosphere of Quot excitement Quot Dre said. Shows in Europe last summer Drew a mix of americans and europeans and Das eff Hopes to see that same blend this time around. Quot we re coming out to do this with them and for them Quot Dre said. Quot we want people to come out in peace to come to the show and have a Good  a Deedee Arrington Doke Das eff from left Koob and Dre Friday april 22,1994 the stars and stripes15