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About The Clackamas print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1989-2019 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 16, 1996)
A&E/Feature The Clackamas Print Wednesday, October 16,1995 ^7 Christian music rocks the Tom Festival Joel P. Shempert Staff Writer tation, as did hard rock group Stavesacre. The second annual TOM Ska groups Five Iron Frenzy Festival, sponsored by Portland’s and The Supertones were both Push Productions, kicked off energetic, unrelenting and jovial. Thursday, Aug. 29, at the fair For those who crave acoustic grounds in Stevenson, WA. bliss, the intimate, intricate sound The four-day event was of the Five O’ Clock People and unique, featuring approximately the peculiar, hilarious stylings of 120 bands or artists, most with an Canadian singer Paula Spur were alternative or “new rock” sound two of the brightest gems. Funk and all with a Christian perspec rock was alive and well in the tive. persons of Jireh Funk’n’junk, fan This was not surprising to favorite Soulfood, and bizarre many festivalgoers, however, for “power funk” darlings Twin Sis The Push, a Portland club, has ter. been featuring this kind of talent Twin Sister, the band which for several years. The Push is the was publicly known as Boba Phett brainchild of TOM Organizer prior to a lengthy conversation Mikee Bridges, who saw a need with George Lucas’ happy little in Portland’s Christian music legal family, is a story in itself. scene when he moved here from The group comes onstage dressed California. in Star Wars costumes, sings As for describing the TOM songs all based on a Star Wars Fest itself, mere words fall short theme, is greeted by such com of adequacy. While it was nearly ments as “bow to the Empire,” impossible to view all 120 perfor and still manages to mingle a mances, one could have attended strong Christian message and at even a fraction of the concerts and mosphere amid all the fun and not have felt cheated. And the tomfoolery. In singer Todd incredible variety, from the acous-, “Vader” Fadel’s words to the au tic stylings of the Five O’clock dience, “We’re Twin Sister and People to the punk sound of we are a total joke, but that’s okay MXPX or Ghoti Hook, assured because God made humor and we that no musical taste would be left all serve Him.” unsated. Lest Christian skeptics begin The highlights of the festival to have misgivings about the re are too numerous to mention in ligious significance of the TOM full, but some special mentions Fest proceedings, it should be are definitely in order. Alterna noted that these musicians are for tive luminaries Plankeye played the most part indeed Christian a fast, tight and entertaining, set, bands, and not just “bands who and the quirky Some Few Oracles happen to be Christian.” There were a quality act that provided were many spiritual moments much amusement and enjoyment. throughout the festival that were Grammatrain, renowned grunge truly memorable and amazing. rockers, absolutely smoked with For instance, Allan Aguirre, a powerful and passionate presen formerly of Scaterd Few, and Crowd surfers enjoy Mikee Bridges’ band Sometime Sunday’s farewell performance. members of his new group, Spy glass Blue, played a worship ser vice of praise choruses on Sun day morning which was awe-in spiring to all present, including the musicians themselves. Also, the Supertones “interrupted” their show for a Psalm reading, sermonette and prayer, leaving no doubt as to their central motives as Christian musicians. The finest event of the festi val, and one of the most spiritu ally distinctive, came at 3 p.m. on Saturday morning. Alternative group Poor Old Lu, their arrival delayed several hours, played their “almost farewell”, concert. The group is breaking up, and their last show will be played in November at their hometown of Seattle. Poor Old Lu played an un forgettable set, and those who stayed up late enough to watch them had no regrets. The musi cal excellence and intensity fans have come to expect from a Poor Old Lu show were there in full force, despite singer Scott Hunter’s complaints of a failing voice. The band played for two hours, allowing them to play a wide variety of songs from nearly all their releases. Fans sang along with the band and lost themselves in the music as the performance built to a rising crescendo. The real moment came when Hunter paused to share some things about himself, and where he was in his life. He, eventually, Four new officers bring PTK into focus Cindy Hines Kurfman Copy Editor Alpha Xi Zeta, the college’s chap ter of the Phi Theta Kappa National Honor Society, has four new offic ers for the 96- 97 school year. President Meriwether Mersereau is a Laney Fouse, Tonya Leikam, vice second-year secretary for PTK. president for PTK. student, major ing Jn chemis try. She hopes to transfer to the vice president for Alpha Xi Zeta, medical program at Reed College. Leikam is involved in the Student Previously, she attended PCC and Connection Club. PSU, and then stayed home for 14 Her goals for the honor soci years to raise a family. ety include “keeping Up the five- Mersereau’s goals for Alpha star status and making it more fun Xi Zeta are “to maintain the level this year.” Five-star status is the of excellence that has been highest level of excellency a chap achieved by the chapter already • ter can obtain. and to expand the fellowship.” ' Laney Fouse, 43, is secretary The chapter vice president is for the second year and is also the Tanya Leikam. Leikam, 22, reelected president of the Native graduated from Redmond (WA) American Club, which she started High School in 1992 and previ last year. In addition, she is the ously attended Bellevue Commu editor-in-chief of The Clackamas nity College, where she was in Print. ducted in Phi Theta Kappa. She Currently, she is in her final is working on a Business Admin year of study for a Communica istration Transfer Degree to PSU. tions Transfer Degree. She is con In addition to working as a sidering going to Marylhurst next with tears in his eyes, ended up unburdening himself regarding his shortcomings and failings. An audience member spontane ously elected to pray for Hunter, a much appreciated gesture, and one of the most intimate and spe cial event of the festival was wit nessed. The TOM bands are always a treat to see, whether individu ally or all at once in a festival. TOM Fest serves a valuable func tion and is not to be missed. Rock fans need to be reminded that not all the killer rock music in the world is non-christian, and Chris tians need to be similarly notified that there is more to the Chris tian Music scene than Kathy Traced i. The SBDC is Here For You! Business Counseling Services Clackamas Community College’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC) offers up to 10 free hours of business counseling to prospec tive, new and existing business owners. n E •E 3 * <0 O c z >» "O c o > n o 'iClACKAMAS o £ 0. UNITY COLLEGE Meriwether Mersereau, PTK president. Doug Tesch, PTK treasurer. Small Business Development Center at Harmony Center, Milwaukie year. In the early seventies, she at tended Humboldt State and re ceived a general education de gree. Fouse’s goal for Alpha Xi Zeta is “improved communica tion within the membership.” She hopes to incorporate the use of e-mail, which is available to students through the computer lab, in order to accomplish this goal. Treasurer Doug Tesch, 25, is back at Clackamas after five years of absence. He is picking up sec- ond-year German with the inten tion of traveling to Germany. He has a bachelor’s degree in eco nomics from PSU and is work- ing as a mortgage banker. As an Alpha Xi Zeta member, he is in terested in promoting AIDS awareness. In addition to promoting AIDS awareness, Phi Theta Kappa is emphasizing the arts. Some of the highlights planned by the officers include a series of films and an art show. Last week Alpha Xi Zeta sponsored a successful depression screening; approximately 30 people attended. Today, the group is sponsor ing a debate watch at 6 p.m. in the Gregory Forum. For more information about the honors society, contact Advi sor Dave Arter at ext. 2210. Call the SBDC at 503-656-4447 fee«) dump {.UBO U3tN oildM tt uoßajo fo AysjBAiun 'Ol. SUBipU/ PUB/BABIO '6 ..POQ UlOJf UOISSIUJ B UO 9J,9M„ ‘8 ÄJfunoo ‘pog ‘9JOQ ‘{tun •£ uo B pjo ‘puBpjod '9 (066i)9P/OUL9IOO 9 (BpqUlBI ‘BpqUJB~l ‘Bpquieq :pg6t) SBpqiueq-u± -p J9OUBO '£ pun/Bug {jgqoy ÄHB9g U9JJBM I