DTH OmnibusThursday, March 30, 19897
6DTHOmnibusThursday, March 30, 1989
enevolence: Burnout has it all and more
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Bands
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By ANNE-RENEE RICE
Staff Writer
BEER.
BIKINIS.
BANDS.
These three words stand alone,
void of superlatives, modifiers or
grammatical jargon.
For any UNC partygoer, these
words represent institutions in
themselves; institutions synonom
ous with a mass party called
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Norfolk originals band Waxing Poetics will kick off this year's Burnout at 1 p.m. Friday.
Waxing Poetics to perform at party
By BILLY STOCKARD
Staff Writer
Bruce Hornsby isnt the only
musician to find his roots in the
Virginia Tidewater. The waxing
Poetics, an originals group from
Norfolk, has become increasingly
successful over the past five years
and will be part of this weekend's
Burnout festivities. The Poetics
include David Middleton (lead
vocals, guitar); Paul Tiers (lead
vocals, guitar); Sean Hennessy
(bass, vocals),- and Bill Sherin
(drums).
While the Poetics dont claim
similarity to R.E.M., they did get
help from that band's bassist, Mike
Mills. Mills saw promise in the
Poetics and steered them on the
path to their first album with
R.E.M.'s producer, Mitch Easter.
Entitled "Hermitage," the LP was
recorded in Winston-Salem in 1986
and was released by Emergo
Records in January 1987. They've
been touring ever since, with solid
support from college radio and the
press, including the raves of "Rol
ling Stone" magazine. And no
sooner did the first record find a
BURNOUT. What better way to
welcome in spring?
Tomorrow students will gather
at the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity
house on Rnley Golf Course Rd. to
usher in thejites of spring -Burnout
style, that is.
The party kicks off at 1 p.m.
Friday afternoon. The Waxing
Poetics, a popular and quite suc
cessful collegiate band, will play. At
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following than a second one came
close behind.
"Manakin Moon" expects to find
a bigger audience because of wider
release by MCA Records. The
Poetics' pop sensibilities have been
combined with a hard-edged
bluesy-garage funk style with
diverse melodies and strong
vocals. But they really havent
changed. They still have their
uniquely soul-tinged sound and
they can still thrill an audience
with the energy they put into
their performances. David Mid
dleton confesses, "We're not sure
why people would like us. Most of
our songs are about people feeling
out of place, about a nightmare
going on in your own heart. And
that gets us thinking: why would
people like these songs that are
so depressing?"
As for the "album's title,
"Manakin" is really the name of a
small town in northern Virginia.
Apparently the Poetics still take
some of their roots with them
even in their lyrics. According to
Middleton, "It's the title of a song
4:30 pm, The Pursuit of Happiness
will play.
"These are 'big' bands," said Mike
Novak, chairman of Burnout for Pi
Kappa Phi.
The Pursuit of Happiness is a
progressive-style band. It particu
larly caters to and appeals to the
collegiate crowd.
"What we play is basically rock,
oriented to college students," said
Moe Berg, the band's leader.
that didnt even make it to the
record, but the song's about
feeling unwelcome in your own
town; and that emotion seemed
to fit the songs on the album."
"Writing sad songs can be a
positive thing; the idea is that I'm
not experiencing something
about it," Middleton goes on. The
newer songs are going even
further in that direction. My
father passed away this year, and
that left me feeling very empty
and angry, so that inspired lots of
songs that the band hasnt heard
yet. So the next album should be
even more of a purge - I mean,
I hate to be Mr. Depression all the
time, but sometimes it's impossi
ble not to be."
Nevertheless, the success of the
band is anything but depressing,
in a few years, the stylish band
from Norfolk has built up both its
reputation and its popularity.
Chapel Hill will get a taste of the
waxing Poetics this weekend. With
final exams not too far away, the
band's depressing songs might
seem all too appropriate for
burned.-out college students.
For a band that formed just
three years ago, they have seen
quick results of their popularity.
MTV ranks the Toronto-based
band as no. 15 on college charts.
A few months ago, "Rolling Stone"
magazine listed one of its singles
among their top 1 0 singles.
Band leader Berg says that "the
idea of true romance and 'happily
ever after1 is mostly just love junk,"
- hence the name of their debut
album, "Love Junk."
How does one describe the
sound of this non-conventional
band? Well, it's a combination of
sorts: Metal textures bang up
against folk-rock harmonies,
Buddy Holly's simple tunefulness,
the Replacements' good humor
and the Rolling Stones' driving
chord attack are ail accorded equal
measure.
That's what they sound like, but
what do their lyrics address? Song
writer Berg views all situations in
life as either "angst" (anxiety of
surroundings) or cynicism
inducing, (is this the ideology that
structures our twenties?).
"if I'm going to write about a
situation that is disturbing, I'm
going to try to make it funny or
unusual so that more people
might get it," says Berg.
And so is the philosophy of the
three-man (Moe Berg, Dave Cilby
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About 6,000 students
and Johnny Sinclair), two-woman
(Kris Abbott and Leslie Stanwyk)
band.
Their first single, "I'm an Adult
Now," concerns the horrors of
growing up.
"Adult sex is either boring or
dirty," concludes Berg in this single.
"Looking for Love" gives Berg's
philosophy of love.
"I dont care if she's skinnyl
dont care if she's fatAs long as
she goes for boys like me'Cause
I like them like that."
All right.
in "Ten Fingers" Berg seems to
lament some sort of relationship.
"Sometimes I wish I'd never
heard your namel wish I'd never
felt your legsWrapped around
me."
Speaking of legs, the annua
Burnout Bikini contest, sponsored
by Hawaiian Tropic, is scheduled
between the two bands'
performances.
"The contest is a good distrac
tion measure for the crowd," said
Craig ward, organizer of the
contest. "During this time the
waxing Poetics will pack up and
The Pursuit of Happiness will
prepare to go on stage."
What better way to tide over
a crowd of 6,000 partying college
students? Seems reminiscent of
Spring Break.
mini i; 1
are expected Friday at the thirteenth
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"Girls in the contest either
volunteer themselves or are
volunteered by someone" else,"
said Ward. "We've advertised by
flyers in tanning salons and spas,
'places where you'd find tan girls."
I Hawaiian Tropic offers all con
testants a $25 package of sun care
products. The second- and third-
place winners receive $50 in cash
jand a package of free tanning
sessions at the Finesse Salon.
What's in it for the winner? .
"it can be pretty lucrative for
the winner," said Ward.
Besides being considered as "Miss
Hawaiian Tropic UNC," the winner
will receive an array of prizes and
opportunities as well.
One hundred dollars in cash will
be awarded in addition to a free
modeling portfolio, free tanning
sessions andi most importantly, an
interview with Hawaiian Tropic
international. The winner will then
be eligible for the next level of
competition.
A judging panel of composed of
local semi-celebrities and organiz
ers from the fraternity will select
the winners.
"We're not looking at specifics
in judging, but rather the whole
package," said Ward.
in return for the advertising
exposure, Hawaiian Tropic will
contribute money to benefit the
arinual Burnout, sponsored by
N.C. Memorial Hospital Jaycees
Burn Center.
After the Pi Kappa Phi house
burned down in 1 976, the brothers
decided to start Burnout as a
fundraiser to help burn victims.
This marks the 13th annual Bur
nout party.
"We're shooting to give $10,000
to The Burn Center this year," said
Tim Donahue, president of Pi
Kappa Phi.
However, T-shirt sales consti
tute most of the donation given
to The Burn Center. Total proceeds
from sales go to the Center.
Pi Kappa Phi members have been
selling the T-shirts door to door
and on campus in the Pit. The shirt
sports a burning house with a
menacing fire-breathing dragon
behind it. Laura Bjurstrom
designed the shirt on the request
of the fraternity.
To help meet its goal of $1 0,000,
Pi Kappa Phi will be taking dona
tions during Burnout at the drive
way entrance. Donors will receive
a raffle ticket to win a $150 gift
certificate from Slug's At The
Pines.
Some may question the need
for expensive bands at a charity
event. The two bands are costing
the fraternity $7,000.
"A big band is imperative to
initially get people interested in
, Yackety Yack Staff Photo
the Pi Kappa Phi fraternity.
the party so we will ultimately
raise more money in the end,"
stressed Donahue. "It's necessary
for a good turnout."
What kind of turnout will there
be at Burnout this year? A crowd
of 6,000 is expected at the party.
Parking will not be available to
anyone anywhere on Rnley Coif
Course Rd Highway 54 will be
barricaded from Harris-Teeter to
the Durham County line Friday
afternoon.
"We highly encourage party-
goers to use the buses which are
free and paid for by the Pi Kappa
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Students may bring beer.ljut none will be served by the fraternity
for underage drinkers at the party site.
Phis," said Ward.
Seven buses will run continu-
ously between 12:30 p.m. and 7
p.m. Friday. Stops are at Morehead
Planetarium, Big Fraternity Court,
Chase Hall area and the Student
Union.
"Using the buses will alleviate
parking congestion and especially
drunk driving," said Ward.
During Burnout, Chick Rl-A will
sel1 sandwiches to soak up all the
alcohol that you'll probably be
consuming. A large portion of
sandwich sales will be donated to
' ne Burn tenter.
as for beverages, no alcohol will
be served by the fraternity or sold
elsewhere on the grounds,
"Partygoers of age may bring
beer to the event, but no beer will
be served," said Novak,
The Pi Kappa Phis are ready to
party. They've worked out all the
details for your partying pleasure.
The only gloom that looms before
them is the weather: the forecast
predicts a rainy Friday,
"in case of rain, tents will be set
up to cover the stage - just
remember to bring an umbrella,"
said warn 'Tne parry win go ore
Yackety Yack Staff Photo
and Burnqut staff will check
1