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' . 1 ' 12 THE GAMECOCK ♦ Wednesday, February 25, 2004 ' V i ite a nutty poem’sing a L/O nt3 Ct. U S mumble-gumble song.” Story ideas? Questions? Comments? SHEL SILVERSTEIN E-mail us at gamecockfeatures@gwm.sc.edu P0ET I Troubadour Adam Hood looks to make his musical mark BY MEG MOORE THE (JAMECOCK He strummed his first gui tar 18 years ago, un doubtedly unaware of how music would in evitably change the course of his life. What began as a few stray chords for Adam Hood has grown into a ca reer — his songs are now striking res onate notes throughout the music world. From his humble beginnings as a 10-year-old with musical ambitions, Hood has honed his skills into a weathered blend of rootsy rock. His Southern heritage — Hood hails from Opelika, Alabama — show through his country-tinged tunes, in flecting his honest lyrics with an even deeper sense of down-home, Gospel truth. Hood refined his skills in church bands during his teenage years, eventually dropping the all American pastime of football in or der to have more time for gigs at lo- ] cal restaurants. What began as an interest turned into an occupation for Hood — “I could either make money playing music, or sit on the bench,” Hood remarked on ; his Web site, discussing his decision to quit sports in favor of music. i While he was getting started, as ; stated in a previous interview, Hood 1 frequently “wasn't even old enough to get into the bars (he) was playing in.” i Over the next several years, his ledication to his craft — and willing tess to play in those dive bars — lelped to establish him as a popular jerformer in the college town of Auburn, Alabama. A rough collection of tunes released or the university crowd in 2001 grew nto his first full-length album in 2002, ‘21 to Enter.” The tracks were all •ecorded live, reflecting Hood's grit y, candid approach to both writing md performing. As Hood remarked, ‘There's something about the singer ;ongwriter live performance that is ust American. People are drawn to he honesty of it.” Writing in the same vein as influ rnces Steve Earle, Patti Griffin and John Hiatt, Hood's earnest and spare songs speak from experience. His latest release, “6th Street,” captures the experiences and im pressions that he has gathered over the years, from the loneliness of drives home, to those days of strug gling through shows where he was “the only one listening.” The record's lead track, “Tuesday Night,” tells the story of Hood's journey as a per forming songwriter. “Not many peo ple were there to begin with,” Hood said of his early gigs. “It was pretty humbling.” The EP was recorded during a tour with fellow Alabama native Justin Johnson. The two were out on the road testing new tunes and de cided to capture some of their live material. The 28-year-old singer-songwriter is currently on tour in support of his latest release, hitting various venues throughout the Southeast. His musi cal meanderings will bring him to Columbia's Jammin' Java Friday evening. Next month, the troubadour will be in Austin for the famously hip South by Southwest festival. From small town Alabama to the country's live music capital, Austin, Hood and his guitar-based music are clearly on their way. Comments on this story?E-mail gamecockfeatures@gwm.sc.edu Documentary chronicles black family’s‘Burden’ BY LINDSEY JEFFERSON THE GAMECOCK February is recognized nation ally as Black History Month, but many young adults don’t know about some of the struggles blacks overcame in America leading to this special month. The Civil Rights era in American History is laced with hardships blacks had to endure. One of these problems was the pro cess of integrating schools across the South. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 outlawed discrimination in hotels, motels, restaurants, the aters, and all other accommoda tions engaged in interstate com merce. When this act was put into place, however, many schools still didn't want to enforce this law. The new documentary, “The Intolerable Burden,” tells the story of one family's fight to send their children to white schools under this law. The documentary centers on Mae Bertha and Matthew Carter, who enrolled the youngest eight of their 13 children in the public schools of Drew, Miss. Although the freedom of choice plan was in place when the Carters decided to ♦ ‘BURDEN,’ SEE PAGE 13 PHOTO SPECIAL TO THE GAMECOCK ‘The Intolerable Burden’ at the Nickelodeon Theatre details the challenges of Integration facing blacks. Play. Review ‘The Trojan Women’shines in timely look at war “THE TROJAN WOMEN" Written by Euripides Performed by Theatre South Carolina ★★★★ out of **☆☆☆ BY GRAHAM CULBERTSON THE GAMECOCK Theatre South Carolina’s lat est production, “The Trojan Women,” takes a bleak look at the aftermath of war. The war in question is the famous 10-year siege of Troy by the Greek armies, described famously by Hpmer in the epic poem, “The Iliad.” But, unlike “The Iliad,” which was already a classic when Euripides wrote “The Trojan Women,” the Greeks in this play are the unseen villains, and the heroines are the women of Troy, dealing with the destruction of their city and the deaths of hus bands, sons and brothers. Although Hecuba (Erica Tobolski), former Queen of Troy, is the focal point of the play, the first scene opens with the gods Poseidon and Pallas Athena de bating the fate of the Greek fleet. Poseidon, played compassionate ly by Brian Schilb, agrees to ex act revenge on the Greeks along with Athena (Laura Simms) who urged the Greeks to destroy Poseidon's beloved Troy but has since found fault with their ac tions. Simms' Athena is wooden and unconvincing; luckily, she plays two roles, making her later character, Helen of Troy, consid erably more believable. After Poseidon's opening ex position, Hecuba and her ragged chorus of Trojan women are seen awaiting their fate at the hands of the Greek warriors, as Poseidon solemnly observes them. Tobolski's performance as the fallen queen anchors the produc tion, but-both the best and the worst work comes from costume designers Lisa Martin-Stuart and Valerie Pruett. Hecuba is sup ported by a wooden staff, and her escorts are clothed in tom robes of gray that blend in well with the razed battlements of Troy. Not only are these costumes ef fective, they set off the outfits worn by the three other key fe male figures. Cassandra (Kay Allmand), Hecuba's daughter and the priestess of the sun, is garbed in shimmering golden-green rai ment that highlights the flame of hope she carries into the play. Andromanche (Pamela Vogel), wife of Hecuba's warrior son Hector, is dressed entirely in' smooth black; her grief for her husband's death and her fear for her young son Astyanax is fresh and pure, in contrast to the worn, graying despair exhibited by Hecub^ and the chorus. And fi nally Laura Simms, wearing a formal dress and exotic jewelry, highlights Helen's status as the most beautiful woman in the world and the ostensible reason behind the entire Trojan War. Unfortunately, director Bonnie J. Monte chose to outfit the Greek warriors, Talthybios (Patrick Mullins) and Menelaus (Zach Hanks), and their entourages, in modem uniforms, which detract ♦ ‘TROJAN WOMEN,’ SEE PA(!iE 13 USC music concert to feature computers BY NATALIE NETZEL TUB GAMECOCK Students and professors will be participating in a computer mu sic composition program at the School of Music's Recital Hall tonight at 7:30 p.m. “Current Beats,” which is en tirely computer-generated, is di . rected by USC professor of com position theory and music, Reginald Bain. Bain has taught at ’ USC for 12 years and has been in charge of the program since its be ginnings 10 years ago. Computer music is an alterna tive form of music that uses the latest electronic media and tech nological resources to produce en tertaining and inspiring pieces. The use of computers and oth-1 * er technologies make this a unique event. There will be no body singing on the stage, no sprawling orchestra showing off its skills — instead, a main com puter equipped with programming software, synthesizers, a PA sys tem, percussion and other forms of electronic equipment necessary to program the music will be in the spotlight. According to Bain, the technol ♦ music; see page 13