The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, October 28, 2005, Page 8, Image 8
Talent alone
can’t win fans
its set.
In spite of the glazed stares
from the crowd, People in Planes
rocked. Every song had a unique
identity that captivated the few
listeners who came willing to
discover new music. The band’s
style of alternative rock surpasses
mainstream genres and would be
better suited as an opener for
Muse or even for a Smashing
Pumpkins reunion tour.
Gaz, singer for People in
Planes, introduced the band with
a raspy voice, obvious that his
vocal chords had taken a
thrashing from the previous tour
dates. But he was still able show
off his range and vocal clarity
throughout the show, capturing
the emotion of the melodic lyrics.
Lead guitarist Peter added
beautiful falsetto harmonies
behind Gaz’s soaring voice.
Along with Ian on keyboards,
Kris on bass and drummer
John, the band continued its set
'with heartfelt, hard-rocking
songs that made loving the band
easy. Still, the crowd stared back
at the band, too cool to show
Claire Hughes /Ti l E (JAM E(!()(i K
People in Planes performed at
New Brookland Tavern Tuesday.
that the opening band might
actually be good.
Standout songs included “For
Miles Around,” with a driving
chorus that featured uplifting
piano and guitar, and “Moth,” a
killer fusion of synthesizers,
hard rock and a funky bass line.
Even their instruments gave
the songs a vintage vibe which
further set the band apart from
more modern music.
The closing song began with a
groovy guitar riff, building
energy and crowd approval. The
audience finally started to move
during the closer, which left the
crowd with a pleasant taste.
The band is set to return to
the UK after the tour to do some
dates with the Crimea.
Hopefully when People in
Planes returns to the U.S., the
band finds a responsive crowd
that will appreciate their
amazing music.For tour
information downloads and
pictures, visit
peopleinplanes.com.
Comments on this story? E-mail
gamecockfeatures@gwm.sc. edu
For some, dress-up never ends
Certain professionals sport outlandish costumes every day at work
Sarah Sabalos
KRTCAMPUS
Unless you’re dressed up as
That Guy Across the Street
Who Goes Out to Get the
Paper in His Underwear,
Halloween costumes tend
toward the hot, itchy, and
uncomfortable. Imagine
wearing one every day.
That’s just what the
following folks do. Their
everyday jobs require pancake
makeup, heavy capes,
doublets and fake beards, so
who better to ask for
costume-comfort tips this
Halloween?
CLOWN
Steve Lough has been a.
clown for about 20 years
(many of them with Ringling
Bros, and Barnum & Bailey
Circus). He and his wife,
Elizabeth, own Carolina
Circus Clowns in Camden,
N.J.
Lough’s usual outfit: Long
socks, clown shoes, clown
shirt, baggy wool pants, a big
red nose, a bow tie and a
taped-on , toupee and
sometimes a hat and a tuxedo
coat.
“The first time yo\i put the
costume on, you’re very hot,
but after a while it’s just like
any other kind of physical
stamina,” he said. “You get
used to it and you can go
longer and longer without
sweating so much.”
His No. 1 costume tip:
Change your underclothes
and socks all the time.
“I used to go through five
or six undershirts in one
evening at the circus,” he said.
“If you change those,
everything else stays relatively
clean.”
Lough said that the heavy
pancake makeup holds
moisture in and keeps skin
young. (We — thought it
made you break out. Who
knew?)
“Rich clowns take off their
makeup with olive oil, while
budget-conscious clowns —
the vast majority— use baby
shampoo, which dries out the
skin but is cheaper,” he said.
DANCERS
Robert Michalski, who
plays the title character in
Columbia City Ballet’s
“Dracula: Ballet With a Bite,”
dances in a 20-foot red velvet
cape.
“There’s an art to working a
cape,” he said. “It’s all in
getting air caught up into it
and being kinetic with your
motion — always paying
attention to where the cape is
and how it’s moving ... It’s an
extension of your body,
basically.”
Betsey C. Ruff, who plays
one of Dracula’s maidens,
wears a costume with long
chiffon sleeves easy to step on
or tangle around other
dancers. Moving them
COSTUmCS • 9
KRT CAMPUS
Steve Lough works as a professional clown from Camden.
Devon Ulcek
FOR THE GAMECOCK
Opening for a band such as
The Bravery to a large crowd
should be the break that many
bands spend years working
toward. Unfortunately, for
People in Planes, it will have to
come later. People in Plane’s
superb progressive rock was too
good for the close-minded
crowd of Tuesday night’s show at
New Brookland Tavern.
Formed in 2004, People in
Planes’ talent has not gone
unnoticed. The band played at
the Austin, Texas, music festival
South by Southwest and signed
to one of America’s biggest
independent labels, Wind-up
Records.
People in Planes played a tight
set with wonderfully refreshing
songs, but it was not enough to
sway the younger audience that
came to see The Bravery. Crowd
unresponsiveness was a problem
for both opening bands, and one
even commented on the stoic
attitude of the audience during
MORALE, WELFARE & RECREATION I
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