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THE GAMECOCK • Wednesday July27, 2005 THEY SAIDTt r i 1 Tlfc IW~ ■ T T “Always keep a song in your ill I I I J 1 1% /I I heart — it’s like karaoke for the I 1 i I 1 / I I voices in your head.” J 1 f | | 7\ —ROBERTFULTONABERNETHY SUMMER CONCERT REVIEWS Leading soul divas reflect four seasons “SUGAR WATER FESTIVAL” ★★★★ out of ☆☆☆☆☆ By JAMES PRINCE THE GAMECOCK From season to season, things change. During the fall, trees lose leaves, and, as winter proceeds, they prepare for the growth of new ones. As spring arrives, they grow new ones, and during the summer they enjoy them. Life is a tree. Everyone experiences different seasons in their life as they grow. However, celebrities’ fans are able to watch them grow. For the artists of the Sugar Water Festival, held this past Saturday at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre in Charlotte, N.C., fans could see that Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, Queen Latifah and Floetry were in a different season in each of their lives. Spring is the beginning of new things, and so the show began with Floetry. With an album due out in September, Floetry began by performing older material to prepare their ‘fans for what’s to come. Beginning with “Mr. Messed Up” and its high-energy beat, the songstress and the “floet” were able to get the crowd on its feet. They continued with new material from their upcoming album, allowing fans to see how they have grown during the past two years, and ♦ SUGAR, page 7 Weezer wows new, die-hard fans alike “MAKE BELIEVE TOUR” Weezer ★★★★ out of ☆☆☆☆☆ SPECIAL TO THE GAMECOCK Rivers Cuomo is the lead singer of dance-rock group, Weezer. By JUSTIN CHAPURA THE GAMECOCK Friday, July 15, was the beginning of many concertgoers’ bouts with blown vocal chords. Some attribute this to the loud, off-key screaming and singing resulting from Weezer’s arrival in Myrtle Beach that day. The House of Blues was one of the last stops on Weezer’s “Make Believe” tour, promoting their fifth album, released May 10. Already, the single “Beverly Hills” has received gratuitous airplay, and the video was nominated for a VMA award. ♦ WEEZER, page 7 1 know as the sun rolls to an end, I am fed up with choosing things to do. It seems to me that I always choose to do the same thing over and over again. That’s why I decided to check out ... a karaoke night! I decided to head to a little bar I knew was having karaoke. The bar, The Roosters Den, is located across the Gervais Street bridge off N. 12th Street. It might not look like much on the outside, but once you’re in, the company will make you feel at home. Complete with a shrine to Dale Earnhardt and some Gamecock memorabilia, this quiet little bar fits the down-home country feel of a small town. Our bartender for the evening, Lacey, was helpful with letting us know just who everyone was and what the bar had to offer. (Wait? There’s more than just karaoke?). She told us that in addition to karaoke and great drink specials, The Rooster’s Den also offers free pool. Once you get yourself something to drink, sit back and relax as the regulars of The Rooster’s Den croon out their songs. The evening started off great as David, one of the regulars, belted out his rendition of “Remember When” by Alan Jackson. Much to his dismay, I kept turning down his offers to do a duet. Of course, David is not a professional, but he’s willing to sacrifice and do a duet with any lovely lady. Lacey informed me there is someone very special who comes in and sings almost everyday. She’s not quite sure of his name, but he is very easy to see. He’ll be the guy falling asleep in the middle of “Mustang Sally.” Who can resist a singing narcoleptic? I’m planning on catching his act sometime next week. “It’s a lot easier to cut people off from drinking than it is from singing,” Lacey said, “but sometimes you get people in here who can really carry a tune.” Speaking of which, let’s talk about my personal favorite brave soul who got up and sang. This was a man by the name of John Wayne. Seriously. He claims to be a terrible singer, but don’t let him fool you. He wowed me when he began his night with “3 Wooden Crosses” by Randy Travis. Don’t let the assortment of country songs discourage all of you who aren’t big fans of the genre. The Rooster’s Den has a 5,000 song selection, with songs displayed on a big-screen TV. The selection ranges from country to Broadway musicals (“RENT!”) to even a little Paula Abdul. There’s something for any “American Idol” wannabe. The good-news is, you only have to be 18 to get into The Rooster’s Den and embarrass yourself ... I mean make a name for yourself, with karaoke. You could also become a member (it’s free!) so you can sing to your hearts content everyday until 6 a.m. However, if the Rooster’s Den doesn’t seem your type of place, you could check out the many other places that offer karaoke throughout the week. State Street Pub offers karaoke on Wednesdays, and other places, such as The Rooster’s Den and Triple Crown Bar, offer it every day. Comments on this story? E-mail gamecockfeatures@gwm.sc. edu BY LAURA-JOYCE GOUGH/THE GAMECOCK Rooster’s Den, which offers karaoke seven days a week, is located in West Columbia. Break the summer monotony with a night of karaoke at The Rooster’s Den By ALEXIS ARNONE