Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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entertainmei Students ho< U.. r?Ill !/> / ny vii i; v rv nuiTic<i\ Entertainment Editor Their appearance had been advertised for weeks. Students who had attended one of their concerts in the Golden Spur during the last three years were acquainted with the joys to come, and others who had heard of their reputation could only await their arrival, anticipating a memorable experience. And so it went for several weeks until the band arriveo inursaay atiernoon. finally the waiting was over as the Mission Mountain Wood Band stepped up onto the slightly elevated concrete stage of the Russell House patio and hootenannied for two hours before 1,500-2,000 mesmerized, if not slightly inebriated USC fans. THURSDAY'S CONCERT, sponsored by the Russell House University Union Contemporary Sounds committee, was like an old-fashioned mountain homecoming for these lumberjacks from Missoula, Montana. They last appeared on camDUS a year ago. Mission Mountain's first 50-minute set was characterized by handclapping and footstomping with an occasional dancer popping up here and there. WHILE THE AUDIENCE came primarily to enjoy the music, the white-hot affair was as much of a big mellow social blast as anything else. Large outdoor concerts of any significance are mrpiu presented at USC (only Jimmy Buffett for Homecoming 1975, and the Dirt Band in April, 1976). Concerts on the Russell House patio are even scarcer. The last major show on the patio was the Pure Prairie League in April, 1974. So the students came in mass, encamping themselves on the patio with coolers of beer or wine, ribeye steak dinners provided by the University Dining Services and joints of pot. It was a day to relax, drink or smoke a little and forget about the world's problems. THE MOST NOTICEABLE changes in the Mission Mountain Wood Band from past performances were its musical maturation and stage professionalism. In it >tenannied o: past appearances here, the band members looked as if they had just walked out of the mountains with a guitar in one hand and a hottlp r?f whito Hc?hir.;r.n _ ,.a..v..?ig iii the other. Now, because of constant touring, they have come into their own as musical talents. They seem to have solidified their musical presentation while still maintaining a flexibility in their song selection that changes with the crowd's mood. The music, from the opening chords of "Take a Whiff On Me," to the "Beer Barrel Polka," echoed across the campus, attracting curious sightseeers. Some of the more perplexed meandered through the crowd, listenpd to n snno nr (urn Off ?l:i_ , vr? vnu UIIU UC)JC11 ICU, WlllltJ others remained and became a part of the excitement only the Mission Mountain Wood Band can create. THE HIGHLIGHT of Mission Mountain's performance came when they dedicated a song they had written after their first visit to the Golden Spur, "Carolina Sunshine." It began with a soothing, slow, acoustic tempo that quickly built up into a total bluegrass experience. The audience loved it. Mission Mountain itc twnnH ...uk ~ .vw MWVI1U OVl WJVII a medley of traditional tunes including "Mountain Dew," "Boil That Cabbage Down Boy" and "Old Joe Clark." Amid mass hysteria and total insanity the band returned for one encore, combining "Foggy Mountain Breakdown" and the "Orange Blossom Special," before leaving the stage for the last time shortly after 7 p.m. Few people wanted to end the good feeling they had temporarily acquired on this usually sparse and rarely used patio. WHEN THEY REALIZED the concert had ended, students mingled about in a daze, either looking for lost dates, or trying to gather enough money to buy some more beer. Most were not sure just what to do, whether to continue the party elsewhere, or struggle home and pass out. Students left the patio more deaf and sunburned than they had been, but they were undoubtedly also more happy.^Confronting them the next day, postponed decisions and the twilight of another school J n..i 11 4 " uuy. dui mere was mai auernoon oi merriment to be remembered for a long time. ^ n the patio 1 ' WmMM u&j Colllnt W?lk?r-THE GAMECOCK h~- >1 Jfi BteAj?>?^3aay. 9 _ JVgi-svT^jrl |1|^BeKk*1 iJoW *' 41 ^SfekJfii^ *. Collins Walker TMfc OAMECOCK