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THE MIX Friday, April 7, 2006 _JL Jl 1 1 ^ JL*_I ■ ^ m Page 5 rvMD <fz>m MEAD Locals keep rockin Columbia, bring attention-getting sound to New Brookland Tavern w Devon Ulech THE GAMECOCK With the slogan, “Give the gift of Head,” Columbia band Mind Your Head plans to take over the airwaves with their melodic hard rock. Bringing influences from some of today’s biggest rock acts, the band delivers an eclectic blend of accessible yet unique alternative music. W The band formed two years ago with four members responding to bassist Tim Roberts’ ad, which called for other musicians to start a rock band with. All were in college, all aspiring musicians and all equally unaware of what the future held for the band. Fast-forward two years - Mind Your Head has plenty of impressive accomplishments under its relatively young belt. The band has toured through the Southeast playing gigs in Myrtle Beach, Atlanta and Fayetteville, N.C. Influenced by bands like Tool, Chevelle, Alice in Chains and Staind, Mind Your Head takes pride in writing hard-hitting rock. Combining unique guitar riffs, expansive bass lines, unconventional drums and melodic vocals, the band brings a refreshing sound to the Columbia music scene. The band had the privilege to play at the Five Points St. Patrick’s Day Festival with Seven Mary Three, Saliva and regional favorites Stretch Arm Strong. Their, music has also been spun on WXJSC, Rock 93.5 and 93.3 The Planet. Mind Your Head has quickly gained live credibility through their participation and finalist selection in the 2005 Jillian’s Battle of the Bands and 2005 Modern Music Studios Battle of the Bands. This year, Mind Your Head has the opportunity to gain even more exposure as finalists in the 2006 Locals Live competition. The event is sponsored by Columbia radio station Rock 93.5 and began with nine bands competing. Mind Your Head is now a finalist with four bands remaining and will be facing off at the Locals Live finals at Jillian’s April 11. The band hopes to win the competition with their energetic live show. Mind Your Head strives to achieve a connection with the audience by encouraging audience participation and musical bondage. Already having played 50 shows over the last two years, Mind Your Head has perfected their stage presence. The band has recorded an untitled four-track EP, which they recorded while being entertained by a KISS pinball machine. Mind Your Head has distributed over 200 copies of their release during their successful travels in a ‘95 straight-drive Ford Ranger. The ultimate goal of the band is to play music professionally. Spending an average of 10 hours a week rehearsing, even more time practicing individually, making merchandise to sell at shows and booking gigs will surely pay off for the band and help them achieve their goal. Mind Your Head performs next tonight at New Brookland Tavern. Doors open at 9 p.m. and admission is $5. Comments on this story? E-mail gamecockfeatures@gum.sc. edu Special to THF. GAMECOCK Diary of a young comedy troupe Trustus Theatre to host <explosive’ sketch comedy show dlartha Hearn THE GAMECOCK There is a legion of comedic actors hidden in the underbelly of Columbia. Tonight, a group of warriors will appear above ground for one night only to present the “Happy ^ Explosion Sketch Comedy P Show” at the Trustus Theatre. This is a journal of their struggle, a play-by-play of one of their intense meetings, two nights before the big event. Tensions are high. Tempers fly. But comedy reigns supreme. 1 he characters: n.ci. rieard, Martha Hearn, Patrick Kelly, Stephanie Price, Kelly Gibson, Joe Laney, Field Cantey, Chad Henderson and Nate Herring. 10:15 p.m. — It begins... ^ By some crazy stroke w of luck, the group is able to meet 45 minutes early. All except one member, Stephanie, who didn’t get the vital time-change message. They will go on without her. 10:20 p.m. — Deep space Costumes and props must be retrieved from the shop. The group rummages through the darkness, desperately searching for glitter vests, a Viking hat and maracas. Everything is recovered. 10:30 p.m. — Violent briefing The first clash of the evening. Martha tells everyone to grab a pencil to take notes on scene transitions. Chad doesn’t have a pencil. “Let me use yours when you’re done,” he implores Martha. “I have to write, too. Just go get one from the office,” she replies. Suddenly, Chad punches Martha in the face. Martha is thrown to the ground from the force of the blow. She immediately wipes the blood from her nose and surprises Chad with a tornado kick to his package. The two run at each other, locking into mutual chokeholds. However, right before Chad and Martha pass out, they catch sight of Field’s beautiful face. The tension is alleviated. Chad gets a pencil. 10:45 p.m. — With feeling! Stephanie arrives just in time to console Kelly and Joe, who thought she had died in a brutal badger attack and were attempting to construct a Stephanie robot out of popcorn and electrical tape. They start running the show. 10:50 p.m. — Oh the agony The show is going smoothly with a great Disney song parody transitioning into the second sketch of the night. Props are still missing, however, and the players must reach into the depths of their souls to “mime/’ which can be a fatal to some, but these guys are professionals. 11:15 p.m. — Halt There is a hitch in the flow. It is a musical number and they need a microphone. Patrick must brave the backstage area and hook it up. He just makes it to the stage with the high-voltage equipment when suddenly a great surge goes throughout the theater, straight into Patrick’s hands. He is dead. The musical number goes on. 11:30 p.m. — Final curtain They have reached the final sketch. Somehow Joe managed to revive Patrick by clucking like a chicken. The group suspects voodoo but doesn’t want to jinx the show by bringing it up. Minutes before curtain call, Kelly’s top leaps from her body, exposing her basoombas. The possessed top tries to strangle E.G., who has been taking notes from the audience. E.G. fights for her precious life. Field tackles her from the side, frightening Kelly’s devil top away. Everyone is safe and takes a bow. 11:40 p.m. — From the top After a brief break for the group to wipe their sweating brows, Nate, light man extraordinaire, shows up and they run the show once more to program the light board. Nothing out of the ordinary occurs during this run except for a squid attack, two stabbings, a brief plague and a few forgotten lines. It was all very well lit. 1:00 a.m. — Beaten but triumphant comeDv • i Special to THE GAMECOCK Martha Hearn, Joe Laney and Kelly Gibson will be part of the “Happy Explosion Sketch Comedy Show” tonight. Tonight At The Movies Animated sequel thaws out nicely Marjorie Riddle STAFF WRITER “Ice Age: The Meltdown” has enough humor to enthrall children and entertain adults and equals the original with its witty one-liners. The lovable Manny the mammoth, Sid the sloth and Diego the saber toothed tiger return as the Ice Age comes to an end. Their once frozen world begins melting, presenting vegetation and a plusher environment. Unfortunately, the mountains of ice that are slowly melting will cause a giant flood paralleled to the flood that came with Noah’s ark. Once Manny, Sid and Diego realize their community’s fate if they don’t escape to the giant life-salvaging boat, they try to warn their fellow creatures. They begin a long trek to the prepared boat and along the way meet Ellie, Eddie and Crash. Ellie is another mammoth, which delights Manny because he thought he was the last of his kind and on the verge of extinction. But Ellie thinks she is an opossum, as she was adopted by Eddie and Crash’s mother. She hilariously hangs from trees by her tail when she sleeps and camouflages herself when traveling during the day. As they make their voyage to the boat, Manny develops a mad crush on Ellie, all the while trying to disguise his feelings from Sid and Diego. As the flood ominously threatens the animals’ very existence, their tight-knit herd runs into perilous adventures, and they have to decide if they are willing to depend on one another for survival. Throughout the movie, Scrat the saber-toothed squirrel furiously and comically tries to obtain his beloved acorn. The poor squirrel cannot hold onto the acorn despite his tireless efforts. Just as in “Ice .Age,” audiences will want to say, “Bless his heart and just give him the daggum acorn!” Movies aimed at children are no longer exclusively for younger audiences. “Shrek” may have been the trendsetter, but the sharp writing and range of comedic talent involved in movies like “Ice Age: The Meltdown” make it just as hilarious for the R-rated generation. Ray Romano is a born comedic talent, and lending his voice to Manny in the animated film doesn’t damper his laugh-inducing results. He’s sarcastic and funny, and it shows. Queen Latifah as the voice of Elbe is the funniest character in the film. She’s such a clever actress — even as ICCR6C • 6