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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (April 22, 2004)
A ROS. 311 E. 11th Street, Eugene Corner of 11th and High Comingj Join us on Friday, April 23rd and Saturday, April 24th at our new location! All Drinks Am FREE! ALLDAYI Castle Megastore & I C T B E 8 are proud to present Adult Superstar... Friday, April 23rd: 5pm to 9pm Springfield 3270 Gateway St 541-988-9226 SPRINGFIELD STORE HOURS:'!] Sunday thru Wednesday 8am - 2amjMf Thursday thru Saturday Open 24 Hours SPRINGFIELD - 3270 GATEWAY ST - 541.988.9226 For a good time, go underground After turning 21, it's easy to forget there's a world outside the bar. It hap pened to me and I've seen it happen to many others. Once you reach that golden age, you forget aDout me iriaay ana Saturday nignts spent wandering that party gold mine of Harris Street to Pearl Street. Instead of house parties, now it's swapping stories with the other geri atrics about the time you almost got a MlP violation over Pabst Blue Ribbon and a bowl of peanuts. I usually talk about the time when a police officer caught me trying (unsuccessfully) to squeeze through the backyard fence of a party being busted as I tried to make a getaway into the neighbor's yard. 1 believe the officer's exact words were "I wouldn't do that if I was you." After turning 21,1 was so thrilled to be able to see music at bars that I neg lected all the great performances you don't need to be of legal age to see. I forgot about the basement shows. The first of these literally under ground shows I ever went to in Eu gene was at a place called The Animal Farm. It was a CD release party for a split between two local bands. The downstairs was decorated with Christ mas lights (they all invariably are), and the walls were insulated with dumpster-diving finds — old blan kets, mattresses and egg carton foam. People watched the bands play while sitting cross-legged on the floor or leaning against the back wall. It was a simple idea, but it blew my mind. Before that, I had never considered the possibility of music existing completely outside the cor porate sphere. From the bands that wrote and played the music, to the people who released the music on their label, to the venue operators who provided a space for all this to transpire, this basement show was a community effort. Without going into some trite speech about how lame corporations can be, I want to express how great it is Helen Schumacher Notes from the underground not having someone per suading you to buy $25 T-shirts and $4 bottles of water. These venues operate on trust, so there's no need for security guards to stand around and ha rass you. lhe bands aren t always great, but they are always enthusiastic. Besides The Animal Farm, other basement venues that once infiltrated the Eugene underground between 2001 and 2003 were The Alamo, The Spot and My House. The Alamo was less strict on its alcohol policies than other places and usually hosted punk or indie bands. The Spot was a frater nity converted to a co-op where rock bands played. The most ambitious venue with the widest variety of events was prob ably My I louse. During its run, the venue hosted several film screenings, art shows and lectures, including David Rees, whose comic strip "Get Your War On" is now syndicated in "Rolling Stone." Musical acts includ ed The loggers, The Thermals, All Girl Summer Fun Band, Liarbird and The Intima, as well as a plethora of local bands. Current all-ages, do-it-yourself venues include The Spoke, at 290 Polk St., which is continuing in the tradition of My I louse, and Le Sous sol, located at 375 River Rd., which usually puts on punk and hard-core shows. The Campbell Club and Lo rax Manor, found next to each other at 1670 Alder St. and 1648 Alder St., also have been pretty reliable sources for live music. They're dark and dirty, and the acoustics are nothing to brag about, but basement venues offer the most intimate format for seeing live mu sic. They epitomize the resourceful D.I.Y. spirit and are genuine expres sions of creativity. Contact the Pulse columnist at helenschumacher@dailyemerald.com. Her opinions do not necessarily represent those of the Emerald. 2 O O 4 WANT TO LIVE IN THE HALLS NEXT YEAR? APRIL 15-RACE STARTS Online application-http://housing.uoregon.edu/roomrace The sooner you apply the more choices you have for single rooms, creating your own neighborhood, and picking your complex. (Only current residents using a campus ethernet or UO modem connection have access.) MAY 10 at noon-APPLICATIONS DUE (There is no application fee for returning residents.) MAY 11 -ROOM SELECTION UNIVERSITY OF OREGON ROOM RACE Oregon Daily Emerald. A campus tradition - over 100 years of publication.
