Culture Shock

BANDS, VENDORS PROVIDE TASTE OF

"Our sole purpose was just to provide a really cool event that the community could enjoy for free."

CULTURE

Key in Stuart A balloon floats amid

dancers in the northeast

corner in Dunn Meadow at

the 10th annual Culture

Shock April 1 sponsored by WIUS, the student radio station. Sixteen bands

playing on two stages entertained the crowd. lying acrobats, enticing food, pulsating music and soliciting vendors usually form the backdrop of a carnival. But artists, jugglers, volunteers and hundreds of students who were present April 1 at Dunn Meadow turned this carnival into the 10th annual Culture Shock.

The event was sponsored by WIUS, the student radio station, and was designed with this carnival atmosphere in mind. Coordinators developed the event in hopes of bringing variety to the campus community. "We tried to promote Culture Shock as a carnival. We offered bands, food, art, clothes and acrobats to promote diversity. If we took all of these other events out and just left the bands, it would be really boring," said Station Manager Steve Whitcomb, who helped coordinate the event.

From noon until 7 p.m., Dunn Meadow was filled with the music of 16 local bands, which played in 45 minute sets on the two stages set up at the east and west ends of the meadow. Most of the bands, which played everything from alternative to folk songs, were from the immediate Bloomington area.

About half the bands, including El Nino, Antenna and Squashblossom String-pullers, were among the returning bands. But many, including Verve Pipe, Smears and Velo-Deluxe, had been touring across the country and through Europe.

"We really tried to bring in a broad range of bands — some new and local and some professionals in order to provide a variety of music," Whitcomb said. He also said Vida, a new band from the area, seemed to be extremely popular among the crowd.

Sophomore Eric Litwiller said, "I went to it [Culture Shock] last year, and it was a lot of fun. The bands were fun to listen to and attracted me back this year. They were great this year, too."

John Koch, production director for WIUS and coordinator of advertising, agreed that the quality of the bands was extremely good, and they attracted a large crowd. "They were top-notch and the addition of the extra acoustic stage was enthusiastically greeted by the crowd."

But while the bands were the core of the event, they only provided the backdrop for the many other activities occurring in the meadow.

Vendors from the community, including those from the popular stores Athena and The Gallery, displayed their crafts. Vendors sold articles of clothing, jewelry and other trinkets. George Goehl„'l local Bloomington artist who sold his crafts in Nashville, located in Brown County, hand soldered copper bubble blowers — a unique trinket that attracted a diverse range of people — at the event. "I have never sold anything that appealed to so many age groups – 70s, college-age kids, continued

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enjoy the music of the acoustical stage in the northeast corner of Dunn

Meadow. Culture Shock

attracted observers of all

ages including students and families.

While enjoying the bands at the 10th annual Culture

Shock, a bystander bends down to pet her dog. Many students and their pets enjoyed the warm weather.

M iddle-age adults. I've also never been at an event that has attracted such a wide range of people," Goehl said.

Vendors also set up a body piercing tent and a tattoo information table for those who wanted to decorate their bodies. Many student organizations also manned booths to recruit participants and distribute literature about their groups.

Senior Michele Rodger, president of the RI Dance Marathon Council, said, "Culture Shock is an excellent opportunity to reach the student body and community, who might not know what we are about and what we're working toward." The Dance Marathon Council and Union Board were the two largest groups present to recruit.

Sophomore Andrea Kemper said, "I saw a lot of student groups that I don't usually get to see or get to know anything about. I got a kick out of NORML, the group working for the legalization of marijuana."

Many other groups and talents that weren't so well recognized across campus were also represented at the event. For example, many individual performers such as jugglers and

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jesters demonstrated their skills and entertained bystanders.

Freshman Brendan Mayhugh, one of about five jesters present, twirled sticks through the air and wore a costume to recreate the Middle Ages.

The Bloomington Circus Company was also in attendance and performed on a trampoline it set up in the south end of the meadow. Representative acrobatics taught some elementary jumps and offered free jumps on the trampoline to observers.

Koch, who was also responsible for on-air promotions of the radio station, said Culture Shock was a unique event. He interviewed students during the festival. He said comments were, overall, extremely positive. "This year's Culture Shock was an amazing success. From the people who attended that a couple of us interviewed for our community programs, everyone seemed to really enjoy themselves," he said.

Whitcomb said, "Our sole purpose was just to provide a really cool event that the community could enjoy for free — an event that would bring everyone together."

Naomi Blum

Kevin Stuart