Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

SITE OF THE DAY The \ Columbia rock band JOHN LYONS Features Editor The four members of The Verna Cannon sat in a semicircle on the floor of New Clear Days at about 11 p.m. a week ago, when they paused from their practice to talk with The Gamecock about the band and their show tomorrow night at the New Brookland Tavern. All four members sat casually in denim, loafers and an assortment of sweatshirts and flannel. Without hying, they easily met all requirements for the expected appearance of a college town indie rock band. On the opposite side of the store, the band's instruments and equipment stood beside the rows of compact disks, which had been pushed back to make i will iui men ^ji The small floor space didn't provide quite enough room for the bpnd to practice on-stage histrionics cm* anything like that, but, as they pointed out, it's warmer than practicing in a storage space like many other bands. And since Dan Cook, the guitarist, is co-owner of the store, it's also much cheaper. The Verna Cannon have been practicing like this and playing together since last September when -Jonathon Wanna I J? The Gamecock is at vided in Columbi You are^t0l^^C^ai Shopping and Business Best Shopping Moll Rp<;t npnnrtmont Qtru Best Grocery Store Best Discount Store Best Pharmacy and D Best Convenience Sto Best ABC/Pockoge St Best Men's Shop Best Ladies' Shop Best Shoe Store Best Lingerie Shop Best Alternative Clothi Best Sporting Goods! Best Camping/Outdoi Best Bookstore Best University Books Best Formolwear Sho Best Formalweor Sho Best Place for Visionv Best Jewelry Store Best Bicycle Shop Best Camera Shop Best Pet Shop Best Dry Cleaners rerna < creates tight, emotic Bradley joined the band at percussio and Jay Barry became the bassis Prior to that, Cook had been playin acoustic and writing songs with Moll Ledford, the singer. The full-band sound places Th Verna Cannon somewhere betwee the indie sensibilities of N.C. coll eg rockers and the morose, almost broodir sound that is prevalent in today's indi scene. But unlike all these bands, Th Verna Cannon manages to keep the: music from becoming too intense, an each song has hints of pop appeal. Hi music and ambiance of the music lenc it toward comparisons to the nov defunct Columbia band Lay Quie Awhile, which Cook played in for a fe1 years. "It's minimal," Bradley said. "I' say that it's also melodic. We have few pop songs that are faster, bu lyrically they're still about bad things You listen, and it's catchy. But the you hear the lyrics and you realizs Whoa, she's pissed off.'" Ledford, who writes the lyrics t the songs, said her songs were not a unhappy. She said the topics deal wit ideas like getting away and longin for freedom. "Here are some happy songs," sh said. "And there are happy things i ie Famou m \ sking the University of S ia. Take a moment to fil Best Placet e Best Car Wc Best Music! Best Musica rug Store Best Bankin re ? Best Auto Si ore Best Car Der ? Best Art Sup Best Cellular Best Florist Best Print SI ing Shop __ Best Tannin; Store Best Hair Sc )r Shop Best Noil So Best Barber tore Best Compu p-Men Best Fitness p4odies Best Travel i /ear Best Apartm Entertainment Best Bowlin Best Corned Best Movie ETC. ON FRIDAY Take a look i El Cannoi mal music with strnne nr n the mix. I have to put a lot of things w t. into Dan's music with my words. I just g listen to the music over and over again a y until I find how the music makes me w feel. B e "There's always a point," she said, n "There's always a story." ir ;e Cook is the first to confess that the ir g music he writes may not lend itself to e very happy lyrics. B "Most of the stuff I write is in that o] e general somber mood," he said. "And B ir it's not riff-oriented. There is a definite w d beginning and end to our songs, and le there's a logical progression." b Is Barry added that despite the music's s< ir- somber feel, the band is more upbeat it than other bands with similar sounds, a w "Overall," he said. "There are a lot "I of bands coming from a similar P d aesthetic. We have a slow, morose feel tt a at times, but we're more accessible it than most of those other bands because fl 3. we speed it up at times. We are more is n willing to rock out." j, It is just this ability to "rock out" tl that makes the band stand out. The n ,o songs are intricately mapped out and T 11 slow to develop, but they have a s< h catchiness and a dod sensibilitv that w g make them almost immediately accessible. a le Ledford's vocals give the songs their tl n intensity, and Cook's superb guitar- ii ^9 If so, come t< ? Thursday Jam ting trained as TChe (Bamecock outh Carolina to cast its vote 7 out this official ballot and y PRIZES GALORE!!! vk.ii.A *_ _ neiurn uaiioi 10: * Carolina's Best . c/o Student Media rd Russell House Columbia, SC 29208 0 Wash Clothes Best Radio St< ish Best Morning Store Best Radio OJ 1 Supply Store Best Club DJ g Services Best Happy Hi jpply Best Video Rei ilership Best Dance Cli ply 1 Best Blues Clu Phone Service Best Jazz Club Best R&B Clut lop Best Alternate j Salon Best Country/ ilon Food and Drink Ion Shop Best Place for ter Store Best Place for Center Best Place for Agency Best Place for ent Complex Best Place for Best Place for Best Pizza (er g Center Best Pizza (d yClub Best Wings Theater Best Place for nto Blues at WUSC-FM u yp appeal rork fills them with emotion. But The Verna Cannonxouldn't chieve the emotion and intensity ithout the rhythm unit of Barry and radley. Hie songs have a cohesiveness that lany bands lack, and there are no idividual stars in The Verna Cannon. "Before Jay and I joined the band," radley said. "I think they had an idea f what the songs should sound like, ut it was different when a full band ras brought in." Ledford said working together has * een one of the keys to making their jund work. "The snncrs were written he fore .Inn ~ nd Jay joined the band," she said. 3ut the whole band is actively involved, ve always considered a band like a :am or a family." And with Hie Verna Cannon's tight, owing music, this idea of teamwork, i particularly important. As they flow from the beginning to tie end of their songs, the band ijuvenates the standard pop formula, he transition and development within ings gives the band emotional intensity ithout becoming too complicated. The Verna Cannon will be playing bout 10:30 p.m. tomorrow night at le New Brookland Tavern, which is Molly Ledford ] i West Columbia on State Street. members Jay B 3 Room 302 in the Russell H< lary 23 at 7:30 p.m., and start a DJ for WUSC-FM 90.5 ballot for the best products and services pro ou'll automatically be registered for ht ^ . Airhrft Prize - SC Bont . r T?? - $500 V i Pli?* n , ^?kstore Shn^i Vaju * Ba?foot Sandal * Sprce-$I< ' G,ft Certificate ^ ]tion Best Subs Radio Show Best Deli Shop Best Hot Dog Best Fries our Best BBQ ital Best Brand of Beer jb Best Soft Drink b Best Bar i Best Pub i Best Place for Coffee e Music Club Best Place for Dessert Ausic Club Best Ice Cream Best Frozen Yogurt Best Place for Steak Seafood Best Place foe Breakfast Italian Best Place for Late Night Food Chinese Best Delivery Mexican . Religion Greek 1 R ill. ? J 11/ L:_ Japanese oesr nouse 01 wwsjup Jt-in) Best Youth Activities eliveiy) Best Religious Bookstore Homestyle Cooking 44 I've never been in a band that has meaningful lyrics before... And now I think I really appreciate the beauty of a song. Jonathon Bradley drurtmer, The Verna Carmen 99 | J^g^ ^j^Mflft V^B gii J^H jlafr - ~? *ifl EUQ JEFF NICHOLSON The Gamecock practices at New Clear Pays. Not pictured, band arry, Jonathon Bradley and Dan Cook. ouse sm SHL aa^ss TRAVEL SERVICF. ppwra* i ? Value A 00 v"" <?& \ / L< / Dnnl/ Ctfirn \^/ UUUn ?JIUI c I" Official Entry Form ~j I I l I I Name I i i I Address I I I Phone # ___ J Only one ballot per person allowed. . Duplicated or reproduced ballots will be discarded. Where applicable, restrictions apply on all prizes awarded. \\ KWSPAFER ?5wQ^^r* ^