A
The Battalion
Fr
LIFESTYLES
4
Monday, December 4,1989
Lifestyles Editor Mary-Lynne Rice 845-3;
Austin band Bucky Einstein and the Disciples of Relativity rocked Waivers Saturday night.
Photo by Kathy Ha veman
Waivers
the new wave in live music
Owners convert former Brazos Landing site
to showcase for local amateur entertainment
By Elaine Horn
Of The Battalion Staff
People who prefer their music live
rather than recorded now have an
alternative to the taped mix of the
deejay — Waivers.
With the demise of Eastgate Live,
f )eople who enjoy the excitement of
ive music were left to wait for the
occasional band presented by other
area clubs. But now Waivers has
stepped in to fill the void by present
ing live music five nights a week.
Reminiscent of the late Morgens-
tern’s. Waivers is dimly lit with wide
open spaces and bare walls. The
large front windows have been cov
ered with shoe polish, enhancing the
effects of the dim lighting.
Inside, the two focal points are a
large bar which dominates one side
of the room and the raised stage
which faces it.
Before Waivers opened, no club
in town was oriented solely toward
live music. Waivers, which is built at
the site of the former Brazos Land
ing, fills that void, says Kline, one of
the four owners of the club.
In the seven weeks that Waivers,
located at 103 Boyett Street, has
been open, the response has been
encouraging, Kline says.
Depending on the night of the
week and the act that is playing, the
club usually attracts between 100
and 200 people.
“We are finding an interest...and
hope to generate more interest in
having a venue for live music,” he
says.
Mary Ann Rea, another Waivers
owner, says the majority of the cli
entele is college students, although
they also see other area residents
who just enjoy listening to live music.
Rea and Kline characterize those
who go to Waivers as a diverse
crowd, including people from fra
ternities and sororities to Corps of
Cadets members to old hippies.
Their ages range from 18 to 40, de
pending on the type of music play
ing each night, Kline says.
Rea says, “It’s not a new wave
crowd or a punk crowd. The guys
generally have longer hair, but that’s
not even always true.”
Kline says they have some regu
lars who come in several times a
week. They also get people who are
just out on the weekend.
Rea and Kline were not always as
sociated with clubs or the music busi
ness. All of the owners of Waivers
are lawyers, and Kline still maintains
his law practice.
“By day I play lawyer, and by
night I play bartender,” Kline says.
“I never really did enjoy sleeping all
that much.”
The idea to open Waivers origi
nated from a visit Rae made to see
her brother in Bryan one weekend.
During the course of the weekend,
Rae, a Texas A&M graduate, was sit
ting around and talking to Kline and
his wife. They all decided they
wanted to go out and hear some
bands, but no one was playing.
“There was no place for bands to
play,” Kline says.
They had discussed opening up a
business before, but this time, the
plans all came together, he says.
They then decided to open Waivers.
“It’s something that I think all of
us have always wanted to do,” Rea
By day I play lawyer,
and by night I play
bartender. I never really did
enjoy sleeping all that
much.”
— Rick Kline,
Waivers co-owner
says.
be.”
“Kind of Walter Mittyish, may-
Kline says that their first objective
was to get the doors open and to get
established. Now' they want to make
renovations and experiment with
some new ideas, such as building up
the happy hour clientele.
They also are considering featur
ing two featured bands on Fridays
and starting the music earlier.
Rea says they also would like to
add some alternative forms of enter
tainment. They now have one video
game and one pool table which gets
constant use, she says. They are
thinking of adding more pool tables
Photo by Kathy Haveimn
Waivers co-owner Mary Ann Rea pours a pitcher of beer during Bucky Einstein’s performance.
and perhaps a dart game and a fooz-
ball table.
Despite any additional changes
they may make, Rea says, their pri
mary focus still will be live music.
“That’s our thing...w'hy we’re here,”
she says.
Rea says they try to keep their
cover charges affordable. The most
they have ever charged is $3, she
says, and some shows such as the
Lippman Jam have no cover charge.
The Lippman Jam is held every
Wednesday to showcase amateur
bands. Generally, bands will call
ahead of time to schedule a slot, Rea
who entertained the crowd bet"*'
sets.
Most of the bands which
Waivers are local, and Kline says
has been surprised by theamouiii
talent in this area.
“1
It’s something that I
think all of us have always
wanted to do. Kind of
Walter Mittyish, maybe.”
He says he came from a cd
town where the music scene was
tensively supported and W|jj
spawned acts such as Blackfoof
phen Stills, and Tom Petty and
Heartbreakers. In some install'
the quality of music in thisatf'
better than it was there, he says.
Kline describes Waivers as ^
oriented, although they have
some blues, reggae, and are off 1
having jazz.
— Mary Ann Rea,
Waivers co-owner
says, but sometimes people will just
walk in.
“It’s an opportunity for them to
get exposure and to have fun,” she
says.
Except for the lippman Jam,
usually one band is featured each
night, sometimes accompanied by an
opening act. A new twist to last
Wednesday’s Lippman Jam was a
the addition of a stand-up comedian
He says they are not aversew
lecting new bands to play, alti
they do prefer bands that haves®
following.
Rea and Kline say that when 1
opened Waivers, they anticips
facing the rowdiness and van#
common to many college to
Their Bryan-College Station pat
pleasantly surprised them, they
“I’ve lived most of my life in
lege towns,” Kline says, “andl"<
say overall, the Aggies here I
been very courteous, polite and
sponsible. That makes our job
easier.”
Hllto