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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 18, 2004)
Basement banter Eugene's newest underground venue, Stonehenge, keeps people coming hack to see bands, friends BY AMY LICHTY PULSE REPORTER “Basement rock!” proclaims the flyer for Eugene newest “under ground” venue, Stonehenge. Locat ed in the basement of a house rent ed by five students, who also run the establishment, Stonehenge’s setting and bands have students talking. With a cheap cover (up to $5), free punch and day-old pas tries donated by bakeries, Stone henge appears to have found the perfect formula for a low-key yet rocking new venue. Just past a gravel driveway lit by candles on pothole-riddled Central Boulevard in East Eugene, Stone henge’s covert location even had the bands checking for directions. The owners and patrons seem to agree there’s something about the venue that keeps people coming back. “We’ve been having a consider able amount of people come to the shows and telling their friends, so the audience has been growing,” said Adam Zeek, one of Stone henge’s co-creators and a junior at the University. “And we’ve been meeting a lot of new people and starting a community, which is what we’ve been hoping for.” Besides the free food, cheap prices and great bands, people re turn to have fun with friends, listen to good music and enjoy the Dancers: Staver a convenient, comfortable dance location Continued from page 5 manage the studio, he teaches sal sa and meringue classes, he trains under Staver’s teacher’s training program and he DJs every Saturday and every other Friday at the stu dio’s dances. “I’m really learning a lot,” Reyes said. “Staver DanceSport is a good place to practice dancing. It is com fortable and convenient. It has a big floor, and you get the chance to learn about all types of dance in just one place, with the very best dance instructor.” Staver said her work at Staver DanceSport has been a positive ex perience thus far. “ (Being at) Staver DanceSport has been a very successful experience. People enjoy dancing. This is an en vironment where people enjoy danc ing for the fun of it.” To make an appointment for a private dance lesson, call Staver at 746-6268. dahvifischer@ daily emerald, com IWDW HHLL fir$RDAY FOLLOWED BY: CARLOS WASHINGTON AND THE AMAZING GIANT PEOPLE AND THE ADVANTAGE all shows are all ages. www.wowhall.org ★ EBn.SlHE ★ PLEASE RECYCLE THIS PAPER., uniqueness of this venue. “It’s nicer than the WOW Hall,” Lane Community College student Matt Gellein said. Most people at the Nov. 8 show that featured The Thermals, Things Explode! and Nero said they got a good vibe from the location, but found it slightly odd — it is, after all, in the basement of a house. Ashley Keneller, another room mate and co-creator, said creating small clubs in private residences was nothing new. “There’s been a couple of other places like this in Eugene that have come up and then shut down,” Keneller said. “There isn’t one right now, so (we thought) it was just the right time to start this. ” It wasn’t an easy task to open the new venue. “We moved in with the idea that we would do shows in the basement. We rented this place in September and have been working on the base ment since we got here,” house member Matt Brown said. “It was pretty filthy when we moved in. ” Shortly after the tenants cleaned up in the basement, which holds about 60 people, the bands started coming to perform. Zeek began e-mailing bands over the summer and asking them to check the spot out. “We look for bands that take it upon themselves to tour the coun try with their music,” Zeek said, “and bands that are looking for this kind of venue.” “Whoever is interested, we have them come play,” Brown said. Stonehenge’s setting isn’t the only distinctive factor; the club has specific goals most venues don’t consider to be part of their mission. “We want people to come and have a good time and meet other people. Too many people come to Eugene and move away within four years, which makes it kind of hard to get to know people,” Zeek said. “There are lots of faces here we’ve never seen before, which is kind of our goal, for people to come together. We want everyone to come and feel comfortable and make friends.” Zeek, Brown, Keneller, and roommates Whitney Gum and Tay lor Morrow plan on continuing Stonehenge for as long as they live in Eugene. The next show will be Saturday at 9 p.m. for $5. The show will feature Mirah, Liarbird, The Strangers and Sophisticated Micah Sykes. Stonehenge is at 2841 Central Blvd. amylichty@dailyemerald. com Need Cash? extra money for back-to-school expenses? Earn $180/month donate plasma 683-9430 IBR Plasma Center I block east of Garfield on 8th I90I W 8th Ave. New donors: bring in this ad for an extra $5 on first visit Musique Gourmet Classical Music Opera Broadway Filmscores CD's SACD'S DVD'S Open Noon - 5:20 Sundays Noon - 4:00 Closed Tuesdays Behind Bradfords Across from Library 942 Olive St. | FREE PARKING 349-0461 $399 Packages with Boots & Bindings include Free Mounting & Free Hot Wax 13th & Lawrence * Eugene • 683-1300 Future Music Oregon Jeffrey Stolet, director o UNIVERSITY OF OREGON A concert of experimental electroacoustic music, featuring guest composer and media artist Joey Bargsten, assistant professor of multimedia design at the University of Oregon. PLUS: other new works from the FMO studios by Brian Bice, Josh Humphrey, Mei-Ling Lee, Nic Mitchell, Ayako Kataoka, and Lincoln Smith. Saturday, Nov. 20 8:00 p.m. Room 198, UO School of Music TICKETS: S5 General Admission, $3 Students & Senior Citizens; available at the door. Room 198 is wheelchair accessible
