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Beverliie Robertson will host the workshop portion of this weekend‘s Mariposa Festival in Barrie. The folk singer has a deep affection for the festival and what it means to Canadian folkiore. Ross MacDonald Chronicle Special They didn‘t know it was Christâ€" mas and the names Mick Jagger and David Bowie mean nothing. Their habitat is a vasteland where living is synonymous with dying. Chateaus in France and villas in Spain mean nothing. But as the pledges pour in, as the logistical red tape accumulates, as the airlifts get set to roll, Live Aid continues to bring the cultural diversities of the Ethiopian and the rock star into perspective. It‘s now more than a week since the Live Aid concerts but support continues to snowball. And even though its been exalted in a thousand and one hyperbolical terms, organizing an event of such gargantuan proportions is a treâ€" mendous achievement. What I find most remarkable is the relentless devotion of Bob Geldo{ , the young Irishman who is being trumpeted as a candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize. It would seem an unlikely choice considering the award is usually associated with the Mother Thereâ€" sas and the Albert Schweitzers, not the leader of a punk rock band who gained notoriety by releasing live rats into the audience and whose biggest selling song was a morbid chronicle of a mass murder in a San Diego schoolyard. But today, Bob Geldof , Boom town Rat and now, Bob Geldof humanitarian, would appear to be a logical, if not sentimental choice in recognition of his efforts to end world hunger. As the entertainment world‘s first authentic philanthropist, Gel dof has accomplished something no one before him Khas been gflminfid committed to or even attempt@ti: gearing the power of the medium toward a worthwhile cause. In doing so he has managed to overcome the greatest obstacle of all gathering together rock ) music‘s elite and diverting, if only for a day, their pompous tendenâ€" cies. Geldof never lost focus of the task at hand. This would not be a rock festival per se, or a vehicle for ego trips. There would be none of the trappings associated with the usual teur, no contract clauses that stipulated backstage M & M‘s or Perrier. There would be no contract, period. Those that did play never veered from the course (at least it wasn‘t evident) but unlike the majority of the performers at Woodstock, most are stars anyway. And who could fault the crowd if they couldn‘t relate to Live Aid‘s raison d‘etre. Indeed, when would they again have the opportunity to witness such a plethora of head liners in one sitting. The achievements of Live Aid and related fundraising efforts are significant on a qumbe!' of levels. From a moral standpoint, Gelâ€" dof has stung our consciousness with his constant reminders of the gravity of the situation in Ethioâ€" pia. If there wasn‘t a global awareness before, there is now. Technically, the concerts in Lonâ€" don and Philadelphia will provide the cornerstones for future enâ€" deavours. It appears to be the most viable alternative for the enormous task of uniting the world to a specific cause. And if Geldof has his way, this will only be the beginning. Financially, the $94 million speaks for itself. It is a testament to the charitable side of a generaâ€" tion whose biggest concern is often deciding which cola to drink. The spinoffs will be numerous. Record deals, movies and related memorabilia should provide a huge source of funds. Unfortun ately, any similar functions proba bly won‘t carry the same impact and timing will therefore be an important factor Mark Bryson photo Mark Bryson Chronicle Staff The Mariposa Folk Festival has come a long way since its rowdy inauguration in Orillia 25 years ago. The venues have varied, the artists have come and gone and the style of music has broadened. Despite the changes, one thing remains intact; it‘s a good opportunity for performers and spectators to get out and enjoy themselves. Beverlie Robertson of Waterloo is one staunch supporter of Mariposa. A veteran performer at many of the festivals, including the first one in 1961, Robertson says the atmosphere at Maripoâ€" sa is the key to its success. "To use an old 60‘s expression, I guess you could say it‘s a laidâ€"back atmosphere. Folk music is a lot like Volkswagen, it‘s for the people," she said. An accomplished Canadian folklorist, Robertâ€" son is handy when it comes to playing instruments. Classical guitars, 12â€"stringers, Appalachian dulcimers, the piano and a variety of hand percussion instruments are just a few of the instruments used in the Keats Way resiâ€" dent‘s repertoire. Over the years she has picked up pointers from such names as Valdy, Gordon Lightfoot and Ian Tyson, who incidentally was the driving force behind the first festival. This year‘s festival, July 26, 27 and 28 at Molson Park in Barrie, has well over 40 performers slated to perform with Robertson figuring to capture a lot of attention. Apart from her scheduled performance where she will do a tribute to "absent friends‘"‘ such as Joni Mitchell and Buffy St. Marie, Robertson will be hosting the workshop which runs concurrent to the conâ€" certs. The idea behind the workshop is to get a much smaller crowd, perhaps 25 to 200, and have a more informal performance where the audience can ask questions and feel more involved. Other performers will take part in the workshop, ranging from Tyson to Curtis Driedger, a Toronto Queen Street musician making his first festival appearance. His music stretches conâ€" ventional folk boundaries to the limit, to the extent of being labelled a new wave by some. "The workshop is the most important part of the festival It‘s very casual and feels quite natural for ecveryone. In a concert situation you are on stage with a microphone and playing to the people. The workshop is quite different," said Robertson. Her involvement with the folk scene goes much further than Mariposa. Another credit that Robertson is equally proud to be a part of is the Mariposa in the Schools program (MITS). Initiated in the late 1960s, MITS is a combined Intimate and laidâ€"back the charm of Mariposa for local folksinger An assistant English professor with a moreâ€"thanâ€"passing interest in one of his students; a department chairman who is a collector of photographs (nudge nudge, wink wink, say no more?); the chairman‘s wife, also a professor, who believes marital discord begins at home (someone else‘s home). Everything comes together when the play ©72 Under the O gets under way at University of Waterloo‘s Theatre of the Arts, tonight. The studentâ€"directed, studentâ€"acted play, by Canadian playwright Allan Stratton, will run through Saturday, July 27. The setting is a mythical university termed a "cauldron of seething emotions and sexualâ€" ity that leaves the characters in knots and the audience in stitches." As the play opens David Pearce, the upâ€"andâ€"coming professor. is at home enter taining his student (who happens to be one of the "world‘s more desirable and profoundly worst" poets). In walks the chairman‘s wife . Be ready for anything in ‘72 Under the 0‘ effort of many performers who go into the schools and explain what folk music is all about. The informal program allows students to interact with the performers directly, parâ€" ticipating as well as listening. After 15 years, the program has proved to be a tremendous sucâ€" cess. "You‘d be amazed to know how many children, and even adults, who know absolutely nothing about folk music. It‘s a great way of bringing folklore back to the kids," said Robertâ€" son. Along with teaching children about the music, Robertson feels it is a great method for teaching history because a student is more likely to remember a song than something read out of a textbook. _ That seems to make sense because, after all, folk music began to relay stories that have happened in the past. Waterloo will also be represented at Mariposa this weekend by Janet Wason, a member of the Renaissance Dance Group at University of Waterloo. She will be leading 19th century dance sessions. Coral Andrews Chronicle Special announcing she is moving in. And out walks any semblance of a normal evening. During the activity that follows the disâ€" traught husband, a student who has more connections than John DeLorean, a twisted insurance salesman, and others, conspire in the grand manner of farce to take the audience with them into some kind of Twilight Zone. Gowan, you‘re a strange animal, but the music business is the strangest animal of all. One year ago, Larry Gowan and Rhinegold used to play Kitchener‘s rock institution The Coronet, doing fantasy comicâ€"book hero sets and music vaguely familiar to the likes of progires sive rock masters Yes, Genesis and Genesis alumnus Peter Gabriel. Now with a skilful marketing strategy on the part of producer David Tinkle (Peter Gabriel, Platinum Blonde), Larry Gowan has emerged from bar band status to become one of Canada‘s brightest new stars, evidenced by last week‘s (Continued on page 29) "72 Under the O" is a production of Upstage Productions and is presented by UW‘s creative arts board. Alex McGovern is director, and she reports she is pleased with both the casting and crew. There is a sidelight: Upstage Productions ran afoul campus security people in a previous play â€" over the pretended use of drugs and firearms onstage. Drugs and firearms will be part of "72 Under the O as well, but this time UW‘s security department was contacted in advance, to avoid hassles during the show itself. The actors will abide by the advice of security officials.