The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, August 30, 1991, Page 3, Image 3
Club caters to USC stud(
Group' gives
By JACK DUNN
Qtoff \A/rif^r
wioiM VVIIIOI
Tucked away in its own little corner of Five Points, away from the
main traffic that crowds the streets every Friday and Saturday night,
is a bar called Group Therapy. Situated next to Superior Feet on
Greene Street, it's easy to miss unless you've been there before.
One of the fixtures of Five Points, it has remained under the same ownership
since 1979, and has been a source of enjoyment over the years for many
USC students and graduates. It is one of the few places that remains open
"Our specials are the same things we've had for
months and months. We don't change things every
weekend to lure customers."
George Meares, Owner
i
until 3 a.m., a great number of people who frequent other places often end up
at "Group", as it is affectionately called.
The owner, George Meares, has a good philosophy about running a bar and
about the people he likes to see come into his place. "Let all the people
who want to cause trouble go somewhere else. We're just a regular bar, a
place for peqple to socialize and have a good time, and not have to worry
about the people around them," Meares said.
When asked about what specials they had planned for the weekend, Meares
simply laughed. "Our specials are the same things we've had for months and
months. We don't change things every weekend to lure customers. We're
happy with the business we have already. Don't get me wrong, we're not
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Courtesy of Todd Turner
From left to right, Todd Godd, Bryan Williams, Brian McCarter and
John Furr make up the band, Blightobody.
'High energy'
By TINA JOWERS enj?y a "free pour" for an hour.
Staff Writer Bar manager Johnny Jones said
Th^D^F^ry, a new club 'hc new. ?'ub surpasses all other
at the Sheraton on Bush River dan5f. <:'uba ^ Columbia Jones
Road, will add a new dimension to *'dhave a b,g em"
Columb.an.ght Me when ,t opens Beginning Sep( , ^ eveiy Wcd.
ltSThTgrand opening' party will nesda>'wil! f nif' Sinf
r ? j women will be treated to valet
caLU,e Prl/cs u ln8 an parking when they arrive at the
tunny to dance you way to Hol y- Sheral?n Male models wU, ^ car.
wood for the 1991 MTV M m ; hors d
Vtdeo Awards. The best dancer c|ub wj,] a|so ide a
will be chosen from the crowd. All ^ ? rose .
oi tne contestant wm receive a ?orwj? w? i
pair of L.A. Gear shoes or a Paula f"dy and?a year s suPply of Pan"
Abdul CD tyhose will be given on a weekly
There will be opportunities to basis'
win premiere passes by listening to The Dance Factory will replace
WNOK. Pass holders will be ad- Saints.
mitted at 7 p.m. where they can "The new club will be more
AimMHilMliiM
/
mts and grads
custoi
mif I
Bruce Fennell, left, and Scott Harlirl
animais insiae.
anti-business, but we're not overly comrr
Meares also made it clear that all are
ful of the other customers. "We don't ca
Many of the people who work at <
grads. They all agree that it is a great pi;
David Ludwig, bartender and a gra
worked at Group Therapy for three mon
City tc
By KIPP SHIVES
Staff Writer
This week, we celebrate the
death of an institution.
Perhaps I am too kind. And
don't get me wrong. I'm not talking
about the Communist Party.
Dennis Shealy does that enough as
it is. I mourn the loss of a friend,
this week, a part of the Columbia
nightlife that has meant a lot to
some of us around these parts.
No, not J.D. Sticky's. Sticky's
passed on a few weeks ago. I'm
talking about Greenstreet's.
I couldn't even begin to tell you
how many great shows have been
held between those walls. I don't
have to. Most of you have been
the, e too. I understand that in hard
economic times, business is tough.
Alcohol sales are down. Liquor
taxes are up. And getting ripped is
almost faux pas with DUI arrests
and the new Columbia city ordinance
limiting public drinking. The
death of clubs like Greenstreet's is
inevitable, just a harmless casualty
%
club to
high energy," Jones said.
The club has also been remodeled
and will feature a huge video
screen as well as three televisions.
New sound and lighting has been
added which Jones describes as
"awesome."
Another feature of the club will
be the chance to get a VIP card,
which will entitle cardholders to
priveledges to the sauna, weight
room and restaurant as well as reduced
rates on rooms. Applications
will be passed out to people standing
in line and the cards will be
mailed.
Upcoming weeks are going to
bring more grand opening parties
which will include a lot of cash giERIENCE
HMMMi
A
iters g<
f _
i relax late Thursday evening with
lercial either," he said.
welcome as long as they are respectiter
to snobbery."
3roup Therapy are USC students or
see to work and gather.
dilate in business administration, has
ths.
> lose
of the war on drugs.
It's a shame. And what will be
come of Greenstreet's? Perhaps
another tacky comedy improv will
spring up, or maybe a shag venue
for our parents? Who knows?
Greenstreet's shuts its doors tomorrow
night with the Root Doctors,
ending its 12 year history.
The cover charge is $5. Stop by
and say goodbye to an old friend.
Or if Rockafella's is more to
your liking, several local bands
will team up with Rykodisc recording
artists Barking Tribe, a
semi-southern rock band with a
slight edge from Alabama, on Saturday
night as well. The cover is
five smackers.
The first, Blighlobody, is fairly
well known around Columbia and
Florence. Their van is of the beautiful
white variety, covered with
painted-on house flies. And their
music is sort of neat too.
Their lead singer, Brian McCarter,
said of it, "Most bands sing
about the world or about themopen
veawavs and nri7P.s Snmp. p.ve.nts
to look for include 'Dance in the
Sand' and 'You Can Tan with the
Band' Thursday, which will offer
the chance to win $10,000 in cash
and prizes and a choice of six different
vacations.
There will be a pep rally Friday
featuring the USC cheerleaders
and a giveaway of CarolinaClemson
football tickets.
The happy hour is from 5 p.m.
to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday.
All aance lovers going 10 me
Dance Factory should be prepared
to pay a cover charge and to stand
in line (especially on Wednesday).
So go early and take an I.D. Only
21 ancPover are admitted.
United Way
of the Midlands
ood the
9#P '\?" \ Jm -v..
fdfll
Fennell's dog, Chester, at Group Therj
"We've got a lot of regulars who come ii
who talk about the good times they had here,
Jon Bykalo, a chemistry major at USC,
Therapy. "We get such a wide variety of j
nigni you couia see a guy in a tnree-piea
metalhead. It doesn't matter what you look
wear," Bykalo said.
popula]
selves. Our songs are not really wt
'about' anything. I see them as be
fantastic little toys with their own lat
internal laws and logic. Little
worlds unto themselves." Well, w<
urn, yeah . . . see for yourself, I ux
suppose: otl
Spigot, the other band on the m;
marquee, is also from Columbia, nil
Together about nine months now, ot
this will be the group's second Ai
visit to the Rockafellas' stage. ga
Most of Spigot's past performances
have been at various par- thi
ties and friend's houses. pi
Don't let this discourage you. th
Spigot is an incredible force that yc
must be dealt with. Their sound fo
varies between a harsh crashing 01
chaos and more-melodic quirky
keyboard riffs. They are Sonic
Youth meets the Sugarcubcs. Go th
see them. The cover is five dollars b;
for three bands. m
My apartment has free cable a<
hookup. Well, it isn't free but we bi
aren't paying for it. And I don't p:
know what to call that. But any- di
v mm
Gopi Shah, a Biology senior, jumps h
on the Horseshoe Friday afternoon.
rapy
Greg Rickabaugh/The Gamecock
apy. The bar allows
i here, students and older people
" Ludwig said.
is the night manager at Group
)eople in here. On any weekend
5 suit, a guy in dreadlocks or a
like or what kind of clothes you
r club
iy, what I'm trying to say is I've
en watching a lot of TV as of
e.
Nickelodeon is the coolest netark.
Forget MTV. Nick is just
a great. I watched this show the
her day that incorporates inforation
about different insects and
fly things like being nice to each
her and stuff. It was so cool,
ad at night, Nick shows all those
y black and white reruns.
Nick is the network that founded
e show where, periodically, peoe
get green gook "plopped on
eir heads. C'mon. How cool can
>u be? If you get free cable, or if
r some reason you pay for it, try
it Nick.
Next week, I'll tell you about
le Dave Smith Quartet, a local
ind of some truly insane music
iajors who perform experimental
:oustic jazz. WUSC plans to
ring them to the Russell House
itio for a series of free shows
iring lunch. Take note.
UK
^Bl
Greg Rickabaugh/The Gamecock
gh for a frisbee thrown to him