The Red and Black

Issue date: 9/30/97 Section: Undefined Section

Even as the ominous rain clouds loomed over the Georgia International Horse Park at Sunday's 99X Big Day Out concert, the excited crowd didn't seem to care. They were there to see the diverse set of 18 bands performing, no matter what the weather had in store. And what a diverse set of groups it was. The bands ranged from hard- core rockers such as Offspring and Foo Fighters to swing bands such as the Continentals and the Squirrel Nut Zippers, and even the reggae stylings of Ziggy Marley and the Melody Makers. "It was an exhausting day, but it was one that wouldn't be trad- ed," said Matthew Eckman, a junior from Lawrenceville. The day began with a rock-out performance by Athens' own Memory Dean. It got the audience pumped up with its popular single, "So Complicated." Another hot act was New Orleans-based Cowboy Mouth, which is well-known for its live shows and interactions with its lis- teners. "Out of all the bands, Cowboy Mouth put on the best show," Eckman said. "They were the most rousing and fan-oriented." Richie Clayton, a junior from Conyers, also enjoyed the band. "The lead singer focused on crowd involvement and participa- tion," Clayton said. "He just took the cake. I loved his antics." However, some members of the crowd became a little too rowdy for musicians and audience alike. Throughout the day, blood was shed in the mosh pit, muddy teen- agers were tossed into the air and soda bottles were hurled at unsus- pecting bands. "Most of the bands were good," said Kelly Reace, a junior from Dunwoody. "But some members of the crowd didn't have enough respect for others." "I got stuck in the pit a few times," said Eckman. "The mosh- ers became a little too reckless, despite the bands' attempts to get them to have a good time without hurting anyone." Members of North Carolina's Squirrel Nut Zippers were also vis- ibly annoyed with some of the audience. After being pelted with bottles and other assorted trash, lead singer Jim Mathus said that the band would quit if the moshers didn't chill out. "They should have expected the more alternative crowd," said Reace, "and that it would be cra- zier than their smaller shows." Squirrel Nut Zippers bassist Stu Cole admits that the band wasn't quite used to that type of crowd. After all, the group's style of jazz and swing doesn't usally attract young teenagers set on venting their angst. "These large venues can be dif- ficult to translate to, but ultimate- ly it's just another way to present material," Cole said. "You know, when there's so many people and they're that far away from you, you act a little differently. "We would rather stay in the nice theaters. There still can be two thousand people, but the feel- ing of those places is better and we can work as a unit." Many agreed the day was a suc- cess. "I left a happy man, extremely tired, but happy," said Clayton. "I would, without a doubt, do it again."

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