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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (March 24, 1995)
The Battalion • Page 3 Manders and Nuevo Tejas find inspiration in life's labors M Mark David Manders and the Nuevos Tejas Band By Amber Clark \ The Battalion e digs ditches by day and is a coun try singer by night. But Mark David Man ders, who is performing tomorrow at 3rd Floor Cantina, says his heart is always in his music. Manders began writing songs when he was 15 and two years ago he made his first attempt at forming his own band. He met bass player Russ Sherefield and fiddle player David Bennett, and the Nue vo Tejas band was born.Man ders and Nuevo Tejas have per formed at small clubs around the state, Manders said, usually in towns few people have ever heard of. “There’s a place called Egypt down near Wharton that’s really cool,” he said. I love those clubs down there. It’s like walking back into the 1800’s, into some of those old, old dance halls.” Manders and the band have never played in Bryan-College Station, although Manders said the area is not new territory. As a student at Texas Tech University, Man ders said he heard Aggies were weird, unpre dictable people. “Everyone said, ‘They’re all strange down there’,” Manders said. “But when I went down, I went to the Chicken and had a blast. The people were really friendly and loved music.” Manders and Nuevo Tejas have taken several oth er long roadtrips to small towns. The singer said he develops ideas from these experiences and likes to share the events with people through his music. The band is currently working on a festival called “Roadtrip from Hell Weekend” that will be held in Luckenbach in June. “Roadtrips are hell,” Manders said. “We like to have a lot of fun when we play and that’s what this is all about.” Manders said the crowds always seem to enjoy the music, which he describes as “shock country.” He said he tries to create songs that are truth ful and meaningful, detailing every aspect of the band’s lives. Manders sings about everything from getting a DWI to childhood memories of his father. Manders said the music reflects his feelings and that listeners can relate to the rough times in his life. “This is definitely not Top 40,” he said. “I don’t be lieve in rhyming ‘moon’ and ‘June’ and all that bub ble-gum Nashville crap. This is about screwing up, working hard, and life.” Manders said the band prefers playing small venues where the crowd can feel and hear the mu sic. He said the best way to judge a crowd is to play a slow song, and if he can hear a pin drop, he said he knows the audience is really paying atten tion to the music. The band plays professionally, Manders said, but insist on having fun while on stage. They frequently present surprise players, such as the undisclosed guest that will appear tomorrow night. Manders said he likes audience participation and he often invites people from the crowd up on the stage. In one of their songs, titled “I’m So Happy,” Man ders simply says whatever is on his mind, then en courages audience members to come up and say any thing they wish to say. “I’ll introduce a song and in the middle of it I might say something like ‘David is a descendant of the Ookpick tribe,’ and then explain it to the crowd,” he said. “It’s more fun and the crowd likes that stuff.” Manders said the band doesn’t want to become too popular. He said they enjoy the family atmos phere and the close ties they’ve created during the past years. Although the band has struggled to make a name for itself, Manders said he wouldn’t change anything. “I wouldn’t have it any other way,” he said. “This is probably the best time of my life.” sttinj ?eek OPAS offers students rare chance to see historic symphony herylHt i ibeGw: By Keryl Cryer [The Battalion apsodie espagnole and La mer may sound straight out of foreign language courses, but hese two phrases will sound completely dif- as they are spoken by the instruments of a renown symphony this weekend. The MSC Opera and Performing Arts Society ill present the BBC Philharmonic in Rudder Au- itorium Saturday at 8 p.m. The Philharmonic is celebrating its 60th an- iversary this year and will feature the world fa- ous conductor/composer Sir Maxwell Davies. Andi Stevenson, chair for OPAS, said the repu- ation of both the orchestra and its guest conduc- or will have broad appeal. “The BBC has a wonderful international repu tation,” Stevenson said. “And Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, who will be conducting his pieces, also has an outstanding reputation, so we knew that they would play extremely well in the Bryan-College Station area.” The symphony, which is based in Manchester, England, was founded in 1934 as the BBC North ern Orchestra and was renamed the BBC Philhar monic in 1982. Anand Ramaswamy, director of student devel opment for OPAS, said the philharmonic has also won many awards for its ability to provide a wide array of music, including Saturday’s classical pieces by Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel. “It’s been known for its upbeat exploration of 20th century British music and for using a differ ent outlook in the way that they present their mu sic,” he said. One way in which it will provide such an out look is by allowing Sir Peter Maxwell Davies to conduct two of his more than 200 published works: “Trumpet Concerto” and “St. Thomas Wake: Foxtrot for Orchestra.” Davies, who studied music in Manchester, Rome and Princeton, has enhanced his interna tional reputation by conducting the Royal Philhar monic and holding the title of Composer Laureate with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra. Like this season’s previous nine performances, Ramaswamy thinks the presentation of the Phil harmonic will provide a unique educational and artistic opportunity for students and the commu nity alike. “I personally feel like orchestra is one art form that in some ways is the least understood and the least known about,” he said. “I think that a lot of people have the mindset that ‘Oh, it’s boring. There’s nothing to see and you just sit there listening,’” he said. “But the im pact of having a live symphonic production is something that I think people should really take the opportunity to try out.” Yan Pascal Tortelier and Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, Conductors Hands ty hole- Texas 1 : lick np' : Friday Live Music Blue pepper, a blues band out of Austin, will be performing at Sweet Eugene's House of Java. Cheyenne will be playing at the Texas Hall of Fame. Deep Blue Something, an alternative rock band from Dallas, will be playing at 3rd Floor Cantina. Black Pearl, an Austin rock band, will be the opening act. Peeping Tom, a local cover band with a few original songs, will be playing at The Tap. A rave, a techno-dance party with DJ's playing constant music will be hosted by Stafford Opera House. Soma, Mudshow, and The Blue Valentines, three local rock bands will be playing at Northgate Cafe. Other Events Freudian Slip, an improv comedy show, will be held in Rudder Forum. Doors will open at 8:30. MSC Cepheid Variable will be hosting AggieCon XXVI, a science-fiction convention, starting at 4 p.m. at the MSC. Rocky Horror Picture Show will be shown at the Grove at midnight. Star Trek: Generations will be shown by the MSC Film Society at 9:30. Saturday Live Music Last Call, a local rock band, will be playing at Northgate Cafe. Mark David Manders, a country singer, will be playing at the 3rd Floor Cantina. See related story. Mother's Monkey, a local alternative band, will be playing at Sweet Eugene's House of Java. Ray Price will be playing at the Texas Hall of Fame. Sincola, an alternative band, will be playing at Stafford Opera House to promote their new album. Other Events Rocky Horror Picture Show will be shown at the Grove at midnight. Star Trek: Generations will be shown by MSC Film Society at 7:00 and 9:30. Sunday Warrant will be at 3rd Floor Cantina. See related story, page 4. !!! irapy ?re- act Presents 4v a different set of jaws. FRIDAY MARCH 24 SATURDAY MARCH 25 MIDNIGHT At the Grove Admission $3.00 Fun Packs $2.50 7>cnA*%MA cv&A cU&a&tUtle*. axil f 5 f 5 ta ua tfonx ofitc&U 'U/c xcyurAt Htxtifc&xtle**- CAncc (3) oo&U&mp dtufO. fln&vt Co- tAc Co- cnttAlc uo. t* (f&u. Co- tAo AcaC o£ auk exAlfafy lo celebrate the 40th anniversary of their namesake, the Newport Jazz Festival All Stars are touring America, featuring such artists as Jon Faddis and Red Holloway. From swing to bebop, YOU will see why The Newport Jazz Festival* On Tour is more than just a concert - it's an event! MSC OPERA ft PERFORMING ARTS SOCIETY Tickets are on sale at the MSC Box Office -TAMU, or charge by phone at 845-1234 Persons with disabilities please call 845-1515 to inform us of your special needs. We request notification three (3) working days prior ' to the event to enable us to assist you to the best of our ability. Join us for a special Buffet at 5:30 p.m. - Call 775-7776 for reservations. Also, be sure to attend the Patricia S. Peters Lagniappe Lecture at 7 p.m. in Room #212 of the MSC - Lecture admission is free. BUSINESS IS BACK! Italy Spring Semester 1996 Students will select a minimum of 12 hours: jfel Italy Interested? Attend any one of these informational meetings in 25 1 Bizzell Hall West: Mon., Mar. 27 Mon., Mar. 27 Mon., Mar. 27 2 - 2:45 3 - 3:45 4 - 4:45 Wed., Mar. 29 Wed., Mar. 29 Wed., Mar. 29 2 - 2:45 3 - 3:45 4 - 4:45 Mon., Apr. 3 Mon., Apr. 3 Mon., Apr. 3 2 - 2:45 3 - 3:45 4 - 4:45 Wed., Apr. 5 Wed., Apr. 5 Wed., Apr. 5 2 - 2:45 3 - 3:45 4 - 4:45 ECON 489/: BUAD 489 LBAR 332/: MGMT 489 ARTS 350: ANTH 201: ANTH 205: PSYC 405: PSYC 306: Economics of the Eur. Comm. Prof. Pier Luigi Sacco Culture of Mgmt. in the Eur. Comm. Prof. Pier Luigi Sacco Arts and Civilization* Prof. Paolo Barrucchieri Introduction to Anthropology Dr. Sylvia Grider Peoples and Cultures of the World Dr. Sylvia Grider Psychology of Religion Dr. David Rosen Abnormal Psychology Dr. David Rosen ^Mandatory for all students Study Abroad Programs 161 Bizzell Hall West 845-0544