The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, February 25, 2002, Page 5, Image 5
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.