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THE GAMECOCK ♦ Monday, February 25, 2002 5 CONTACT US THEY SAIDIT VjU1\ lr\Vj 1 UU HAZLITT: “The love of liberty is Story ideas? Questions? Comments? the. love of others; the love of E-mail us at gamecockmixeditor@hotmail.com power is the love of ourselves.” For more information, visit www.contiki.com or call 1-800-Contiki. BY ASHLEY VAUGHAN T1IK OAMECOCK Safety concerns that arose af ter Sept. 11 hav;e made the gen eral public hesitant toward in ternational travel, in a recent survey by Palmetto Communications, however, 90 percent of college ’students proved open to it. In response to this news, Contiki Motorcoach Travel and the USC Palmetto Communica tions Bateman Team are spon soring |‘a celebration of inter national travel and tourism” in front of the Russell House today from 10a.m. to 2 p.m. The event features booths de scribing travel to various parts of the world and information about Study Abroad; USC’s School of Hotel. Restaurant, and Tourism Management; the Carolina Global Community; and Contiki. WUSC DJs and Cocky will also make appear ances. Prizes will be given away courtesy of Za’s Brick Oven Pizza, the New Orleans Restaurant, the Salty Nut Cafe, Andy’s Deli, Yamato Steakhonse, El Burrito, Blue Cactus and Smoothie King. “We have prizes from local restaurants. We’re giving away gift certificates, some clothing from Salty’s and T-shirts from different companies,” said Jennie Moore, a member of the Bateman Team. To encourage travel, many companies such as Contiki are offering new options. “People are nervous about plane trips right now, and Contiki is safer than being on your own because you’re trav eling with a legitimate group,” Moore said. Contiki advertises “vacations for 18- to 35-year-olds,” trying to stifle the stereotype that bus tours are for older people. “It’s an alternative,” Moore said. “It’s a great way to be able to see everything. If you’re trav eling by train or plane, you won’t be able to see as much of the cities. When traveling with Contiki, you can stop where you want to and see what you want to see.” Contiki specializes in guided tour bus trips around Europe. Australia, New Zealand and North America! that last any where from a couple of days to several months. Contiki adver tises the buses as ‘'worthy of rock stars” and “equipped with cushioned reclining seats, mul tiple television screens, a sound system, reading lamps and re stroom facilities.” Contiki’s buses were even good enough for the cast of “The Real World: New Orleans” when it went on a South African sa fari. “The prices are dependent on how long you stay and what trip you choose,” Moore said. “They range anywhere from $300 to $2,000.” While Contiki advertises “great airfare deals,” these prices usually do not include air fare. For example, one five-day trip around Australia is “from $295,” and this price includes ac commodations, meals, sightsee ing and some activities. “You can personalize the trip, and there’s a lot of free time built in. ... They have stuff planned that you can do if you want, but you get to decide,” Moore said. “It's a good thing for college kids because it’s not re strictive. It’s real flexible.” For the adventurous, some of the optional activities include "hiking, bungee jumping, white wator rafting, sky diving, hot air balloon rides and skyrail rides over ttye rainforest canopy. These activities usually cost ex tra because each individual de cides what he or she wants to do. ‘Each trip is well organized and easy to personalize,” Moore said. “You don’t have to plan it all in advance, which is good for college kids. You can be sponta neous, deciding what you want to do depending on where you are and who you’re with.” For more information about specific tours, dates and rates, check out Contiki’s Web site at www.contiki.com or call 1-800 Contiki. Comments on this story?E-mail gamecockm ixedi tor@hotma il.com .CD REVIEW Satellite finds niche in ‘Stop ’ STOP 34 Satellite out of ☆☆☆☆☆ BY TUG BAKER THE. GAMECOCK In order to be successful, a band has to find its niche. Sometimes it takes years, and sometimes it never happens at all. The Colorado-based band 34 Satellite has managed to find its niche with its sophomore release, “Stop.” The band formed around skateboarder-tumed singer/ songwriter Marc Benning. His talents immediately attracted the other members, all of whom had worked with other national acts. Bassist Mike Santaro (Whiskeytown), guitarist Marc Smith (Snatches of Pink) and drummer Mark Boquist (Screaming Trees) combined their skills with Benning’s songwriting and released the alternative country/rock album “Radar” in 2000. While the album received positive reviews and gained comparison to noteworthy names like Elvis Costello, Gram Parsons and Buffalo Tom, 34 Satellite decided to take its sound in a different direction. With the release of “Stop,” the members combined all of their musical backgrounds and produced an album that is more Paul Westerburg than Gram Parsons and more Guided by Voices than Buffalo Tom. The element that cements the band’s new sound is Smith’s amazingly adept guitar work. His playing ranges from U2 influenced harmonies wafting in the background to screaming bomb bursts of power that meld Smith’s punk background with the intelligently crafted licks of bands like The Tragically Hip. While it might be going too far to say that Smith carries the album, he is without a doubt the grease that keeps the wheels running smoothly. Benning’s knack for songwriting has also improved this time around. His lyrics are more straightforward but still clever and meaningful. With song titles like “Smoke from a Funeral,” “Rock Stars Plastic Cars” and “Getting High with a Stranger,” you can’t go wrong. Beyond Benning’s lyrical insight, listeners will also note the musical arrangements that surround the standard guitar bass-drums sound. Little things such as occasional synthesizer additions or the surprisingly fitting string section on “Longest Day” take what would otherwise be a mediocre sound and put some meat on its bones. tt.il Ui llllh, piUS OcUllcU U a 11U Boquist’s commendable handling of intricate rhythms, is the perfect frame for Benning’s vocals. With the crooning capabilities of Robert Polland and the raspy rattle of Westerburg, Benning’s voice is the final ingredient to a solid and well-prepared recipe. Altogether, 34 Satellite’s new sound lies somewhere between jangle pop and post-punk. Its ability to rock out and yet retain its initial energy is extremely impressive, and with such a congealed sound fitting the band perfectly into its niche, 34 Satellite has a staying power that will keep you waiting for more. Comments on this story? E-mail gamecockmixeditorlqJiotmail.com { MOVIE REVIEW Rice’s newest flick a disappointment QUEEN OF THE DAMNED Starring Aaliyah ★ out of <?☆☆☆☆ BY ADAM MCALLISTER THE GAMECOCK The latest of Anne Rice’s “Vampire Chronicles” novels found its way into theaters this weekend and was met with a less-than-lukewarm reception. “Queen of the Damned” follows the ongoing misadventures of Lestat de Lioncourt, last seen on the silver screen in Neil Jordan’s “Interview with the Vampire: The Vampire Chronicles,” starring Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt. Despite the latter’s critical reputation and cult following, what we have in iiieaici o iiv/w 10 ii.o jruungci - stepchild with attention deficit disorder. “Queen of the Damned” is a good example of what happens when cinema goes bad and the viewer is the one left paying for it. This much more frenzied escapade pursues Lestat, played by Stuart Townsend, sifter over 100 years of rest. He is awakened into our contemporary lifestyle not by philosophical or political change, but by the incessant beats of industrial and hardcore music. This sets up the obvious career choice for a 400-year old immortal with panache for clothing — a rock ’n’ roll star. His post-modern sounds, mixed with secrets of vampire lore, make “The Vampire Lestat” a hit on MTV but they only seem to make his fellow m nightstalkers angrier. Once « Lestat reaches the pinnacle of his ^ fame at his one and only concert, Queen Akasha—the title ■ PHOTO COURTESY OF WARNER BROTHERS J PICTURES ■ Aaliyah and Stuart Townsend star in “Queen of the Damned.” A It ts the latest movie b ’sed on A writer Anne Rice’s “Vampire Chronicles." -iv character played by the late Aaliyah — makes her way to crown Lestat her king and fulfill her fragmented past. To complement the ridiculous plot, director Michael Rymer and writer Scott Abbott mix in equally ridiculous subplots involving government-esque groups who study vampires from afar and flashbacks to Lestat’s creation and his creator, Marius. Marius is portrayed by Vincent Perez, whose performance is the closest thing to a high point that this film ever sees. Behind the many faults of the film, numerous conclusions can be reached. Rymer’s faux-complex directing style amounts to little more than a combination of the worst from “The Matrix” and the best from “The Six Million Dollar Man. addou s excuse ior a scripung A technique quite possibly entails 1 trolling the depths of Hollywood’s ■ Dumpsters and packing together I near impossible-to-watch dialogue. ■ It’s understandable that many films W of this genre must go through an I extensive editing phase to weed out ^ unnecessary scenes and bland plot development. However, it seems the greatly overlooked plot might just have found its way to the editing room floor as well. But a failure like this cannot be solely blamed on the directors. Townsend might have looked the part for the rocker Lestat, but his acting approach leaves much to be desired. Also, it is unfortunate that this is the last work we have from Aaliyah, who was never able to showcase her talent in the few roles she performed. The results of this film are regrettable, especially considering Rice’s usually intriguing material. However, this outing should provide the nail in the coffin, so to speak, for the uninspired, insipid excuses labeled as modern horror. Comments on this story?E-mail gamecockmixeditor@hotmail.com CALENDAR ‘40 Days and 40 Nights’ ■ Starring Josh Hartnett and Shannyn I Sossamon. Tuesday, Feb. 26. Russell House Theater. 8 p.m. Free. 1 PHOTO BY JOHN P. JOHNSON Shannyn Sossamon and Josh Hartnett star In Michael Lehmann’s “40 Days and 40 Nights.” Monday Feb. 25 EARLY SHOW - SUPERVILLAINS WITH MY BLIND LUCK, LATE SHOW - MUSICIAN MONDAY: Musican Monday is a jam session composed of a wide range of musicians, with a drum set provided. The early show is at 6 p.m. The late show is at 10 p.m. New Brookland Tavern, 122 State St. $2. ROARFIEND: Uncle Doctor’s, 1034 Mobile Ave. Tuesday Feb. 26 BOLT WITH POP 39 AND GROUNDED: Battle of the Band winners Bolt will flex its thunderous instrumental rock alongside Pop 39 and Grounded. New Brookland Tavern. GRADUATE VOCAL ENSEMBLE: Directed by Elizabeth Rauh. School of Music recital hall. 7:30 p.m. Free.