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THEY SAID IT "Even if they had it in the streets, I „ ^ „ wouldn't go. (On Mardi Gras).” Page 10 „ , _ ____ SAMUELGOLDWYN Wednesday, rebruary V, 2005 movie producer BILL HABER AND JOHN DAVID MERCRE/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Top: A couple strolls along Bourbon Street in New Orleans, La., in full Mardi Gras costume, beads and makeup. Bottom: Revelers from the Order of Athena parade along Government Street in Mobile, Ala., celebrating the pre-Lenten blowout Fat Tuesday. Some Mardi Gras revelers ready to party despite scant crowds, inclement weather By MARY FOSTER THE ASSOCIATED PRESS NEW ORLEANS — Crowds were sparse and Mardi Gras costumes even sparser on Tuesday for what amounts to a daylong parade of parades — 11 of them, one after the other. “I never saw this few people before,” Roshawn Gilmore, 27, said as the Zulu parade began about five blocks away from the spot he and his family had staked out before dawn on St. Charles Avenue. Long rows of empty chairs marked off some spaces on the normally jammed parade route, where families usually send at least one person early to stake out their spaces for Fat Tuesday. Much of the prized Garden District curb was wide open as the Zulu Social Aid & Pleasure Club began its parade a few blocks away. Fat Tuesday this year is the earliest it's been in 15 years - so far from spring break that it kept much of the college crowd away. There was plenty of room to walk in the French Quarter, where it's often hard to fit even a Hurricane go-cup between revelers on Mardi Gras. And when the ornate Rex parade carried the king anointed by an organization of leading society families down St. Charles Ave., spectators were only a few deep, instead of covering the median. oiimore saia ms laimiy nas occn staking out an early spot his whole life. They came about 5 a.m. Tuesday. “We normally get here a lot earlier. But just decided to come late this year, and it worked OK,” he said. His mother was sleeping on a tarpaulin, wrapped in quilts. Other relatives sat and watched the thin crowd walking up and down. Edward Dunnaway, 46, of New Orleans, had been there since 11:30 p.m. Monday, and was grilling food in a full slice of the 50-foot-wide median marked off by rows of metal police barriers. “We don't have any trouble. They, don't mind,” he said. Inside the barriers were two dining canopies, plenty of ice chests and tables covered with chafing dishes, other food containers, and decorations in Mardi Gras colors of purple, green and gold. The median was muddy from rains that made costumed revelers pull out umbrellas and rain jackets Monday night. But Monday's parades rolled on, as did the drinking, eating and shouts of “Happy Mardi Gras!” “Rain? Who cares,” said Tina Black, 30, of Los Angeles. “As long as it doesn't get cold. I have a really skimpy costume and I hate cold.” “This is it baby,” said Paul Perrin, 22, of Dallas, part of a group in lawn chairs and debris along the St. Charles parade route. “You're either ready or you stay home. It's no place for the weak.” Fireworks, musician Harry Connick Jr.'s lavish Orpheus parade and concerts by the Mississippi River were among the attractions Monday night. Fat Tuesday has 11 parades, beginning with Zulu and continuing until dark. | Merchants and bartenders said business was brisk in the French Quarter, though down from previous years. They blamed the weather and the calendar: the annual pre-Lenten bash falls early this year. “It's definitely off,” said Fallon Daunhauer, a bartender at Johnny White's in the French Quarter for 21 years. “I think both things hurt. It's not the best weather and it's so early. Too close to Christmas, not close enough to spring break to get the college kids in.” Still, workers rushed to stock up and clean up for the final time before Wednesday. Piles of trash bags were hauled out of bars; cases of drinks were hauled in. “We've got to get it done and get out of here before noon,” said Phillip Ocburn of Crescent Crown ^ Distributors. “After that forget it.” A half-block row of portable toilets lined the front and back of the stately Louisiana Supreme Court building, high fences blocked off the entrances, beads, beer cans and trash littered the grounds. Beverly and Chester Lott munched beignets Monday morning. The Mississippi couple had already seen five parades and what they called some fantastic street theater. “We love it. It's the best time you can have anywhere,” said Beverly Lott, who wore a huge orange wig. “We came for the first time last year, and plan to be back every year.” A daylong party was held on the banks of the Mississippi River with music and the landing of the faux 1 royalty for the Zulu and Rex parades, the two biggest to roll Tuesday. There were no reports of violence, one day after a man was shot along a parade route near the French Quarter. New Orleans Police Capt. Marlin Defillo said everything happened so quickly Sunday that few people realized someone had been shot. The victim was in one of two groups of men who had argued, separated, and crossed paths again, NOPD spokeswoman Jonette Williams said. If the shooter is caught and convicted, he could be the first person sentenced under a new law which can add up to five years in prison and a $2,000 fine to other penalties for anyone who uses a firearm in a violent crime within 1,000 feet of a parade. The law took effect last summer. Last February, a 20-year-old New Orleans woman was shot and killed as she watched a parade on St. Charles Avenue. Prosecutors have said they will seek the death penalty against the three teenage boys and 20-year-old man indicted in the killing. PHOT.O SPECIAL TO THE GAMECOCK Rogue Wave front man Zach Schwartz assembled his band through e-mail on San Francisco community Web site, www.craigslist.org. Rogue Wave will play tonight at New Brookland Tavern. Band’s California dreamin’ gets Sub Pop seal of approval By PATRICK AUGUSTINE THE GAMECOCK The best music effortlessly subsumes its influences into something altogether unlike them and yet tied historically to their roots. This, in a way, is a perfect description of Rogue Wave, a Bay Area band that will be headlining a show with Two Gallants and locals Cypress Knees tonight at New Brookland Tavern. Hailing from California, Rogue Wave weaves surf-pop reminiscent of the Beach Boys, songwriting more in line with the American folk tradition, and a smattering of glitch-pop techniques that keep the music from falling too far into nostalgia. Rogue Wave front man Zach Schwartz is no stranger to the independent music scene. He left another Bay Area band, Desoto Reds, when the dot-com bubble burst, and he lost his job in 2002. Tragedy turned into opportunity, though, as Schwartz, who tours under the last name of Rogue, moved to New York City and recorded a demo version of the band’s only release by himself. After moving back to California, Schwartz recruited drummer/sampler Pat Spurgeon, bassist Sonya Westcott and guitarist/keyboardist Gram Lebron through the San Francisco community Web site, www.craigslist.org. After forming through e-mail, the group geed and proceeded to re-record the songs that Schwartz had already fleshed out, adding the delicate harmonies, guitar and samples that are trademark Rogue Wave. It was ultimately this collaborative effort that got the band noticed by ♦ Please see ROGUE, page 11 MOVIE REVIEW ‘Boogeyman ’ should stay in closet “Boogeyman” Starring Barry Watson, Skye Bartusiak ★★ out of ☆☆☆☆☆ By RYAN DALLAS THE GAMECOCK Everyone, while growing up, heard stories of the Boogeyman and his exploits. He hides under the bed, in the closet or in the shadows - waiting for the lights to go off so he can take you away, never to be seen again. Where the Boogeyman finds himself unable to hide, however, is in a well made movie. Sony Pictures' “Boogeyman” introduced itself with previews that once again made it seem as though a good horror movie would finally be coming out to counteract the flood of mediocrity that is the horror market. “Boogeyman” starts out much as you'd expect with Barry Watsons character, Tim Jensen, watching the Boogeyman take his father away when he is very young. He is then told that his mind made up the story of the Boogeyman to cope with the fact that his father left him and his mother. Jensen grows up, and when his mother dies he returns to his childhood home to face his demons and once and for all get over his “ridiculous” fear. He soon finds that maybe his fear isn't all that ridiculous after all. Helped along the way by a mysterious little girl named Franny, played by Skye Bartusiak, Jensen must learn to overcome his fear to save his girlfriend from the clutAies of the Boogeyman. KIRSTY GRIFFEN/THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Barry Watson stars as Tim, a young man emotionally haunted by memories of traumatizing childhood events and tries to face his fears in the Sony Pictures film,"Boogeyman.” The beginning of the movie establishes tension that continues to rise throughout the movie, one area in which the filmmakers did remarkably well. As the movie goes on, and new information is introduced, the tension slowly rises until the Boogeyman makes an appearance and then leaves again, and the cycle starts over. The tension begins to rise again, and continues to rise until its obvious that the end of the movie is coming. At this point the movie still has a chance, the mood is right, and the stage is set for a final battle between Tim Jensen and the Boogeyman. S&Uy, the ending comes quickly and decisively, counteracting the tension built up through the movie. The elaborate house of cards comes tumbling down to reveal a movie lacking in every sense of the word. This movie was built on rising tension that is typically followed by an overly suspenseful ending that cashes in on the already heightened senses of an audience on the edge of its seat. The ending is where this movie fails, and it can be seen on the bewildered and disappointed faces of theatergoers everywhere. Comments orfrfhis story? E-rnail gamecockfeatures@gwm.sc. edu